cycling in 2018 & beyond

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Great final stage. One of the absolute best. The quality of the riders on the breakaways was incredible. No shock to anyone to say a couple of the jersey-winners had moments and that there were multiple guys with rainbow bands involved, along with monument winners. And just 2 hours, so easy to watch.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Aside from being a bit anticlimactic and obscenely hot for the riders, it was a good tour.  That last mountain stage was bonkers.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Aside from being a bit anticlimactic and obscenely hot for the riders, it was a good tour.  That last mountain stage was bonkers.

I loved the 21st stage too. It's a perfect balance between breakaway / classics style riding and sprint now. It's finally a competitive stage. Taking the time early lets the GC guys compete too without worrying about losing time.

The Green and Polka dot jerseys, as well as the White, were hyper-competitive into the last week. The big bummer was Jonas and Lipowitz DNFs. It would have been a potentially interesting yellow had V-LAB gone through with the attack it was setting up when Jonas fell, and I would have liked to have seen Ayuso, Skjellmose, Lipo, and Evenepoel work over UAE once their support riders were all sick. I suspect Seixas would have won the white. As it turned out, del Toro had the greatest domestique ever helping him into the White jersey.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

There's scarcely a flat inch anywhere in Wales so next year's start should go off with a bang.

[imref]

saw a little bit of the final stage on TV. It's crazy how they are able to ride with fans almost blocking the path and several idiots standing in front of the riders until the last second.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

The Spanish cops guarding the Vuelta route don't screw around when fans get too close, you might as well be wearing an ETA shirt and have a bomb in your hand 

saw a little bit of the final stage on TV. It's crazy how they are able to ride with fans almost blocking the path and several idiots standing in front of the riders until the last second.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

saw a little bit of the final stage on TV. It's crazy how they are able to ride with fans almost blocking the path and several idiots standing in front of the riders until the last second.

you think that was bad? You should have seen Friday up the switchbacks of the Alpe d'Huez. It's a real problem even without the drunk Dutch fans lighting off orange smoke canisters. At least Montemarte had some wide stretches and was relatively small.

[English Natsie]

Sorry, folks - have to disagree. It's been one of the dullest Tours for years. The result was a foregone conclusion before it even began. We had the unwelcome return of the Prologue (in all but name) - a complete waste of the first stage. Little quality racing - just waiting each day for Pog to drop everyone at will. Even the second Huez stage was rendered meaningless when Pog threw the stage to help Del Toro retain third place.Carapaz was always nailed on for the Polka Dot, so...JV's withdrawal just put the tin-hat on the whole thing. Hopefully better next year...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Mads Pedersen is like prime Sagan.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

TBH the TdF is 3rd of the grand tours in my book...very accessible in this TV market, but otherwise the lesser of the bunch.  The lack of coverage the Giro gets here is criminal.  At least NBC carries La Vuelta on Peacock. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

TBH the TdF is 3rd of the grand tours in my book...very accessible in this TV market, but otherwise the lesser of the bunch.  The lack of coverage the Giro gets here is criminal.  At least NBC carries La Vuelta on Peacock. 

I think my favorite   Vuelta to watch was 2020 when it was held around November, I think. Just gorgeous with the fall colors. No wipeouts on leaves, either.