Just caught up with my recording ... well done Dani Martinez, another excellent young Colombian.
Jumbo could be a few of their best riders short now for the Tour, but depends on recovery times and actual extent of injuries. Roglic might make it, I certainly hope so, but Kruiskwijk could be problematical. Sepp Kuss looks a real talent for the future.
Sivakov had a great ride but Ineos not looking too good at the moment, much defends on Bernal’s recovery. Their DS definitely not happy with Froome and Thomas, saying that they weren’t good enough and need to step up.
If he’s there, I back Roglic to win the Tour. Pinot could be there or thereabouts but once again he couldn’t finish it properly this week.
Although there has to be a great deal of uncertainty as to whether the Tour will even get through the entire three weeks .. I certainly hope so as it was great to watch some racing again.
Sad watching Cav get spat on a 6% gradient today - even sadder seeing him make excuses on Twitter later that he was helping out Bauhaus today. Chinny reckon Cav... Someone tell him it's time to hang up the cleats before he's doing crits at Hillingdon...
Sad watching Cav get spat on a 6% gradient today - even sadder seeing him make excuses on Twitter later that he was helping out Bauhaus today. Chinny reckon Cav... Someone tell him it's time to hang up the cleats before he's doing crits at Hillingdon...
If he keeps going this way I'll be beating him in 2/3 cat races at Hog Hill before long
Sad watching Cav get spat on a 6% gradient today - even sadder seeing him make excuses on Twitter later that he was helping out Bauhaus today. Chinny reckon Cav... Someone tell him it's time to hang up the cleats before he's doing crits at Hillingdon...
If he keeps going this way I'll be beating him in 2/3 cat races at Hog Hill before long
Sad watching Cav get spat on a 6% gradient today - even sadder seeing him make excuses on Twitter later that he was helping out Bauhaus today. Chinny reckon Cav... Someone tell him it's time to hang up the cleats before he's doing crits at Hillingdon...
He can’t be enjoying it. It’s almost sadder to see him popping up in the final run in only to inevitably fade away and not quite feature in the sprint.
We’ve been lucky to live in a great era for British Cycling, but I fear it’s almost over.
Up until stage 4 of the Dauphine I'd have said that Roglic was a massive odds-on favourite for the tour. After his crash, and with Kruiswijk likely being out with a dislocated shoulder, I think you might be right. Skineos can't dominate like they used to (don't underestimate the loss of Poels - Froome (if they take him) is finished, Thomas is still overweight, Sivakov isn't at that level yet and Kwia and van Baarle will have problems going deep day after day) and I'm not sure Kuss, Bennett & De Plus have 21 days in them - so with Lotto Jumbo likely to have to control the race it leaves it open for someone like Pinot, Quintana or Landa to latch on then make a big attack somewhere and gain enough time to pressure them into making errors.
Sadly I think it'll be moot, because I can't see the whole tour going ahead
I'd always take Froome, probably a bit bias. I'd doubt he's finished, but not sure he'll win another TDF, possibly could win the Vuelta: Will need to see how he finishes the season. Wout wasn't really a factor last TDF, seemed to understandably lose focus after Froome's crash. Catroviejo was immense and there has been rumours of Amador riding the Tour - though he was signed for Carapaz and the Giro originally.
Still have Roglic as the favourite. It'll be interesting to see if Jumbo can dominate at The Tour. My outside bet is Pogacar. Whilst I'm not sure UAE can support him up all mountains, he has the power and youthful energy to breakaway.
I think the Tour will finish. Politically no President would want to stop it late in the day, unless absolutely forced. I expect the Giro to go ahead. The Vuelta? Not sure, but Covid pandemics don't follow flu models with a autumn/winter spike. But I'd be surprised if the Vuelta manages to fully run. I hope it does, an early November finish for a Grand Tour will never be seen again.
He seemed disinterested in the Criterium and was well off the pace on all five days. Pretty sure he's keeping his powder dry for a clear run and last hurrah with Start-Up Nation.
More surprised they've left Thomas out. He admitted to being overweight by a kilo, but could surely lose that with the relevant gains in the next week or so.
I'm surprised as Froome at the Tour De L'Ain had very good numbers pulling on the mid-slopes. The Criterium was just that bit faster on longer stages.
Without Thomas and Froome, Inneos don't have to ride in the traditional Mercx/N European way. It looks like they'll not beat Jumbo riding this way. Amador, Bernal and Carapaz can handle themselves in the mountains for a whole Tour. Any weakness in Jumbo's big engines they can go. Still think Roglic properly supported by Jumbo, unlike their disaster at 2019 Giro, will win.
Will be looking forwards to watching Froome at the Vuelta though.
Just saw that the yates brothers will split up from next year. Adam is heading over to ineos. Strange as I can't see him getting to go for many grand tours in that team (what with Porte going over there as well) and I never really saw him as a full domestic.
Just saw that the yates brothers will split up from next year. Adam is heading over to ineos. Strange as I can't see him getting to go for many grand tours in that team (what with Porte going over there as well) and I never really saw him as a full domestic.
Surprised that Porte is effectively going back to Ineos, shame he had his injury issues as he could have been a decent rival for Froome in his prime
Just saw that the yates brothers will split up from next year. Adam is heading over to ineos. Strange as I can't see him getting to go for many grand tours in that team (what with Porte going over there as well) and I never really saw him as a full domestic.
Surprised that Porte is effectively going back to Ineos, shame he had his injury issues as he could have been a decent rival for Froome in his prime
Also surprised Richie Porte going back ... always been a favourite of mine. Could be interesting with Yates.
Always a big fan of Richie, but when he's team leader he has a couple of off days often on a major stage irregardless of crashes. Hope he can win a classic and another week stage race.
Inneos lack a front group climbing capt, apart from Amador there's no one else on the top mountains with experience and who'll ride with the only objective to support the leader. Ohhh and now they have Adam Yates: Will he be a second leader in the 2020 Giro or a climbing domestique on the Tour? He'll have to go some to just get on the Tour 8.
Porte is even worse than Thomas for having a Jour Sans.
Yates will get more chances at a GC than Titchy Richie - who's gone back for the cash after failing as a GC contender at BMC and Trek.
Cav has to hang up now, surely? It was embarrassing seeing him get a couple of bumps and watching his arsehole fall out last week. It's not just his top end he's lost, he's also gun shy. Can't be that in a sprint.
Connor Swift, Luke Rowe and Hugh John Carthy without checking lineups. When Brad rode for Cofidis we only had Millar at Saunier Duval in 2006. After Boardman it was just Millar, until prob the mod noughties.
Connor Swift, Luke Rowe and Hugh John Carthy without checking lineups. When Brad rode for Cofidis we only had Millar at Saunier Duval in 2006. After Boardman it was just Millar, until prob the mod noughties.
Cheers, didnt think of Luke Rowe at the very least!! - It is the four of them though
Good to know its more than just the one guy, although we need a Sprinter to follow in Cavendish's footsteps
Connor Swift, Luke Rowe and Hugh John Carthy without checking lineups. When Brad rode for Cofidis we only had Millar at Saunier Duval in 2006. After Boardman it was just Millar, until prob the mod noughties.
Cheers, didnt think of Luke Rowe at the very least!! - It is the four of them though
Good to know its more than just the one guy, although we need a Sprinter to follow in Cavendish's footsteps
All our sprint talent is hoovered up by BC and lives exclusively in the velodrome like hermits. We've had lots of potential in that department over the years get ruined by the Olympic sausage press of the BC Elite Track Programme when they should have been stagiares for pro conti teams in Europe (Adam Blythe, Owain Doull, Phil Hindes, Joe Truman to name just a few).
That's starting to change, as it is for lots of other British riders. Matt Walls has just signed for Bora, and Ethan Hayter and Fred Wright (both from VC Londres) have got contracts with Ineos and Bahrain McLaren, Harry Tanfield had a year at Katusha and is now with AG2R, Matty Holmes - who was bashing round the domestic scene with Madison for a few years is now with Lotto Soudal (and won his first ever world tour race earlier in the year in Oz), and talent like Pidcock has been sensibly left to develop before signing up for a world tour team - so things are definitely looking up.
It's still more difficult for young British kids than continental youngsters because the pro conti setup in Britain is non existent, and - outside the Dave Rayner fund - it's very difficult and expensive to get talented kids out to Belgium and France where they need to race to develop properly. For instance, one of the riders I coach is 17 and has lots of untapped potential (wasted his junior years as a trafleet so doesn't have the experience of junior racing to get teams interested, but won his first race (in the senior categories I might add) by a street, outsprinting the bunch and crossing the line 50 yards ahead of them, had three other podiums in his first four races), and before covid happened I had plans for him to get his second cat license early in the year then take him to Belgium for a couple of weekends to do some kermesses (basically to get his head kicked in and see how much he loved it 🤣) but it's so expensive to do that without any backing, and we'd have been relying on his mum and dad to fund it.
But it's a lot better than it used to be. Of course, Brexit will fuck it right up 😒
Connor Swift, Luke Rowe and Hugh John Carthy without checking lineups. When Brad rode for Cofidis we only had Millar at Saunier Duval in 2006. After Boardman it was just Millar, until prob the mod noughties.
Cheers, didnt think of Luke Rowe at the very least!! - It is the four of them though
Good to know its more than just the one guy, although we need a Sprinter to follow in Cavendish's footsteps
All our sprint talent is hoovered up by BC and lives exclusively in the velodrome like hermits. We've had lots of potential in that department over the years get ruined by the Olympic sausage press of the BC Elite Track Programme when they should have been stagiares for pro conti teams in Europe (Adam Blythe, Owain Doull, Phil Hindes, Joe Truman to name just a few).
That's starting to change, as it is for lots of other British riders. Matt Walls has just signed for Bora, and Ethan Hayter and Fred Wright (both from VC Londres) have got contracts with Ineos and Bahrain McLaren, Harry Tanfield had a year at Katusha and is now with AG2R, Matty Holmes - who was bashing round the domestic scene with Madison for a few years is now with Lotto Soudal (and won his first ever world tour race earlier in the year in Oz), and talent like Pidcock has been sensibly left to develop before signing up for a world tour team - so things are definitely looking up.
It's still more difficult for young British kids than continental youngsters because the pro conti setup in Britain is non existent, and - outside the Dave Rayner fund - it's very difficult and expensive to get talented kids out to Belgium and France where they need to race to develop properly. For instance, one of the riders I coach is 17 and has lots of untapped potential (wasted his junior years as a trafleet so doesn't have the experience of junior racing to get teams interested, but won his first race (in the senior categories I might add) by a street, outsprinting the bunch and crossing the line 50 yards ahead of them, had three other podiums in his first four races), and before covid happened I had plans for him to get his second cat license early in the year then take him to Belgium for a couple of weekends to do some kermesses (basically to get his head kicked in and see how much he loved it 🤣) but it's so expensive to do that without any backing, and we'd have been relying on his mum and dad to fund it.
But it's a lot better than it used to be. Of course, Brexit will fuck it right up 😒
As you lot are much more knowledgeable about cycling than myself, who should me and the missus be backing for the TdF today? Seems remarkably open this year to my non-expert eye.
Quintana looks overpriced to me at 22/1 given he's moved teams over the winter, was in good form earlier in the year and is now the clear team leader. With no Froome or Thomas to contend with he could see this as his best ever chance. Worth a fiver E/W?
I really like Roglic too but there seems to be some doubt over his fitness?
Comments
https://nttprocycling.com/ntt-pro-cycling-name-2020-tour-de-france-team
Sadly I think it'll be moot, because I can't see the whole tour going ahead
Still have Roglic as the favourite. It'll be interesting to see if Jumbo can dominate at The Tour. My outside bet is Pogacar. Whilst I'm not sure UAE can support him up all mountains, he has the power and youthful energy to breakaway.
I think the Tour will finish. Politically no President would want to stop it late in the day, unless absolutely forced. I expect the Giro to go ahead. The Vuelta? Not sure, but Covid pandemics don't follow flu models with a autumn/winter spike. But I'd be surprised if the Vuelta manages to fully run. I hope it does, an early November finish for a Grand Tour will never be seen again.
He seemed disinterested in the Criterium and was well off the pace on all five days. Pretty sure he's keeping his powder dry for a clear run and last hurrah with Start-Up Nation.
More surprised they've left Thomas out. He admitted to being overweight by a kilo, but could surely lose that with the relevant gains in the next week or so.
Without Thomas and Froome, Inneos don't have to ride in the traditional Mercx/N European way. It looks like they'll not beat Jumbo riding this way. Amador, Bernal and Carapaz can handle themselves in the mountains for a whole Tour. Any weakness in Jumbo's big engines they can go. Still think Roglic properly supported by Jumbo, unlike their disaster at 2019 Giro, will win.
Will be looking forwards to watching Froome at the Vuelta though.
Inneos lack a front group climbing capt, apart from Amador there's no one else on the top mountains with experience and who'll ride with the only objective to support the leader. Ohhh and now they have Adam Yates: Will he be a second leader in the 2020 Giro or a climbing domestique on the Tour? He'll have to go some to just get on the Tour 8.
Yates will get more chances at a GC than Titchy Richie - who's gone back for the cash after failing as a GC contender at BMC and Trek.
Cav has to hang up now, surely? It was embarrassing seeing him get a couple of bumps and watching his arsehole fall out last week. It's not just his top end he's lost, he's also gun shy. Can't be that in a sprint.
Must be the lowest number we've had for a good while?
Good to know its more than just the one guy, although we need a Sprinter to follow in Cavendish's footsteps
That's starting to change, as it is for lots of other British riders. Matt Walls has just signed for Bora, and Ethan Hayter and Fred Wright (both from VC Londres) have got contracts with Ineos and Bahrain McLaren, Harry Tanfield had a year at Katusha and is now with AG2R, Matty Holmes - who was bashing round the domestic scene with Madison for a few years is now with Lotto Soudal (and won his first ever world tour race earlier in the year in Oz), and talent like Pidcock has been sensibly left to develop before signing up for a world tour team - so things are definitely looking up.
It's still more difficult for young British kids than continental youngsters because the pro conti setup in Britain is non existent, and - outside the Dave Rayner fund - it's very difficult and expensive to get talented kids out to Belgium and France where they need to race to develop properly. For instance, one of the riders I coach is 17 and has lots of untapped potential (wasted his junior years as a trafleet so doesn't have the experience of junior racing to get teams interested, but won his first race (in the senior categories I might add) by a street, outsprinting the bunch and crossing the line 50 yards ahead of them, had three other podiums in his first four races), and before covid happened I had plans for him to get his second cat license early in the year then take him to Belgium for a couple of weekends to do some kermesses (basically to get his head kicked in and see how much he loved it 🤣) but it's so expensive to do that without any backing, and we'd have been relying on his mum and dad to fund it.
But it's a lot better than it used to be. Of course, Brexit will fuck it right up 😒
Shame its not quite worked out for him
Quintana looks overpriced to me at 22/1 given he's moved teams over the winter, was in good form earlier in the year and is now the clear team leader. With no Froome or Thomas to contend with he could see this as his best ever chance. Worth a fiver E/W?
I really like Roglic too but there seems to be some doubt over his fitness?
Pinot looking good but will he fade? Possibly a better chance this year.
Carapaz could be interesting but depends how much he has to support Bernal.
Bernal’s back problem could be a problem but can’t be written off, even though he struggled at times a couple of weeks ago.
Yates is going for stages so no GC.
If Roglic has a problem, Dumoulin may be well up for it.
Can enjoy watching all out attacks rather than hoping that Ineos will control things