Tour de France 2019 **SPOILERS**

[Starchivore]

.......Because fun is fast

Hmmm.... something about that combination of words rings a quiet, distant bell of familiarity....

 

[Aravis]

I'm trying to whip up more support for them.

Without much success, it seems

Don't be too disheartened. During a quiet bit last week, Millar was rabbitting on about the approach of some of the smaller teams, and he was full of praise for WGG's clear objectives and how they were meeting them - or something like that. Suffice to say that but for your posts I wouldn't even have noticed.

If you're looking for a way to put one of them on the podium for something, I'm happy to help.

But first:

What an excellent idea. Not only does it wangle Alaphilippe the win that we all crave, but it also gets two Wanty Groupe Gobert riders in the top 10. (well almost, Meurisse is tied in 10th place)

1 JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE DECEUNINCK - QUICK - STEP 388 (21,1,56,10,6,22,3,35,11,17,31,1,2,11,20,34,14,26,67)
2 EGAN BERNAL TEAM INEOS 449 (81,12,23,45,12,24,9,48,14,13,28,22,5,5,28,39,8,4,29)
3 GERAINT THOMAS TEAM INEOS 463 (111,13,54,24,4,25,10,32,12,23,27,2,8,7,25,38,13,5,30)
4 STEVEN KRUIJSWIJK TEAM JUMBO - VISMA 544 (56,17,42,34,20,58,23,58,18,19,50,6,3,8,27,51,10,8,36)
5 NAIRO QUINTANA MOVISTAR TEAM 587 (53,35,26,51,7,21,13,53,21,22,44,28,17,19,71,57,1,10,38)
6 GUILLAUME MARTIN WANTY - GOBERT CYCLING TEAM 643 (20,15,20,14,24,54,34,34,62,27,71,53,22,15,22,75,20,39,22)
7 RIGOBERTO URAN EF EDUCATION FIRST 650 (82,21,27,61,15,41,14,46,48,25,69,4,7,20,35,74,15,6,40)
8 WARREN BARGUIL TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC 654 (101,33,61,19,21,36,17,43,26,10,56,61,9,13,18,60,18,11,41)
9 EMANUEL BUCHMANN BORA - HANSGROHE 663 (173,28,51,35,8,51,18,24,22,35,45,15,4,4,30,55,11,7,47)
10 ALEJANDRO VALVERDE MOVISTAR TEAM 669 (67,30,73,56,29,64,31,61,27,47,36,14,12,9,32,43,19,2,17)
10 XANDRO MEURISSE WANTY - GOBERT CYCLING TEAM 669 (26,8,84,11,3,62,7,22,46,57,34,40,56,22,31,20,39,67,34)

As an aside, this goes some way to explain why I'm such a fan of WGG. Since they first showed up in the TdF about 3 or 4 years ago they have always been visible, always busy. They were busting a gut for Pasqualon on the Champs Elysees yesterday even though they knew they really weren't in with a chance (I think he came in 16th). (And they just won the first two stages and currently hold the lead in the Tour of Walonie).

It gets better; this is the basis used when the Tour was decided on points, from 1905 to 1912. Alaphilippe has won the Tour!

To move WGG up still further, I think you'll need to go back to the combination classification. I was right that this disappeared from the Tour after 1989, also the final year of the intermediate sprints competition, which was also included in the calculation for the combination award. Wikipedia is pretty helpful about the bases used for all competitions in 1989, and I think you should be able to construct equivalent points and intermediate sprints classifications from the 2019 placings, if you really want to.

But it may be harder for the KOM, since from memory, points used to be handed out for many more placings, particularly on the smaller climbs, and the 2019 data won't tell you who to give the points to. So trying to be totally accurate looks a bit futile, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd suggest cherry picking whatever bases work to WGG's advantage, provided they resemble something that was actually used at some point, somewhere.

It seems that the 1989 combination classification allocated 25 points for first place in the individual competitions, 24 for second, and so on, with nothing for 25th or lower. So not being classified in the intermediate sprints, which was probably quite a common situation, didn't in that year rule you out of the combination. You see where I'm going with this?

Another surprising nugget: in 1989, again according to Wikipedia quoting what looks to be a credible source*, there actually was an award to the rider holding the yellow jersey for the most days, the Souvenir Jacques Anquetil. This was won by Laurent Fignon, with nine days, defeating Greg Lemond by the narrowest possible margin. He must've been thrilled.

* van den Akker, Pieter (2018). Tour de France Rules and Statistics. 1903–2018

 

[rich p]

Ex England wicket keeper did the whole route, albeit the day before the weather and landslides.

 

[ColinJ]

When will itv4 ring me up and tell me I've won the Boardman bike package?

It was in the bumpf that you should have read before entering!

I didn't enter that competition because I didn't want to go to the Boardman centre and I am happy with my best bike so it seemed a shame to deprive another cyclist of the chance to win them.

I have gone for the £15,000, 3 normal Bromptons, and MY Brompton - the super-duper Ti one with 6 gears. I will give away the other 3 Bromptons and keep mine for holidays.

 

[Dogtrousers]

View: https://twitter.com/France2tv/status/1155783667253415937?s=19

 

[suzeworld]

Great photos, foghat, thanks.

 

[cisamcgu]

View: https://twitter.com/France2tv/status/1155783667253415937?s=19

I know he is paid millions of Euros, but my heart bleeds for him, he is so fragile

 

[Dogtrousers]

Another stupid and meaningless re-ranking.

At the suggestion of Michael Hutchinson on Twitter, how about an elimination race?

View: https://twitter.com/Doctor_Hutch/status/1155231613053276161


This left 7 still in the race at the end of stage 21. Then I took the order of finishing in the final stage.

And lo and behold, WGG came second

1 ALEJANDRO VALVERDE MOVISTAR TEAM
2 GUILLAUME MARTIN WANTY - GOBERT CYCLING TEAM
3 EGAN BERNAL TEAM INEOS
4 GERAINT THOMAS TEAM INEOS
5 STEVEN KRUIJSWIJK TEAM JUMBO - VISMA
6 NAIRO QUINTANA MOVISTAR TEAM
7 RIGOBERTO URAN EF EDUCATION FIRST

It's worth noting that in nearly all of my silly what if reassessments Bernal, Thomas and Kruijswijk come through unscathed.

 

[rich p]

View: https://twitter.com/France2tv/status/1155783667253415937?s=19

You've got feel a twinge of sympathy but can you imagine Chris Froome reacting like that?
Look how he's dealing with a life/career threatening crash to contrast what it takes to have the winning mentality top athletes need.

 

[cisamcgu]

You've got feel a twinge of sympathy but can you imagine Chris Froome reacting like that?
Look how he's dealing with a life/career threatening crash to contrast what it takes to have the winning mentality top athletes need.

But we only see Froome days after the event, an event that was his own fault (I think). Pinot is just so unlucky

 

[Adam4868]

I like a bit of passion but Pinot.Yea I feel for him but I do for everyone else as well (Barr Bouhanni obviously ! ) Get over it and move on.

 

[rich p]

Barr Bouhanni obviously !

 

[nickyboy]

I like a bit of passion but Pinot.Yea I feel for him but I do for everyone else as well (Barr Bouhanni obviously ! ) Get over it and move on.

Potentially first French winner of the Tour since 1985, showing great form having pulled back a lot of what he lost in the crosswinds stage. Something he had been working towards all his adult life.Minutes after his abandonment

I think he's allowed to show his emotions, stages of grief and all that, innit. I'm sure he's at the "acceptance" phase now

 

[Adam4868]

Potentially first French winner of the Tour since 1985, showing great form having pulled back a lot of what he lost in the crosswinds stage. Something he had been working towards all his adult life.Minutes after his abandonment

I think he's allowed to show his emotions, stages of grief and all that, innit. I'm sure he's at the "acceptance" phase now

I didn't say he wasn't,I did feel for him.But a lot of those riders have been in the same position.I felt for Rowe getting sent home,I felt for Bennet getting bottles and fecking his chance,I felt for Allaphillipe getting so near yet so far,Thomas for missing his chance for a second Tour,Fulgsang for crashing out...I could go on and on.Pinot got a injury and couldn't carry on.shoot happens,if he's mentally strong enough to win a Tour he will get over it and come back stronger.
As will Froome !

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Norwegian broadcasters are now blaming UAE's use of a new and unfamiliar sports drink in the Tour for Kristoff's (and Martin's) poor performance. Apparently, they say, it caused too much water to be absorbed...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cha...med-for-uaes-poor-tour-de-france-performance/