Txzen

Tom Brady monotone is more exciting that Michigan’s O.

Under 50 is not our standard?

This is their hurry-up. Pay attention.

Refs are competent as Michigan’s offense.

Scoreboard bitches.

Wtf refs.

Not our best series.

Great throw, great catch

And recruiter.

Welcome back blue

Prepare for fuckery

Play calling has been good.

Fuck yes

That team...I'm not sure what they did to anger the Gods this season but they are freaking cursed. Gutted for him as he's an amazing talent and a very likable guy.

Great pics - what’s your camera rig?

Adding to the data points - Global Entry renewal : submitted January...just received approval today. So, 7 months. Thankfully had conditional approval during the review, as it would have lapsed.

All this empty talk of Tadej doing…Jonas was in pieces this Spring, and had limited time to train yet was just a little off the pace of the best rider of this generation. He’s the one who attacked and rode across to the break on the last climb, yet there’s no accusations for what he’s on? it’s always a concern or a question in this sport, but I prefer to focus on the positives. Loved the interview with Cav yesterday- that he thought it was more fitting for his last Tour stage to be suffering at the back to ‘stay in this beautiful race’, as that was more symbolic of his time in the Tour than a fairy tale sprint in Paris. Hard not to really like this guy.

What a great climb - my kind of quiet road to nowhere. Love the way EF have animated the race, even if it wasn’t always successful. Fuck yes Carapaz. Nice team time trial to get him in the break. And yes, like this Remco kid.

I have no good recommendations for lodging in the valley on the side we finished today. But on the other side, just near Argeles-Gazost, can’t say enough about Pyrenees cycling lodge. Hautacam just across the valley, Aubisque, Solour, Spandelles nearby. Tourmalet, Luz Ardiden just down the road. Other lesser known rides, like the Cirque de Troumouse, abound. Gorgeous area.

I had my route backwards - we climbed the Hourquette from Acuns (they descended it). We kept going around and went down the Aspin, which was beautiful, technical, and scary. Had no idea what Tadej was doing in the sprint yesterday and am convinced he’s burning too many matches…and then he did what he did today. Hell of a kick. But man, Jonas is incredible given how his Spring and lead up to the Tour went. Monster stage tomorrow. Visma may have conserved some helpers today for the route tomorrow. Maybe they try to crack him but I’m not sure that’s going to pan out. There are many climbs in this area I’d like to do again (and have had some second chances). Plateau de Beille is not one of them. I recall it not only unrelenting but mostly so heavily forested that you had no payoff for the work (unlike that great final climb today). Only at the end do you emerge from the forest to a plateau with some modest views. Not even a good cafe at the top, some rather ugly modern station (and I understand it recently burned so there’s not even that now). I think the only thing that bears Tadej is Tadej. He races all heart, sometimes with reckless abandon. But if he can keep the tank topped off he’s got this one…I think!

Pretty much. Headed to some of my favorite areas this weekend. The Tourmalet from the Luz side is glorious - long regular slopes with incredible views. The Hourquette is a lovely climb, the road seemingly carved in the side of the mountain with great views all along the way. Because I enjoyed it, one can gather its not that difficult (relatively). Then Pla d’Adet. The first few K are double digit agony, but it evens out soon after. Once can see the top of the climb almost from the start, but it seems to take forever to get there as the road turns away from the end so many times you never seem to make progress.

Tadej isn't as strong as he thinks he is, and Jonas is no where near as weak as expected. Tadej claims his training was optimized for the Pyrenees stages - we shall see. The Pyrenees always get written as these irregular climbs with ever changing gradient compared to the more steady alpine climbs. Outside of Hautacam, I don't think that's true. The Tourmalet is relentless but regular, as is Pla d'Adet and Plasteu de Beille. Unlike today, you're not going to find long stretches of double digit percentage gradients. Is Tadej fading or did he bonk? Jonas is certainly surging.

TP going for it at 80k, ok. Remco attacking then fading, Roglic and his team limiting the damage, and Jonas racing 70k on his teammates bike. Hell of a stage. Tadej likes to race. Let’s see if he has enough gas in the tank when we hit the Pyrenees.

Agreed. Can Tadej keep his lead on 13/14 and then 19/20, or at least not crack? Will Primoz and Jonas ride into form? Will Remco be within striking distance for the top step for the last TT? A much more entertaining Tour than I expected with all the big name crashes during Spring.

We may indeed have a race here, though Tadej still had great form. Remco confirming he thought he heard a pop or hiss, thought he had a slow leak and took the last corners a little conservatively. He’s a fun one to watch. Seems way more mature than his age.