TOUR DE FRANCE & THE PREM 2020

[unc.si.]

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[murf]

My favourite photo from our "rest" day. Went over 4 mountain top summits just to stay in the mood.

[theo29]

thank you unc.si. I am sure everyone will agree that the bi-lingual message is worth a 10 point bonus to give you a slightly improved edge over LIVERPOOL as things stand before stage 16. He gets 1 point 'doggy' bonus for rest day activity !

[theo29]

sorry got that last bit wrong. At the moment LIVERPOOL have a decent lead over LEICESTER but it could all change in the last few stages.
Today in stage 16 Bora (WOLVES) were by far the strongest points-wise but they do not feature in the General Classification where the top 10 are.
MANCHESTER CITY
FULHAM'
LEEDS.
NEWCASTLE.
LIVERPOOL
SOUTHAMPTON
SHEFFIELD U
WEST BROM A
MAN CITY (again)
WEST HAM. Tomorrow the stage 17 points will be doubled as it is the day when the race normally reaches its highest point and to honour Henri Desgrange who got the race going back in 1903 (or thereabouts) The top 10 could well be shaken up above Meribel. We shall see !

[Smurphy Paw]

going into the final week both MAN CITY and FULHAM the leading contenders for the top spot in Paris are some way behind the very consistent daily scorers.
So far all the points totals are exactly to the TDF schedule. In stages 17 and 20, the individual time trial I am going to 'tweak' it a little, (don't shout it is the same for everyone) The next table after stage 18 may give some sort of clue whether it has made a difference.
Jumbo-Visma (MAN CITY) seem to be the form team for the critics but they made an indifferent start in week one and Smurpheys Paw was unhappy after stage 13. The next 3 performances will tell !

I wonder if in future picking a team going for daily prizes might not be a better option than the one or two going for GC. Their aim is not to finish first, second or third in the majority of stages but to finish with their competitors.
Not a comment about the weighting for sprint stages in this game. But picking a team that wants to get someone over the line first in fast stages has merit because they also end up having a number of riders in points scoring positions as a result of being lead out men. We no longer see Renshaw coming second to Cavendish but the minor placing points must make a difference.
In comparison GC teams will not commit so many men to the front and back off after the 3km banner (apart from Wout, but he’s not like other riders!). Jumbo/City are only as high in the table as they are because we carried through a lot of points from before the Tour started.

Not sure what I was unhappy about. Was it the lax implementation of the concussion protocol?

[Smurphy Paw]

Bernal out of the Tour

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He looked and sounded broken yesterday so not a major surprise. Shame though, I really like his honesty and equanimity in acknowledging how others ‘were just stronger’ on days he lost time.

I suspect Ineos knew that The Tour would be a tough proposition this year but will it pay off with results in the Giro (reasonable chance) and Vuelta (not unless Froome pulls his socks up)?

[Oxford NZ]

What is going on in the background here?

tour1.jpg

[theo29]

tough on BURNLEY (I wonder if tbf has caught up with what is going on?) but todays double points include the sprint so the table will almost certainly get a good shake-up.
Most of you have yet to choose your Serie A team for the Giro. It will be done for you if there is no response by the end of the TDF on Sunday.

[sibrown4]

What is going on in the background here?

tour1.jpg

You mean the tv camera outrider?

[sibrown4]

Favourite snap Stage 16.

[Smurphy Paw]

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[Smurphy Paw]

That may age very badly

[theo29]

yes it is likely that le maillot jaune may belong to MAN CITY but the points haul for stage 17 has 4 teams with scores into 3 figures.
CHELSEA. FULHAM. MANCHESTER CITY and NEWCASTLE. What will stage 18 bring ?

[theo29]

if nothing else the stage winner Lopez, Astana, NEWCASTLE had the president M.Macron to see him over the line above Meribel plus a days total of 178 points. M.Admins chart will reveal all after stage 18 today.

[Oxford NZ]

thanks Theo

lopez.jpg

[sibrown4]

Favourite snap Stage 17. Queens Stage

[sibrown4]

Its Ineos Day at Last. 114 stages of hurt.

[theo29]

yes the jubilant BURNLEY Grenadiers. Today's stage 18 win produced 86 points and they moved up the M.Admin grid. Read all about it on Friday.

[sibrown4]

Favourite snap of Stage 18. The gravel road.

[morganb]

Latest update-

[unc.si.]

Last 'normal' stage today. I'd expect a big fight to get into the group and then the GC guys taking it steady to save their legs for tomorrows ITT.
I think how the stage goes depends a lot on how Bora fancy riding it to be honest.

[theo29]

***** there will be a totally separate £20 prize for the team recording the best 3 times in the stage 20 time trial on Saturday. This will not be included in the chart posted this morning where it seems the top 3 are home and dried, but in which order ?

[Smurphy Paw]

If Sagan is to have a chance of taking the Green Jersey they have to ride aggressively. If they do will DQS even try to keep Bennett in the hunt? Or rely on the Champs Elysees?
My prediction is a good day for canaryfan in the overall ranking

[sibrown4]

Take a bow again Soren Kragh

Team Sunweb/Arsenal fighting on.

[theo29]

yes indeed an electrifying performance in the final 20ks, decimated the field. Will report the top points later this evening.

[theo29]

Top points after stage 19. CHELSEA 912. MAN CITY 824. WOLVES 822 with stage 21 and the weekend games to add. Other scores FULHAM 705. ARSENAL 689. SOUTHAMPTON 680. TOTTENHAM 647.
The stage 20 individual time trial is totally separate and has a prize of £20 for the team with the 3 quickest riders. Takes most of the day to complete !
See you in Paris and the Champs Elysees.

[Oxford NZ]

Thanks Theo.

roglic.jpg

[Smurphy Paw]

Great performance once again by Sunweb. This really has been one of the best Tours for a long time. So many stories and subplots

[murf]

Great performance once again by Sunweb. This really has been one of the best Tours for a long time. So many stories and subplots

Shame the main story has been rather dull. Often a tease that something could happen but it never really has. Lotto and Roglic have been boringly controlling like Sky and Froome in a bad year.

[unc.si.]

Well yes the GC battle was non-existent, but then it has been most years in recent memory (apart from last year).

However, the racing has been fantastic on a lot of the stages. Only really a few dull days at the start to be honest. Since then its been great to watch.