The Tour Of France 2021

[Cid]

I'm not against having a time limit, I'm just against upping the pace for no other reason than to put someone in the broom wagon. It's the kind of thing footballers do. If football-style cynical tactics become common, cycling stops being a beautiful sport.

If you're putting someone in the broom-wagon, they've probably been dropped from the grupetto. I know I said upthread that the grupetto isn't going to be dropped, but they still want to make the time cut - think there are potential penalties if the organisers decide to be lenient, and obviously relying on a decision that in practice is very rare is a big risk. So if you can drive the race at a pace that's spitting important riders out the back of the grupetto, all credit to that kind of effort really. Even if it is a bit spiteful.

 

[planetgeli]

For an idea of just how tough beating the time cut off is, this, from 2011 in Cycling News.

The slowest schedule for Stage 19’s stage across the Galibier and up to Alpe d’Huez predicts the winner will take 3 hours 18 minutes and my calculations put the cut-off at 26 minutes. So let’s call it 3.44 for the slowest permissible time on the day. In fine weather last week, and with fresh legs, more than 7,000 amateurs tackled Stage 19 in the Etape du Tour cyclosport race and only four of them managed to beat the Tour de France cut-off time.

 

[1927]

:-D. Did you read his apology?. Should have looked where he was going a bit more?. He took him out deliberately.
What we should be doing is asking how he's back winning races at 36.

Are you a tinsey winsey bit upset that the Irishman is missing?

 

[David Clapson]

For an idea of just how tough beating the time cut off is, this, from 2011 in Cycling News.

But were they drafting each other? Probably not much. If everyone's good enough to ride in a packed peloton, the riders who are surrounded can reduce their effort by up to 50%. One of the teams released some numbers which showed that their riders were freewheeling for 25% of the race.

 

[hash tag]

Turning back to today's epic, Quintana is having a better tour. Could it be his day today?

 

[Cid]

Well this is tense.

 

[Cid]

*The race, not the last couple of pages.

 

[hash tag]

Poor Tony Martin

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

For an idea of just how tough beating the time cut off is, this, from 2011 in Cycling News.

Yep. The “slow” sprinters are still going up those climbs at speeds very few people can even dream of.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Turning back to today's epic, Quintana is having a better tour. Could it be his day today?

I have a feeling Pog is going to kick everyone to pieces today.

 

[sleaterkinney]

Are you a tinsey winsey bit upset that the Irishman is missing?

That's what i don't understand, Cavendish isn't Welsh and you're getting upset on his behalf...

 

[1927]

That's what i don't understand, Cavendish isn't Welsh and you're getting upset on his behalf...

What’s being Welsh got to do with it you tit?

 

[David Clapson]

I don't like Mont Ventoux. So ugly. And the road doesn't go anywhere.

 

[Cid]

This thread is very strange sometimes.

 

[Cid]

And here we have a herd of photographers, often spotted among the lavender fields of France, these rare beasts keep their heads low to avoid the attentions of circling birds of prey. /Attenborough

 

[sleaterkinney]

What’s being Welsh got to do with it you tit?

That's why i can't figure it out, why you're going around calling other cyclist's cunts?.

Bennett seems to me to be a fairly decent bloke as opposed to Cavendish who is a man-baby happy to cause crashes...

 

[David Clapson]

Shots fired.

 

[1927]

That's why i can't figure it out, why you're going around calling other cyclist's cunts?.

Bennett seems to me to be a fairly decent bloke as opposed to Cavendish who is a man-baby happy to cause crashes...

What sort of rider doesn’t congratulate his team mates for some amazing performances?

 

[David Clapson]

What's predicted for today? Team Tractor to self-destruct?

 

[sleaterkinney]

What sort of rider doesn’t congratulate his team mates for some amazing performances?

Has say Remco Evenepoel said anything?. James Knox (another brit) even?. Bizarre. Are they cunts also?

 

[twistedAM]

What sort of rider doesn’t congratulate his team mates for some amazing performances?

Actually I just looked at the twitter profiles of about six other Quickstep riders who are not at the Tour and none of them have mentioned the Tour but all of them have been active in retweeting posts about sponsorship for the team. So maybe there's some protocol going on in regard to that platform?

 

[sleaterkinney]

What's predicted for today? Team Tractor to self-destruct?

The train is in action, i guess they have to try something.

 

[twistedAM]

Has say Remco Evenepoel said anything?. James Knox (another brit) even?. Bizarre. Are they cunts also?

 

[twistedAM]

It's all on Instagram!

 

[David Clapson]

A cloud on the Ventoux. This is more like it. Snow and hail please.

 

[sleaterkinney]

So he is ok, but not James Knox.

 

[Cid]

Actually I just looked at the twitter profiles of about six other Quickstep riders who are not at the Tour and none of them have mentioned the Tour but all of them have been active in retweeting posts about sponsorship for the team. So maybe there's some protocol going on in regard to that platform?

There absolutely will be (sponsor interests, image of the tour, exclusivity deals etc), just a question of exactly what is going on behind the scenes. That instagram post is from the 21st too.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I don't like Mont Ventoux. So ugly. And the road doesn't go anywhere.

The road goes to the top, then down again

 

[sleaterkinney]

It's all on Instagram!

That's just wishing them well though, not congratulating them....

Unbelievable!

 

[Cid]

I mean obviously these people don't write their own social media, surprised there are still people who write their own posts on here - I certainly don't.