The Official 101st Tour de France, thread.

[Bold Seagull]

P & P are awfully certain the break won't get caught.

It's almost halved in the last 20km….

 

[jackanada]

Lurker checking in.

They always act like the break has a chance.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

P & P are awfully certain the break won't get caught.

Sean and Carlton are not so sure. It's "who do you think will win if the break stays away?" They are saying Kadri.

Not like P and P to talk up a breakaway's chances.

Now Sylvain goes for it. Keep the faith, young Simon!

 

[Bold Seagull]

The break is breaking….good stuff, Chavanel showing his class.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Lurker checking in.

They always act like the break has a chance.

Yep. They've been like that for thirty years. It is incredibly irritating, especially in the stages where is is bleeding obvious that the break has no chance at all of staying away.

I think this breakaway has little chance of staying away.

 

[Stat Brother]

Lurker checking in.

They always act like the break has a chance.

Is the right answer.

This is where the frustration with Px2.
They don't react to what's actually happening.
While the camera was at the back of the peloton and it was strung out in single file.
They were saying 'well with the peloton riding tempo the break will stay away'.

You, me and Bold are saying 'just look at what's happening'.

 

[Stat Brother]

They wouldn't be so surprised if they'd taken their time to read the NSC stage profile! :lol;

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Yep. They've been like that for thirty years. It is incredibly irritating, especially in the stages where is is bleeding obvious that the break has no chance at all of staying away.

I think this breakaway has little chance of staying away.

Although looking at Kadri, and the way he is climbing, the Ps may be correct on this occasion. So I may be changing my mind.

 

[jackanada]

this has been an annoying time for an ad break.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

this has been an annoying time for an ad break.

No ad break on Eurosport.

 

[jackanada]

And yes Kadri could make it a truly magnificent performance and hold out, but as they (PnP) always give completely doomed breaks a chance they have no headroom left to accurately discuss the chances.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

And yes Kadri could make it a truly magnificent performance and hold out, but as they (PnP) always give completely doomed breaks a chance they have no headroom left to accurately discuss the chances.

You sound annoyed with them, and I share this feeling. If you have access to Eurosport, turn over now! So much better for commentary, although ITV have the better team when they are not actually racing.

So, when the stage finishes, I will turn to ITV.

 

[Stat Brother]

Contador is going to smash Nibs on this last climb.

 

[1066familyman]

Well that was a brilliant ride from Kadri. Chapeau!

Once the break went out over ten minutes, and because it had decent riders in it, I thought pretty much all the break would make it home before the GC battle came across the finish line, with perhaps only Adrien Petit being dropped off and caught. Was very surprised then to see all of them hoovered up bar Kadri, which just goes to show how hard Bert's team hammered it in that last 20 odd kms to get some time on Nibs. Think they would have expected to gain more time than 3 seconds

So Talansky down again and this time with no one to blame. Real shame as I think that's probably scuppered any decent GC hope he may have had already. Talking of crashes, it's the usual question whenever Geraint Thomas is riding - will he ever finish a race without hitting the deck

 

[Stat Brother]

July 13, Stage 9: Gérardmer - Mulhouse 170km

Distance: 170km
Category: Medium mountains
Highest point: 1,336m

 

[wakeytom]

July 13, Stage 9: Gérardmer - Mulhouse 170km

Distance: 170km
Category: Medium mountains
Highest point: 1,336m

View attachment 56165

View attachment 56166

Looking forward to this stage! Just finished todays highlights, decent race at the end! Going to be watching all day tomorrow some serious climbing going on!

Also got my Garmin 200 today from Asda for £69 so a steal in my book!

 

[1066familyman]

Seeing as SB had neglected to offer up a stage analysis/prediction, I'll nip in with the chance to put my broken record on again.

I'll keep it simple - breakaway wins it as serious GC riders will rest up and the world and his wife will want to be in the break, so expect a big group with some strong riders among them. Here's what I wrote elsewhere in response to the usual Tommy V in the break debate:

For Europcar I think Gautier or Rolland would be a better option in the break. Not sure if Rolland will be allowed to get away though. Maybe he'll have to go later on and ride like he did in the Giro, in which case Gautier could prove the perfect bridge. Not sure who Europcar have pinned their KoM hopes on? - Rolland I'd have thought.

Tomorrow is the day we see another young Frenchman shine I reckon. Step up Cofidis and Rudy Molard. They always have someone in the break and tomorrow must be Molards turn at last. I expect Edet to be there too for KoM points, but Molard now has the strength I believe to stay the distance in a break, unlike last year. Just look at how strong he was in his first foray in the Ardennes this Spring. Lost a lot of time today too after keeping up all week, so he'll be given the freedom to go.

 

[1066familyman]

Looking forward to this stage! Just finished todays highlights, decent race at the end! Going to be watching all day tomorrow some serious climbing going on!

Also got my Garmin 200 today from Asda for £69 so a steal in my book!

Nice work on bagging a Garmin 200 for £69 By far the best price so far, but having checked I notice it's in store only so anyone wanting one might have to be quick.

Wise move watching the stage all the way through tomorrow. It should be good seeing who gets in the break and the the dynamics of it over a parcours that's up and down all day long except the last 20kms.

 

[Stat Brother]

Seeing as SB had neglected to offer up a stage analysis/prediction, I'll nip in with the chance to put my broken record on again.

I could see the way it was going so I've bowed out of the analysis business.
Knowing me as well as I do it was going to get more outlandish and 'comedy' wasn't going to be far away.

So I'm quitting while im ahead, as all things considered, yesterdays predictions were pretty good.

 

[pastafarian]

You'll never get 'a simple #### off is not unexpected' unless that's the specific purpose of a troll question.

The race refs look at 'minor' infringements like sticky bottle, drafting behind team cars etc, and turn a blind eye for as long as they can, then words will be had and small fines dished out.
It's not possible for the same rider to free wheel round France while everybody else pedals.
Overall positions aren't effected by dubious practices.
The race favourites have more of the focus on them and are less likely to 'cheat' (like that anyway).

Occasionally you'll get a stage winning favourite caught out with a flat tyre or something, with only 15kms to go.
The speed of the bunch will make it almost impossible to catch up, but they'll draft their way through all the cars.
For me at least, this bending of minor rules is amusing in a whole 'I can't believe he thinks he can get away with this', style.

But in the whole scheme of things 10 kms of drafting in a 3000+ km race doesn't really amount to much.


As for cars and bikes sharing the same space show Le family du Pasta this:-

Thanks for the answer,and no it wasnt a troll question.

sticky bottle confuses me.

my young niece now wants to watch more of the tour on TV,unfortunately she wants to spot more cheaters hanging on to cars......not sure she has grasped the concept yet