I thought I'd start a thread as Le tour starts on the 7th July. Personally I think it's great to see Chris Froome is being allowed to ride but why, oh why, is it taking so long for the authorities to sort out his alleged drug rule infraction? This has dragged on for an interminable length of time and, despite Froome's optimism he has nothing to worry about, can't help but prey on his mind, methinks.
Expect the usual excellent coverage from ITV4.
OK... must remember not to trip over a coffee table and end up in a Canberra hospital for most of the day ;D :thumbsup:
Looking forward to it. :beers:
Frustratingly I wrote a long post and then got a 403 response and couldn't send it, keeps happening weirdly.
They have resolved the irregular test, that was the UCI's announcement on Monday. No further action to be taken. I posted a URL but it seems it was that which was getting me the forbidden response!
It'll be interesting to see how he goes, conventionally people who've ridden the Giro don't go well at the Tour, wonder if he can buck the trend.
Personally I can't see him winning, but I fear his attempt will jeopardise the chances of a high placing for Geraint Thomas, who rode brilliantly at the Dauphiné. I'm not sure who I can see winning it though, that said!
Sagan for the green again, with some style no doubt!
Simon Yates for white maybe, Adam will still be wrecked from the Giro (think it's that way around!).
KoM... not sure, always a bit more open. Maybe Primož Roglič, he rode well last year in the mountains and has some solid results this year.
Looking forward to it!
Thanks for that. It was the BBC 6am news who stated Chris had been allowed to compete but still had the decision hanging over him. I'm glad it has been resolved in his favour.
It probably still won't prevent some animals from hurling abuse (and worse) at him ::)
Yes, sure it will hang over him for a long time! The French have been foiled in their efforts to try and ensure a French winner too!
Let's hope Cav and Sagan can be kept apart on what looks like a stage for sprinters, don't want a repeat of last year :goggleeyes:
Television coverage starts here in a couple of hours. :thumbsup:
Eurosport showing the whole stage, could be a long day :D
I'm currently down Somerset way, caring for my Father-in-Law who's recuperating from major surgery. :angel: MBH warned me that my usual practice of watching every second of live coverage - even jumping between Eurosport and ITV4 during ads - wasn't on. :'(
Well the TiVo is scheduled to record it all and we hand over care to my Sister-i-L tomorrow. MBH hasn't, but I have, booked Monday off work so I can have a mega binge! :tv:
Live coverage on ITV4 started 09.30 today.
Am juggling the TdF, footie and F1 qually at Silverstone. At some point I have to watch the Eng v India T20 cricket I recorded last night as it was past my bedtime.
It's all very quiet in here, innit?
Team time trial. :sleep:
Froome for improvement? :hmmm:
Interesting situation for Sky - the race doesn't reach the first big climbs until stage 10 but there is the lottery of the pave on the way to Roubaix on stage 9. Assuming that Froome hasn't made inroads into the deficit by the time we get to the mountains who do Sky give the support to? My guess is that they will hang fire on a decision until they see how things are going. 10, 11 and 12 are all big stages with Alp d'Huez on 12.
Agreed, certainly an interesting strategy call for them. I imagine they'll avoid Thomas or Froome expending too much energy - they won't want Thomas to go all out in support of Froome only to realise he's the better prospect.
Thomas has often looked superb until the last week where he has gone backwards (and obviously his Dauphiné victory doesn't disprove this!), I hope his staying power has increased, I'd love to see him on the podium. I think Froome is humble enough to ride for him too if they decide that's the greater good.
The cobbles aren't that bad, no 5-star sections and it looks dry, but definitely enough to put the cat among the pigeons. It's already been a pretty mad first few days with punctures/crashes to virtually all the favourites.
That first day was very strange and who'd have thunk some well known GC riders would be so far back (all for various reasons). Very strong team time trial by BMC, and at least Chris Froome is only 51 seconds down, something which, providing he can stay upright into the mountains, I reckon he'll soon claw back :hmmm:
Only by attacking one of his teammates who remains better placed and has been backed as a GC contender. Hence Sky's dilemma.
I agree, but I didn't see the Dauphiné so don't know how strong 'G' is at present going uphill. Besides, I'd like to see Froome get another one :D
Quote from: Newportnobby on July 10, 2018, 03:53:40 PM
I agree, but I didn't see the Dauphiné so don't know how strong 'G' is at present going uphill. Besides, I'd like to see Froome get another one :D
Seeing as the Dauphiné is very much a climbers race and he won it, I think Geraint is in a very good place at the moment, with the hillier bits of the Tour to come. As long as he stays upright, of course...
The other burning question is whether Cav can get any closer to Eddy's record. The signs don't look too good so far.
Quote from: cycletrak9 on July 10, 2018, 06:58:22 PM
The other burning question is whether Cav can get any closer to Eddy's record. The signs don't look too good so far.
He has had a couple of crashes this year so far, he competed (half-heartedly) for the intermediate sprint on Stage 1 but got delayed by all the later crashes. I wouldn't be surprised if he is bit more wary of getting too involved in the late stuff at the moment (particularly as Sagan is still around)...
He clearly wasn't happy with the result today, he did get boxed in a bit, but he was a way back. Not sure he's got the fitness, no huge surprise given his early season crashes. Shame though, I like him!
Brutal stage today, it having been dry for so long almost made it as bad as a wet one!
Interesting to see how disc brakes are making huge inroads into the peloton quite quietly after lots of noise about how evil they were. Wonder if we'll revert to rim brakes in the mountains like last year.
Feel for Richie Porte, again.
Brutal doesn't quite cover it IMO.
21.7kms of pavé took its toll. It was poor Romain Bardet I felt the most for but at least, unlike Richie Porte, he's still in the race.
Yes I'm not sure who AG2R's tyre sponsor is, but I never want to use them!
Quote from: njee20 on July 15, 2018, 09:37:15 PM
Yes I'm not sure who AG2R's tyre sponsor is, but I never want to use them!
Something for the weekend, M'sieur? :laugh:
Quite!
Interestingly it looks to be Continental, who supply loads of teams, so no inherent reason for all of Bardet's issues.
There were issues when riders started using carbon wheels on the cobbles about 10 years ago of rims breaking rather than tyres going flat; they just couldn't cope with the square edged impacts. I wonder if that was Bardet's issue.
Brilliant stage win by Geraint Thomas today, and takes the Yellow Jersey to boot. Alpe d'Huez tomorrow, looking forward to this one.
Stunning ride by 'G' today, and by Team Sky in total.
Many other GC riders put to the sword.
Agreed, amazing result. Would love to see him win. We shall see.
...but bad news for Cav, who was put out of his misery by coming in over one hour after the Time Limit dropped.
Yeah he clearly wasn't on form this year after a few big crashes early in the year. I really hope that's not his last Tour, but he's not getting any younger.
Big day today, having ridden the Croix de Fer and Alpe d'Huez last September I'm looking forward to watching it!
... and not only that, they've just gone up the "shoelaces". Stupendous despite being a mere blip on the profile.
Quote from: njee20 on July 19, 2018, 11:22:56 AM
Yeah he clearly wasn't on form this year after a few big crashes early in the year. I really hope that's not his last Tour, but he's not getting any younger.
Since Cav became a Dad he's certainly mellowed. I saw him come over the line and get jostled by a paparazzi and, in the past, he'd have gone back for him!!
Only just got in from spending heaps on a motorbike so will have to make do with highlights tonight.
He and Peta already have kids together; Delilah was born in 2012 (conceived during the previous year's TdF, I've no idea how he had the energy. #lad), and Frey in 2015, but I agree that he seems utterly besotted with Casper in a way he never seemed to be with the other two!
Superb race today, but again I am aghast at some of the antics of the rabble calling themselves cycling fans :censored:
Agreed, Nobby. Do we know why Nibali came down?
According to Gary Imlach poor old Nibali was caught between a motorbike and a spectator where the barriers pinched the road width.
I did notice the motorbikes were being used to try and shepherd some of the idiots away from the riders.
Quote from: Newportnobby on July 19, 2018, 09:17:26 PM
Superb race today, but again I am aghast at some of the antics of the rabble calling themselves cycling fans :censored:
I quite agree. Although I am a quite keen "cyclist" myself - 3000 miles a yearish, I find it difficult to engage with cycling as a sport; I watched today's race but the end was an unprofessional shambles with smoke bombs, flags in riders faces and that bloke trying to knock Froome off. May not watch any more stages.
Yours grumpily Jon :worried:
And that's after banning the sales of alcohol! It's always been that way, it's impossible to control all of it, and you'll always get a few morons. Mercx was denied a sixth win after a spectator punched him in the kidney back in the 70s. Virenque(?) hit a spectator and crashed in the closing metres on Alpe d'Huez in the 90s. Sadly a small minority's of people are utter morons, at least it's a much smaller number than those watching football!
Still, great race, those closing kilometres were superb. Dumoulin looks very strong, he must be ruing the fact he didn't make up time on the cobbles. Stellar victory by Thomas though, I still stand by my opening comment that I hope Sky don't throw it all away by using Thomas to support a slightly off-form Froome. He's clearly strong, but not like previous years.
Well you just have to look at Paris after the World Cup :uneasy:
And London, where jubilant fans thought smashing up an ambulance first responder car was appropriate celebration.
But at least in football nowadays spectators don't come on the pitch and foul the players!
Sure they would if they could!
The French do have a particularly acute dislike of Team Sky and Froome in particular.
Mind you, violent spectators are nothing new. In the 1904 Tour Maurice Garin was harassed by a car whose occupants told him that he would be "dealt with" before he got to St. Etienne. The story comes from Geoffry Wheatcroft's excellent book "Le Tour" which is well worth a read.
Well, 'G' has survived everything thrown at him so far and come out on top still. Today is going to be an absolute :censored: and, providing he suffers no mishaps, hopefully he can come through this and tomorrows time trial to enjoy the procession into Paris on Sunday.
Should be a good day, I suspect Dumoulin will go on the offensive, but the 20km descent to the finish will likely neutralise any advantage he builds on the climbs. Just hope G can hold on in the TT.
There could still be a sting in the tail - don't forget that Dumoulin is the world TT champion
Quote from: cycletrak9 on July 27, 2018, 02:32:40 PM
There could still be a sting in the tail - don't forget that Dumoulin is the world TT champion
Bringing a TT Motorcycle to a cycle race seems a tad unfair... :D
Quote from: cycletrak9 on July 27, 2018, 02:32:40 PM
There could still be a sting in the tail - don't forget that Dumoulin is the world TT champion
G isn't a slouch when it comes to ITTs, either.
Epic day today and, considering the terrain, still very close racing. Congrats to all riders.
2 minutes 5 should be enough, but I'll be crossing everything for Geraint Thomas tomorrow. If anyone deserves this it's him :)
Oh No, rain for the Time Trial :worried: stay safe everyone
I believe 'G' is the last to head off at about 15.20hrs so I won't bother watching until then. Hopefully anything beforehand will just be superfluous :D
Just read on the Official TdF website that Dan Martin has been awarded the Super-Combatif prize for this Tour. Very well deserved for all his attacking over several stages...
Thomas leads by 14sec at the 1st Timing Point... Froome in 2nd, 3sec ahead of Dumoulin and 30 ahead of Roglic, putting him on the virtual podium.
Roglic 49sec down on Froome at 2nd Timing Point. Dumoulin 2sec down on Froome, so looks like Froome has 3rd place sewn up. Thomas faster here, 13sec ahead of Froome and 15 on Dumoulin. Just don't fall down, G...
Roglic finished 1'15" down on Froome, Froome is 3rd overall. Dumoulin 2 1sec behind ahead of Froome, wins stage and is 2nd overall. Thomas finishes 17 14sec behind Froome at the Finish, but has retained the Yellow jersey.
Well done G...
EDIT: Adjusted timings as the official race centre couldn't keep up...
Stage Classification:
1. Tom Dumoulin, 40'52''
2. Chris Froome, at 1''
3. Geraint Thomas, at 14''
4. Michal Kwiatkowski, at 50''
5. Soren Kragh, at 51''
Chapeau to Lawson Craddock, who fractured his scapula in a crash on the first stage, has completed the course so far and is the 'Lanterne Rouge', 4h30'56" behind Thomas
Llongyfarchiadau i G! :claphappy:
Very happy for 'G' - a worthy winner, but felt so sorry for Chris Froome as thanks to a timing Big Chicken Up he lost the stage by 1 second to Tom Dumoulin.
Next up La Vuelta in September but there are London Road Races this weekend and track races from Scotland next week with Laura Kenny back in the saddle.
Not really my thing but very, very well done to Geraint.
A magnificent achievement.
Premiership footballers are tired after 90 minutes and can't play twice a week. Heaven knows how fit these cyclists are.
Just been browsing the 'Tour of Britain' website and the Stage 3 route this year passes the bottom of our road - if I'm reading the routemap/route timing sheets correctly :)
EDIT: I wasn't, but it's a 10 minute walk across the fields and across the M5 bridge at the back of the estate to the lane that it is passing down...
Chapeau to G and also nice to see Froomey making it to the podium after the treatment he has received from some so-called cycling "fans" in the past three weeks.