The Official, 103rd Tour de France, thread

[Stat Brother]

Stage 21: Chantilly - Paris Champs-Élysées, 113 km
This day is only about one thing, and you don't need a map for that:-







Once again one of the greatest rides ever, by a rider who didn't win.






Prognostication:-

Kittel
Kristoff
Sagan

 

[Hamilton]

Well that was a crashed filled La Course. Justifies Lizzie's decision to pull out. Shame, as I'd have liked to see her ride it.


Sent from my iPhone in a non-Calde world :-(

 

[Triggaaar]

It annoys me that they don't even take a sip. That's just bloody rude.

Well I'm happy.

 

[Hamilton]

Cracking stuff from Griepel holding off Sagan. I thought Sagan was going to do it.


Sent from my iPhone in a non-Calde world :-(

 

[Triggaaar]

Happy with that, nice to see Griepel win a stage.

Cracking stuff from Griepel holding off Sagan. I thought Sagan was going to do it.(

I'm glad Sagan didn't win it, it would just be taking the piss. I don't really know how he had the energy to finish second. 3 stage wins, a couple of seconds, easy green, combativity award, leading the break-away yesterday - it's all a bit ridiculous.

 

[Hamilton]

Happy with that, nice to see Griepel win a stage.I'm glad Sagan didn't win it, it would just be taking the piss. I don't really know how he had the energy to finish second. 3 stage wins, a couple of seconds, easy green, combativity award, leading the break-away yesterday - it's all a bit ridiculous.

He is rather super human.


Sent from my iPhone in a non-Calde world :-(

 

[Stat Brother]

Happy with that, nice to see Griepel win a stage.I'm glad Sagan didn't win it, it would just be taking the piss. I don't really know how he had the energy to finish second. 3 stage wins, a couple of seconds, easy green, combativity award, leading the break-away yesterday - it's all a bit ridiculous.

Make the most of him, irrespective of Froome's Tour greatness Sagan is the era defining cyclist.
He's the rider we'll be watching 'old' footage of in 50 years time saying 'I actually saw him ride'.

 

[Motogull]

I feel sorry for Pete there. The replays show a lot of sliding, so no traction. A bit like last year when Cav somehow got his rear wheel airborne in the last bit.

Will the shadow now follow Froome to the bog?

 

[Stat Brother]

Any bets

But a quick look around Skybet has Sagan at odds on favourite for Green.
I'd say his biggest challenger will be Michael Matthews and they have him at a huge 28/1.
Make sure you cover that ew, there's a reason why Sagan is 4/7.

Thanks, I've done:
MM £7 e/w 33/1
BC £3 e/w 22/1
SB £3 e/w 50/1

I've been sweating on this all Tour.

As much as I know 8ace is a big boy and can do what he wants with his money.
The fact that I wouldn't bet that 'big' on Le Tour, on my say so, means I was somewhat concerned.
Not helped by the fact the Matthews didn't even come into the reckoning until stage 19.
That's a weight off my mind.

Points classification

1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 470 pts
2 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step 228
3 Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange 199

 

[Stat Brother]

Final general classification

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 89:04:48
2 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:04:05
3 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:04:21
4 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange 0:04:42
5 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:05:17
6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:06:16
7 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:06:58
8 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre - Merida
9 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:07:04
10 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team 0:07:11

174 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 5:17:14

 

[1066familyman]

Tomorrow, should I be posting while drinking champagne and riding around the lounge on Lil Miss Stat's bike?

#finaldayfantasycliches

It annoys me that they don't even take a sip. That's just bloody rude.

I haven't even bothered uncorking it, let alone take a sip

 

[Stat Brother]

I haven't even bothered uncorking it, let alone take a sip

35 bloody points.
Just 35 bloody points, I'm so
I'd resigned myself to losing by 3 figures, not 35 lousy points.

At least me and PB had the honour of fighting the battle for top spot for most of the 3 weeks.
We weren't skulking mid-table like some snidely shyster waiting to somehow cheat a win by 35 freakin points.

 

[1066familyman]

35 bloody points.
Just 35 bloody points, I'm so
I'd resigned myself to losing by 3 figures, not 35 lousy points.

At least me and PB had the honour of fighting the battle for top spot for most of the 3 weeks.
We weren't skulking mid-table like some snidely shyster waiting to somehow cheat a win by 35 freakin points.

Well this Summer it was never going to be won any other way.

Portugal won a thrilling Euros.

The Dawg won a scintillating Tour.

And as someone once said... "It's a snickers, not a sprint"

 

[Stat Brother]

One for [MENTION=4019]Triggaaar[/MENTION]

 

[Triggaaar]

One for @Triggaaar

@ him signing that woman's boob

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Thanks to a last minute surge from Bardet & the Gorilla I managed to drag myself away from the bottom & almost into mid table mediocrity. Great velogames race again this year )

 

[Stat Brother]

Oh for the simpler things in life:-

[tweet]1282961170652069888[/tweet]

 

[pb21]

Have been thinking about the TdF recently.

Its going to be an interesting edition with the riders in all kinds of form. No post Giro fatigue, at the same time not much preparatory racing, plus Ineos' triad.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Oh for the simpler things in life:-

[tweet]1282961170652069888[/tweet]

Im going out for a ride lunchtime. To celebrate Bastille Day I will be finding the nearest hill and running up it in my cleats

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Oh for the simpler things in life:-

[tweet]1282961170652069888[/tweet]

These are the plans for this year, to manage all the social distancing and no need for technical sport. Running in cleats and lyric over mountain passes. Its the way forward, Socially distanced Team Time trials on slippy aerodynamic cleats up Alpe d'Huez are being considered (à la.Jeux sans frontières).