[Other Sport] Tour de France 2021

[pb21]

[tweet]1411959697280847875[/tweet]

That is an interesting quote, and I'm not too sure what to make of it, presumably his data is sound?!

 

[Bold Seagull]

That is an interesting quote, and I'm not too sure what to make of it, presumably his data is sound?!

At 34, Thomas De Gendt has already experienced many wars, but the escape king of Lotto-Soudal is confronted with the harsh reality in this Tour. Just before the 9th stage towards Tignes, he gave a candid interview.

The ride to Tignes offers opportunities for the escapees and then of course Thomas De Gendt is looked at. He himself looks the other way.

"Yesterday I pushed the values ​​of a breakaway, only I finished at 28 minutes. But I feel just as tired as after a flight," De Gendt said this afternoon.
"A lot of riders just ride faster than me. So I don't think it will be for me today."

"The day must come when the young are better, but they just do it very abruptly. Normally it is gradual, now they suddenly take everything over and push the elderly back."

"That's a hard statement, but it's no different. I can't improve. If they drive too fast, then I have to accept that. I can try and hope for a super day, but if not, then it is not..."

"Then I have to draw my conclusions, cancel my contract and then it's time for something else. If they are better, then so be it."

"I'm 34 now and will be 36 at the end of my contract. I won't suddenly improve by 5 percent unless I'm doing the wrong things, but I won't."

"The general level is much higher"
Is De Gendt drawing conclusions too quickly? No, according to his data. "Yesterday I drove one of my best "10 minute values" ever from the start. Those values ​​have been recorded since 2013."

"Normally I drive things to pieces with those values, now I was 100 meters behind a group of 70 riders. And I would have started from the front row. If you don't keep up with the peloton, the general level just much higher."

Yet De Gendt is not giving up hope yet. "I have to hope for a super day. I can only try. This year I already had one super day and then I won the stage in the Tour of Catalonia. So it is possible, but everything has to go well."

 

[pb21]

"The general level is much higher"

Is De Gendt drawing conclusions too quickly? No, according to his data. "Yesterday I drove one of my best "10 minute values" ever from the start. Those values ​​have been recorded since 2013."

"Normally I drive things to pieces with those values, now I was 100 meters behind a group of 70 riders. And I would have started from the front row. If you don't keep up with the peloton, the general level just much higher."

If the level of the peloton has increased to the extent that De Gendts highest 10-min effort leaves him spat out the back, then the peloton has improved significantly!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Had a week off last week, & have thoroughly enjoyed the first few stages from the comfort of my sofa, rather than the office.

A more spectacular & emotional first week I dont think you will find...and a massive "CHAPEAU" goes out to Nic Dlamini for finishing the stage after a crash & riding alone for the day - even though he was 1hr 24 down on the winner at the end & just wanted to honour the race.
I feel for the few riders that were literally just a few seconds outside the time cut as well though. A brutal couple of days in the mountains....

Bring on Week 2!

 

[Stat Brother]

If the level of the peloton has increased to the extent that De Gendts highest 10-min effort leaves him spat out the back, then the peloton has improved significantly!

There's a lot of 'perfect storms' in this year's tour.

The crucial one for TdG is the complete lack of leadership in the Peloton.


Sky (Ineos) would never have let them ride like they'd been shot out of a cannon for 90mins.
But not only that, despite the race being over because yellow has been won.
Absolutely everything else is up for grabs, as the Aussie (O'Connor) showed on Sunday, suddenly no marks can get Top 10.

The contract difference is mahooosive, and unsurprisingly that's going to be fought over.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The BBC Sport homepage cycling lead line is:

"On the verge of greatness - can Cavendish break Tour stage win record?"

Now, I might be being unnecessarily picky, but what he's achieved is already greatness? Whether he wins another stage or not, 32 stage wins for a TdF sprinter is greatness is it not? Getting to 35 will surely just be a legendary cherry on top?

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

The BBC Sport homepage cycling lead line is:

"On the verge of greatness - can Cavendish break Tour stage win record?"

Now, I might be being unnecessarily picky, but what he's achieved is already greatness? Whether he wins another stage or not, 32 stage wins for a TdF sprinter is greatness is it not? Getting to 35 will surely just be a legendary cherry on top?

I will hold my hands up and say I was never a big Cav fan because of his brashness in his early days - but with age, experience, family etc, he has mellowed a lot & I've warmed to him over the last couple of years. I didn't expect such a resurrection this season though and, again, will hold my hands up and admit I was wrong. When he won 4 stages in Turkey earlier this year I still wasn't convinced he was "back". How wrong I was.

What hes done on a bike at the TDF though is quite incredible and, whether a fan or not, you cant argue that he has quite rightly achieved greatness - even if he doesn't break the record this year.

I saw something the other day showing the TDF stats - take away the TT wins of Merckx, and Cav is an amazing 14 stage wins ahead of the Cannibal. I know all stage wins count, but that is some stat.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

So this should, already, be Pogačar's 2nd TdF, his main rivals out of the way so will win by many minutes, instead of only a few, unless he ends up overcooking it... The rest will be racing for the podium or a top 10 now, if they weren't already.

He is a VERY special talent, only 22.

How many TdFs will he win, 7+?

He is the best TT and the best climber and he is only going to get better.

No way Pogacar is winning this TDF. Lachlan Morton is 3 days ahead of the Peloton right now, has done his double ascent of Ventoux, and is heading down to the Pyrenees as we speak.

https://cyclingtips.com/2021/07/lachlan-morton-has-a-600-km-buffer-on-the-tour-peloton/

Pog will have to go some to catch Lachy before getting to Paris

 

[Pogue Mahone]

8km to go, Cav in first group...

COME ON!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

He's done it again!! Thirty three!

 

[1066familyman]

Text book

 

[Bold Seagull]

The BBC Sport homepage cycling lead line is:

"On the verge of greatness - can Cavendish break Tour stage win record?"

Now, I might be being unnecessarily picky, but what he's achieved is already greatness? Whether he wins another stage or not, 33 stage wins for a TdF sprinter is greatness is it not? Getting to 35 will surely just be a legendary cherry on top?

edit 33...

 

[Bold Seagull]

Text book

I think Cav was led out at 39mph before he was on his own for the last 150m.

Could put that as a video on the wikipedia entry for 'lead out train'.

 

[1066familyman]

I think Cav was led out at 39mph before her was on his own for the last 350m.

Could put that as a video on the wikipedia entry for 'lead out train'.

And Morkov giving the commentary.

They've been doing it all season for Sam Bennett

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Text book

Wasn't it just? A superb team performance, always seemed odds on that he would win that one. Perfection.

 

[1066familyman]

The other thing today, with the possibility of echelons in the finale, which we got, what team would you rather be on

This is a truly brilliant career move for Cav. It's like he's finally come home. And he thoroughly deserves it!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Great interview, "Oh, shit, yeah!"

 

[zeemeeuw]

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The other thing today, with the possibility of echelons in the finale, which we got, what team would you rather be on

This is a truly brilliant career move for Cav. It's like he's finally come home. And he thoroughly deserves it!

Lovely to see the team management had the belief in him that other teams (and most of us, if we're honest) didn't have at this stage in his career.

I think it was Lefevre who was asked about this a few days ago, and said he'd gone with his heart over his head.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Great interview, "Oh, shit, yeah!"

Love the fact everyone is too scared to ask what we can now call 'la question'