Author Topic: Tour de France 2012  (Read 143049 times)

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #850 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:30:29 pm »
I'm racking my brains for my favourite Cav win in the past.  It was in 2009, either MSR, TdF stage 19 or the Champs Elysses that year.

I have a new favourite!  I thought the break had got it there, and was preparing to post that Stephen Roche must be very proud.  However, excellent work by Wiggins and EBH (pity he couldn't have won from the break) followed by the biggest, bestest, longest and fastest sprint ever, straight past the break to an irresistible win.

He now has 22 TdF wins, the same as Lance.  That's some payback for 3 weeks of domestiquing; bring on Paris!

Chris S

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #851 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:33:01 pm »
Nothing like a lead-out from Yellow  :thumbsup:.

Fantastic finish.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #852 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:35:32 pm »
Yes, that was incredible.

I even believe the nearest riders to him should be at 1 second!

Glad to see Bernard Hinault did not make any special effort for his president in terms of his dress; casual as ever.  (How galling for the president to be congratulating stage winner and overall leader in their own race!)

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #853 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:37:42 pm »
All those people who were adamant that Cav would pull out of the Tour to prepare for the Olympics, I hope you're enjoying your slice of humble pie.  ;D
a great mind thinks alike

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #854 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:41:10 pm »
All those people who were adamant that Cav would pull out of the Tour to prepare for the Olympics, I hope you're enjoying your slice of humble pie.  ;D

Indeed, and those who said he would not finsih the Giro.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #855 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:46:10 pm »
Cav's sideburns are almost as good as Brad's!
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #856 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:49:02 pm »
Cav's sideburns are almost as good as Brad's!

I think there may be team sidies for Sunday!

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #857 on: 20 July, 2012, 03:49:15 pm »
All those people who were adamant that Cav would pull out of the Tour to prepare for the Olympics, I hope you're enjoying your slice of humble pie.  ;D

Smug git.  :thumbsup:  ;D

To all those people: see my avatar.

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #858 on: 20 July, 2012, 04:05:32 pm »
Sky shoots, Cav scores.  8)

I'd say Wiggo is definitely off Luis Leon Sanchez's Christmas card list now - that's the second time that a monster turn at the front has resulted in LLS being swamped before the line.  ;D
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #859 on: 20 July, 2012, 04:17:52 pm »
And Brad took the yellow jersey off LL at the Tour of Romandie. He must be starting to think it's personal.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #860 on: 20 July, 2012, 04:24:54 pm »
I'd say Wiggo is definitely off Luis Leon Sanchez's Christmas card list now - that's the second time that a monster turn at the front has resulted in LLS being swamped before the line.  ;D

Just watched it again and LLS just sits up and raises his hand when Cav shot past him.  Love to hear what he has to say.  I beleive there have already been comments along the lines of "do Sky want to win everything?"  Other riders clearly not happy.  Let's hope it's Brad on Saturday (or even better Chris F) and Cav on Sunday.  Could even have been a potential 4 stages in sucession if Chris F was given his freedom yesterday.  Sky are dominant.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #861 on: 20 July, 2012, 05:57:07 pm »
Quote
julienpretotRTR‏@julienpretotRTR

Brad asked about French president Hollande: "I didn't know who he was, I thought he was some guy from Loft Story (Big Brother)" #QOTD

 ;D
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

slohill

  • still at it
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #862 on: 20 July, 2012, 06:05:06 pm »
Great comment on Eurosport (I think I heard it correctly  :demon:)

"President Hollande is given the honour of meeting Bradley Wiggins"
Organiser of  Tour of the Berwyns 200k and Panorama Prospect 130k; Saturday May 20 2023

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #863 on: 20 July, 2012, 06:08:49 pm »
Did anybody else notice the lead-out train?  There was a Garmin rider on front before Wiggo took it up.  Was that Millar?  If so, then that was a dress-rehearsal for the Team GB Olympics lead-out train, (with EBH taking the place of Stannard).  I do not know who the Garmin rider was, but it looked like Millar.  If so, wonder if Wiggo had a word with him and asked him if he was up for a bit of practice?

Stunning speed from Wiggo.  Griepel et al were nowhere, left for dead.  Amazing!
Spinning, but not cycling...

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #864 on: 20 July, 2012, 06:18:32 pm »
I think the Garmin rider was Van de Velde

Edit: It was. Millar rolled home nearly 9 minutes later! (He did stretch his legs in the break though  :) )
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #865 on: 20 July, 2012, 08:12:45 pm »
I loved the message from Big Mig on the ITV4 show. It is gratifying to see a big rouleur in charge of the Tour again after a fallow period. Brad's turn of speed was impressive in the lead-out, but the camera did flatter Cav a bit, as the riders we got to compare him with were Sanchez and Roche, who'd just been on a long breakaway. It was a very well timed catch.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #866 on: 20 July, 2012, 08:21:19 pm »
......... the camera did flatter Cav a bit, as the riders we got to compare him with were Sanchez and Roche, who'd just been on a long breakaway.

Ignoring Sanchez and Roche from the pictures, where were the other sprinters?  The on-line photo shows Cav well clear and he slowed up for his victory salute.  I think flattery is well in order for his performance as no other sprinter was anywhere near him today and for a sprint, he won by a mile (speaking metaphorically!)

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #867 on: 20 July, 2012, 08:44:38 pm »
Anyone know what happened to the yellow helmets?  Were Sky the only ones to play that game?

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #868 on: 20 July, 2012, 08:47:09 pm »
RadioShack didnt want to wear them ... and they still lead the team classification.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #869 on: 20 July, 2012, 08:47:57 pm »
It was a great sprint performance, but the overhead shot shows him passing Roche and Sanchez, which exaggerates the speed differential. Cavendish seemed to lag behind Boasen Hagen, and was on a Lotto wheel, but it gave him a clearer run in the end. We don't see any of the other sprinters in the overhead shot.
http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/stages/stage18/

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #870 on: 20 July, 2012, 08:53:38 pm »
RadioShack didnt want to wear them ... and they still lead the team classification.

Jens seems to be wearing one, I reckon he should become the Bris Becker or Jurgen Klinsmann of cycling commentary.
http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/stages/stage18/
as in Jens plans for retirement in these videos.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #871 on: 20 July, 2012, 08:56:14 pm »
It was a great sprint performance, but the overhead shot shows him passing Roche and Sanchez, which exaggerates the speed differential. http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/stages/stage18/

Agreed

We don't see any of the other sprinters in the overhead shot.
http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/stages/stage18/

Which just shows how fast he was really going as none of the other sprinters could stick with him.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #872 on: 20 July, 2012, 09:01:40 pm »
Whilst we are all in awe of the sheer speed of the Manxmissile... his bike handling and tactical skills are also incredible.  He lost EBH's wheel but seemed to find a faster line than the others through that last corner, going from the outside to the apex at just the right moment to find the gap between Sieberg and Greipel.

Rig of Jarkness

  • An Englishman abroad
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #873 on: 20 July, 2012, 09:04:48 pm »
Just watched this - apologies for the language - I've had a few glasses of a very tasty Islay malt - F***ing Hell that was amazing !!!
Aero but not dynamic

Rig of Jarkness

  • An Englishman abroad
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #874 on: 20 July, 2012, 09:11:21 pm »
There was me lusting after that sexy French Eurosport interviewer and it turns out she's Hungarian !  Where is Professor Higgins when you need him ?
Aero but not dynamic