Tour de France 2020

[Mandofred]

Amazing end to the TdF. Personally think it's been brilliant this year.

This is a problem I have with the TDF. The race isn't over. But.....by etiquette rules...you shouldn't attack your opponent on the last day. Why? Isn't it a race? I'd be attacking their butts off......win or lose....but you have to try.

 

[pokerjoke]

This is a problem I have with the TDF. The race isn't over. But.....by etiquette rules...you shouldn't attack your opponent on the last day. Why? Isn't it a race? I'd be attacking their butts off......win or lose....but you have to try.

It never happens because it’s impossible to do.
Even if you had a massive team going 60kmh all the way you wouldn’t get away.
The sprinter teams are desperate to give their sprinters a win on the CDL it’s the pinnacle of their race.

 

[AmandaJR]

I like the tradition of the final day - champers for the winning rider's team and then carnage at the end. We went to watch Lance win number 7 and it was a great day in Paris.

I also like the "don't attack on a mechanical" and the winner sharing his prize money with the team etc.

 

[sev112]

Jumbo team for the 3 weeks was more dominant and bullying than Sky used to be. They looked after Roglic all the way through.
Pogacar hardly had anyone with him.
fabukous ride and fabukous whole tour for him

 

[Tongo]

That was a cracking stage. Unpredictability, drama and theatre, tis why we watch sport.

I've watched quite a bit of the TDF and really enjoyed it. Some of the mountain stages have been brilliant. Enjoyed ITV4's coverage too. Ned Boulting and David Millar are excellent whilst Chris Boardman's technical insights are very interesting.

 

[Tongo]

It's also been interesting how the demographics of cycling have shifted a little too what with Slovenians finishing first and second and the number of Colombians in and around the top 10. I suppose the emergence of Slovenia as a cycling power (on the back of Peter Sagan) is a bit like GB a few years back whilst there has always been one or two ace climbers from Colombia but not the number there has been this year.

 

[larmen]

It never happens because it’s impossible to do.
Even if you had a massive team going 60kmh all the way you wouldn’t get away.
The sprinter teams are desperate to give their sprinters a win on the CDL it’s the pinnacle of their race.

I think LeMond was soloing until Paris to take some time back of Indurain, but I am not sure how serious he really was.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Pogacar is a menace. Brilliant ride, feel for Roglic but seems he's a great climber when he's surrounded by other great climbers in his team. Where as Pogacar did it mostly on his own. Chapeau.

Great tour, seems a real passing of the generational baton with the last 2 winners being 22 and 21.

 

[Hacker Khan]

This is a problem I have with the TDF. The race isn't over. But.....by etiquette rules...you shouldn't attack your opponent on the last day. Why? Isn't it a race? I'd be attacking their butts off......win or lose....but you have to try.

It is a 3 week race for the yellow jersey up to the penultimate day (unless the final day is a time trial) and the final day is a one day race for stage victory.

And as pj says, there's no point a GC contender trying to gain time on the last stage as they would just be shut down as the stage is always relatively easy with no climbs etc. The organisers will always set it up so there is a bunch sprint on the final stage.

 

[sev112]

It's also been interesting how the demographics of cycling have shifted a little too what with Slovenians finishing first and second and the number of Colombians in and around the top 10. I suppose the emergence of Slovenia as a cycling power (on the back of Peter Sagan) is a bit like GB a few years back whilst there has always been one or two ace climbers from Colombia but not the number there has been this year.

I think Sagan is Slovak rather than Slovenian. He had a tough race compared to previous years too

 

[Mandofred]

It is a 3 week race for the yellow jersey up to the penultimate day (unless the final day is a time trial) and the final day is a one day race for stage victory.

And as pj says, there's no point a GC contender trying to gain time on the last stage as they would just be shut down as the stage is always relatively easy with no climbs etc. The organisers will always set it up so there is a bunch sprint on the final stage.

Oh....I understand. But....how many times in every one of these large races does somebody get a jump on the group and even though there isn't much chance of it going clear.....it goes clear. In this last stage....yeah....pretty short and the team that got attacked would likely chase things down....but the leader doesn't have much of a team, does he? I fully understand it is traditionally a stage for the sprinters....but it is a race.....
I've never understood about the not attacking when somebody has a "mechanical". Almost everybody's bike at some point is going to have an issue.... I know it's considered "etiquette" not to attack, but....again.....it's a race. If there is a big wreck....they don't seem to wait for those guys....

 

[Hacker Khan]

Oh....I understand. But....how many times in every one of these large races does somebody get a jump on the group and even though there isn't much chance of it going clear.....it goes clear. In this last stage....yeah....pretty short and the team that got attacked would likely chase things down....but the leader doesn't have much of a team, does he? I fully understand it is traditionally a stage for the sprinters....but it is a race.....
I've never understood about the not attacking when somebody has a "mechanical". Almost everybody's bike at some point is going to have an issue.... I know it's considered "etiquette" not to attack, but....again.....it's a race. If there is a big wreck....they don't seem to wait for those guys....

At I said in the previous answer, the GC race did not last for all of the stages. The whole set up of stages is to crown the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage. All the teams know that and base their race tactics around that.

Plus there is no way the organisers want a break away winning in the Champs-Élysées in front of a global audience at the conclusion of their event when a lot will be tuning in to see a sprint finish.

As for waiting for mechanicals and not crashes then there is an argument that you can minimise the chances of getting in a crash by riding at the front of the peleton, as all the big teams do when their leader is in with a chance. So if you crash then to some extent tough titties. Whereas if you have a mechanical then it is no fault of your own, therefore riders should not take advantage.

 

[Mandofred]

At I said in the previous answer, the GC race did not last for all of the stages. The whole set up of stages is to crown the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage. All the teams know that and base their race tactics around that.
I know, I just don't like it.
Plus there is no way the organisers want a break away winning in the Champs-Élysées in front of a global audience at the conclusion of their event when a lot will be tuning in to see a sprint finish.
The year Lemond changed everything at the end....don't think they want that to happen again.
As for waiting for mechanicals and not crashes then there is an argument that you can minimise the chances of getting in a crash by riding at the front of the peleton, as all the big teams do when their leader is in with a chance. So if you crash then to some extent tough titties. Whereas if you have a mechanical then it is no fault of your own, therefore riders should not take advantage.
Just doesn't make sense to me. If I were racing on foot, and somebody had an issue with their shoe.....would I then need to wait for them? I know.....bike etiquette isn't running etiquette.....I don't have to like it, it is what it is.

 

[sev112]

Except that it is acceptable to attack on a mechanical - happened a couple of times this year (Albeit I think one of those was the classics “I didn’t know when I attacked” .That’s because the mechanical isnt considered “unlucky” it is considered part of the team efforts so if the bike fails Then it is the team fault, and if is ok to attack. They did a bit on ITV4 on precisely this about a week back, Punctures howvere I remain unsure of.

 

[Tongo]

I think Sagan is Slovak rather than Slovenian. He had a tough race compared to previous years too

Good point, getting my nationalities mixed up!

 

[larmen]

I can’t remember if between Fignon to LeMond and this year any tour has ever had the lead change on the last time trial.

 

[fundy]

Finally caught up on the time trial, wow, just wow what a ride by Pogacar