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Tour de France 2016 |OT| Lead-out: EUROs / Autobus: Olympics

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Joni

Member
Some great police work. Guy on the motor kept that guy off, and then that supporter yanking another supporter back.
 

Ruruja

Member
POTD_Chris-Froome-_3388210b.jpg


Dedicated to: Shanks D Zoro.
 

kottila

Member
I want to say Nibali didn't want to risk anything with the Olympics coming up, but he is extremely competitive, so I just think he wasn't very good
.

I don't think he would lose 42s downhill no matter what form he was in. His climbing seems to have improved towards the end, but I'm not sure he will manage find his top form in two weeks
 
Having read up on the "whole team going at threshold" strategy of ascent by Sky. There is literally no way to beat that without PEDs or spending even more money to get the talent. There probably isn't enough viable riders around to make it a competition between more than than a couple of teams. So grats to Sky for finding the unbeatable exploit I guess.

/sour grapes
 

kottila

Member
Having read up on the "whole team going at threshold" strategy of ascent by Sky. There is literally no way to beat that without PEDs or spending even more money to get the talent. There probably isn't enough viable riders around to make it a competition between more than than a couple of teams. So grats to Sky for finding the unbeatable exploit I guess.

/sour grapes

Sky's motto: If you can't beat them, buy them.
 
Having read up on the "whole team going at threshold" strategy of ascent by Sky. There is literally no way to beat that without PEDs or spending even more money to get the talent. There probably isn't enough viable riders around to make it a competition between more than than a couple of teams. So grats to Sky for finding the unbeatable exploit I guess.

/sour grapes


People like to say how strong Sky are, but they concentrate on one tour. Astana send strong teams to every tour and as I posted had 8 consecutive top 5s before this tour.
 
It's not really a consolation that they can "only" ruin the biggest Tour. But seriously, time for some rules changes or this'll evolve into every tour having one unbeatable team.
 

Ruruja

Member
Having read up on the "whole team going at threshold" strategy of ascent by Sky. There is literally no way to beat that without PEDs or spending even more money to get the talent. There probably isn't enough viable riders around to make it a competition between more than than a couple of teams. So grats to Sky for finding the unbeatable exploit I guess.

/sour grapes

His rivals wouldn't have to attack so aggressively if they weren't shit at ITTs.

Let's not forget Froome gained almost all his time individually.
 
His rivals wouldn't have to attack so aggressively if they weren't shit at ITTs.

Let's not forget Froome gained almost all his time individually.

You obviously have to win somewhere to get the time. It's not the time gains I'm lamenting, but the impossibility of others gaining them back. You can't make the whole race TTs.

edit: in fact I'm pretty sure that this is the Tour where the other teams basically did the math and gave up halfway through.
 

Joni

Member
People like to say how strong Sky are, but they concentrate on one tour. Astana send strong teams to every tour and as I posted had 8 consecutive top 5s before this tour.

Sky is quite more diverse. It won Paris–Nice, E3 Harelbeke, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de France. Astana won Giro d'Italia and Tour de Suisse.
It was the same last year. Paris–Nice, Volta a Catalunya, E3 Harelbeke, Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de France versus Vuelta a España and Il Lombardia.
 

Ruruja

Member
You obviously have to win somewhere to get the time. It's not the time gains I'm lamenting, but the impossibility of others gaining them back. You can't make the whole race TTs.

edit: in fact I'm pretty sure that this is the Tour where the other teams basically did the math and gave up halfway through.

I get what you're saying, but I think they'd be more likely to attack if they only had to gain 10-15 seconds, rather than knowing they're gonna have to produce a massive attack to gain minutes.
 
I get what you're saying, but I think they'd be more likely to attack if they only had to gain 10-15 seconds, rather than knowing they're gonna have to produce a massive attack to gain minutes.

If an ascent is not stupidly steep the aero benefits are still enough to redline anyone who tries to drop the Sky train. The system is too perfect given all the technology helping the riders these days.
 
Sky is quite more diverse. It won Paris–Nice, E3 Harelbeke, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de France. Astana won Giro d'Italia and Tour de Suisse.
It was the same last year. Paris–Nice, Volta a Catalunya, E3 Harelbeke, Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de France versus Vuelta a España and Il Lombardia.

Astana send strong squads to all the GTs and do well in them.
 

cilonen

Member
Astana are just crap without the drugs these days. It's a joke they and Katousha still have a license.

Either way another tour of mediocrity for them. I was expecting a stronger charge for Movistar. Orica and Trek seemed to punch above their weight.
 
At least during Lance's dominant US Postal/Discovery days teams and riders were attacking them left and right, even if it ment getting crushed.

This was just embarrassing all around what these top 10 riders were doing this year.
 

kottila

Member
At least during Lance's dominant US Postal/Discovery days teams and riders were attacking them left and right, even if it ment getting crushed.

This was just embarrassing all around what these top 10 riders were doing this year.

have you ever considered why they were able to attack more in those days?

The excitement of this tour was ruined by quintanas "allergies"
 
The only solution is for the Tour to go Road Rash rules. Break out the chain whips!

edit:I'll add this here: the more I read about Sky, the worse it gets. They're apparently the only one with a stable high-money sponsor, so can offer longer term contracts at higher wages. This is completely stupid, they can just nab all the talent they need to ensure wins at every TdF. And no on else has the resources to even begin to compete.
 
Quintana's third place was dissapointing for some. But third top 3 in a row is no small feat.

If he wants to win this gt he needs to be more proactive than reactive. And at least 3 riders with him at all times. Movistar has no balls. They won the team qualifications at least.

Froome's form is just too stronk

Great tour by Sergio Henao and Pantano. Pantano being a good climber, sprinter and good in descents is a nice pace of change.

Hopefully Nairo tries La VUELTA to get more bike hours and experience
 
Tejay being all like "I know that feel bro" to Aru at the finish line.



The TDF is basically the only organized sports even I watch every year, but I might have to start catching more races if Sky is going to make the Tour so boring. A win for cycling I guess?
 

kottila

Member
Tejay being all like "I know that feel bro" to Aru at the finish line.



The TDF is basically the only organized sports even I watch every year, but I might have to start catching more races if Sky is going to make the Tour so boring. A win for cycling I guess?

you've been missing the best part of cycling, the spring classics season from omloop het nieuwsblaad in febuary to paris- roubaix in april.
 
you've been missing the best part of cycling, the spring classics season from omloop het nieuwsblaad in febuary to paris- roubaix in april.

Yeah, I know... I've seen a lot of other races once or twice when I was living at home, Paris-Roubaix was always fun.

What really makes it more likely for me to start watching again is the NBC Gold thing covering a whole year now, since I don't have cable. Really nice feature.
 

someday

Banned
I'm really happy I now have Bein sports and Universal so I can watch races other than the TdF. I commend Sky for their wins but frankly, the moment Froome puts on yellow, I lose a lot of interest in the race since no one is getting it off of him. No one is strong enough to beat him and the rest of the Sky train.

The Giro was fun and I look forward to the Vuelta.
 

i_am_ben

running_here_and_there
To be fair, Froome was not as hate worthy this year as he was in previous years. He seemed to make a go of it no matter the conditions.
 
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