Tag Archives: TDF 2019

Tempus Fugit…or how MMT learned to love ZWIFT

Dear Rouleurs

Where does the time go?? August has zipped past and MMT has done almost no work on this blog.  Last blog, MMT was willing Julian Alaphillipe on to win the TDF 2019.  Then a couple of really interesting and unexpected events occurred.  Alaphilippe finally cracked at altitude, many days after the pundits predicted.  He finished a highly credible fifth in the GC.   Geraint Thomas passed the baton of team leader to a hitherto unknown 22 year old Colombian Egan Bernal wrote himself into the history books.  In between there was the landslide on stage 18 that caused the stage to be abandoned and stage 19 to be shortened. MMT is still seeking to source a copy of Procycling to read the event summary.  This race was one for the ages.

MMT has shamelessly stolen the GC and Sprinter’s results from the letour.fr  I’m sure that the UCI and ASO lawyers have better things to do than sue MMT for breach of copyright 😉

Here’s the GC Top 10 rankings

Probably the two biggest disappointments where Richie Porte failing to fire a single shot in the race and seeing the emotional abandonment of Roman Bardet.

Here’s the Sprinter’s Top 10 rankings

Isn’t it great that 2 former Orica/GreenEdge and Aussies, Caleb Ewan and Michael Matthews finished in the top ten.  Caleb Ewan’s 3 stage wins means that Robbie McEwan’s record of 12 is now on notice.

Now the other big thing going on in MMT’s life is ZWIFT….yes that’s right MMT bought a very expensive but really good TACX Neo 2 trainer.  Clearly the ZWIFT advertising in the TDF got to MMT.  MMT has done almost 500 km and 3600m of climbing.  In short, MMT was surprised at how tough some ZWIFT courses were.  Doing a 9km lap round virtual Central Park NY contains about 150m of climbing some which is 12%+.  MMT is knackered after 3 laps.  Similarly London has some nasty punchy hills.  There’s a Strava segment called Tempus Fugit, which consists of boards laid over the top of a stairwell coming up from a tunnel running under the Thames, is 15%.

Doing ZWIFT at night, after the junior members of Team MMT have gone to bed, has been a tough ask.  Nevertheless, MMT has done a minimum of 2 sessions a week and generally enjoyed the experience.  The TACX trainer has all manner of tricks, being able simulate running over rough ground, like cobbles and being able to free wheel down virtual hills.  As it give fairly accurate power readings, MMT was greatly disappointed to discover how few watts he was actually generating.

So that’s it from MMT. It’s time to start listening to la Vuelta podcasts.  Until next, ride safe.

MMT

Chapeau to Michelton Scott

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

Chapeau!! Caleb Ewan

Dear Rouleurs,

Just a quick post to celebrate Caleb Ewan’s first ever win in the Tour de France. MMT has ripped off the Herald-Sun’s Friday edition and shamelessly reproduced it on this blog.

Congratulations to Caleb, who might start filling in the very big shoes of another (Mc) Ewan.

Until next time, ride safe

Marv