tOfficial 2020 Tour Dr France Thread..

[Robert J Sakimano]

Two months late and a weird vibe, like everything else.. but the boys are back.

[aualum06]

Two months late and a weird vibe, like everything else.. but the boys are back.

twife is happy it's her favorite summer sporting event lol.

[DWags]

I have my money on Motown and Floyd. FuckerS would wipe the field.

[Nordic]

Two months late and a weird vibe, like everything else.. but the boys are back.

Nice! missed that they were going. Just set the dvr.

But first a nap.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Crazy day in the saddle. Lots of crashes but it seems like everyone made it through safely. Already hitting the mountains tomorrow.

Interested to see Sepp Kuss on the climbs.

[aualum06]

This mountain descent on narrow switchback type roads is awesome

[Robert J Sakimano]

This mountain descent on narrow switchback type roads is awesome

I've been watching the Tour every summer since about '85, and Sagan scares the daylights out if me. Great descender, though.

[Robert J Sakimano]

What a stage. What a finish.

[aualum06]

What a stage. What a finish.

Pretty good race to the finish. Lead is bad that's what I've learned about cycling.

[kingstonlake]

Is this that bike parade through wine country?

[Nordic]

Interesting profile for a Stage 2. Great finish.

[Nordic]

Good read on rona cases spiking in France fans in the Alps, etc.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2020/08/27/cancellation-threatened-tour-de-france-to-coax-fans-away-from-roadside-with-deep-data/amp/

[Robert J Sakimano]

another rainy day with some moderate climbs. Hopefully the nerves have calmed since the opening stage - could get dangerous out there on some descents.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Perez - who was gonna pull on the polka dot jersey at the end of the stage - crashes, abandons the Tour.

things move quickly out there.

[Robert J Sakimano]

What a stage. What a finish.

Pretty good race to the finish. Lead is bad that's what I've learned about cycling.

when it's a bit of a breakaway trying to hold off the peloton at the finish, you definitely want to be in a place where you can see the action in front of you. It's a total cat/mouse game - beyond being in the slipstream, you'll often see the cyclist in the lead looking over one shoulder with, say, 100 meters to go and someone will attack off the other shoulder... by the time the leader sees it, it's too late to react.

[Nordic]

Looked like a half dozen dudes misjudged the finish line

[Robert J Sakimano]

Looked like a half dozen dudes misjudged the finish line

agree.

when Sagan launched out I figured he'd take the stage. When he faded, though maybe he either went out too early or his fitness isn't where we're used to it being. I suspect he misjudged the finish line.

big day today - finish in the high Alps. Gonna be pretty brutal out there.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Tiesj Benoot crashes into a guardrail on a descent, went flying down a bank. He seemed fine - back up (on a new bike) and chasing down the peloton.

[Rocinante]

He’s the one they call Dr France Good he’s the one to make you bike alright!

[Robert J Sakimano]

He’s the one they call Dr France Good he’s the one to make you bike alright!

[Robert J Sakimano]

fun finish - all the GC guys in the same group battling for a stage win. Loved seeing Sepp Kuss mixin' it up too.

[Robert J Sakimano]

pretty quiet day at the Tour today.. a few climbs but mostly a rolling stage. I suspect Alaphllipe keeps yellow, and a sprint finish is ahead of us.

Would like to see Sagan show some form. Though he's in green, he seems to lack the spark he normally has.

[Turtleneck]

How is the tour of Dr. France going?

[Robert J Sakimano]

How is the tour of Dr. France going?

difficult to know... nobody is Seine.

[Robert J Sakimano]

early attack at 2K.

Sagan still in a good position, as is Ewan.

[Robert J Sakimano]

great sprint finish. Sagan is clearly not at top shape. You can tell he wants to go but his legs just aren't responding.

a top level Cavendish would probably already have 2-3 stage wins.

[Robert J Sakimano]

the Alaphilippe thing yesterday was weird, though I understand that it's a rule.

Crazy mountain top finish today. The Maillot Jaune could likely change again. Hard to believe no KOM points today with a huge climb at the end.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Yates holds onto yellow.. Roglic (my pre-race favorite) is only 3 seconds back.

[Nordic]

great sprint finish. Sagan is clearly not at top shape. You can tell he wants to go but his legs just aren't responding.

a top level Cavendish would probably already have 2-3 stage wins.

He does look a little off. Honestly my initial reaction when I turned the Tour on Saturday is he looked a little chubby. Maybe it is just the beard, but he looked different to me.

Sagan has never been one of the elite sprinters. He doesn't have the power/kick that the top guys have on the true sprint stages. He's just always hanging around in the top 5 in the final sprint, vulturing intermediate sprint points and grabbing stage wins in hybrid type stages. All-around great rider. I wouldn't consider him a sprint specialist. Ewan looks like the strongest pure sprinter right now.

For the first time in years he does look vulnerable. It is going to be an interesting finish for all 3 jerseys.

[Nordic]

the Alaphilippe thing yesterday was weird, though I understand that it's a rule.

Crazy mountain top finish today. The Maillot Jaune could likely change again. Hard to believe no KOM points today with a huge climb at the end.

What happened? I musta missed it and don't look at info during the day since I watch the replay at night.

[Robert J Sakimano]

the Alaphilippe thing yesterday was weird, though I understand that it's a rule.

Crazy mountain top finish today. The Maillot Jaune could likely change again. Hard to believe no KOM points today with a huge climb at the end.

What happened? I musta missed it and don't look at info during the day since I watch the replay at night.

he took a water bottle under the 20 K mark. Got penalized (I believe) 20 seconds and he only had a 4 second lead in Yates. Bizarre rule but it's a known rule. Not sure what he was thinking. Some people are saying it was intentional to take the pressure off.


Agree in the Sagan thing. He's not in top form but I love his riding, his personality. I remember a handful of years ago he cross the finish line one Alp d'Huez riding a wheelie.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Details on the Alaphilippe issue.

[Nordic]

I'm realy liking the commentary this year. Bob and Phil have a good rhythm going (RIP Paul). Phil seems more energized and on point more than the last several years. Not as many head slapping Phil moments. Maybe because he has a better feed, instead of broadcasting from a tin can? Where are they broadcasting from?

Love the new moto guy. Steve Perino was solid, but the new guy adds some levity.

And less Horner and Vande Velde is always fine by me. I don't hate 'em, but they just don't do much for me.

[Nordic]

Phil quote of the day: "He's showing the other riders no respect at all!"

[Robert J Sakimano]

Phil quote of the day: "He's showing the other riders no respect at all!"

Ive loved Phil forever and really miss Paul, too. The voices of summer.

Bob is actually in the US and Phil is broadcasting from London. Was interested to see how it was gonna work at first but it's been seamless.

What about Neilson Powless yesterday? Love that America has a couple of promising young guys

[Robert J Sakimano]

today's profile looks fairly relaxed but the pace up to now seems pretty brutal.

Tomorrow is gonna be epic. Two cat 1 climbs and one HC climb. This includes the Pereysourde - one of the most legendary climbs in cycling history.

I'm kinda diggin' the route this year.

[Robert J Sakimano]

some bumping on the sprint finish today.. man, that's a good way to get hurt in a hurry.

a handful of GC guys lost some time today and tomorrow isn't gonna be easy. Long way to go. You can't win the Tour in the first week but you sure can lose it.

[Nordic]

That is a stage Sagan normally wins. 

I have no idea who is who for the GC 

[Robert J Sakimano]

That is a stage Sagan normally wins. 

I have no idea who is who for the GC 

I don't think anyone does. I'd say the favorites are Roglic and Bernal. Wouldn't be surprised if we hear from Alaphilippe again. Whoever it is will be a climber, not a climber/TT rider in the mold of Froome or Bradley Wiggins. This route is brutal and only has one TT: 36 K with a mountaintop finish.

I love it.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Back from my loop around Lake Lansing, Bath and Laingsburg. The boys are descending the Bales and heading toward the Pereysourde.

Neilson Powless hanging in there.

Diggin' it.

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