The Official, 103rd Tour de France, thread

[Bold Seagull]

So, at this point is Cav now going for the green jersey, or is he just thinking stage wins and the Olympics? He is respectful of traditions, so I assume there is no way he'd drop out at any point while he is in contention for the green jersey? Will his contention of the intermediate sprints over the next 3 stages give an indication of that, or will he just be conserving energy ready to go for a 30th stage win on Tuesday?

Yesterday, Cav looked genuinely delighted with how he nailed that sprint. You know how he is, normally sort of awkward and prickly with the cameras, but he was almost laughing yesterday, like he couldn't believe what was happening. Even he couldn't have imagined this much success so early in the race. Do you think his aspirations / plans are evolving day by day?

 

[Jeep]

So, at this point is Cav now going for the green jersey, or is he just thinking stage wins and the Olympics? He is respectful of traditions, so I assume there is no way he'd drop out at any point while he is in contention for the green jersey? Will his contention of the intermediate sprints over the next 3 stages give an indication of that, or will he just be conserving energy ready to go for a 30th stage win on Tuesday?

Yesterday, Cav looked genuinely delighted with how he nailed that sprint. You know how he is, normally sort of awkward and prickly with the cameras, but he was almost laughing yesterday, like he couldn't believe what was happening. Even he couldn't have imagined this much success so early in the race. Do you think his aspirations / plans are evolving day by day?

My guess at the Cav options is that he'll stay with the tour to the end if he has a fair chance of the win on the Champs Elysée. Without that carrot I suspect he'd be in Rio mode. Current form suggests he has the beating of the other top sprinters.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Delighted for Cav this year - I really thought he had lost that edge & didn't think he would be contending the sprinting top 3 much at all tbh. Also great to see McLay doing so well!

Genuinely mystified by the complete lack of fight that Greipel is showing in the past week though. Looked like he got caught behind one of Kittels lead out men? yesterday & sat up before the sprint had even really got going. Did it the other day too....looked like he just couldn't be bothered. So is it bad form, poor team tactics in the last km, or is it just bad luck??

As for today, the Col d'Aspin is my favourite Tour climb - such a picturesque mountain, & one I would love to tackle. My boss has just come back from a motor bike holiday in the region & said it was stunning...mind you, its a helluva lot easier climbing the Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin & Peyresourde etc. on a 1300cc BMW than doing it on a bicycle!

Cant wait to watch the stage later...could we see Yates doing something on the final climb to keep giving the Brits something to cheer about?

 

[Triggaaar]

I love Cav

 

[Triggaaar]

So, at this point is Cav now going for the green jersey, or is he just thinking stage wins and the Olympics? He is respectful of traditions, so I assume there is no way he'd drop out at any point while he is in contention for the green jersey? Will his contention of the intermediate sprints over the next 3 stages give an indication of that, or will he just be conserving energy ready to go for a 30th stage win on Tuesday?

I'm guessing the latter.

Do you think his aspirations / plans are evolving day by day?

I guess they'd change if Sagan pulled out

 

[1066familyman]

I'm not sure about today. Think the make up of the breakaway will decide what happens. I'm erring on the side of it all coming back together on the final climb. With that in mind, my bets for today are Dan Martin 16-1 and Richie Porte 50-1 both each way.

Agreed. In a nutshell :

Strong break with no GC threats = probably stay away.

Weak break / any GC threat = reeled in.

I'm hoping for the latter and a battle for time gaps/stage win by the big guns.

 

[JoePrecious]

Here's something I didn't expect to post - Cavendish is in the early break!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Cav answers my question then on the green jersey - he's in a lead group of 12 riders (inc. Sagan) gunning for the intermediate sprint, 40 secs ahead of the peloton after 15km, Quickstep & Lotto S trying to shut it down...

the 12 are:
PANTANO GOMEZ, Jarlinson (IAM), SANCHEZ GIL, Luis-Leon (AST), COSTA, Rui Alberto (LAM), SORENSEN, Chris Anker (FVC), ROY, Jérémy (FDJ), IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI, Gorka (MOV), NAVARDAUSKAS, Ramunas (CDT), SOUPE, GEOFFREY (COF), EDET, Nicolas (COF), BENEDETTI, Cesare (BOA)

 

[1066familyman]

Chris Anker Sorensen in the break. That probably confirms that Sepulveda isn't in good shape here

 

[1066familyman]

Cav answers my question then on the green jersey - he's in a lead group of 12 riders (inc. Sagan) gunning for the intermediate sprint, 40 secs ahead of the peloton after 15km, Quickstep & Lotto S trying to shut it down...

the 12 are:
CAVENDISH, Mark (DDD), PANTANO GOMEZ, Jarlinson (IAM), SANCHEZ GIL, Luis-Leon (AST), COSTA, Rui Alberto (LAM), SORENSEN, Chris Anker (FVC), ROY, Jérémy (FDJ), SAGAN, Peter (TNK), IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI, Gorka (MOV), NAVARDAUSKAS, Ramunas (CDT), SOUPE, GEOFFREY (COF)

How very dare you! You've missed out Nicolas Edet!


Have you any idea how hurt that makes me?

 

[Bold Seagull]

How very dare you! You've missed out Nicolas Edet!


Have you any idea how hurt that makes me?

Keep your knickers on, I've edited it now. Bloody dimension data's live race centre is crap on a Safari browser!

Anyway, looks like Cav and Sagan being in there have done the break no favours whatsoever....looks like being caught.

 

[1066familyman]

Keep your knickers on, I've edited it now. Bloody dimension data's live race centre is crap on a Safari browser!

Anyway, looks like Cav and Sagan being in there have done the break no favours whatsoever....looks like being caught.

That'll learn you for owning some 'i' over priced rubbish

Android working lovely here

 

[Bold Seagull]

That'll learn you for owning some 'i' over priced rubbish

Android working lovely here

Well, we have a serious break now to consider...

Vassil Kiryienka (Sky), Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), Vincenzo Nibali and Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Jan Bakelants and Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale), Paul Martens (LottoNL-Jumbo), Fabian Cancellara and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Oliver Naesen (IAMCycling), Matti Breschel, Alex Howes and Sebastian Langeveld (Cannondale-Drapac), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data), Simon Geschke (Giant-Alpecin), Paul Voss (Bora-Argon 18), Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida), Angel Vicioso (Katusha), Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Soudal), Sylvain Chavanel and Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie), Tony Martin (Etixx-Quick Step), Dani Navarro, Borut Bozic and Luis Angel Maté (Cofidis), Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange) and Pierre-Luc Périchon (Fortuneo-Vital Concept).

 

[Bold Seagull]

Well, we might have left the EU, but we are owning this Tour!

Fingers crossed for Adam Yates though, appears to have been taken out by the inflatable flamme rouge which deflated in front of him...

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Superb! But WTF just happened with Yates & the Flamme Rouge?

 

[Pantani]

Hope Yates is ok, looks like he hit the kilometre arch. Gutting for him after he has put some time in to his rivals for White.

As for for Cummings, there just are not words to describe that. Attacking before a climb like that, then leaving Nibali and Navarro in his wake. Just superb. He needs to be in the Olympic road race squad no matter what. Here is a guy who can win a race without any help at all. Why not take him?

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Time to **** those stupid inflatable pieces of crap off.

 

[Stat Brother]

Brilliant stuff.
How many times does Steve have to make that move, before people stop being surprised?

Still another GC tempo day although not entirely their fault , making Pinot and Bargill all the more surprising.

Chris Anker Sorensen in the break. That probably confirms that Sepulveda isn't in good shape here

Patience dear boy, patience.

 

[1066familyman]

As pleased as I am for Cummings, I can't say I enjoyed that stage again.

The minute Cummings attacked the three man group he'd bridged to because he knew they were going to be caught by the group behind, it was game over. So predictable, even from that far out, although quite brilliant of course.

Maybe I'm too impatient for GC action, and yes it is a marathon not a sprint, but I'm a bit disappointed the breaks have been allowed to go on two stages now where there was a chance for a really exciting GC finish. I'm sorry, but GVA in yellow finishing 5 th, ahead of the peloton, on a stage like this, doesn't do anything for me.

The inflatable fail just about sums up how I feel about the stage really. A big let down again.

 

[Stat Brother]

1 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data 3:48:09
2 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-BikeExchange 0:01:04
3 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:58
5 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:02:57
6 Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:03:37
7 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky
8 Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky
9 Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team
10 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team

General classification after stage 7

1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 34:09:44
2 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange 0:05:50
3 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:05:51
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:05:53
5 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:05:54
6 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:05:57
7 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
8 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
9 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale-Drapac
10 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step