Tour de France 2016

Quintana doesn't look as strong as last year. Mollema looks increasingly like Froome's biggest threat. But it's difficult to see any other winner than Froome unless Froome has some serious bad luck in the final week.
The Dutch have some seriously talented riders in Mollema, Dumoulin and Steven Kruijswijk. I hope it's only a matter a time one of them wins a grand tour. It's been far too long since a Dutch rider has won a grand tour, The Netherlands is such a cycling mad nation.

By the way, a special mention to Bury's own Adam Yates. Eeiiiiiiiii lad, well done! All them cycling up 'ills as nipper is payin off.
 
Rams said:
Quintana doesn't look as strong as last year. Mollema looks increasingly like Froome's biggest threat. But it's difficult to see any other winner than Froome unless Froome has some serious bad luck in the final week.
The Dutch have some seriously talented riders in Mollema, Dumoulin and Steven Kruijswijk. I hope it's only a matter a time one of them wins a grand tour. It's been far too long since a Dutch rider has won a grand tour, The Netherlands is such a cycling mad nation.

By the way, a special mention to Bury's own Adam Yates. Eeiiiiiiiii lad, well done! All them cycling up 'ills as nipper is payin off.
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I think Dumoulin could be a contender for a major title if he decides to focus on his classification over time trials/individual stage wins. He's gonna do feck all this tour except prepare for Rio I suspect. Kruiswijk could have won the Giro but some bad luck killed it for him.
 
Mark_GrumpyLion said:
I think Dumoulin could be a contender for a major title if he decides to focus on his classification over time trials/individual stage wins. He's gonna do feck all this tour except prepare for Rio I suspect. Kruiswijk could have won the Giro but some bad luck killed it for him.
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I think one of them is bound to win a grand tour. But it's winning the TdF which the Dutch really crave for.
Dumoulin can climb. He's sort of a Wiggins type rider. If there's a TdF with 2 longer flat time trials then he definitely should give it a try and focus on winning the tour. But he does need to adjust his priorities and the question is whether Doumulin and his team will be prepared to take the gamble and focus a season solely on le Tour.
I think Kruijswijk is the best equipped for taking on the TdF, the problem here is that he himself admits he hates all the hectic of le Tour. The question is whether Kruijswijk is mentally equipped to take it on. We'll see what happens the coming years.
 
Think Majka made a little deal today. You win the stage, I get the points and the spotted jersey. Today's stage looked pretty tough.

Rams said:
I think one of them is bound to win a grand tour. But it's winning the TdF which the Dutch really crave for.
Dumoulin can climb. He's sort of a Wiggins type rider. If there's a TdF with 2 longer flat time trials then he definitely should give it a try and focus on winning the tour. But he does need to adjust his priorities and the question is whether Doumulin and his team will be prepared to take the gamble and focus a season solely on le Tour.
I think Kruijswijk is the best equipped for taking on the TdF, the problem here is that he himself admits he hates all the hectic of le Tour. The question is whether Kruijswijk is mentally equipped to take it on. We'll see what happens the coming years.
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I agree with everything you say. For Dumoulin, it depends on the setup of the tour. This year, he's very vocal about using it as a springboard for the Olympics, and I think he outdid himself in winning two stages already.
 
That's very dangerous yeah, but I doubt it'll be a mass sprint so all in all won't cause too many problems hopefully.

I hope Cancellara can finish it off today, I think Sagan will be his biggest opponent. If not Canc, I hope Van Avermaet has another trick up his sleeve.

That said, what a fecking beast Tony Martin still is :eek:
 
I'm still hoping Dan Martin can do something today, the second half of the stage is something he'd be very good at.
However, the mountain stage on the 20th looks perfect for him to mount an attack. I'd love to see him jump up the board a few spots.
 
Rams said:
Quintana doesn't look as strong as last year. Mollema looks increasingly like Froome's biggest threat. But it's difficult to see any other winner than Froome unless Froome has some serious bad luck in the final week.
The Dutch have some seriously talented riders in Mollema, Dumoulin and Steven Kruijswijk. I hope it's only a matter a time one of them wins a grand tour. It's been far too long since a Dutch rider has won a grand tour, The Netherlands is such a cycling mad nation.

By the way, a special mention to Bury's own Adam Yates. Eeiiiiiiiii lad, well done! All them cycling up 'ills as nipper is payin off.
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But have you seen the state of the bikes over there?

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Climbing today guys! Should be a good stage, 4 big climbs, time to see if Froome will crack a little. I don't expect that though. Also sad to read Cav is out for the rest of the tour, although I understand his decision to focus on the Olympics.
 
Game set and match for Froome, couldn't have wished for a better day. I can see Froome gaining even more on his nearest rivals in tomorrow's climb time trial.
Special mention for Yates who has a fantastic chance of making the podium in Paris at only the age of 23.
 
Aaargh! Finally managed to escape work fatigue to catch up with the last few days of racing.

There are no challengers for Froome it would seem with Quintana riding as if his bike has stabilisers.

Poels has really impressed me, and for me has been the most impressive rider of this tour, along with Yates who is having a phenomenal tour.

Overall though, this tour is being won at a canter for SKY and although not yet over, it's pretty obvious barring disaster, it's in the pocket for Froome and SKY.

Looking forward to the mountain time-trial today which could throw up some surprises....
 
Crackers said:
I'm still hoping Dan Martin can do something today, the second half of the stage is something he'd be very good at.
However, the mountain stage on the 20th looks perfect for him to mount an attack. I'd love to see him jump up the board a few spots.
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Yeah, love watching Dan Martin - a pure racer if there ever was one. A top 10 finish would be well deserved!
 
Yates is having a blinder, fantastic so far!

Looks like Quintana is fooked, shame really but I think Porte will give it a good go.
 
Its a real shame that Porte lost over two minutes early on due to mechanical issues, as right now it is looking like he is the only real one that can potentially match Froome. The time gap means he is never really going to be an actual chance of taking the yellow.
 
RedFish said:
Aaargh! Finally managed to escape work fatigue to catch up with the last few days of racing.

There are no challengers for Froome it would seem with Quintana riding as if his bike has stabilisers.

Poels has really impressed me, and for me has been the most impressive rider of this tour, along with Yates who is having a phenomenal tour.

Overall though, this tour is being won at a canter for SKY and although not yet over, it's pretty obvious barring disaster, it's in the pocket for Froome and SKY.

Looking forward to the mountain time-trial today which could throw up some surprises....
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Poels is fecking awesome. As my commentator said it: "Poels keeps going when he's hearing the people behind him suffer". As a doministique in the mountains, Poels is invaluable for Sky. They are just too strong with Froome and their team of riders. The downside is that you don't see them do anything else. No chasing of individual glory, everything they do is done for Froome. I understand that, but somewhere that makes me sad a little too.

Mollema tends to come out of restdays a bit hazy and it showed yesterday. He needs an epic time trial to not completely lose sight today though, and I doubt he has it in im.
 
Badunk said:
Marginal gains, mate. Marginal gains...
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To clarify, I am not one of those spiteful people. I just think Sky has built a machine, to the detriment of the other riders. Wout Poels said it today: When Sky takes you to the tour, you know you're riding in service for Froome. He also stated that their purpose was to get in in time for the time limit and conserve energy for the next few days in the alphs. I understand why, and I can appreciate the building of one well oiled superteam in order to get the Yellow, but it makes me a little bit sad that Poels (Who is quite good in time trials like these) is not allowed to go all out and try for a good time. They ride for Froome, and are never in breakaways or any individual efforts. At least in the tour, and I think they said something about Poels being allowed to go for his own success in the other big rides next year (Vuelta, Giro).

Having said all that (which might sound negative) Froome is an absolute beast of a rider and by all means deserves to have a team around him that can guide him too the top. And he did great again today, played out Quintana from the race, and I think Mollema will be too busy to look behind him to make any effort to try and get some time back.
 
Glad the forecast rain held off to allow the later riders to challenge Dumoulin. Amazed that for a rider who has shown nothing Quintana could still finish second. It just shows how much better Chris Zoome is. He now has 41 yellow jerseys.
 
Sassy Colin said:
Maybe if Froome wins for a 3rd time, they'll give him the knighthood that they so casually tossed at Wiggins.
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In a tour that Froome probably would have beaten him on if he was a leader in another team!
 
As I understand it, the VO2 MAX is how much oxygen your lungs can hold. The higher the figure, the greater your theoretical output on the bike.

Obviously doesn't take into account mentality, determination, etc, but is a good indicator of how strong a rider should be when compared to his peers.
 
Sassy Colin said:
Maybe if Froome wins for a 3rd time, they'll give him the knighthood that they so casually tossed at Wiggins.
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Brinky said:
In a tour that Froome probably would have beaten him on if he was a leader in another team!
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To be fair Wiggo's tour triumph was just one of many (triumphs) during a glittering cycling career.
 
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Mark_GrumpyLion said:
To clarify, I am not one of those spiteful people. I just think Sky has built a machine, to the detriment of the other riders. Wout Poels said it today: When Sky takes you to the tour, you know you're riding in service for Froome. He also stated that their purpose was to get in in time for the time limit and conserve energy for the next few days in the alphs. I understand why, and I can appreciate the building of one well oiled superteam in order to get the Yellow, but it makes me a little bit sad that Poels (Who is quite good in time trials like these) is not allowed to go all out and try for a good time. They ride for Froome, and are never in breakaways or any individual efforts. At least in the tour, and I think they said something about Poels being allowed to go for his own success in the other big rides next year (Vuelta, Giro).

Having said all that (which might sound negative) Froome is an absolute beast of a rider and by all means deserves to have a team around him that can guide him too the top. And he did great again today, played out Quintana from the race, and I think Mollema will be too busy to look behind him to make any effort to try and get some time back.
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Whenever Sky have 'released a domestique' to go for GT glory, they have failed miserably - see Porte (Giro), Landa (Giro) etc. For as long as the tour remains Sky's priority the leader for Sky in the Giro or Vuelta will have a weaker support team, and that is enough for the other teams to take advantage. I'd like to see the Giro and Vuelta being afforded equal status as the tour, but we just know that is never going to happen.
 
RedFish said:
Whenever Sky have 'released a domestique' to go for GT glory, they have failed miserably - see Porte (Giro), Landa (Giro) etc. For as long as the tour remains Sky's priority the leader for Sky in the Giro or Vuelta will have a weaker support team, and that is enough for the other teams to take advantage. I'd like to see the Giro and Vuelta being afforded equal status as the tour, but we just know that is never going to happen.
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Aye, I agree. Such a shame too, and I think this year Porte has been unlucky with his mechanical failures on day two. I was very interested to see what he could do on his own. I'm not saying he's doing poor this tour, not at all. Just a bit unlucky I guess.
 
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