Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[Paddingtonwolf]

Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde?

I haven't checked the detailed route yet but looking at the start and end towns, that must be the Tourmalet at least.

I am interested in the short brutal mountain stage. It will certainly encourage some feisty shenanigans. Good to the see the Alpe back in. Sadly no Ventoux that I can see as the race doesn't seem to be going too close to Carpentras.

Mur De Bretagne will be a nice little wake up call early doors. Excellent puncheur finish that one.

8 to a team is the anti-Sky gambit, by the look of it.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Will there be more teams given the squad number reduction?

 

[machin05]

Just fewer riders, I think.

 

[Johnny75]

Fewer riders to prevent team dominance, although this was hidden behind the 'safety first' stuff they peddle to get this kind of stuff through.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It will have a benefit (hopefully) of helping to make it far more unlikely that there is the standard middle of the peleton touch of wheels pile up in the first week that can easily eliminate a favourite.

HOWEVER - it is still a very obvious anti-Sky move.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

Good! Sky have choked the life out of the GC battle for the majority of the last 5 years. Should be noted this is across the board in the world tour and not just a rule change for the Tour. Sky don't dominate the rest of the season so essentially just an anti dominant teams rule.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Well, I don't think it is good at all. All the other teams had the same number. Sky will just make sure their eight is super strong.

It is a daft idea. The only other good side is if they use it to allow more teams into the peloton. Some of the second division teams could have a chance to have good tours.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

Sky are super strong because their budget dwarfs all the other teams, they have domestiques who would lead the majority of other teams in grand tours, not sure what's interesting about that. Smaller teams always makes for more exciting racing whether it's a classic or a stage race so not really sure what the issue is here.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Froome to ride the Giro, thus attempting to become only the third rider to hold all three Grand Tours in one go.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Route looks reasonably tasty as well. Etna and the Zoncolan are definitely in.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Etna's ascent is a newbie this year. My bumhole went all puckered at the thought of 20+% gradients.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

Pleased to see Froome go for the Giro. Let's face it, if he does manage the Giro-Tour double he won't sit the Vuelta out!

 

[Bit on the shaggies]

Froome failed a dope test during the Vuelta. That's his reputation shot to shit then.

 

[machin05]

Holy shit!

 

[machin05]

That's got to bring the whole of Team Sky into question too?

 

[machin05]

Bit more reading on it - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/dec/13/chris-froome-team-sky-reputation-abnormal-drug-test

 

[Bit on the shaggies]

Yes. His Salbutamol TUE has come back to bite him on the arse. I can't see him ever really clearing his name after this. He'll be lumped in with Armstrong as just another TDF drugs cheat.

 

[machin05]

Yes. His Salbutamol TUE has come back to bite him on the arse. I can't see him ever really clearing his name after this. He'll be lumped in with Armstrong as just another TDF drugs cheat.

Really, that bad?

 

[Tredman]

You don't need a TUE for salbutamol. It was one odd reading out of numerous tests, which actually seems to be easily explainable. Bit of an over reaction to lump him in with Lance.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Yeah, a bit hyperbolic to say the least. And I'm not a huge Froome fan either, although I have warmed to him of late.