2021 TdF - A really open year again ?

[find_bruce]

Yeah after a couple of late nights that were too interesting to go to bed, I went sprint stage, nah. Interesting decision by DQ to go for the break so they didn't have to chase & its not clear to me whether the other teams with sprinters, Alpecin & Bahrain, weren't interested or weren't capable of chasing.

[AUbicycles]

What do you think of my short write-up following Cavs win... clever or unnecessary?

https://www.bicycles.net.au/2021/07/mar ... nto-magic/

[warthog1]

A good write up Christopher.
Robbie McEwan here was also saying there is the possibility Cav won't make the time cut on some of the climbing stages still to come as they enter the Pyrenees.
The other contenders for green will be hoping that is the case.

[MichaelB]

What do you think of my short write-up following Cavs win... clever or unnecessary?

https://www.bicycles.net.au/2021/07/mar ... nto-magic/

Nice write up. No, CAV isn’t the same as Merkx but they both are celebrated for different reasons. Cab should be remembered as the main successful sprinter in the TdF, and probably never will be challenged.

I think that the only chance MM has to win green is to outlast CAV and hope he doesn’t make a time cut.

Interesting stages to come !

That stack last night was nasty, lucky no major reported injuries.

[Arbuckle23]

Nice write up Christopher.
Cav has been lucky with others withdrawing, but that's bike racing and you can only beat who is there.

Cav has mellowed a lot and has become quite likeable. I find myself cheering for him, which certainly wouldn't have happened a couple of years back.

[foo on patrol]

Just why, isn't there someone doing a reccy ahead of the riders, so that this crap doesn't happen?



Foo

[foo on patrol]

Cav may have equaled the number of Stage wins but he could never take the outright winning of the event, so you can't ever compare the two of them. Different eras and different abilities but Cav has done well with his lead out train getting him up to speed, without the other top sprint contenders in the race. I read an interesting thing saying that he had to bring some of his own money into his contract for the ride but don't know if this is totally true?

Foo

[fat and old]

Cav may have equaled the number of Stage wins but he could never take the outright winning of the event, so you can't ever compare the two of them.

Foo

A point the old cannibal made with no ambiguity

Of course there’s a difference between us,” Merckx pointed out to La Gazzetta dello Sport, still competitive even at 76.

“I won 34 Tour stages by winning sprints, in the mountains, in time trials and going on the attack on the descents. Let's not forget the five yellow jerseys I’ve got at home plus the 96 days I wore it. Does that not seem much?

Cop that, junior

[foo on patrol]

Cav may have equaled the number of Stage wins but he could never take the outright winning of the event, so you can't ever compare the two of them.

Foo

A point the old cannibal made with no ambiguity

Of course there’s a difference between us,” Merckx pointed out to La Gazzetta dello Sport, still competitive even at 76.

“I won 34 Tour stages by winning sprints, in the mountains, in time trials and going on the attack on the descents. Let's not forget the five yellow jerseys I’ve got at home plus the 96 days I wore it. Does that not seem much?

Cop that, junior

Yep and hence why you can't compare them.

Foo

[MichaelB]

Just why, isn't there someone doing a reccy ahead of the riders, so that this crap doesn't happen?

Foo

Who is that ?

[foo on patrol]

Just why, isn't there someone doing a reccy ahead of the riders, so that this crap doesn't happen?

Foo

Who is that ?

The organisers of the Tour. It's no good telling them (the riders) that there is gravel all over the corner, when they are about to enter that section.

Foo

[MichaelB]

Just why, isn't there someone doing a reccy ahead of the riders, so that this crap doesn't happen?

Foo

Who is that ?

The organisers of the Tour. It's no good telling them (the riders) that there is gravel all over the corner, when they are about to enter that section.

Foo

I meant who was that in all the bandages

[foo on patrol]

Who is that ?

The organisers of the Tour. It's no good telling them (the riders) that there is gravel all over the corner, when they are about to enter that section.

Foo

I meant who was that in all the bandages

Roger Kluger.

Foo

[Warnesy]

Great ride by Mollema to descend to get the gap and hold. Hoping for some fireworks tonight.

[AUbicycles]

With the race direction - they send the news over to the teams and the teams send to the riders.

For the crashes on the last two days, there was not a lot of notice between the warning and the crashes, plus the team sport directors can choose whether to pass on the news.

In the case of yesterdays slip on the hot slippery corner for the breakaway group - the question is whether a break away rider should be told to slow down. Technically yes... but to be a winner it is also about pushing the limits.

--

In my work I have been in contact with a number of teams and I process rider data and of course with Deceuninck - Quick-Step it was insanely busy with Cav because that also opened up attention to even more media (out side of the regular cycling media).

One of the things I see is that rider data is impressive... but often the max power values (for example) when they are a single high value... are not a good picture of performance. You need to look at power output over time e.g. 5 second or 30 seconds.

So a spike of 1 million watts is great for Velon or onscreen coverage and yes.... people take notice... but it is a spike and the actual values over 5 seconds or 30 second create a better picture. Not to mention discrepancies in data where a power meter could suddenly and incorrectly spike when it is calculating during sudden acceleration.

That said, the abilities are amazing and the averages that the men... and even the women in the Giro d'Italia Donne achieve are very humbling when you are out cycling.

[AUbicycles]

Thanks also for the kind comments. I was able to take a bit more time to watch the stage and had a perspective that the KOM fight is pretty interesting. It has changed a lot of hands in the race this year and I feel is hotly contested.

https://www.bicycles.net.au/2021/07/is- ... de-france/

[MichaelB]

Agree, the Polka dot battle is brilliant, but it seems that no one person can get it and keep it ! The breaks are getting harder to establish and that takes the sting out of the legs and multiple people are really close in the battle !

Love it !

[AndrewCowley]

Starting to wonder if we'll see any proper GC action on the road this year?

Not enough proper mountain finishes.

The polka dot jersey on the other hand, lots of fun there.

[AUbicycles]

Nice stage, and some green points jersey challenges, so possible. But if Cav can get the sprint finish, then he wins.

Woukd also like to see some gc challenge… tomorrow.

[Sharkey]

Nice stage, and some green points jersey challenges, so possible. But if Cav can get the sprint finish, then he wins.

Woukd also like to see some gc challenge… tomorrow.

Even though the next 2 stages are both in the high mountains both intermediate sprints are before any of the categorised climbs, so I would not expect Cav's lead to change significantly (if at all). After that there are 2 sprint stages and the TT, so if he makes it over the Pyrenees within the time limits he should have the Green wrapped up.

Yes, I am also hoping for some GC action. I think they held back last night because of what is coming in the next 2 stages.

[MichaelB]

Great ride by Ben O !!

Felt for Perez, he deserved the win.

[Warnesy]

I didn’t feel for Perez, maybe because I always felt he was getting caught.

I was pleased Carapaz didn’t get the stage after refusing to come through. No problem with him not doing it but it made me barrack for the other two in the sprint to the line.

Almost time to sleep properly again…

[am50em]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/police ... de-france/

[MichaelB]

I was pleased Carapaz didn’t get the stage after refusing to come through. No problem with him not doing it but it made me barrack for the other two in the sprint to the line.

Amen. And that he lost a few seconds too !

[fat and old]

Strangely I find myself hoping that Cavendish doesn't surpass Merckx's record I'm thinking he should do a Tubby and retire unbeaten.