Road Cycling 2016 Discussion Thread

[Federer91 3,386]

17 stages past and there is still no victory for the Big 3 of cycling Italy, Spain and France. 

[hckošice 16,630]

some cycling skills including the wheelie arrival in Finhaut uphill finish today

 

 

 

and SVK cycling fans go crazy. the man with hockey jersey and cross is btw Jozef Stumpel 2002 world champion

 

[hckošice 16,630]

Tour de France 2016

Various Cities (FRA) - 02.07.2016 - 24.07.2016

 

 

Stage 18

  Sallanches  -  Megeve 

(17km - Mountains Individual Time Trial)

 

 

 

 

[hckošice 16,630]

Tour de France 2016

Various Cities (FRA) - 02.07.2016 - 24.07.2016

 

 

Stage 18

     Sallanches  -  Megeve 

Mountains Individual Time Trial

Stage Result

 

  Christopher FROOME

  30:43

 

  Tom DUMOULIN

+21

 

  Fabio ARU

+33

 

4. Richie PORTE  +33

5. Romain BARDET +42

6. Thomas DE GENDT +1:02

7. Ion IZAGUIRRE +1:03

8. Joaquin RODRIGUEZ OLIVER +1:05

9. Louis MEINTJES +1:08

10. Nairo QUINTANA +1:10

 

 

General Standing After Stage 18/21

 

1. Christopher FROOME    77:55:53

2. Bauke MOLLEMA   +3:52

3. Adam YATES   +4:16

4. Nairo QUINTANA   +4:37

5. Romain BARDET   +4:57

6. Richie PORTE   +5:00

7. Fabio ARU   +6:08

8. Alejandro VALVERDE   +6:37

9. Louis MEINTJES   +7:15

10. Daniel MARTIN   +7:18

 

 

Jerseys After Stage 18/21

 

Yellow Jersey

 

  Christopher FROOME

77:55:53

 

2. Bauke MOLLEMA  

+3:52

3. Adam YATES  

+4:16

 

 

Green Jersey

 

  Peter SAGAN

425

 

2. Marcel KITTEL  

228

3. Bryan COQUARD  

156

 

 

Polka Dot Jersey

 

  Rafal MAJKA

173

 

2. Thomas DE GENDT  

90

3. Ilnur ZAKARIN  

78

 

 

White Jersey

 

  Adam YATES

78:00:09

 

2. Louis MEINTJES   

+2:59

3. Warren BARGUIL   

+31:38

[Federer91 3,386]

Since Froomy is on the express train to the treble, the rest are going back to fight to be his wingman once again. Two big stages left and right now i think Porte and Aru are in the driving seat for that podium. Really impressed with Aru's TT today, looks like he is finally hitting the premium Astana 3rd week form, so his way is up. Not the same could be said for poor old Nairo Quintana. This time even his favourite stage 20 last climb, last hill, last stage, i did it, second place, yes, move could go off track, because his form isn't getting better,but worse. 38 year old Valverde who did the classics, and the Giro, and is supposed to work for Quintana, has almost the same performance as the guy who trained the whole year for the Tour win. Great job Movistar, another wonderful year. Finally Yates and Mollema had enough fun and should go back to the line, or do they? I would be really shocked if one or both of them are on the podium in Paris. It just screams that they will have a horrible last day ala Dumoulin and Krauswijk. We shall see.

[heywoodu 16,465]

3 minutes ago, Federer91 said:

Since Froomy is on the express train to the treble, the rest are going back to fight to be his wingman once again. Two big stages left and right now i think Porte and Aru are in the driving seat for that podium. Really impressed with Aru's TT today, looks like he is finally hitting the premium Astana 3rd week form, so his way is up. Not the same could be said for poor old Nairo Quintana. This time even his favourite stage 20 last climb, last hill, last stage, i did it, second place, yes, move could go off track, because his form isn't getting better,but worse. 38 year old Valverde who did the classics, and the Giro, and is supposed to work for Quintana, has almost the same performance as the guy who trained the whole year for the Tour win. Great job Movistar, another wonderful year. Finally Yates and Mollema had enough fun and should go back to the line, or do they? I would be really shocked if one or both of them are on the podium in Paris. It just screams that they will have a horrible last day ala Dumoulin and Krauswijk. We shall see.

 

One out of Yates/Mollema ending up on the podium of course wouldn't be a major surprise anymore now. Mollema has already shown that he's capable of climbing with the best a decent amount of times throughout the past years, while Yates has just been really strong for the entire Tour now. Of course before the Tour started especially Yates ending on the podium would have been a major surprise, but so would anything other than Froome/Quintana in the top-2 and probably Contador in third. There's nothing screaming that a horrible day is coming like Dumoulin (who didn't have a horrible last day btw, but only lost time on a climb which is completely normal instead of horrible) or Kruijswijk (who only had a horrible day because of a fall, because in terms of climbing he was still looking stronger than anyone else until then). 

 

Normally Froome should obviously hold on to first plae unfortunately, although here in the Netherlands I've already heard the jokes saying "Going into the last 2 days with a 3 minute lead or bigger? Nah, no way that can go wrong!"  

 

If everything in the next two days goes somewhat normal, Mollema should end up on the podium, maybe behind Yates who I think has been stronger in recent days. Quintana is close, but unless he finds some better shape for two days, I really doubt he can catch up with those two. 

 

I agree with you about Aru though, he was so impressive today! It almost felt like a totally new Aru and I'm really expecting him to go on the attack tomorrow  (though not gaining several minutes over the other GC contenders, but I think he might take the win) Porte also is looking very, very strong..

 

My prediction for tomorrow's stage:

 

1. Aru

2. Porte

3. Froome (right behind those two, after failing in his mission to help Porte win a stage)

 

[heywoodu 16,465]

Oh, and yeah: Movistar 

 

Valverde rides literally everything, yet would probably beat Quintana here in the Tour if he didn't have to work for him even though Nairo has been spending months and months in the mountains preparing for this one race  

Edited July 21, 2016 by heywoodu

[hckošice 16,630]

Tour de France 2016

Various Cities (FRA) - 02.07.2016 - 24.07.2016

 

 

Stage 19

  Albertville  -  Saint Gervais Mont Blanc (Le Bettex)

(146km - Mountains)

 

 

 

 

[heywoodu 16,465]

Aru is going for war today  

[heywoodu 16,465]

Telkehaimanot has fallen, taking Tom Dumoulin with him. Both got back up their bike, but Dumoulin grabbed his wrist and has now apparently stopped on the side of the road while crying...(and yeah, no way he's crying because he won't finish the Tour of course). Goodbye to one of our biggest Olympic gold medal hopes for Rio.