- Thread starter
- #41
Exactly the thought that crossed my mind.
He's a bit late on Merckx bandwagon.
That's at least the third one out.
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
The Official 99th Tour de France thread, 2012.
- Thread starter Stat Brother
- Start date
He's a bit late on Merckx bandwagon.
That's at least the third one out.
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,235
Fecking tennis follows me around like a monkey on my back
CdD coverage on the Eurosport player was forever delayed by the French poxy Open and now I tune into 5 live for TdF preview and they're still yaking on about something happening in a place called Wimbledon. What's that all about !!! 
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,235
I'd fancy Michael Rogers to do better than Porte.
- Thread starter
- #44
Anyone seen [MENTION=12656]Pantani[/MENTION] on their travels round NSC.
He's somewhat conspicuous by his absence.
He's somewhat conspicuous by his absence.
Indurain's Lungs
Legend of Garry Nelson
Too busy wiki-ing riders for his fantasy team!
Daniel Friebe is a respected cycling journalist. Writes a lot for cyclingnews and Procycling and has had a few books out. He also ghost-wrote Cavendish's 'autobiography'
Anyone care to explain to me how the whole thing works? I've been to watch it a few times as it's often come locally to our place in France, but never understood exactly how the whole thing works. I watched a lot of it last year but what do people mean when they say how riders have helpers, and how does the scoring/timing work for each stage/jersey?
Apologies to hijack the thread and ask stupid questions, but given i've 3 months off for summer and only part time work i'd love to get properly into it.
Apologies to hijack the thread and ask stupid questions, but given i've 3 months off for summer and only part time work i'd love to get properly into it.
- Thread starter
- #48
Yellow jersey wins outright. Fastest time round the course.
To keep interest over 3 weeks, there are other competitions.
Green is sprinter/consistent finisher on each stage, they are chasing points.
Red Spots The people crossing the most/highest summits. Higher the climb the bigger the points.
There's 20 (?) teams of 9 riders.
Each team will have a leader who'll usually ear mark one of the above competitions, and the 8 other riders will race of them.
It's a team sport of individual gains.
It's very tactical, usually likened to chess on wheels.
The 8 riders will be used by the leader to try and 'cover' the other teams.
To keep interest over 3 weeks, there are other competitions.
Green is sprinter/consistent finisher on each stage, they are chasing points.
Red Spots The people crossing the most/highest summits. Higher the climb the bigger the points.
There's 20 (?) teams of 9 riders.
Each team will have a leader who'll usually ear mark one of the above competitions, and the 8 other riders will race of them.
It's a team sport of individual gains.
It's very tactical, usually likened to chess on wheels.
The 8 riders will be used by the leader to try and 'cover' the other teams.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #49
This year there are 20 stages, spread over 3 disciplines.
3 Time Trial stages - Individual riding against the clock over a set course.
5 High mountain stages - As it suggests they will be riding en masse over the Alps and Pyrenees.
The other 12 stages are either pan flat or 'rolling' medium mountains.
Each stage is between 150 -250kms long.
There are 2 rest days.
As with Bolt v Paula Radcliffe taking a combined time over both disciplines.
The sprinter (eg Cav) won't ever win over the long distance mountain climber (eg Nibali) because he can never get the time gap, on a flat road.
This year, the 3 time trials will make it very interesting as those riders (Wiggins) can take a lot of time from the mountain climbers.
As the mountain stages are tricky but not 'killers' and the time trials are longer.
3 Time Trial stages - Individual riding against the clock over a set course.
5 High mountain stages - As it suggests they will be riding en masse over the Alps and Pyrenees.
The other 12 stages are either pan flat or 'rolling' medium mountains.
Each stage is between 150 -250kms long.
There are 2 rest days.
As with Bolt v Paula Radcliffe taking a combined time over both disciplines.
The sprinter (eg Cav) won't ever win over the long distance mountain climber (eg Nibali) because he can never get the time gap, on a flat road.
This year, the 3 time trials will make it very interesting as those riders (Wiggins) can take a lot of time from the mountain climbers.
As the mountain stages are tricky but not 'killers' and the time trials are longer.
- Thread starter
- #50
Like F1, cycling is a lot easier if you are riding 'on someone's wheel'.
The Leaders (Wiggins) will ride with as many of his team around and in front of him.
It's something like a 25% (?) energy saving.
So the 'helpers' are invaluable working for the individual as a team.
They have no pretence of ever winning but will burn themselves out, deflecting the elements from the leader.
The leader will end up alone at the business end of the stage/race at which point he will be trying to gain the advantage over the other 'team leaders', because he's had a relatively 'easy' day.
The Leaders (Wiggins) will ride with as many of his team around and in front of him.
It's something like a 25% (?) energy saving.
So the 'helpers' are invaluable working for the individual as a team.
They have no pretence of ever winning but will burn themselves out, deflecting the elements from the leader.
The leader will end up alone at the business end of the stage/race at which point he will be trying to gain the advantage over the other 'team leaders', because he's had a relatively 'easy' day.
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,235
Got a provisional team sorted yet ?
Done mine last night. Quite happy with it as it goes. Assuming no withdrawals I think I'll be sticking with that rather than tinker around.
My daughter registered tonight too, so that's 3 of us in our house doing it now. I have my CdD defeat to my 13 yr old son to avenge. Probably get beat by both of them now in this TdF
Wonder where we do the fantasy league talk now ? This thread or on the other one ? Over to you SB and Pantani ?
- Thread starter
- #52
I guess it ought to be here.
Hopefully we won't get too anal about that one aspect, plus it's not like it's not all connected.
Hopefully we won't get too anal about that one aspect, plus it's not like it's not all connected.
Indurain's Lungs
Legend of Garry Nelson
Got a provisional team sorted yet ?
Done mine last night. Quite happy with it as it goes. Assuming no withdrawals I think I'll be sticking with that rather than tinker around.
My daughter registered tonight too, so that's 3 of us in our house doing it now. I have my CdD defeat to my 13 yr old son to avenge. Probably get beat by both of them now in this TdF
Wonder where we do the fantasy league talk now ? This thread or on the other one ? Over to you SB and Pantani ?
Done my team. Not too sure about it though, am thinking about taking a few risks.
Thinking maybe we should use the other thread for the fantasy league?
- Thread starter
- #54
Click on my signature.
Top quality entertainment. (for the easily pleased)
Top quality entertainment. (for the easily pleased)
- Thread starter
- #55
If it gets out of hand here, then yes definitely.
I can image people wanting to talk about the race, and if we're only banging on about something else, getting pretty pi$$ed off, pretty quick.
But if we can holding in check, it should stay together.
After all we will be talking about who we think will win.
Tony Towner's Fridge
Well-known member
T de F is superb as it centres around the finest countryside in Europe.
Route this year looks interesting
Tour de France 2012 - The Tour 2012
looking forward to some HD Peloton moments.
TNBA
TTF
Route this year looks interesting
Tour de France 2012 - The Tour 2012
looking forward to some HD Peloton moments.
TNBA
TTF
Lord Bamber
Legendary Chairman
Summer is here, so it can only mean one thing, starting Saturday:-
LE TOUR.
This could be the most momentous Tour in British cycling history, for no reason I can think of, come one, come all, to the thread of Le Tour.
For added spice, this year, there's even a fantasy game so you can play along. Pit your wits and humiliate the finest panel of cycling pundits ever seem on a football forum, just by picking the funniest names.
I'm sure the details will be added by [MENTION=12656]Pantani[/MENTION], when he can.
Predictions:-
Yellow-
Cadel Evans
Vincenzo Nibali
Ryder Hesjedal (NSC finest)
Green:-
Sagan
White:-
Rolland
Polka:-
Hopefully [MENTION=2878]Woodchip[/MENTION] can get in on this before he leaves these shores, and has the unfair advantage of being 12 hours ahead.
This thread is the definitive handbook to the tour, great to see it. I have been massively busy this year, so much so I missed the fantasy league but I make time to at read the cycling threads, great for the less knowledgeable but keen followers.
Bring it on & thanks guys.
- Thread starter
- #58
Team Sky have a podcast up and running, for Le Tour.
It's pretty much as you'd expect, but it is hosted by Richard Moore and Michael Barry, so the insight is pretty good.
It's pretty much as you'd expect, but it is hosted by Richard Moore and Michael Barry, so the insight is pretty good.
Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
Guardian guide now up, they often do a funny daily ticker
Tour de France 2012: an interactive guide | Sport | guardian.co.uk
Tour de France 2012: an interactive guide | Sport | guardian.co.uk
n1 gull
Well-known member
Thanks for the heads up, I absolutely love the tour, but didn't know about this podcast.
I am still a bit surprised Wiggins is favourite, he and the team still have a lot to prove imo. Can't bloody wait