The OFFICIAL Tour de France, thread.

[Pantani]

Just what we wanted a bit of needle between those two, lets hope we get some really strong attacks although I fear it will still be a bit handbags but have a suspicion Contador is not as strong as before - re the chain coming off, think it was due to Schleck changing small/big chainring under tension, would you be expected to stop for a puncture, crash on descent, for your rival, no, I think the only thing you should stop for is outside interfernce, like getting knocked of by some twat running along otherwise its just a racing incident, they shouldn't have stopped before when Schleck crashed, all part of the skill of bike racing.

I was replying to this then realised that our opinions will not change.

Anybody who has got any interest in cycling get themselves Eurosport right now. It is going off. A lead group featuring 10 riders; Wiggins, Armstrong, Charteau, Sastre, Hesjedal, Vinokourov and Casar is off the front. A yellow jersey group of 14 riders including the , Schleck, Menchov, Van Den Broek, Leipheimer 23 seconds back. Then another group of 11 riders featuring both Sanchez's and Gesink a further 20 seconds. This is still with more than 150 km to go and two more HC mountains to go over. It is every man for himself. This is why the Tour is so great.

 

[The Hon Sec]

Believe that Contador knew exactly what had happened and to say otherwise is ridiculous. Having originally thought that he should have waited I have now read K2bluesky's post and think that is a good point.
Brilliant tour however this year.

 

[culvers]

Nice article here by Nicholas Roche about being left behind by his teammate after puncturing on yesterdays final climb:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling-i-wanted-to-smash-his-head-in-i-couldnt-stand-to-be-near-him-2264978.html

 

[Stat Brother]

For what it's worth, I think.
Schleck went, got some distance, someone screamed in his ear 'go now', Andy already standing and riding hard up hill, did big gear change, and his mech just said no.

Should Bert have attacked AFTER the other 2, yes.
Would he have stayed away on his own, probably not, but there's no way the 3 of them could let such a chance slip by.

 

[Gwylan]

Nice article here by Nicholas Roche about being left behind by his teammate after puncturing on yesterdays final climb:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling-i-wanted-to-smash-his-head-in-i-couldnt-stand-to-be-near-him-2264978.html

Great article - makes Armstrong and Contador last year look like a love-fest

 

[Stat Brother]

I was replying to this then realised that our opinions will not change.

Anybody who has got any interest in cycling get themselves Eurosport right now. It is going off. A lead group featuring 10 riders; Wiggins, Armstrong, Charteau, Sastre, Hesjedal, Vinokourov and Casar is off the front. A yellow jersey group of 14 riders including the , Schleck, Menchov, Van Den Broek, Leipheimer 23 seconds back. Then another group of 11 riders featuring both Sanchez's and Gesink a further 20 seconds. This is still with more than 150 km to go and two more HC mountains to go over. It is every man for himself. This is why the Tour is so great.

Off out for a spin myself, as diary won't give me a better chance this week.
Can't wait for the action later on ITV4.

 

[Stat Brother]

Anybody have any ideas on what the ITV4 viewing figures are?

 

[Pantani]

Anybody have any ideas on what the ITV4 viewing figures are?

Doesn't seem to be available anywhere. ITV 4 as a whole gets around 10m a week. I would expect that the Tour wouldn't boost this much. Seeing as their live coverage never starts until 2:30 at the earliest and they are showing crap like Police, Camera, Action rather than the Tour it can't be a big ratings winner. I have invested in Eurosport for the month as their streaming is vastly superior and their coverage starts at 1:00 most days and as early as 11:30 on big mountain stages.

 

[Stat Brother]

So the day is here.
The one obvious problem with the other days 'issues' (perhaps not so obvious to me as I have only just realised!), is what it has done to the race.

Contador just has to sit, which could kill off the whole race.

I hope Schleck can get something today as I would hate for this tour, one of the best ever, to end early.

 

[Pantani]

Go Schleck!

I think he needs to have his team set a high tempo from the beginning. Then he will need to put little attacks in on the Col du Soulor. Then finally on the Tourmalet, he needs to go early. At least 10k to go or he is not going to make up enough time. It is imperative through all this that Saxo Bank set a higher enough pace to drop the majority of the Astanas.

Here's hoping for another great days racing.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

There's still plenty of interest in the race.

Someone like JVB might look to attack and see if he can put time on a Menchov or Sanchez.

Schleck will attack at some stage, he just needs to make it a sustained attack rather than punching for 100 metres then sitting up.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Go Schleck!

I think he needs to have his team set a high tempo from the beginning. Then he will need to put little attacks in on the Col du Soulor. Then finally on the Tourmalet, he needs to go early. At least 10k to go or he is not going to make up enough time. It is imperative through all this that Saxo Bank set a higher enough pace to drop the majority of the Astanas.

Here's hoping for another great days racing.

Can't see that happening to be honest.

Astana seems to have 2-3 guys who are much stronger in the mountains than Saxo have.

Looking back, one Frank went down Andy's best chance of winning was pretty much killed off.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Hadn't been mentioned the other day. But man did Basso crack big time the other day.

The Giro really caught up with him on that stage.

 

[Pantani]

Can't see that happening to be honest.

Astana seems to have 2-3 guys who are much stronger in the mountains than Saxo have.

Looking back, one Frank went down Andy's realistic chances were pretty much killed off.

I agree, Astana seem to be stronger in the mountains, however once the attacks have begun Contador loses his team mates. Ideally for Saxo Bank someone will go on a break that Astana will have to bring back in the early part of the stage, thus making them work earlier. Then Saxo will only have to push up the Soulor and down the other side launching Schleck on to the Tourmalet.

I am clutching at straws though, if Schleck is to do this he will have to do it on his own. I hope he can.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

If his legs are still feeling ok this is the kind of stage Joaquim Rodriguez might set the cat amongst the pigeons. This kind of mountain stage should suit him.

Also wouldn't surprise me if we finally saw Egoi Martinez try and get in a break away.

 

[Stat Brother]

Is it Navarro that's doing AC's work for him?.
Well he's the key, Saxo have to get shot of him as soon as possible, as he's covered everything that's been thrown at Astana so far this tour until the final 5kms, which would suit AC down to the ground.

 

[perseus]

The big day today, at least they are bloody big mountains. What is going to happen?

Early breakaway of no consequence for overall and probably not much for the mountain points and green jersey sprints.

Neither Menchov or Schleck seem capable of losing Contador on the last climb of the day, but the mountain is so high, Contador could crack?

I fancy Sanchez to make a bid for victory. Carlos Sastre might try from a long way out. Gesink is an unknown, but I think he will do better in a later Tour de France.

 

[perseus]

Tour De France 2010 Live
Thursday 22 July
2:30pm - 4:30pm
ITV4

The final day in the Pyrenees as the Tour reaches its climax. The riders tackle the Col de Marie Blanque and the 25 km long Soulor before heading for the high point of the race - a mountain top finish on the Tourmalet - a second visit for the Tour. Presented by Gary Imlach with analysis from Chris Boardman. Commentary: Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen.

VIDEO Plus+: 68255367

 

[perseus]

Of course there is Moreau for the Climber's jersey to make for more interest.

I still fancy Contador to do enough with help from Vinokourov. Sastre is nine minutes behind, but he may want to go up in the order.

Col du Tourmalet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

First time it was been the finish. (Not sure that this is right?)

 

[perseus]

This is the biggest le Tour day since I have been watching it. A must for this afternoon.

Such a glory event as a race that any climber of renown will fancy a win without regard to the outcome of the race. Any ideas?

Tour de France Betting: Stage Seventeen : Tour De France : Other sports