#647

Bardet has a much better chance, but is so untested in leading a GT I doubt he’ll cope

#648

Can see Pinot coming a heartbreakingly close second behind one of the ineos boys.

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#649

Hopefully he deals with the pressure a bit better than he normally does. Would love to see him or Bardet do it.

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#650

If a French rider wins it, I’m heading to the champs elysees

#651

Would be scenes! Have you read this?

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780224092050/Badger-Bernard-Hinault-Fall-Rise-0224092057/plp

Last time French cycling was in a good place. It’s been a while

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#652

I have not. Just finished colin o’brien’s book on the giro - that’s decent.

#653

Real good book. Highly recommended

#654

Nibali not riding the TdF?

edit: ok, missed him in the list of possibles.

#655

Riding, but according to interviews, for Polka dots and stages

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#656

Might change his mind in the circumstances?

#657

Possibly, and it wouldn’t surprise me, but he’s ridden the giro flat out and we know how most Giro/Tour challenges go. Reckon those comments about Polka dots and stages are him managing expectations

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#658

As well as sticking to my prediction that Fuglsang will do well, I am now thinking Bardet, Pinot and Kruiswijk might do better than in previous years because of all the climbing.

I’d really like Thibaut to do well

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#659

How come Quintana seems to have dropped off the absolute peak?

Going to root for Bardet 'cause I like him for no good reason at all.

#660

Do you want my, outlandish, answer, or the more likely sensible answer?

#661

as if you have to ask

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#662

It’s a new me. Polite

#663

Excuse my ignorance on pro-cycling. Just like watching it when I get the chance but all the teams, tactics and goings on are an absolute mystery.

would like both theories if you can be bothered.

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#664

My theory

He was doping and has backed off quite a bit since the Heano biopassport case/study a couple of years ago. I personally believe something like this is possible, but then I have a very, very ,very low opinion of professional cyclists

Or…

Sensible Theory 1

That Giro field in 2014 when he won wasn’t particularly deep, filled with riders on their way out (Ryder and Cadel) or riders on their way up (Majka and Aru)

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/2014/gc

Or

Teams have worked out how to race against him and make sure he’s not a factor come the mountains (put pressure on flat frantic stages, or any stage there’s a chance of echelons). Plus his TT is appalling

And never apologise m9

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#665

He was so close to Froome and seemed to be in the ascendency (& young) but I can see how this makes sense as it may simply be that that point was his peak and like you say other teams have learnt how to counteract his strengths.

Still find it a bit strange though…so your theory…

#666

The 2013 TdF where he had Froome on the ropes going up the Alpe was brilliant, but come 2015, most GC teams had realised he never has a good position in the peloton and doesn’t like riding towards the front. He ships so much time in echelon days because of his positioning. His TT is shit, and now you have GC riders like Tommy D, Thomas and Roga who can climb well enough and TT to maintain their position, he’s never really a factor

But write him off at your peril I suppose

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