[Other Sport] Tour de France 2021

[Gwylan]

Interesting to read L'Equipe today. There are a lot of very bitter Frenchies saying that it's a triumph for the way that Cav has beaten the dope testers. As one says "Hasn't won a stage for three years and now wins four - ask yourself why?". The ironic thing is they keep talking about how he's not a patch on The Cannibal, who actually did enlist chemical help.

The big question for me is what tastes better: the salty tears of the Scots after England's win on Weds or the sour grapes of the French after yesterday?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Interesting to read L'Equipe today. There are a lot of very bitter Frenchies saying that it's a triumph for the way that Cav has beaten the dope testers. As one says "Hasn't won a stage for three years and now wins four - ask yourself why?". The ironic thing is they keep talking about how he's not a patch on The Cannibal, who actually did enlist chemical help.

The big question for me is what tastes better: the salty tears of the Scots after England's win on Weds or the sour grapes of the French after yesterday?

If there was a genuine first class field of sprinters with decent lead outs and Cav was winning, then you may well wonder. However, and this is with the greatest respect to Cav and the race, but his lead out man nearly beat him yesterday - that isn’t Cav blowing everyone away, that is his team simply being better than everyone else. You watch some of his wins in that YouTube, he’s jumping trains, coming from 400m back - he’s been led to within 150m of the line by Quickstep - their performances have been incredible. That’s not to belittle Cav finishing it off or having the experience, skill and tactics to capitalise, but it’s hardly been superhuman feats of sprinting on his part. You have to feel for Sam Bennett watching from home because pretty sure he’d have been enjoying the same wins.

 

[Hamilton]

If there was a genuine first class field of sprinters with decent lead outs and Cav was winning, then you may well wonder. However, and this is with the greatest respect to Cav and the race, but his lead out man nearly beat him yesterday - that isn’t Cav blowing everyone away, that is his team simply being better than everyone else. You watch some of his wins in that YouTube, he’s jumping trains, coming from 400m back - he’s been led to within 150m of the line by Quickstep - their performances have been incredible. That’s not to belittle Cav finishing it off or having the experience, skill and tactics to capitalise, but it’s hardly been superhuman feats of sprinting on his part. You have to feel for Sam Bennett watching from home because pretty sure he’d have been enjoying the same wins.

See what you’re saying, but he can only beat what’s put in front of him.

But I get your drift.


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[Stat Brother]

See what you’re saying, but he can only beat what’s put in front of him.

But I get your drift.


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You shouldnt cheapen it, Cav has had to beat Bouhanni this year.


He gets mine and Eddie's respect for that alone.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Cav has given some brilliant interviews this week, and has always paid tribute to the fact he is in a brilliant team. He said one day that they get him there but it's still his responsibility to finish it off and get the win, suggesting all their work would be for nothing if he didn't close it out.

I love Le Tour, and this week has been fantastic.

 

[Stat Brother]

I take it the bitter Frenchies haven't mentioned the 16 TT stage wins from Eddie's 34.

Where all he had to beat was himself!

 

[Hamilton]

I take it the bitter Frenchies haven't mentioned the 16 TT stage wins from Eddie's 34.

Where all he had to beat was himself!

I said this to Pogue earlier.

I’m not going to cheapen Merckx achievements, but 16 TTs.


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[Bold Seagull]

See what you’re saying, but he can only beat what’s put in front of him.

But I get your drift.


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Not cheapening it at all. But he’s won 30 stages previous, some a lot tougher than these four, so fielding accusations of impropriety now just doesn’t make any sense. My drift is he’s not actually done anything superhuman to win these 4 - excellent exciting wins yes, but not jaw dropping something must be going on kind of wins - if you catch my drift.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I take it the bitter Frenchies haven't mentioned the 16 TT stage wins from Eddie's 34.

Where all he had to beat was himself!

I love the fact Merx himself at 76 has reminded everyone that while Cav has won 34, he won 5 tours and held yellow for 96 days….just in case anyone was tempted to belittle his achievements.

 

[Stat Brother]

I hate myself for really liking that Trek bike.

 

[Stat Brother]

The plot thickens

[tweet]1413771219954851842[/tweet]


It seems Eddie was a bit shite.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The plot thickens

[tweet]1413771219954851842[/tweet]


It seems Eddie was a bit shite.

Even that maths is suspect given some stages were split into 3, such as the triple split at the start of 1971…

 

[Stat Brother]

Even that maths is suspect given some stages were split into 3, such as the triple split at the start of 1971…

At this rate I'm going to have to count back how many stages Ive won to see whether Merckx was better than me...







...oh, he was.

 

[1066familyman]

At this rate I'm going to have to count back how many stages Ive won to see whether Merckx was better than me...








...oh, he was.

But if you discover Bouhanni's won more, you'll never disclose it

 

[Stat Brother]

But if you discover Bouhanni's won more, you'll never disclose it

If you got a jersey for slapping your bars while rolling in 7th 5 bike lengths behind, BooHoo would have his tailor made.

 

[1066familyman]

GC action today with a bit of luck.

 

[1066familyman]

Can see Bouhanni and Bol going home OTL today. Both struggled yesterday too.

Must be something up with Bouhanni as normally he's one of the better pure sprinters when things start going uphill.

 

[Weststander]

I love watching the smooth cycling style of the very best in a big ascent.

The Ineos/Pogacar group, it’s a thing of beauty.

 

[Motogull]

A great stage today.

 

[1066familyman]

I love watching the smooth cycling style of the very best in a big ascent.

The Ineos/Pogacar group, it’s a thing of beauty.

Not sure the words Ineos and thing of beauty ever really go together for me.