Pro-cycling thread

Bonkers stage. Quintana suddenly finding his very best race legs and Juju's majestic descending. But the funny thing to me is that after everyone heavily questioning Movistar's tactics they suddenly made sense, while Ineos's tactics apparently make no sense at all.

It felt like there was a lot of post-justification from Ineos. "Oh yeah it was about getting us two riders on the podium" but... what it's not just about 2nd and 3rd is it! What are they doing? Do they have a good plan but Thomas and Bernal aren't quite riding to team orders? Why does Thomas keep 'testing his legs' then not really using them, or using them when it's too late? Why did he let Bernal go up the road, then attack? Why did they leave it too late to drop Juju? This two leaders with two stages to go thing isn't really working, is it?!

Does the whole strategy rely on Alaphilippe cracking? Because I'm not sure he's going to, at least as much as they need him to...

Pinot has to attack today, no?

even the tt bikes have disc brakes these days

Why did he let Bernal go up the road, then attack?
I'm no fan boy. But it looked like (after watching at 10 rather than live) it was
"Egan, get up there and catch him as best you can. That'll draw some of them out of this little group to try harder, JA will crack a bit more, then I'll go, and they'll all be proper fucked. And then we see what happens"

JA did wobble, and was off the back. GT went for it. But then the group he left decided they weren't fucked and worked back to him. At that point the tactic didn't work. And perhaps he should have gone slow to knock more time off JA's lead.

Still.
Quickstep winning will be a bit mad. One of the most successful sports teams moving from winning one dayers to winning multidayers. Kwia must be crying right now.

Alaphillipe was lucky yesterday. Ineos ran out of riders earlier than expected, as Poels had an off day, and Van Baarle did a longer stint but at a slower pace than they’d have liked. As soon as Bernal went, Alaphillipe was in trouble, but he was fortunate because he only had to hang on for 2 kms and he was close enough at the top to be able to regain the other GC contenders.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChuQcJ49nQg

It was noteworthy that both FDJ and Jumbo-Visma were short of numbers when it mattered for the first time in this Tour. If Gaudu or Bennett or De Plus could’ve done a stint, I think Alaphillipe would’ve lost time.

The question today is whether any of the three teams trying to displace Alaphillipe will have the numbers to try to distance him on the Iseran. Leaving it to the final climb may be too risky.

Guys please I'm finding the use of "Juju" and "Jala" extremely triggering. Very much on the same level as "Wawa". Ok guys thanks for considering my needs.

"Julian at the Philip" is acceptable.

Wawa? What is that?

Also if Moscon, Kwiatkowski and and Poels were on the same form as last 2017/2018, then I don’t think the last 2 mountain stages would be so gripping!

Reckon the race to get domestiques in break today is going to be mega.

Julian Allahuakbar

“Loulou” is the most confusing.
Not least because it’s my wife’s nickname.

Warren B feat. Snoop Dogg

Isn't it all geared up for tmrws stage though? That looks pretty much a stage where someone is going to get a kicking.

I see with Romain Bardet and the Ragga Twins.

Today’s stage is harder.

Will maybe see a bit of a dust up for polka jersey today-seems Bardet's decided he might not be a GC rider after all by his post stage comments last night. Such a short stage and much cooler so I don't know how that influences any breakaway chances?

A lot of teams that haven't won a stage will see this as their last chance too-Barguil was quiet yesterday and would suit him.

If the wheels come off for QS it'll be tmrw. I think. The script is written, either glory or strangled at the end by Ineos.

Kwiatkowski has been invisible this tour after having been immense in previous years. What's happened to him?

Class act in fairness

https://twitter.com/Eurosport_UK/status/1154479743695249408?s=20

I bet that jersey didn't smell nice. Monster.

Alaphillipe was lucky yesterday

Definitely, yes. But I think the Ineos train hasn't so much been having an off day as an off Tour, for some reason. Not sure weakness in the team explains the odd tactics though.

cool thanks for posting that dude.

really like Rowe's "that's above my pay grade, I just ride a bike."

like how they were both apologetic. but couldn't help feeling Martin was biting his tongue a bit.

Juju was his nickname as a child so it is genuine, plus it's a lot easier to type than Alaphillipe where you have to remember the right number of p's and l's 🤷

I do think he could use a better nickname.