The Official 101st Tour de France, thread.

[Pogue Mahone]

The demise of Greipel is clearly not as final as previously believed.

What happened to Kittel?

 

[Bold Seagull]

The demise of Greipel is clearly not as final as previously believed.

What happened to Kittel?

Punctured somewhere around the flam rouge, but his team were out of it anyway, so he'd have been on his own. Cross winds caused havoc with 30km to go. How quick did Reza look? Thought he was going to take it at one point, he was too quick trying to lead out Coquard, pretty much lead everyone else in!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Actually, according to Kittel it wasn't a puncture, he and is team just struggled...

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Actually, according to Kittel it wasn't a puncture, he and is team just struggled...

Now, that is refreshing.

Greipel looked like a millstone had been removed from round his neck, and talked about his win as if that is 'job done' for this Tour.

 

[Stat Brother]

If you're riding for a team other than OPQS.
On which stage start line would you sneak up behind Tony Martin and try and beat him senseless with a cricket bat?

Wake up.
Ride bike.
Get ridden into the ground by TM.
Go to bed.

It's almost a perfect day bar one giant thighed German.

 

[1066familyman]

Actually, according to Kittel it wasn't a puncture, he and is team just struggled...

I did wonder at the time if the Steppers echelon riding, along with at last the sprinters teams making Giant do all the work all day, had finally cracked Kittel and his team. Good to hear it did, not because I don't like Kittel (he comes across very well I think in interviews), but because dominance does get boring. Have to laugh at the Steppers doing all that work for Renshaw, no wonder Phil & Paul still prattle on about Robbie McEwen every single stage The way Kwia went away at the end I did wonder if the peloton split had any GC contenders in the group behind. Saw a few Belkin's there and wondered if Mollema had ballsed up again.

Poor Demare isn't having a lot of luck so far, and had to laugh at Sagan's retort to the question asked of him that he didn't look happy this Tour and should start smiling again ..." I'd like to see you smiling after being in two crashes". Can't argue with that! I love Sagan to bits, always a breath of fresh air for the sport.

 

[1066familyman]

Stage 6

Arras - Reims, 194kms

Having battled the roads, cobbles and weather, the peloton is now heading towards the Vosges mountains, via champagne country.
Battered and bruised from previous day, the riders will be reminded of true suffering as the race will be passing through the Somme along the Chemin des Dames, where the Second Battle of Aisne took place in 1917.

Having dispatched Chris Froome from the race, the remaining favourites will be keen to take a backseat today.
Although losing time on the cobbles Alberto Contador has the most to gain from Chris Froome's bad luck.
The race would appear to be heading towards a straight 'fight' between Contador and Nibali, who doesn't have history on his side. The last rider to lead from stage 2 through to Paris was Jacques Anquetil way back in 1961.

Anyone with anything left in the tank after yesterdays stage will be hoping the Cat 4 climb, 35kms from the finish, followed by an undulating ride into Reims will assist the break away.

After racking up yet another fourth place, in Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, Peter Sagan and his Cannondale squad might have other ideas.
A false flat final km sprint may well be just the pick me up the prodigious Slovak star is looking for to keep his detractors at bay. Although Giant Fishing Tackle might just spoil his party yet again, this time in the guise of John Degenkolb.

View attachment 56052

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That's more like it SB

All you own work, or did you just slip in the 'fishing tackle' bit to convince us all?

I do hope you're going to mention my man Rudy from stage 8 and every breakaway stage after that. At the very least you've got to offer up at least one rider from Cofidis, Europcar or Bretagne - Seche Environnement as breakaway candidate and possible stage winner.

 

[Stat Brother]

That's more like it SB

All you own work, or did you just slip in the 'fishing tackle' bit to convince us all?

I do hope you're going to mention my man Rudy from stage 8 and every breakaway stage after that. At the very least you've got to offer up at least one rider from Cofidis, Europcar or Bretagne - Seche Environnement as breakaway candidate and possible stage winner.

Oh come on that's not fair.
Yes it was all my own work, (with the exception of the specific Somme detail) but keep in mind, most of the time I make English look like my second language.
I was hoping you'd be after less not more.

 

[Stat Brother]

Stage details

Distance: 234.5km

Category: Flat

Highest point: 398m

With OPQS deciding the easiest way to nullify Marcus Kittel was attack attack attack, a final sprint finish before the Vosges mountains, seems increasingly unlikely.
Stage 7 looks like a smooth trundle through mile after mile of Champagne vineyards.
The peloton casual keeping the now traditional breakaway comprising of a Bretagne-Seche, Cofidis and NetApp rider to a comfortable 5 minute gap.
But this stage has a sting in it's tail with 2 categorised climbs inside the last 20kms.
Once again the puncheurs will be looking for a stage win, before the GC heavyweights start attacking Nibali, over the weekend.
If they can get round Tony Martin, easier said than done, the likes of Cannondale and Katusha will be hoping Sagan and Kristoff can finally turn consistency into advertising on the top step of the podium.
Any stage finishing in Nancy is unofficially 'Phil Anderson day', Nancy being the place where it all began for antipodean stage winners. So don't discount Michael Albasini or, if fit enough, Simon Gerrans from being at the sharp end of this stage.

 

[Motogull]

II love Sagan to bits, always a breath of fresh air for the sport.

Me too. Could he really be in the mix come the latter stages?

 

[1066familyman]

Me too. Could he really be in the mix come the latter stages?

Er...No. Assuming you mean GC mix come the mountains.

Leading in the autobus on a mtf with a wheelie and one of those cheeky smiles will be the only mix he'll be in up in the mountains I expect.

Will be animating plenty of other stages though and nailed on Green jersey winner again - barring anything forcing him to abandon.

 

[banjo]

BBC4 now old school tour A Sunday in hell.

 

[wakeytom]

Right then guys as my education continues next up is the best highlights package - after having watched the eurosport highlights all week tonight I sat down to watch the ITV4 ones (I had to watch on demand) and really enjoyed them - yes there was less cycling but for a noobie there was alot of what most of you think is simple explanations! What do you guys is the best highlights for me to stick to for the next few weeks?

 

[1066familyman]

Right then guys as my education continues next up is the best highlights package - after having watched the eurosport highlights all week tonight I sat down to watch the ITV4 ones (I had to watch on demand) and really enjoyed them - yes there was less cycling but for a noobie there was alot of what most of you think is simple explanations! What do you guys is the best highlights for me to stick to for the next few weeks?

I don't think you can go wrong with ITV personally, especially for a newbie. I stick with ITV throughout this race as a welcome relief from Eurosport streams and sometimes having to suffer Carlton Kirby for the rest of the season.

Others will no doubt disagree. Why not try both and see what you prefer.

 

[wakeytom]

I don't think you can go wrong with ITV personally, especially for a newbie. I stick with ITV throughout this race as a welcome relief from Eurosport streams and sometimes having to suffer Carlton Kirby for the rest of the season.

Others will no doubt disagree. Why not try both and see what you prefer.

I am swinging towards ITV and I really dont have time to watch the full race so have to rely on highlights! My only worry is that in the hour long programme there was only maybe 60% of cycling so will I be missing out or in reality will they show all the main things?

 

[1066familyman]

I am swinging towards ITV and I really dont have time to watch the full race so have to rely on highlights! My only worry is that in the hour long programme there was only maybe 60% of cycling so will I be missing out or in reality will they show all the main things?

They will show all the main things, as well as updates on things they've since heard about from their live coverage, such as crashes/mechanicals/injuries. What you'll be missing out on over live coverage is the Paul Sherwin tourist board brochure on various Abbeys & Chateaus and the odd bit of interesting info in among the Phil & Paul bingo spotting game (I think most of us have a full house already ) Highlights shows can often miss the dynamics of the race though , in terms of which teams have been working the most and how various riders have been looking etc.

As for the adverts...you probably get much the same amount on Eurosport. I record the stages on ITV live whilst at work and watch them back in the evening, skipping over the adverts. Probably get about 2 hours of solid race coverage that way, although sadly through the week you don't get it live from the minute the flag drops so you rarely get to see the breakaways forming.

 

[wakeytom]

So ITV highlights during the week with trying to watch the live race between the 2 at weekends like I did last week.

On another subject, I want to get a GPS device - I currently use my phone but as its an S5 and I am trying to pick up speed etc I am worried about falling and breaking it, for a beginner do you think the Garmin 200 would be enough, all I want to do is track where I went with average times and hills etc

 

[1066familyman]

So ITV highlights during the week with trying to watch the live race between the 2 at weekends like I did last week.

On another subject, I want to get a GPS device - I currently use my phone but as its an S5 and I am trying to pick up speed etc I am worried about falling and breaking it, for a beginner do you think the Garmin 200 would be enough, all I want to do is track where I went with average times and hills etc

Yep, think that viewing schedule would be ideal, but some of the others might try to talk you into Eurosport still.

Where you won't find disagreement is on the Garmin 200. Everyone who has it seems to recommend it.

 

[wakeytom]

Yep, think that viewing schedule would be ideal, but some of the others might try to talk you into Eurosport still.

Where you won't find disagreement is on the Garmin 200. Everyone who has it seems to recommend it.

Sounds like the one then I need to sort it before its to late and I have smashed my phone!

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm pleased Ned & Chris have raised their game with the 'skits'.

Last year they were incredibly basic and seriously dumbed down.
Even though, on a base level, that's still the case, I really think they have done a great job in nudging the script forward.