Time trial is over and a huge upset has happened! Thomas Geraint finished his stage holding the lead with only one man left on course. Well the Yellow Jersey holder Julian Alaphilippe who was supposed to yield time to Thomas actually won the time trial by 10 seconds ! Unbelievable in everyone’s minds as many thought Alaphilippe might actually lose his yellow Jersey to Thomas ! Now we have to seriously take Julian as a real contender! Wow !
Tomorrow will tell us what Team Ineos has planned in the mountains as it’s a brutal stage and now they must attack on the mountain of the mighty Tourmalet. I could have got Alaphilippe at +1550 yesterday and I wish I had any clue he could have gained time on Thomas and outright won the time trial today ! Egan Bernal had a tough time trial today and slipped down the rankings..
Tomorrow will tell us what Team Ineos has planned in the mountains as it’s a brutal stage and now they must attack on the mountain of the mighty Tourmalet. I could have got Alaphilippe at +1550 yesterday and I wish I had any clue he could have gained time on Thomas and outright won the time trial today ! Egan Bernal had a tough time trial today and slipped down the rankings..
Egan Bernal who was the pre Tour favorite has fell to 5 th place now. Of course I think the remaining course will favor him so he has a decent chance of finishing on the podium but Thomas is now clearly the leader of Team Ineos! I will reluctantly be anxious to see the new updated odds but I’m certain of one thing ......... I will not see Alaphilippe anywhere near +1550 ! One thing seems certain after today’s shocker is that someone will have to go after Julian Alaphilippe and the next 2 stages will be their best chances ! This should cause Team Ineos to take some chances for a change. The commentators said Thomas and Team Ineos were not using their fastest tires in today’s time trial and went with a tire that was less susceptible to having a flat. I’m thinking IF that is true, they might have made a big mistake. Since it was mentioned long before today’s results came in, i kinda believe it’s true.
yep, STUNNING!
i don't have a dog in this year's fight. Felt Team Ineos could be vulnerable without Froome and an out of form Thomas (going in). The odds on Thomas pre-tournament were stupid low and no way I was taking Bernal- too young. Heck, Team Ineos couldnt even decide on a number 1. And no other GC contender i liked.....anyway, things are clearer after Stage 13.
If Alaphillippe was riding with a team as deep as Team Ineos, he'd be -350 to win, lol. Only a crash could stop him . But he's not. And Team Ineos is the stongest Team out there, yet again, And they have last yr's winner sitting in second. Thomas surely is disappointed after today BUT am sure likes where's he's at: the main pre-tournament GC contenders are comfortably behind him . His focus is Alaphillippe. Also, AFTER TODAY, there is no doubt who is the number 1 rider for Team Ineos- and that's Thomas. Bernal is not an accomplishment tt, but even with that today can only be seen as a disaster. hw's +600 to win now? if Thomas crashes/bonks maybe. Team Ineos , under the brilliant Brailsford has always been about WINNING the Tour de France, not about the rider, about Team. After today, Thomas is their leader
if Team Ineos cant put a dent into the lead after the mountain the stages? oh boy, Anaphillippe can win this! Tomorrow's stage is a summit finish-- A GRUELING FINISH-- 19km with a 7.4% average gradient. IS TOMORROW the day Anaphillipe cracks? Looking for Team Ineos to set a cracking pace !!!!!!..
no doubt all of France is crazy excited!!!...they may have a winner?
i don't have a dog in this year's fight. Felt Team Ineos could be vulnerable without Froome and an out of form Thomas (going in). The odds on Thomas pre-tournament were stupid low and no way I was taking Bernal- too young. Heck, Team Ineos couldnt even decide on a number 1. And no other GC contender i liked.....anyway, things are clearer after Stage 13.
If Alaphillippe was riding with a team as deep as Team Ineos, he'd be -350 to win, lol. Only a crash could stop him . But he's not. And Team Ineos is the stongest Team out there, yet again, And they have last yr's winner sitting in second. Thomas surely is disappointed after today BUT am sure likes where's he's at: the main pre-tournament GC contenders are comfortably behind him . His focus is Alaphillippe. Also, AFTER TODAY, there is no doubt who is the number 1 rider for Team Ineos- and that's Thomas. Bernal is not an accomplishment tt, but even with that today can only be seen as a disaster. hw's +600 to win now? if Thomas crashes/bonks maybe. Team Ineos , under the brilliant Brailsford has always been about WINNING the Tour de France, not about the rider, about Team. After today, Thomas is their leader
if Team Ineos cant put a dent into the lead after the mountain the stages? oh boy, Anaphillippe can win this! Tomorrow's stage is a summit finish-- A GRUELING FINISH-- 19km with a 7.4% average gradient. IS TOMORROW the day Anaphillipe cracks? Looking for Team Ineos to set a cracking pace !!!!!!..
no doubt all of France is crazy excited!!!...they may have a winner?
yep, STUNNING!
i don't have a dog in this year's fight. Felt Team Ineos could be vulnerable without Froome and an out of form Thomas (going in). The odds on Thomas pre-tournament were stupid low and no way I was taking Bernal- too young. Heck, Team Ineos couldnt even decide on a number 1. And no other GC contender i liked.....anyway, things are clearer after Stage 13.
If Alaphillippe was riding with a team as deep as Team Ineos, he'd be -350 to win, lol. Only a crash could stop him . But he's not. And Team Ineos is the stongest Team out there, yet again, And they have last yr's winner sitting in second. Thomas surely is disappointed after today BUT am sure likes where's he's at: the main pre-tournament GC contenders are comfortably behind him . His focus is Alaphillippe. Also, AFTER TODAY, there is no doubt who is the number 1 rider for Team Ineos- and that's Thomas. Bernal is not an accomplishment tt, but even with that today can only be seen as a disaster. hw's +600 to win now? if Thomas crashes/bonks maybe. Team Ineos , under the brilliant Brailsford has always been about WINNING the Tour de France, not about the rider, about Team. After today, Thomas is their leader
if Team Ineos cant put a dent into the lead after the mountain the stages? oh boy, Anaphillippe can win this! Tomorrow's stage is a summit finish-- A GRUELING FINISH-- 19km with a 7.4% average gradient. IS TOMORROW the day Anaphillipe cracks? Looking for Team Ineos to set a cracking pace !!!!!!..
no doubt all of France is crazy excited!!!...they may have a winner?
Good summation! I agree with everything you said ! The odds tell me that everyone feels certain that Alaphilippe will falter in the toughest mountain top finishes ! Of course nobody expected Julian to win today’s time trial either ! Tomorrow is “ Show Time “ ! I keep looking at age difference which often could be huge !
Trying to look at today’s stage with a little perspective. It was a great day for Thomas Geraint in every way except one. Thomas put time on every single GC contender except for Julian Alaphilippe. Now it appears that most of the experts underestimated Alaphilippe prowess in the Time Trial. The huge question is whether they are also underestimating him in the high mountains. Tomorrow will tell us a lot about that but I’m certain Team Ineos didn’t expect to see Alaphilippe actually increase his advantage in TT to 01’ 26 “. I guess my gut tells me that Team Ineos is not a team to misconstrue Alaphilippe’s capability on the brutal mountains so it should be fun to watch ! GL
Did you ever look into Lance Armstrong? Food for thought.
http://mileswmathis.com/lance.pdf
Crazy how sometimes it's right in front of our faces the whole time.... re, Lennon.
http://mileswmathis.com/lance.pdf
Crazy how sometimes it's right in front of our faces the whole time.... re, Lennon.
