1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,233
It's one thing having 9 sprint stages, but when they're also over 200km long it begins to get a tad 
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The Official 104th Tour de France thread
- Thread starter Pantani
- Start date
We've found Robert Millar:-
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/a-statement-from-cyclingnews-contributor-philippa-york/
I'm pleased she's finally comfortable to be herself, the annual July rumourmill couldn't have be nice.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/a-statement-from-cyclingnews-contributor-philippa-york/
I'm pleased she's finally comfortable to be herself, the annual July rumourmill couldn't have be nice.
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,233
Forever my greatest cycling hero I think. Pretty much where my love affair with the sport as a spectator all began.
Really nice article and I look forward to hearing Philippa's contributions on ITV4 because they're guaranteed to be interesting and insightful.
Welcome back!
Fignon's Ponytail
Well-known member
Just seen this myself - Robert Millar was one of my heroes growing up....what a climber & super domestique!
I, like others, had heard the rumours over the years - and totally echo your sentiments Stat. Will be great to hear her views and commentary when the roads really start to ramp up.
Chapeau Philippa, & Chapeau ITV for taking a big step forward.
Dear Pippa,
It was in February 1997 that I was scared and lonely getting into a taxi to begin my life as a professional cyclist in Nice. A conversation began with the taxi driver, I think he was curious about what I was doing there with a bike and a suitcase all alone as a young looking 20 year old. I tried to tell him in my broken French that I was a professional cyclist. He was one of the very first people I could say that to.
My answer illuminated him, he asked me for whom I raced, I told him Cofidis, he didn't know who or what that was, after all the team hadn't even taken part in it's first race at the time and Cofidis itself was nearly unknown.
He asked me if I was English, I told him I was Scottish, he said, "Ecossé? Mieux que les anglais! C'est quoi ton nom?" I told him, "David Millar" although I said it in the French accent I'd become accustomed to using when asked what my name was, because only the French cared about my name, and so I said, "Daveed Meelaar". To which he answered, "Meelaar! Vous etes famille avec Robert?"
I told him I wasn't, and I that I'd never even met you.
Twenty years later and I deal with this on quite a regular basis in France and Spain, that's how much you affected people, you embedded yourself in their memory.
Oddly, what was once an annoying occurrence has become a comforting misunderstanding. Robert Millar made my life so much easier, his success, and our shared family name (a name that oddly works in both French and Spanish) meant I was always related to him or simply called Robert, "Meelaar" felt familiar to people.
Yet I'm not Robert, I'm David.
I've known you, Pippa, for a good few years now. It's been strange to see you write as Robert for cyclingnews.com and Rouleur when I know you're no longer Robert. Although I understand why you've done it because the world can be quick with it's cruelty.
Pippa York is one of the greatest ever British cyclists.
And, on a completely personal note, at least there's only one "Meelaar" now, I just wish people would stop calling me Robert.
Looking forward to shooting the breeze on ITV4 with you. Two old Scottish bike racers.
With love,
Daveed "not Robert" Meelaar
It was in February 1997 that I was scared and lonely getting into a taxi to begin my life as a professional cyclist in Nice. A conversation began with the taxi driver, I think he was curious about what I was doing there with a bike and a suitcase all alone as a young looking 20 year old. I tried to tell him in my broken French that I was a professional cyclist. He was one of the very first people I could say that to.
My answer illuminated him, he asked me for whom I raced, I told him Cofidis, he didn't know who or what that was, after all the team hadn't even taken part in it's first race at the time and Cofidis itself was nearly unknown.
He asked me if I was English, I told him I was Scottish, he said, "Ecossé? Mieux que les anglais! C'est quoi ton nom?" I told him, "David Millar" although I said it in the French accent I'd become accustomed to using when asked what my name was, because only the French cared about my name, and so I said, "Daveed Meelaar". To which he answered, "Meelaar! Vous etes famille avec Robert?"
I told him I wasn't, and I that I'd never even met you.
Twenty years later and I deal with this on quite a regular basis in France and Spain, that's how much you affected people, you embedded yourself in their memory.
Oddly, what was once an annoying occurrence has become a comforting misunderstanding. Robert Millar made my life so much easier, his success, and our shared family name (a name that oddly works in both French and Spanish) meant I was always related to him or simply called Robert, "Meelaar" felt familiar to people.
Yet I'm not Robert, I'm David.
I've known you, Pippa, for a good few years now. It's been strange to see you write as Robert for cyclingnews.com and Rouleur when I know you're no longer Robert. Although I understand why you've done it because the world can be quick with it's cruelty.
Pippa York is one of the greatest ever British cyclists.
And, on a completely personal note, at least there's only one "Meelaar" now, I just wish people would stop calling me Robert.
Looking forward to shooting the breeze on ITV4 with you. Two old Scottish bike racers.
With love,
Daveed "not Robert" Meelaar
- Thread starter
- #226
Stage 6 Review
Visoul to Troyes, 216 km
Result:
Cook c de Kock b Philander 3
Jennings lbw b Philander 8
Ballance lbw b Morkel 20
Root not out 184
Bairstow lbw b Philander 10
Stokes c de Kock b Rabada 56
Moeen not out 61
Extras 13nb 0w 0b 2lb 15
Total (87.0 overs) 357-5
What? Oh, sorry
1 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors 5:05:34
2 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
3 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
4 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin
5 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
6 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
7 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
8 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Team Fortuneo - Oscaro
9 Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
10 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
General Classification:
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 23:44:33
2 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:12
3 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:14
4 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:25
5 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:39
6 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:00:43
7 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:47
8 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:52
9 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:54
10 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:01
Marcel Kittel won, easily.
Good Day:
That umbrella/parasol livened up preceedings no end.
Bad Day:
Anyone insane enough to watch anything other than the final ten minutes.
Visoul to Troyes, 216 km
Result:
Cook c de Kock b Philander 3
Jennings lbw b Philander 8
Ballance lbw b Morkel 20
Root not out 184
Bairstow lbw b Philander 10
Stokes c de Kock b Rabada 56
Moeen not out 61
Extras 13nb 0w 0b 2lb 15
Total (87.0 overs) 357-5
What? Oh, sorry
1 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors 5:05:34
2 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
3 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
4 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin
5 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
6 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
7 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
8 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Team Fortuneo - Oscaro
9 Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
10 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
General Classification:
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 23:44:33
2 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:12
3 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:14
4 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:25
5 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:39
6 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:00:43
7 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:47
8 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:52
9 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:54
10 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:01
Marcel Kittel won, easily.
Good Day:
That umbrella/parasol livened up preceedings no end.
Bad Day:
Anyone insane enough to watch anything other than the final ten minutes.
Don't forget the first 15 minutes, followed by a satisfactory:-
"well that's done for the day".
Watched the Vuelta , in Spain, couple of years ago and it was over 40c. The tarmac was so hot it was burning my feet through the soles of my shoes!
Her writing is fantastic, not read an article by her I've not enjoyed. She wrote up the experience of racing up Alpe d'Huez for Rouleur issue 13 and it was one of the grittiest and evocative accounts of bike racing I've ever read.
Fignon's Ponytail
Well-known member
Is that article on line or a proper magazine? Would love to read it.
I have the actual magazine. A 30 second Google and it seems like it isn't online anywhere I could see.
Fignon's Ponytail
Well-known member
What a shame! I have to admit I've not heard of Rouleur ....will have to have a hunt!
After yesterdays AWESOME parasol highlight, I'd like to offer up this as a contender for today's EPICNESS.
[tweet]883336547168288768[/tweet]
[tweet]883336547168288768[/tweet]
[tweet]883361833989615621[/tweet]
Gregory2Smith1
J'les aurai!
roll on Sunday,we'll see some proper cycling 
I take it we're all going large on Steve Cummings tomorrow?
As 10/1 is rather tight, to say the least, I might hold £1 back for Alexis Vuillermoz @ 100/1.
As 10/1 is rather tight, to say the least, I might hold £1 back for Alexis Vuillermoz @ 100/1.
Motogull
Todd Warrior
- Sep 16, 2005
- 10,465
That's a tie.
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,233
Direct Energie duo for me I think.
Calmejane - GC leader for the team in any other race. Climbs really well but strong in a break too, as we've already seen here. 33/1
Tommy V - Last appearance in the Tour and he'll want as much weekend gurning time as possible before embarking on his acting career. 66/1
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,233
