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Tour de France (2023 from p54)

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  • Awful news
  • Heartbreaking for Cavendish, part of me wants him to reconsider this being his final season...
  • stonemuse said:
    Just caught up … what a shit way to finish … didn’t even look that bad a crash 
    The slower crashes can be just as bad as a fast one, with speed you usually slide which while being painful and causing plenty of road rash doesn't usually tend to end with broken bones as often. Where as with a slower one its quite easy to land awkwardly and cause a break (looked like Cav has done his collarbone). 

    I mean what can you say about Cav that hasn't been said? The man is the absolute GOAT of sprinting, to get and equal the TDF stage win record in modern times is insane and not something that I believe will be broken anytime soon (if ever). To still be competitive at this stage of his career is an achievement in itself and his nationals win last year showed what a truly great cyclist he is. 

    We had todays stage on in the shop and when Cav went down everyone was upset, seeing him in the medical car like that brought a tear to my eye, this wasn't how it was meant to end (especially after him getting 2nd yesterday)! I don't have many heroes but Mark Cavendish is definitely one, his HTC-Highroad days and his San Remo win in 2009 were my first experiences watching cycling and inspired me to get involved in the sport which has given me so much. 

    If this is the end then enjoy your retirement Cav, one of the best to ever do it, a national icon and a truly humble man. 
  • He's had an amazing career.

    While I was delighted that he got to start the Tour this season, Astana weren't really set up to make the most of his abilities, not having the kind of lead out options that allows a top sprinter to thrive (I'm convinced that if he'd still been with Soudal Quick Step, with Mørkøv bringing him to the front, he'd have won at least yesterday's stage in this year's Tour).

    I'm probably wrong, I'm often reminded how many times I am, but I can dream...
  • Wont be surprised if he decides to give it one more go next year, he's shown this last week he has the pace... Its an Olympic year so imagine a lot of the Sprinters will end up treating that as the priority.

    Be nice if Astana can spend the next 12-months putting together the ultimate Sprint team for him, as its been tough having to do it alone.

    I hope he does... I say that as well, not for that last Stage victory, but to see him getting the honour of leading the peleton on to the Champs-Elysees.

    It was crazy listening to an interview with Vingegaard after todays Stage, who was saying he saw him as an idol. As a Brit I sometimes think that we look at our Stars with rose tinted glasses, but hearing comments like that from his fellow Pros and you realise what a Legend he truly is.

    Not gonna be the same without him if he does decide to call it a day.

    Dont blame him either if he does
  • Wont be surprised if he decides to give it one more go next year, he's shown this last week he has the pace... Its an Olympic year so imagine a lot of the Sprinters will end up treating that as the priority.

    Be nice if Astana can spend the next 12-months putting together the ultimate Sprint team for him, as its been tough having to do it alone.

    I hope he does... I say that as well, not for that last Stage victory, but to see him getting the honour of leading the peleton on to the Champs-Elysees.

    It was crazy listening to an interview with Vingegaard after todays Stage, who was saying he saw him as an idol. As a Brit I sometimes think that we look at our Stars with rose tinted glasses, but hearing comments like that from his fellow Pros and you realise what a Legend he truly is.

    Not gonna be the same without him if he does decide to call it a day.

    Dont blame him either if he does
    The 2024 Tour de France will finish with a mountain stage from Nice to Col de la Couillole followed by a time trial between Monaco and the historic Place Massena in Nice,
  • stonemuse said:
    Wont be surprised if he decides to give it one more go next year, he's shown this last week he has the pace... Its an Olympic year so imagine a lot of the Sprinters will end up treating that as the priority.

    Be nice if Astana can spend the next 12-months putting together the ultimate Sprint team for him, as its been tough having to do it alone.

    I hope he does... I say that as well, not for that last Stage victory, but to see him getting the honour of leading the peleton on to the Champs-Elysees.

    It was crazy listening to an interview with Vingegaard after todays Stage, who was saying he saw him as an idol. As a Brit I sometimes think that we look at our Stars with rose tinted glasses, but hearing comments like that from his fellow Pros and you realise what a Legend he truly is.

    Not gonna be the same without him if he does decide to call it a day.

    Dont blame him either if he does
    The 2024 Tour de France will finish with a mountain stage from Nice to Col de la Couillole followed by a time trial between Monaco and the historic Place Massena in Nice,
    Very odd... Why are we not getting the usual ending?

    Going to be interesting to see the Yellow Jersey going right down to the wire
  • stonemuse said:
    Wont be surprised if he decides to give it one more go next year, he's shown this last week he has the pace... Its an Olympic year so imagine a lot of the Sprinters will end up treating that as the priority.

    Be nice if Astana can spend the next 12-months putting together the ultimate Sprint team for him, as its been tough having to do it alone.

    I hope he does... I say that as well, not for that last Stage victory, but to see him getting the honour of leading the peleton on to the Champs-Elysees.

    It was crazy listening to an interview with Vingegaard after todays Stage, who was saying he saw him as an idol. As a Brit I sometimes think that we look at our Stars with rose tinted glasses, but hearing comments like that from his fellow Pros and you realise what a Legend he truly is.

    Not gonna be the same without him if he does decide to call it a day.

    Dont blame him either if he does
    The 2024 Tour de France will finish with a mountain stage from Nice to Col de la Couillole followed by a time trial between Monaco and the historic Place Massena in Nice,
    Very odd... Why are we not getting the usual ending?

    Going to be interesting to see the Yellow Jersey going right down to the wire
    The Mediterranean city will host the 2024 Tour de France finale because the traditional finish on the Champs Elysees in Paris is unavailable due to the capital city hosting the Olympic Games.
  • Gutted! I saw a load of comments on here and thought that maybe (hopefully) he'd won Limoges. Just caught up with the race and saw what happened. I don't want to believe that Cav's TDF career ends with a silly crash. I really would love to see some sort of fairy tale ending to this story.
  • Stig said:
    Gutted! I saw a load of comments on here and thought that maybe (hopefully) he'd won Limoges. Just caught up with the race and saw what happened. I don't want to believe that Cav's TDF career ends with a silly crash. I really would love to see some sort of fairy tale ending to this story.
    Same as. Avoided any spoilers and this thread until earlier this evening. Such a sad way to finish but with the technical yesterday it seems it was just not to be.

    Still, a magnificent career record in the Tour that I can't see being beaten now.
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  • edited July 2023
    stonemuse said:
    Alexander Vinokourov

    🗣 "We want to give Mark Cavendish the possibility to ride for one more year, but it's up to him. We'd love to see him ride in 2024, start his 15th Tour de France and win his 35th stage." 
    Build a proper Sprint team then... Best way to convince him
  • Michael Mørkøv!!!
    stonemuse said:
    Alexander Vinokourov

    🗣 "We want to give Mark Cavendish the possibility to ride for one more year, but it's up to him. We'd love to see him ride in 2024, start his 15th Tour de France and win his 35th stage." 
    Build a proper Sprint team then... Best way to convince him
  • It makes a lot of sense to try to get him back for 1 more tour, such an easy sell to get sponsors to throw more money at the team/Cav as an image of him winning no. 35 with arms raised and Astana across his chest would be such an iconic shot. 
  • edited July 2023
    Vingegaard is being hurt here

    Great effort feom S. Yates and Pidcock
  • Great stage … very impressive by Pidcock … the Tour must have such a first week every year, so much more exciting 
  • Great stage, Woods was very impressive, felt more than a little sorry for Jorgenson.
  • RobRob
    edited July 2023
    Brilliant stage today. That climb at the end was something else. A great stage win for Woods. The way he reeled Jorgenson in. And Pog is looking strong for the yellow jersey. It’ll be a great battle between him and Vingegaard.
  • Love the first week stages this year. Great to see some mountain action and an early battle for the GC (even though I'm still incredulous that there isn't any cheating going on with those levels of performance). Also nice not to have any time trials; I haven't looked but expect they're coming up soon though.

    As far as the tv coverage goes, hats off to the the ITV team. I did think wtf, when they first brought the geology professor on, but I really enjoy his slots.
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  • 🇫🇷 Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme has confirmed to RadioCycling that the 2024 race will visit the Alps as early as stage four, after its Grand Départ in Italy. “One way or another, we’re going to have to go over the Alps like we did the Pyrenees this year."

     :D 
  • He also spoke about the UK-wide bid to host the start of the 2026 race. RadioCycling reported in June that the bid team was optimistic. “We have met several times [with the UK] and there’s a great project,” he said. It's believed the proposed route would begin in Edinburgh.
  • stonemuse said:
    He also spoke about the UK-wide bid to host the start of the 2026 race. RadioCycling reported in June that the bid team was optimistic. “We have met several times [with the UK] and there’s a great project,” he said. It's believed the proposed route would begin in Edinburgh.
    So long as it ends in the South East again...
  • Stig said:
    Love the first week stages this year. Great to see some mountain action and an early battle for the GC (even though I'm still incredulous that there isn't any cheating going on with those levels of performance). Also nice not to have any time trials; I haven't looked but expect they're coming up soon though.

    As far as the tv coverage goes, hats off to the the ITV team. I did think wtf, when they first brought the geology professor on, but I really enjoy his slots.
    Like you, I find the geology stuff genuinely interesting, the coverage has been very good, and I'm, always amused at the way they "pretend" not to be reading details of the various castles and areas off a crib sheet.
  • stonemuse said:
    He also spoke about the UK-wide bid to host the start of the 2026 race. RadioCycling reported in June that the bid team was optimistic. “We have met several times [with the UK] and there’s a great project,” he said. It's believed the proposed route would begin in Edinburgh.
    So long as it ends in the South East again...
    Long stage, Edinburgh to South East 😉
  • stonemuse said:
    He also spoke about the UK-wide bid to host the start of the 2026 race. RadioCycling reported in June that the bid team was optimistic. “We have met several times [with the UK] and there’s a great project,” he said. It's believed the proposed route would begin in Edinburgh.
    So long as it ends in the South East again...
    Long stage, Edinburgh to South East 😉
    Bunch of Exercise Bikes on a Train and they're sorted... Do I have to think of everything? ;)
  • Stig said:
    Love the first week stages this year. Great to see some mountain action and an early battle for the GC (even though I'm still incredulous that there isn't any cheating going on with those levels of performance). Also nice not to have any time trials; I haven't looked but expect they're coming up soon though.

    As far as the tv coverage goes, hats off to the the ITV team. I did think wtf, when they first brought the geology professor on, but I really enjoy his slots.
    Like you, I find the geology stuff genuinely interesting, the coverage has been very good, and I'm, always amused at the way they "pretend" not to be reading details of the various castles and areas off a crib sheet.
    Some of their other reports a great too. I particularly like Ned Boulting's account of the mystery film that turned out to be from 1923 that was on yesterday's rest-day programme. I'm tempted to get the book. Anyone read it? 
  • edited July 2023
    Van Aert may be going home tomorrow for birth of baby.  

    I reckon Pog will win anyway, but this is gonna hurt Vingegaard … he wouldn’t have won last year if it hadn’t been for Wout.  

    I can see Van Aert leaving Jumbo this season, not been looked after in this Tour.  
  • stonemuse said:
    Van Aert may be going home tomorrow for birth of baby.  

    I reckon Pog will win anyway, but this is gonna hurt Vingegaard … he wouldn’t have won last year if it hadn’t been for Wout.  

    I can see Van Aert leaving Jumbo this season, not been looked after in this Tour.  
    Has felt a repeat of Cav's time with Team SKY.

    Jumbo arent a team that go for Sprint victories, its pointless him being there.
  • I think Van Aert has been hurt my the route, more than Jumbo not supporting him. In a “normal” TdF you’d have a lot of early sprint/rolling stages, and the team could provide support, leaving just a few riders to take care of the leader. But with the mountains so early, it’s would be risky for them to expend energy with the mountains coming up. 

    I don’t really see him as a sprinter, and I’m not sure they do. He may be best in their squad, bit I’ve always considered him their classics leader. 
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