F O U R T H E Y E

Off topic but anyone catch the Federer vs Djokovic Wimbledon final? Shame Roger lost he had a chance to serve it out but it was an incredible match played at any incredibly high level. Genius level stuff from both players. Sublime tennis. The kind of match you feel lucky to see when it is done.

As for the Tour mostly all quiet again big shake isn’t until later this week. The Time trial will be the big GC shake up and then the big mountains. That finish up the Tourmalet should be a great stage. It isn’t D’Huez or Ventoux but Tourmalet is nasty climbing up to just under 7000 feet.

I didn't like the behaviour from Djokovic at the end. He hit a hard ball straight at Roger. Okay, that's legitimate, but players most of the time say 'sorry'.
He didn't. Possibly frustration. Not a nice gut at that moment.

Raffa D wrote: ↑Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:20 am I didn't like the behaviour from Djokovic at the end. He hit a hard ball straight at Roger. Okay, that's legitimate, but players most of the time say 'sorry'.
He didn't. Possibly frustration. Not a nice gut at that moment.

Yeah Djokovic seemed to be irritable at the end. Roger pushed him and he had the match on his racket. I think nerves came in to play which is understandable being the guy is a month away from 38 and playing at that high of a level. I just wish at 40-15 when he was serving for the match he would have slowed down. Roger likes to play fast but sometimes he plays too fast for his own good. One more good well placed solid first serve and the title was his. That said none of us can imagine what kind of pressure it is like being in that moment in front of so many at that high a level. As I said it was one of those matches I am just glad I was able to witness.

Mountain stage tomorrow into Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Not a big stage two first category climbs with a long descent for the finish. Not sure if it will be an attack day for any of the GC contenders. Very long gradual descent down kind of doubtful any of the big names will risk attacking. Not with a Time Trial on Friday and then the climb up the Tourmalet on Saturday. GC is going to come into focus over these next two stages. The Tourmalet is going to rip these guys in half up to under 7000 feet, particularly with a Time Trial the day before. Two completely different styles of riding and cadence. Yeah we will have a pretty good idea who realistically has a shot at winning the tour by Saturday night.

Aussie domination...

Rohan Dennis quit today and nobody knows why. He wasn't a GC contender but he is the reigning world time trial champion and had a real chance at a stage win tomorrow. At this point Thomas is sitting second and I would be surprised if he wasn't in yellow tomorrow. Then Saturday is the climb up the Tourmalet which will really settle out who has a chance to win this tour. So far nothing I have seen makes me think anyone has anything for Thomas but it is the tour and you never know. I imagine all the riders are nervous having a time trial and then such a massive mountain top finish the next day. Recovery is going to be huge.

neat! it even has the Wilhelm Scream at the end!

liz wrote: ↑Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:07 pm

I dig it.

You should watch the time trial or at least the climb up the Tourmalet on Saturday. That climb will rip the field apart.

The bloke has encouraged me to watch it too. He likes cricket though so it was no recommendation as far as I was concerned.

liz wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 1:11 am The bloke has encouraged me to watch it too. He likes cricket though so it was no recommendation as far as I was concerned.

Now that Busty has explained what is actually going on in a cricket match my appreciation has gone up significantly. Unfortunately there is only one channel I can catch Cricket on in the US but I am looking forward to catching more matches. Fascinating sport from a tactics standpoint

@Busty - Thanks again for that most excellent breakdown

A big surprise today in the time trial Julian Alaphilippe won and extended his lead in yellow. Figured Thomas would have gotten him but apparently heat was an issue. Tomorrow is the real test. Tourmalet. Will Alaphilippe crack? Can he handle the big climbs when the attacks come? Should be a hell of a day.

Also not sure if anyone is watching the British Open but Royal Portrush is such a fantastic golf course. So happy the Open came back to Northern Ireland. Just hope we get wind on the weekend. No wind these guys tear a links course up because the greens are slow, which they have to be slow to defend against when the wind picks up. They got at the golf course today. If we get some wind on the weekend the course will bite back. Wide open as well no clue who is going to come out on top.

I like watching paint dry. I used to watch back when Lance was a boss on the bike. Cut the guy some slack, everyone was and still probably is doping. But he does come off as a bit of a dick. Regardless, he did inspire and raise millions for a good cause.

But yeah, paint drying is fun to watch.

What a stage today Thomas is in trouble. Cannot believe Alaphillipe is still in yellow. Crazy tour this is turning out to be. Pinot wins the stage the French are losing their minds right now. Alaphillipe is the real deal. Still big Mountains left in the last week anything can happen.

And Lowry went crazy at the British 8 under today 4 shot lead going into the final round.

Big mountains start on Thursday. Stages 18-20 all big climbs with 19 and 20 being brutal. Thomas seems upbeat so his weakness in the Pyrenees might have been an anomaly. He said he struggled with the heat during the time trial and couldn't really recover over the Tourmalet. The Alps will decide the tour. Alaphillipe is on good form so Thomas will have to put in some serious attacks to break him. Should be fun.

I hope Steven Kruiswijk will do well.

Today's stage was historically strange. They had to call the race before the start of the final climb because of a hail storm that basically made the descent off the Col de l'Iseran too dangerous. It is exceedingly rare that stages are called early or altered because of weather. It was the right call the hailstorm was intense and it hit literally just before they finished climbing up the L'Iseran. If they had descended down into that someone could have died. The climb up the L'Iseran was nasty. Up to 9000 feet. Bernal finally broke Allaphillipe and has taken the yellow jersey heading into tomorrows final mountain stage where the race will be decided. Tomorrow's stage ends with a 34km climb up to Val Thorens. That is a crazy long beyond category climb up to around 7500 feet.

Best wishes for Steven Kruijswijk. Yesterday he was disadvantaged because he saved his powers for the last mountain. Now it's all in. Before the tour he said he would go for a place on the podium. He can beat Alphaville. But not sure he can best Bernal and Thomas

Bernal deserving winner strongest in the mountains and a force for years to come. Still wonder in Pinot could have challenged if not for the thigh muscle tear. Bizarre ending in the Alps with the hail storm causing the cancellation of the final climb in stage 19 and the subsequent mudslides and road issues causing stage 20 to be altered and shortened. Don’t think it had any real impact on the outcome Bernal was so strong longer stages and an additional climb would have allowed him to widen his lead.

All in all not an awful tour but I do hope we get a better route next year. Certainly a visit back to D’Huez and/or Venteux. And for fucks sakes get rid of the team time trial such a waste every tour should have two individual time trials.