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Post by Bod on Aug 27, 2021 21:00:40 GMT
Slightly weird end to the stage. Bit technical through lots of roundabouts and somehow Bernal put 5 seconds into Roglic, Mas, Lopez, etc. DQS absolutely drilled it and it just split the peloton. Jakobsen punctured but seemed to be struggling to hold the wheel anyway and DQS just kept the hammer down and Senechal took it. They don’t have a bad squad do they? Win the odd race every now and then...
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Post by Bod on Aug 28, 2021 20:23:27 GMT
Race for the stage had some intrigue. The race for the GC didn’t really. No movement in the top 15 at all, on a summit finish. That’s all I can muster up to say about today aside from Jay Vine has a shitload of courage.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2021 5:35:50 GMT
I just couldn't be bothered to watch it. I hope things improve after La Vuelta because at the moment I just don't find it interesting or entertaining at all. This is probably the poorest and most boring season I can remember for ages. I know I'm an Ineos fan, and they've been abysmal to say the least, but I just think it's been boring generally.
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Post by Bod on Aug 29, 2021 16:03:54 GMT
I just couldn't be bothered to watch it. I hope things improve after La Vuelta because at the moment I just don't find it interesting or entertaining at all. This is probably the poorest and most boring season I can remember for ages. I know I'm an Ineos fan, and they've been abysmal to say the least, but I just think it's been boring generally. I think the first week of the TdF was stellar but then it just fell into the same pattern. I don’t think that the racing outside of the GT’s has been stale though. Some of the early season and spring one day races were great and had that type of balls out racing that the GT’s lack. For me, the major stage races now play out like films which have the same plot and same ending. There is no real suspense and even the most ardent fans eventually get pissed off with that and lose interest.
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Post by Bod on Aug 30, 2021 22:30:24 GMT
Not the Vuelta but watched a couple of other races today and yesterday and a pretty strong working group of seven got away in the Brussels Classic, got to 18km to go and a T- junction where five of the group followed the camera bike which turned right (the wrong way) and the other two went left and stayed away! Evenepoel would have almost certainly have won anyway as he’s flying at the minute but it did make his job even easier. On the flip side he got a puncture on stage 1 of the BENELUX tour today and had a decent tantrum when his wheel change didn’t go to plan. In his defence, it was an abysmal attempt at neutral service but it didn’t look great.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2021 4:41:01 GMT
Yes I saw those two races as well. You'd be more than a little cheesed off if you were one of the riders who followed the camera bike, but they or their DS should know the route. Tough luck on Evenepoel, but he does tend to be an "unlucky" rider with crashes, punctures etc, certainly seems to have more than his fair share. It's just nice to watch some racing that isn't the boring Vuelta isn't it.
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Post by Bod on Aug 31, 2021 20:33:14 GMT
Sprint. Jakobsen. That’s all I’ve got. It merits nothing more.
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Sept 1, 2021 10:15:41 GMT
I just couldn't be bothered to watch it. I hope things improve after La Vuelta because at the moment I just don't find it interesting or entertaining at all. This is probably the poorest and most boring season I can remember for ages. I know I'm an Ineos fan, and they've been abysmal to say the least, but I just think it's been boring generally. I think the first week of the TdF was stellar but then it just fell into the same pattern. I don’t think that the racing outside of the GT’s has been stale though. Some of the early season and spring one day races were great and had that type of balls out racing that the GT’s lack. For me, the major stage races now play out like films which have the same plot and same ending. There is no real suspense and even the most ardent fans eventually get pissed off with that and lose interest. Agree with all of that. The last few years of Grand Tour racing have been something of a treat in that the GC has been so unpredicatable and has thrown up many a first time winner, but for the Tour de France in particular there are usually dynasties lasting several years where it's all quite predictable on GC, we've entered the Pogacar years now who seems to have assumed the mantel from Froome. So often the intrigue on GC is blown away after the first week. Every grand tour you look at a long list of potential winners, then the actual racing starts and it becomes clear most of them aren't at the level of the best rider, a couple of the better ones crash out and you're left with a dead rubber. Should be some good racing in the final week of the Vuelta but even with a minute and a half to overcome on the red jersey, it's almost impossible to look past Roglic.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2021 16:48:53 GMT
I decided to actually watch some of stage 17 live today. Roglic won by just over 1 min 30 secs, and is now 2. 22 mins ahead of Mas in 2nd and 3. 11 mins ahead of Lopez in 3rd. Wished I hadn't bothered really.
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Post by Bod on Sept 1, 2021 17:46:30 GMT
Today was a better stage though, relatively of course. Bernal actually had the balls to attack on the penultimate climb and a decent way from the top too and Roglic did well to stay with the initial attack before he crushed him! I guess Movistar can be satisfied that they didn’t ship time to Bernal, but damn, talk about riding for a podium place rather than a win! Mas just pisses me off for some reason. Covadonga is in my top 5 stage finishes anywhere so I am always a bit biased on these stages. Bernal at least has his legs back but I doubt he has anything in him to do something tomorrow, but I’d like to be wrong. Waiting for Movistar to make a move stick is as likely as Ince going to Barcelona.
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Sept 2, 2021 9:18:18 GMT
Would have been good to see one of the Movistar guys able to go with the Bernal move and the other sit in, but I think Lopez did try and make that move but couldn't get on the wheel. Both Mas and Lopez attacked their group on Covadonga climb but neither could stay away - if you haven't got the legs then not much you can do.
Eurosport's highlights a bit of a disaster yesterday. First quarter - riders trying to form a break. Second quarter - people crashing. 3rd and 4th, final climb from 7km to go. Completely omitted Bernal's move, had to watch the breakaway to see it.
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Post by Bod on Sept 2, 2021 13:56:06 GMT
Would have been good to see one of the Movistar guys able to go with the Bernal move and the other sit in, but I think Lopez did try and make that move but couldn't get on the wheel. Both Mas and Lopez attacked their group on Covadonga climb but neither could stay away - if you haven't got the legs then not much you can do. Eurosport's highlights a bit of a disaster yesterday. First quarter - riders trying to form a break. Second quarter - people crashing. 3rd and 4th, final climb from 7km to go. Completely omitted Bernal's move, had to watch the breakaway to see it. I think with Movistar it’s more of a frustration that they almost never initiate an attack and when they do the instinct is always to look behind virtually instantly to see if it’s stuck. I fully understand that they have probably looked at Roglic and thought that he is too strong, but this is a pattern that they repeat in so many races. Mind you, it’s kept the team in sponsorship in various guises for forty years so it’s mission accomplished in that sense.
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Post by Bod on Sept 2, 2021 15:40:38 GMT
I’ll happily eat some humble pie after my last post. I’ve been waiting for that from him for a while and it was a well deserved win. Movistar are like a child who constantly disappoints, then they do something good and I forgive it all 😀
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2021 16:44:04 GMT
I think "about time" sums it up. Pleased for Lopez but Roglic is always there or thereabouts isn't he and he's actually extended his lead over Mas today.
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Sept 2, 2021 20:42:15 GMT
Today's climb reminded me of the col de la loze finish, also won by Lopez. Must remember to put a few quid on him next time there's a finish like that.
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