Today’s State is going pretty much as expected except just recently Dan Martin has broken away on his own. Since he’s over 6 minutes behind in the GC race, the Yellow Jersey has allowed him to go. R Majka is leading as he’s trying to hold off a group of 7 riders left from a breakaway group.
Today’s stage won by Magnus Cort Nielsen for his first ever stage win. He was followed by Ion Izagirre and Bauke Bollema. The main GC contenders too no interest in contesting today’s stage and the standings remain unchanged ! Rest day tomorrow as Pyrenees await !
Latest William Hill odds !
Geraint Thomas -115
Chris Froome. +120
Tom Dumoulin 9/2
It remains to see IF Team Sky will let Thomas win this year’s Tour ! The safest way to insure a win would be to have Froome and Thomas simply work together to hold off any attack by a very tough Tom Dumoulin. An 11 second lead held by Froome over Tom Dumoulin could easily be erased in the Time Trial. I believe the only way that Froome will win this year’s Tour is IF Thomas should have a bad day in the Pyrenees. Of course should that happen, Tom Dumoulin becomes a real problem for Sky ! I will give a look ahead at upcoming mountain stages and give my opinions which probably will be rather worthless! ��
Geraint Thomas -115
Chris Froome. +120
Tom Dumoulin 9/2
It remains to see IF Team Sky will let Thomas win this year’s Tour ! The safest way to insure a win would be to have Froome and Thomas simply work together to hold off any attack by a very tough Tom Dumoulin. An 11 second lead held by Froome over Tom Dumoulin could easily be erased in the Time Trial. I believe the only way that Froome will win this year’s Tour is IF Thomas should have a bad day in the Pyrenees. Of course should that happen, Tom Dumoulin becomes a real problem for Sky ! I will give a look ahead at upcoming mountain stages and give my opinions which probably will be rather worthless! ��
The change in my mind has far more to do with the fact that Tom Dumoulin is so close than who is more likely to outfinish between Thomas and Froome in the Pyrenees. Froome has not only won 4 Tours Already but always comes on strong in the final weeks of a 3 week Tour. However IF Froome goes and Dumoulin is capable of hanging onto his wheel in the mountains, i like Dumoulin’s chances in the closing Time Trial with only a 11 second deficit ! That’s what makes the final few stages in the Pyrenees so intriguing!
Gianni Moscon has been kicked out of Tour De France for striking another cyclist ! This is not great news for Team Sky as he was one of their key climbing support riders to Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome. I also expect more hostility to result from this latest incident. This guy has had previous incidents and I think his contract with Team Sky will be cancelled. The sport doesn’t need his kind of behavior!
Stage 16 heads into the Pyrenees. It’s not the toughest of the Pyrenees stages but it has some very steep descents that may create more problems than the ascents! The problem is that I see only a few stages left for anyone to catch up any time on Thomas or Froome. Someone will attack tomorrow I feel certain. Will they be successful ? That’s why I’ll be watching !
Yellow Jersey led Peleton has fallen far behind leading group as perhaps they are saving themselves for tomorrow’s key and very difficult stage. I see tomorrow’s stage 17 and then stage 19 as the best chance to try to break into Geraint Thomas fairly comfortable lead.
Tour de France
Tomorrow’s stage 17 in the Pyrenees is going to be perhaps the most decisive stage in this year’s Tour. I guarantee there will be changes in the top 10 in GC standings ! It’s,the shortest stage in years and mostly climbing right from the start. Also in a new twist, the start will be staggered which means the top GC contenders will be all together and right up front. The race starts right off on a category 1 climb and them another Cat 1 and finally finishes a mountain top HC category! I expect fireworks big time on the final Climb ! What can they be waiting for ? You can make up some time on the final Time Trial but Thomas, Froome and Dumoulin are all very good time trialists so how much time is to be gained on those 3.
Tomorrow’s stage 17 in the Pyrenees is going to be perhaps the most decisive stage in this year’s Tour. I guarantee there will be changes in the top 10 in GC standings ! It’s,the shortest stage in years and mostly climbing right from the start. Also in a new twist, the start will be staggered which means the top GC contenders will be all together and right up front. The race starts right off on a category 1 climb and them another Cat 1 and finally finishes a mountain top HC category! I expect fireworks big time on the final Climb ! What can they be waiting for ? You can make up some time on the final Time Trial but Thomas, Froome and Dumoulin are all very good time trialists so how much time is to be gained on those 3.
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