The Official 100th Tour de France thread, 2013.

[Stat Brother]

Today is the day! What day I hear you ask? The day a Frenchman will win a stage. Breakaway will stick unless Cannondale are prepared to bury themselves for an entire day chasing. I expect a reasonably large group to go away, some Frenchies to work together to make it stick, then one of them to win.

My tip Chavanel.

I think you might be right, certainly a lesser known riders day.
If he were to be a Frenchie I'll say either Pierrick Fedrigo or Jezza Roy.
Ones in my fantasy team, the other will win!!

 

[Jesus Gul]

My Team Saxo top team bet is doing OK. 90 quid from 15 if it comes in. (That'll curse it)

 

[1066familyman]

Finally Voeckler or de gendt today I reckon.

 

[Stat Brother]

Finally Voeckler or de gendt today I reckon.

TdG must be in everyone's teams, he's a good shout for today and points tomorrow.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Today is the day! What day I hear you ask? The day a Frenchman will win a stage. Breakaway will stick unless Cannondale are prepared to bury themselves for an entire day chasing. I expect a reasonably large group to go away, some Frenchies to work together to make it stick, then one of them to win.

My tip Chavanel.

He'll be too marked I think. Although you could throw about 50 names into a hat for today's stage.

The bunch will go absolutely bat shit crazy from the gun until the break is established.

Also possible that saxo will do some crazy shit and try and get contador up the road in a monster break.

 

[Bold Seagull]

He'll be too marked I think. Although you could throw about 50 names into a hat for today's stage.

The bunch will go absolutely bat shit crazy from the gun until the break is established.

Also possible that saxo will do some crazy shit and try and get contador up the road in a monster break.

He pulled a similar move in the Vuelta last year, although I got told off for comparing that stage previously when I mentioned it, not sure how today compares, but they need to do something.

 

[Stat Brother]

Saxo and Movistar trying to pack the break.

Today may well be mentals.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Saxo and Movistar trying to pack the break.

Today may well be mentals.

Sounded a pretty mental start. The break has finally formed though -

Hansen (LTB), Gilbert and Quinziato (BMC), Gallopin (RTL), Gautier and Voeckler (EUC), Kadri and Riblon (ALM), Roche (TST), Trofimov (KAT), Astarloza (EUS), Costa (MOV), Coppel and Navarro (COF), Mori (LAM), Velits (OPQ), Navardauskas (GRS), Albasini and Meyer (OGE), Dumoulin (ARG), De Gendt and Hoogerland (VCD) and Marino (SOJ)

3 of mine in there, though i may regret my last minute decision to go with Rolland rather than Navardauskas!

Strong break - there will be a lot of attacking near the top of the last climb as no-one will want to take Gilbert/Gallopin to the finish. There will be some crazy desceding to the finish on a pretty crappy piece of road!

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Finally snagged a winner!

16/07/2013 05:20 PM 2013 Tour De France - Stage 16 - Outright Winner (EW 1/4 1-2-3) 10 (Straight Bet) Rui Costa @ 26.00 $2.50 $2.50

Only $2.50 each way but a wins a win. Thanks Rui!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Who was the Saxo rider with Bertie on that final climb? Why did he wait so long to attack? Just seemed to let Contador attack, why didn't they attack together? Presumably he just didn't have the legs, but did attack near the summit but it was too late by then.

Nearly a calamity with Froome nearly following Bertie into a field.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

It was Kreuziger. He's never really been an explosive climber which is probably why he didn't do anything til near the summit.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Who was the Saxo rider with Bertie on that final climb? Why did he wait so long to attack? Just seemed to let Contador attack, why didn't they attack together? Presumably he just didn't have the legs, but did attack near the summit but it was too late by then.

Nearly a calamity with Froome nearly following Bertie into a field.

Kreuziger wasn't it? The pair of them within 3 seconds, and they couldn't work it out. A bit like Movistar earlier in the race.

Froome now criticising Bertie for careless cycling...

 

[Stat Brother]

Well done Ty.

It just looked like AC pushing to hard to get away from Belkin.
You'd be a fool to follow too close on that descent.

Less than subtle thumbs up to the Spanish stage winning team.

 

[Bold Seagull]

It was Kreuziger. He's never really been an explosive climber which is probably why he didn't do anything til near the summit.

Are Saxo simply not good enough? Didn't get on the front at all today and yet Contador is left on the final climb with someone who doesn't have the ability to attack? They seem to be getting it all wrong, or are Sky, Belkin and Movistar simply putting them under too much pressure?

Well done on your bet!

 

[Stat Brother]

Are Saxo simply not good enough? Didn't get on the front at all today and yet Contador is left on the final climb with someone who doesn't have the ability to attack? They seem to be getting it all wrong, or are Sky, Belkin and Movistar simply putting them under too much pressure?

Well done on your bet!

I'd guess their plan was today for Saxo to pack the break then AC could jump from one to another on that final climb.
Putting Belkin down to third and maybe even doing over CF.

But the break went too far up the road, and as said Keuziger is a little to diesel to be playing games on climbs.

 

[Was not Was]

Stat Bro - are you starting to see a pattern today? Discussion about Mr Costa in the Revenants thread, a thread about Liz Costa on the radio last night. And then Rui Costa steps up to win the 16th stage.

Coincidence?

 

[1066familyman]

Finally snagged a winner!



Only $2.50 each way but a wins a win. Thanks Rui!

Well played, especially as breakaway stages are always tricky to pick winners on. As Il says, could have thrown 50 names in a hat for today's stage.

 

[Stat Brother]

Stat Bro - are you starting to see a pattern today? Discussion about Mr Costa in the Revenants thread, a thread about Liz Costa on the radio last night. And then Rui Costa steps up to win the 16th stage.

Coincidence?

T'is a shame Rui Costa was first, we could have joined Ty in the money.


At least the ITV competition is now worth winning, I'd swallow my all things Italian pride for a Venge.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Holy crap, squall like showers hitting various parts of the course, one part dry, another torrential.

This could seriously shake up things today...

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Wonder why Froome is better at climbing these days?!