Le Tour De France 2015

Well thats day one done with, no one saw that that bird naked around 2.20pm and 2.30pm on that boat in the canal ? Highlight of the day a part of a great ride from Mr Jones.
 
Interesting analysis Pokes. Can't say I agree on all of it personally though. I certainly wouldn't call Sky the best team tactically. They've great strength in depth with their selections, and the quality of their riders has allowed them their success, but their approach is fairly one dimensional in my eyes and they often haven't adapted particularly well when something or someone causes a deviation from that script. I think there are other teams in the race who are more inventive and astute, and potentially have more balanced squad's with the first week in mind.

I think it's a bit premature to declare Quintana the best climber in the world too. Contador for example beat Quintana in every mountain stage they contended last year (T-A and Vuelta) and beat him recently at the Routa De Sud, all be it they crested the climb together. Froome's record against Nairo is much more even, it's hard to split them, but on any given single stage in top form I'd back Froome. There's no doubt Nairo is a great talent, but I wouldn't say he's clearly better than others just yet, I think they fact that he never appears to be suffering, even though he is, makes people believe he finds it more effortless than he does. The next three weeks will reveal more of course.

As for Pinot, you're right it'll be very hard for him to podium, but I think he's climbing better this year than last, and if he get through the first week (and avoids his now customary minute or two lost in the echelons) then I think he could often be one of the very last one's left standing when it kicks off with the big four, and may even mix it up with them a bit.

Exciting stuff ahead anyway :)

Thanks for the reply. I'll go a bit further into what I meant about Sky's tactics. Firstly, I don't disagree with you. Sky generally has one tactic and that is get to the front and control the race through any method necessary. I will never forget the year Wiggins won, on multiple occasions Sky was losing control a bit and every single time, Wiggins would take a nature break which prevented the other teams from pushing ahead. He gets back on and the team works to the front and they start over again. He did it at least 7 times that year. As for the angle I was taking, I meant tactics that fit the riders. Sky has a team that are the best pedal turners however they aren't very good bike handlers. Froome is better than he used to be, but he is still way below average in controlling his bike. Port is average at best, etc. They have one guy on this year's TDF team that is a good bike handler and that is Thomas. The rest are nothing special. So if your strengths are setting pace and simply going from A to B then their tactics are perfect. I think that is why you see things fall apart when they can't simply boss the rest of the peloton. That is why Sky has to be shitting bricks about the first week. If they can make it 9 strong to the TTT without Froome being several minutes down, they have to like their chances.

Conversely, Etixx is filled with great bike handlers, but they are a team of specialists and not built for the GC.

You may be right about Quintana. He never looks distressed. The thing is that I've never seen him crack. I've watched him ride a ton of races the last 3 years and he just never looks to be turning squares. Not saying he can't be beat, obviously he can.

Pinot is another guy that is a great climber but sub-standard bike handler. If it comes down to descending, he's screwed. He still rides the brakes while Contador and Nibali (and Valverdi, but he isn't really in the discussion) simply fly down the mountain. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in contention for a podium up to the last 3 stages and blow it due to his lack of technical skill.

I'm not a fan of ITT as a viewer. Just not that fun to watch, especially early in the race when the clock isn't nearly as studied.

Looking at the GC -
Uran - 00000000000000000000
Pinot - 1 second behind Uran
Van Garderen - 2 seconds down
Nibali - 3 seconds down
Froome - 10 seconds down
Contador -18 seconds
Peraud - 19 seconds
Quintana - 21 seconds
Talansky - 35 seconds
Hesjedal - 35 seconds
Bardet - 54 seconds


I would think that the guys that are most happy with those times are Uran, Pinot, Van Garderen, Quintana, Peraud, and Talansky. I think Contador and Nibali are content though maybe not happy. I would guess that Froome isn't overly happy with the times and Bardet has to be pretty disappointed.
 
The annual thread is back!

No easing into your viewing this year folks. The old ploy of 'I'll tune in when the mountain's start' could see you miss the key action! Big opportunities for GC shaping over the first four stages, with cobbles, crosswinds and classics bergs in the mix. They better hope they all make it through that unscathed, because otherwise the team time trial on stage 9 could really produce big gaps...and then the mountain fun arrives. It's got a huge amount to live up to following the Giro, but I think this route could deliver similar entertainment.

All the key contenders looking in excellent condition at the presentation tonight, now bring on the fun and games.

I'm in excellent condition - until I start to turn the pedals and then, 'kinell, this canal tow path should be flat!

I think the only one of the key contenders who can ride away up the hill and not be caught is Contador. He's gonna have to break his leg again! Don't think Nibali can repeat, and if Sky's tactics are to ride the balls off everyone else, I think it's doomed.
 
To all you bike fanatics I would beat you up Alp d'huez with a puncture in 3rd gear on my Raleigh Grifter.

Well you'd definitely beat me, because I'd still be back here waiting for a new passport!

Pokes, I agree for the most part regarding SKY, they do ride to their strength with the hard tempo setting, but even that isn't fool proof, as witnessed in the Vuelta when on two or three occasions they dropped their own leader and put him in trouble. Admittedly, I can't see that happening this time.

On Pinot, I read this quite a lot that he's a bad bike handler, but I think that's a bit of a misconception. I'm probably going to jinx him horribly now by saying this, but it's very rare that he hits the deck, in fact I'm struggling to think of one instance. Conversely I can think of several occasions where I've seen him show great technique and skill to avoid crashes right in front of him. I think his descending struggles were much more a mental issue, rather than an actual lack of ability - not that the differentiation matters as such, because without the confidence and belief to go fast it doesn't matter how skilled you are. He does seem to improved in that area a lot though, and he stayed with Valverde and Bardet last year when they attacked to try and distance him, so if he can follow those two (especially Valverde) then he's got to be doing something right! I do think though that descending can play a big part this year, and you're right, if Pinot is still in the GC mix at the sharp end of the race, then his rivals would be mad not to try and put the pressure on him downhill.

Fingers crossed for Echelons today :)
 
And my word have we got them :)

Fabulous race so far

Yep, the wind did its job and delivered some great action today. There's going to be a few very disappointed teams tonight who will have to start plotting how to get time back!
 
Cav made some very critical mistakes today. Not upset that he didn't win, it was a long long sprint and he just ran out of gas, but he simply gave up in the last few meters and allowed Spartacus to sneak in 3rd thus costing Martin the yellow jersey. After all the work done by Etixx today, he has to feel really bad about his racing.

Man I am loving me some TDF this year. Tomorrow is no cake walk. I'm thinking Sagan and Degenkolb both have a great shot.
 

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