TdeF 2013

[mattc]

Tweet from Dr Hutch:

A radio station rings 'Would you like to come on our lunchtime show and talk about the question of how British Froome is?' No. I wouldn't.



 

[citoyen]

The mountain classification scoring was changed this year, giving more points for the HC and 1st category climbs.

Yes, and looking at the outcome, they're probably giving themselves a big pat on the back for that decision. It's hard to imagine there's ever been a more popular winner of that competition than Quintana.

Actually, it was last year they changed the KOM points, and that gurning idiot still managed to win it, but at least he did so by actually winning a mountain stage rather than jut hoovering up the intermediate points, which seemed to be Rolland's tactic this year.

This in contrast with the Giro and the Vuelta where they don't distinguish between the mountain and flat stages. In the Vuelta Mollema and Rodriguez had a great fight over the points jersey. Mollema won because he dared to enter the final bunch sprint while Rodriguez didn't. Just a few points in the lower spots were enough.

And not forgetting the time bonuses!

All of which goes to show quite how huge an achievement it was for Cav to win the red jersey at the Giro this year, after being pipped by Purito last year - and the effort that required is possibly one of the reasons he wasn't firing on all cylinders at the Tour.

[citoyen]

Tweet from Dr Hutch:

A radio station rings 'Would you like to come on our lunchtime show and talk about the question of how British Froome is?' No. I wouldn't.

 

ISTR he's previously turned down opportunities to discuss how Irish Dan Martin is too. Good for him!

[Nuncio]

Still, Cav will be back next year, with Renshaw back as his leadout man, so that should get his opposition quaking with fear.

Not racing to the end of the Giro may help him, as will not starting the tour with bronchitis (or whatever necessitated the antibiotics).  On the other hand, OPQS having Uran might dilute the power of his lead-out.

[clarion]

Tweet from Dr Hutch:

A radio station rings 'Would you like to come on our lunchtime show and talk about the question of how British Froome is?' No. I wouldn't.

 

ISTR he's previously turned down opportunities to discuss how Irish Dan Martin is too. Good for him!

Good for Hutch.

Sky is an international team, and Froome is an international rider.  Brits can be proud, Kenyans can be proud, South Africans can be proud, but, most importantly, cycling fans can be proud and impressed by his achievement.

[Veloman]

+1 ^^^^^^

[Toady]

The mountain classification scoring was changed this year, giving more points for the HC and 1st category climbs. The green jersey points scoring has always been more favouring for the flat stages. This in contrast with the Giro and the Vuelta where they don't distinguish between the mountain and flat stages. In the Vuelta Mollema and Rodriguez had a great fight over the points jersey. Mollema won because he dared to enter the final bunch sprint while Rodriguez didn't. Just a few points in the lower spots were enough.

Tour of Britain has a points and a sprinters jersey doesn't it?  One for pure stage finishing points and one with intermediate sprints?  Or is my memory failing me again.

[citoyen]

Sky is an international team, and Froome is an international rider.  Brits can be proud, Kenyans can be proud, South Africans can be proud, but, most importantly, cycling fans can be proud and impressed by his achievement.

Yeah, I'm surprised more hasn't been made of him being the first African winner of the Tour. But then maybe I'm just not seeing it because I only look at the British press.

Personally, I see no conflict in him being both a British and an African winner.

Bizarre that his nationality is even considered an issue when one of the most popular riders on the Tour this year, even among people who have questioned Froome's British credentials, was a Colombian - who, in fact, isn't actually all that popular back home because of slightly unsavoury attitudes towards his "Indian" heritage (this according to my dad, who has lots of Colombian friends).

[Peter]

Sky is an international team, and Froome is an international rider.  Brits can be proud, Kenyans can be proud, South Africans can be proud, but, most importantly, cycling fans can be proud and impressed by his achievement.

Yeah, I'm surprised more hasn't been made of him being the first African winner of the Tour. But then maybe I'm just not seeing it because I only look at the British press.

Personally, I see no conflict in him being both a British and an African winner.

Bizarre that his nationality is even considered an issue when one of the most popular riders on the Tour this year, even among people who have questioned Froome's British credentials, was a Colombian - who, in fact, isn't actually all that popular back home because of slightly unsavoury attitudes towards his "Indian" heritage (this according to my dad, who has lots of Colombian friends).

Yes, when I saw him on the podium, I thought, "He's a "real" Columbian.  That's great for the indigenous people."  I hope it is!

[mrcharly-YHT]

He's reportedly had racist hassle from French, US and Australian riders (but didn't say anything about british riders).

[citoyen]

He's reportedly had racist hassle from French, US and Australian riders (but didn't say anything about british riders).

There's a historical precedent for this - the great Colombians of the 80s had an awful time with racism from other riders and fans.

And more recently, there was an incident where Jarlinson Pantano got knocked off his bike by a French rider (not named) so Quintana went after him and returned the favour.    

As I understand it, attitudes towards poor peasant kids like Quintana from metropolitan Colombians aren't an awful lot better.

[TimO]

On a lighter note, was Ned Boulting trying to subtly ask Peter Sagan if his collar and cuffs matched?

I wondered about that, but if he had replied, they possibly couldn't have shown it (in replay anyway, live tv is harder to censor!)

[David Martin]

Cav was well beaten. His leadout was going so well until they were just about to hit the Place de la Concorde for the last time. Steegmans looked round, saw a Cannondale rider on his wheel and sat up, allowing Argos to come past and take the best line through the dogleg onto the Champs-Élysées. It was lost at that moment. Though anyone else apart from Cav would have been a lot further back by the time they crossed the line.

Wasn't it Trentin who sat up? Steegmans had let the cannondale rider in which screwed the leadout, allowing Argos to come past. Cav would have won from Kittels wheel, but was far too small to persuade Greipel to relinquish that spot.
Argos got it spot on, gave Kittel the launch he needed and he managed to hold off greipel and Cav just long enough. Possibly a moment too much hesitation from Cav or Kittel going earlier than expected.

But ultimately the best possible sprint finish for the Tdef - the three top sprinters line abreast, no crashes and it wasn't clear who was going to win until the line came.

[mattc]

I don't think anyone's commented on it, but I loved the new Arc de Triomphe turn.

OK, so they still had to tiptoe round a bit on the cobbles, but the old 2mph turn was a joke, and this is sooooo much more photogenic. 

[Aidan]

I don't think anyone's commented on it, but I loved the new Arc de Triomphe turn.

OK, so they still had to tiptoe round a bit on the cobbles, but the old 2mph turn was a joke, and this is sooooo much more photogenic. 

Yep , loved it, the tracking shot they had most times was great. Loved the projection stuff at the end too!

[Dibdib]

I don't think anyone's commented on it, but I loved the new Arc de Triomphe turn.

OK, so they still had to tiptoe round a bit on the cobbles, but the old 2mph turn was a joke, and this is sooooo much more photogenic. 

Absolutely... although I can't help but wonder if it made it a little too easy for the peloton to chase down a breakaway?

[red marley]

From a spectator's point of view, it might not be so great though. When I watched the Paris stage a few years ago, I was positioned at the start of the corner just before the Arc. As a spectator, seeing them slow down for the tight corner, and only being a few metres away from them was part of the fun. The new layout positions the spectators a long way from the action to allow the motorbike to take the wide circle at speed.

But I agree it looked good on telly.

[Glover Fan]

Any chance they will run the Paris stage in the evening again? I loved that. Having the podium ceremony in darkness was much more atmospheric.

[rafletcher]

I suspect the Arc turn was just for the 100th edition. And the evening finish was to minimise the disruption due to closing it, as all themajor roads radiate from it.  The projection sequence was brilliant though.

[bobb]

He's reportedly had racist hassle from French, US and Australian riders (but didn't say anything about british riders).

Really?! That's terrible. I didn't think that sort of thing went on these days. Pretty shocking really.

[woollypigs]

I wonder how it was to be Kevin Reza then? Sad to hear that it is going on.

[Wobbly John]

Some fantastic photos of le Tour HERE.

...and part 2 HERE 

[Bledlow]

I think you are taking the analogy too seriously(!)

Anyways, Froome doesn't sound British.  It's superficial, but that's the currency of public opinion.

Froome sounds as British as some British born & raised pro riders who've spent years on the circuit in France, & I've never heard anyone question their nationality. He sounds at least as British as Virginia Wade. He doesn't sound like a South African, he sounds like what he is: someone who lived there long enough to have his accent influenced.

I've heard British actors speaking in stronger US accents after years living over there, without any questions being raised.

[Bledlow]

Sky is an international team, and Froome is an international rider.  Brits can be proud, Kenyans can be proud, South Africans can be proud, but, most importantly, cycling fans can be proud and impressed by his achievement.

Yeah, I'm surprised more hasn't been made of him being the first African winner of the Tour. But then maybe I'm just not seeing it because I only look at the British press.

Personally, I see no conflict in him being both a British and an African winner.

+1

There was a BBC news report last night which had a clip of his first cycling coach, back in Kenya - David Kinjah.

Bizarre that his nationality is even considered an issue when one of the most popular riders on the Tour this year, even among people who have questioned Froome's British credentials, was a Colombian - who, in fact, isn't actually all that popular back home because of slightly unsavoury attitudes towards his "Indian" heritage (this according to my dad, who has lots of Colombian friends).

I'm hoping we see more of Quintana, for lots of reasons.

Sky is an international team, and Froome is an international rider.  Brits can be proud, Kenyans can be proud, South Africans can be proud,

Don't forget Monegasques.

[Bledlow]

Is Armstrong watching telly tonight?

They had Hinault and Indurain as sample great champions for the 100th finish podium
One can't fail to see the irony that Indurain gets feted but Armstrong isn't even there

I did wonder about Mig's presence. But I guess Lance was just in a different league, doping wise.

As I see it, Indurain just got on with it, doing what everyone else did, & doing it pretty quietly. Armstrong made a big thing about being clean, & viciously bullied anyone who challenged it, while leading the pack in drug use.

I think Indurain would probably have won just as much if everyone had been drug-free - only a little slower.