a few final pics.
the little guy likely thinks it's a circus......
dad wins his 4th Tour de France, moves into 2nd place all-time
dad has worn the yellow jersey 59 times in his career, 4th all-time
haha- they put him on a yellow Dogma!!
Team Sky has now won 5 of the last 6 Tour de France. DOMINATION
the little guy likely thinks it's a circus......
dad wins his 4th Tour de France, moves into 2nd place all-time
dad has worn the yellow jersey 59 times in his career, 4th all-time
haha- they put him on a yellow Dogma!!
Team Sky has now won 5 of the last 6 Tour de France. DOMINATION
way too early to make a call, but it's nice to speculate
its difficult to make an anti-froome layout, they did their best this year yet he still won. Keep in mind he entered in questionable form!! And the mountain gradients are not as severe as at the Giro or in Spain. Nonetheless, what's the layout goign to look like for 2018 ...cobbles? he handled them in 2015, no problem....more mountainous stages?....longer TT's (no problem)?......
I think the big one for Froome is age. No one can cheat Father Time. He's at the cusp ; won at age 32. Induran, Anquetil, Hinault, and Merckx all the chaps sitting with 5 titles NEVER won that late (Induran/Hinault won at 31). BUT--in Froome's favor are the following;
-desire/motivation. He'd love to get to 5 titles, no doubt. Not a complacent guy
-Team Sky- they focus on the GC and only the GC. And they field an ELITE group of demestiques. imo, he was not nearly as dominate as previous years; First winner in over a decade to not win a stage , coudnl't lose Uran/Bardet in stage 18 despite that being the plan and having Landa with him. A disappointing loss of the yellow to Aru in the mountains (by his own admission; ' i didnt have the legs').
-no clear GC contender that is as a complete rider as him
you got an early fav?
whom could beat him?
Bardet?- i wouldnt bet with him unless he significantly improves as a TT.
Landa?- betting on a guy who's not a proven GC commodity ?
Dumoulin?- he won the Giro. He can climb AND he can TT. Can he find a team that's dedicated to him?
Porte?- had a strong team, BMC threw a LOT of money at that team We saw what happened. Has a yr of experience under his belt
Barguil/Yates?- too young?
Uran- he came from nowhere. He's 30
Quintana?- ship sailed
Aru?- if they increase the number of mountain stages? That was a very disappointing 3rd week he had, grant it top 2 team members were out
u got an early fav?
its difficult to make an anti-froome layout, they did their best this year yet he still won. Keep in mind he entered in questionable form!! And the mountain gradients are not as severe as at the Giro or in Spain. Nonetheless, what's the layout goign to look like for 2018 ...cobbles? he handled them in 2015, no problem....more mountainous stages?....longer TT's (no problem)?......
I think the big one for Froome is age. No one can cheat Father Time. He's at the cusp ; won at age 32. Induran, Anquetil, Hinault, and Merckx all the chaps sitting with 5 titles NEVER won that late (Induran/Hinault won at 31). BUT--in Froome's favor are the following;
-desire/motivation. He'd love to get to 5 titles, no doubt. Not a complacent guy
-Team Sky- they focus on the GC and only the GC. And they field an ELITE group of demestiques. imo, he was not nearly as dominate as previous years; First winner in over a decade to not win a stage , coudnl't lose Uran/Bardet in stage 18 despite that being the plan and having Landa with him. A disappointing loss of the yellow to Aru in the mountains (by his own admission; ' i didnt have the legs').
-no clear GC contender that is as a complete rider as him
you got an early fav?
whom could beat him?
Bardet?- i wouldnt bet with him unless he significantly improves as a TT.
Landa?- betting on a guy who's not a proven GC commodity ?
Dumoulin?- he won the Giro. He can climb AND he can TT. Can he find a team that's dedicated to him?
Porte?- had a strong team, BMC threw a LOT of money at that team We saw what happened. Has a yr of experience under his belt
Barguil/Yates?- too young?
Uran- he came from nowhere. He's 30
Quintana?- ship sailed
Aru?- if they increase the number of mountain stages? That was a very disappointing 3rd week he had, grant it top 2 team members were out
u got an early fav?
You have some great points regarding Froome. Right now IF i owned a sports book and was forced to post odds, I'd make Chris Froome the favorite despite his age. I'd put Richie Porte and Landa as his chief contenders. We must remember that Porte is,a,very good Time trialist beating Froome by 35 seconds in the Criterium Du Dauphine.
My closing thoughts on this year's Tour. First off I actually thought it was on the easy side with 9 strictly sprint stages and only 3 mountain top finishes. Then it was tarnished by so many key cyclists being out of Tour early like Cavendish, Porte, Thomas, Sagan and Valverde. Then the great sprinter Marcel Kittell went out due to both illness and a crash. I actually thought it lacked a lot of drama as ALL the major jerseys were decided before the final stages. I know we all kept hearing about how many were within seconds of Froome BUT what were they hoping for ? Everyone knew Chris Froome would easily beat them in closing time trial so any hope lies in him falling ! Good Luck on that. The only real race was for 3 rd place between BArdet and Landa which was won by 1 second by Bardet. I keep going back to stage 18 when Landa attacked on the final mountain top finish and yet allowed Bardet to put 12 seconds on him ! If Landa is so great in the mountains, what was that all about.
I will return in Oct when the 2018 route will be announced and try to make some predictions.
I will return in Oct when the 2018 route will be announced and try to make some predictions.
Barguil should be making a decision on his future shortly, reportedly . He is still under contract with Sunweb. He won two stages, could have easily been three. He is only 25. Some reports say to Team Sky..wtf? He wont be the GC rider. Unless to be groomed to replace Froome in time? he's good with that?
Sunweb has Dumoulin and Barguil. They have a history of not bending for riders. Kittel left. Here's a recent quote form their team manager;
"I really believe in our top sport vision, that's the centre line of our team. We don't facilitate single riders and their dreams because they get better and they get worse. We believe in our culture, how we think and how we always try to improve and develop. It's very demanding and so sometimes some people cannot fit in it any more. But if you can live with it, I think it's the right way."
Sunweb has Dumoulin and Barguil. They have a history of not bending for riders. Kittel left. Here's a recent quote form their team manager;
"I really believe in our top sport vision, that's the centre line of our team. We don't facilitate single riders and their dreams because they get better and they get worse. We believe in our culture, how we think and how we always try to improve and develop. It's very demanding and so sometimes some people cannot fit in it any more. But if you can live with it, I think it's the right way."
Going to Team Sky is not a bad idea for someone as young as Barguil. Froome will be 33 by the time next year's Tour so I'm sure his time as a lead is short ! We acknowledge how important it is to be with a great team and of course Sky is the best ! I really don't see anyone on Team Sky right now to take Chris's place as I'm certain Landa is leaving. Also I think Barguil has a fantastic future but I seriously doubt he is quite ready yet to win a podium spot. I think Landa is ready to compete if he can improve just a little in the TT. GL
it isn't. But i'd be surprised if he would to go to Sky. France is looking for a Champion. He's the new buzz. He'd be playing second fiddle to Froome; a domestique. BUT, as you say it'd be short term. He knows Froome will be 33. Also knows Team Sky ONLY cares about the TDF, the GC classification; everything they do is for it. That's why have ZERO interest in say a Sagan or a Kittel. Anyway, will be interestign to see who replaces Landa . I'm sure Mr Portal will find a capable body...just as he replaced Porte.
'
When Landa dishes, he doesn’t disappoint. Speaking of his future, he’s equally to the point.“I do not want to be second again,” he said. “That’s very clear that I do not want to see that again.” '
he indeed is gone. Landa leaves Team Sky. He will be the GC contender for Movistar
[h=1]Mikel Landa signs two-year deal with Movistar[/h]"It's great news for us," said Movistar team general manager Eusebio Unzué. "Being a young rider still and with everything that he's shown, he should be the rider who leads Spanish cycling for the next few years."
...........
Landa is a competitor. Doesn't like to play second fiddle. ...............
http://www.velonews.com/2017/07/tour-de-france/landas-tour-regret-i-had-legs-to-drop-everyone_444674
[FONT="]Landa’s Tour regret: ‘I had legs to drop everyone’
[/FONT][FONT="]Perhaps more than anyone leaving Paris this week, Mikel Landa will be wondering what might have been.
The 27-year-old Basque rider enjoyed a breakout Tour de France. He loyally fulfilled his role at Team Sky as Chris Froome’s key helper in the mountains.
Yet there is more than a tinge of regret for Landa. He came within less than one second of finishing on the podium in Paris.
Speaking to Spanish journalist Jesus Gómez Peña, Landa lamented what could have been while at the same time acknowledging he had a job to do.
“I am fourth in the Tour de France, and I don’t feel anything special at all,” Landa said. “I feel empty.”
Landa was perhaps the strongest climber in this Tour de France. Team Sky deployed him perfectly to help carry Froome to a fourth yellow jersey. And Landa kept his part of the deal, staying close to Froome and following team orders.
“In the second week, I had legs to drop everyone,” he said. “But everything unfolded like it did, and that’s how it will always be.”
2018 Tour de France shall be super interesting. The layout comes out on Oct 17th.
[/FONT]
gentlemen, the layout is out....ugh.......TT's do not have an advantage, imo
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-2018-five-key-stages/
cobbles are back......i feel it STILL will be decided in the mountains.........
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-2018-five-key-stages/
cobbles are back......i feel it STILL will be decided in the mountains.........
let me add here. Rules are rules and if he fucked up with dosage (in treating his asthma) or his doc did well he's in trouble.rightfully so
This is NOT anything like that lowlife L Armstrong. That dude was injecting himself; blood doping. A means to increase stamina/performance. He KNEW EXACTLY what he was doing. When authorities turned on him, he denied it, then aggressively turned on accusers- tried to crush them, humiliate , silence them. When the evidence became overwhelming, he conceded , apologized.Remorse?........For me, He is the greatest disgrace not just in cycling but in all of sport . He embarrassed himself and country and grossly turned back the USA cycling world. Has STILL not recovered
This is NOT anything like that lowlife L Armstrong. That dude was injecting himself; blood doping. A means to increase stamina/performance. He KNEW EXACTLY what he was doing. When authorities turned on him, he denied it, then aggressively turned on accusers- tried to crush them, humiliate , silence them. When the evidence became overwhelming, he conceded , apologized.Remorse?
........For me, He is the greatest disgrace not just in cycling but in all of sport . He embarrassed himself and country and grossly turned back the USA cycling world. Has STILL not recovered
yes,Froome off to a bad start much to the delight of the majority of the field and spectators! Chris Froome’s participation in this year’s race has been very much up in the air since his positive test for a banned drug which I’ll get more into after today’s race. Yesterday’s race was also a tough day for another of the pre race favorites Richie Porter.
Todays race will come out as a stage for the sprinters like Kittell ! Sagan etc. i don’t expect much action in the GC race and I will also discuss the overall main contenders chances after today’s stage. Sorry I arrived late to the party this year !��
