2020 Tour de France

[GooooMarquette]

Any other cycling fans looking forward to the TdF, which is scheduled to start next Saturday?

Should be an interesting 'experiment.' They are requiring tests before entering the (very loosely defined) bubble, limiting interaction between riders, fans and the press, and will boot any team that has 2 team members test positive. Additionally, France currently prohibits gatherings of 5000 or more, so they will probably try to spread fans out along the route instead of allowing huge crowds on mountain passes and at finish lines. And they are mandating that all fans wear masks. Still, there will be fans all along the route, and the mask mandate and 5000 person limit might be challenging to enforce.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/21/tour-de-france-teams-will-be-expelled-if-two-members-test-positive-for-covid-cycling

[Mutaman]

Hasn't been the same since Lance screwed the pooch.

[Heisenberg]

How do you think Froome will do?

[GooooMarquette]

How do you think Froome will do?

According to Cycling News, his team pulled him from the Tour and plans to use him in the Vuelta.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-and-geraint-thomas-dropped-from-ineos-tour-de-france-team/

So his chances don't look good....

[Jockey]

I enjoy it every year. I was at the velodrome in Kenosha every Tuesday night as a kid. Lots of National Champions and Olympic racers raced there.

[GooooMarquette]

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme positive for coronavirus

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-director-christian-prudhomme-positive-for-coronavirus/

The Tour de France race director was not part of the team 'bubble,' but rode along in a car and had close contact with many riders and race officials. He is now in isolation. Also there were four positive tests among people in the bubble; no riders, but 'in-bubble' race officials for four teams.

The rules for this year's tour specify that any team gets kicked out if it has two positive tests...so four teams are a test away from getting booted. This includes the individual riders who are currently in second, third and fourth place following nine of 21 stages.

[GooooMarquette]

Looks like they will make it to Paris tomorrow without a single rider testing positive for Covid. Huge success.

Today's individual time trial was one of the most amazing stages I have ever seen. Barring disaster tomorrow, Tadej Pogacar about to be the youngest winner (21) since 1904, and the first rider ever to win the overall title, the best young rider competition, and the 'king of the mountains' title. Wow!

Chapeau, Tadej!