Le Tour 2018
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Peter Sagan: “I’m in pain but happy”
July 26 th 2018 - 19:09It could have been worse. I have pain everywhere, but still I am quite happy I can keep racing. My physical condition is a bit worse than it was, but I took advantage of it to live the race from a different perspective. It was a painful ride, but it still was better than it will be tomorrow. But I can’t complain since I am still on the race. The big goal is to finish the Tour de France, to survive the mountain stage and reach Paris. The time trial on Saturday will be fine. The big challenge is the mountain stage of tomorrow. I’m not afraid of anything. I’m going to suffer a little bit, that’s it.
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@mariner4life said in Le Tour 2018:
@crucial i love that bloke. Rock star.
Travesty he got kicked out last year. Bullshit decision.
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The shutdown from Sky has worked. Bardet looking like the only one with potential to decrease his deficit although the possibility exists for Dumoulin to try something in this last climb. 2 minutes is too much to make up in the TT, he needs to bring that down.
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2 mins 5 secs for Thomas going into tomorrow's time trial.
Wales' first Tour Champion is getting ever closer.
As one former-pupil of Whitchurch High School retires from the top flight (Warburton), another hopefully takes his seat at the table.
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@mikethesnow said in Le Tour 2018:
2 mins 5 secs for Thomas going into tomorrow's time trial.
Wales' first Tour Champion is getting ever closer.
As one former-pupil of Whitchurch High School retires from the top flight (Warburton), another hopefully takes his seat at the table.
I will give him credit as a worthy champ if it happens. Unlike the horrid Wiggins days he hasn’t spent the tour in the middle of the peloton with his team blocking the front. He has taken on everything thrown at him.
Pity he rides for the asswipe Sky team though. -
Classic impartial reporting from the BBC
Thomas and Poulter
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@mikethesnow In future I think the ABs should play "Western Province" when we tour the NH, since we never get to play them in Jaapieland anymore.
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@mikethesnow To be fair Mike, that might be something to do with the particular sport. it was always GB's Bradley Wiggins not England's. Nor Kenya's Chris Froome come to that. However in golf Woosnam for instance is nearly always referred to as Wales' Ian Woosnam.
But yeah it still grates seeing the contrast like that.
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@catogrande said in Le Tour 2018:
@mikethesnow To be fair Mike, that might be something to do with the particular sport. it was always GB's Bradley Wiggins not England's. Nor Kenya's Chris Froome come to that. However in golf Woosnam for instance is nearly always referred to as Wales' Ian Woosnam.
But yeah it still grates seeing the contrast like that.
😁
Try telling Murray that 😉
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Thomas looking to do this in style
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And there it is
Chwarae teg Geraint Thomas
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@catogrande Bradley Wiggins wasn't born in Britain and is the son of an Australian.
He's British, but any "Englishness" would be based on moving to London as a kid. I can see why people refer to him as British but not as English. (I have a British passport and two English parents, but would never describe myself as "English", even though I am technically British.)
Geraint Thomas is the first TdF winner born in the British Isles, I was informed today by a TV commentator. I wonder how Stephen Roche feels about that!
(My wife and I always refer to Colin Montgemerie was "Scott Colin Montgomerie", so often did they call him that. It seems random really, who gets to be British and who doesn't.)
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@chester-draws said in Le Tour 2018:
@catogrande Bradley Wiggins wasn't born in Britain and is the son of an Australian.
Only the Father counts? Sexist. I am triggered.
He's British, but any "Englishness" would be based on moving to London as a kid. I can see why people refer to him as British but not as English. (I have a British passport and two English parents, but would never describe myself as "English", even though I am technically British.)
Britishness is a funny one to try and rationalise - as @MiketheSnow alluded, take Andy Murray. Scottish whiner when he loses. British hero when he wins. Wiggins though is pretty much a nailed on Englishman, notwithstanding his bread stealing Father. Froome on the other hand...
You have English parents and a British passport but do not identify as English? So do you identify as British or are you now assimilated into another country? (NZ I presume).
Geraint Thomas is the first TdF winner born in the British Isles, I was informed today by a TV commentator. I wonder how Stephen Roche feels about that!
Classic
(My wife and I always refer to Colin Montgemerie was "Scott Colin Montgomerie", so often did they call him that. It seems random really, who gets to be British and who doesn't.)
He would have been British if he'd won a major.
What is really random is how people change from being British to English/Welsh/Scots depending on mostly sport related stuff, though to be fair to our Celtic cousins that is more common in England, though not exclusive.
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Wales isn't even a real country
Well done Thomas, a great tour.
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Thomas answered all the questions!
Froome does very well to give lots of fucks about finishing on the podium and push Roglic off.
Thought this was some interesting commentary in the Guardian...
"That battle is likely to be even more intense given that Thomas, Dumoulin, Chris Froome and Roglic are all strong time triallists, and all capable of winning this final decisive stage.
This race has been the Tour of the rouleur-climber – riders with all-round abilities – capable of riding strongly and at high rhythmic speeds in the mountains, holding their own in the crosswinds and on the cobbles, and of winning time trials.
All four of this quartet are of the new breed of Grand Tour contender, tall, skeletal and powerful. The days when diminutive climbers dominated stage races, creating big time gaps in the mountain stages and then battling to hang on in the time trials – the best recent example of this being the late Marco Pantani – are gone.
In many ways Team Sky’s high tempo style of catenaccio climbing suits riders like Thomas, Dumoulin and Roglic with their highly refined power-to-weight ratios, while it dissuades the more explosive climbers, such as Nairo Quintana and Romain Bardet.
The reality is that Quintana, Mikel Landa, Bardet et al can huff and puff all they like in the mountains, snatching seconds here and there. It is dramatic and exciting, but even in a mere 31km against the clock their time trialling capabilities are so limited, that Thomas, Dumoulin, Roglic and Froome will always have the upper hand."
That is a challenge for George. One thing Lotto Jumbo will have learned from this tour is that their team needs to have better team time trialling capability if there's a team time trial. that cost Roglic about a minute.
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@chris-b said in Le Tour 2018:
Thomas answered all the questions!
Froome does very well to give lots of fucks about finishing on the podium and push Roglic off.
Thought this was some interesting commentary in the Guardian...
"That battle is likely to be even more intense given that Thomas, Dumoulin, Chris Froome and Roglic are all strong time triallists, and all capable of winning this final decisive stage.
This race has been the Tour of the rouleur-climber – riders with all-round abilities – capable of riding strongly and at high rhythmic speeds in the mountains, holding their own in the crosswinds and on the cobbles, and of winning time trials.
All four of this quartet are of the new breed of Grand Tour contender, tall, skeletal and powerful. The days when diminutive climbers dominated stage races, creating big time gaps in the mountain stages and then battling to hang on in the time trials – the best recent example of this being the late Marco Pantani – are gone.
In many ways Team Sky’s high tempo style of catenaccio climbing suits riders like Thomas, Dumoulin and Roglic with their highly refined power-to-weight ratios, while it dissuades the more explosive climbers, such as Nairo Quintana and Romain Bardet.
The reality is that Quintana, Mikel Landa, Bardet et al can huff and puff all they like in the mountains, snatching seconds here and there. It is dramatic and exciting, but even in a mere 31km against the clock their time trialling capabilities are so limited, that Thomas, Dumoulin, Roglic and Froome will always have the upper hand."
That is a challenge for George. One thing Lotto Jumbo will have learned from this tour is that their team needs to have better team time trialling capability if there's a team time trial. that cost Roglic about a minute.
Great analysis 👏