The Official 104th Tour de France thread

[Stat Brother]

Good of AG2R to show how you attack the yellow jersey then attempt to use a mechanical to your advantage.

 

[Motogull]

Well I thought today was a great stage.

Tony Martin was barely moving as he got caught. And as for that fella slaloming up...

Unbelievable scenery.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

If Taylor Phinney was any more laid back he'd need a recumbant to ride the Tour...

 

[Triggaaar]

Not been able to check this thread, as I've been a day behind, watching highlights with my daughter.

I'm certainly getting bored with the predicability of the Kittel wins as there's no one who is able to challenge him currently.

I can't believe how poor the opposing sprint teams have been. They're not going to beat Kittel in a sprint, so take to get a break going FFS!

As one of the greatest ever tour commentators once said "Aru is all fur coat and no knickers", he ballsed up the run in and dropped a load of seconds to Froome who is now back in yellow.

Aru was trying to defend against both Bardet and Froome. He should have just let Bardet go, Froome was still the race favourite. In the end Froome would have had to chase Bardet down, it would have been funny.

We just got in from a football tournament to see all of AG2R drilling it up the Cat 1 climb.
They dropped Froome.
Then Froome punctured, unless he'd been riding with a soft tyre (good advert for going tubeless)
AG2R were gunning it up the climb.
Froome had to ride like a looney to get back on.

The fact that Froome was able to get back on suggests he wasn't going to be dropped in the first place - maybe a soft tyre like you say, but then I'm surprised he didn't call for help earlier.

 

[Bold Seagull]

We do we all stand on the booing of Froome?

I'm torn between sportsmanship, and good old fashion partisanship. I would have thought for Froome, a boo is a lot better than a cup of urine. If you're going to have the best funded team in the race, say you're cleaner than everyone else, then have a load of mysterious TUE packages you cannot explain, then you've got to be hard enough to take a bit of booing on the road haven't you? I've even found myself getting behind Bardet. As long as it doesn't spill over into anything more, part of the theatre of the road isn't it?

 

[BNthree]

We do we all stand on the booing of Froome?

I'm torn between sportsmanship, and good old fashion partisanship. I would have thought for Froome, a boo is a lot better than a cup of urine. If you're going to have the best funded team in the race, say you're cleaner than everyone else, then have a load of mysterious TUE packages you cannot explain, then you've got to be hard enough to take a bit of booing on the road haven't you? I've even found myself getting behind Bardet. As long as it doesn't spill over into anything more, part of the theatre of the road isn't it?

Feel the same way as you about this it seems. Whilst not ideal it could have been worse. Guess it is just because the spectators are right next to them it seems worse than say booing at a football match. Saw Bardet apologised to Froome about it: http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/r...jersey-booed-by-fans-at-tour-de-france-342256

 

[Triggaaar]

We do we all stand on the booing of Froome?

I'm torn between sportsmanship, and good old fashion partisanship.

If the crowd think he's clean, it's not cool IMO. If the crowd have been lead to believe he's doping (by the media) I don't blame them for booing. But then I question the media.

If you're going to have the best funded team in the race, say you're cleaner than everyone else, then have a load of mysterious TUE packages you cannot explain

Has he had a load of packages he can't explain? TUEs are a problem, but not just for Sky and Froome, they're widely used, so I don't see why Froome would be singled out.

Bardet didn't like it at least, he thinks Froome deserves respect.

 

[Bold Seagull]

If the crowd think he's clean, it's not cool IMO. If the crowd have been lead to believe he's doping (by the media) I don't blame them for booing. But then I question the media.

Has he had a load of packages he can't explain? TUEs are a problem, but not just for Sky and Froome, they're widely used, so I don't see why Froome would be singled out.

Bardet didn't like it at least, he thinks Froome deserves respect.

Sky are probably more the problem than Froome himself. Seems lots of reasons the boos happen, perhaps the French remember Froome attacking Wiggo's yellow jersey the same race as Wiggo slowed the entire peloton due to Evans getting a puncture due to tacks - Wiggo was portrayed as understanding the traditions of the race, Froome the villian (his attacks were on different stages to the tacks I think...). Likewise this year Bardet is in contention, so when the crowd saw him and AG2R steam passed, naturally they saw a chance for their man, and boo'd the chasing dominant Froome.

I only mention the TUEs because Sky set themselves up as a holier than thou team who said they were going over and above other teams in having zero tolerance, then can't track a medical package. The issue isn't really the TUE, it's not having a paper trail of what was in the package for the TUE. Not sure the booing is suspicion of doping in this race, maybe in the past?

 

[Triggaaar]

Sky are probably more the problem than Froome himself. Seems lots of reasons the boos happen, perhaps the French remember Froome attacking Wiggo's yellow jersey the same race as Wiggo slowed the entire peloton due to Evans getting a puncture due to tacks - Wiggo was portrayed as understanding the traditions of the race, Froome the villian (his attacks were on different stages to the tacks I think...).

I remember both incidents. Probably different stages, but certainly different climes (Evans may not have even been a climb, might have been at the top?). I wouldn't say Froome attacked, it wasn't a sudden injection of pace, he just kept pushing as Brad struggled. I have no idea why anyone other than Brad and Sky would care about that

Likewise this year Bardet is in contention, so when the crowd saw him and AG2R steam passed, naturally they saw a chance for their man, and boo'd the chasing dominant Froome.

Yeah of course they want their man to win, but booing just isn't right in my book.

I only mention the TUEs because Sky set themselves up as a holier than thou team who said they were going over and above other teams in having zero tolerance, then can't track a medical package.

Indeed, it's pretty crap.

The issue isn't really the TUE, it's not having a paper trail of what was in the package for the TUE. Not sure the booing is suspicion of doping in this race, maybe in the past?

I think it's the fact that we don't know that makes it crap. If everyone knew it's just because they want their man to win and are booing the rival, Chris could take it with an understanding smile. But he will no doubt feel that they're calling him a cheat, which (hopefully) is unfair.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I have no idea why anyone other than Brad and Sky would care about that

Just adds to a narrative of not likely someone I guess.

Yeah of course they want their man to win, but booing just isn't right in my book.

I know, I'd line the streets too cheer them all on, but it's a bit like British fans booing Rosberg I suppose.

Indeed, it's pretty crap.I think it's the fact that we don't know that makes it crap. If everyone knew it's just because they want their man to win and are booing the rival, Chris could take it with an understanding smile. But he will no doubt feel that they're calling him a cheat, which (hopefully) is unfair.

Yes, that questions his integrity and sportsmanship, so agree that is completely unfair. I guess we can't know really why they were booing, seeing Bardet out front or just a continued victimisation of Froome. Hope it was just due to Bardet out front, I've not noted any other instances this year, and the race is as close as it's been for a while.

 

[Triggaaar]

I know, I'd line the streets too cheer them all on, but it's a bit like British fans booing Rosberg I suppose.

Obviously it's completely different, as Rosberg his passing 50 feet away, at over 100mph, with his ears covered, next to a screaming engine. These Frenchies were 2 feet from Froome, who was going at walking pace.

Anyway, mustn't dwell. It hasn't been like that everywhere, maybe just Bardet's home.

 

[Weststander]

Many French and Italian fans simply hate most Irish, British and American riders winning the grand tours. Lemond, Roche snr and Armstrong were all spat at, had urine thrown over them, you name it. A sniff of a drugs story, and they're relentless, forever. Whereas Virenque, Jalabert and Pantani were all forgiven in blink of an eye, their 'genius' untainted.

Xenophobic hypocrites.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Obviously it's completely different, as Rosberg his passing 50 feet away, at over 100mph, with his ears covered, next to a screaming engine. These Frenchies were 2 feet from Froome, who was going at walking pace.

Anyway, mustn't dwell. It hasn't been like that everywhere, maybe just Bardet's home.

Rosberg was boo'd on the podium, so not that different in that it was actually post race when all the actual racing was finished, so in some ways even more disrespectful.

 

[Triggaaar]

Rosberg was boo'd on the podium, so not that different in that it was actually post race when all the actual racing was finished, so in some ways even more disrespectful.

What had he done wrong?

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

These Frenchies were 2 feet from Froome, who was going at walking pace.

Anyway, mustn't dwell. It hasn't been like that everywhere, maybe just Bardet's home.

If Froome was going walking pace then hes just cleared any doubt of dodgy goings on in my opinion! ;o)

And I reckon the booing was simply down to the fact the race was passing through Bardets home town / region too. They are pretty fanatical about their local talent over there, so I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[Bold Seagull]

What had he done wrong?

Well, it is a weak comparison in a lot of ways, but it showed the partisanship of fans in that he had taken Hamilton off in an incident, and generally seen as the bad guy to Lewis's good, along with accusations the Mercedes team favoured him as he was German, so they wanted him to win over Lewis.

 

[Triggaaar]

Why don't the crowds concentrate on booing Contador, he's won while doping. So many past winners should be stripped of their titles, not just Armstrong.

 

[whitelion]

Genuine question.

I tune into the TdF primarily to watch the beautiful scenery of France and know little of the riders.

Just lookin at the faces in the peloton they all seem to be the same - white.

Are there any black riders in this year's TdF/have there ever been any?

 

[Triggaaar]

Genuine question.

I tune into the TdF primarily to watch the beautiful scenery of France and know little of the riders.

Just lookin at the faces in the peloton they all seem to be the same - white.

Are there any black riders in this year's TdF/have there ever been any?

Don't know if there are any this year, there were a couple of years ago, and also quite a long time ago I think, but there usually aren't any black riders.

 

[whitelion]

Don't know if there are any this year, there were a couple of years ago, and also quite a long time ago I think, but there usually aren't any black riders.

Was my thought.

I wonder why this is as in most sports there are always black men and women?