Le Tour de France

[Stat Brother]

I noticed Cavendish is like 174 or something in GC. Must have had a hellacious ITT.

Cav's not there to win the yellow jersey, so finishing the TT 20th or 170th is irrelevant.
His race is all about today's result and the green jersey. But as Chris Boardman said, last night, teams are not going to work to bring the peleton together for the end of the flat stages, just so Cav can go on to win.
So tactically today and the 6 other possible sprint finish days, could be interesting.

 

[Gwylan]

His race is all about today's result and the green jersey. But as Chris Boardman said, last night, teams are not going to work to bring the peleton together for the end of the flat stages, just so Cav can go on to win.
So tactically today and the 6 other possible sprint finish days, could be interesting.

It will be interesting to see how they're going to stop him though. I only saw the highlights last night but I was fascinating watching the last few minutes... there was such an inevitability of Cavendish winning it. Once he gets within a sniff of a chance, he's unstoppable - most un-Britlike.

I'm really looking forward to this year's. We've not just got possible British green jersey winner but some fascinating duels to watch - and Mont ventoux on the penultimate stage, what a finale that could be.

 

[adrian29uk]

Cycling is the only the sport I can sit down and not get frustrated with. This years tour should be exciting towards the end, mountain stage the day before paris. Will be nice to see if Cavendish starts get some decent coverage in the press instead of these premiership tarts.

 

[adrian29uk]

Well I think this is quite good, if you want to track the cyclists progress
Live-Ticker zur Tour de France 2009

 

[adrian29uk]

I'm amazed anyone still takes this sport seriously.

Cycle up your steepest hill 1000 times, then you will appreciate what a tough sport this is.

 

[Notters]

Why cant it stay as its name The Tour of FRANCE and miss out GB. Why should they want to come here the French dont like us anyway eg they sent Napoleon, Gen De Gaulle, Citroen Cars, to try to beat us and prove it.

They get paid millions for it to come here and it's great for tourism.

 

[Notters' Dad]

Congratulations to Lord Cavendish on yesterday's stage win.
I shall be watching on the Col de la Schlucht or Col du Platzerwasel on the 17th!

Anyone know a sound reason why footballers are "tired" when playing more than one game in a few days yet cyclists and tennis players go on for hours at a time for days in a row?

 

[adrian29uk]

This country will never take cycling seriously. Your treated like vermin as a cyclist.

 

[Easy 10]

Cycle up your steepest hill 1000 times, then you will appreciate what a tough sport this is.

Oh I don't doubt how tough it is, their endurance is absolutely phenomenal. Its just that sometimes its TOO phenomenal. The sport is too discredited for me to ever take it seriously in terms of an actual competion between riders.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Oh I don't doubt how tough it is, their endurance is absolutely phenomenal. Its just that sometimes its TOO phenomenal. The sport is too discredited for me to ever take it seriously in terms of an actual competion between riders.

I see your point, but it is still one of the great sporting events and to be honest I'm amazed anyone can complete it without doing drugs. Just finishing the damn thing is a nightmare let alone being a challenger to win.

Hopefully this year there will be fewer high profile 'surprises', at least the cycling authorities are not afraid to ban the biggest names from the race if they are caught out.

 

[Notters]

This country will never take cycling seriously. Your treated like vermin as a cyclist.

There's going to be a British team in next year's tour - Team Sky.

 

[Stat Brother]

It will be interesting to see how they're going to stop him though. I only saw the highlights last night but I was fascinating watching the last few minutes... there was such an inevitability of Cavendish winning it. Once he gets within a sniff of a chance, he's unstoppable - most un-Britlike.

I'm really looking forward to this year's. We've not just got possible British green jersey winner but some fascinating duels to watch - and Mont ventoux on the penultimate stage, what a finale that could be.

Deffo, I didn't realise quite how impressive Cav's TdF stat's are, they do rate him as the best, it's a shame he doesn't have the equivalent Robbie McEwan or Super Mario to compete against, so we'd know for sure.
He certainly makes every other sprinter look ordinary.

Yesterday was very straight forward for him, he was never going to loss from 750 metres out.
To watch him at his very best check out this years Milan-San Remo on youtube.
Now thats the greatest sprinter

 

[adrian29uk]

Take my words back on my first comment.
Announcing Team Sky - A Professional British Road Cycling Team

 

[1066familyman]

What a cracking stage today !

Apart from anything else, it opens up all sorts of questions as to who's really the leader of Astana. Armstrong is obviously not prepared to play second fiddle to Contador. Perhaps they always started out as joint team leaders ? Certainly the Astana riders in todays break were allowed to work for Armstrong.

Great work by Columbia HTC again to ensure another stage win for Cavendish and more valuable points towards his bid to win the green jersey. If he can drag himself over the mountains and finish in Paris ( as he's stated he intends to do this year ) then already he's in with a very good shout.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well, that was a cracking stage.
I bet all the Columbia riders were in hogs heaven, and couldn't have riden quicker if their lives depended on it.

Another straight forward win for Cav, making Thor look pedestrian.

 

[1066familyman]

Well, that was a cracking stage.
I bet all the Columbia riders were in hogs heaven, and couldn't have riden quicker if their lives depended on it.

Another straight forward win for Cav, making Thor look pedestrian.

You were spot on with one of your earlier posts where you mentioned the competition for Cavendish. Would be superb to have seen him up against the likes of super mario, or how about the truly great Tashkent terrier himself - Dumolojin Abdoujaporov ( forgive my spelling but I know you'll know who I mean ).

 

[Stat Brother]

The 2 of them would be scrapping 50 yards after the line.

 

[1066familyman]

Just a quick google around as it was bugging me, and here is the correct spelling I was after :

Djamolodine Abdoujaparov.

He used to weave from side to side so violently that it used to almost make me wince when watching him. Suppose that famous crash was always going to happen at some point, dozy copper or not.

 

[Stat Brother]

His wasn't the policeman, that was another, around the same time.

DA just ploughed into the barrier support 50yrds from the finish on the Champs Elyees, going at well over 40mph.
But as you say, always an accident waiting to happen.

 

[1066familyman]

You're right about those crashes. Wilfred Nelison was the one who crashed into the policeman.

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