General Classification after stage 17

01 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 70:34:11
02 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:01:59
03 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:02:31
04 Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:02:47
05 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:03:30
06 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:04:19
07 Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team 0:04:34
08 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:13
09 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates 0:06:33
10 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:09:31

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I doubt Froome joins the train. He will likely be told to protect his 3rd place unless Thomas is on a bad day and yellow is in danger. At this point I think it’s more likely that Thomas lays the smack down on stage 19 than has a bad day though. He’s probably going to just be conservative for the TT, but really curious to see just how strong Thomas is now. He’s only been able to unleash the last 1 km of Stages.

phil and paul lost their objectivity. i would say lost it "today" but it's kind of been building to this. they're all in for sky.

no, froome chasing roglic was not sky's plan. froome rides for froome and then sky papers over it when the stage is over; and phil and paul paper over it during their commentary.

then phil commenting, numerous times, about how unfair and unsportsmanlike the booing of sky. i rather think it's a refreshing reaction to a generation ago, when doping was not considered a problem by european fans.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Unless something crazy happens GT just stuck a fork in this TDF. Here’s my take away from what I’ve seen so far.

1) Yes, it is impossible to do the double.
2) Color me over reacting, and of course he’s still very strong but given his age the Froome era is likely over.
3) If TD focuses on the TDF he will be the dominant cyclist in the world.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

Pony up for NBC gold and you can watch the entire stage, ad free, wi5hout Phil and Paul...

I haven’t had to listen to one stage with them yet.

Froome to race triathlon now?

Froome to race tri???? O gawd!!! that would be an ugly sight!

I don't generally watch Phil and Paul, but I do agree with your assessment of them with regard to their lack of objectivity from what I have seen the past few years. That said, I disagree with regard to the refreshing attitude of the fans. Yes they are booing Froome, but if it was just about doping why wouldn't they boo Zakarin, Valverde or the other number of riders who have actually had real issues and suspensions?

Edit to say I'm not defending Froome. I think most at the top are up to something, but their is a bias against him and Sky that is exasperated by their holier than though bullshit and Brailsford's asshat comments.

Keep in mind that absent Froome's early crash, he was in yellow days ago and the entire dynamic of this race was different all along.

Saying his era is over is very premature. He cracked today, but still sits 3rd overall and has raced 4 straight grand tours, winning all except likely this one. GT is the only person currently on the podium who did not race the Giro. GT is the man in this race, but come on - Froome is done off one bad day (about 50 seconds off the yellow jersey)?

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"It's good enough for who it's for" - Grandpa Wayne

Realistically speaking, I'll bet Froome has one more year where he can be a legitimate contender.

It’s not about the “one bad day” it’s just how it is in pro sports. He’s 33, and from this point on will likely lose a little every year. He’s clearly behind TD, who’s 27 and still getting stronger the next few years. Hell even if he was in yellow his era would be in it’s ending days.

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

Thomas specifically said it ws their plan for Froome to go early and try something. If Froome had the legs he would have countered Roglic, he did not have the legs. Sky had to cover any attack from Roglic or TD. That was a perfect move by Froome as it forced TD to chase.

If the fans were worried about doping they should be booing the actual dopers...Valverde, Zakarin, AG2R/Astana with their own trail of doping positives over the last few years.

You may very well be right, but it will take more than one race to figure that out. Until this very stage Froome was ahead of Tom D. The last grand tour they raced, Tom D was in fact not better. So I am not sure the justification for him being "clearly" ahead of Froome outside of today.

Tom D is very strong and may be trending up while Froome is trending down, but again - this is the first time Tom D has bested Froome in a GT (which still isn't over).

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"It's good enough for who it's for" - Grandpa Wayne

I suspect Froome has 2 good years left at a TDF winning level, he clearly cannot do the double. In reality he has raced four grand tours in a row, that takes a tremendous toll on the body. Froome raced (won) two grand tours, then beat TD in the Giro, and now gave up 30 seconds to TD, cut the guy some slack. What is amazing is that this was his first bad day where he lost time do to fitness, the rest of the significant time losses are due to his crashes. I suspect he will come into next year 100% focused on the tour and win.

Thomas looks very strong and fresh. He should have this 100% locked up. Sky can tempo out the last mountain day and then mark TD/Roglic. I suspect Roglic may

Don't forget TD lost 1:20 due to a flat tire & resulting penalty for drafting the team car in the first week. Damn this would be a lot more exciting had that not happened.

i think they're booing froome because:

1. he won the last several grand tours. zakharin, valverde, et al, didn't.
2. he didn't serve a suspension, while others did.
3. there is the perception that sky bought his acquittal.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Froome did have to make an epic comeback to win the Giro. I’m also not saying he’s completely washed out I’m just saying he’s no longer the strongest cyclist in the world and his winning the TDF days are over (likely) given his age and all the guys behind him whom are trending up as he trends down. It’s not just TD. It’s Roglic, Landa, Quintana, Bardet, are all top 10 riders under 30. While not impressive in the overall that Gomez kid at age 21 riding the way he did today... and the last few days for that matter. Froome will still be a top guy it’s just I don’t think next year and further he will have what it takes to win the TDF. Had a similar conversation about a guy named Contador just after HE won the Giro and then raced the TDF. Around when he was the same age and some guy named Froome was a couple years younger...

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I still lapped everyone on the couch!

Andre Greipel....

"Maybe somebody should tell @GroupamaFDJ and @ArnaudDemare that there is GPS tracking in @LeTour. Chapeau to lose just 9min on a 17 km climb on @NairoQuinCo #notthefirsttime."


Looks like Demare once again took a tow, MSR all over again

And I was about to label Quintana a dud this year.

what do you want to wager that froome doesn't race for froome on stage 19?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Now i agree. It’s pretty much over. TD and Froome both look cooked coming off the Giro.

Froome is still the dominant cyclist until proven otherwise. It looks to me like Bernal is who they are grooming to take his place if he can TT

Dumolin still looks too big to me to be a top TDF guy. Of course, Jan Ullrich was similar to TD and he won one, so you never know.

I know, I know. Arm chair quarterbacking.

Observations: Glad Quintana bagged that; good for him and team. Glad to see GT firmly in control; hard not to like the guy. There's no doubt TD is a legit contender in every gt. Rojlic has announced his arrival and good chance he jumps Froome for 3rd; should be good battles to come with him vs TD vs Quintana. Glad to see Froome is human. Bernal; Jezus, he's scary.

Indurain did ok for a big man.