The Official 98th Tour de France, thread, 2011.

[1066familyman]

He has gone already. He is 14th at the moment, I think he has left too much on the road over the last three weeks. Especially as he has ridden the Giro too.

And that's why you watch Eurosport and not ITV

cheers

 

[1066familyman]

On that note Pantani, have you got any good internet links for live updates ?, seeing as ITV are a bit sparse on detailed info.

 

[1066familyman]

To answer my own question and for the benefit of others...just found this


Le Tour de France - Grenoble > Grenoble

 

[1066familyman]

Taaramae out next then, Rolland one rider after that. Come on Pierre...hang on in there for the white jersey !

 

[1066familyman]

I notice Rolland was 2:57 behind Tarramae in the Dauphiné on this course recently. Tarramae finished a very respectable 9th that day. That 1:30 lead for Rolland going into today looks even worse than I first thought ?

 

[1066familyman]

Rolland 16 seconds down on Tarramae at the 15km checkpoint.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Although a lifelong cyclist I remain a complete luddite when it comes to the technical side of things -

1. How can those solid back wheels not be susceptible to cross-winds?
2. Will spoked wheels ever be a thing of the past or do they remain because they allow the wheel to 'flex' and move with the road, and are also thin and so produce little drag (for want of a better term) on windy days?

 

[1066familyman]

Rolland 55 secs down on Tarramae at the 3rd checkpoint. This could be close. Hang in there Pierre !

 

[1066familyman]

Yes ! Rolland has hung on to white, only losing 47 seconds to Tarramea

 

[1066familyman]

And looking nailed on for Cadel Evans too Probably end up beating Tony Martins time even !

 

[perseus]

Had to take my library books today and another cyclist with books overtook me. I led him lead the way and then on a final bend ... whoosh !!! ... I sprinted to the line and got to the queue first.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Hypothetical tour etiquette question:

Someone finished 2nd in the GC by just one second on the penultimate stage, be it TT or whatever. However, they are only a few points behind in the green jersey competition, which they decide to turn their attention to in Paris on the Sunday. However, by contesting the sprint, they would be attacking the yellow jersey in Paris, which is supposedly not the done thing. What is the outcome?

(Btw I am aware how unlikely this scenario is these days!)

 

[1066familyman]

Well done to Voeckler for hanging onto 4th

 

[1066familyman]

Hypothetical tour etiquette question:

Someone finished 2nd in the GC by just one second on the penultimate stage, be it TT or whatever. However, they are only a few points behind in the green jersey competition, which they decide to turn their attention to in Paris on the Sunday. However, by contesting the sprint, they would be attacking the yellow jersey in Paris, which is supposedly not the done thing. What is the outcome?

(Btw I am aware how unlikely this scenario is these days!)

Have you thought of asking Liam Brady ?

Seriously though, I've no idea what would happen in that scenario.

 

[Pantani]

Although a lifelong cyclist I remain a complete luddite when it comes to the technical side of things -

1. How can those solid back wheels not be susceptible to cross-winds?

They are, but it depends how strong the crosswinds are. They have to be pretty strong to negate the aerodynamic advantages, so they normally go with them unless it is really blowing.

2. Will spoked wheels ever be a thing of the past or do they remain because they allow the wheel to 'flex' and move with the road, and are also thin and so produce little drag (for want of a better term) on windy days?

They will never be a thing of the past for recreational cyclists, as they are the simplest to build and repair. Also as you say they are safest in crosswinds for the everyday cyclist, that being said carbon spokes are becoming more common at the top end so the spoked wheel may not disappear but how it is built may change.

 

[Pantani]

Hypothetical tour etiquette question:

Someone finished 2nd in the GC by just one second on the penultimate stage, be it TT or whatever. However, they are only a few points behind in the green jersey competition, which they decide to turn their attention to in Paris on the Sunday. However, by contesting the sprint, they would be attacking the yellow jersey in Paris, which is supposedly not the done thing. What is the outcome?

(Btw I am aware how unlikely this scenario is these days!)

Interesting. I suppose they would just have to contest the stage, that being said it would not be too hard to prevent a large enough gap opening in the peloton for individual times to be recorded.

 

[black & white seagull]

Cadel wipes away a tear - and sets me right off!

 

[Pantani]

Superb from Evans. To nearly beat Martin is a phenemonal ride and for that alone he deserves his victory in this years Tour. As a fan of climbers I always prefer it when the Tour is won in the mountains but Evans determination shone through and they just could not crack him when it mattered.

 

[1066familyman]

Superb from Evans. To nearly beat Martin is a phenemonal ride and for that alone he deserves his victory in this years Tour. As a fan of climbers I always prefer it when the Tour is won in the mountains but Evans determination shone through and they just could not crack him when it mattered.

Well said that man !

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Was at the pub when he set off on his historic journey.

Everytime the time comparisons came up a big roar would errupt. When the clock ticked from cadel one second behind to 1 second in front the place exploded.

Also everytime the commentators said the word Geelong the crowd errupted.

Greta night out and brilliant result for a rider who imo has been one of the cleanest riders in the peelton for a few years now.