lmanion Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Sky have dominated mainly because the 2 guys that really could have done something about it crashed out pretty early. Nibali especially and with the downhill finishes and also I think Porte would have been strong. Unfortunately they went out and Movistar with Quintana and Landa havent really been a threat and Bardet has been dissapointing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 6 hours ago, lmanion said: Sky have dominated mainly because the 2 guys that really could have done something about it crashed out pretty early. Nibali especially and with the downhill finishes and also I think Porte would have been strong. Unfortunately they went out and Movistar with Quintana and Landa havent really been a threat and Bardet has been dissapointing Totally agree on Nibali, who was by far the most credible threat to Sky's dominance. There are other Grand Tour winners in this year's lineup - Valverde, Aru and Dumoulin have won one each, Quintana has won two. But Nibali was the only other person besides Froome who has actually won Le Tour, and moreover he has 4 Grand Tours to his name. I still remember that year when Froome crashed out, Nibali completely dominated the field. Unfortunately they're both getting older so this may have been the last chance we had to see a straight out fight between the two. Guys like Landa, Bardet, Roglic (and yes I'm going to put Porte in this group too) are decent challengers but until they actually win a Grand Tour and prove they're up for it, there's always going to be a bit of a gap. If Thomas takes this out as expected, I wonder what that's going to do for Sky's roster. There are limited Tours to go around for two guys in their early 30s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted July 28, 2018 Author Share Posted July 28, 2018 2 hours ago, Jeor said: Totally agree on Nibali, who was by far the most credible threat to Sky's dominance. There are other Grand Tour winners in this If Thomas takes this out as expected, I wonder what that's going to do for Sky's roster. There are limited Tours to go around for two guys in their early 30s. They also have to keep Bernal happy who is a generational talent, you don't piss him off for a couple of 32/33 year olds. I guess they could go G and Bernal joint leaders for Giro, Froome and G for Tour, Froome and Bernal for Vuelta. They have enough talent to put out strong support teams for each race as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted July 28, 2018 Author Share Posted July 28, 2018 G is killing it, Roglic either chocking or paying for the efforts he put in yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seli Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Nice reward for Dumoulin's efforts. According to Dutch commentators Thomas' contract with Sky ends after this year, so he might make a move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 1 hour ago, BigFatCoward said: They also have to keep Bernal happy who is a generational talent, you don't piss him off for a couple of 32/33 year olds. I guess they could go G and Bernal joint leaders for Giro, Froome and G for Tour, Froome and Bernal for Vuelta. They have enough talent to put out strong support teams for each race as well. Based on what the commentators were saying about him during the Dauphine, there’s also potentially Geoghegan-Hart to consider in a couple of years time. Surely at least one of those four will have to move elsewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmanion Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 Thomas has apparently not signed on the dotted line for sky but has verbally agreed to stay, which means nothing really. Cant see him moving because who has the dollars and cant see sky letting a guy who has esentially been part of their system since he was 16 or 17 and has just done the tour. Porte kind of sits between guys like landa, roglic, bardet, kruijswijk and the gt winners for me. He has unfortunately had an illness or a crash every time he has been a team leader and at the tour especially, got sick after he inherited the leader position from Froome, had the motorbike get in the way the year Froome started running up Ventoux? I think and ended up losing time and finished up 5th, thought a podium looked on before that. Now the last 2 years hes been in great form and crashed after 9 stages. Unfortunately he now has the reputation of a could be but will have a problem that counts him out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted July 29, 2018 Author Share Posted July 29, 2018 15 hours ago, Maltaran said: Based on what the commentators were saying about him during the Dauphine, there’s also potentially Geoghegan-Hart to consider in a couple of years time. Surely at least one of those four will have to move elsewhere I think Bernal and Geoghegan-Hart will be fine waiting their turn if they are learning from the best and know that they don't have long left as team leaders, if they were 28-29 it may be different. Kwiatkowski/Poels may have to leave if they ever want to have a proper go at a GT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 Bernal's only 21. He has heaps of time left. Even if Froome/Thomas go on for another two years, I reckon it's a 50-50 chance as to whether Bernal takes over immediately as team leader or if they import Kwiatkovski (or someone similar age) a couple of years to go. I guess it somewhat depends on how ambitious Bernal is, and whether he's ready to wait his turn with Sky. All the other teams will be flashing dollar signs at him to jump and lead their team straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Whether or not Thomas signs on to stay is indeed the big question. At best that means shared leadership for next year's Tour though, which he may not have a problem with. I expect Thomas will want to come back for the Tour next year and not settle for another GC. Froome will definitely be back for the Tour. As a fan I would be more excited by Thomas moving on. As for Nibali, as much as it was a shame that he was injured, Dumoulin would still have been the no.1 opponent for the two Sky guys, that much was clear. Nibali would have been a good secondary challenger along with Roglic, definitely a loss. But I don't think he would have finished podium here. Dumoulin has already stated the Tour will be his main focus in 2019 btw. I think the Movistar guys are done, they fell far short and that was partly expected. They will try and get their season in shape in the Vuelta, where there will still be some very good competition, including Simon Yates and Nivali, Porte and Uran is those 3 are fit in time. Bernal- massive talent but had already spotted how exceptional he was earlier this year. Next year's Tour I guess Sky will still want to go with Froome or Thomas. To me it is mostly a massive shame that he rides for Sky, he would be such a good challenger. Even in this Tour already it was a big shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 The most open grand tour I can remember. There are about 10 people who could win and another 10 who could podium/top 5. Very exciting. Shame the route is shite. Sky with no proven gc candidate could be interesting. Kwiatko just went great in the short opening TT. Richie Porte sick with his usual bad luck, otherwise I'd have said he was marginal favourite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 And.......after day 1 Richie Porte and Vincenzo's Nibali possible GC dreams are already over. Still, as you say, many candidates left. So hard to say who wins this, it's easier to see who's not good than who finishes podium. Miguel Angel Lopez also looking sluggish btw, keep an eye on him because that is a bad start. Ivan Ramiro Sosa the young supertalent ( sadly not yet participating) beat him uphill twice in the recent Tour of Burgos, not sure Lopez is in the shape he was last year, when he even dropped later winner Froome for a bit. What a fantastic finish by Valverde though, the man is such a cycling hero and a jewel for this sport. If I absolutely had to predict the podium now, I will say it consists of Valverde, Quintana and ..... I'm going to go for Kelderman. Or Uran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 I wonder when the last time was that all three grand tours were won by riders from the same country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 Contador, Sastre, Contador. 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Thanks. Apparently this is the first time it's happened with three different riders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 1 hour ago, Maltaran said: Thanks. Apparently this is the first time it's happened with three different riders. Yep. 5 in a row for the UK which I believe is also a record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Seeing Enric Mas emerge this Vuelta has been a pleasure. He is being hailed ( including by the Contador himself) as the new Contador, and he may well be. Very good performance also from Yates. Lopez, decent good effort but I thought he'd be a bit better. Pinot, woefully inconsistent but on his day a tremendous climber. Quintana the major disappointment of this Vuelta, not even podium for Movistar. Fabio Aru looks in all sorts of trouble career wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatCoward Posted May 11, 2019 Author Share Posted May 11, 2019 The best grand tour is here. With an amazing list of contenders and some naughty mountain stages. Massive shame Egan Bernal isnt riding as he looks like a proper superstar despite his young age. 3 clear favourites, Dumoulin, Roglic, Yates. The route probably favours the first 2, as 3 TT's is a lot in this era. Though as they are quite hilly Yates shouldn't lose out too much, and he has definitely improved in this regard recently. Outside of these 3 you have a long list of podium contenders, 2 main ones for me are Nibali as he has looked good in the spring and this may be his last good chance at the giro, and Landa if he doesn't fuck up the TT's could be a proper contender. Interested to see what the 2 young sky/ineos riders can do. First 2 weeks are pretty boring so I'll only be watching highlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 Nice, I didn't realise the Giro was suddenly here! It'll be good to have a race without a clear favourite. You're right though, the course is pretty boring early on. No mountains until Day 13! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divica Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 5 hours ago, BigFatCoward said: The best grand tour is here. With an amazing list of contenders and some naughty mountain stages. Massive shame Egan Bernal isnt riding as he looks like a proper superstar despite his young age. 3 clear favourites, Dumoulin, Roglic, Yates. The route probably favours the first 2, as 3 TT's is a lot in this era. Though as they are quite hilly Yates shouldn't lose out too much, and he has definitely improved in this regard recently. Outside of these 3 you have a long list of podium contenders, 2 main ones for me are Nibali as he has looked good in the spring and this may be his last good chance at the giro, and Landa if he doesn't fuck up the TT's could be a proper contender. Interested to see what the 2 young sky/ineos riders can do. First 2 weeks are pretty boring so I'll only be watching highlights. You should watch mire stages. I highly doubt there aren t short but very inclined mountains within the first 2 weeks that will be attacked, This is giro… That kind of boring race only happen in tour. ps roglic won t be able to keep up with the contenders during all 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.