The Official 101st Tour de France, thread.

[Bold Seagull]

No, it's very much going down so I'm watching yesterdays.

British Eurosport, channel 410 on Sky.

Ha ha, great start!

No matter, yesterdays was a good viewing, especially when the wind got up and they started fanning out into the diagonal echelons.

 

[teaboy]

Keep watching - it's a cracking finish!

 

[Hillian1]

They were talking about a succession of roundabouts earlier, so I'm guessing it got as messy as they feared it might.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Anyone know any streams of todays stage I can watch while pretending to work

 

[teaboy]

Anyone know any streams of todays stage I can watch while pretending to work

ITV4 online from 2pm.

 

[Hillian1]

I mean no offence by this but, there's a guy called Tony Martin (?) who rides with his mouth wide open and looks a bit, well, special.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I mean no offence by this but, there's a guy called Tony Martin (?) who rides with his mouth wide open and looks a bit, well, special.

Westra on Wednesday was looking the same. At certain points someone takes the front of the peloton and is working harding than everyone else by around 25% given he is the one cutting through the air. Certain teams want to be on the front of the peloton to lead and dictate the race. Tony M is the world time trial champion and an absolute machine. His face looks like that as he is putting everything into it. After a while a team mate or someone from another team will take up the work rate - hence when it wants to the peloton can seriously up it's pace if they all work together and take turns at the front, which is why they don't worry too much about a small break of riders that might be 5mins up the road.

It is funny though, you see this guy on the front absolutely looking broken and riders behind are just chatting.

For the past 2 years Sky have had the yellow jersey and controlled the race by keeping the pace of the peloton really high so that it would be difficult for other teams to attack and get ahead. It sometimes made for more boring races as it's exciting to see someone kick off at the front. Despite the disappointment of Froome's exit, in cycling terms Nibali in yellow, and some great climbers in there could make for some fantastic racing in the stages to come.

 

[teaboy]

Tony Martin certainly IS special, but in the more conventional meaning! Riding on the front (or on your own) is bloody hard work, especially at 35mph+ and getting enough oxygen in is more important than looking pretty! If you want to see someone looking really special keep an eye out for Tommy Voeckler!

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

A little bit of cheer for British cycling: Emma Pooley just won a stage of the Giro Rosa, holding off Marianne Vos too, so a very good effort.

Meanwhile I am hoping that G will now step up and nick a stage win for Sky. Won't be easy with their team now so short handed and trying to keep Porte in contention for the GC.

Will Froome fancy the Vuelta (assuming he is fit)? - or does that create another issue for Brailsford with Wiggo already having been pencilled in?

 

[Weststander]

Is the prog on ITV4 at this moment highlights of Thursday's stage?

 

[Billy in Bristol]

Hi Gents and Ladies

I am currently organising a charity day on Thursday 17th July at the London Velo Park, which has raised over £38,250 already but have today been offered an extra hour between 5pm and 6pm to see if we can raise some more. Full details of the day are on https://www.facebook.com/events/1487889938107064/

All the other places on the day have been sold at Charity Auctions across the UK, and has helped the GB Athlete created Legacy 300 project raise over £137K this winter. Each place comes with a reserve price that pays for the Facilities, Food, Athlete and yes keep me in a job.

You are invited to pledge an amount (up to you, but the average on the day itself is around £525 per head) and to support whatever good cause you wish to support; to enable participation in the first ever charity day at the Lee Valley Velo Park, (all equipment is provided)

With Cycling fever at an all-time high; a quick social media blitz would be great or simply ask them to pledge via https://www.facebook.com/events/1487889938107064/

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me via the Facebook page.

Cheers
Billy

 

[Bold Seagull]

Is the prog on ITV4 at this moment highlights of Thursday's stage?

It was, it has just gone live to today's race at 14:05...

 

[Foolg]

Anybody got any tips for today?

Enjoy watching it, but have nowhere near the knowledge needed, and fancy having a bet with my leftover winnings from the World Cup.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm in and up to date, how's everyone managing?

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Is it just me and my weary eyes or prior to the crash was the Garmin rider not even looking where he was going?

 

[Stat Brother]

Is it just me and my weary eyes or prior to the crash was the Garmin rider not even looking where he was going?

Absolutely ridiculous behaviour from Talansky.

Quite why he thought he could mix it up with the likes of Sagan, in the first place is odd.
But to not actually be looking forward as he drifted sideways is mentals.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Absolutely ridiculous behaviour from Talansky.

Quite why he thought he could mix it up with the likes of Sagan, in the first place is odd.
But to not actually be looking forward as he drifted sideways is mentals.

I actually think he fell because Gerrans came from his outside and crossed him and took his front wheel out.

That of course happened because as you say he wasnt looking forward but sitting up and looking directly to his right. Maybe even trying to communicate on his com piece?

Strange.

 

[Stat Brother]

I actually think he fell because Gerrans came from his outside and crossed him and took his front wheel out.

That of course happened because as you say he wasnt looking forward but sitting up and looking directly to his right. Maybe even trying to communicate on his com piece?

Strange.

It looked like he was unhappy with the fella on his inside, possibly an IAM rider.
But instead of having a word at the finish, Talansky was giving him 'evils' at 40mph.

Garrans definitely took his front wheel pulling a move similar to stage 1, which won't do him any favours.

But had he been concentrating on safely finishing Talansky wouldn't have hit the deck.

 

[Stat Brother]

8/10 for me.

http://rouleur.cc/journal/racing/rouleur-quiz-1172014

 

[1066familyman]

Anybody got any tips for today?

Enjoy watching it, but have nowhere near the knowledge needed, and fancy having a bet with my leftover winnings from the World Cup.

If you had been on here late last night and asked I could have given you one for today that actually came in for a change. Tony Gallopin £1 e/w @24/1. Netted me a massive £5 profit , which doesn't cover my loses so far this Tour unfortunately.

I usually announce my bets on here pre race, mainly to prevent being called a chinny reckon if a big one comes in as I do mostly go for long or longish odds.

I would have been gutted if Matteo bloody Trentin had nicked that win off of Gallopin rather than Sagan today by a tyres width, as that's what he did to Albasini last year when I had Albasini at about 40/1 I think but had gone greedy and backed him on the nose rather than my usual e/w.

Anyway, I digress. Another superb stage today. Has to be said the organisers have done a brilliant job of the parcours so far. Feel sorry for TJVG today, whereas Talansky only has himself to blame for his fall but doesn't lose time because he was inside the last 3km when he went down.