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

[1066familyman]

I visited Lucca last month/end of May on a family holiday. Italians certainly love their cycling ! Club cyclists were out in force everywhere. Mind you we did drive into Italy on the Saturday, the penultimate day of the Giro. A stop over in Milan for the final day though was just never going to happen unfortunately.

 

[Pantani]

Tell you what this years Tour thread is gonna be huge. Last year we managed 19 pages, this year we are on 13 inside the first week. Probably my fault in the main though as I have become a bit of a post whore on this thread.

 

[1066familyman]

Tell you what this years Tour thread is gonna be huge. Last year we managed 19 pages, this year we are on 13 inside the first week. Probably my fault in the main though as I have become a bit of a post whore on this thread.

What's so good about the thread is the nice mix of established experts like yourself, along with the once a year long term TdF fans like me who come fairly cold to it every year so consequently don't have much inside knowledge, and the odd poster who just pops in now and then. Added to all that of course is the excellent Horton's Halftime Lettuce who always gets us jealous with how many stages he's seen in the flesh each year. I love it here, and having regulars and newbies joining all the time means it goes from strength to strength. Long may it continue !

 

[Pantani]

It is also one of the few threads on NSC where a difference of opinion doesn't turn in to a binfest. An added bonus to say the least, although it has lead to me being on NSC too much.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'll give you binfest, who was putting down CAV!!

I think he's fantastic, there's a fine line between 'chip on shoulder' and 'heart on his sleeve'.
I love the way he won't be bully, and says it how he sees it.
He's a very different interviewee to the 30 sec sound bite comment man, moments after a tough stage.

Re armchair ITV.
You might want to check out Ned Boultings new book, kind of a backstage, how I got addicted to cycling, reasonably fluffy simple page turning book.

Talking of books.
David Millar's description of his Barcelona lone breakaway, was so good and inspiring I think it has shaved a couple of minutes off all my rides, since reading it.

Not looked at todays stage yet, so Cav.

 

[les dynam]

I'll give you binfest, who was putting down CAV!!

I think he's fantastic, there's a fine line between 'chip on shoulder' and 'heart on his sleeve'.
I love the way he won't be bully, and says it how he sees it.
He's a very different interviewee to the 30 sec sound bite comment man, moments after a tough stage.

Re armchair ITV.
You might want to check out Ned Boultings new book, kind of a backstage, how I got addicted to cycling, reasonably fluffy simple page turning book.

Talking of books.
David Millar's description of his Barcelona lone breakaway, was so good and inspiring I think it has shaved a couple of minutes off all my rides, since reading it.

Not looked at todays stage yet, so Cav.

that was me! wasn't putting him down, just being honest... massively amazing rider but i try as i might, i just can't like him. typical whinging scouser! not that he, or anybody else for that matters, gives two hoots what i think.

tyler ferrar is my prediction today.

talking about cycling books, has anybody read Laurent Fignon's book - i read a sample chapter which was given away in that great big bulky tour preview publication thingy recently. enjoyed it. what's the book like?

 

[keaton]

Can someone explain something to me. I watch a read a bit of the tour but i'm not sure I completely understand how it works.

Before yesterday's race Sky's Thomas was 5th overall. He then finished 5th yesterday, but has gone down to 7th. Including being overtaken by Wiggins who was 11th overall and finished below him in the race. How does it all work?

 

[Pantani]

Talking of books.
David Millar's description of his Barcelona lone breakaway, was so good and inspiring I think it has shaved a couple of minutes off all my rides, since reading it.

Wait till you get to the end and read his description of his suffering after getting dropped on the way to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and riding solo for nearly 200km. It's the most eloquent description of why pro cyclists continue to suffer through the Tour when they have no chance of winning, plus suffering is easier to understand for the likes of us.

 

[Pantani]

Can someone explain something to me. I watch a read a bit of the tour but i'm not sure I completely understand how it works.

Before yesterday's race Sky's Thomas was 5th overall. He then finished 5th yesterday, but has gone down to 7th. Including being overtaken by Wiggins who was 11th overall and finished below him in the race. How does it all work?

They swapped positions the day before. Wiggins finished two seconds ahead of Thomas, behind Evans but ahead of the rest of the main field. ITV missed it on their coverage, I think, but had noticed by the time they made the podcast.

 

[Stat Brother]

Can someone explain something to me. I watch a read a bit of the tour but i'm not sure I completely understand how it works.

Before yesterday's race Sky's Thomas was 5th overall. He then finished 5th yesterday, but has gone down to 7th. Including being overtaken by Wiggins who was 11th overall and finished below him in the race. How does it all work?

Plus final GC places are sorted in a placings count back system, when the riders are given the same time.
What the organisers don't need is 50 odd riders going full bore trying to get over the line first.
So although 1st and 50th might be 20 seconds apart they'll get the same time, but then obviously need to be split.

 

[Pantani]

I was hoping Duque would stay away, I have him in my fantasy team (for some reason he is listed as a climber). Hoogerland pulling his usual futile breakaway too, at least he got the polka dot jersey though.

 

[Pantani]

Ooh Chavanel, good call. The break won't stay clear though, but Chavanel for le maillot à pois rouges.

OR bad call

Chavanel at the back with a bad shoulder.

 

[1066familyman]

Nice to see books mentioned on here again.

I was going to get the David Millar book and was also thinking of getting Slaying the Badger too.

The books I have read are : The death of Marco Pantani, In search of Robert Miller, Inside the Peleton, Graeme Obree's Flying Scotsman, and Armstrongs It's not about the bike. Also really enjoyed the Flying scotsman film too.

Any other recommendations greatly appreciated....or....book club type swapsies anyone ?

All pretty routine stuff today then, despite the rain. Hopefully a nailed on Cav win tomorrow. Boasson Hagen looked and sounded like a nervous 16 yr old in his post race interview today I thought I'm pleased for him.

 

[Stat Brother]

Cyclesport have done this job for us:-

The greatest 50 cycling books of all time | Cycle Sport

I was surprised by how many of these I'd read, and unsurprised I hadn't read #1!. Of these, my highlights would be:-

Must read - A Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage, Put Me Back On My Bike – In Search of Tom Simpson, William Fotheringham, The Robert Millar one you've read (mainly because he is my first cycling hero).

Comedy - The Hour by Michael Hutchinson, French Revolutions by Tim Moore, 2001

Personal - The Escape Artist by Matt Seaton

Sex Lies and Handlebar tape by Sussex's very own Paul Howard was also a good read, I just can't remember if it should be recommended to a 'wider' audience.

The Dave Millar book is shaping up to sit, at the very least, in the top 3.
I suggest you start there.

 

[Lord Bamber]

Gents, I have been struggling with work for the last week but thanks for your posts, it keeps me informed, updated and in the know.

 

[1066familyman]

Nice one SB. I've bookmarked the link you gave, cheers

 

[1066familyman]

Interesting to see Sean Kelly's bio at number 5. Always enjoyed the challenge of trying to catch a single word of his post race interviews delivered at a 100 mph

 

[Stoichkov]

talking about cycling books, has anybody read Laurent Fignon's book - i read a sample chapter which was given away in that great big bulky tour preview publication thingy recently. enjoyed it. what's the book like?

Really good. Fignon was a great rider and an awkward customer to the media because he was smarter than your average pro.

Halfway through reading it, he sadly died which was, to be honest, really weird - reading the words of someone who'd passed away that day.

One book i'd recommend is 'Tour De Force' by Daniel Coyle. A bit Armstrong-centric but the other stuff is really good

Bad Blood by Jeremy Whittle is good as well although a bit dark as the title suggests. He used to cover the Tour for the The Times and was editor for Procycling Magazine - a proper journalist

 

[Gangsta]

Sorry if already said but we are living in THE GOLDEN AGE OF BRITISH CYCLING. Loving it. Push it Cav!!!

 

[Stat Brother]

Should be a few more GB Cav points tomorrow.