The Official 101st Tour de France, thread.

[Stat Brother]

I guess we best officially get this show on the road:-


Stage details

Distance: 155.5km

Category: Flat

Highest point: 53m

Since the route was announced last October, this 155km stretch has probably been the most talked about. While shorter than the last cobbled stage to feature in the Tour, by quite some margin, in fact, it has managed to pack in quite a few extra cobbles.

There are 15.4 kilometres of the rough French pavé for the riders to contend with. The section that could cause the biggest problems is the first, Carrefour de l’Arbe. The five-star section can often be the deciding factor at Paris-Roubaix and could easily throw a general classification rider’s race into turmoil.

The penultimate pavé sector, Wandignies-Hamage à Hornaing, is the longest of the entire race. This 3.7-kilometre section has a four star rating and is an ideal place to launch an attack, especially if your rivals are looking uncomfortable.

When the race hit the cobbles in 2010, it wreaked havoc in the peloton. Fränk Schleck managed to make it over two sectors before the third - Sars-et-Rosières – ended his race. His brother Andy fared better, using the wheel of Roubaix master Fabian Cancellara. Team-mates will be hugely important on this stage, if the GC boys hope to get through unscathed.

In terms of the stage victory, Omega Pharma-QuickStep will be one of the favourites, with reigning Paris-Roubaix champion Niki Terpstra in their midst. They will have to keep in mind their GC contender Michal Kwiatkowski.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

This might be controversial but am I the only one who thinks the cobbles in the tour are a bit unfair.

It's not like the strongest contender gains an advantage. There's too much luck. People lose time because of punctures and crashes rather than pure racing.

 

[pb21]

Whist I understand what you're saying, IMO you make your own luck. You could crash at any point on a flat road, look at Froome today. Yes the risk is higher in this stage, but that's racing.

 

[Stat Brother]

This might be controversial but am I the only one who thinks the cobbles in the tour are a bit unfair.

It's not like the strongest contender gains an advantage. There's too much luck. People lose time because of punctures and crashes rather than pure racing.

Yes!!


They definitely shouldn't be in every year.
But each generation should have at least one crack at them, they are a massive part of cycling.

Lets face it, there's only 2 riders who need to be properly worried.
4 or 5 more who's race can go one way or the other, the rest are just on a self preservation exercise.

But of those riders there's an equal quantity if not more who'll actually get a chance to win a Tour stage.

As said not every year, but every 5 or so is fine by me.

 

[Hamilton]

That section 6km from the end, is it the Arenburg Trench? If so that is more than just a section of cobbles, it's THE section of cobbles.

Having had to pull out of going to Yorkshire, [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION] will be at the trench. He has taken Mrs Hamilton and a bike, and has told me he intends to make Mrs H ride the cobbles.

Not the way to encourage a happy marriage.

Mrs Hamilton and I are in a Belgian bar right now watching the Germans destroy Brazil.

Tomorrow Mrs H will destroy the cobbles.

I may do Paris Roubaix again.

Lille today was brilliant. We were at the 500m mark. Amazing.

 

[Stat Brother]

This could be a sign of things to come:-

 

[1066familyman]

A request please SB.

Can you knock the scripted stage previews on the head and do your own please? They're hopelessly out of date in a race that changes on a daily basis. You know your onions and will do a much better job if you write them each evening having seen what's happened each day.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

A request please SB.

Can you knock the scripted stage previews on the head and do your own please? They're hopelessly out of date in a race that changes on a daily basis. You know your onions and will do a much better job if you write them each evening having seen what's happened each day.

How about this -

Cobbles tomorrow. Shit's about to get real.

 

[1066familyman]

That section 6km from the end, is it the Arenburg Trench?

I thought that initially when I saw the map and profile, but alas no, it isn't Arenburg Trench.

 

[1066familyman]

How about this -

Cobbles tomorrow. Shit's about to get real.

Well that'll just about cover this stage, granted

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I thought that initially when I saw the map and profile, but alas no, it isn't Arenburg Trench.

Yeah, it doesn't seem to have been included, which is bizarre, what with the stage finishing at Arunberg.

 

[perseus]

Route looks good, but le Tour has not been so good so far or for the last few years. The Peloton catches the breakaways too easily. I think this is technology feeding the peloton the information.

 

[1066familyman]

Anyone else bet on tomorrow's stage in the end?

I finally settled on a long shot and what I thought was best value (as per usual). One for the break/reduced sprint, one for a more sprinter friendly reduced sprint. Kristoff and Degenkolb both too short.

Haussler 66/1 - £1 e/w
Demare 19/1 - £1 e/w

 

[Pantani]

Anyone else bet on tomorrow's stage in the end?

I finally settled on a long shot and what I thought was best value (as per usual). One for the break/reduced sprint, one for a more sprinter friendly reduced sprint. Kristoff and Degenkolb both too short.

Haussler 66/1 - £1 e/w
Demare 19/1 - £1 e/w

There is not a lot of value for this one unfortunately. On Bet 365 Canc 5-2, Sagan 11-2, Degenkolb 13-2 none of those are worth a punt with so many variables. I've chucked a speculative 50p e/w on Navardauskas at 150-1 and that is it.

 

[1066familyman]

There is not a lot of value for this one unfortunately. On Bet 365 Canc 5-2, Sagan 11-2, Degenkolb 13-2 none of those are worth a punt with so many variables. I've chucked a speculative 50p e/w on Navardauskas at 150-1 and that is it.

Yeah, lots of variables, especially if it rains, so can't see much point in going for riders with short odds either.

I couldn't resist pouring over this again http://www.oddschecker.com/cycling/tour-de-france/stage-5/winner and noticed William Hill's odds on Keukeleire were particularly generous. At 80/1 I couldn't help myself for a £1 e/w there as well. To compensate I probably won't bet again now until stage 8 at the earliest.

 

[Stat Brother]

A request please SB.

Can you knock the scripted stage previews on the head and do your own please? They're hopelessly out of date in a race that changes on a daily basis. You know your onions and will do a much better job if you write them each evening having seen what's happened each day.

Ok, not read it myself

 

[Stat Brother]

There is not a lot of value for this one unfortunately. On Bet 365 Canc 5-2, Sagan 11-2, Degenkolb 13-2 none of those are worth a punt with so many variables. I've chucked a speculative 50p e/w on Navardauskas at 150-1 and that is it.

That's not a bad shout.
I can see Talansky doing the best out of the GC favourites, which would mean Nav not too far away.
He'd certainly be the Garmin rider I'd push up the road to collect Talansky nearer the finish.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Mrs Hamilton and I are in a Belgian bar right now watching the Germans destroy Brazil.

Tomorrow Mrs H will destroy the cobbles.

I may do Paris Roubaix again.

Lille today was brilliant. We were at the 500m mark. Amazing.

Hope you have a great day today. As my kids would say, it's going to be EPIC!

 

[teaboy]

Do OPQS really have a plan for GC?! I'd have thought they're a stage win sort of team, and today could be one of them. G could be a decent outside shout if he was riding for anyone else...

 

[Hamilton]

I thought that initially when I saw the map and profile, but alas no, it isn't Arenburg Trench.

You are right. Not going to the trench.

Mons en Pevele will be the big one. I think that's the third set of pave.