Dear Rouleurs,

In case you weren’t playing attention, Michelton Scott seem to taken the mantle of being the best cycling team in the world. The last couple of weeks have been spectacular for the men’s and women’s teams.

First a brief tangent…Allez Alaphillipe…put Team Ineos in their pace. How good would it be for world cycling for a Frenchman to win the Tour since Benard Hinault in 1985? Allez Alaphillipe, Allez Alaphillipe , Allez Alaphillipe.

First let us start with the Men’s team competing in this year’s Tour De France. Up front, its clear that by stage 13, Michelton Scott’s Plan A win the TDF 2019 with Adam Yates wasn’t working. So recasting the team’s strategy to Plan B stage hunting, was probably something of gamble. However much to every Australian cycling fan’s delight its worked a treat. Here’s how its worked so far:

Stage	Rider	How it happened
9: Saint-Étienne > Brioude		Daryl Impey launched a late attack on the final climb and storm into Brioude with just Tiesj Benoot(Soudal-Lotto) left to out sprint.
12: Toulouse > Bagnères-de-Bigorre		Simon Yates sprinted to his debut Tour de France victory on stage 12 to give the team their second win of the race.
15: Limoux > Foix Prat d’Albis		Simon Yates won his second stage win, attacking from the breakaway on a day the general classification received a significant shake-up.
17: Pont du Gard > Gap		Matteo Trentin soloed to his first Tour de France victory in five years and the team’s fourth of the race on stage 17 into Gap.

…and if that wasn’t enough, the Michelton Scott women’s team cleaned up at the Giro Rosa in Italy. For a second year the women’s thrashed its rivals in the biggest race in women’s cycling, finishing first and third overall. Team leader, Annemiek van Vleuten, defended her title by quickly amassing an unassailable lead in the mountains, while Australian teammate Amanda Spratt took a late opportunity to fight her way onto the prestigious overall podium of the ten-day Giro Rosa.

So there so have it, Michelton Scott, arguably the best sporting team in Australia and with claim to being the best team in international cycling.

Until next time, Allez Alaphillipe

Marv