Julian A and Tony M off the front. photo credit AFP
Forget the skinny climbers for a moment. Let’s talk about these two on Stage 16 and appreciate just why they are the professionals and we are not. Young Alaphilippe has already proven himself to be a monster in his Tour debut. If not for a jammed chain on the final descent of stage 15 he might have won his first Tour stage. The dude can climb and descend, like a bastard. And how is he even still in the Tour after this?
Really?
So he shakes that off, nearly wins an incredibly hard stage 15 then rides off the front with teammate Tony Martin early in stage 16. Normally a two person break will be held at four or five minutes, the peloton will break out the picnic baskets and the sprinters will nap until the finale. But no, Tony Martin can ride at over 48 kph for hours, by himself, on a road bike. Alaphilippe did the occasional pull on the front, to save face, but this was the Tony Show.
I dare any civilian to get their bikes up to that speed, grab a handful of ghost spinaci bars, settle in and do that for two minutes. I’m much more impressed by this than Froome’s climbing ability, but I tend toward the rouleurs anyway.
Was it another pointless breakaway? By the time the peloton finally sped by Alaphilippe then Martin it seemed like it but maybe that doesn’t matter. Maybe getting off the front and putting everyone else in the hurt locker for a few hours is reason enough.
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The Panzwerwagon is a prime example of why it's a good thing that Germany never starts a land was in Europe again...
Anyone else noticed TM has his TT kit on ... he had this planned one way or another
Shane Archbold - Chapeau!!
70kms, 2 Cat Climbs, Broken Pelvis
Fuck!!! I stand in awe. One of the truly Hard Men
@Gianni
Exactly. There was no way that was a "free ride". Yes Alaphillipe was taking shorter turns, but he was taking turns, and taking them where it mattered- kept the pace high up the little hills. Almost as if they were working to each others strengths. Fully deserved to both be wearing the red numbers the next stage.
The team had written off the chances of Kittel winning the stage in the team bus that morning. That finale was tough
@David van Dijk
Road skin suit, road aero helmet. Unless it's a mountain it's what he always wears. Especially for sprint lead out. Hell, most of the peloton wear skinsuits day in day out.
@fignons barber
Bauke was not able to crush Froome so this was the best he could do yesterday. Even lost a bit of time on him.
@Nicholas Collins
Ouch,I bet that smarted. Wasn't it a broken pelvis that G had back in 2013 (and carried on riding the Tour)?
Has anyone tried out those new Rudys they're wearing? I love my Noyz (and all the retro ones I have...when will they pull an Oakley and re-release some of their classics?) and they're good, but the nose piece/fit is just not as top notch as Oakley Radars, at least for my face.
Radars sit snugly and close to my face in insanely hot weather and don't move at all in the span of a few hours in the saddle.
Apparently Martin and Alaphastphilippe stayed together when they were caught by the pack ... and then stayed together when they were dropped by the pack, finishing last and second last, two-up to the end. Very cool.
@LeBelge
Yup. I have to watch the tours as a series of races instead of as one big one. Notwithstanding getting run over and then running, we knew the overall winner within the first couple days. Race radios and UK Postal have made tours boring as hell.