The Official 99th Tour de France thread, 2012.

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Hats off to Sagn he wants the green jersey, amazed he does not have the competition Cav had last year.

 

[1066familyman]

True, but having Basso and Koren up the road is better than Sagan yesterday, or nobody as per BMC.

Nice to see Rolland in the break.

I think Rolland will pick up good fantasy points today. I wanted him in but couldn't seem to work it right. Giving Nibali another chance as he surely has to try something somewhere, but somehow I think he's more talk than action. Oh well, we'll see.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Nibali out the back changing bikes, using up enegry chasing back, no team mates waiting for him

 

[1066familyman]

True re Taaramae, he may get in first 3 if they come back together but I guess he'll just be near front of peloton. I put a sneaky couple of quid on Peter Velits to win stage too at 100/1 and he looks strong at the moment if they stay away ..shame to have missed the fantasy thing, hopefully next year

Have a word with Pantani, he organises the fantasy league for us. Sure you can still get in for the Vuelta? Would be great if everyone who got on this thread also got onto the fantasy game I reckon.

 

[Stat Brother]

Nibali out the back changing bikes, using up enegry chasing back, no team mates waiting for him

I take he's leaving Lgas, as they don't see to like him.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Have a word with Pantani, he organises the fantasy league for us. Sure you can still get in for the Vuelta? Would be great if everyone who got on this thread also got onto the fantasy game I reckon.

I used to do NFL and Premership fantasy footballs, they became too stressful and time consuming, probably a behavioral trait of mine. I love the idea but need to keep my sanity, I mean are you all monitoring the Peace race/Tour of Poland as well at the moment or can you just focus on the TDF.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I take he's leaving Lgas, as they don't see to like him.

Is that why he was riding behind all the other team cars, was he trying to impress them...

 

[Stat Brother]

I used to do NFL and Premership fantasy footballs, they became too stressful and time consuming, probably a behavioral trait of mine. I love the idea but need to keep my sanity, I mean are you all monitoring the Peace race/Tour of Poland as well at the moment or can you just focus on the TDF.

You had to pay, to 'go premium', for events like like.
As I said at the time, I don't need to shell out a tenner, just to be told I'm sh*te.

 

[Pantani]

Nibali is off to Katusha next year allegedly. That may be why they do not seem to like him.

 

[1066familyman]

I used to do NFL and Premership fantasy footballs, they became too stressful and time consuming, probably a behavioral trait of mine. I love the idea but need to keep my sanity, I mean are you all monitoring the Peace race/Tour of Poland as well at the moment or can you just focus on the TDF.

I've certainly not gone premium as it's just too time consuming and I don't fancy paying a tenner anyway. I don't think any of us here have gone Premium either so just focused on TdF at the mo. I get a bit obsessive too, not that you'd notice of course , but I quite like the focus and added interest.

 

[armchairclubber]

all this hopping channels between itv and eurosport at the ad breaks, and now they coincide

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Commercial Breaks on both channels

Tour of Francis doing my head in, they auditioned loads of Francis's from cycling forums and had one ready in reserve, he only got to do one climb on his 1K Halford bike.

Reaction on cycling sites to the project so far, seems to be a mix of scepticism and admiration for Francis's endeavours – plus some irritation at his description of "smashing it up by the river" at one point. But sponsorship idents, particularly those that have to last for three weeks, are notoriously difficult to pull off without engendering annoyance or boredom in the audience and Francis's puppyish enthusiasm and evident relish for the task is refreshing. Regular viewers may not feel the same by the time the Tour reaches Paris though.

Just film more, use different Francis's and perhaps throw in Boardman

 

[1066familyman]

If Liquigas have serious intentions for today's stage then perhaps they didn't want to sacrifice any riders from the front to pace Nibali back, knowing he'll get back on without too much effort anyway. Saving it all for serious attacks later perhaps ? I somehow doubt it though.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

If Liquigas have serious intentions for today's stage then perhaps they didn't want to sacrifice any riders from the front to pace Nibali back, knowing he'll get back on without too much effort anyway. Saving it all for serious attacks later perhaps ? I somehow doubt it though.

Basso up the road is ominus

 

[Stat Brother]

I completely forgot to slag off Menchov, yesterday.

How the hell did he stay 5th in GC, without ever having his name mentioned in the commentary?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

We hope to get tickets next February, where is it located in relation to city centre, how much seating does it have, how many bars, hows it compare to London.

Your job/hobbie is fab, how do you get invited to hang out in Veledromes, have you done Manchester and Newport to complete the set.

Manchester and Newport too many times - its my job - selling / maintaining scoreboards and timing systems to sports venues.

As for Glasgow, it certainly has its pros and cons. Its an astonishing facility - its not only the velodrome, but also, in two separate halls, a 200m hydraulic indoor athletics track (5,000 seats), and an international level basketball / multisports hall. Also a huge gym, and the most luxurious spa I've ever seen.

BUT, its located in Glasgow's badlands - see my second photo below - it is Celtic Park you can see through the window. For our meeting with the project manager, he brought sandwiches for all of us on his way in as 'there is nowhere safe to go out to eat'... You wouldn't stay anywhere near. The town centre is only a 10 minute taxi ride though.

As to the event you are looking at - the place will look much less bare for that. There are 2,500 temporary seats to add to the 2,000 permanent ones, and there will be a high spec video display installed to that empty white frame. Outside of competition periods, the infield is going to be set up as an urban sports (BMX / skateboard) park.

Its not 'better' than London, I suppose. I just prefer it. London has thousands more seats, but a really low roof. This will make the competition atmosphere unbelievablly good, but it doesn't feel as 'big' as it should, and I don't like the lack of natural light. Just personal preference though.

 

[1066familyman]

Basso up the road is ominus

You'd think so, but again, I'm not entirely convinced by any of them. Barring Sagan, the team seems a bit dull.

 

[1066familyman]

I completely forgot to slag off Menchov, yesterday.

How the hell did he stay 5th in GC, without ever having his name mentioned in the commentary?

That is one of life's great mysteries I think. He does it time and time again doesn't he.

 

[Stat Brother]

You'd think so, but again, I'm not entirely convinced by any of them. Barring Sagan, the team seems a bit dull.

Was it last years Tour of California, when 7 of them came off the top of a mountain, together, and hammered it down in TTT mode.
T'was so classy, and fookin fast.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Manchester and Newport too many times - its my job - selling / maintaining scoreboards and timing systems to sports venues.

As for Glasgow, it certainly has its pros and cons. Its an astonishing facility - its not only the velodrome, but also, in two separate halls, a 200m hydraulic indoor athletics track (5,000 seats), and an international level basketball / multisports hall. Also a huge gym, and the most luxurious spa I've ever seen.

BUT, its located in Glasgow's badlands - see my second photo below - it is Celtic Park you can see through the window. For our meeting with the project manager, he brought sandwiches for all of us on his way in as 'there is nowhere safe to go out to eat'... You wouldn't stay anywhere near. the town centre is only a 10 minute taxi ride though.

As to the event you are looking at - the place will look much less bare for that. there are 2,500 temporary seats to add to the 2,000 permanent ones, and there will be a high spec video display installed to that empty white frame. Outside of competition periods, the infield is going to be set up as an urban sports (BMX / skateboard) park.

Its not 'better' than London, I suppose. I just prefer it. London has thousands more seats, but a really low roof. This will make the competition atmosphere unbelievablly good, but it does feel as 'big' as it should, and I don't like the lack of natural light. Just personal prefernce though.

We walk out to the Barrowlands for gigs from the town centre but no further. You could get a cracking job setting up the timings for the TDF, a stage of sprint every other day. The Veledrome looks quite a square building, but they are great looking things.

Great too see it being built. Hope to be sitting their watching your timing boards this November.

I noticed the UCI world cup is this Noveember and tickets to go on sale soon.