The Official, 103rd Tour de France, thread

[Stat Brother]

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:30:43
2 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:21
3 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:33
4 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team
5 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:42
6 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:01:02
7 Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:03
8 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:01:05
9 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre - Merida 0:01:08
10 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:01:10

General classification after stage 18

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 77:55:53
2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:52
3 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange 0:04:16
4 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:04:37
5 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:04:57
6 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:05:00
7 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:06:08
8 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:06:37
9 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre - Merida 0:07:15
10 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:07:18

 

[Stat Brother]

Stage 19: Albertville - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc, 146km

The penultimate lumpy day has the odd hill to ride up.
I predict the Sky train to control the race and sweep up the half hearted bunch.



Climb details Montée de Bisanne



final climb



Prognostication
Aru and Porte don't believe Mollema and Yates are worthy of the podium on the Champs, and today's the day they test them.
But they'll be dragging the 20/1 Roman Bidet along with them.

Bidet
Porte
Froome.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Stage 19: Albertville - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc, 146km

The penultimate lumpy day has the odd hill to ride up.
I predict the Sky train to control the race and sweep up the half hearted bunch.

Prognostication
Aru and Porte don't believe Mollema and Yates are worthy of the podium on the Champs, and today's the day they test them.
But they'll be dragging the 20/1 Roman Bidet along with them.

Bidet
Porte
Froome.

Porte has looked in good form. If he hadn't had that unfortunate puncture, may well have been still on the coat tails of Froome. I'm going for a Porte win, Yates to retain his podium position.

 

[Stat Brother]

Porte has looked in good form. If he hadn't had that unfortunate puncture, may well have been still on the coat tails of Froome. I'm going for a Porte win, Yates to retain his podium position.

I've had a couple of quid on Bidet, today.
As well as 3 long priced e/w'ers.

No this is Porte we're talking about, he'd have screwed up somehow.
I'm picturing him being plucked off the mountain by a eagle in stage 9.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I've had a couple of quid on Bidet, today.
As well as 3 long e/w'ers.

No this is Porte we're talking about, he'd have screwed up somehow.
I'm picturing him being plucked off the mountain by a eagle in stage 9.

I'm sure he is loving his face planting itself on the back of a motorbike being on the highlights reel of this tour.

 

[perseus]

http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d8yf6z/tour-de-france-live--2016-stage-19

Live from midday. Probably be boring all the way through though? Podium places could be up for grabs? Movistar have got nothing to lose in GC.

The last good Tour to watch was 1991.

 

[Bold Seagull]

http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d8yf6z/tour-de-france-live--2016-stage-19

Live from midday. Probably be boring all the way through though? Podium places could be up for grabs? Movistar have got nothing to lose in GC.

The last good Tour to watch was 1991.

Toe clips, down tube gear levers, silk ribbon bar tape, no helmets, those were the days!

 

[1066familyman]

I've had a couple of quid on Bidet, today.
As well as 3 long priced e/w'ers.

No this is Porte we're talking about, he'd have screwed up somehow.
I'm picturing him being plucked off the mountain by a eagle in stage 9.

You've only bet on Bardet because your fantasy place might be under threat.

I'm shocked Porte hasn't blown up yet and even more shocked that he doesn't look like he might now either. I put that down to GC soft pedalling most stages where there could have been people out the back door though. Same with Yates really.

I actually feel sorry for Porte because the puncture was really unlucky and the farce face plant happened while he was actually attacking! ... I mean, were the chances of that happening. I'd be quite happy to see him ride himself onto the podium now, and even happier if it came from an audacious move like sending TJVG in the break.

 

[perseus]

Movistar will want the team classification win and will not attack

http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/classifications.html

 

[Bold Seagull]

Movistar will want the team classification win and will not attack

http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/classifications.html

Will be just as big for them to get on the podium and Quintana is only 21 secs down on Yates, 45 secs on Mollema. Just whether Quintana has anything in this tour at all, or whether he's just come for the scenery? Any of the top 8 could get a podium, so some interesting racing in prospect still.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Falling like flies down this last descent. Yellow just gone front wheel going from under him on the central white line, Mollema off, several riders going straight on into woods instead of going around the bends. Nothing like a bit of rain to liven things up!

 

[JJ McClure]

Blimey it's all getting a bit chaotic. Rain on the descent causing multiple falls.

 

[Bold Seagull]

You've only bet on Bardet because your fantasy place might be under threat.

Looking a good bet with 9km to go...

 

[Bold Seagull]

This has been a great stage to watch...

Well, that has shaken up the GC big time!

25 seconds separate 2nd to 4th. Very exciting.

 

[perseus]

Will be just as big for them to get on the podium and Quintana is only 21 secs down on Yates, 45 secs on Mollema. Just whether Quintana has anything in this tour at all, or whether he's just come for the scenery? Any of the top 8 could get a podium, so some interesting racing in prospect still.

Podium battle is close enough to make a race tomorrow for second place.

http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/classifications.html

Mountains look big enough: http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/stage-20.html

 

[JoePrecious]

Unfortunately I don't think Yates will have anything left to make up time on Quintana or Bardet...

 

[Bold Seagull]

Unfortunately I don't think Yates will have anything left to make up time on Quintana or Bardet...

He's doing a lot more on his own than those two too.

 

[Stat Brother]

You've only bet on Bardet because your fantasy place might be under threat. .

and I'm £40 up because of it.

Great riding today, in with a couple of nasty crashes.

Wout Poels did a fantastic job 12 months ago, and has done even better today.

One of the reasons I love watching cycling is for that kind of selfless riding.

 

[Bold Seagull]

and I'm £40 up because of it.

Great riding today, in with a couple of nasty crashes.

Wout Poels did a fantastic job 12 months ago, and has done even better today.

One of the reasons I love watching cycling is for that kind of selfless riding.

His pacing of Froome on Thomas's bike was immaculate. Just smooth leading up of his race leader, never panicked, had seemingly a proximity sensor because he never stretched Froome. Very impressive.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d8yf6z/tour-de-france-live--2016-stage-19

Live from midday. Probably be boring all the way through though? Podium places could be up for grabs? Movistar have got nothing to lose in GC.

The last good Tour to watch was 1991.

91! Really! The start of the indurain monotony?

Also, the year epo kicked in - lemond was so strong the year before, came into the 91 tour fitter and was getting dropped by domestiques on the climbs.