I was thinking about Martin but he always seems to have a crash in him somewhere along the route!
Likely to be top 10, but not convinced about podium - great rider to watch though.
Agreed, for someone like me that knows bugger all really about cycling but just enjoys it as a spectator, he is massively entertaining. There's always something going on around him it seems, either a huge crash or him putting in a superhuman effort to win a stage. And he generally comes across as a nice guy too.
2019 Riders have been announced; From Great Britain we've got:
Geraint Thomas | Adam Yates | Simon Yates | Mark Cavendish | Luke Rowe
I know we've got Froome missing but seems even less British riders involved this year compared to recent outings
Certainly curious to see what Cav's role will be seeing that there is no Renshaw to lead him out, really want him to get just one more stage!!
It seems a little over the top, but perhaps it will encourage more attacking riding. People are going to have to go on breakaways 'cos the peleton is going to be massive.
2019 Riders have been announced; From Great Britain we've got:
Geraint Thomas | Adam Yates | Simon Yates | Mark Cavendish | Luke Rowe
I know we've got Froome missing but seems even less British riders involved this year compared to recent outings
Certainly curious to see what Cav's role will be seeing that there is no Renshaw to lead him out, really want him to get just one more stage!!
It seems a little over the top, but perhaps it will encourage more attacking riding. People are going to have to go on breakaways 'cos the peleton is going to be massive.
And the beauty is there can be 2000 French riders and they still wont win their own race
Can't see Alanphillipe top 10. Jakob Fuglsang has more of a chance for podium. But either of them after an immense classic season, will find it really hard to keep up with the lead groups in the third week. Fugalsang is a GC rider, but I'd still expect him to fade a little in the third week. It'll be interesting to see how Enric Mas goes at Quick Step. Can't remember much of him in the Vuelta last year but he's Quick Step's GC guy.
The only classics guy who could do it in the future is Matt van der Poel. But will he give up cyclecross to target a Grand Tour?
Alaphilippe has precisely zero chance of winning the tour, or getting anywhere near the podium for that matter. Points jersey, on the other hand, is a possibility - if Sagan has an off year and Matthews fails to fire.
FWIW, my money would be on Bernal. He looks like he's got no weaknesses at all - and while his TTing isn't as good as the prototype modern tour contender (froome, Thomas, Dumoulin etc), his climbing is better - and this is a Savage tour, with even less TT miles than the last couple
“Quick Steps GC guy” is an excellent example of an oxymoron.
Was 2nd at the Vuelta last year, with their next rider finishing something like 80th! Can't see him finishing 2nd but if he sticks in the mountains he'll not stay at Quick Step long.
Adam Yates has a real chance for podium, if Mitchelton have got their support right.
As usual , highlights on ITV4 ( freeview 24 ) at 7.00pm , with Ned Boulting , David Millar and Gary Imlach. Normally have live coverage too during the afternoon. Can't wait, love the Tour , nothing quite like it .
Ineos still with a strong team as ever , even without Froome : Egan Bernal, Geraint Thomas, Jonathan Castroviejo, Michal Kwiatkowski, Gianni Moscon, Wout Poels, Luke Rowe, Dylan van Baarle. Going to take some beating , but will Mitchleton _Scott have there number or Movistar ?
Alaphilippe has precisely zero chance of winning the tour, or getting anywhere near the podium for that matter. Points jersey, on the other hand, is a possibility - if Sagan has an off year and Matthews fails to fire.
FWIW, my money would be on Bernal. He looks like he's got no weaknesses at all - and while his TTing isn't as good as the prototype modern tour contender (froome, Thomas, Dumoulin etc), his climbing is better - and this is a Savage tour, with even less TT miles than the last couple
Matthews will not be on sprint form for the Tour. He and Sunweb have all trained to support Dumoulin for GC. He's got no targets, and has been training to support in the mountains, in interviews he's pretty disconsolate about his Tour goals or lack of. Wouldn't be surprised to see him do a late breakaway, but he says he has no condition for Tour bunch sprints. Mathews won't win green jersey.
Alaphilippe has precisely zero chance of winning the tour, or getting anywhere near the podium for that matter. Points jersey, on the other hand, is a possibility - if Sagan has an off year and Matthews fails to fire.
FWIW, my money would be on Bernal. He looks like he's got no weaknesses at all - and while his TTing isn't as good as the prototype modern tour contender (froome, Thomas, Dumoulin etc), his climbing is better - and this is a Savage tour, with even less TT miles than the last couple
Matthews will not be on sprint form for the Tour. He and Sunweb have all trained to support Dumoulin for GC. He's got no targets, and has been training to support in the mountains, in interviews he's pretty disconsolate about his Tour goals or lack of. Wouldn't be surprised to see him do a late breakaway, but he says he has no condition for Tour bunch sprints. Mathews won't win green jersey.
Dumoulin not taking part in this year's tour , having a knee opp.
Already had his op. It was to take a shard of gravel out. Matthews trained to support Dumoulin, the whole Sunweb team did. After Dumoulin did a u-turn in his car driving away from altitude training, Matthews gave an interview and was demoralised that his training program had no point, purpose and was the opposite of sprint specific. He'll not win traditional bunch sprints, even though he's freed up to go for them.
Mark Cavendish has been left out of Team Dimension Data’s eight-man squad for the Tour de France.
Edvald Boasson Hagen, Stephen Cummings, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Michael Valgren, Roman Kreuziger, Giacomo Nizzolo, Ben King, and Lars Bak have been selected ahead of the 34-year-old.
That's a pulling straws team. Pulling straws on who can go in the breakaway next.
Can't see how they can take Cav. He won't be fit for the first week sprints, and will struggle to get through the first hard mountain stages. At least Cummings can target what he wants, and I'll be interested to see what Valgren can do without a credible GC leader.
Mark Renshaw has announced his retirement at the end of the season
Him and Cavendish for HTC surely had to be one of the best sprint pairings we've ever seen surely? - the careers for both havent been anywhere near as good since that team went
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Should never forget Dan Martin though!!
Would love to see him win it tbh.
The only classics guy who could do it in the future is Matt van der Poel. But will he give up cyclecross to target a Grand Tour?
FWIW, my money would be on Bernal. He looks like he's got no weaknesses at all - and while his TTing isn't as good as the prototype modern tour contender (froome, Thomas, Dumoulin etc), his climbing is better - and this is a Savage tour, with even less TT miles than the last couple
Adam Yates has a real chance for podium, if Mitchelton have got their support right.
Mark Cavendish has been left out of Team Dimension Data’s eight-man squad for the Tour de France.
Edvald Boasson Hagen, Stephen Cummings, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Michael Valgren, Roman Kreuziger, Giacomo Nizzolo, Ben King, and Lars Bak have been selected ahead of the 34-year-old.
Shame for Cav !
Can't see how they can take Cav. He won't be fit for the first week sprints, and will struggle to get through the first hard mountain stages. At least Cummings can target what he wants, and I'll be interested to see what Valgren can do without a credible GC leader.
Him and Cavendish for HTC surely had to be one of the best sprint pairings we've ever seen surely? - the careers for both havent been anywhere near as good since that team went
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/48838998
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