The Official 98th Tour de France, thread, 2011.

[Southern Toon]

Great tour this year so unpredictable with 8/9 riders still with a chance of a podium finish in Paris, Can't wait for the next 3 stages. One question bugging me is if after this saturdays timetrial, Say the yellow jersey the second & maybe the third are within 5/10/15 seconds of each other on GC, Will they still race on sunday or will it be the usual glass of champers & a stroll into Paris.

 

[1066familyman]

Hats off to the EBH tippers today. What a great tour for the Norwegian fans.

Can't wait for the next 3 days, it's guaranteed excitement from here on in and really anything can happen now that Contador is regaining strength and the Schlecks are shitting themselves. I'll be rooting for Voeckler to hang in there as long possible, even though this time he surely can't keep the pack at bay. Strangely, as someone who's never been an Evans fan, I'd be quite happy to see him take it this year and if anyone he's still looking the favourite as it stands.

As for fitting watching in with work...getting a freesat recorder just in time for last years Tour has been a God send this year. With every stage live now on ITV I've managed to watch every stage as live each evening ( weekend ones on a 1 hour delay ) and get to skip all the adverts and the annoying competition too

For tomorrow's prediction I'll go with Vanendert slugging it out with Sanchez for the polka dot and Sanchez just sneaking the stage win...closely followed by Contador nicking less than 20 seconds off of Evans and the Schlecks with Basso in the Evans/Schleck group too.

 

[DT Withdean]

Wish ITV4 had given us more film coverage today. Know area well, stunning with 3,800m peaks, glaciers & today they rode up massive hairpins in France. All completely ignored in highlights.

Now they're in the mountains, ITV4 have doubled time on adverts.

So only gave us highlights of last 15km! Why?

 

[Stat Brother]

Strangely, as someone who's never been an Evans fan, I'd be quite happy to see him take it this year and if anyone he's still looking the favourite as it stands.

He's had a fabulous 18 months, since winning the Worlds.
I'm sure I slated horribly on the 2009 tour tread, for all the reasons I'm kicking the Schlecks, now.

He's definitely come through pro cycling without the tarnish of many.
The fact he's not only in contention now, but bossing it, says a lot about the current racing/set up/ethos. (putstinhaton)

 

[1066familyman]

Great tour this year so unpredictable with 8/9 riders still with a chance of a podium finish in Paris, Can't wait for the next 3 stages. One question bugging me is if after this saturdays timetrial, Say the yellow jersey the second & maybe the third are within 5/10/15 seconds of each other on GC, Will they still race on sunday or will it be the usual glass of champers & a stroll into Paris.

The short answer is No, the only race going on will hopefully be the one to catch Cav on the line The GC will be decided on the TT on Saturday.

 

[1066familyman]

He's had a fabulous 18 months, since winning the Worlds.
I'm sure I slated horribly on the 2009 tour tread, for all the reasons I'm kicking the Schlecks, now.

He's definitely come through pro cycling without the tarnish of many.
The fact he's not only in contention now, but bossing it, says a lot about the current racing/set up/ethos. (putstinhaton)

I may even have to refrain from calling him old frog face now

 

[Southern Toon]

The short answer is No, the only race going on will hopefully be the one to catch Cav on the line The GC will be decided on the TT on Saturday.

I think your right it will be settled on saturday but would be great if they acttually raced all the way to Paris, Anything could happen in the last 5km, Punture or crash would be pure theatre.
Hopefully they will have a timetrial on the last day sometime soon. I remember Lemond-Fignon 1989 unforgettable.

 

[1066familyman]

I think your right it will be settled on saturday but would be great if they acttually raced all the way to Paris, Anything could happen in the last 5km, Punture or crash would be pure theatre.
Hopefully they will have a timetrial on the last day sometime soon. I remember Lemond-Fignon 1989 unforgettable.

Yep, absolute classic that Fignon - Lemond battle, loved every second of it ! Sad to see Fignon finally lose his battle against cancer

I wouldn't want to begrudge the sprinters their day on the Champs-Élysées though, or the well earned procession for all the others that make it to Paris.

 

[rcf0712]

Cadel's past mountain bike experience always helps him descend well. I often forget he rode in the 2000 Olympics on the mountain bikes.

Starting to beleive he can win it and then I'll be living about 23 minutes away from a Tour De France winner.

beelieve it

 

[Pantani]

Holy shit! Andy Schleck on the attack on the Izoard. Maybe he has actually got some balls, love to see this stick as breaks like this are what it should take to win the Tour.

 

[Woodchip]

Couldn't agree more. Good to see an early attack for a change.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well I didn't see anything, Andy who?, what's he doing?

 

[Woodchip]

Well done to Voeckler. Another day in yellow. Very impressive.

Alberto who? Clearly he needs another steak or two.

 

[Stat Brother]

The pain just watching that final Km.
Well Done Andy, Cadel and Tommy, quality racing.

 

[Pantani]

Absolutely superb day of racing. That is what cycle racing is all about. Andy deserves to win the Tour after a ride like that. Great rides from Evans and Voeckler too. Tomorrow I expect Frank to attack over the Galibier and Andy to be the one following the other leaders, a proper 1,2 punch.

 

[Gwylan]

That was fantastic. Voeckler looked half-dead at the end - he deserves his yellow...even if it's for just another day

 

[Stat Brother]

I bet Andy was chuffed that it was Eddie Merckx shouting at him from the commisaires car.

Imagine if it was Hinault, any sane man would have turned and ridden back down the mountain!

 

[perseus]

That was fantastic. Voeckler looked half-dead at the end - he deserves his yellow...even if it's for just another day

Most of them looked half dead. Voeckler looked completely knackered. I am not sure they will recover enough for tomorrow ?? I tip Fränk Schleck for the Alpe d'Huez stage. I would not rule out Contador like everybody seems to. He looked like he was making sure he was not completely burned out.

 

[perseus]

This is a good web site:

Live Report Tour de France - Stage 18 | Cyclingnews.com

 

[bpbill]

Cavendish finished outside the time, however he was with 88 other riders so obviously to many to disqualify. Been docked 20 points for the Green Jersey though, not sure how they have penalised the other 87 riders who were with him though ffs. By the end of tomorrows stage Rojas could be in Green by default.