The professional cycling thread

[NRS]

Scabutz said:

Just seen the images on TV. Wonder if the teams are going to go full tilt from the off, in case it gets curtailed again.

Imagine they will do anyway. Will be a "sprint" given shorter race, it's all or nothing today, risk of cancellation etc. Presume the question is who blows up and loses lots of time as a result?

[Johnny]

Here we go then!

[anonymous-user]

Fingers crossed the weather let’s it play out today. Should be great

[Phud]

Fascinating stage, who will play what tactics and which teams are after what places.

Will Ineos do all they can for a 1+2?

[Coolbanana]

Alaphilippe blown!

Seems to be fighting...but dunno...looks gone.

[ferrisbueller]

A crazy 20km hill sprint.

[ferrisbueller]

Mega from Nibali but it would have been good to see the GC race attacks on the final ramp.

[lufbramatt]

Brilliant stage, enjoyed that.

[Coolbanana]

Excellent ride by Nibali but...would've liked to have seen more drama with Bernal et al going for it too. Still, guess Ineos did the right thing, no unnecessary risks.

[ChocolateFrog]

Coolbanana said:

Excellent ride by Nibali but...would've liked to have seen more drama with Bernal et al going for it too. Still, guess Ineos did the right thing, no unnecessary risks.

Yes was a slight anti-climax, nothing really happened. Would have liked to see GT attack, he's the holder and should atleast have kept Bernal honest at the end.

That said even a weakened Sky/Ineos were still able to pull it off, again.

Bernal almost won the polka dot in addition to white and yellow.

[DE1975]

Deserving winner in Bernal. He looked the real deal riding in support last year, so no surprise to see him rise to he top.

What next for Froome and Thomas. I suspect Thomas is happy just to have won last year but Froome would love the chance to go for a 5th still, I just don't think he's got it in him to beat Bernal with the support of Ineos.

Assuming Froome can get back to fitness, it could be a good time to switch teams (and maybe G as well)

Would be good to see the 3 of them riding as leaders against each other next year.

[DS240]

Bernal has done exceptionally well. Ineos still so strong with such strength in depth.

Sorry for JA, but as predicted his legs ran out up the big climbs.

Shame there wasn’t a bit more fireworks on that last stage, but perhaps everyone didn’t have it in them to go on the attack.

It has been a great tour.

Looking forward to the vuelta next. I wonder if Bernal will give it a go.

[BoRED S2upid]

DE1975 said:

Deserving winner in Bernal. He looked the real deal riding in support last year, so no surprise to see him rise to he top.

What next for Froome and Thomas. I suspect Thomas is happy just to have won last year but Froome would love the chance to go for a 5th still, I just don't think he's got it in him to beat Bernal with the support of Ineos.

Assuming Froome can get back to fitness, it could be a good time to switch teams (and maybe G as well)

Would be good to see the 3 of them riding as leaders against each other next year.

A problem other teams could only dream of having. Froome and G couldn’t beat Bernal not at their age so do they both have a crack at the Giro and would that be enough for Froome?

[ChocolateFrog]

I'd be quite surprised if Froome makes it back at his age and after the severity of his accident. He'll lose a ton of Conditioning and not all of it will come back.

[MitchT]

The final day of the tour always appears to be a procession, except for the final sprint on the Champs Élysées. Is there an actual rule, or a just gentleman's agreement, stating that they won't race on the last day? What would happen if someone a half a minute or so off the lead in the GC decided to make a race of it on the last day with a view to winning the tour?

[mcelliott]

MitchT said:

The final day of the tour always appears to be a procession, except for the final sprint on the Champs Élysées. Is there an actual rule, or a just gentleman's agreement, stating that they won't race on the last day? What would happen if someone a half a minute or so off the lead in the GC decided to make a race of it on the last day with a view to winning the tour?

I don't think there's anything specific in the rules, but it's a gentleman's agreement based on tradition that no-one races until they get to the Champs Élysées. To my recollection the only time the overall general classification has changed on the final day was in the 1989 Tour which was a time trial, and Greg Lemond beat Laurent Fignon by a handful of seconds to claim the final yellow Jersey.

[MitchT]

I did wonder what the outcome would be if first and second were separated my mere seconds, spent all day following protocol, but their positions swapped in the final sprint. I guess that's the answer!

[Scabutz]

It's just a gentleman's agreement. I wonder what would happen if someone thought fk it and went for it. It's not a hard stage so would require someone to go on a solo attack on the flat which isn't easy and presumably the peloton would shut it down. But if it did work they would have to honour it. Although i imagine the person doing it would be very un-popular.

[Pericoloso]

They were lucky to have an alternative route after the original got closed down ,just not that many roads available

in the Alps ,even if the dual carriageway was a bit bland.

[NRS]

DS240 said:

Bernal has done exceptionally well. Ineos still so strong with such strength in depth.

Sorry for JA, but as predicted his legs ran out up the big climbs.

Shame there wasn’t a bit more fireworks on that last stage, but perhaps everyone didn’t have it in them to go on the attack.

It has been a great tour.

Looking forward to the vuelta next. I wonder if Bernal will give it a go.

Was maybe a bit predictable beforehand in terms of attack. Generally going to be a pretty high pace going up there due to short stage etc. So in reality it was more likely who blows up, rather than who can push on at an even higher pace (would need really good legs, and after 3 weeks that is not likely to happen).

Potentially the race was close to won/lost yesterday with the cancellation. GT was in a good group of rides, so would have better more rested relatively, and if they caught up with Bernal would have been a lot fresher to attack. Today was just keep position for Ineos. But impossible to know, and it seemed Bernal had better legs in general on the tour so deserved the win.