The Official, 103rd Tour de France, thread

[Pantani]

Looks like it is mostly a tail wind today. So that would go against splits in the peloton.

Though after the two categorised climbs the route turns south east for a bit. Sky to drill it then?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Boom echelons!

Perfect cross wind hits the peloton with 73km to go. 4 maybe 5 large groups. Froome and Cav safely in the front of the peloton group.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Oh this is amazing stuff, the race is firing. Froome attacking off the front, incredible, he's doing a Sagan!

Brilliant from Thomas too, got to Froome, they break with 2 Tinkoff riders including Sagan, they've got a gap now 10km to go. Wowsers. Sky and Froome defensive....I don't think so! Perfect for Sagan, he's got a teammate, and Sky will work for this break without worrying about the stage win.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

These ****ers are on the juice.

 

[SussexSeahawk]

That really was great to watch but I just wonder whether it worth it. Froome will have put in a lot of effort for just 12 seconds on the road. I hope he keeps going for these attacks, but I just wonder whether they might come back to haunt him in the Alps.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Brilliant stage. Entertaining pretty much the whole race. I wonder if Cav hadn't needed a bike change whether Data working too would have bought that back, Giant concentrating on forming their lead out when they should have been smashing themselves bringing the break back. Very entertaining.

 

[Stat Brother]

I cannot even begin to imagine how badly those 4's legs were burning.

Chapeau, even though Quintana just wheel sucked his way to the line.
Oh I hope the payback isn't too big.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I cannot even begin to imagine how badly those 4's legs were burning.

Chapeau, even though Quintana just wheel sucked his way to the line.
Oh I hope the payback isn't too big.

Green and Yellow going together, that was mental. Froome's intuition is just so sharp these days. Everyone else asleep, starting to think about sprint trains, GC's just staying safe, and Froome read Sagan's intentions, helped no doubt by the Tinkoff rider looking to go 5 km before but having a gear issue, so Froome already knew what was going to happen - Thomas looked shocked though, but what an effort by him to get to them.

 

[tigertim68]

What a great race had every thing , really enjoyed that . Great views of the med , lovely vineyards who could ask for more ?

 

[Stat Brother]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-ventoux-stage-shortened-due-to-risk-of-100km-h-winds/

The organisers of the Tour de France have announced that Thursday’s stage to Mont Ventoux will be shortened due to the danger of strong winds on the exposed mountain. Forecasts of 10km/h winds forced the organiser to shorten the stage to protect the riders and spectators on the climb.

Race director Christian Prudhomme made the announcement soon after he finish of the stage to Montpellier. Prudhomme explained that the finish line will be placed near the Chalet Reynard, making the stage 5.7km shorter. The climb to the finish will now be 10km long, with the section in the trees becoming far more important.

“It will be a spectacular climb of 10km. Rider safety is more important,” Prudhomme said, announcing the shortening of the stage.

 

[Stat Brother]

This is great watching, tonight:-



1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 3:26:23
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
3 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff Team
4 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 0:00:06
5 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
6 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
7 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data
8 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
9 Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling
10 Oliver Naesen (Bel) IAM Cycling

General classification after stage 11

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 52:34:37
2 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange 0:00:28
3 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:31
4 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:35
5 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:56
6 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
7 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky
8 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:13
9 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
10 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team 0:01:28
11 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:35

 

[1066familyman]

Loving that stage today. Echelon action always makes for great viewing.

Chapeau to Froome, and G too for making it across to him to put in a shift. Sagan is an absolute beast and with Bodnar there too that was the perfect move.

Froome is an exciting rider like that. If he sees an opportunity he'll take it. No one can accuse him of being a boring diesel engine GC rider that's for sure.


Glass half empty/boring tour = Game over, Froome here with the strongest ever team and stamping his authority all over the race like a boss. Barring mechanicals or illness, it's in the bag. Froome already said he aims to be stronger in the third week than he has been previously.


Glass half full/ action hasn't begun yet = Quintana is just marking Froome and limiting losses before striking in the Alpes. Today wasn't half as bad as it could have been given the race could have totally split apart. Froome might pay on Ventoux tomorrow for today's effort . Froome knows he's not climbing quite as well as he'd hoped, Quintana has timed his peak better and will take serious time out of Froome in the Alpes, hence Froome taking as much time as possible wherever he can. Quintana not half as bad at TT'ing as people think he is and won't lose too much time to Froome there.


I prefer to keep my glass half full. Not because I don't want Froome to win, but because I want an edge of the seat race where the best rider wins and no rider/team dominates and kills the race as a spectacle.

 

[Stat Brother]

Stage 12 preview: Montpellier - Mont Ventoux, 185 km

Today is the day for proper fan involvement [MENTION=4019]Triggaaar[/MENTION]



After yesterday's battering Quintana has to come out of the shadows, today.
He'll never get a better opportunity to test Froome, while also leveling the playing field still further for tomorrows ITT.



The stage finish will be located at Chalet-Reynard, 6 kilometres before the initially planned finishing line.



Prognostication:-

Tibot Pinot, a Frenchie, in polka dots, on Bastille Day, going up Ventoux, 16/1 - well I say.

1 - Pinot
and then
2 - Quintana
3 - Heneo
and then
4 - Froome.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Prognostication:-

Tibot Pinot, a Frenchie, in polka dots, on Bastille Day, going up Ventoux, 16/1 - well I say.

1 - Pinot
and then
2 - Quintana
3 - Heneo
and then
4 - Froome.

Pinot has not looked in the kind of shape to do that so I think its likely to be a Quintana victory after much fireworks on the climb.

Only other option is if a break goes with someone half decent in (Rui Costa etc) and they let the gap get too big before Ventoux.

 

[Triggaaar]

Today is the day for proper fan involvement @Triggaaar

Are you offering me a lift?

Loved the finish to yesterday's stage, but was is really worth the effort for just a few seconds? He could lose a lot today if he's not recovered.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Are you offering me a lift?

Loved the finish to yesterday's stage, but was is really worth the effort for just a few seconds? He could lose a lot today if he's not recovered.

I guess we'll find out. A bit like whether you're better off being 2pts ahead or having a game in hand. Even if Quintana beats him by the same margin as he got yesterday - job done. Hoping for fireworks though, trying to get over the disappointment of the reduced finish still..

 

[Triggaaar]

Even if Quintana beats him by the same margin as he got yesterday - job done.

If Froome is knackered (hopefully not) he could lose a lot more than a few seconds up a mountain.

 

[Bozza]

Today is the day for proper fan involvement [MENTION=4019]Triggaaar[/MENTION]

Inspired by the TdF (and hampered from running by a knackered foot) I took to my bike yesterday - along the coast to Brighton on the road and then up to Devil's Dyke and back to Worthing along the South Downs Way. Hilly and hard work, largely riding into what felt like a hurricane and copping two big showers en route.

My only disappointment was not being back in time to take my usual spot in front of the TV for 2pm to watch the drama unfold, although I did catch all the excitement at the end. I won't be making the same mistake today.

 

[Bold Seagull]

If Froome is knackered (hopefully not) he could lose a lot more than a few seconds up a mountain.

That is true, it was only 6 secs on Quintana, which could turn into 20 quite easily as you say, but he's got his 35 secs advantage through these aggressive moves, so he'll be well pleased to mark Quintana today I think, and save something for the TT.

 

[Triggaaar]

That is true, it was only 6 secs on Quintana, which could turn into 20 quite easily as you say, but he's got his 35 secs advantage through these aggressive moves, so he'll be well pleased to mark Quintana today I think, and save something for the TT.

Presumably he wouldn't have done it if he didn't feel really good. Let's hope post #305 isn't true.