Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2017
As many of you know, I write a monthly column for Cyclist Magazine where I answer Dear Abby-esque questions, and the most recent query pertained to whether I consider the Tour the best race of the year, or whether it’s an over-publicized circus. The question made me realize something about myself: I have a weariness around the Tour de France not unlike a romantic whose heart has been broken one too many times.
The fact is, as much as I prefer a race like Paris-Roubaix or the Giro d’Italia to the mid-summer shit show that is the Tour de France, nothing gets my anticipation going quite the way the Tour does, which is undeniably the pinnacle of the season; all the classifications and stages are prestigious enough that racers of all sorts are all arriving at the start in peak form. There is a promise of hard racing from day one, but the first week consists mostly of me worrying about the big favorites crashing out. As soon as we get through that mess, my heart is usually broken on the first day in the mountains, when the favorite takes a decisive lead and the rest of the race is most about stages than the GC.
At least, these are the dreads of a man who lived through the Indurain and Armstrong eras of racing.
Nevertheless, the Tour always manages to seduce me, and this year is no different. Maybe this year, she won’t be such a cruel lover. And, maybe this year, I won’t make horrible picks in the VSP. Just maybe, just maybe. You know the drill; get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero, and you get some swap options on the rest day. Good luck!
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Ahh he lost 22 secs the ticker I have is wrong…………
For those keeping score at home, Aru lost 40 seconds to Froome in the opening TT.
Surely there could not be a double standard favoring the French. Demare clearly deviated from his line in Stage 4. While Sagan was booted, Demare escaped punishment and took the stage. Bouhanni punches a Quickstep rider and gets a laughable punishment. Now, three riders take water bottles and two get 20-second penalties. Bardet clearly accepts a bottle but receives no sanction.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vaughters-tour-shouldnt-come-down-to-water-bottles-and-incompetence/
@Rick
Alas, the home team (riders) tend to get passes on some things. A little light reading on the Giro and Vuelta will show the same thing. C’est la vie du Tour!
@wiscot
They’re still pissed that the Italian’s stole Fignon’s Giro in ’84 and gave it to Moser (Talk about a Grand Tour favouring one of their own–probably the worst abuse in this sort in my lifetime).
Well the end of that stage has really put the shit amongst the pigeons.
Race on. Bardet for the stage win today.
@RobSandy
Certainly could have livened things up.
@Rick
Seems they have given this back
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-reverses-time-penalties-for-uran-and-bennett-1/
Just noticed that the stage today follows a route I rode when on holiday last May – the bit from near the Col d’Agnes down to Massat, then they climb up part of the Col de Porte but turn off up a super-steep bit of road.
Looking forwards to seeing it on tellybox!
I’m jumping the gun here, and I’m not able to get the video feed so I just have a ticker, but CN is convinced that Landa is currently riding to take yellow. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the ass for Sky? What would they do then?
1986 remains my favorite year. I was 12. I had started riding for real. I had a 6 cassette in the back and felt unstoppable climbing the hills in Connecticut. LeMan took on the Badger. I had Sunday New York Times pieces to check and then the wait for Winning magazine.
If Landa takes yellow, we have a very interesting race indeed.
Aru – cool as a cucumber today.
@stooge
Ging to be tough when he becomes isolated so easily. Getting to be a lot of people he can’t ignore. Landa coming into the frame sets things up interestingly. Could be a good 3rd week for a change.
@Ron
I was thinking the same thing. While everyone else was humping light bulbs and inhaling wasps, Landa was putting on a master class how to pedal with a magnificent stroke.
Oh man… just watched the stage and what a great last 10k or so. And up till then was Sunweb, BMC, Sunweb, BMC… all for obvious reason and then wha la… the Sky Train up front and Astana / Aru ??? Oooops… Great teamwork by Sky Train.
So, we have a brutal, brutal uphill sprint finish with Bling, GVA, EBH and Gilbert ! Could it get better ??? Yes of course, there coulda been the World Champ in the mix. But just watching those dudes come around the corner and start their sprint from so far back you just know they had to be feeling much pain near the top to mash it up the hill from so far back.
That was fun to watch for sure. Cheers all
C’mon the Whale Shark! All the way!
Another mechanical for Froome? Sounds like Sky need some new mechanics. I don’t know of anyone else who has so many mechanicals – and at such critical times . . .
@wiscot
Puncture seemingly – tough to name on the mechanics.
newfound respect for Dan Martin
@BaltoSteve
Pure fucking Class Act! He is my new favorite rider hands down.
Here’s his quote at the finish today: Reporter says–You would be in yellow if not for that stage 9 crash. Martin replies: It’s all ‘What if’, you know? I might have been in yellow and then lost five minutes because everyone attacks the hell out of me. The situation is the situation, and we’re always going to wonder ‘What if?’ but this is the hand we’ve been dealt. Maybe all these seconds I’ve been picking up, they would never have let me go.”
No excuses. Racing day to day. Man I hope that he can make the podium but not too sure how he time trials compared to the others (I know he is no Froomie but not sure about compared to Aru, Bardet and Uran).
@Teocalli
Comment was posted in haste when I heard he had a “wheel problem.” Apologies.
@wiscot
On the highlights Froome did say he had a wheel problem – so you were not wrong.
@Buck Rogers
Love Martin’s pluck. He can hardly stand up straight and is taking it to the best riders on the planet.
However, I can’t figure out why no one is talking about Uran.
Movistar is not having a good Tour. Valverde out early, and for all practical purposes, Quintana out now, too.
@Teocalli
Yeah, to me “wheel problem” and puncture are two different things!
BTW, did Bauke not look completely awesome today? I like the clean look of the Trek kit and the red shoes were a fantastic choice. 100% rooting for Dan Martin, but style-wise, it’s just not there, is it?
Even though red is not my color, Bauke looked awesome yesterday! What a win!!
@Cary
@stooge
Cool or a tool.. Just kidding of course..
@wiscot
Broken spoke
@sthilzy
How much more crappier my picks can get?! http://www.velonews.com/2017/07/tour-de-france/quintana-on-dismal-tour-this-is-a-big-blow-for-everyone_443899
Rest day swaps?
Eddy Merckx
Bernard Hinault
Miguel Indurain
Philippe Thys
Greg LeMond
@sthilzy
No swaps!
I’m quite happy for the standings to say exactly as they are, maybe with Bardet moving up to 2nd. Wouldn’t mind Contador sneaking into the top 5 either…
@sthilzy
I think even substituting those names, you’d still score more points than me!
The green jersey competition is great – looks like it could be decided in Paris. But I fear it may bode ill for Dan Martin’s podium chances. The team can’t work for Kittel and him.
@John Irvine
Dan may have doomed his own podium chances today by being caught out.
@Rick
True, but I think he may see himself in a position to do something over the next few days. From what I’ve read, 6th or 7th mean as much to Dan as 60th or 70th. I think he wants on that podium.
@wiscot
I hope you are right, I am really rooting for him. I thought that I read that he felt ill on the rest day. Something seems to be going through the Quickstep team. I don’t think Kittel was feeling well today either.
@Rick
Agreed. Today should have been a good day for EQS, but something wasn’t right. Hopefully they got their “bad” day out of the way . . .
@RobSandy
Hmm…I love it when a plan comes together!
@wiscot
Danny Boy is in great form but he is tactically challenged.
Oooh. How hungry is Duran Duran? As hungry as a wolf? Go for it wee man! Bardet too.
Bummed for Kittel. I’m sure Matthews wanted green, but not this way – it was shaping up nicely for a showdown in Paris.
If only the Lotto Jumbo kit was as cool as the Bianchi bikes they ride . . . awful looking kit.
Damn, wouldn’t it be fine to see Uran and Drapac-Cannondale win?
@wiscot
I like these better than the yellow kits of years past. The only reason is the black jerseys make it easy to pick out the GC leader’s yellow jersey again.
I think it would be great to see Uran and C-D win. For what it is worth, they have my favorite kit in the peloton.
@Rick
I don’t think Uran has done enough to deservingly win. Bardet accused him of sitting in the wheels yesterday, and I think he had a point. Uran certainly didn’t deny it.
I’d personally be very pleased to see Bardet win. I think him and Dan Martin have been the most aggressive riders so far.
I almost felt sorry for Aru yesterday, each time he bridged back up to the lead group Bardet or Martin had another pop off the front and dropped him again.
Anyone watching the La Course stage? Queen Lizzie looking regal on the front with 6km to go.
@LeoTea
Following the live text. Lizzie and Van Vleuten smashing it.
Great result for AVV after the Olympics. Lizzie was looking good on tempo but just couldn’t make the acceleration.
@RobSandy
Contrast Froome’s race this year vs last ? What a difference. Talk about deserving a win man last year was a hoot to watch. Attacking with Sagan? Attacking over the top? This year is just such a different vibe. Uran may be playing his cards very well. Today’s gonna be fun.
And Van Vleuten may just be the most animating bike racer today. She’s always up front and smashing it. Love to watch her race. At least would love to watch more of her race if could.
Cheers
@Randy C
Yeah, totally agree. He didn’t seem to have his mountain legs on in Week 1 – he just about hung on. He’s looking as strong as the rest of the GC group but not stronger. It’s partially why I’m rooting for Bardet.
Far less dominance than before. I think he could be attacked and be put under a lot of pressure today.
OR, he’s been saving it for this stage and is going to go for the win. I can’t see him being satisfied with doing ‘just enough’ to win via the TT on Saturday, I think he’d like to put the race to be today.
We shall see very soon!
Boring versus not boring. Enough. Can I just give a shout out to Thomas de Gent an Tiesj Benoot? These guys have been working their asses of in break after break. Chapeau to both.
Oh, and all the “Froome will win on Friday in the TT.” talk. Tony Martin might take exception to that as he’s not been doing nearly as much work at Froome the past few days. Of course, I’m well aware that it’s not about who wins the stage but the time gaps. Mind you, 24kms is pretty stingy . . .
@wiscot
I took that comment by @RobSandy to suggest Froome would win the overall on TT day, not take the stage win. Lucky for us, the time gaps of the leaders is pretty small, otherwise 24km wouldn’t be very interesting. I would love to see Tony Martin crush everyone, regardless of the podium fight.
@MangoDave
I know, but Froome will certainly be trying to win as he hasn’t won a stage of this Tour – yet and that’s his last, best opportunity.
Yup, the see the Whale Shark in full flight would bea marvelous sight to see, but 24kms is hardly enough to really start drooling.
@wiscot
Yep, I meant that Froome would try and go for the stage win yesterday on D’Izoard.
Chapeau to Uran for closing that gap, Froome was flying. And further chapeau to Uran for likely finishing 2nd in the Tour, potentially winning the thing, without putting in a single attack that wasn’t in the last 10m of a stage.
On a more positive note, I was thrilled for Warren Barguil yesterday, what a ride.
@RobSandy
I have to say I’m very happy that Bardet and Barguil are doing so well. They both ride in a positive way and I think in Bardet, the French actually have a potential Tour winner. AG2R have ridden a fine race. Sunweb have to be happy campers too: A giro win and two of the Tour’s main classifications in one season. Uran? Maybe a bit more aggressive would have been nice, but a GT podium finish is a GT podium finish.