I'm finding it more painful watching than brilliant racing. In these conditions skill and ability become less important and pure luck far more important.Well you are bound to have a sympathetic wince or two.
The only positive thing about this is that it makes Yorkshire look like a great place for stage racing.
Shame (on you Sky) there's no Sir Bradley, I reckon he'd have coped.. Sorry for Froome anyway.
Shame (on you Sky) there's no Sir Bradley, I reckon he'd have coped.. Sorry for Froome anyway.
Do SKY have anyone that can 'step up'? Sir Brad should have been there.
I'm finding it more painful watching than brilliant racing. In these conditions skill and ability become less important and pure luck far more important.
Contador 2m38 down on Nibali. Bye bye Alberto?
As long as you can avoid the greater than 1:10 chance of hitting the deck during the stage.
As long as you can avoid the greater than 1:10 chance of hitting the deck during the stage.
Its not chance that dictates that. Those in the know predicted Nibali to do well.
Froome crashed twice BEFORE the cobbled stage by the way.
Shame (on you Sky) there's no Sir Bradley, I reckon he'd have coped.. Sorry for Froome anyway.yes, after all wiggo did finish 9th in the Paris Roubaix this year. I was impressed.
TdF winners should be complete riders, not just 1-trick ponies. It is only those not skilled and canny enough to stay out of trouble that complain about technical courses.
TdF winners should be complete riders, not just 1-trick ponies. It is only those not skilled and canny enough to stay out of trouble that complain about technical courses.
I completely agree with this. Racing shouldn't just be about sustained watts (that leads to the Armstrong era) but tactics and skill on the bike. No surprise that a 'cross racer won the stage today. Nibali was a surprise but is an excellent racer - this is the 2nd stage he's put in a great ride so far this year.
But Nibali is a great bike handler. He descends like a god.
TdF winners should be complete riders, not just 1-trick ponies. It is only those not skilled and canny enough to stay out of trouble that complain about technical courses.
I completely agree with this. Racing shouldn't just be about sustained watts (that leads to the Armstrong era) but tactics and skill on the bike. No surprise that a 'cross racer won the stage today. Nibali was a surprise but is an excellent racer - this is the 2nd stage he's put in a great ride so far this year.
Though apart from staying upright, there's no real evidence Nibali wan't just lucky... or that Froome wasn't unlucky.
I don't think Wiggins would have liked it on the wet, slippery roads. The rest of the tour is still too hilly for him. If Brailsford's call to leave him out was right at the start, it still is, despite losing Froome.
Detractors of today's stage also have no sense of history. It started in Ypres
If you've watched the last few stages you'll have seen Contadors entire team at the front, whilst Sky have been all over the place.
Sky were, unsurprisingly, a mess. The team have been conspicuous by their absence, which Flatus & I have both noticed:If you've watched the last few stages you'll have seen Contadors entire team at the front, whilst Sky have been all over the place.
95 miles in pissing rain over 7 sections of cobbles and still somehow faster than the UK time trial record over a similar distance?
I just don't believe that's a clean performance.
How the fuck is Vino a team principle?
Froome was like a giraffe skating on ice before he even got to the cobbles.
If you've watched the last few stages you'll have seen Contadors entire team at the front, whilst Sky have been all over the place.
95 miles in pissing rain over 7 sections of cobbles and still somehow faster than the UK time trial record over a similar distance?
I just don't believe that's a clean performance.
How the fuck is Vino a team principle?
There were only 15km of Pave in 155km and the route was pan-flat.
I don't think 45km/hr is unusual for a peloton over flat ground.
Anything which touches on skills that can't be reduced to statistics, celebrity or medication is too confusing.Aye. Right now the radio pundits are trying to assess Argentine's chances against Germany by looking at results from ten years ago.
Leaving drugs out of the equation, one of the notable things about Armstrong 99-05 was how he almost never had 'bad luck'. Of course, the primary reason for that had nothing to do with luck.
On the cobbles they ride long-wheelbase bikes with frames with a bit of give, old-fashioned wheels and 27mm tyres at lower pressures. Sounds familiar.Only Astana appear to have used old fashioned wheels according to the video above.
The slippery cobbles have done for him then!
On the cobbles they ride long-wheelbase bikes with frames with a bit of give, old-fashioned wheels and 27mm tyres at lower pressures. Sounds familiar.Only Astana appear to have used old fashioned wheels according to the video above.
I don't think Wiggins would have liked it on the wet, slippery roads. The rest of the tour is still too hilly for him. If Brailsford's call to leave him out was right at the start, it still is, despite losing Froome.
Good video of 23mm and 25mm tyres going over Pave in Slo-Mo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GET2h0j0loA
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GET2h0j0loA)
I bought a Trek Domane at the weekend, not for Pave, just for typical British country lanes.
Just heard that Nibali was in the Nord in April to recce all the pavé sections with a specialist, hence his relative ease yesterday.That's when the picture I linked to was taken. Astana were also spotted by Heather's sister Hilary, in Muker, Swaledale.
Wiggins has proven himself on cobbles, yes, but he is notoriously slow and cautious in the wet which would not have helped yesterday.
Stopped in front of a chip-shop.
Until yesterday's stage 6 I hadn't realised the significance of the route. Stage 6 went along the "Chemin des Dames" the scene of a huge French offensive in 1916 which was supposed to relieve the pressure on the British Sector.
Exit Stage Left on July 09, 2014, 07:33:46 PM
Detractors of today's stage also have no sense of history. It started in Ypres and traversed Flanders, giving us images of mud-spattered heroes of a 'Hell of the North', in the centenary year of WW1. 'Pack up your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag' would work well.
Until yesterday's stage 6 I hadn't realised the significance of the route. Stage 6 went along the "Chemin des Dames" the scene of a huge French offensive in 1916 which was supposed to relieve the pressure on the British Sector.
Today's route is obviously to commemorate the battle of Verdun in 1916 and goes very close to the Douaumont Ossuary which is a French National Cemetery. The battle of Verdun resulted in more than 700,000 casualties including 230,000 killed. I'm not sure whether the route will include the "Voie Sacre" which was the lifeline for Verdun during the battle.
Anyone who attended the Semaine Federal in Verdun will remember the area.
It was a joke... and no, I think he just got dropped.
It was a joke... and no, I think he just got dropped.
No , he fell again :facepalm: sliding around in the rain...
Amazing how much time Simon Yates lost after being caught on the final slope :o
Anyways, Bertie is back on the dope, and he will likely win.
Anyways, Bertie is back on the dope, and he will likely win.
Would that be the De Jongh who left Sky after admitting doping, along with Michael Rogers who jumped before he was pushed.
Talking of Sky, they are in pieces, scattered in the peloton and in sharp contrast to Saxo and Astana who are always at full strength right at the front.
Out of the saddle attacks on the steep bits. Hmmm.
At least Sky make an attempt to look like their efforts are measured,slowly grinding themselves back up.
Talking of Sky, they are in pieces, scattered in the peloton and in sharp contrast to Saxo and Astana who are always at full strength right at the front.
Something is going on at Sky and its not quite in focus yet. Not only have other teams caught up (former key Sky players now in Saxo) but all is not well in the Sky camp. Did you notice how nonchalent Geraint was about Froomes departure?
Got a feeling the Sky roster might look very different next year.
As far as I'm concerned they're all innocent until proven guilty, and once they've served their suspensions they're back on the same footing as everyone else. In cycling the slightest chemical suggestion of illegal substances is sufficient to divest a rider of his results and tar him with the same brush as proven cheats. The presence of the chemical used to keep blood bags flexible is enough, so too bad if it's used in anything else and you pick it up, you're a crook.
......and Armstrong said he'd lose the faith of cancer sufferers if he cheated.
As far as I'm concerned they're all innocent until proven guilty, and once they've served their suspensions they're back on the same footing as everyone else. In cycling the slightest chemical suggestion of illegal substances is sufficient to divest a rider of his results and tar him with the same brush as proven cheats. The presence of the chemical used to keep blood bags flexible is enough, so too bad if it's used in anything else and you pick it up, you're a crook.
Without wishing to sound rude, I think you've not been watching the last decade or so carefully enough.
It is very clear that pre-Cookson's tenure as UCI head, that anti-doping was a farce. Favoured riders were tipped off, or had their positives hidden (see Armstrong and Contador), and it is highly likely that riders out of favour were busted deliberately (see anybody that left USPS/Discovery for another team and tried to challenge Armstrong). Landis admits doping but vehemently denies having used testosterone during the 06 TdF.
Since McQuaids ousting and Armstrong's fall we are in limbo, waiting to see if Cookson has any intention of addressing the issues.
Hit a pot hole according to EuroSport :hand:
Fractured tibia for Contador.
Hit a pot hole according to EuroSport :hand:
Welcome to RL, Señor...
And he got back on the bike ??? Rispek!
Will we see Rogers giving fellow Aussies a hand?
The retirements raise the question of which riders are available to support GC contenders. Will we see Rogers giving fellow Aussies a hand? There's a lot of top domestiques looking to lend a hand somewhere. Maybe we'll see a return to the days of the Saeco red train. It should make for some interesting racing if we see some crosswinds.
Reminds me of the Col de Spandelles (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.010482,-0.217247,3a,75y,327.66h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sZXsdpmOCpdBuPXq0io-keg!2e0) which featured in the 2012 Route du Sud.
Cav, Chris and Contador; I think this is a bad tour to be in if your name begins with a C.Cancellara...
Cav, Chris and Contador; I think this is a bad tour to be in if your name begins with a C.Cancellara...
Poor Machado dropped from 3rd to 47th. I wonder what the full story of his crash/abandon/back in the race incident was.
And then there was Tiago Machado. Yesterday he had just a brilliant ride and moved into the top three overall. But then today he crashed and finished dead last. You know he was actually in the ambulance and then got back out and back on his bike! How courageous is that? That is pure determination for you. That is true grit.
First Cav, then Froome, now Talansky (tbc in the morning): my fantasy team is getting very thin.
Top bidon distribution by the Bretagne soigneur just now: four in as many seconds - the last being to a rider that was virtually passed him :thumbsup:
Top bidon distribution by the Bretagne soigneur just now: four in as many seconds - the last being to a rider that was virtually passed him :thumbsup:
That was quite impressive. On the subject of hydration, one of the Saxo-Tinkoff riders appeared to be wearing some kind of vest over his jersey for carrying bidons - I guess it's easier than trying to stuff several bidons up and down the back of one's jersey.
First Cav, then Froome, now Talansky (tbc in the morning): my fantasy team is getting very thin.
Yeah - new this year:Top bidon distribution by the Bretagne soigneur just now: four in as many seconds - the last being to a rider that was virtually passed him :thumbsup:
That was quite impressive. On the subject of hydration, one of the Saxo-Tinkoff riders appeared to be wearing some kind of vest over his jersey for carrying bidons - I guess it's easier than trying to stuff several bidons up and down the back of one's jersey.
http://pelotonmagazine.com/goods/new-water-bottle-vest-at-tour-de-france/
The simple ideas are always the best.
I do hope mine arrives in time for the HGWI1300 next week - just need to convince someone to be my domestique!
Could Sky finally set G free to have a go at a stage please?
Listening to the commentators on Eurosport and ITV4, they sometimes refer to the race manual/handbook,Me too. Presumably route, stage profile, details of major climbs and last few Kms, location of sprints, KoMs, feed zones, danger zones etc. Probably not stuff that Paul Sherwen is continually quoting from (historical and geographical facts etc) but I'd have thought that the Tour provides that as well.
presumably given to all of the riders. I'd love to get hold of one to see the sort of information it contains.
Hands up if you think Nibbles is clean..Me. But I acknowledge
I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.and have been fooled before.
Would the effects of cortisone show up in the biological passport?
But I forgive it all for helicopter shots of goats prancing along an Alpine ridge.But Alberto didn't make it as far as the Alps.
I'm not sure that the blood passport works in this way. It looks for changes in the constituents of blood rather than detection of substances.
I haven't a clue what is going on in the peloton, but I'd be amazed if it was nothing. Personally, I find Sky's 4 year history highly unusual.
The German commentator said the other day that Thibaut Pinot had been taken by his team for several days on some car race tracks for some fast driving to help him with his descending/bike handling and it seems to have worked. Did the Brit commentators mention this?
All very interesting but the circus is back today, so the thread can be returned to us disbelief suspenders.
Given today's winner, suspension of disbelief is essential.
IAM Cycling will lose Reto Hollenstein who crashed early in the stage but still managed to make it to the finish line. The tall Swiss rider was examined in the Tour de France’s mobile clinic at the finish line, which detected a pneumothorax of the right lung, in addition to multiple abrasions.
After finishing 26’47” behind the winner, Hollenstein understandably was in tears at the news. Having crashed following a touch of wheels with another rider, the Swiss German from the Thurgau region of the country, climbed back up on his bike and began a pursuit of more than 60 kilometers to rejoin the peloton. Having the courage to ignore the pain, Hollenstein succeeded in finishing the difficult stage in the gruppetto.
YupImpressiveUnbelievable from Nibbles.
Part of me wishes Nibbles had done a proper job on that daft bint with the phone :demon:
ImpressiveUnbelievable from Nibbles.
With the demise of Froome and Clentador Nibbles is mostly beating no-one of much note. Valverde looks very second-rate this year.Valverde has been absolute pants. Quintana wanted to race the tour this year, but i'm led to believe Valverde through a strop about it as he wanted to lead the team. I think Quintana is much better rider.
A different question. If you were a doping cyclist now what would you be using and what would you be doing to avoid detection?
A different question. If you were a doping cyclist now what would you be using and what would you be doing to avoid detection?
Also, what did AG2R do to upset She Who Must Not Be Named?That was a very sarky clap from one of the riders.
Also, what did AG2R do to upset She Who Must Not Be Named?That was a very sarky clap from one of the riders.