Tour de France 2024

[Over The Post]

Anyone else having trouble accessing SBS On Demand?

 

[Orange Agent]

Is it just me, or is Bridie O'Donnell too much of a try hard?


Not everything she says annoys me, but a decent chunk does.

Given she's an ex pro and high level she offers very little racing insight for somebody of her experience. Seems more interested in naming the cheese or wine of the region or commentating the landscape.

 

[Over The Post]

On Demand fixed itself after half an hour. Problem their end, not mine

 

[Vader]

On Demand fixed itself after half an hour. Problem their end, not mine

Do they have a clean stream this year?

By that, I mean no ad breaks, no inserts (e.g. the bit they did on Australian teams at the Tour, and pre-stage rider interviews), and no studio panel discussions.

On SM-A5360 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[largebus]

Is it just me, or is Bridie O'Donnell too much of a try hard?


Not everything she says annoys me, but a decent chunk does.

The whole SBS team has gone downhill, the directors probably order them to constantly talk up the Aussies like Ch 7 does for the Olympics.
Maybe's it's that she's a Pies supporter (not the SANFL variety) and was on their board.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The whole SBS team has gone downhill, the directors probably order them to constantly talk up the Aussies like Ch 7 does for the Olympics.
Maybe's it's that she's a Pies supporter (not the SANFL variety) and was on their board.

She's actually a Bulldogs supporter who was appointed to the Pies board after the McGuire resignation restructure. I think it was because of a combo of her elite sports back ground, medical background and sports science and they wanted another female board member.

When the Bulldogs smashed Port in the 2021 PF and she had been on the board for a few months, she either on twitter or Instagram had a picture of her in her Bulldogs colours celebrating the victory. She did not last that much longer on the Collingwood board.

 

[largebus]

She's actually a Bulldogs supporter who was appointed to the Pies board after the McGuire resignation restructure. I think it was because of a combo of her elite sports back ground, medical background and sports science and they wanted another female board member.

When the Bulldogs smashed Port in the 2021 PF and she had been on the board for a few months, she either on twitter or Instagram had a picture of her in her Bulldogs colours celebrating the victory. She did last that much longer on the Collingwood board.

Well there we go, I just assumed she was a Pies supporter. I do remember her not being on the board for that long though. The more you know.

 

[largebus]

Holy cripes Romain and Frank held off the peloton. Had some motorbike assistance but well done.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Great last 10 kms by Bardet and teammate van den Broek. Somehow denied the peloton.

Van Aert holds off the Pog just behind them.

 

[99 Problems]

Brilliant from DSM and nice for Bardet to get the yellow jersey. Rolled the dice and it paid off. Big help from the moto but they’re not the first to benefit from it.

Not many other teams come away saying the same though. Crazy day tactically. Let a break with some strong riders go meaning they worried and burnt a bunch of matches keeping them on a tight leash. Then teams ended up nursing the last climbs to get riders over in the main group but then couldn’t push the chase on the flat.

One day in and danger signs for that UAE team. Don’t have the riders to control or push the flat and not enough out and out donestiques. Best thing that could have happened for them was if Ayuso did drop and lose time.

Jonas looked very comfortable and Wout better than I expected. These are the stages that must hurt him knowing he likely wins at another team riding just for him.

 

[Orange Agent]

I thought UAE played it perfectly for their own goals. Normally on a stage like this they end up doing too much. They allowed the teams after a stage win to do all the work. I think they usually set out with a pre-race plan and execute no matter what is happening on the road. Today they dropped back into the bunch as soon as other teams commited to the chase. Looked to be a lot harder day than people anticipated.

 

[eth-dog]

I thought UAE played it perfectly for their own goals. Normally on a stage like this they end up doing too much. They allowed the teams after a stage win to do all the work. I think they usually set out with a pre-race plan and execute no matter what is happening on the road. Today they dropped back into the bunch as soon as other teams commited to the chase. Looked to be a lot harder day than people anticipated.

I think they realise they can't spend too many tickets early. That cost them in the last two editions plus Pogi is coming off the Giro.

Can't believe he tried to sprint for third though. Crazy man.

 

[99 Problems]

I thought UAE played it perfectly for their own goals. Normally on a stage like this they end up doing too much. They allowed the teams after a stage win to do all the work. I think they usually set out with a pre-race plan and execute no matter what is happening on the road. Today they dropped back into the bunch as soon as other teams commited to the chase. Looked to be a lot harder day than people anticipated.

They did try a few times though. Politt early and Sivakov in particular later both did plenty of work. They only really looked to give up when Ayuso was going to drop if the tempo kept on. They are already very light on rouleurs to support Pog, I don’t think they need to waste any energy on days where they aren’t going for the win or to attack.

Other teams were much worse though. EF needed to be in the break, and let Healy keep going in no mans land for far too long. Trek wanted to be in a position to control the sprint late instead of making sure they actually caught the front two.

 

[Vader]

I was surprised that the teams like UAE & Visma were going so hard last night. I would have thought they would have been happy for one of the smaller teams to take the yellow this early, so they aren't forced to defend it right from day 1.

It made sense for the smaller teams, like DSM/EF/Lidl Trek to do the work, in the hope of winning the stage and getting yellow. It didn't make sense (to me) for the GC teams to be going that hard this early.

 

[Over The Post]

Stage 2 Cesenatico > Bologne

The passage across the Emilia-Romagna region is straightforward enough to begin with as it takes the peloton to Imola and its famous motor racing circuit. The final part of the stage, featuring the climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca (1.9km at 10.6%), the traditional finale of the Giro dell’Emilia, which will be tackled twice in the final 40km, offers fertile terrain for the peloton’s puncheurs.

 

[Over The Post]

This is the region the tour is headed towards in stages 4 and 5:

View attachment italy rain.mp4

 

[eth-dog]

Feel like this should be the break still somehow.

 

[eth-dog]

Jakobsen is in really bad form. Can't even stay with Cav.

 

[Orange Agent]

Break is losing cohesion. The gap is still pretty big but I think it will be a close finish again.

 

[eth-dog]

Break is losing cohesion. The gap is still pretty big but I think it will be a close finish again.

Vaquelin needs to bury himself for Rodriguez I reckon

 

[Orange Agent]

Vaquelin needs to bury himself for Rodriguez I reckon

Wellens and Pollit going out the back already was interesting. Dunno whether saving themselves or the pace being too high but not a great sign for UAE. It was only a small climb, Wellens is normally fine on those.

 

[Orange Agent]

This has been a great course design, to get the Imola WC lap in as well as Giro de Emilia climb in is really cool.

 

[Orange Agent]

What a ride from Remco. GC battle is on.

 

[99 Problems]

Great stage and good on Vaquelin. Again some teams would be thinking how did they miss that break. Given the squad they brought no idea what a team like EF are thinking.

Remco is an animal. I’m not sure how he’ll go trying to keep near the big two on the tough climbs, but I can see him picking up the yellow in the time trial and keeping it until at least stage 11.

 

[eth-dog]

Perfect day for Jonas and Visma LAB. Showed he could stay with Tadej (who now has to defend yellow), made Evenepoel chase and Bora shit the bed tactically. Roglic up the back when those two attacked. Didn't join Remco when he attacked. Didn't chase at all on the descent. Really bizarre.