Loving this year's Tour de France

[Bredbury Blue]

Anyone else following one of the best TDFs in years?

 

I watch on British Eurosport 1 and ITV4 on mobdro. When it buffers badly on one of those channels, i close down mobdro and reopen it on the other channel. 

 

Also downloading and listening daily to the BBC 5 'Bespoke' podcasts (

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pcb42/episodes/downloads ), and i watch Lance Armstrong / George Hincapie daily podcasts on WEDU THEMOVE on youtube, both of which are very entertaining and i learn so much about the tour and the sport.

 

A very open tour this year with Julian Alaphilippe having the tour of his life. Can he continue his brilliant form all the way to Paris or will he lose out to Pinot or Ineos? 

 

[MrTrip]

Wouldn’t miss it[emoji1303] love it. Back in the 90’s I used to buy 8 hour video cassettes so that I could watch the entire stage every night after work. Those were the Indurain years but also the David Duffield years, one of the best cycling journalists ever for me. Sadly passed away in 2016.

Great TDF this year, gutted Froome didn’t make the start and I really would enjoy an Alaphilip win for France


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[champers]

I watch it here in Thailand on Eurosport and am really looking forward to the 3 alpine stages on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. These will decide the winner, according to the experts. I will be cheering on Geraint Thomas but wouldn't mind if Julian Alaphillipe or Thibault Pinot won for France. 

Great commentaries and summaries from the Eurosport team.

[Mikisteel]

No chance. A completely doped up sport. Lance not so strong tainted the sport and it will never be the same. Maybe those that like this type of cheat plagued sport do not mind cheating and getting unfair advantages in others also.

 

 

[SpokaneAl]

This year’s race is turning out to truly be a great one. Not having one strong team control the stages means many attacks and exciting racing. I love it!


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[mania]

Yes it has been a great one. The only real downside event was when Wout Van Aert clipped that

guard rail & tore his thigh open. Hope he will recover quick.

 

That aside it has been an exciting tour this year. The stage with the short but very steep finish off pavement was great

 

@MrTrip  I also use to buy all the World Cycling Production VHS Tapes! I especially liked all the Spring Classics on tape as well ????

[Bredbury Blue]

I mentioned above how I watch and what podcasts I follow. Anything I'm missing you'd like to put me on to? Any particular website or journalist is particularly good I should read?

[GeorgeCross]

8 hours ago, Mikisteel said:

No chance. A completely doped up sport. Lance not so strong tainted the sport and it will never be the same. Maybe those that like this type of cheat plagued sport do not mind cheating and getting unfair advantages in others also.

 

 

 

actually the reason the racing is so good this year (and the last 2) is because, post EPO and TUE's, the field of riders is much closer now and they now have bad days too.

 

finally the best riders are winning not the ones with the best "doctors"

 

negativity aside.. loving it this year, can't wait for the alps

 

go on G not over yet mate!

 

[GeorgeCross]

to those with buffer issues.. 

 

ITV4 over ITVHUB on VPN or TVmucho will solve your problems

 

also Eurosport player over VPN

 

 

[cornishcarlos]

My top 3 prediction...

 

1. Pinot

2. Bernal

3. Alaphillipe

 

Don't think G has got a full tank to challenge in the last 3 mountain days !! 

Hope I'm wrong ????

 

[Bredbury Blue]

Yesterday’s Stage 18 was absolutely brilliant drama.

 

Great breakaway from Quintana; when he went, he flew away from the leaders, and nobody caught any time up on him. Moves like that is the main reason why I watch TDF. Can’t see the peloton allowing him to go with the breakaway again in the next 2 days.

 

When Thomas went, and they all GC contenders followed, it looked like Alaphilippe was about to crack, and maybe they the attack should have come a bit further down the climb to gain more time on him before they summited, but he hung on and what a descent by Alaphillipe, he looked like a pro and the rest amateurs he was so superior.

 

Thomas getting criticized for attacking and bringing the GC leaders back to team-mate Egan Bernal, but he is the reigning champion so no way was he just going to sit with the others. If he had broken away from them it would have been a brilliant move but as they countered he’s now criticised.

 

Another brutal climbing day today. The BBC Bespoke team still don’t think Alaphilippe can hold on and win. I reckon only Bernal over the next 2 days climbs could catch him, but I now think Alaphilippe will hold on to win it, and he deserves to – he’s been brilliant at every aspect of bike riding on this tour.

 

Sticking my neck out:

1. Alaphilippe

2. Bernal

3. A.N. Other

 

But it really is wide open for anybody of the leading 6 could win it.

[SpokaneAl]

Yesterday’s Stage 18 was absolutely brilliant drama.
 
Great breakaway from Quintana; when he went, he flew away from the leaders, and nobody caught any time up on him. Moves like that is the main reason why I watch TDF. Can’t see the peloton allowing him to go with the breakaway again in the next 2 days.
 
When Thomas went, and they all GC contenders followed, it looked like Alaphilippe was about to crack, and maybe they the attack should have come a bit further down the climb to gain more time on him before they summited, but he hung on and what a descent by Alaphillipe, he looked like a pro and the rest amateurs he was so superior.
 
Thomas getting criticized for attacking and bringing the GC leaders back to team-mate Egan Bernal, but he is the reigning champion so no way was he just going to sit with the others. If he had broken away from them it would have been a brilliant move but as they countered he’s now criticised.
 
Another brutal climbing day today. The BBC Bespoke team still don’t think Alaphilippe can hold on and win. I reckon only Bernal over the next 2 days climbs could catch him, but I now think Alaphilippe will hold on to win it, and he deserves to – he’s been brilliant at every aspect of bike riding on this tour.
 
Sticking my neck out:
1. Alaphilippe
2. Bernal
3. A.N. Other
 
But it really is wide open for anybody of the leading 6 could win it.

It was a good one, although I am no fan of downhill finishes - they seem to mitigate all the climbing strategies and effort.

Also, Quintana was making podium run and then Movistar Team start driving the chase. I don’t understand that one.


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[mania]

Well that was a big shake out today also thanks to Mother Nature but........... Pinot out

JA slipping & may go off podium tomorrow with another short 59km stage

 

Bernal? Going to be a very Young TDF winner if you ask me ????

 

Stage 20 will possibly be a great stage

 

Watch these

EGAN BERNAL
JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE
GERAINT THOMAS
STEVEN KRUIJSWIJK -
EMANUEL BUCHMANN

[Bredbury Blue]

I was loving that stage, shame it was stopped. 

 

Great attack by Ineos; only Alaphilippe couldn't handle it.

 

Bernal was at another level to the rest on the climb (no pun intended).

 

People are saying great shame on Alaphilippe as he was catching up on the downhill but was he, by a few seconds maybe, but no way was he going to catch Bernal and Yates, and i reckon he would have lost more time on the cancelled final climb to the GC rivals.

 

Alaphilippe apparently is the only GC contender on disc brakes and doesn't it show on the downhill  - can't believe the others dont usw disc brakes.

 

Could Simon Yates have taken his 3rd stage yesterday? He's been brilliant in this Tour.

 

Can only see Bernal leading in to Paris: surely nobody  can take time on him on today's climb.

 

I'm  reckon Ineos 1st and 2nd today.

 

Think they need a better warning system in the Tour. It took ages to get them to stop yesterday.

 

Apart from Alaphilippe being a right poser, he's been breath of fresh air taking on Ineos.

 

Very sad to see Pinot out of it and suffering; surely he was doing more damage to his injury.

 

Best Tour in a long time. Loved watching Sky/Ineos dominating and winning these past years but they smothered the race. 

 

Froome, Thomas and Bernal in Ineos again next season? Can't see that but if it happens who could beat that team?

 

[SpokaneAl]

I was loving that stage, shame it was stopped. 
 
Great attack by Ineos; only Alaphilippe couldn't handle it.
 
Bernal was at another level to the rest on the climb (no pun intended).
 
People are saying great shame on Alaphilippe as he was catching up on the downhill but was he, by a few seconds maybe, but no way was he going to catch Bernal and Yates, and i reckon he would have lost more time on the cancelled final climb to the GC rivals.
 
Alaphilippe apparently is the only GC contender on disc brakes and doesn't it show on the downhill  - can't believe the others dont usw disc brakes.
 
Could Simon Yates have taken his 3rd stage yesterday? He's been brilliant in this Tour.
 
Can only see Bernal leading in to Paris: surely nobody  can take time on him on today's climb.
 
I'm  reckon Ineos 1st and 2nd today.
 
Think they need a better warning system in the Tour. It took ages to get them to stop yesterday.
 
Apart from Alaphilippe being a right poser, he's been breath of fresh air taking on Ineos.
 
Very sad to see Pinot out of it and suffering; surely he was doing more damage to his injury.
 
Best Tour in a long time. Loved watching Sky/Ineos dominating and winning these past years but they smothered the race. 
 
Froome, Thomas and Bernal in Ineos again next season? Can't see that but if it happens who could beat that team?
 

I was reading that they do have a good notification system. The challenge is that the riders are reluctant to believe and keep racing until they are certain that the information is correct.


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[Bredbury Blue]