The Official 99th Tour de France thread, 2012.

[Indurain's Lungs]

It's easy to read too much into climbing speed over different climbs in different situations though. One of Armstrong's Alp d'Huez rides was an ITT, where bunch racing is against the others on the road, not the clock. This is certainly not a defence of any of the named riders, just a warning about the nature of statisics!

Yes, the statistics are very unreliable, however as the riders' power outputs aren't published this is about all we've got.

Vaughters did publish some data about climbers 10 years ago putting out 6.8w/kg for around 30 minutes on these climbs whereas Brad was at around 6w/kg yesterday. @Scienceofsport is an interesting twitter if you're into the numbers.

 

[perseus]

Tour de France 2012

I expect Sky will roll on to an easy victory. I would like to see Van Broek or another pretender attack from the very start (with a plan involving others) on today's last chance of a mountain route. Not much chance of it happening though.

Tour de France 2012

 

[keaton]

It's boring in a similiar way to Spain winning Euro 2012 was. At the moment Sky are by far the best team and look in a control the whole time.

Next year with Thomas back they should be even better

 

[1066familyman]

Another holiday from work for todays stage.

Fantasy team unchanged. Rolland to go out in the Kessiakoff group to protect Tommy's Polka Dot Jersey.

Rolland for the stage win.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Another holiday from work for todays stage.

Fantasy team unchanged. Rolland to go out in the Kessiakoff group to protect Tommy's Polka Dot Jersey.

Rolland for the stage win.

I'll be watching on ITV4 on the computer at work. Have decided to take a massive punt on Cobo in the hope of making up the deficit to Pantani.

Win or bust!

 

[1066familyman]

Any chance we can keep the squabbling off this thread?

This, we can disagree, but this is normally the one place on NSC where people do not start bitching at each other, I'd like that continue.

I'd second that. My little dig at Tyrone was only meant as harmless banter. Tyrone is one of the respected regulars on our Tour threads and we all wished him a good World's when it was on his doorstep when Evans won. He has every right to express an opinion, and it's certainly a valid one. I must confess though, I've got tired of reading about Le Bore de France nonsense elsewhere and that probably influenced me, so I apologise if I replied out of turn.

There's not a lot I can add to what SB has said really, re: the reasons for this years course set up and Sky doing what any other team in their position would do. I can understand why many would find that boring, but I prefer to concentrate on the beauty in the excellence of dominance and celebrate that achievement rather than poo poo it. Of course, being a British cycling fan helps, but then again I always admired Big Mig whereas others were bored to tears by him. In a somewhat loose analogy, I'm quite content to see Spain pass teams off a football pitch and win 1-0 too whilst increasingly some football fans are apparently getting bored by this. I'm not being too nationalistic in this, just watched Le Tour for a lot of years when we, as a nation, did bugger all.

I think I've got fed up of the Bore de France debate because it's all so negative and suggests to me that perhaps those espousing it are jaded long time cycling fans who perhaps are forgetting to find the excitement and beauty in the sport in some of the other detail. For me, yes this Tour has had an air of inevitably about it in terms of GC almost from day 1, and more so perhaps when Froome did what he did on that summit finish on stage 7. But there's been plenty of entertainment and excitement for me throughout this tour, with highlights of the top of my head being:

The stage 7 finish mentioned above.
Voeckler and Rollands' stage wins.
Peter Sagan - fullstop!
Thibaut Pinot's win and his mad DS hanging out the team car on stage 8.
Good old Jens Voigt bowing out in fine style with some immense stage heroics.
That stage where the breakaway was caught virtually on the finish line.

And dare I say even the Prologue and TT. Who would have thought Gilbert would top ten in a prologue and EBH would finish 5th, and what about Froome and Van Garderen in the TT!? Yes, we knew Froome could TT, but did we really expect that kind of ride? I'm sure there's other highjlights too if I put my mind to it. I think we have to look beyond just the GC battle sometimes for the real gems of a Tour.

So anyway, ramble over and apologies if I've been the cause of any squabbling on here. I love that our cycling threads are binfest free too and hope it always remains that way.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I agree, I think its just been a different type of tour. I like the fact that they change things each year and mix up the type of stages.

Its actually been a big plus that Cav is not with HTC any more. If you remember, there's hardly been any breaks that stay away on any flat stages over the last few years as the train would charge them down. This year, Sky won't work for Cav and Lotto throw a strop when Green-Edge won't work so breaks get to stay away.

On an unrelated issue, just wondering how unprofessional I look with 4 windows open at work - the tour, the test match, the open and NSC!

 

[perseus]

A big name has got to go on the first climb, perhaps a Van ===== team mate or two will form a group in front and the leader rider a Van ------- will bridge the gap. I doubt it though. Then Sky will get burned out chasing and Nibali will pinch some time. Some hope? Not much.

Mountains stage points still up for grabs.

PS: I though Sorensen played in goal for Stoke

I think Rolland will be an outside bet for a stage victory. He needs the summit points.

 

[Pantani]

My tip for today, TJVG. Free from team orders I think he will go for it. In the break Omega Pharma have to get in to it as they missed yesterday.

 

[1066familyman]

I agree, I think its just been a different type of tour. I like the fact that they change things each year and mix up the type of stages.

Its actually been a big plus that Cav is not with HTC any more. If you remember, there's hardly been any breaks that stay away on any flat stages over the last few years as the train would charge them down. This year, Sky won't work for Cav and Lotto throw a strop when Green-Edge won't work so breaks get to stay away.

On an unrelated issue, just wondering how unprofessional I look with 4 windows open at work - the tour, the test match, the open and NSC!

...and I'm just wondering how you manage to get a job like that?

 

[Pantani]

I wish the fantasy league gave you the numbers of your riders, it would be useful wouldn't it?

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

...and I'm just wondering how you manage to get a job like that?

Slow day at my desk!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Just to say this thread is a pleasure. People posting knowledgeably about something I am interested in. I have been following the tour for over a decade - but am not sure I know that much more than when I started.

And this thread is no place for point scoring. Apart from in your competition of course.

 

[1066familyman]

Ooh, Albasini having a go. Nice to see. Could be interesting.

 

[1066familyman]

I wish the fantasy league gave you the numbers of your riders, it would be useful wouldn't it?

Wouldn't it just. There's me wondering if Sprick's the Argos Shimano rider out the front today but not knowing for a while that.......it's not

 

[Pantani]

And this thread is no place for point scoring. Apart from in your competition of course.

SB, doesn't do much of that either!

 

[Pantani]

Wouldn't it just. There's me wondering if Sprick's the Argos Shimano rider out the front today but not knowing for a while that.......it's not

So true, I keep seeing OPQ riders trying to get away and hoping it is de Weert, Albasini reeled back in.

 

[Pantani]

Grivko having a go again, he has been in a break pretty much everyday since I dropped him. Never gets any points mind.

 

[1066familyman]

Just to say this thread is a pleasure. People posting knowledgeably about something I am interested in. I have been following the tour for over a decade - but am not sure I know that much more than when I started.

And this thread is no place for point scoring. Apart from in your competition of course.

The fantasy league get's quite competitive. It's become an obssession for me even , but we're all still pleased for each other when we do well and the competition is healthy but friendly.

Yep, a real pleasure these cycling threads. All welcome and the full range of expertise on offer, from the very knowledgable to the reasonably so and newbies too. Not a binfest in sight.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Ooh, Albasini having a go. Nice to see. Could be interesting.

He's been about the only ever present in my team. I thought finally he might do something today.....but no!