The Official, 103rd Tour de France, thread

[Pantani]

Contador climbs off. Sad times, Quintana could learn a lot from the way Alberto tries to animate the race.

See Movistar are persisting with their put some riders in the break tactic. Seems a cop out to me, they have a strong enough team to put it to Sky in the peloton but they never do.

 

[Pantani]

Well done Astana, Movistar, AG2R and BMC. Do you want to win this Tour? Or do you want to just let Sky decide how hard they want to ride for the next two weeks? Bunch of wasters, these other teams. People moan about how boring Sky are, but it is actually the others who never dare challenge them that are the problem.

 

[1066familyman]

Contador climbs off. Sad times, Quintana could learn a lot from the way Alberto tries to animate the race.

See Movistar are persisting with their put some riders in the break tactic. Seems a cop out to me, they have a strong enough team to put it to Sky in the peloton but they never do.

Agreed. Whatever anyone thinks of Bert, mainly because of steak gate, no one can ever accuse him of not being an exciting rider.

Sky and Movistar have killed another stage here. I thought Movistar and Astana might have plans with riders up the road but looks like we have another dull GC day and a win for the break now. Strong riders in that break, but knowing my luck Edet will finally take his long awaited stage win on a day when I haven't put anything on him.

 

[Stat Brother]

Agreed. Whatever anyone thinks of Bert, mainly because of steak gate, no one can ever accuse him of not being an exciting rider.

Sky and Movistar have killed another stage here. I thought Movistar and Astana might have plans with riders up the road but looks like we have another dull GC day and a win for the break now. Strong riders in that break, but knowing my luck Edet will finally take his long awaited stage win on a day when I haven't put anything on him.

You can't really blame Sky here, just everyone else!!!

 

[Pantani]

All 9 Sky riders, still there. 140km in, over two Cat 1 climbs, and Stannard and Rowe are still soft pedalling at the front. Some one from another team please do something, take some responsibility, or I will have to start watching the tennis.

 

[Pantani]

You can't really blame Sky here, just everyone else!!!

Yep, today could have been a classic. Instead Astana and Movistar think it is good enough to just put a speculative couple of riders in the break. BMC don't do anything at all, it is bizarre frankly.

 

[Jeep]

All 9 Sky riders, still there. 140km in, over two Cat 1 climbs, and Stannard and Rowe are still soft pedalling at the front. Some one from another team please do something, take some responsibility, or I will have to start watching the tennis.

I keep wondering if we'll see some action soon. Mountain top finish, rest day tomorrow, the stage is set....

 

[1066familyman]

You can't really blame Sky here, just everyone else!!!

Well yes, the onus is on other teams to work really. But sod it, I'm going to blame Sky anyway because the Sky train, be it at tempo to discourage attacks and shell riders, or slo mo like today, is just so boring to watch.

 

[1066familyman]

Yep, today could have been a classic. Instead Astana and Movistar think it is good enough to just put a speculative couple of riders in the break. BMC don't do anything at all, it is bizarre frankly.

BMC have Porte and TJVG. Two of the dullest riders going. What else do you expect from a team with those two as joint leaders.

It says it all when we had a classics man in yellow and animating the TDF in the mountains

 

[Pantani]

Thomas de Gendt, goes pop, rather spectacularly.

 

[Pantani]

Kittel still in the peloton

They are taking the piss today. Get a move on!

 

[Pantani]

Finally, here we go. Unlike 1066 I quite enjoy watching Sky (or anyone doing this). Love seeing people shelled out the back like this.

 

[1066familyman]

Dumoulin diesel stage win as the rest all watch each other.

Ooh, how exciting!

Oh, and the Bardet led attack from the GC group 3km from the finish.

 

[Jeep]

Come on Mr Quintana. You've spent a week looking at Froome's bottom. Time to look at some empty tarmac.

 

[Pantani]

Chapeau Mikel Landa. In a stage of boredom, his has been the only phenomenal performance thus far. Led the peloton for 30km+ over two climbs.

 

[Pantani]

Not so boring in the end...

Spectacular finish. Further chapeau's to Adam Yates, Porte and Martin.

Thumbs down for wheel sucker Quintana, Aru and Bardet.

 

[Motogull]

Quintana really wants his own nickname. 'The Shadow' would cover it.

 

[Stat Brother]

In the end, utter filth.

 

[Triggaaar]

There isn't a sportsman in the world who, when faced with his entire year of effort ended by a giant Colombian chicken, would be handing out a gentle push.

But his year of effort wasn't ended. If it had been, everyone should get stuck into the 'fan'.

 

[Stat Brother]

But his year of effort wasn't ended. If it had been, everyone should get stuck into the 'fan'.

One fan was poleaxed today because he was standing too far out on a bend.
Another man in a luminous green morph suit ran across 2 riders attacking a mountain inches from knocking them off.
A 'sturdy' woman in a bikini running along side the riders was only shown from behind.

And they were the only ones we saw on camera.