Tour de France 2024....chat, discussions, talking points

[weeksy]

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/to ... /startlist

2 weeks until the TDF for 2024. It's hard to see anyone other than Pogacar winning this one isn't it ? Vingegaard isn't seemingly on form from what i'm seeing (but i fancy him for 2nd) and i can't see people like Carapaz, Buitrago, Gaudu, etc putting in a shift here.. Thomas isn't quite there and Pidcock despite being fast isn't IMO a 3 week kind of boy. Evenepole just isn't good enough yet (or maybe not light enough?)
Vingegaard though last year totally destroyed everyone, so maybe he's sandbagging a little in the last few weeks, or just building fitness without punishing himself ?

Cavendish to get the right lead-out and get one more win ? Or Jasper Philipsen to dominate the sprints ?

[Count Steer]

2 weeks? Hurrah! I can hear the programme music in my head.

I reckon Cav will get just the one...which is all he needs.

[mangocrazy]

Hmmmm - stage 16 is passing within 5kms of our moneypit...

[weeksy]

Hmmmm - stage 16 is passing within 5kms of our moneypit...

Nice. I've not been to a stage of the Tour, but i imagine it's pretty epic based upon other events i've been to.

Seeing the Belgian races with @crust was damn good fun.

[mangocrazy]

The Tour has passed near our village a few times - we've seen it twice. What you don't realise until you see it live is a) how fucking FAST they go and b) how quickly it's all over. There's loads of build up with promotional vehicles going past, then it all goes quiet, then the lead riders or group blast through, then a short while later the full peloton comes streaming past. From first seeing the lead riders to the last stragglers is probably no more than 10 minutes, total.

But the French make a big day out of it, loads of food, wine and jollity. It's a proper party atmosphere.

A few years back Cav won a stage that went right past our village, but typically we couldn't be there.

[Noggin]

Bit gutted as it doesn't seem to be coming near my area this year I really enjoy watching it but more so when I have an idea where they are!!!

[Bustaspoke]

I used to watch a lot of cycling,but seem to have fallen out of love with the sport over the last 12 months,however I'll be looking forward to Le Tour,it's one of the highlights of summer & as someone once told me it's the world's best travel show.
It would be good to see Cavendish get a stage win but I've never been a fan of the British riders/team Sky/Inneos Grenadiers I always supported Quickstep.

[Dodgy69]

Who are the top brits this year.?

[weeksy]

Thomas, Pidcock, possibly a Yates

CAVENDISH!

[Dodgy69]

No one new then.

[weeksy]

Loads, but none who'll trouble the leaders, possibly a stage though

[Count Steer]

Thomas, Pidcock, possibly a Yates

CAVENDISH!

That'll be SIR CAVENDISH!

[weeksy]

Thomas, Pidcock, possibly a Yates

CAVENDISH!

That'll be SIR CAVENDISH!

I'm not sure if he'll be happy or embarrassed at that.

[Count Steer]

Thomas, Pidcock, possibly a Yates

CAVENDISH!

That'll be SIR CAVENDISH!

I'm not sure if he'll be happy or embarrassed at that.

I'd say happy (he could have turned it down and, let's face it, he's competitive and other sportsmen have been knighted.... ).

Wonder if he'll be the first Sir to win a stage of the TdF?

[Ditchfinder]

Both WVA and Jonas confirmed for Tdf.

[Mr Moofo]

Will it be clean this year?

[weeksy]

That's a relative term. They're all flirting with the line I think, but I'd like to think they're not crossing it.

But you look at them day after day, attack after attack and you have to raise an eyebrow

[Bustaspoke]

I've long since accepted that they're all on 'medication' & just enjoy watching it.
It would be interesting to see how many in the peleton suffer from asthma...

[MingtheMerciless]

I think at east one stage should feature a lengthy pub stop about 3/4 of the way through and then a bastard climb to get to the hotel at the finish. That'd sort the men from the boys

[Count Steer]

Only 8 days to go...just need to get all my biggish jobs done so I can shamelessly loaf in front of the TV and restrict jobs to those that can be done in the ad breaks.