Episode Topics: Racing recap: European Championships, Tour de France Stage 1 & 2 Recap . Stage 3-9 Preview,
Social Media:
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Strava:
Aaron - https://www.strava.com/athletes/777347
Sam - https://www.strava.com/athletes/150453
Strava…..Stats of the week!
Sam: 40 Miles, 2595 ft
Aaron: 150 Miles, 5,555 ft
Ride of the Week:
Sam - Somo, Easing into Bike Fit - 32 mi 2500 ft
Aaron - WVC, Rain in AZ - 59 mi 1,1175 ft
Pro Cycling News:
Matthews out at Sunweb
Tony Martin - Extends with Jumbo till 2022
Oomen official with Jumbo for 3 years
Bora and hansgrohe extend to 2024
AG2R-Citroen extend to 2025
Stybar out of the Tour with some knee pain.
- Sad to see him out. Was really looking good since the restart.
Race Coverage:
Tour De France Stage 1 & 2 Recap
- Stage 1: Crashes Crashes Crashes. Degenkolb and Gilbert out. Notable crashes, Roglic, Lopez, Sanchez, Pinot, Gaudu, Molard, Sivakov, Amador, Poels, Kamna, Uran, G Bennett
- Stage 2: An early TDF climbing stage
Tour De France week 1 Preview Continued
Using the profiles from steephill.tv so if you wanted to follow along at home.
Stage 3 (Monday, Aug 31st)
Sam: Classic Breakaway stage. What happened yesterday will predict how this stage goes. If the break has no one in the hunt for yellow it will be let go. Just enough difficulty for De Gendt to show his stuff. Teams with GC ambition might not allow their hunters out into the break.
Aaron: Definitely a sprint stage. Someone who can do an uphill sprint
Contenders: Break: De Gendt, Formolo, GVA, Alaphillippe, Benoot, Calmejane, Gautier
Sprint: Pedersen, Sagan, Ewan, Bennett, Boasson Hagen, Kristoff, Stuyven
Aaron Pick: Sagan, DeGendt
Sam Pick: Benoot, Pedersen
Stage 4 (Tuesday, Sept 1st)
Sam: Im not sure if ive seen a cat 1 mountain stage finish this early in the tour in the past decade. I dont normally look for fireworks this early but it will be a great stage to put in a big attack. 7.1km @ 6.7% isnt going to be too tough but with a blistering tempo we could see some contenders lose their podium ambitions on this stage.
Contenders: All the GC guys
Sam Pick: Roglic
Aaron Pick: Roglic
Stage 5 (Wednesday, Sept 2nd)
This is a weird transition stage. A lot of nothing going to go on here i think. I expect a small break away to form but not really get a long leash. Just not anywhere for it to happen. Not sure what the weather will be like but wind could be the only thing i can see happening here to have an effect. If it wasnt for his role this would be a great stage for WVA. As it stands the finale doesnt seem too hard but it will eliminate the pure sprinters.
Contenders: Break: De Gendt, Formolo, GVA, Alaphillippe, Benoot, Calmejane, Gautier
Sprint: Pedersen, Sagan, Ewan, Bennett, Boasson Hagen, Kristoff, Stuyven
Aaron Pick: Ewan
Sam Pick: Stuyven
Stage 6 (Thursday Sept 3rd)
A tale of two halves this stage. Pancake Flat for the first 155km and then a Cat 1 (11km @ 7.3%) at 25km to go. I expect the domestiques have their work cut out for them on the Col de la Lusette. Possible satellite riders up ahead for GC guys to win the stage. I imagine a breakaway having their day here. Just not tough enough for TJV or Ineos to let anyone get away.
Contenders: GC riders, Break: Izaguirre bros, Gautier, De Gendt, Alaphillippe, Latour, Bilbao, Formolo, Pozzovivo, Nieve
Sam Pick: Fraile
Aaron Pick: Pinot
Stage 7 - Friday Sept 4th
Really tough stage to pick. Sprint or Breakaway? 40km of roughly flat in the finale seems like a sprint stage to me.
Contenders: Kristoff, Sagan, Bennett, Pedersen, Bol, Ewan, Viviani
Sam Pick: Ewan
Aaron Pick: Bennett
Stage 8 Saturday Sept 5th
The Pyrenees await the peloton this weekend. This profile is always a crapshoot to select. The climbs dont seem difficult enough to cause any action. Sivakov, Kuss and Bennett will be putting in work this weekend keeping the reigns in for their leaders. Expect a good breakaway to form and possibly find a winner out of it. Some teams satellite guys will be available for the HC climb if the time gap is small enough.
Contenders: GC Riders,
Sam Pick: Bardet
Aaron Pick: Roglic
Stage 9 Sunday Sept 6th
The second day in the Pyrenees seems more lackluster than the first day. With the rest day tomorrow i thought this stage would look a bit more exciting. If there is GC action except it on the last climb. I think we can see back to back breakaway winners.
Contenders:
Sam Pick: Carapaz
Aaron Pick: Alaphillippe
Next Week Preview:
Stages 3-9 recap, Stages 10-15 preview