Today is a rest day. This helps Roglic more than anyone. Jumbo look very strong
I think Bernal is finished for this year, Ineos in general have been poor in comparison to other years (as a team of course they weren’t helped by falls).
There’s still 7 riders in with a shout including Yates and Porte.
Pogacar is a major contender however he hasn’t a team he’s got to do it on his own which will be difficult, if he can get 2 riders to accompany him then his odds go up enormously. Fantastic feat from him.
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Ineos looked weak as a team from the start they have been flattened by Jumbo. Bernal lacked experience however were their other options even fit enough to finish the tour. They just aren’t the team they were as SKY.
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Without seeing enough to properly judge it sounds as if you’re right. Perhaps COVID really killed off their preparations? On paper they should have been very strong. Disappointing really as the Tour is always at it’s best where there are a number of strong teams competing for GC.
Another angle is the format and weather this year. I didn’t like this years format, not traditional enough for this grumpy old git, having those long flat stages down the west coast sorts the strong teams from the weak. That didn’t happen this year with jumping from flat to mountain in an idiotic fashion also the mountain stages were imo pathetic (hardly any finishing on top of a HC and when it did the HC was not that much of a challenge). New format inspired by a journalist so I reckon as a PR stunt it will work and the format will be progressed.
The weather was wierd particularly this last week. Seems to suit the european riders this flow of hot air coming from Africa. The Colombians inparticular seem to have suffered (Quintana never seems to do great on the TdF) perhaps they are used to cooler nights?
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I’ve honestly no idea to be honest but the route is certainly different. This coming Tuesday and Wednesday’s stages do look different but they may be too late in the Tour now to make any real difference. I hope there’s a race!!
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There will be. 7 riders within 3 mins of the yellow jersey noway they won’t try something. The problem will be that will that effort be reflected in what we see because Jumbo are just soo dominant. Any attack would have to be so well tactically timed otherwise it will just get blown aside.
Those teams need to work together to break Jumbo. i’m trying to think of a time when that has happened but I cant to be honest. But they need to commit to raising stress levels in the peleton to maximum from the off. Constant attacks on the climbs.
problem is they’ll all be marking each other and snuff each other out.
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On another note as a big fan of Peter Sagan I am disgusted by the Bora team who haven’t even lifted a little finger to help Sagan attack Bennett. I mean it’s not like they have anything else let alone better to do.
I have nothing against Bennett (I just love Sagan) but to have a challenge for the green jersey would be nice. As it turns out the battle is for 2nd place. 
I could never understand teams that don’t actually behave like teams. Are they honestly that disorganised or dont give a f***?
It’s complicated. 
Sagan is no longer a sprinter (out and out) he has been training to help his team out more so is more a puncher now. The team look to win stages and have someone in top 10 finish. However now that a top 10 finish is off the cards I don’t understand why they don’t do more to at least try to win the green jersey (ok it’s an outside shot but Sagan is second at the moment and they might even lose that).
You can see the frustration on Sagans face with Bennett on his back wheel until the sprint sections are over.
What gets me is Sagan has worked hard for his team (going as far as to change his training from outright sprinter to team member) but they don’t give back.
In a straight sprint Bennett is better by some way however take yesterday 1 sprint worth 20 points which 3rd placed Trentin won in a breakaway whilst Bennett sat on Sagans wheel. Bennett beat Sagan in their 1 on 1 sprint with a team member of Bennett getting inbetween. Sagan without his team helping him ends up being pressured by Trentin (if his team helped him there could have been 3 sprinters in the breakaway and a real battle.
It’s a team decision they are not at all set up for sprint finishes (they don’t seem set up for anything really).
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I’m completely out of touch sadly. I hadn’t realised Sagan had changed his priorities (or been forced to) which to me is an utterly bizarre situation. You dont sign Sagan to help you win stages. You do it to get the Green jersey and hopefully get the stage wins that way.
He has been one the greatest cyclists of a generation and this feels like a waste. He could have easily been a GC rider had he put his mind to it. He’s that talented
He’s one of the greatest animators of the tour ever imo. I remember when he was in the top 5 one year and he still kept trying to go with the break aways. They were not happy as it meant Sky would chase them down so they shouted and gesticulated at him. He reluctantly dropped off the pace to give them their chance. He’s just one of those riders that loves to do what he wants and with Bora he has that. It’s just a shame that Bora don’t help him when he might have the chance to wiçn something. Still a lengend! 
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Doco on Bora on Eurosport right now!!!
I love working from home!!! hahahaha
Kämna about to win the stage for Bora, they must have heard you guys talking smack about them!!!
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Not surprising after 2 rest days. 
Looks like tomorrow is the big chance for someone to nick the tour from Roglic.
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These guys take the piss. What I rode on holiday over 21 days last month they did in 35 hours (about 8 stages).
Landa and team BAH taking the bull by the horns.
Lopez and team AST look set for an attack on the final climb with a rider in the break away (the trampoline).
Mas and team MOV taking it easy ready to pounce.
Pogacar and Yates in trouble if things get rough.
Interesting stage BAH will need help with their tactic and only MOV look capable of that so my money is on Lopez for the moment. Would love Yates to do it however Landa will deserve it if BAH’s move pays off.
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Here we go. Final and biggest climb of the Tour.
No way the breakaway stays away this time. 2 minutes is not enough on this climb with a GC race behind.
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This is so exciting.
Roglic has this Tour in the bag.
hehehe
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