2019 PRO thread

[Calnago]

They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. C’mon... someone had to say it.

On today’s ride I got really mad at some clouds.

[Wookski]

De Gendt did a great job. I loved the way Alaphilippe and Pinot immediately worked together with zero hesitation all the way to the line.

They knew that both will have an advantage to work together. But key was IMHO that they respect each other.

Actually I was surprised that nobody else went with the attack of Alaphilippe. I mean like Bernal, Thomas, etc...as Pinot seems to be have some GC ambitions.

There’s clearly value in Ala taking the yellow jersey back as he’s not expected to survive the Pyrenees. Pinot on the other hand will likely pay for his efforts today. It’s a long race.

[TonyM]

De Gendt did a great job. I loved the way Alaphilippe and Pinot immediately worked together with zero hesitation all the way to the line.

They knew that both will have an advantage to work together. But key was IMHO that they respect each other.

Actually I was surprised that nobody else went with the attack of Alaphilippe. I mean like Bernal, Thomas, etc...as Pinot seems to be have some GC ambitions.

There’s clearly value in Ala taking the yellow jersey back as he’s not expected to survive the Pyrenees. Pinot on the other hand will likely pay for his efforts today. It’s a long race.

Still quite nice to see some riders attacking!!

[Wookski]

Still quite nice to see some riders attacking!!

Yes, it’s wonderful!

[KB]

Been a great TdF so far, much better than the first week of the Giro.

Couldn't agree more. It was a reversal of roles as the Giro is usually more interesting. The first week of the Giro was like the Tour of old (a week full of bunch sprints followed by a TT). Deadly boring. The Parcours for the Tour this year has had just about everything and has made for a great race so far. It reminds me of the first week in 1969 when Merckx slaughtered everyone.

Great that De Gendt won and ALa and Pinot I would love to see one of them on the top step in Paris. More likely to be Pinot.

[bikewithnoname]

I doubt Alaphilippe will be in yellow after stage 12, but he's certainly added some early interest to the GC. FDJ's TTT was pretty solid so maybe Pinot's improved his technique, that said Thomas looks the pick of the GC guys to take time in the ITT

[tymon_tm]

..so this is how a perfect route should be designed - mix everything a bit, make obstacles (even small ones) coming one after another. yesterday was a show, till the very end we couldn't be sure what was gonna happen - will the breakaway make it? will someone from the main group counter and chase? will the GC boys fight amongst themselves? will "sprinters'" teams go flat out?

watching stages like that makes me think we don't really need so much of those huge alpine passes, or 30km+ long pyrenean ascents... it's so much more exciting, when not only you don't know who, but what kind of a rider will win, and how is the stage going to play out.

[ichobi]

Stages where many party can be involved like yesterday is fascinating to watch. Gc needs to be on alert. Sprinter can somewhat be hopeful. Green jersey competitor can definitely got involved. Not to mention breakaway. Makes everybody on edge!

[bikewithnoname]

Whoever picked where to put the mountain bonus seconds has, so far, done a fabulous job at animating the race. I have to say I thought it was a but of a gimmick but so far so good

[CrankAddictsRich]

I doubt Alaphilippe will be in yellow after stage 12, but he's certainly added some early interest to the GC. FDJ's TTT was pretty solid so maybe Pinot's improved his technique, that said Thomas looks the pick of the GC guys to take time in the ITT

Why stage 12? I think he'll get over those mountains ok. I don't expect the GC guys to attack that hard as they are not mountain top finishes.... usually GC guys aren't as agressive on climbs that finish with descents because that puts a lot of pressure on them to descend fast to stay away and many of them aren't willing to risk it, with maybe the exception of Nibali... the Yates brothers go downhill pretty quickly, but I've also seen them go down when pushing hard. I think if Alaphillipe gets over the top of that final mountain on stage 12, he'll push the pace on the final descent to put the GC guys under pressure. He can also TT pretty well. I think he'll keep the yellow until after the TT.

[Dan Gerous]

I doubt Alaphilippe will be in yellow after stage 12, but he's certainly added some early interest to the GC. FDJ's TTT was pretty solid so maybe Pinot's improved his technique, that said Thomas looks the pick of the GC guys to take time in the ITT

Why stage 12? I think he'll get over those mountains ok. I don't expect the GC guys to attack that hard as they are not mountain top finishes.... usually GC guys aren't as agressive on climbs that finish with descents because that puts a lot of pressure on them to descend fast to stay away and many of them aren't willing to risk it, with maybe the exception of Nibali... the Yates brothers go downhill pretty quickly, but I've also seen them go down when pushing hard. I think if Alaphillipe gets over the top of that final mountain on stage 12, he'll push the pace on the final descent to put the GC guys under pressure. He can also TT pretty well. I think he'll keep the yellow until after the TT.

I'm not sure that stage 12 will break Alaphilippe either. I've ridden these roads more often than I can count, the Col de Peyresourde is not too hard or steep as far as pyrénéan climbs go and they climb the Hourquette from it's harder side but it's still not a beast of a climb and the gradient is very even, once over the top of that small 1km uphill on the way down, it's a long way to go to the finish on very fast straightforward valley roads that don't need that much technical skills, not really a good place to get away even if your a better descender than most like Alaphilippe or Nibali. So I'm not sure the GC guys will try something that day with the following day's TT and the Tourmalet mountain top finish the day after that... unless a contender is clearly struggling that day and the others want to bury him. So I agree Alaphilippe could very well stay in yellow until the TT.

[tymon_tm]

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=359415151390109

[Berzin1]

I know we're not in the high mountains yet, but does anyone agree with Greg Lemond that Nairo Quintana will never win the Tour?

He said Quintana spends too much time training at altitude, which increases a rider's red blood cells but decreases a rider's overall power. Is this true?

[Powerful Pete]

@tymon_tm - yup, that was impressive!

[TwiggyTN]

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=359415151390109

Woodsy and Porte would have dumped that for sure....

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