This is an EXCITING TDF. No idea who will win. I bet someone in the top 6 attacks tomorrow and takes the yellow.
And only holds it a day, and losses it in first Alps stage.
I bet 2 or 3 different people wear yellow before it ends.

Maybe. I feel like tomorrow is an "Alaphilippe" day whether he's in yellow or not. He's best on the short climbs, so I see him able to hang with any attacks and definitely not losing 90 seconds. The alps are a whole different animal though. I hope he holds on to it, but I have a feeling that after all this excitement, Thomas is still going to win with Bernal in second. Sky/Ineos dominance continues

I'll be very VERY surprised if Thomas and Bernal are 1 and 2. After see Thomas crack a few days ago, with 5 other riders within 39 secs of Thomas, I almost expect him to drop to 4-6 at the end.

Agree that it has been suspenseful this year.
Regarding Thomas, he took a spill today so I expect him to sit tight and not do anything crazy tomorrow since, as you stated, it's Alaphilippe's specialty. Places 2 through 6 are pretty tight, and it's anybody's game if someone can get away or not crack when others do. Pinot is looking rather spry and frankly, I expect the French would be just as happy if he won it.

Interesting stage today. Massive breakaway with no contenders gave the real competitors a relaxing day in the saddle. Off the front, Matteo Trentin proved to be too much for the rest, timed his attack perfectly, and won with a solid gap. Impressive. Also, that's 4 stage wins for Mitchelton-Scott. For not taking a jersey, that seems like a pretty good showing on a tour.

I'm surprised no GC contender made a move today. There's only 3 stages (all mountain) left.
Someone MUST attack tomorrow.

Today was a pretty flat stage with no crosswinds. I think since there are 3 intense climbing days coming up they all wanted to conserve energy and let their legs do the talking in the high mountains.

Because it was flat and finished down hill someone could have tried to get some cheap easy time.

If one person or even a tandem from a team tried to attack, there are at least five other teams with 3 or more riders still together that would work together to destroy the attack. And then those who attacked would have wasted energy needed to climb the biggest mountains (a cat 1 and two HC climbs!). It seems crazy, but the effort needed to gain a couple seconds on a stage like today would have been felt in the legs 24 hours later and could cost 15 minutes.

It was also really really hot. A race that long in that kind of heat when you are facing three subsequent high altitude stages in the days following means that an 18 minute gap was a nice ride for the peloton. Can't say that I blame them.

By not attacking today, they ensure it's decided in the mountains. That will be to the detriment of some contenders.

If Nairo Quintana picks up 5-6 minutes on the rest of the leaders, he is potentially back in the race.

Q is back in it at under 4 mins. But after such a big ride today to win the stage, it's hard to think he has anything left to charge tomorrow and Saturday.
Bernal is clearly gunning for the win. You have to wonder how that plays out with Thomas. Could Thomas and Bernal be racing up the final climb for the win? Does Alaphilippe hang on? Has Pinot missed his chance? Does someone else take it?
It is a wild finish!

I write off Quintana and he wins a mountain stage. Figures.

I'm curious to see what, if anything, Kruijswijki and Buchmann have in the tank, too. The next two days should be amazing to watch. The entire tour could seriously be determined on the final climb to Val Thorens.

Movistars team tactics this tour have baffled me.

I'm not sure that Alaphilippe can hang on to the jersey just because the next two stages don't have descents after the final climb for him to neutralize 20-60 second losses like today.

When he started pulling away on that descent I stood up and cheered like it was Kellen Mond throwing a touchdown pass - didn't amount to much, but wow, this tour is so exciting!

blindey said:

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I'm curious to see what, if anything, Kruijswijki and Buchmann have in the tank, too. The next two days should be amazing to watch. The entire tour could seriously be determined on the final climb to Val Thorens.

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Agree. I bet one or both of the, arrack tomorrow.

wow, Thibaut Pinot has to abandon due to a mysterious leg injury.

Muscle tear.

Big Cat `93 said:

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Muscle tear.

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just saw they said it happened yesterday when he finished the stage. felt a sharp pain and couldn't walk.

Thomas with a +:30 right now

And Bernal is now leading

Bernal helping himself to the yellow jersey right now!

Hail!!

Oof race canceled. And Alaphilippe has to feel like he got screwed because he was flying down the mountain to close the gap.

Wow....snow on the road ends the stage at the summit of the Col d'Iseran. Bernal now in yellow.

Could they not have stopped the stage in this town ?
Edit- No sophisticated timing system in that town but they had the proper timing mechanism is at the top of the mountain

Well that sucked. Talk about schizophrenic weather.

Tomorrow is going to be nuts! 3 climbs and ends on a long, long climb to Val Thorens. Only other time Val Thorens finish has been included was 1994 when a Colombian won it.

Haga ?

133rd

He's a domestique - a role player. Hell of a good time trial rider and the engine that kept Sunweb competitive in the team time trial, but he's not a GC competitor. He's under contract with Sunweb on a 2 year deal and will have no trouble re-upping with them or any other UCI squad for as long as he wants to compete.

Honestly, since he won a stage at the giro, he is probably close enough to having the leverage to ask to be put on a grand tour team with an eye on a specific stage.