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

[Tyrone Biggums]

Whoever that moron in the yellow t-shirt was that caused that big crash, I hope someone punched your lights out.

 

[Stat Brother]

Blimey that was impressive.

Geraint will want to be in Yellow tomorrow night.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Cadel Evans the big winner.

 

[Stat Brother]

Whoever that moron in the yellow t-shirt was that caused that big crash, I hope someone punched your lights out.

Yes of course your right 'it's just not cricket', but it doesn't half make the race what it is.

 

[Stat Brother]

I just said that, Gary

 

[1066familyman]

Well what an exciting finish that was !
Good luck to old frog face...after all the bad luck he had last year he deserved to be on the right side of that today.

 

[Stat Brother]

PG was immense today.
We all knew he would win, the peloton knew he would win, but to still win and chase down Cancellara like he was going backwards was still mightily impressive.

I'm loving (and have been for a year) Cadel's change in character since winning the world championship.
2 years ago he would have sat in the bunch and taken the 6 seconds, not now, and it's great.

 

[Pantani]

Just in from work, so finally a chance to comment on an extraordinary days racing.

Gilbert was immense, there is just no stopping the guy.

Chapeau to Geraint Thomas and David Millar for great rides to stay with the lead group, especially Thomas as sixth on a stage like that is superb.

Chapeau tres grand to Jurgen Van De Walle, he seemed to pull the peleton along for the entire day today and chased the breakaway single handedly. My hero of the day.

Finally, Wiggins and Schleck are lucky boys that their crash came with less than three km to go, as it not only stopped them from losing time but also held up Contador and Sanchez further. As for Contador with his team seemingly set up for the mountains he could be even further behind by tomorrow night as the TTT looks like a struggle for his team. His deficit really adds some spice to the Tour.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm a bit gutted I've used all my prediction luck up already.

Anyway, I know it's somewhat Anglophile, but here it is:-

Garmin
Sky
HTC

I'll go in that order, but I do think they'll only be a fag paper between them, so more of an always tricast bet.

 

[Pantani]

Just back from my recce of today's course via the medium of riding to Lewes and back along the A27/Lewes Rd cycle lane. Rode full distance today as riding a quarter of 15 miles is bit pointless. My conclusions are that I would have been quicker with 8 pro riders along to drag me along!

SB you have clearly gone out on a limb with those three teams. So with that in mind my tricast will be...

HTC
Garmin
Sky

In that order. Leaving Van Garderen in yellow. We are not doing bad on the predictions so far, of course the fact that anyone could have predicted Gilbert to win yesterday and these three teams today is surely besides the point.

Is anybody else doing the Road CC Fantasy cycling competition? I should have flagged this up before the Tour started as we could have had a league then, but I am stupid and forgot, apologies. I am currently 75th overall (blatant showing off I know) but
I messed up my transfers last night, swapping Hushovd out and Cavendish in, when Hushovd could be in yellow ce soir.

 

[rcf0712]

Cadel Evans the big winner.

And what a shock to see no one outside of Australia giving him a hope in hell, again - this could be his year, fingers crossed.

 

[Pantani]

And what a shock to see no one outside of Australia giving him a hope in hell, again - this could be his year, fingers crossed.

Impressive ride from Evans to be up there at the end. However for me attacking at the end was pointless and a waste of energy. He gained three seconds by doing that, in terms of the GC it was a wasted effort and there was no way he was going to catch Gilbert. If he was just trying to get in to Yellow tonight I would be applauding him but surely he has longer term aims than that, and his team won't win the TTT anyway.

I don't like Evans though so I may just be bias against him.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Perhaps we might see one Thor Hushovd in yellow tonight.

Only other chances I can see who could end up in it are Kloden or Thomas.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

And what a shock to see no one outside of Australia giving him a hope in hell, again - this could be his year, fingers crossed.

It's because he can't go with the explosive mountian climbers. He's more in the Levi Leipheimer mould in that they grind away.


There's always a day when he gets left behind on a crucial climb.

 

[1066familyman]

I'm not an Evans fan either but I genuinely felt pleased for him yesterday because of all the misfortune and the bravery he showed last year. It's like SB says, he seems a different rider this year.

I loved watching them go through Olonne Sur Mer and Le Sables D'ollene yesterday as we recognised lots of it from the pics as that was our first ever family holiday in France. On the...sitting down with my kids watching TdF as a real enthusiast but no expert....how does everyone think Leopard-Trek will get on today ? I was thinking with the likes of Jens Voigt and Cancellara supporting the Schlecks then perhaps they'd be in line for 4th behind the 3 big guns already mentioned above ? Foolish analysis or does it hold some water ?

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I think Leopard will go alright. They have the experienced riders who can maintain a decent speed. Once it gets to the last part of the TT the great man Cancellara will go to the front and drive the train home.

For mine they aren't the team that holds the greatest interest for me in regards to how they will go.

Saxo is the team I have no idea how they will perform in this stage. So I look most forward to their run.

 

[1066familyman]

Thanks TB. Hope you enjoyed watching the world championships at home last year.

 

[Pantani]

I'm not an Evans fan either but I genuinely felt pleased for him yesterday because of all the misfortune and the bravery he showed last year. It's like SB says, he seems a different rider this year.

I loved watching them go through Olonne Sur Mer and Le Sables D'ollene yesterday as we recognised lots of it from the pics as that was our first ever family holiday in France. On the...sitting down with my kids watching TdF as a real enthusiast but no expert....how does everyone think Leopard-Trek will get on today ? I was thinking with the likes of Jens Voigt and Cancellara supporting the Schlecks then perhaps they'd be in line for 4th behind the 3 big guns already mentioned above ? Foolish analysis or does it hold some water ?

4th seems a good shout. RadioShack and Liquigas will be there or there abouts too they came 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Giro TTT. As for Saxo they lost 30 seconds at the Giro on a shorter course, only 19.3km, and against weaker teams as everyone else has a stronger team out for the Tour whereas Saxo have 5 riders who also rode the Giro.

One final prediction, Euskatel to finish last and Sanchez to be out of contention already.

Saxo off first as well. So will found out early doors how they go. Poorly I hope.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

One final prediction, Euskatel to finish last and Sanchez to be out of contention already and at least 2 riders crash during the stage.

Edited for accuracy.

 

[Pantani]

Edited for accuracy.

They are hilariously bad at time trials aren't they.

Update on Saxo they have just gone past the second check point and have dropped two riders already, not looking good.