Reading Cav's first book he almost has a low opinion of Griepel's Sprinting skills even from the early days, no where near as good as the Missile or Kittel
I know many on here want landa to go for the 2 seconds but it would be a complete disaster if he did. His career would be finished.
Just had Eurosport on and they were saying barguil has got the super competitive title. De gendt is thinking about taking that decision to the courts as he feels he should be awarded it as he's been involved in more breakaways.
You need to respect tradition the competitive awards are in the main given to French juries to French cyclists as compensation since they stopped winning the Tour - start taking the French seriously for the GC when they stop getting the silly awards.
Personally, I'm delighted that Bardet got a podium place. He, and his team, deserved something for the fact that at least they tried, however ineffectually, to make a competition of the GC race. He was always vulnerable in a Time Trial and had to make more of his time in the mountains, but AG2R seem to be heading in the right direction, and cycling needs more teams in contention.
Team Sky have confirmed Wout Poels, Mikel Nieve, Diego Rosa and Gianni Moscon in their squad to back Chris Froome as he attempts to complete the Tour de France-Vuelta a Espana double.
In addition to Poels, Nieve, Rosa, Moscon and David Lopez for the mountain stages, Froome can count on Salvatore Puccio, Ian Stannard and Christian Knees for protection and help on the flat stages and in the opening team time trial. Moscon will be making his Grand Tour debut but the rest of the team is hugely experienced, with many having won at least one Tour de France with Froome.
Froome rode a criterium in Kazakhstan over the weekend after an altitude training camp with several teammates in France. He has ridden the Vuelta five times, finishing second in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
"It certainly feels as if I’ve got unfinished business with this race. I’ve finished second three times now, but I’ve got a good feeling about this year’s Vuelta. It feels like we’re on much more of a mission this year, and aiming for the Tour/Vuelta double this season has been a huge motivation. I don’t think we’ve been to the Vuelta a Espana with a team as strong as we’ve got this year,” Froome in a statement from Team Sky announcing their final starting nine.
"One thing that really sets the Vuelta apart from other races is where it is in the season. You have this mixture of riders who have targeted the Vuelta specifically, and others who are coming off a big season already. Typically, it’s a very aggressive race and a very punchy style of racing, which always makes for great viewing for the fans.
"It’s a race I love doing, but it’s relentless. The course is always a lot more mountainous than the Tour de France and the conditions are tougher. Being mid-August in Spain, it’s quite common to have temperatures up in the mid 40s. It’s absolutely brutal."
Team Sky for the Vuelta a España: Chris Froome, Wout Poels, Mikel Nieve, Diego Rosa, David Lopez, Gianni Moscon, Salvatore Puccio, Ian Stannard, Christian Knees.
Love the Vuelta. Mental racing - the climbs are generally crazier than the Tour and the Giro, and the short stages generally are the most exciting grand tour stages of the year. Only thing that let's it down are the tedious stages that end up being run on some soulless bypass out to the coast somewhere, like a throwback to the eighties. Sky have a really strong team for Froome, and I make him favourite this time round. Seems he really wants to win it.
Amazing comment from Froome this week. I doubt it's feasible but if anyone can, it's him.
No rider has ever pulled off a Tour-Vuelta-Giro d'Italia treble and while Froome feels it is unlikely, he does not believe it is unachievable.
"I wouldn't say it's impossible," the British rider, a four-time Tour de Francechampion, told BBC Radio Four on Monday. "Nothing's impossible, but certainly it would take some doing."
good to see le Grand Bornand in there. went there about 20 years ago in the summer as a kid. I guess like most Alpine villages a lot more chilled out when those skiers arnt around. really nice village and people. they were obsessed by cows. had a festival for them when I was there.
Be a massive achievement if he even wins the giro, let alone the tour as well. Sky will send a strong team to support him, but their main focus will be the tour as always. I suspect this was on the agenda for him when he renewed with sky after Brailsford cocked up the management of the Wiggins TUE shit so badly
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In addition to Poels, Nieve, Rosa, Moscon and David Lopez for the mountain stages, Froome can count on Salvatore Puccio, Ian Stannard and Christian Knees for protection and help on the flat stages and in the opening team time trial. Moscon will be making his Grand Tour debut but the rest of the team is hugely experienced, with many having won at least one Tour de France with Froome.
Froome rode a criterium in Kazakhstan over the weekend after an altitude training camp with several teammates in France. He has ridden the Vuelta five times, finishing second in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
"It certainly feels as if I’ve got unfinished business with this race. I’ve finished second three times now, but I’ve got a good feeling about this year’s Vuelta. It feels like we’re on much more of a mission this year, and aiming for the Tour/Vuelta double this season has been a huge motivation. I don’t think we’ve been to the Vuelta a Espana with a team as strong as we’ve got this year,” Froome in a statement from Team Sky announcing their final starting nine.
"One thing that really sets the Vuelta apart from other races is where it is in the season. You have this mixture of riders who have targeted the Vuelta specifically, and others who are coming off a big season already. Typically, it’s a very aggressive race and a very punchy style of racing, which always makes for great viewing for the fans.
"It’s a race I love doing, but it’s relentless. The course is always a lot more mountainous than the Tour de France and the conditions are tougher. Being mid-August in Spain, it’s quite common to have temperatures up in the mid 40s. It’s absolutely brutal."
Team Sky for the Vuelta a España: Chris Froome, Wout Poels, Mikel Nieve, Diego Rosa, David Lopez, Gianni Moscon, Salvatore Puccio, Ian Stannard, Christian Knees.
Nearly everyone is there and looking forward to seeing both Simon & Adam Yates for Orica
No rider has ever pulled off a Tour-Vuelta-Giro d'Italia treble and while Froome feels it is unlikely, he does not believe it is unachievable.
"I wouldn't say it's impossible," the British rider, a four-time Tour de Francechampion, told BBC Radio Four on Monday. "Nothing's impossible, but certainly it would take some doing."
Club has coincided an alps trip to time with the Alpe D'Huez stage - provisionally booked two weeks either side of the likely date and got lucky
Will be there for the Grand Depart and at least a couple of days in the Vendee
Although guessed that must have been the case - Cant see him attempt the Giro in place of the Tour or Vuelta
Accident that he had today is the third in a few months