(click to show/hide)
Also, too many "spoiler" tags will render the thread almost unreadable so perhaps people who are waiting for the highlights should refrain from reading this until they know the outcome...
Look at this photo. If I could hang on for 3rd, I could hang on for the win... Some imbeciles think cycling is a computer game. Problem is, social media & TV are platforms for them to be heard. Gutted for Tony Martin. Congratulations Andre Greipel.https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMarkCavendish/photos/a.614684375235031.1073741828.123161697720637/855486084488191/?type=1&theater
Also, too many "spoiler" tags will render the thread almost unreadable...
Cav needed more team mates there at the end to help Renshaw lead him out a train doesn't normally have two carriages
Reported comments from Cavendish on BBC Sport:
"The day Cancellara beats me in a sprint I've gone too long. I've gassed it," Cavendish said.
"I think Mark [Renshaw] went too early and kind of left me hanging. We died. It's disappointing, Tony's disappointed."
Debate over.
Tony Martin would be wearing yellow and Cav would have had a rock-solid ally for the rest of the race.
AG2R - brown shorts - why?
Maybe a bit boring, but I like Lotto-Soudal and Europcar. Movistar is probably my favourite though. AG2R - brown shorts - why?
They're bronze :P
I actually quite like it :-[
The shame is that if Cav had just stayed on the power a second longer, and I'm sure he could have done, then Tony Martin would be wearing yellow and Cav would have had a rock-solid ally for the rest of the race. Now, maybe not so much...
Just left the hospital with a huge disappointment #TDF2015 is over broke some bones on my back again as in spring. #L3/L4right sidehttps://twitter.com/f_cancellara/status/618135375576461312
Yellow jersey's a poison pill this early on.
The shame is that if Cav had just stayed on the power a second longer, and I'm sure he could have done, then Tony Martin would be wearing yellow and Cav would have had a rock-solid ally for the rest of the race. Now, maybe not so much...
Have you actually done any flat out sprint finishes in a race? You don't sit up unless the legs have gone, and when the legs go they just stop. End of. There is no magic 'extra second'. Each of those sprints damages the legs, it's like running an unlimited engine till it pops.
When Cav sat up it was barely a few of bike lengths to go the difference would not have been sufficient to hold off Cancellara
Yes, quite. It's unfair of me to criticise - I'm never going to be placed in that position! It's more of a commentary than a criticism, anyway.
The aftermath of today's big crash from the perspective of a (polyglot) mechanic on the ground.Jo thanks for that link, that is chaos!
http://youtu.be/7raIxrzodt4
Sometimes, seeing these crashes from a distant helicopter shot, it's easy to forget these are fragile human beings hitting hard ground at 60km/h.
Spartacus is out. Broken vertebrae. :(QuoteJust left the hospital with a huge disappointment #TDF2015 is over broke some bones on my back again as in spring. #L3/L4right sidehttps://twitter.com/f_cancellara/status/618135375576461312
What are the bits sticking out from the back of the saddles on many bikes ?GPS transponders, so that the commentators (and teams) can tell where all the bikes are, with who's in the breakaways and accurate time gaps
The aftermath of today's big crash from the perspective of a (polyglot) mechanic on the ground.Jo thanks for that link, that is chaos!
http://youtu.be/7raIxrzodt4
Sometimes, seeing these crashes from a distant helicopter shot, it's easy to forget these are fragile human beings hitting hard ground at 60km/h.
Spartacus is out. Broken vertebrae. :(QuoteJust left the hospital with a huge disappointment #TDF2015 is over broke some bones on my back again as in spring. #L3/L4right sidehttps://twitter.com/f_cancellara/status/618135375576461312
Bugger. What a bloody shame.
Laurens Ten Dam had his dislocated shoulder popped back in and carried on - against doctor's orders. Mind you, he needed a little bit of assistance at dinner...
https://twitter.com/RGUpdate/status/618149446589751296
Yellow jersey's a poison pill this early on.But it will probably only be for a day.
Laurens Ten Dam had his dislocated shoulder popped back in and carried on - against doctor's orders. Mind you, he needed a little bit of assistance at dinner...What's harder than Bruce Willis dying hard?
https://twitter.com/RGUpdate/status/618149446589751296
Laurens Ten Dam had his dislocated shoulder popped back in and carried on - against doctor's orders. Mind you, he needed a little bit of assistance at dinner...
https://twitter.com/RGUpdate/status/618149446589751296
The wearer did say he would rather be wearing it than chasing his opponents wearing it.
Even if he was not wearing it and was ahead time-wise, he could expect constant attacks anyway, so might as well benefit from having his team car in pole position and letting other teams chase breakaways. I also believe a previous winner quite recently tool the yellow early on and ended wearing it at the end.
Yup, and appeared on Oprah a few years later. Oh, wait, recently...
Good Grief! Chris Froome can spin up hills can't he?
Yup, and appeared on Oprah a few years later. Oh, wait, recently...
I was thinking of Nibali last year.
Brailsford has commented that positioning of following vehicles is pretty important today over the pave and he is very happy for the team to have the yellow jumper.
Day 4 and so far a different wearer of the yellow jumper each day. Let us what happens today!
And I thought Australians were the worst for tall poppy syndrome.Good Grief! Chris Froome can spin up hills can't he?
That's what drugs do for you.
And I thought Australians were the worst for tall poppy syndrome.Good Grief! Chris Froome can spin up hills can't he?
That's what drugs do for you.
That is *exactly* what tall poppy syndrome is!And I thought Australians were the worst for tall poppy syndrome.Good Grief! Chris Froome can spin up hills can't he?
That's what drugs do for you.
Speaking of Australians, remember when noted climber Simon Gerrans dropped him on a similar climb?
It's not tall poppy syndrome at all. If any rider from any other team had improved as much as he has, you'd never hear the end of it.
Allez Tony. Come on Tony. Ride Tony. Si! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7BCSpRasAU)
Spartacus is out. Broken vertebrae. :(QuoteJust left the hospital with a huge disappointment #TDF2015 is over broke some bones on my back again as in spring. #L3/L4right sidehttps://twitter.com/f_cancellara/status/618135375576461312
Bugger. What a bloody shame.
+1 to that comment Tim.
An absolute professional in every sense of the word and a lousy way to both lose yellow and exit the race.
Fecking scary though, not many eyes on the road or hands on the wheel.Allez Tony. Come on Tony. Ride Tony. Si! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7BCSpRasAU)
Just brilliant and you get to see what it really means to everyone involved.
^^^^^ The commentators! They are tending to rely on team mates around the yellow jumper for identification purposes judging by the commentary.
(Response to tajasel)
I bet we get some fabulous pictures from the photogs around the cobbled stretches.
Lotto-Jumbo in yellow are confusing. So's having two different Lotto teams in the race
Team Sky have put together this gallery: http://po.st/St4TDFPics
Lotto-Jumbo are in a largely white-shouldered Jersey for the tour, while Tinkoff-Saxo are in their (vomit-inducing) grey/green camo abomination:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGj8Oq5UkAAJrcP.jpg)
I still think the Tinkoff kit is far too yellow, but obviously Oleg has put his foot down...
Fecking scary though, not many eyes on the road or hands on the wheel.Allez Tony. Come on Tony. Ride Tony. Si! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7BCSpRasAU)
Just brilliant and you get to see what it really means to everyone involved.
To be fair to Froome, I didnt see him look at his stem once on the pave. (whereas on every road stage he looks down more than he looks ahead.)Team Sky have put together this gallery: http://po.st/St4TDFPics
Good to see that Chris is still spending much of the tour looking at stems (http://chrisfroomelookingatstems.tumblr.com)
The Lotto jersey is also pretty much yellow across the back so with the helicopter shots it is not easy to tell.
I'm sure historically it wasn't allowed. Seaco (IIRC) used to wear yellow all season and change to red or pink for the tour.
Modern marketing companies presumably don't like changing from their corporate colours for the sake of history!
But it looks like a nose ring.
He seems to lack the ability of some others to glide through gaps without "tagging" someone or being "tagged" himself.
Allez Tony. Come on Tony. Ride Tony. Si! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7BCSpRasAU)For fans of OPQS DS Davide Bramati's celebrations, sporza has collected put together a 'Best Of' of youtube clips. Use of steering wheel optional.
Laurens Ten Dam had his dislocated shoulder popped back in and carried on - against doctor's orders. Mind you, he needed a little bit of assistance at dinner...What's harder than Bruce Willis dying hard?
https://twitter.com/RGUpdate/status/618149446589751296
TDF riders!
now Bouhanni is out.
Sanquer: "We must be careful"
Team Cofidis manager Yvon Sanquer had warned his troops to be cautious before the start. "But the weather conditions are changing our plans. Today, we were hoping for a quieter start to the stage and a bunch sprint on a terrain suiting us better. But with these conditions, anything can happen. Attacks are bound to take place, even from the big Four. Nacer has good legs and the whole team around him showed great strength yesterday. But today we're back in conditions similar to Zealand. We'll have to remain in the front group for Nacer to take part in the final sprint. The main thing today is to keep very careful."
Bouhanni to be evacuated
All the riders involved in the crash at kilometre 12 have made it back on their bikes to the exception of Nacer Bouhanni, who is about to be driven away by ambulance.
Bouhanni to be evacuated
So when did Greipel suddenly get good?
So when did Greipel suddenly get good?
So when did Greipel suddenly get good?That makes me suspicious because I could understand his progress if he were 25.
Thanks for that link. At 29s there's 2 riders go down to start it off that haven't been touched, their bikes just go from under them. Had some idiot put oil on the road?
Tony Martin @tonymartin85 24m24 minutes ago
Collarbone is broken. We will discuss further steps.
Also I thought Didi Senff had hung up his trident but there was a very convincing lookalike at the roadside about 24 km from the finish today.
So did I, but one of the VeloViewer guys tweeted a photo of themselves at the side of the cobbles with Didi yesterday.
All a bit undermined, though, by the fact that the crash was his fault (by the look of it).
I feel for Tony M, as a tester he has few opportunities to carry the yellow jersey.Rohan Dennis? (Indurain, Boardman, Cancellara, Miller etc)
Allez Tony. Come on Tony. Ride Tony. Si! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7BCSpRasAU)Davide Bramati was suspended for a day as a result of this video because he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. And OPQS have removed the video from youtube. I would have thought Wilfrid Peeters would be more deserving of punishment, holding and watching a tablet while driving.
I wonder if Tony Martin remembered not to punch the air in celebration when he watched that?
Only one word
CAVTASTIC!
Today the Tour passes along much of the PBP route from km 260 to km 305, and again from km 915 to about km 955. Watch out for the villages of Lassay-les-Cahteaux, Ambrieres and Gorron. It is a lovely rolling section of the route.
The mayor of Gorron often stands roadside playing the trumpet (unless it is raining). He must be as bonkers as us.
I have never stopped to listen properly as it always seemed out of tune.
Except that (according to French commentators) cocaine can still be detectable two weeks after taking. Curiously, a positive cocaine test between races is OK, it just mustn't be detectable during the event. Although it doesn't help, the rider might be using it to mask something else.
I did not take cocaine
One the Orica team, the DS I think, said that they'll be treating today as a rest day before the official rest day. Seems sensible to me. Gives the brothers Yates a better chance come the first mountain stages.
only 6 left over:
Orica GreenEdge
So I guess we can rule out Orica as a favourite.
Today is the TTT. Some teams have still all riders aboard, some others are severly damaged by losing a few riders.
All 9 still present:
BMC, Tinkoff-Saxo, AGR, Sky, Movistar, Astana, Lotto-Jumbo, MTN, IAM, Europcar, Lampre, Bretagne
One rider down:
Etixx-Quick Step, Giant, Cofidis, Cannondale, Trek, Lotto-Soudal, Bora, FDJ
2 riders out:
Katusha
only 6 left over:
Orica GreenEdge
So I guess we can rule out Orica as a favourite. Trek can also be ruled out as a favourite now since it's Cancellara who's out. Based on last saturday's ITT we can add Lotto-Jumbo to the list of teams to watch.
That makes as interesting teams to watch:
BMC, Tinkoff, Sky, Movistar, Astana, Lotto-Jumbo.
BMC is generally mentioned in the press as the favourite. I'd rate the other 5 as fairly even now.
Today is the TTT. Some teams have still all riders aboard, some others are severly damaged by losing a few riders.
All 9 still present:
BMC, Tinkoff-Saxo, AGR, Sky, Movistar, Astana, Lotto-Jumbo, MTN, IAM, Europcar, Lampre, Bretagne
One rider down:
Etixx-Quick Step, Giant, Cofidis, Cannondale, Trek, Lotto-Soudal, Bora, FDJ
2 riders out:
Katusha
only 6 left over:
Orica GreenEdge
So I guess we can rule out Orica as a favourite. Trek can also be ruled out as a favourite now since it's Cancellara who's out. Based on last saturday's ITT we can add Lotto-Jumbo to the list of teams to watch.
That makes as interesting teams to watch:
BMC, Tinkoff, Sky, Movistar, Astana, Lotto-Jumbo.
BMC is generally mentioned in the press as the favourite. I'd rate the other 5 as fairly even now.
Ta for this :)
I'll be rooting for either Sky or Movistar, depending who's doing best on the day, cos I'm a shameless hussy who changes their favourite rider/team (out of a small selection…) based on who is most likely to win the stage ;)
Alas I finish work at 2pm so won't be tuning in til I get home at about 3; hopefully that just means I will miss the boring beginning bits…
Schedule
0km Start Vannes 15:00 (first team), 16:45 (last team)
10km Checkpoint Lesnevé 15:11 (first team), 16:56 (last team)
20.5km Checkpoint Le Croiseau 15:34 (first team), 17:08 (last team)
28km Finish Plumelec 15:32 (first team), 17:17 (last team)
6 riders, but with Matthews likely to be little more than a passenger. They can't afford to take it too easily. Just as long as the fifth is within 25% of the winning team's time, not that they'll know what that is when they start.One the Orica team, the DS I think, said that they'll be treating today as a rest day before the official rest day. Seems sensible to me. Gives the brothers Yates a better chance come the first mountain stages.
only 6 left over:
Orica GreenEdge
So I guess we can rule out Orica as a favourite.
Didn't some poor sod end up doing it on a standard road bike a couple of years back? Something like he wasn't expected to be riding at all so they left his TT bike in the shed?
My Google-fu is not up to the task with this little1 Brown Drink in me.
1: None, but the kettle's just boiled.
Astana not having the best tactics. Boom and Westra riding directly after eachother, too much stress on the others.
Astana not having the best tactics. Boom and Westra riding directly after eachother, too much stress on the others.
Best time yet though I think?
Astana not having the best tactics. Boom and Westra riding directly after eachother, too much stress on the others.
Best time yet though I think?
Astana not having the best tactics. Boom and Westra riding directly after eachother, too much stress on the others.
Best time yet though I think?
But is it enough?
In the TTT are the riders who get dropped given the same time as the first five that finish ahead of them,
or, are they given their own individual times?
Ivan Basso is out. He had a scan today which showed testicular cancer.
*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
This. Boris Johnson appeared almost human too. The Lizard Alliance is improving its human camouflage.
Very wise - you wouldnt want to find yourself agreeing with him, would you?*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
This. Boris Johnson appeared almost human too. The Lizard Alliance is improving its human camouflage.
I put the bj segment on mute until it had finished.
Very wise - you wouldnt want to find yourself agreeing with him, would you?*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
This. Boris Johnson appeared almost human too. The Lizard Alliance is improving its human camouflage.
I put the bj segment on mute until it had finished.
[Boris is like that character in the Fast Show:
YACF Reader: "Thankyou for that, Mr Johnson. Now, perhaps one of the socialists here would like to make the same suggestion? Anyone? Please?"
]
*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*Ooooh, I missed that, which is a pity, since Utrecht was where I re-started cycling.
Very wise - you wouldnt want to find yourself agreeing with him, would you?*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
This. Boris Johnson appeared almost human too. The Lizard Alliance is improving its human camouflage.
I put the bj segment on mute until it had finished.
[Boris is like that character in the Fast Show:
YACF Reader: "Thankyou for that, Mr Johnson. Now, perhaps one of the socialists here would like to make the same suggestion? Anyone? Please?"
]
No, bj is a cunt, pure and simple.
Very wise - you wouldnt want to find yourself agreeing with him, would you?*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
This. Boris Johnson appeared almost human too. The Lizard Alliance is improving its human camouflage.
I put the bj segment on mute until it had finished.
[Boris is like that character in the Fast Show:
YACF Reader: "Thankyou for that, Mr Johnson. Now, perhaps one of the socialists here would like to make the same suggestion? Anyone? Please?"
]
No, bj is a cunt, pure and simple.
I've tended to think he has neither the warmth nor the depth, frankly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/33517897
ohh is hacking the new doping?
*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
This. Boris Johnson appeared almost human too. The Lizard Alliance is improving its human camouflage.
I put the bj segment on mute until it had finished.
...;D
Anyway, cunts have their merits, stopped clocks are right twice a day, and when BJ says something sensible I mitigate the shame of agreeing with him by attributing it to an unnamed City Hall minion who's been clever enough to sneak it past both his policy advisors and his speechwriter.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/33517897
ohh is hacking the new doping?
Ordinarily, you'd ask the question, "is rider X doping?", then look at the data that is available in order to draw a conclusion - whilst being mindful of the potential flaws in analysis techniques and the lack of other data that can provide context to what your looking at.
Alternatively, you can start with the conclusion - "rider X IS doping" - and work backwards from there, picking the data that supports it..
If the allegations are true, 'hacking the data files' is just the latest way of doing this.
This made me smile - how will you get the evidence without 'cheating' given that it wouldn't ever be released by the team/rider if it was 'marginal'.
I take it BJ means BoJo. Not the other meaning, which gives the commentary a completely different meaning. Which I don't want to image. Bugger :(
*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
+1*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
+1
What underlined the dominance for me was Porte and Thomas marking their man. Nice to see Thomas' sportsmanship but also Porte's shark like smile before devouring Quintana.
Very wise - you wouldnt want to find yourself agreeing with him, would you?*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
This. Boris Johnson appeared almost human too. The Lizard Alliance is improving its human camouflage.
I put the bj segment on mute until it had finished.
[Boris is like that character in the Fast Show:
YACF Reader: "Thankyou for that, Mr Johnson. Now, perhaps one of the socialists here would like to make the same suggestion? Anyone? Please?"
]
No, bj is a cunt, pure and simple.
I've tended to think he has neither the warmth nor the depth, frankly.
Goddamnit that's EXACTLY what I was going to say. Favourite insult.
Because Stuffs I have not yet had a chance to watch today's stage. Thank you for giving the result away, the BBfuckingC >:(
ITV4 do seem to back the adverts off a bit at the end of the stage.
Because Stuffs I have not yet had a chance to watch today's stage. Thank you for giving the result away, the BBfuckingC >:(After years of trying to avoid a result, I have learnt that no matter how deep I pushed my fingers into my ears and how loud I went LALALALALA, along with not getting within a mile of radio, tv, friends, internet etc. The only way to make sure is to cut ones own head off or live with the fact that you heard the result.
Because Stuffs I have not yet had a chance to watch today's stage. Thank you for giving the result away, the BBfuckingC >:(
It was the BBC that did the spoiling, not us Guv!Because Stuffs I have not yet had a chance to watch today's stage. Thank you for giving the result away, the BBfuckingC >:(
Why read the thread if you don't want to know the result or haven't seen the stage live/highlights?
ITV4 do seem to back the adverts off a bit at the end of the stage.
Just checked in on the clinic and the conspiracy theories are in full overdrive
This made me smile - how will you get the evidence without 'cheating' given that it wouldn't ever be released by the team/rider if it was 'marginal'.
Whatever you might get through hacking, it certainly isn't evidence.
Hack in, modify file to ones needs, log out, request file to be public, then blame them for what ever the fall out is. They say it has been modified - you yell cheat. They say it has been hacked - you say it's a cover up. They didn't notice - you show the obtained "real" file to the journalist. Win-win for your campaign.
I'm never quite sure whether to be pleased or worried that the clinic leaves me feeling positively well balancedITV4 do seem to back the adverts off a bit at the end of the stage.
Just checked in on the clinic and the conspiracy theories are in full overdrive
I gave up on trying to tune any signal out of the noise in TEH ASYLUM ages ago. You can practically feel your sanity and IQ draining away by the minute... :demon:
They missed out on MI6, the NSA, the Bilderberg Group and the Illuminati for the full house, the slackers. ;)
But we digress...
There's a cracking photo on inrng of Froome looking at his stem.(https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg) (https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg)
There's a cracking photo on inrng of Froome looking at his stem.(https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg) (https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg)
It looks like he's just overtaken Roadrunner.
There's a cracking photo on inrng of Froome looking at his stem.(https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg) (https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg)
+1*stands up and gives Chris Boardman a round of applause for his piece on cycling in Utrecht.*
+1
There's a cracking photo on inrng of Froome looking at his stem.(https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg) (https://41.media.tumblr.com/984eae1180d68373b3c7d12a5e6ab57a/tumblr_nrhpc80des1ropreyo1_1280.jpg)
Wow you are fit :)It looks like he's just overtaken Roadrunner.
He'd overtake me any day as I climb at about 40% of his pace.
They've branched it off into a separate item (and they've cut out that Boris bloke)
Video: Chris Boardman on the Dutch love affair with cycling (http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/features/video-chris-boardman-on-the-dutch-love-affair-with-cycling)
Utterly brill :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
They've branched it off into a separate item (and they've cut out that Boris bloke)
Video: Chris Boardman on the Dutch love affair with cycling (http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/features/video-chris-boardman-on-the-dutch-love-affair-with-cycling)
Utterly brill :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
"The video you are trying to watch is using the HTTP Live Streaming protocol which is only supported in iOS devices."
Not very helpful
I see that error message quite often. Refreshing the page works a lot of the time.They've branched it off into a separate item (and they've cut out that Boris bloke)
Video: Chris Boardman on the Dutch love affair with cycling (http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/features/video-chris-boardman-on-the-dutch-love-affair-with-cycling)
Utterly brill :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
"The video you are trying to watch is using the HTTP Live Streaming protocol which is only supported in iOS devices."
Not very helpful
Something wrong your end it works for me on Windows 7 with Firefox.
I must admit that the feeling of exhilaration after watching yesterday's stage has been replaced by a feeling of anti-climax. I know we've only had one mountain stage and there's a long way to go, but with even the other GC contenders conceding that CF was a class apart, and with Sky looking so strong, it does feel as if it's all over. Let's hope that we see some imaginative tactics as we did in that stage which Dan Martin won in 2013 when Garmin and Movistar repeatedly attacked from the gun and managed to isolate Froome.
They've branched it off into a separate item (and they've cut out that Boris bloke)
Video: Chris Boardman on the Dutch love affair with cycling (http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/features/video-chris-boardman-on-the-dutch-love-affair-with-cycling)
Utterly brill :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Just had the story about the bloke welding his own fork again. <yawn>
I imagine hitting half a tonne of angry pot roast on a descent is high on a pro's list of "Things To Avoid Like Clichés".
I think you'll get your wish today! The main contenders are taking it relatively easily after yesterday's efforts. And Nibbles seems to have regained some mojo, so it might not all be lost for him.
It looks like he's just overtaken Roadrunner.
He'd overtake me any day as I climb at about 40% of his pace.
Also, why do all the people in the Skoda idents look like refugees from the Austro-Hungarian Empire?And what's with, "Fronting" the peloton? Leading the? Ahead of? Yeah. Fronting? don't be bloody silly.
(http://www.pbase.com/image/160749066.jpg)
Also, why do all the people in the Skoda idents look like refugees from the Austro-Hungarian Empire?And what's with, "Fronting" the peloton? Leading the? Ahead of? Yeah. Fronting? don't be bloody silly.
So what was up that road recently? The writing's the wrong way round for the current follies.
So what was up that road recently? The writing's the wrong way round for the current follies.
Well it looks like "Voeckler" on the road there - maybe they got the direction of ascent wrong!
And Nibbles seems to have regained some mojo, so it might not all be lost for him.
A spectator found the last remnants of his mojo, on the road, about 5km from the finish line.
The Tourmalet does get used quite often in the TdF, so it's possible that a previous visit climbed it from the west, but I'm fairly sure that it's always done east-west. Might be worth trying to find stage guides to previous editions of the Tour...
"Anybody else thinks that Nibali will drop out of the race by the next rest day?"
Probably , and the medics will cite a bacterial infection of some sort.
I was having the same thoughts as Lurker upthread.
For a defending champion Nibali is doing spectacularly badly in the mountains compared with all the other genuine GC contenders . Froome is just on another level again and Geraint Thomas has lost a bit of weight as well. They have clearly raised their game so that Froome has some support on the climbs other than just relying on Porte.
Even Dave Brailsford is looking thinner so diet must be something the whole team has embraced over winter.
The Sky tactics in the Pyrenees are now looking remarkably Armstrongesque. Pile on the pressure on the first major climb, see who cracks and then repeat. Except they didn't have to do much repeating.
The Tourmalet does get used quite often in the TdF, so it's possible that a previous visit climbed it from the west, but I'm fairly sure that it's always done east-west. Might be worth trying to find stage guides to previous editions of the Tour...
The Tour did the Tourmalet from both sides in 2010. The writing looks pretty old. Coastal roads round here (with year round heavy traffic) have slogans that last four years or so.
The Chuckle BrothersPhil 'n' Paul say Porte is hotly tipped to move to BMC, which doesn't bode well for van Garderen.
..and Dowsett retires. Chapeau to him, though for sticking at it so long after his disasterous first stage.…and with that hole in his arm!
After today I find myself wondering how long G will be prepared to play second banjo to Froome.
After today I find myself wondering how long G will be prepared to play second banjo to Froome.
Has he abandoned yet? Nibali, I mean.
The other thing they have done is to focus on being fit enough for where it matters. The specific training for the high cadence medium to long duration mountain accelerations. Makes a big difference if you can push the others into the red.Sounds very likely to me. Fits with Brailsfords engineered approach to cycling as well.
From the discussions it sounds like the attack on stage 10 was absolutely planned and specifically trained for.
I watched that documentary on Chris Froome last night. Obviously put together before this year's tour, but it showed Sky attacks on early mountain stages of both 2012 (Froome & Wiggins) and 2013 (Froome). The tactics looked very similar to this year.
Péraud. Ouch.
Péraud. Ouch.
Yes - every bit as bad as you can imagine, falling off onto rough top-dressing at 50kph :o
Fair play to him for carrying on - and bonus points for doing domestique duties on his way back through the pack! He's going to stick to the sheets tonight though :-X.
Unlikely I know, but did Peter Sagan sit up at the last moment?
You have to wonder why sky in particular get the aggression, anything to do with them being British?
FDJ aren't as obviously doping.
FDJ aren't as obviously doping.
is your implication that Sky are?
FDJ aren't as obviously doping.
is your implication that Sky are?
Seems more a definite statement not an implication. A statement that they're all doping..
FDJ aren't as obviously doping.
is your implication that Sky are?
Seems more a definite statement not an implication. A statement that they're all doping..
whilst it`s easy to accuse how easy is it to explain how with the range of very precise tests, capable of detecting nanograms of chemicals, have failed to catch any one out ? I find it very difficult to see how if all teams are doping as the implication appears to be no-one has been discovered ? Maybe some can swop samples out but not everyone. I`m sure that after Armstrong testing will have been even more rigorous or is the implication going much deeper in that like FIFA there seems to be `corporate` corruption in the sport?
Cracking finish to the stage today. :thumbsup:
It was Porte that got punched. I think if you punched G then the retaliation would be rather painful. Apparently the French media are making increasingly less veiled comments about Sky doping.
Not looking good according to this article - http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/tour-de-france/team-sky-raise-the-alarm-as-tour-de-france-fans-turn-violent-183186
You have to wonder why sky in particular get the aggression, anything to do with them being British?
I've not said that all riders are doping.
If you believe that the current tests (including the blood passport) can't be circumvented, you are naive. Doping tests are mostly intelligence tests. Combine that with little official appetite (for whatever reason) for actually catching dopers and massive rewards for successfully doping and you have a recipe for widespread doping.
...
Are Sky doping? I doubt it. They have taken a igorous approach to exercise science. Reading the differences brought in by Sky and their targeted training approaches (you want to get good in the mountains, train properly in the mountains at altitude) it is not surprising that htey have stolen a march on the other teams. It will be a few years before the more enlightened catch up, Tim Kerrison will make a fortune and then it wil be back to a level playing field but with a much higher bar for entry in terms of team organisation, training and targeting specific races.
Wow, where have you been?
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/09/lance-armstrong-uci-colluded-circ-report-cycling
Anyway - it was a great finish to today's race, shame I fell asleep for it...
Maybe they just can't stand the thought of being wiped by the English again, in their race and on their home turf.
Maybe they just can't stand the thought of being wiped by the English again, in their race and on their home turf.
I don't think they give a shit. The French do not regard the English the way the English regard the French.
Je suis français et je ne le vis pas très bien.
I've not said that all riders are doping.
Been looking at l'equipe, can't detect anti British sentiment there, but that might be my French.
Talking of which, I would appreciate someone translating this phrase for me from http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Chez-sky-les-gars-ont-peur/575360QuoteJe suis français et je ne le vis pas très bien.
I'm French so I couldn't see it properly ? ? ? ? ?
Been looking at l'equipe, can't detect anti British sentiment there, but that might be my French.
Talking of which, I would appreciate someone translating this phrase for me from http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Chez-sky-les-gars-ont-peur/575360QuoteJe suis français et je ne le vis pas très bien.
I'm French so I couldn't see it properly ? ? ? ? ?
Not voir, but vivre. Means "...I don't take it very well"
Amusing but hardly anti-British.
Been looking at l'equipe, can't detect anti British sentiment there, but that might be my French.
Talking of which, I would appreciate someone translating this phrase for me from http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Chez-sky-les-gars-ont-peur/575360QuoteJe suis français et je ne le vis pas très bien.
I'm French so I couldn't see it properly ? ? ? ? ?
Not voir, but vivre. Means "...I don't take it very well"
Ah. I'd say thanks, (and of course, the answer to que vivez-vous?) but I think I prefer my version ;D
Gary Imlach is being spectacularly rude about Jalabert :)
I've not said that all riders are doping.
Ok, how about "Sky are obviously doping, FDJ are doping but less obviously". That a fairer interpretation?
In any case, every rider and every team that has ever won a TdF has been accused of doping.
Tour de France juries are known to be harsh every now and again, but Bretagne-Séché Environnement rider Eduardo Sepulveda can have few complaints after grabbing a lift for a few hundred metres on stage 14.http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/tour-de-france/rider-kicked-off-tour-de-france-for-hitching-a-lift-in-another-teams-car-183239
The Argentinian was disqualified at the finish of stage for hopping in a team car on the final climb up to Mende – but not his own car, one of rival French team Ag2r-La Mondiale.
^^^^^ And Gary I showing what a liar Jalabert is as he flatly denied saying things he actually said.
Oops - this is a silly way to get yourself thrown off the tour: -QuoteTour de France juries are known to be harsh every now and again, but Bretagne-Séché Environnement rider Eduardo Sepulveda can have few complaints after grabbing a lift for a few hundred metres on stage 14.http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/tour-de-france/rider-kicked-off-tour-de-france-for-hitching-a-lift-in-another-teams-car-183239
The Argentinian was disqualified at the finish of stage for hopping in a team car on the final climb up to Mende – but not his own car, one of rival French team Ag2r-La Mondiale.
... Chevallier, who had finished third, was disqualified for resting in a car for 45 minutes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Tour_de_France#Race_incidents).
@velocast: While, thankfully, @GeraintThomas86 is ok, it's unknown how long the citizens of Gap will be without landline telephone connectivity.
Never mind orl dat, how's the telegraph pole?
He's got a 'big engine'.. I am sick of that cliche.. As a parrot.
Ooooh which day is the vid shown in? Boss tried to send me it but it had been taken down by some sporting agency or other by the time I clicked...Gary Imlach is being spectacularly rude about Jalabert :)
Just watched the start of the highlights - Matt Rendell putting Jaja on the spot for being a hypocritical troll was most amusing. ;D
Wow, that looked awful for Geraint Thomas.One might say he was in pole position.
Ooooh which day is the vid shown in? Boss tried to send me it but it had been taken down by some sporting agency or other by the time I clicked...Gary Imlach is being spectacularly rude about Jalabert :)
Just watched the start of the highlights - Matt Rendell putting Jaja on the spot for being a hypocritical troll was most amusing. ;D
Every time I see pictures of Simon Geschke, I'm convinced there's a hipster coffee shop missing one of its baristas. :demon:
Looked to me as though his wheel just clipped the green "Pra Loup" painted on the road, which might have been enough to make the bike slide. Ask Nigel Mansell about the road markings in Monaco :demon:
Looked to me as though his wheel just clipped the green "Pra Loup" painted on the road, which might have been enough to make the bike slide. Ask Nigel Mansell about the road markings in Monaco :demon:
He misses that as can be seen by replay:
http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance
Also the commentary by Sherwin is insightful.
I have read of folk in the peleton saying that applying the brakes on the carbon rims takes a while for it to 'happen' and then can suddenly bite. A few riders have 'locked' their wheels on descents and I think Sherwin got it spot on.
Didn't they use it in the Dauphiné as well?
Hell of a day today. No rest for Froome. Nibbles seems intent on suicide!
Hell of a day today. No rest for Froome. Nibbles seems intent on suicide!
Phil and Paul don't half talk bollocks+1
oooh tomorrow will be fun :)
Phil and Paul don't half talk bollocks
oooh tomorrow will be fun :)
Today was one of the hardest stages I've seen in a long while. Tomorrow could be even harder. Who wants it most? Quintana could do this.
Phil and Paul don't half talk bollocks
Oh good, it wasn't just me who was shouting at the TV for the Chuckle Brothers to drink from the nice big mug of STFU.
The final part of today's stage was marred by just about the most irritating bout of commentating logorrhea I have ever experienced.
Sometimes, less is more.
Shame about G but he's worked his donkey off for the whole race.
Are they Boos or 'Froome'?
oooh tomorrow will be fun :)
Are they Boos or 'Froome'?
What the fans are seeing is one guy with a strong team who has clamped a tight lid on the proceedings and is crushing anyone who attacks him. It seems that's how the Tour is won these days, and it smacks of the Armstrong years; so automatically he's accused of doping because anything else is too complex for the thickos to understand.
What the fans are seeing is one guy with a strong team who has clamped a tight lid on the proceedings and is crushing anyone who attacks him. It seems that's how the Tour is won these days, and it smacks of the Armstrong years; so automatically he's accused of doping because anything else is too complex for the thickos to understand.
Its not just the strong team they see. It was his incredible performance on stage 10 where he put a huge amount of time into everyone else.
What the fans are seeing is one guy with a strong team who has clamped a tight lid on the proceedings and is crushing anyone who attacks him. It seems that's how the Tour is won these days, and it smacks of the Armstrong years; so automatically he's accused of doping because anything else is too complex for the thickos to understand.
Its not just the strong team they see. It was his incredible performance on stage 10 where he put a huge amount of time into everyone else.
It's only occurred to me today that sloping top tubes enable a more aerodynamic position than horizontals. Some descenders are getting their backs almost below their saddles.
You can still get pretty extreme on a traditional bike, though:
(http://simonfrench.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Ultimate-Descent-or-La-Descente-Ultimate%E2%80%99cartoon-by-Simon-French2.jpg)
please could someone track down:and send Spartacus round to give them a good kicking?
- the gobbers and piss-throwers, and
- the person responsible for the arrangement of "Stairway To Heaven" played over Super Dave's piece on l'Alpe, and
Since Mr Boardman tells us that Quintana covered the mountain stages faster than anyone else
Since Mr Boardman tells us that Quintana covered the mountain stages faster than anyone else
If only he hadn't lost a minute and a half on stage two.... Things could have been very different
Not sure, but to me it looked as if Froome realised that Quintana lost the race and that he, Froome, didn't really win it.Since Mr Boardman tells us that Quintana covered the mountain stages faster than anyone else
If only he hadn't lost a minute and a half on stage two.... Things could have been very different
If that was the case and the time difference much closer, perhaps Sky's tactics in the race would have been different.Since Mr Boardman tells us that Quintana covered the mountain stages faster than anyone else
If only he hadn't lost a minute and a half on stage two.... Things could have been very different
Was it just me disappointed that there was no real rush for the first over the line, just to get a few more precious seconds in the GC? Everyone knew Froome was winning anyway, but another couple of seconds would have been good for everyone?!
Was it just me disappointed that there was no real rush for the first over the line, just to get a few more precious seconds in the GC? Everyone knew Froome was winning anyway, but another couple of seconds would have been good for everyone?!
Does anybody else get annoyed with that Festina ad on Eurosport? Passion for sport? Not with their unrepentant doper as role model.
Watched the ladies race, it was brilliant abit like a skating rink.
b) Specific provisions
The race management and Stewards’ Committee may have to take the following measures for the finish of the 21st stage on the Champs-Élysées in Paris:
• if the road surface of the Champs-Élysées has become slippery before the riders reach it, then the times may be taken for the first crossing of the finish line;
• if the road surface of the Champs-Élysées becomes slippery after the riders have already begun racing on it, then the times may be taken at the next crossing of the finishing line. In both cases, the finish will be maintained. In both cases, riders and sports managers will be informed immediately. In any event, riders must compete all of the circuits of the Champs-Élysées to be ranked at the final finish
Watched the ladies race, it was brilliant abit like a skating rink.
Watched the ladies race, it was brilliant abit like a skating rink.
Gutted to have missed it, and can't find the highlights anywhere either (unless they're just blended in with the regular Tour highlights...)
Women's cycling isn't yet anything more than a token sideshow. A bit like the Women's World cups in soccer and cricket.
Cycling is definitely one of the more misogynistic sports, from the club level upwards.
I have no idea what the solution is. Let the girls ride with the boys and take their chances?
Fast food froome
I think La Course merited about two minutes in the highlights show, half of which being Gary Imlach talking to Marianne Vos.
Women's cycling isn't yet anything more than a token sideshow. A bit like the Women's World cups in soccer and cricket.
Cycling is definitely one of the more misogynistic sports, from the club level upwards.
I have no idea what the solution is. Let the girls ride with the boys and take their chances?
It was broadcast live by ITV4, it's just that they haven't given it its own highlights show, as far as I can tell. Have recorded the regular highlights anyway, in the hope they included at least some of it - though I doubt they will have enough to make me happy!
Lumping women's cycling in with the blokes isn't going to help them get noticed; they'll forever stand up to the men's strength, until one of them does and gets accused of doping. It's not that women can't do things like the Tour - there's bound to be women out there who do have the strength and stamina to do three weeks of solid racing of the same mileage as the TDF - but a great many won't be able to - and I bet you the first one that does successfully challenge the men will be accused of doping.
A few years ago I won my local CTC club's freewheel competition, fair and square. They gave the trophy labelled "Freewheel Winner" to the second-place person cos he was a bloke, and I got the "Women's Freewheel" trophy. Even when I did win fairly against a dude, I didn't get the recognition I deserved. Call my a cynic but I think pro cycling will be no different. Strangely enough I've found a new (women's only) club, now.
If the women keep on keeping on, doing what they're doing, eventually the rest of the cycling world will cotton on that people want to watch us doing it just as much as they want to watch the blokes. It feels very un-feminist to say that, but there is no easy answer, can't force the media to cover it. But if we keep doing it, and keep attracting roadside spectators, keep attracting people saying "No, really, ITV, we do want to watch this, it's not just pre-show entertainment" then eventually, they may just cotton on that there's advertising money in the women, too...
On topic of Le Tour itself, most laugh-out-loud comment of today's stage for me came from Alex Dowsett: https://twitter.com/alexdowsett/status/625355969741070338]Quote from: Alex DowsettFast food froome
It's no good claiming that, for example, Beryl Burton could have thrashed much of the men's peloton and therefore men and women should race together if in doing so you consign the majority of female competitors to also-ran status.
I don't think I'm expecting women to rock up next to men at the start line, and expect to compete on equal terms. Clearly, some women could whip the guys, but on balance it's probably not a fair arena.
O hai ITV4!
In 2016 plz to broadcast end of programme wossname at the end of the sodding programme and not at the moment the TV Times says the things ought to have finished. I don't think I saw the end of a single recorded show - either the live broadcast or the highlights - in the entire three weeks. Gits.
kthxbai
Was it just me disappointed that there was no real rush for the first over the line, just to get a few more precious seconds in the GC? Everyone knew Froome was winning anyway, but another couple of seconds would have been good for everyone?!
I've never understood the last day, TBH.
If they last day wasn't how it is then the day before would end up like the last day is now.
Even if they wanted to, I can't imagine a skinny little 65kg climber like Quintana out-sprinting the likes of Greipel and Sagan anyway, certainly not by enough to get even a 1s time gap.
I think the unwritten truce on the last day probably came about because trying to get a break to stay away would be virtually impossible anyway. The sprint finish on the Champs Elysees is a big deal for the sprinters' teams, possibly the biggest of the year, so all of the teams without GC aspirations have a vested interest in making sure it comes back together for a bunch sprint at the end.
Obviously it doesn't always work if the other teams look at each other too long (for example, van der Breggen's fantastic escape in La Course) but it's unlikely to ever stick for anyone who's a threat on GC because they'll have all the sprinters' teams and all the other GC teams chasing them down.
Even if they wanted to, I can't imagine a skinny little 65kg climber like Quintana out-sprinting the likes of Greipel and Sagan anyway, certainly not by enough to get even a 1s time gap.
I think the unwritten truce on the last day probably came about because trying to get a break to stay away would be virtually impossible anyway. The sprint finish on the Champs Elysees is a big deal for the sprinters' teams, possibly the biggest of the year, so all of the teams without GC aspirations have a vested interest in making sure it comes back together for a bunch sprint at the end.
Obviously it doesn't always work if the other teams look at each other too long (for example, van der Breggen's fantastic escape in La Course) but it's unlikely to ever stick for anyone who's a threat on GC because they'll have all the sprinters' teams and all the other GC teams chasing them down.
If it is an 'unwritten' truce isn't about time someone like Nibali took advantage of it and made the break?
I've just watched the last 3 progs (includes La Course), and can confirm that our Humax chopped off the credits/etc for the whole 3 weeks!O hai ITV4!
In 2016 plz to broadcast end of programme wossname at the end of the sodding programme and not at the moment the TV Times says the things ought to have finished. I don't think I saw the end of a single recorded show - either the live broadcast or the highlights - in the entire three weeks. Gits.
kthxbai
Hmm, my Humax got all of them right to the end.
Had great fun today.
Here's a few quick ones.
...
At least you didn't beat the police to the start!
...[/img]
Looking at stem for andyoxen
Found a few more pics (see Flickr) on another camera...
Wonder what Froome is discussing with Sagan?
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/381/20232387365_7a7441d5dd_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/wPSgSV)P1230803 (https://flic.kr/p/wPSgSV) by ao (https://www.flickr.com/photos/25983110@N05/), on Flickr
...... only after he got in teh jersey?
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/297/20190498052_f12925e731_b.jpg)
Looking at stem for andyoxen
Cheers, Andy. How do they race day after day with that noise!?