***Official 2022 Pro Cycling Thread*** - Let's Remco the Vuelta (1 Viewer)

[Sammy3469]

Bardet is 4th overall, someome will have to cover him.

Not a huge fan of tomorrow's stage.  Hope I'm wrong and the GC guys aren't 10 minutes behind soft pedaling.

I don’t see how they aren’t soft pedaling.  25km from the top of Peguere seems entirely too long for a solo with 17 and 18, but if either crack in those last 3kms (average of 12.5% with sections at 18%), then there are minutes to be had.

I won’t be shocked to see a pretty large break with guys from Powless on down in it.  If this is ridden aggressively there are lots of minutes to be had with that ramp.  

 

[BobbyLayne]

Crosswinds!

Everybody tweeting on site says it's really windy this morning.

Stage 16 overlay on Windy.com

At least the heatwave is a little less insane ("only" 30 instead of 40.)

Gotta figure WVA stays with Jonas until the TT as he's up 200+ in the Green jersey comp. Wout in the flats, Sepp Kuss on the climbs.

INEOS will try and put riders in the break; but I don’t think Yates or G will make any big attacks. Pidcock might try and see if he is allowed to go in the early break. But it’s not a big attack plan on the yellow. Their best shot at winning the tour is either that G pulls a Jan Ullrich on the ITT or that Vingegaad and Pogačar races each other instead of the race and Thomas can slip away and they can’t agree to reel him in. So INEOS won’t take any big risks with G. Yates might do something, but I think their plan A for him is probably that he man marks Bardet.

A late climbing attack by Tadej on the steep Mur de Péguère would be massive bc of the fast descent to Foix. He's heavier (146 v 132) and a better descender. 

 

[BobbyLayne]

BREAKING: Quinn Simmons

 

[Jaysus]

Expecting the stage winner to be a climber who goes with the breakaway tomorrow... Lennard Kämna...

Way to go jinx!

 

[BobbyLayne]

Way to go jinx!

Ag2r Citroën down to 3 riders (both COVID positives were theirs)

 

[BobbyLayne]

Marc Soler (UAE) also sick but trying to gut it out

 

[BobbyLayne]

attack attack

of course Sepp Kuss is there to calm things down

beast

 

[BobbyLayne]

Pog can descend better smart move at the top

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Finally Ineos holds a teamate from the breakaway to help Thomas.  

 

[BobbyLayne]

First Canadian stage win since 1988 on the table

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Bardet suffering gives the rest of you guys some hope in the FBG tour.  

 

[BobbyLayne]

Matej Mohorič, Romain Bardet, Bauke Mollema, Lennard Kämna, Alexey Lutsenko, David Gaudu, Maximilian Schachmann, Thibaut Pinot

Mohorič - 114th
Bardet - 36th
Mollema - 56th
Kämna - DNS
Lutsenko - 29th
Gaudu - 18th
Schachmann - 97th
Pinot - 33rd

I need to enter next year's fantasy thingy so I can endure more public embarrassment

 

[Sammy3469]

Too steep today.  Vinegaard looked stronger at the end anyway.  
 

If Ineos had any fight in them they’d try something tomorrow instead of riding for third.  They (and UAE) need to dislodge WVA as soon as practically possible.  
 

 

[BobbyLayne]

Yikes

Earlier, Pogacar also lost pawns George Bennett, Vegard Stake Laengen and Marc Soler after positive corona tests. The Italian Matteo Trentin had to give up with a corona infection just before the start of the Tour. The team of the defending champion has therefore been halved in this Tour. Majka was the rider who best managed to assist Pogacar on the uphill last week. On Tuesday, the 32-year-old Pole broke up the group of favorites at a blistering pace, until suddenly his chain broke. That continued fracture led to a tear in the quadriceps of his right thigh, says Adrian Rotunno, team doctor at UAE Team Emirates.

Due to Majka's retirement, Pogacar only has three teammates left in the Tour. These are the Dane Mikkel Bjerg, the American Brandon McNulty and the Swiss Marc Hirschi. Tadej Pogacar is second in the general classification, at 2:22 from Vingegaard.

Mauro Gianetti (Manager Team UAE): “We are not in a good situation, that much is clear. Those guys have put so many months of preparation into this and then had to leave the Tour like this… that's not good for morale. Marc (Soler, ed.) did everything he could to reach the finish yesterday. He was completely empty but in the end he felt a little better anyway. Unfortunately, he did not meet the time limit. And then Rafael Majka, who tried this morning in the warm-up, but he had too much pain in his thigh.”

For the 144 remaining riders in the Tour peloton, it's time to climb on Wednesday. From the start in Saint-Gaudens, the peloton awaits 129.7 undulating kilometers. The finish is at the top of Peyragudes.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Brandon McNulty, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard faster on Col d'Azet than Marco Pantani, Jan Ullrich and Richard Virenque in 1997.

Nerd Alert: watt/kg graph charts AKA how insane was McNulty today

one more climb to go

animation of stage 18

Stage Preview

Fishmonger has answered every attack, today even without teammates. Hopefully Kuss has a better day left in him.

The first summit tomorrow is Col d'Aubisque. It’s been part of TDF since 1910 and the tours has had 45 passages times since 1947, making it the second most visited mountain. 

WILD story from the 1951 race:

In 1951, Wim van Est was in the yellow jersey – the first Dutchman to wear it and chasing the leaders towards the Soulor when he slipped on gravel and fell into a ravine. He said:

“That first bend was wet, slippery from the snow. And there were sharp stones on the road that the cars had kicked up, and my front wheel hit them and I went over. Well, there was a drop of 20m. They've built a barrier there now but then there was nothing to stop you going over. I fell 20 metres, rolling and rolling and rolling. My feet had come out of the straps, my bike had disappeared, and there was a little flat area, the only one that's there, no bigger than the seat of a chair, and I landed on my backside. A metre left or right and I'd have dropped onto solid stone, six or seven hundred metres down. My ankles were all hurt, my elbows were kaput. I was all bruised and shaken up and I didn't know where I was, but nothing was broken.”

The team's manager, Kees Pellenaars, took a tow rope from the Dutch team's car. It was too short to reach van Est and so to it he tied 40 racing tyres, and thus he was pulled out. Van Est said: "It was all the tyres that Pellenaars had for the team. By the time they'd tugged me up, they were all stretched and they wouldn't stay on the wheels any more! Forty tyres! I wanted to get back on my bike and start racing again. But I couldn't. Pellenaars stopped the whole team."

Van Est told journalists: "I had the feeling that I was taking that bend badly but I so much wanted to keep the yellow jersey, so I went flat out and off I flew. A monument spot 50 years later, on 17 July 2001, says:

"Here on 17 July 1951 the cyclist Wim van Est fell 70 metres. He survived but lost the yellow jersey."

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Brandon McNulty, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard faster on Col d'Azet than Marco Pantani, Jan Ullrich and Richard Virenque in 1997.

Nerd Alert: watt/kg graph charts AKA how insane was McNulty today

i worry about a floyd landis situation for mcnulty,  that was an unbelievable day for him.

 

[BobbyLayne]

i worry about a floyd landis situation for mcnulty,  that was an unbelievable day for him.

it was a level of power he’s never displayed before.

that said, 2022 has been his best season.

tomorrow is the same stage where Michael Rassmussen rode off the entire peloton in 2007. then got fired by his team that night.

(the mysterious 3 weeks of training in Mexico, bovine blood doping, etc. the details no longer matter, he admitted he was dirty the whole time 1998-2010. but since everyone was, I think I agree with Phil Liggett: clean or not, Lance still would have crushed them.)

 

[BobbyLayne]

Fabio Jakobsen at the finish line

Dude is such an inspiration. Trying to finish his first TDF, made the time limit by 16 seconds today. Barely enough strength to dismount.

Was in a medically induced coma two years after this horrific crash in the 2020 Tour of Poland.

Comeback Rider of the Year last year winning the green jersey & 3 stages in the Vuelta a España. Won Stage 2 in the current TDF, 5th in Green jersey (Wout clinched today), gutting it out. Much respect.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

it was a level of power he’s never displayed before.

that said, 2022 has been his best season.

tomorrow is the same stage where Michael Rassmussen rode off the entire peloton in 2007. then got fired by his team that night.

(the mysterious 3 weeks of training in Mexico, bovine blood doping, etc. the details no longer matter, he admitted he was dirty the whole time 1998-2010. but since everyone was, I think I agree with Phil Liggett: clean or not, Lance still would have crushed them.)

i say it all the time, lance was a ####.  he was also the best TDF rider ever.  note that i said TDF only.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Fabio Jakobsen at the finish line

Dude is such an inspiration. Trying to finish his first TDF, made the time limit by 16 seconds today. Barely enough strength to dismount.

Was in a medically induced coma two years after this horrific crash in the 2020 Tour of Poland.

Comeback Rider of the Year last year winning the green jersey & 3 stages in the Vuelta a España. Won Stage 2 in the current TDF, 5th in Green jersey (Wout clinched today), gutting it out. Much respect.

when i was on the tourmalet, cavendish was in that spot.  directly in front of the broom wagon.  suffering like no other.  but still smiling.  people were running out and giving him a push at every opportunity.  me included.

 

[Nick Vermeil]

when i was on the tourmalet, cavendish was in that spot.  directly in front of the broom wagon.  suffering like no other.  but still smiling.  people were running out and giving him a push at every opportunity.  me included.

Cheater.  

 

[BassNBrew]

i worry about a floyd landis situation for mcnulty,  that was an unbelievable day for him.

I need to get me some of what Van Aert is eating.  Did you guys catch him riding casually no handed alongside the remaining leaders distributing drinks to teammates while McNulty was cranking out 6 w/kg on the second to last climb.

 

[Jaysus]

Green jersey (Wout clinched today)

HFS! You just jinxed his finish, didn't you?    

 

[BobbyLayne]

Another story on Wim van East and the 1951 mountain crash

Here’s a video to give it an even more terrifying perspective

 

[BobbyLayne]

I take full responsibility for Pogacar falling @Jaysus

 

[BobbyLayne]

Crash

Jonas Vingegaard almost went down on the descent right before that (rear tire caught gravel)

Yellow jersey waited for him (of course), shook hands, LFG

one more ascent 

 

[BobbyLayne]

this rivalry is giving me flashbacks of Ulrich - Armstrong. loving this stage

 

[BassNBrew]

LFG Wout.  Take both jerseys.

 

[BassNBrew]

Has anyone heard Rollands name mentioned once this tour?

 

[BassNBrew]

Can Wout take back an hour plus in the TT to take the yellow jersey?

 

[DA RAIDERS]

i WVA

 

[grateful zed]

great analysis, guys, how we have matured as fans.

 

[cheeseypoof]

Has anyone heard Rollands name mentioned once this tour?

Once the first week, when he was off the back I think it was.  

 

[BobbyLayne]

What a great tour. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for Jonas, Tadej and WvA.

Pulling for Philipsen, Jokobsen and Ewan to win tomorrow and on the Champs Elysées Sunday. Pogačar should win the TT but he’s a bit in his back foot.

Mad respect for the fishmonger; it’s hard defending and every time Pog he stayed on his wheel. Obviously massive effort from Sepp Kuss and TDF dictator made his job easier but he responded so well when the pressure was greatest.

Love the camaraderie abs sportsmanship of this years Grand Tours. Only saw highlights of the Giro but beIN SPORTS (Sling) has been playing all the stages nonstop this week. Can’t wait for the Vuelta.

It’s such an awesome sport but the doping years sucked out all the joy. Hope it stays clean.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

What a great tour. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for Jonas, Tadej and WvA.

Pulling for Philipsen, Jokobsen and Ewan to win tomorrow and on the Champs Elysées Sunday. Pogačar should win the TT but he’s a bit in his back foot.

Mad respect for the fishmonger; it’s hard defending and every time Pog he stayed on his wheel. Obviously massive effort from Sepp Kuss and TDF dictator made his job easier but he responded so well when the pressure was greatest.

Love the camaraderie abs sportsmanship of this years Grand Tours. Only saw highlights of the Giro but beIN SPORTS (Sling) has been playing all the stages nonstop this week. Can’t wait for the Vuelta.

It’s such an awesome sport but the doping years sucked out all the joy. Hope it stays clean.

The tdf has always had cheating.  From day one. In one form or another. I guarantee there are current teams/riders doping that are ahead of WADA. I’m still waiting for whatever SKY/INEOS was on to be made public. 
 

for me, much like baseball, let them dope. Who cares. It’s more entertainment for us. 

 

[cheeseypoof]

After stage 18 there are 4 American riders in the top 22.  I think that’s a good showing.  Kuss and McNulty have really impressed the past 2 stages.

 

[BassNBrew]

The tdf has always had cheating.  From day one. In one form or another. I guarantee there are current teams/riders doping that are ahead of WADA. I’m still waiting for whatever SKY/INEOS was on to be made public. 
 

for me, much like baseball, let them dope. Who cares. It’s more entertainment for us. 

I’m still waiting for whatever Jumbo Visma IS on to be made public. 

LOL at LaPorte riding off all the sprint teams on the run in and winning with ease.
 

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I’m still waiting for whatever Jumbo Visma IS on to be made public. 

LOL at LaPorte riding off all the sprint teams on the run in and winning with ease.
 

the sky trains were ludicrous. some of the most boring tdf ever.  

i think laPorte caught them napping.  he bridged the gap and put the hammer down before the sprinters were ready.  ooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...........he had a complete blood transfusion last night with a wonderful dose of EPO and full dose of chupacabra blood as well.  

VIVE LA TOUR!!

for real, i want some EPO on the regular.  at least when i go skiing.

 

[culdeus]

Time bonuses make a better race, this one has been ok but the missing drama element of finish bonuses made things....better.  

 

[BobbyLayne]

I not alone in thinking the 2022 TDF has been considerably better than “OK”

 

[BobbyLayne]

WvA TDF stage wins:

•    ⁠2019: 1
•    ⁠2020: 2
•    ⁠2021: 3
•    ⁠2022: 3 so far

Wins tomorrow by the law of arithmetic progression

 

[Sand]

I not alone in thinking the 2022 TDF has been considerably better than “OK”

It's been awesome.  LaPorte's win was very odd, but overall it's been an unpredictable and  exciting tour. The last time I saw someone do that it was Vinikourov and he was doped to the gills. Does make you wonder.

At least for me Simon Clark winning in that amazing last 1k on stage 5 was the highlight.

Look forward to the time trial and the last sprint.

 

[BassNBrew]

Can Wout take back an hour plus in the TT to take the yellow jersey?

close. Guess he’s leaving some crumbs for teammates. I really think he could have contested for the gc podium. 

 

[BassNBrew]

Time bonuses make a better race, this one has been ok but the missing drama element of finish bonuses made things....better.  

This one did have time bonuses 

 

[BassNBrew]

I not alone in thinking the 2022 TDF has been considerably better than “OK”

Are we missing great sprinters or did Covid thin the sprint teams too much?

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Wout has been incredible. And this was by far my best fantasy team ever. I enjoyed this tour but would have have preferred another team to at least challenge Jumbo a little. They just dominated. 

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Are we missing great sprinters or did Covid thin the sprint teams too much?

The stages weren’t designed for the traditional sprinters imho. Really just a handful where the sprinters “had their day.” And probably more breakaway winners this year than I can remember in previous tours. 

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Are we missing great sprinters or did Covid thin the sprint teams too much?

The stages weren’t designed for the traditional sprinters imho. Really just a handful where the sprinters “had their day.” And probably more breakaway winners this year than I can remember in previous tours. 

this.  plus going down to 8 man teams eliminates a lead out specialist, or least a big engine that does nothing but drive the train.  there were very few good lead out trains.   and they left cav at home.  

 

[Sammy3469]

this.  plus going down to 8 man teams eliminates a lead out specialist, or least a big engine that does nothing but drive the train.  there were very few good lead out trains.   and they left cav at home.  

They left Cav at home since they had a better sprinter.  I think Wout happened to the sprinters teams as well.  He wasn’t suppose to be that good, yet he was.

I also think taking the team sizes down to 8 hurts a lot and with the way UCI points are with relegation, it put a lot of pressure on teams like EF to animate the stages.  
 

 

[BobbyLayne]

The stages weren’t designed for the traditional sprinters imho. Really just a handful where the sprinters “had their day.” And probably more breakaway winners this year than I can remember in previous tours. 

This

Just wasn’t a route conducive to sprinters. Ebbs & flows are normal, last year was chock full of exciting mass sprint finishes.