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The Official 104th Tour de France thread
- Thread starter Pantani
- Start date
Pogue Mahone
Well-known member
- Apr 30, 2011
- 10,950
Weststander
Well-known member
Noticeable booing of all Sky riders at key points such as time checks, and when Froome was in the Velodrome. The ITV team not yet mentioning it.
No doubt from a small but noisy section of the French public convicting Sky riders as cheats, whilst historically always exonerating their convicted countrymen.
No doubt from a small but noisy section of the French public convicting Sky riders as cheats, whilst historically always exonerating their convicted countrymen.
banjo
GOSBTS
Froome catching Bardet. They won't like that.
Weststander
Well-known member
Massive cheering for the brilliant Bardet, was replaced by audible booing as the evil Brit crossed the line. The French are predictable
Pogue Mahone
Well-known member
- Apr 30, 2011
- 10,950
Massive cheering for the brilliant Bardet, was replaced by audible booing as the evil Brit crossed the line. The French are predictable
The French loved Wiggins. Not always so predictable.
I suggest the nation who's football fans boo every other national anthem doesn't get too pious.
Weststander
Well-known member
Most countries have xenophobic morons, whether it be a few thousand England fans in Germany or French wishing Froome ill.
Still needs to be mentioned. The ITV4 team have at times, rather than going for a BBC style sugar coating.
banjo
GOSBTS
Isn't it more about hating Team Sky rather than Froome himself.
I personally don't want to give xenophobic morons the time of day, let alone unnecessarily create a storm in a bidon in the national media.
Each to there own.
Pogue Mahone
Well-known member
- Apr 30, 2011
- 10,950
Definitely. Cav, Cummings and Millar all enjoyed positive support - as did Wiggo before the Sky hatred took hold.
Sky's dominance is similar to that of US Postal Service/Discovery in the Armstrong era. They were hated, and always suspected of doping, and we all know how that turned out.
And stories of unexplained packages and lost paperwork are not going to allay suspicions that things are not as they should be.
What? I've not noticed England being worse than other countries when national anthems are played.
I didn't notice them booing Mikel Landa. And talking of Landa, he deserved a place on the podium. Not that I'd have wanted Bardet to miss out, but Landa has been unbelievable and would have easily been up there if he hadn't been sacrificing himself for Chris.
They didn't win the Tour. And Wiggo didn't come back after winning it. Froome is a great rider, and IMO deserves some respect.
Yeah, it turned out that not only were they all doping, so were all of their rivals. Chris has been just a few seconds ahead of his rivals all tour, there have been no superhuman mountain climes or any reason to suspect him of doping.
That was some time ago and not involving Froome. Not like the clean and respected Contador eh
Which is why I expect Sky to sign one of the new breed of Frenchie's to begin the process of preparing him to win Le Tour.
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,235
Exactly this.
If I was there I'd have to restrain myself not to join in with the booing to be honest.
I quite like Froome. He's got cojones and is a very well rounded rider, exciting even on the right set of circumstances. But Sky are fast killing cycling a bit like they killed football for me. Seeing a rider of Kwiat's ability reduced to super Dom status is heartbreaking. Thank God the Yates brothers, and eventually Cummings haven't been reduced to Skybots.
P.S Yes I know Kwiat won Strade Bianche and MSR this year, but just let me indulge the rant for a bit.
The French youngsters are showing plenty of potential, I think Sky will snap one or two of up, as potential long term replacements for Froome.Frenchie's what?
Just have some Frenchies as domestiques
With the added bonus of instantly winning hearts and minds, across the channel.
Nobody forced (although the rather large payslip helps) Kwia into a Sky jersey.
Sky hardly blunted his 2017 palmares, what with brilliant rides to San Remo and Strade Bianche, and top 10's across the spring.
I don't know why you keep bemoaning Sky's 'super team' dominance, it's been a fact of life in cycling long before all their current riders were born.
No team has ever had (or paid big money for) a Tour favourite and said, 'crack on son, you're good enough to win this on your own'.
1234andcounting
Well-known member
- Mar 31, 2008
- 1,609
I would say that the booing of Froome is a sign of respect. They know that he is unlikely to be beaten while he is still at his peak. I think it was Barry Hoban saying on the commentary earlier this week that they booed Merckx far more than they have ever booed Froome, and that Anquetil would get booed when he was racing Poulidor because they liked Poulidor more. Strange thing, the emotion that sport can generate.