Jump to content
IGNORED

Pro Cycling 2020


Champion Dung Spreader

Recommended Posts

France has a comparatively high infection rate and the crowd seem close to the riders on the climbs (as usual). So I think the chances of some riders getting covid from the crowd are quite high - three weeks is a long time. Roglic and Bernal are currently favourites to win, but even in normal times things can change rapidly in the TdF. Covid makes the potential for upsets higher.

 The race reaches the Pyrenees soon - should be a good indication of who's up for it. I bet Bernal at 40/1 when he won last year. So I'll stick with him and make a tentative prediction of Bernal to win the 2020 TdF General Classification, but who knows? Anyone care to predict?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Champion Dung Spreader said:

France has a comparatively high infection rate and the crowd seem close to the riders on the climbs (as usual). So I think the chances of some riders getting covid from the crowd are quite high - three weeks is a long time. Roglic and Bernal are currently favourites to win, but even in normal times things can change rapidly in the TdF. Covid makes the potential for upsets higher.

 The race reaches the Pyrenees soon - should be a good indication of who's up for it. I bet Bernal at 40/1 when he won last year. So I'll stick with him and make a tentative prediction of Bernal to win the 2020 TdF General Classification, but who knows? Anyone care to predict?

Bernal obviously a good shout, but will his bad back hamper him?

Roglic in great form but do Jumbo Visma have enough strength in depth for 3 weeks?

I wonder if Alaphilippe can do a bit better this year and give the French their first victory since Hinault.

More wide open this year and if the first 3 stages are anything to go by very exciting and unpredictable.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Frenchay Red said:

Bernal obviously a good shout, but will his bad back hamper him?

Roglic in great form but do Jumbo Visma have enough strength in depth for 3 weeks?

I wonder if Alaphilippe can do a bit better this year and give the French their first victory since Hinault.

More wide open this year and if the first 3 stages are anything to go by very exciting and unpredictable.

 

Yes, Jumbo Visma's strength in depth is questionable - so I'm not sure if Roglic will get the backup he needs. However, Ineos have already had falls and injuries, so they may not be as strong as usual. We'll see how bad Bernal's back is in the Pyrenees this weekend.

 The King of the Mountains competition will attract more British media coverage this year. The way Adam Yates went across the gap to Alaphilippe on stage 2 was amazing. So I'm predicting he'll win the polka dot jersey. We've only had 2 previous winners (Millar and Froome) so a Yates victory could be a major sporting achievement in a year with little sport. I might have a punt on Yates to win the BBC SPOTY - may be a good price at the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Champion Dung Spreader said:

Yes, Jumbo Visma's strength in depth is questionable - so I'm not sure if Roglic will get the backup he needs. However, Ineos have already had falls and injuries, so they may not be as strong as usual. We'll see how bad Bernal's back is in the Pyrenees this weekend.

 The King of the Mountains competition will attract more British media coverage this year. The way Adam Yates went across the gap to Alaphilippe on stage 2 was amazing. So I'm predicting he'll win the polka dot jersey. We've only had 2 previous winners (Millar and Froome) so a Yates victory could be a major sporting achievement in a year with little sport. I might have a punt on Yates to win the BBC SPOTY - may be a good price at the moment.

That's a really interesting suggestion regarding Yates and the KOM.

I had him down for going for stage wins, but KOM could be a realistic aim. It would mean a different approach though, like trying to get into the breakaway on the mountain stages to mop up the points and for Mitchelton-Scott to work to get him into the breakaways. Today could be an indicator of his ambitions I guess. Fascinating!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Frenchay Red said:

That's a really interesting suggestion regarding Yates and the KOM.

I had him down for going for stage wins, but KOM could be a realistic aim. It would mean a different approach though, like trying to get into the breakaway on the mountain stages to mop up the points and for Mitchelton-Scott to work to get him into the breakaways. Today could be an indicator of his ambitions I guess. Fascinating!

Yates said that he wanted to be aggressive in the first week of the Tour and that his team were mainly focusing on stage wins. So he may not be planning to sustain the performance he showed on stage 2. Alaphilippe is clear favourite for the Polka Dots. However, the Tour is very different this year - Alaphilippe can realistically focus on yellow and may not target the KoM.

 Yes, Mitchelton Scott would need to adopt KoM tactics. Also, there are many other contenders - e.g. Bardet, Roglic and Barguil. So a Yates victory in the KoM involves lots of ifs and maybes, but us Brits need something to hope for ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 It's great to have proper sport (with a crowd) on day time terrestrial TV. I used to watch Cricket when it was for the people - in the days of Ian Botham etc, but feel it has been stolen. Cycling now fills that vacuum for me.

 Also very nice to have a Brit - Adam Yates now in the yellow jersey. If he can win a stage (he has never done this in the TdF before), he may turn his attention to the King of the Mountains competition. What a triplet that would be. Allez Adam! ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m genuinely excited at this years Tour. It’s the most open it’s been in a long long time, with no apparent dominant rider and no apparent dominant team. 
Very open and should hopefully make for a great contest. 
Roglic obviously looked strong on stage 4, and Allaphilipe could turn in a great performance. Bernal obviously the favourite still I think but Ineos don’t appear to be as strong as previous years. 
All the makings of a great tour hopefully. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, Harry said:

I’m genuinely excited at this years Tour. It’s the most open it’s been in a long long time, with no apparent dominant rider and no apparent dominant team. 
Very open and should hopefully make for a great contest. 
Roglic obviously looked strong on stage 4, and Allaphilipe could turn in a great performance. Bernal obviously the favourite still I think but Ineos don’t appear to be as strong as previous years. 
All the makings of a great tour hopefully. 

Totally agree - the most exciting potential for many years. The Ineos train isn't dominant (yet) - often there were two leading trains today (Ineos and Jumbo Visma). Many bookies have Roglic as odds on favourite for the GC after yesterday's performance. Bernal is second fav with markedly higher odds.

 Apparently one of the Alps stages (stage 17 I think) will really suit Bernal. Also, there is a time trial near the end of the 3 weeks and Roglic has a questionable record in time trials near the end of Grand Tours. So, Bernal's GC odds look interesting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 03/09/2020 at 10:08, BigTone said:

paint_dry-1.jpg_fit=600,393&ssl=1.cf.jpg

Hang on a moment Tone - don't you live in France? So there you are living in beautiful France and here we are living on a wet little island in dull weather. You're criticising viewing of the TdF as being like watching paint dry. We're just trying to see how the other half (you) lives - have some empathy please ????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Champion Dung Spreader said:

Hang on a moment Tone - don't you live in France? So there you are living in beautiful France and here we are living on a wet little island in dull weather. You're criticising viewing of the TdF as being like watching paint dry. We're just trying to see how the other half (you) lives - have some empathy please ????

Indeedly I doodly but it just doesn't do it for me I'm sorry, along with Darts. I'll stick to stinky cheese and plonk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, BigTone said:

Indeedly I doodly but it just doesn't do it for me I'm sorry, along with Darts. I'll stick to stinky cheese and plonk.

I know what you mean - I feel the same about pole vaulting - what's so appealing about a man trying to jump over a hurdle with a stick?

 Anyway, I hope the weather is as good where you are as it is on the TdF route at the moment (between the Massif Central and Pyrenees).

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Champion Dung Spreader said:

I know what you mean - I feel the same about pole vaulting - what's so appealing about a man trying to jump over a hurdle with a stick?

 Anyway, I hope the weather is as good where you are as it is on the TdF route at the moment (between the Massif Central and Pyrenees).

 

About 32 deg today so quite pleasant. We are in Poitou Charente so not sure when or where it comes through here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, BigTone said:

About 32 deg today so quite pleasant. We are in Poitou Charente so not sure when or where it comes through here.

 Love that region - I've stayed in Saintes many times. Also been to Cognac, La Rochelle, Royan and Poitiers. You're a lucky man.

 The Tour route includes île d'Oléron to île de Ré next Tuesday. Also, Châtelaillon-Plage to Poitiers next Weds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Champion Dung Spreader said:

 Love that region - I've stayed in Saintes many times. Also been to Cognac, La Rochelle, Royan and Poitiers. You're a lucky man.

 The Tour route includes île d'Oléron to île de Ré next Tuesday. Also, Châtelaillon-Plage to Poitiers next Weds.

Cognac is about a 30 minute drive. Nice spot by the river as to is Jarnac further upstream. We love it here. Moved here 14 years ago with no desire to leave. Retired fully about 3 weeks ago so no more dashing backwards & forwards to London every second week. Looking to buy a camper van and a plot of land on the Charente river nearby. That way we can go travelling or just go fishing on our own land for a few days with the hound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Champion Dung Spreader said:

The Pyrenees mountain stages were completed Yesterday. The crowds were not socially distanced and people were shouting in the faces of the riders. The aerosol from thousands of spectators is bound to carry covid. I shall be most surprised if no cyclists get infected.

indeed. Today's rest day is also test day for all teams, though Ineos all got tested yesterday. Hopefully all results will be negative.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Frenchay Red said:

indeed. Today's rest day is also test day for all teams, though Ineos all got tested yesterday. Hopefully all results will be negative.

I didn't know there were designated test days for all teams. I assumed that all riders would be tested every day. So today should prove to be interesting - infections could make the Tour a bit of a lottery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Champion Dung Spreader said:

I didn't know there were designated test days for all teams. I assumed that all riders would be tested every day. So today should prove to be interesting - infections could make the Tour a bit of a lottery.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-bubble-to-be-covid-19-tested-over-next-two-days/

 ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a superb stage yesterday. 
Pogacar’s attacks up the Marie-Blanc, his near accident at the top, Hirschi’s effort to compete the sprint. But I thought Hirschi’s descent of the Marie-Blanc was stunning. 
Roglic looking very strong. Shame Pogacar lost the time on the flat earlier in the week. 
 

Hopefully the maskless fans won’t have any covid impact. Would be a huge shame for any positive tests to affect this race as it’s turning into a brilliant edition. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Harry said:

What a superb stage yesterday. 
Pogacar’s attacks up the Marie-Blanc, his near accident at the top, Hirschi’s effort to compete the sprint. But I thought Hirschi’s descent of the Marie-Blanc was stunning. 
Roglic looking very strong. Shame Pogacar lost the time on the flat earlier in the week. 
 

Hopefully the maskless fans won’t have any covid impact. Would be a huge shame for any positive tests to affect this race as it’s turning into a brilliant edition. 

Meanwhile my paint has dried and I shall now apply a second coat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BigTone said:

Meanwhile my paint has dried and I shall now apply a second coat

Don’t bother with the thread then Tone! 
 

I know you’ve retired now and got time on your hands, but find something you enjoy rather than trolling a thread about something you have zero interest in. I’m not entirely sure what you’re getting out of this? ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Harry said:

Don’t bother with the thread then Tone! 
 

I know you’ve retired now and got time on your hands, but find something you enjoy rather than trolling a thread about something you have zero interest in. I’m not entirely sure what you’re getting out of this? ?

Not trolling at all. Good idea to understand what trolling actually is defined as. Sorry but given Covid19 spikes in France then TdF really should not even be happening. Just my opinion I know and sorry if it is in opposition to those of others. If you enjoy it then do so and just learn to ignore dinosaurs like me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, BigTone said:

Not trolling at all. Good idea to understand what trolling actually is defined as. Sorry but given Covid19 spikes in France then TdF really should not even be happening. Just my opinion I know and sorry if it is in opposition to those of others. If you enjoy it then do so and just learn to ignore dinosaurs like me.

Believe it or not there are a few threads that people don’t want to see descend in to pointless arguing. You obviously don’t like cycling and have no desire to understand it so why Make pointless comments?  
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Rob k said:

Believe it or not there are a few threads that people don’t want to see descend in to pointless arguing. You obviously don’t like cycling and have no desire to understand it so why Make pointless comments?  
 

 

I'm fine with that and at no point am I argueing.Just think running TdF given the pandemic spike is both wrong and pointless. Just my opinion and like an arsehole we all have one. If you don't like my posts then just ignore me. I can assure I won't lose any sleep. Apart from that it bores the crap out of me although many French friends I have would robustly disagree with me. But hey ho we all have opinions. Its what makes life interesting. No point taking offence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Harry said:

What a superb stage yesterday. 
Pogacar’s attacks up the Marie-Blanc, his near accident at the top, Hirschi’s effort to compete the sprint. But I thought Hirschi’s descent of the Marie-Blanc was stunning. 
Roglic looking very strong. Shame Pogacar lost the time on the flat earlier in the week. 
 

Hopefully the maskless fans won’t have any covid impact. Would be a huge shame for any positive tests to affect this race as it’s turning into a brilliant edition. 

It was incredible wasn’t it - i was desperate for him to hang on and win the sprint...

Cracking tour so far.....i still think Ineos have something up their sleeve though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Rob k said:

It was incredible wasn’t it - i was desperate for him to hang on and win the sprint...

Cracking tour so far.....i still think Ineos have something up their sleeve though

Ok an honest question for someone with zero interest but should a competitor test positive for Covid19 does it not render the whole competition pointless as maybe the best athlete doesn't win through no fault of their own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Rob k said:

It was incredible wasn’t it - i was desperate for him to hang on and win the sprint...

Cracking tour so far.....i still think Ineos have something up their sleeve though

Yes, Bernal went really well on the last climb on Sunday - the Alps should be interesting (stage 17 favours Bernal I believe)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BigTone said:

Ok an honest question for someone with zero interest but should a competitor test positive for Covid19 does it not render the whole competition pointless as maybe the best athlete doesn't win through no fault of their own.

This is where these races can get a bit complicated i suppose, essentially the tour is a team sport with just one person really taking all the glory

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...