The professional cycling thread

[anonymous-user]

G did a great ride to win the stage and take yellow

He rode that same climb very well in the Dauphine, on his way to that impressive victory

There is a long way to go and I think Sky will be happy to have two prospects for the GC

I'd like to think that G will be given free rein if Froome cracks, but I would expect G to defer (on team orders) if Froome remains in contention

Shaping up nicely

Bring on Alpe d'Huez!

ETA this piece by David Millar on Mark Cavendish & Rod Ellingworth

https://chpt3.com/blogs/journal/well-done-mark

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 18th July 22:31

[johnxjsc1985]

Poor Mark Cavendish didn't make the cut he just is not in the form needed to win a stage is he and not sure if the injuries he has had these past few years have caught up on him.Listening to the crowd booing at the end is why I think Sky and Froome are more than happy for Thomas to have the jersey for now. I never thought I would see such behaviour from a cycling crowd but its been coming on for a few years now.
Another great stage tomorrow I wouldn't be at all surprised to see another stage win for Thomas he is in fine form

[NRS]

Matt_N said:

Worth remembering that today was a short stage and G himself said it wasn't really the plan today, tomorrow is much longer with 3x HC, a profile much better suited to Froome and one on which he could be planning a move similar to stage 19 of the Giro.

Stage after is flat so a chance to recover before a couple of punchy stages then the Pyrennees.

Doubt they would do the same as the giro. That was an all or nothing move as they had to. They're in control of this one, so they will just use the sky train and let others come at them and burn them out.

[llewop]

JPJPJP said:

ETA this piece by David Millar on Mark Cavendish & Rod Ellingworth

https://chpt3.com/blogs/journal/well-done-mark

Edited by JPJPJP on Wednesday 18th July 22:31

thanks for the link - a bit of a bounce around twitter this morning echo's the sentiment: Cav determined to finish even though he knew it was going to be the end of his tour - I think I saw that the team were wearing special helmets for it being Mandela day, which may have added to his motivation.

[Matt_N]

NRS said:

Doubt they would do the same as the giro. That was an all or nothing move as they had to. They're in control of this one, so they will just use the sky train and let others come at them and burn them out.

I doubt it too, hence saying they could, but imagine if they used the hairpins on the Alpe like they did on the Finestre.

They do need to bring Froome up though whilst gapping Dumoulin and the other GC riders. G is in fine form at present but like Yates at the Giro, he's unproven over leading a GT and maintaining it in the 3rd week, the odds are still in Froome's favour.

All IMO obviously.

[ferrisbueller]

I don't think there's any doubt that Froome is Sky's number 1. I don't expect to see G in yellow when the race reaches Paris.

[louiebaby]

Sky DS on the bus yesterday morning:

"G, fk st up and scare folk silly tomorrow. Ideally take Yellow, perhaps even the stage. Chris, stay out of trouble, tomorrow's your chance to take minutes off people that G has broken today."

[Kermit power]

Coolbanana said:

johnxjsc1985 said:

I was wondering if SKY want Froome hidden away in the pack without the target on his back however I cant see Thomas letting this go easily now.

Thomas will do as he is instructed. Just like LeMond did with Hinault and Froome did with Wiggins; examples of when the No.1 domestique could have gone for glory themselves but remembered they work for a Team with a Plan.

Froome is still Team Leader and unless it is agreed by Management that Thomas is best suited to win overall, then he will eventually have to concede to work for Froome.

Today was great for Thomas, I'm sure he is very happy and will still see Froome as Leader until told otherwise.

I'm sure that's true in theory, but in practice, Froome still has to take back 1m44 off him. I know it's probably mission impossible, but if G managed to do everything asked of him and Froome still can't take that time back, what are they going to do? Order G to get off his bike and wait?

[Chris Stott]

Being able to perform at that level on one stage is one thing... doing it on every mountain stage over the remainder of the race is another.

Froome will kill him when he wants to.

[JuniorD]

It's an interesting situation all right. Though I can't help thinking that Froome should have taken Wiggins in 2012, and on that rationale I'd wouldn't be disappointed if Thomas usurped Froome. It was beautiful when Stephen Roche did over Roberto Visentini in the 1987 Giro, but, with 10 days still to go, it is too risky for Thomas - it's a long time to be a mutineer, and too much chance of Froome talking it back anyway. I'm sure natural order will prevail in the next two days and Froome will move into yellow.

Ultimately, whatever happens, I'd like to see Dan Martin and Tom Dumoulin on the podium in Paris

Edited by JuniorD on Thursday 19th July 10:17

[Matt_N]

Kermit power said:

I'm sure that's true in theory, but in practice, Froome still has to take back 1m44 off him. I know it's probably mission impossible, but if G managed to do everything asked of him and Froome still can't take that time back, what are they going to do? Order G to get off his bike and wait?

1m25 to Froome, 1m44 to Dumoulin.

[johnxjsc1985]

Thomas is 32 and performed at the highest of levels for many years and rode many GT's so Froome will not just ride him off his wheel when he feels like. Equally Froome has the Giro in his legs which might well show in the final week and one bad stage and its over for him so SKY will be delighted Thomas is in Yellow and let the race develop, they will only be allowed to attack each other under certain circumstances.
Lets no forget Tom D is looking really strong and can TT as good as anyone so plenty to look forward to over the next 11 days.

[johnxjsc1985]

Today the stage looks horrendous it tires you out just looking at the profile.

[lufbramatt]

something like 17000ft of climbing today. jeez.

[Chris Stott]

Madeleien, Croix de Fer and Alp d'Huez in the same day... cruel

[BoRED S2upid]

When do I need to tune in? Is it a 4pm ish finish again?

[ALawson]

73km left at the moment, assuming another 35kmh average yes 16:15-30 finish.

[ferrisbueller]

JuniorD said:

It's an interesting situation all right. Though I can't help thinking that Froome should have taken Wiggins in 2012, and on that rationale I'd wouldn't be disappointed if Thomas usurped Froome. It was beautiful when Stephen Roche did over Roberto Visentini in the 1987 Giro, but, with 10 days still to go, it is too risky for Thomas - it's a long time to be a mutineer, and too much chance of Froome talking it back anyway. I'm sure natural order will prevail in the next two days and Froome will move into yellow.

Ultimately, whatever happens, I'd like to see Dan Martin and Tom Dumoulin on the podium in Paris

Edited by JuniorD on Thursday 19th July 10:17

I'll be surprised if I see Froome pulling for G. I'd think it more likely G becomes a super-domestique again. Froome would have to be absolutely incapable of winning for him to be sacrificed or even compromised IMO.

[The Surveyor]

ferrisbueller said:

I'll be surprised if I see Froome pulling for G. I'd think it more likely G becomes a super-domestique again. Froome would have to be absolutely incapable of winning for him to be sacrificed or even compromised IMO.

They'll want to keep the focus off Froome as much as possible, even letting Thomas pull out a little more time yesterday. The plan has to be to get both Sky riders on the podium with Froome on the top-step as he's clearly still the team leader.

The problem Sky have is how they engineer Froome to get that 1.25 time back without killing off 'G's podium potential.

[ferrisbueller]

The Surveyor said:

ferrisbueller said:

I'll be surprised if I see Froome pulling for G. I'd think it more likely G becomes a super-domestique again. Froome would have to be absolutely incapable of winning for him to be sacrificed or even compromised IMO.

They'll want to keep the focus off Froome as much as possible, even letting Thomas pull out a little more time yesterday. The plan has to be to get both Sky riders on the podium with Froome on the top-step as he's clearly still the team leader.

The problem Sky have is how they engineer Froome to get that 1.25 time back without killing off 'G's podium potential.

I've no doubt Sky can find a way.