2019 PRO thread

[tymon_tm]

actually this Tour might still turn out to be fought amongst those polka dot and stage hunters, as well as "2nd tier" GC contenders (who'd always crack during TT, have a bad day in the mountains etc) - IMHO Alphaville on podium in Paris isn't that much unlikely. Dumo might be out or out of shape given his knee issues. Thomas and Porte might crash, like they used to do, and Nibali just did the Giro. it looks like Fuglsang has the momentum right now, he just might be the suprise winner if stars align.

[Grobar]

actually this Tour might still turn out to be fought amongst those polka dot and stage hunters, as well as "2nd tier" GC contenders (who'd always crack during TT, have a bad day in the mountains etc) - IMHO Alphaville on podium in Paris isn't that much unlikely. Dumo might be out or out of shape given his knee issues. Thomas and Porte might crash, like they used to do, and Nibali just did the Giro. it looks like Fuglsang has the momentum right now, he just might be the suprise winner if stars align.

Ok Fuglsang is having his best season so far and he is an experienced rider but will his team be strong enough ? We have yet to see it as the Dauphiné was not mountainous enough. Also, he might do a ''Roglic'' and be cooked in the second/third week, he already raced a lot this year (but he took 6 weeks off of racing after Liège-Bastogne-Liège).
Ineos, even if Geraint crash again or whatsoever, have Bernal and Wout Poels which is very strong this year, and the best team.
Plus one stat: Sky/Ineos always won the GC when Wout was in the team.

[chiumomo]

I would like to see Movistar win another GT, they seems to have solid team

[Dan Gerous]

actually this Tour might still turn out to be fought amongst those polka dot and stage hunters, as well as "2nd tier" GC contenders (who'd always crack during TT, have a bad day in the mountains etc) - IMHO Alphaville on podium in Paris isn't that much unlikely. Dumo might be out or out of shape given his knee issues. Thomas and Porte might crash, like they used to do, and Nibali just did the Giro. it looks like Fuglsang has the momentum right now, he just might be the suprise winner if stars align.

Ok Fuglsang is having his best season so far and he is an experienced rider but will his team be strong enough ? We have yet to see it as the Dauphiné was not mountainous enough. Also, he might do a ''Roglic'' and be cooked in the second/third week, he already raced a lot this year (but he took 6 weeks off of racing after Liège-Bastogne-Liège).
Ineos, even if Geraint crash again or whatsoever, have Bernal and Wout Poels which is very strong this year, and the best team.
Plus one stat: Sky/Ineos always won the GC when Wout was in the team.

Astana probably have the strongest team after Ineos, team support wont be what stops Fuglsang from a good Tour. His problem for Grand Tours is that he's not as much of a pure climber compared to guys like Bernal, Bardet, Quintana, Landa, Pinot... He's good when it's short punchy climbs (as seen this year in the Ardennes and Strade Bianche) or long grinding climbs that are not too steep, but I'm not sure he can follow these guys on the tougher long climbs...

I hope Tom Dumoulin will be recovered on time. I think Pinot might be good this year, not Tour winning good but, up there for a podium maybe. I doubt Nibali can be as good as he was in the Giro, even less be better.

[dgasmd]

Outside of Bernal and Pinot, I just can’t see the other 3 to complete the top 5. Barest, dumolin, Porte, Landa, roglic, and Nibali,are certainly possibilities.

[Dan Gerous]

Outside of Bernal and Pinot, I just can’t see the other 3 to complete the top 5. Barest, dumolin, Porte, Landa, roglic, and Nibali,are certainly possibilities.

Well, Roglic is not racing the Tour, Kruijsijk is the GC leader for Jumbo-Visma, 5th last year so who knows.

Geraint Thomas should be okay, his crash yesterday was more a scare than anything... He will be a bit lighter than he would hope on hard racing days though with his exit from Suisse before the mountain stages.

[Karvalo]

It does feel like this could be the best opportunity the likes of Bardet, Pinot and Quintana may ever have. I'm not his biggest fan but I think Quintana deserves a Tour win in his career at some point, alternatively for the good of the race I still think it would be great to see a Frenchman win it again.

Who knows though, maybe Bernal will bring in a whole new era of Ineos dominance. It's pretty cool that no-one really has any idea what's going to happen though. It's been a while since you could say that.

[AJS914]

I just don't like Quintana's racing style. Always looking for a wheel - maybe an attack at the final 2000 meters. Maybe he's just always been outgunned by Froome/Sky and just couldn't do more but I've always been wishing that he'd attack more and push Froome/Sky.

[dereksmalls]

I just don't like Quintana's racing style. Always looking for a wheel - maybe an attack at the final 2000 meters. Maybe he's just always been outgunned by Froome/Sky and just couldn't do more but I've always been wishing that he'd attack more and push Froome/Sky.

Maybe he'll do a Carlos Sastre and win it on a calculated single stage win whilst everyone else focuses on everyone else

[Dan Gerous]

I just don't like Quintana's racing style. Always looking for a wheel - maybe an attack at the final 2000 meters. Maybe he's just always been outgunned by Froome/Sky and just couldn't do more but I've always been wishing that he'd attack more and push Froome/Sky.

Maybe he'll do a Carlos Sastre and win it on a calculated single stage win whilst everyone else focuses on everyone else

Landa and Valverde playing the role of the Schlecks!

[dereksmalls]

I just don't like Quintana's racing style. Always looking for a wheel - maybe an attack at the final 2000 meters. Maybe he's just always been outgunned by Froome/Sky and just couldn't do more but I've always been wishing that he'd attack more and push Froome/Sky.

Maybe he'll do a Carlos Sastre and win it on a calculated single stage win whilst everyone else focuses on everyone else

Landa and Valverde playing the role of the Schlecks!

Bingo!! Or any of that combination of 3

[wheelbuilder]

I just don't like Quintana's racing style. Always looking for a wheel - maybe an attack at the final 2000 meters. Maybe he's just always been outgunned by Froome/Sky and just couldn't do more but I've always been wishing that he'd attack more and push Froome/Sky.

Both Quintana and Miguel Angel Lopez deliver the most impotent attacks. It is totally annoying.

[Vermu]

Have to give credit for Lopez - he tries...a lot..in vain...
Unlike Quintana


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[Wookski]

MAL’s attack, blow up, repeat is wonderful- must be super annoying for other riders.

[TonyM]

Lopez tries at least....


I have been told many times that in South America attacking is not usual. More like the Quintana style.