Let's get it going. Who do you have?

yukmonkey said:

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Who do you have?

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Not Froome

This is Porte's big chance. He better take advantage of it.

That was a nice finish

It sure was. I think it's a portent of things to come with such a wide-open field.

I didn't know Paul Sherwen had died.

Huge loss for the sport. I really haven't liked Bob Roll over the years, but he did a good job of reigning in his Schtick today. Nice to see him honoring Sherwen with his historical stuff too.

So happy Ineos isn't in yellow tomorrow. I thought this would be Fugelsang's year, but day 1 bit him hard. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Ineos machine go 1,2 with Thomas and Bernal by the end of this.

When was the last time they finished on a dirt road. That was pretty awesome

I hope by some miracle Alaphilippe can stick around for a couple weeks. He's been a blast to watch. Bring back some panache!

Sky (now Ineos) being weaker this year has made for a much more interesting tour. Breakaways are getting away, a whole bunch of people are in the mix for yellow, and it isn't the Ineos mugs we see for four hours every day leading the race.
Also credit to the race organizers, the last few years they have been more creative with some of their course set ups. The short highly mountainous stage and cobbles last year, the Friday stage this year plus closing with three big mountain stages...its fun to see this stuff.

Not so weak looking today!

Agree, they owned it today.
Completely destroyed the too 10 (on a flat stage no less) and put Thomas back as the clear favorite.

This has been the most exciting Tour I've seen in years. Got to say I would love to see Haga go for a stage win but don't know how likely that would be.

KCup17 said:

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This has been the most exciting Tour I've seen in years. Got to say I would love to see Haga go for a stage win but don't know how likely that would be.

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Won a stage of the Giro. Not completely out.

He'll be one of the first to go during the time trial and might be sitting in the leaders seat for a really long time (if not the whole stage)

My tour coverage has been spotty this year but I did catch a little today. I thought I caught a glimpse of Haga near that crash that was about 20K from the finish. I got busy and didn't ever find out if he got knocked off or was just helping a team member. Hopefully the latter as he is such a genial guy you can't help but root for him.

Rohan Dennis abandoned at one of the feed zones today and won't tell his team why. The day before the individual time trial, which he excels at. That's...odd.

Big Cat `93 said:

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Rohan Dennis abandoned at one of the feed zones today and won't tell his team why. The day before the individual time trial, which he excels at. That's...odd.

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https://cyclingtips.com/2019/07/inside-the-bizarre-tour-departure-of-rohan-dennis/

Haga getting some good air time right now during the TT and he is flying. Looks warm so he needs to channel some Texas heat and ride like the wind!

I heard that tidbit about Dennis yesterday. He was scheduled for the Olympics in 2020 so rampantly speculation on my part says that could have played a part. There is a darker side to cycling but I'd rather not speculate on that.

great ride by Chad Haga.

Apparently, Dennis is just crackers.

Well, a bunch of men shave their legs, wear skin tight clothing, train year round in heat and cold, travel at speeds that can and do send one to the ER and ride a bicycle in a race that lasts for close to a month (not including all the others). *

I'd say they are halfway there. And I love it.

*There are podium girls, but I'm a little old lady so that doesn't hold any appeal.

Alaphilippe had a great ride. The French are going wild. Hope in the mountains everyone by the side of the road behaves themselves. Some of the fans get too caught up in helping/harming the riders.

I'm glad to see a Frenchman in the lead this late in the proceedings. Kind of pulling for him to win it all. Thirty-four years is long enough.

Brailsford (Ineos chief) is rather confident sort of guy isn't he?! Their team is kind of how I might view the Yankees or Patriots in that I like individual players/riders but as a collective they are annoyingly well funded and somewhat mercenary in their approach.

I freely admit I'm probably full of poo as I don't follow the back stories of sports, but I do like it when there is someone who breaks out of the mold. Way back when Bardet first broke onto the Tour, I thought he was going to be their (a French champion) guy, but he (or his team) always has some minor catastrophe or tactic at the worst possible moment. Later on, I realized he isn't as complete a rider as other GC contendors, and that may be where Bernal (not French but as an example of a young rider) is right now-he needs to try and up his TT game a little. The French have some pretty good fellows up there along with Alaphilippe. The next few days in the mountains will be revealing.

Edit for clarity and such

Really surprised by today. Phillipe just keeps going, but long way from over with what's left.
But Thomas cracking was pretty shocking.

oragator said:

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Really surprised by today. Phillipe just keeps going, but long way from over with what's left.
But Thomas cracking was pretty shocking.

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Quintana not able to keep up is surprising. I expected him to be near the top finishers today

Quintana just isn't a GC guy. He may not even be a King of the Mountains guy now. Landa should be Movistar's sole focus.

Quintana failing (again) was the least surprising thing that happened.

The entire time Movistar was in front I knew it was a countdown until Quintana imploded

This tour is the best in a long time. Alaphilippe for life.

Dude disappoints me every year....he's cratering again today

I'm pulling for Alaphilippe. He really doesn't have a chance, but that's why it like him

After that, I'm pulling for Pinot. At least he attack's and makes it interesting. Maybe the German Kristic. Ha ha ha from ......

At least it is interesting. I wish USA would field a decent contender. TJ ........well. TJ.

Long time fan from the Z -team era

Thomas may be back in it after picking up 30secs and closing the gap to 1:30. But Alaphilippe has a rest day now to recover, and may be able to hang on.

My gut says this it Pinot's year, simply because of the 3 brutal Alps stages -- especially stage 20 that ends with a 30k HC climb. I think he's had that circled on his training regimen since the day the Tour route was released.

Fuglsang is out. Aggie Chad Haga was involved in the crash