2022 Tour de France

[eth-dog]

Ben O'Connor needs to sit up on the last climb tomorrow and drop 10+ minutes so he can chase polka dots.

 

[eth-dog]

Now I know winning nabs 75 extra points but Bling finishing second means that EF don't get an extra 25 points per stage for wearing yellow which is important in the relegation battle so it's really a net loss of 50 UCI points to them, and possibly even less given how the yellow jersey gives you wings.

Obviously you never want to finish second but this one isn't as bad as most others. But now tomorrow you can send Schultz up the road to chase a mountain stage win. Gonna be an interesting one, that's for sure.

 

[eth-dog]

Yes Tom. Yes he is.

 

[royboy2]

Pog to wear the Maillot Jaune all the way home now

 

[eth-dog]

Pog to wear the Maillot Jaune all the way home now

Eh, I wouldn't be surprised to see them let a rider within 10 minutes go up the road and take it. Someone who can hold it for a while, like Woods from Israel.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Is the tour basically already over?

 

[eth-dog]

You never know, he could crash. But if he stays upright? Yeah, was done when Roglic lost 2 minutes on the cobbles. Those two are the only riders in the world that can beat each other over 3 weeks because they're the only riders who have over the past 3 years.

 

[Over The Post]

 

[Vader]

Is the finish at the top of the steep dirt ramp, like it was a few years ago? Or at the normal location, as per the TT 2 years ago?

 

[royboy2]

Looks like the dirt road

 

[Orange Agent]

Yep, finishing on the gravel bit.

 

[eth-dog]

Yep, finishing on the gravel bit.

Love that

 

[Vader]

Excellent!!!!

That last couple of hundred metres are positively brutal.

 

[drd23]

From the inrng preview

 

[Vader]

Those pinches at 20% and 28% are enough to get this into the conversation for the hardest climbs, along with climbs like the Angliru and Mortirolo.

Most of the TdF climbs are a walk in the park, compared to what's on offer in Spain & Italy every year. What makes the TdF special is that it's contested by the cream of the crop every year, while the Giro & Vuelta usually get the B-riders. The competition in France is harder, but the course is invariably easier.

 

[Lyttelton Ranger]

Listening to Simon Gerrans reminds me of how much I miss Robbie McEwen.

 

[Orange Agent]

UAE here for business, gap not getting beyond 2 mins, now sending a rider back. $1.01 Pog for the stage.

 

[eth-dog]

UAE here for business, gap not getting beyond 2 mins, now sending a rider back. $1.01 Pog for the stage.

I think that's a pretty stupid play. They could easily catch this break with a 5 minute gap at the bottom of the climb. A waste of energy

 

[largebus]

Those pinches at 20% and 28% are enough to get this into the conversation for the hardest climbs, along with climbs like the Angliru and Mortirolo.

Most of the TdF climbs are a walk in the park, compared to what's on offer in Spain & Italy every year. What makes the TdF special is that it's contested by the cream of the crop every year, while the Giro & Vuelta usually get the B-riders. The competition in France is harder, but the course is invariably easier.

TdF is only the biggest because it's the most famous. It's like how the Monaco GP is the most prestigious F1 race even though it's impossible to overtake.

That said a workmate who rode both those climbs and Zoncolan said Mont Ventoux was harder because of the 100 kph winds.

 

[Orange Agent]

I think that's a pretty stupid play. They could easily catch this break with a 5 minute gap at the bottom of the climb. A waste of energy

A few climbers in there, Erviti, Kamna, Ciccone. I think it's about winning on La Planche again and owning the climb.

 

[Vader]

TdF is only the biggest because it's the most famous. It's like how the Monaco GP is the most prestigious F1 race even though it's impossible to overtake.

It becomes a circular argument. It's the most famous because it has the best fields. It has the best fields because it's the most famous.

The simple facts are that the teams all put their best riders into the TdF, so it invariably has the strongest field - but the courses they ride are considerably easier than those the Giro & Vuelta riders deal with year after year.

That said a workmate who rode both those climbs and Zoncolan said Mont Ventoux was harder because of the 100 kph winds.

That's probably a fair argument. Very few climbs are as exposed as Ventoux. The wind would go a long way towards compensating for the lack of actual gradient.

 

[eth-dog]

In fairness, the highpoint of Le Tour this year (Col du Galibier at 2,642 m) is higher than La Vuelta's highpoint (Alto Hoya de la Mora at 2,510) and Giro (Passo Pordoi at 2236).

 

[seanoff]

28% on gravel. I might consider it in a 70 series landcruiser. On a bike. Nope.

 

[eth-dog]

Kamna so unlucky.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

That was painful just watching on the couch. Gotta feel for Kamna but he was dying those last 300-400m.

Thought Vinegaard had the Pog when he accelerated past him on the final bend and got about 10m in front, but the Pog is too good.