2024 Tour de France Fantasy League, and general TdF discussions.

[TBS]

Boring stage so far - going to get a ride in before it gets hot

[::: :::]

Yeah, went for a run this am. Heat supposed to drop off tomorrow.
Hoping for some action on the run-in…there’s absolutely nothing going on…

[::: :::]

is tomorrow a breakaway kinda parcours?
a simon geschke 140kms alone kinda day?
or a Bardet-whittles-the-break-down-only-to-lose-the-sprint-to-the-line kinda day?
or a Abrahamson is prevented from getting in the break & we get a new polka dot leader day? Steve Williams?
or Pogi reels it all in to solo to the line? [i'm thinking GCs take a break tomorrow just cuz...we'll see]
Derek Gee vs Matteo Jorgensen? nah, visma won't let him go up the road
so many questions...

[TBS]

Good finale - Alpecin’s lead out was something to behold. And Girmay is definitely in the zone.

My MTB ride was more exciting though. While descending singletrack, spun out in 34x11, I had four deer decide to jump the trail about 50’ in front of me. They are kinda hard to see in early AM light.

Tomorrow will be interesting. I expect a breakaway to go deep into the stage - maybe the whole way. I also expect Tadej and Remco to make a late charge on Vingo.

[xyz]

I’m predicting fireworks tomorrow. Remco is gonna put his balls where his mouth is. Jonas gonna light it up with a flyer in the mountains. Tadej will be on defensive.


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[Dee Hubbs]

How are these guys professional bike riders and they can’t even put a dropped chain back on?
They try for 15 seconds then put their arms up in frustration and wait for a team car.
Just watched a spectator put the chain back on for WVA after he gave up after 15 seconds of trying.

[joetron]

What a stage!!
Incredible racing. That last descent was dicey AF


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[::: :::]

Vingo def has mountain legs (note to self: listen to gthomas) — it almost looked like Pogacar was a little worried there after the finale
We’ll see whether he adjusts his aggressiveness
He still has a min plus of delta to Evenepoel then another 10s to Vingo
This is looking good

I was going to give Roglic a hard time for his slipped wheel, but Pogi & Vingo had slips too. Roglic was a mm from keeping it upright — clearly the roads offered some unusual surfacing that surprised the riders

[plugboots]

Vingo def has mountain legs (note to self: listen to gthomas) — it almost looked like Pogacar was a little worried there after the finale
We’ll see whether he adjusts his aggressiveness
He still has a min plus of delta to Evenepoel then another 10s to Vingo
This is looking good

I was going to give Roglic a hard time for his slipped wheel, but Pogi & Vingo had slips too. Roglic was a mm from keeping it upright — clearly the roads offered some unusual surfacing that surprised the riders

Great Vingo interview as he was doing the cool down on his rollers. Sometimes you can forget that these guys are human.

[TBS]

^^^Yeah, it makes for good TV. But IMV it’s a little unfair to stick a microphone in someone’s face when they are totally spent.

And every time they do stick a mic in his face, he talks about his family.

How are these guys professional bike riders and they can’t even put a dropped chain back on?
They try for 15 seconds then put their arms up in frustration and wait for a team car.
Just watched a spectator put the chain back on for WVA after he gave up after 15 seconds of trying.

WVA is a cross racer, he knows how to fix a dropped chain. Watching the replay in slow-mo it looked like the chain was thrown off the derailleur jockey wheels and he may have bent the hanger when the bike slammed down during that flippy-spinny part of that turn.

Never did see whether he rode that bike in or he waited for a team car to replace

The much bigger question is WTF was he thinking? He just about led his whole team off the road.

[TBS]

In other thoughts, it’s too bad Evanapoel lacked the balls to pull with Pogi and Vingo…you know, to put distance on their rivals

[jackattack]

I thought I saw some wheel slip/drift before WVA went over the curb.

great rivalry. I can't get enough of this era of the TdF!

[xyz]

Tadej! He shoulda stuck with his team, maintained his lead. Not sure why he went for the hay maker. Just sit back, let others take the race from you.

He fried his team and himself. At least he kinda popped Jonas with him.


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[Skistack]

Yeah, he could’ve had the team ride tempo and won the sprints for both the time bonus and the win.

If he was afraid before this stage that he didn’t have enough time on Jonas, he’s gotta be scared shitless now.


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[xyz]

On the other hand, that move did work for him on stage 2, giving him this lead. And if he didn’t crack on the second last climb today nobody would be saying it was a reckless attack.

This is going to be insane heading into the Pyrenees. Is the giro showing in TP’s legs? Is Jonas just getting warmed up? Are the rest of UAE cooked? What will Remco come up with?


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[Garth Bimble]

How are these guys professional bike riders and they can’t even put a dropped chain back on?
They try for 15 seconds then put their arms up in frustration and wait for a team car.
Just watched a spectator put the chain back on for WVA after he gave up after 15 seconds of trying.

Didn't want to get his hands dirty. Those things are gross, all oily and shit.

[dan_pdx]

Did you guys see these shenanigans? Local MTB guy gap jumped some riders on stage 11: http://instagram.com/p/C9P5NRPsJDv

[::: :::]

Did you guys see these shenanigans? Local MTB guy gap jumped some riders on stage 11: http://instagram.com/p/C9P5NRPsJDv

ha, i did not!
that must have stoked out the riders seeing it

[fomofo]

This is going to be insane heading into the Pyrenees. Is the giro showing in TP’s legs? Is Jonas just getting warmed up? Are the rest of UAE cooked? What will Remco come up with?

Regrets, I've had a few.



Interesting discussion/analysis starting 6:45

[TBS]

Did you guys see these shenanigans? Local MTB guy gap jumped some riders on stage 11: http://instagram.com/p/C9P5NRPsJDv

It’s been done five times before - Mr. Anouilh is the first to do it twice

This was actually Anouilh's second time jumping over the Tour de France peloton, after first doing it in 2019. This time, he says that the drop was his biggest ever, at 12m high and 8m long. He started building it one week ago and just finished it last night, the evening before Stage 11 passed under it.

The first rider recorded doing the peloton huck was Dave Watson, who crashed on the landing in 2002. Since then, Alexis Bosson, Roman Marandet and Dan Leclercq have also given it a go.

As far as we know, no rider has attempted the feat twice.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-...cond-time.html

[xyz]

A couple of podium girls were hot today. Highlight of the stage for me.


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[::: :::]

I see I used up my credits so no more rider changes for me. And my token team filler Renard (rating: 5) dropped before today's start [I guess he actually didn't make it thru stage 11]. So, i ride with this crew to the end!

(I doubt my team will magically resolve into the points powerhouse required to win, but who knows maybe it will fit into the results somehow? Doing pretty well for now...)

Tomorrow would suggest a breakaway tries to foil the sprinters, but, with bonus points on the finish line, I suspect they come in mostly together.

[TBS]

No comments about DeMare and Cav getting relegated in today’s sprint?

Did DeMare deviate from his line or did the organizers choke down the course in the final meters? Couldn’t tell from the camera angles but DeMare looked like he was going straight to me.

And I saw Cav changing lines - that’s what happens in a mass sprint - but couldn’t tell from the finish line camera angel whether he impeded anyone?

[xyz]

No comments about DeMare and Cav getting relegated in today’s sprint?

Did DeMare deviate from his line or did the organizers choke down the course in the final meters? Couldn’t tell from the camera angles but DeMare looked like he was going straight to me.

And I saw Cav changing lines - that’s what happens in a mass sprint - but couldn’t tell from the finish line camera angel whether he impeded anyone?

Cav looked clean. He swerved hard but he was just moving around a gassed lead out. Maybe he interfered with the cofidis ruder behind.

Waut got pinned on the barriers. Too bad he may have taken it.


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[::: :::]

Cav interfered with multiple riders on the run to the line. He was bouncing all over the place. (Luckily no one went down ultimately.)
It’s actually fascinating watching how that scrum morphs every meter approaching the line.