Tour de France 2018

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Thu Jul 19, 2018 3:54 pm

claret wizard wrote: Probably all to stop Cavendish breaking the stages victory record.

Can’t agree with that. He had the first week of sprints and wasn’t up to it. His best days could be behind him. Over the years he’s had some awful prangs and they must take a toll. For the pleasure he’s given fans I hope I’m wrong.

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:45 pm

Brilliant finish. Well done Thomas!

The crap Froome has to put up with is disgraceful though. Some fatty purposefully ran over to him and slapped him the dickhead.

Burnley Ace · Post by **Burnley Ace** » Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:49 pm

I don't know how they kep their focus cycling through the smoke, the flags and the screamers!!!

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:50 pm

saw that with Froome

Thomas is riding phenomenally well and was favourite today after riding the back of Demoulin when he attacked

Froome is a cracking position - he has been so careful not to overcook before the final week after his efforts in the Giro - usually he is hanging on in the final mountains - this time he is looking to be at his strongest for them and that ITT on stage 20

claret wizard · Post by **claret wizard** » Thu Jul 19, 2018 5:36 pm

piston broke wrote:Can’t agree with that. He had the first week of sprints and wasn’t up to it. His best days could be behind him. Over the years he’s had some awful prangs and they must take a toll. For the pleasure he’s given fans I hope I’m wrong.

True for this tour, though the two sprints where he looked like he had a chance he had his back wheel swiped and lost his chain on the other. I hope he does come back.

I guess they have to mix it up a bit with all sorts of riders and strengths. Though that 2010 finish was incredible by Cav, though G's win today might have eclipsed it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFkjPgccHto" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Thu Jul 19, 2018 8:42 pm

Another corker of a stage. Froome and Thomas beautifully positioned. I’d still have Froome as favourite, but what a week we have in store.

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:13 am

: 909FFF72-5EDD-4D44-95AC-0D84B205F400.png (627.56 KiB) Viewed 3085 times

My uncle giving it beans at the tour in his Burnley shirt

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:38 am

Is "giving it beans" slang for forcing out a trump?

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 10:36 am

Still stunned that G. could take on lead responsibilities, after Bernal dropped off, and yet still had the strength to leave them at the death. Amazing.

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:51 pm

It is disgusting the way the French treat Sky and particularly G.
This all comes from Laurent Jalabert mouthing off on telly. Yet under oath he couldn't admit he'd never taken drugs, he just took what the doctor told him. Cop out.
Richard Virenque, serial drug cheat, is still idolised in France. Strange people.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:59 pm

**** em, cycling isn't going home.

Thirteen · Post by **Thirteen** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:48 pm

F.A.O. inchy

Saw this earlier, a better view of your uncle! I saw the tweet and wondered who he was, good effort being there in claret!

Check out @DMVProsser’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/DMVProsser/status/1 ... 78977?s=09" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:05 pm

At this point, I have little faith that any competitive athlete in any sport is "clean". What these guys do is beyond normal human endurance.

chekhov · Post by **chekhov** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:51 pm

Inchy wrote:
My uncle giving it beans at the tour in his Burnley shirt

I'm going along tomorrow, they will be passing about 3km from where I live. Sadly you won't spot me in a Burnley shirt. I've got a knitted claret and blue woolen jumper but it's a bit warm to be sporting that.

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Fri Jul 20, 2018 8:03 pm

Thirteen wrote:F.A.O. inchy

Saw this earlier, a better view of your uncle! I saw the tweet and wondered who he was, good effort being there in claret!

Check out @DMVProsser’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/DMVProsser/status/1 ... 78977?s=09" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My uncle is a big cycling fan, something he got into when he lost his arm whist in the army. He was also a top marathon runner. Won silver in Sydney and bronze at Atlanta Paralympics

Garnerssoap · Post by **Garnerssoap** » Sat Jul 21, 2018 8:25 am

Have a small fortune invested in the froome dog. The Welshman is making me nervous

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:09 pm

I don't know you Garnerssoap and wish you no ill will but I hope you've thrown your small fortune away. I'd love to see Thomas win it.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:22 pm

‘G’ is fantastic and it’d be great for him to win it. However, the Pyrénées still await and I fancy Froome in those hills. Plus, there’s the time trial to eat back a few more seconds.

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:26 pm

Long way to go and will probably be a mute point after the Pyrenees but if the top 3 stay close together does anyone have an idea how much time Dumoulin is likely to get on Froome and Thomas in the penultimate day 's individual TT?

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:39 pm

Devils_Advocate wrote:Long way to go and will probably be a mute point after the Pyrenees but if the top 3 stay close together does anyone have an idea how much time Dumoulin is likely to get on Froome and Thomas in the penultimate day 's individual TT?

He is TT world champ but he might not be at his TT best with the mountain training he’ll have been doing. It’ll be a hell of a day if they are close before their off.

Danieljwaterhouse · Post by **Danieljwaterhouse** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 7:31 am

Garnerssoap wrote:Have a small fortune invested in the froome dog. The Welshman is making me nervous

You’ve nothing to worry about, G is riding as he always could but is under team orders from Sky. G would be a team leader in most Pro Tour teams if he wanted to ala Mr Porte, instead he’s chosen to be a super domestique (and is paid as a leader) at Sky.

They’ve thrown G up there to avoid exposing Froome to the press every day and subsequently the media circus that would’ve followed about drugs etc should he wear yellow and thus be forced to do the mandatory podium and press.

Team Sky want to stick two rather large fingers up at the end of the Tour to all those ex pro naysayers and the French public.

scouseclaret · Post by **scouseclaret** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 8:43 am

Anybody see the Wiggins interview yesterday? Did he have anything interesting to say?

Burnley Ace · Post by **Burnley Ace** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 11:08 am

TheFamilyCat wrote:**** em, cycling isn't going home.

Yes it is, we invented the proper bike (John Starley in 1870s). The "prototypes" other Europeans came out with were ****

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 1:00 pm

piston broke wrote:He is TT world champ but he might not be at his TT best with the mountain training he’ll have been doing. It’ll be a hell of a day if they are close before their off.

Let's not forget that Froome and Thomas are both very good time trialists. G won the first stage TT last year and Froome has won Tour TTs. He shouldn't beat them by significant margins like he would the likes of Bardet, Quintana or Landa.

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 1:12 pm

Thats why I asked the question. in previous tours Froome has had a distinct advantage over the main GC riders in the TT but this year he is up against someone (at least at the moment) who is faster so wondered how many seconds he would think he needs as a decent cushion over Dumoulin.

Pistons point about his mountain training being a leveler is a great point and as he said should it be close with any of the three off the we're in for a real exciting day

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 3:06 pm

claret wizard wrote:All the sprinters have gone now. Looks like it's too severe a test for the guys who bring the spectacle on those town finishes. In fact you can see how the organisers have made the sprinters job harder and harder over the last few years with uphill finishes, narrow twisty streets and punishing mountain stages. Probably all to stop Cavendish breaking the stages victory record. Well the show piece on the Champs Elysee will be a stroll for Sagan now as he wins green again.

It wasn't that they were mountain stages, it was that they were so short that it made the time cut off too aggressive.

Normally the sprinters will form a gruppetto and have no issues making the cut on a traditional hard mountain stage. They should have relaxed the time cut on those days. Sagan was always going to win green but now he has a very good chance of taking the Champs-Élysées sprint which is normally for the pure fast boys.

Danieljwaterhouse · Post by **Danieljwaterhouse** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 4:59 pm

Devils_Advocate wrote:Thats why I asked the question. in previous tours Froome has had a distinct advantage over the main GC riders in the TT but this year he is up against someone (at least at the moment) who is faster so wondered how many seconds he would think he needs as a decent cushion over Dumoulin.

Pistons point about his mountain training being a leveler is a great point and as he said should it be close with any of the three off the we're in for a real exciting day

Froome hasn’t even started his engine, he’s going to beast the third week. Remember he’s won the Giro already and so will be peaking later into the Tour than those who didn’t ride the Giro. This is the same for Yates and Martin who we’ve yet to see any action from. Tom D is a great rider and yes he might put seconds into G and Froome in the TT but he won’t stick the bigger climbs in week three.

Interesting G said last night that it’s important that Team Sky won the Tour, rather than Froome. First time we’ve seen a different message from G. He is a joker, and he’s a very dry sense of humour so take it with a pinch of salt but maybe just maybe. Remember Froome et al saying in 2012 the stronger rider should ride to win when it was Wiggins as team leader?

Also if you want a good podcast Lance Armstrong does one daily called the Move, it’s very good!

Devils_Advocate · Post by **Devils_Advocate** » Sun Jul 22, 2018 5:07 pm

I agree and when I asked the question I said I thought it would be a mute point by the time they came out of the Pyrenees.

I think Team Sky's plan will be if Froome has a bad day then G should drive on and make sure Sky maintain their lead. Also they are getting to the stage where they could be in a position to race each other towards the end of stages but unless they are miles ahead I dont think Sky would sanction a move in the middle of a stage by G that could really hurt Froome but hey im no expert on this sport

Ive never really got my head around podcasts but i'll maybe try and chck it out thanks

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 11:35 am

Striking French farmers blockade the route 30k in. Pepper spray used and affects the riders.
Wheels just rolling again but it’ll be a while before they are up to racing.

tiger76 · Post by **tiger76** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 11:41 am

Is striking a national pastime in France

Colburn_Claret · Post by **Colburn_Claret** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 11:45 am

It does appear that the French are experts at strike tactics. If British workers did half the things they do the press would have a field day.
I don't know the ins and outs of their gripe, but it does **** you off when it interferes with any sporting event.

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 11:48 am

Strange they never did it when Hinault was winning. Pricks.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:04 pm

tiger76 wrote:Is striking a national pastime in France

Striking and protesting is THE national pastime

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:33 pm

Gilbert crashes out from the lead on a descent. Over the wall. Hope he’s OK.

Burnley Ace · Post by **Burnley Ace** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:34 pm

Omg he (Gilbert?) just went over the wall! That looks nasty!

Burnley Ace · Post by **Burnley Ace** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:35 pm

Phew he looks ok. He's getting back on his bike ffs!!!

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:43 pm

Yes he looks fine - not pleasant to watch

meanwhile Dimension Data are still managing to screw up the time gaps - the peloton went from 6 to 10 mins back in the space of about 5 mins

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:49 pm

Has Froome now given up on winning?

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:53 pm

no he has not

Chobulous · Post by **Chobulous** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:53 pm

Spijed wrote:Has Froome now given up on winning?

Asthma attack from the pepper spray.

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:57 pm

What’s chances of Froome and Thomas going head to head and just trying to blast through the 65km tomorrow as fast as possible? Winner takes all

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:01 pm

more likely Froome having a go and Thomas tracking Demoulin

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:14 pm

Imagine going into Sunday and Dumoulin is only a few seconds behind either Froome or Thomas.

I bet the unwritten rule of not racing in Paris goes completely out of the window!

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:27 pm

It is if it is a matter of a few seconds and I imagine that would have to be less than 10 which is a huge margin on that stage given the timing rules

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:34 pm

Chester Perry wrote:more likely Froome having a go and Thomas tracking Demoulin

Yeah I know that’s more likely but why can’t froome and Thomas just go for it? It’s a flat stage the next day so it’s hardly going to mess things up for the team if they do plus I think it’s unfair to ask Thomas to just track Domoulin

TVC15 · Post by **TVC15** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:58 pm

No French guy won the Tour for 30 years now and their old enemy dominating their national event....sacra bleu !

Maybe they can do the same over here with the darts ?

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:47 pm

Winstonswhite wrote:Yeah I know that’s more likely but why can’t froome and Thomas just go for it? It’s a flat stage the next day so it’s hardly going to mess things up for the team if they do plus I think it’s unfair to ask Thomas to just track Domoulin

Thomas is in a defensive position tactically - even a fresh Demoulin cannot catch him in the ITT with that lead - Froome needs more time on Demoulin to be safe in 2nd and Demoulin is confident in his ITT pace but knows that Thomas has too much of a gap at this moment. Demoulin suspects Froome is ambitious and wants to be a history maker with 4 GT's on the bounce and 5 TDF's and also there is still a question mark over Thomas's ability to get through a Grand Tour unscathed or without a bad day.

The more interesting one is Roglic - how much is he prepared to risk for a podium in Paris

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:18 pm

Tomorrow will be manic, with attacks right from the start. Sky will have to decide who to mark and who they can afford to let go.

I'm not sure Dumoulin has the climbing ability to attack Thomas and Froome and take significant time back.

If they can ride in a way that keeps anyone else who attacks (Bardet, Quintana) at safe gap, it will allow Froome and Thomas to scrap it out at end and hopefully distance Dumoulin at the same time.

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:22 pm

A 65k stage must be unheard of? Two cat1s and a HC finish make this the stage of the tour. Over such a short distance there might not even be a breakaway. Every move could be covered. I’m excited for this one.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 10:50 pm

Tomorrow should be exciting - unfortunately I am out all day and will miss it - will have to watch when I get in about 10 tomorrow night - gutted