The Official 102nd Tour de France, thread.

[1234andcounting]

Thomas's recovery is just more ammo for the anti-Sky brigade. They will switch the attack away from doping to saying that the Sky team are all cyborgs.

 

[1066familyman]

Watching the replay a few times, I think Thomas makes the decision to collide with the lamp post as the best of a bad situation in order to reduce his momentum. I think he prepares his upper body for the hit into his shoulder and upper body rather than miss it and take his chances with whatever was beyond. Brilliant on saving himself if I've read that right on his part.

Barguil moves into 10th on that move!

Wow, talk about an over reaction to Barguil. He doesn't move into 10th as a result of that move, it's a result of Gallopin blowing up.

Yes, it was an horrendous crash, yes Barguil was entirely at fault with some really really naive riding, but there's no intent in there whatsoever.

G seems to have taken it well, and that Froome reply in the post race interview was a top bit of humour in the circumstances

I'm gutted for Sagan. The poor bloke seems to make an art form out of getting 2nd place. Even more annoying that it's a bloody Lampre rider that took the win. Fair play to Plaza, he rode the stage brilliantly and deserved the win, but Lampre have been so anonymous this tour it's not even funny.

 

[1066familyman]

Thomas's recovery is just more ammo for the anti-Sky brigade. They will switch the attack away from doping to saying that the Sky team are all cyborgs.

To be fair, G must be the master of bracing himself for crashes....he probably has more of them than any other rider in the peloton, bar Gesink maybe.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Wow, talk about an over reaction to Barguil. He doesn't move into 10th as a result of that move, it's a result of Gallopin blowing up.

Yes, it was an horrendous crash, yes Barguil was entirely at fault with some really really naive riding, but there's no intent in there whatsoever.

G seems to have taken it well, and that Froome reply in the post race interview was a top bit of humour in the circumstances

I'm gutted for Sagan. The poor bloke seems to make an art form out of getting 2nd place. Even more annoying that it's a bloody Lampre rider that took the win. Fair play to Plaza, he rode the stage brilliantly and deserved the win, but Lampre have been so anonymous this tour it's not even funny.

Over reaction? That was craziness personified, and as someone alluded to above, he took that corner like a stock car racer.

Of course he didn't set out to knock anyone off course, but if you ride like that, out of control and with no thought for your fellow competitors' safety, then I believe that you should suffer consequences.

Yes, G had a joke about it. But that's G, and that's one of the reasons we love him.

 

[1066familyman]

Over reaction? That was craziness personified, and as someone alluded to above, he took that corner like a stock car racer.

Of course he didn't set out to knock anyone off course, but if you ride like that, out of control and with no thought for your fellow competitors' safety, then I believe that you should suffer consequences.

Yes, G had a joke about it. But that's G, and that's one of the reasons we love him.

To be clear, I'm not trying to defend Barguils actions. I'm saying that he didn't get 10th place on GC as a result of it

I'd be curious to know if any rider has ever been disqualified from a race for taking a dangerous line on a descent? It's a totally different scenario to the Renshaw headbutting incident.
If you go off the racing line in a sprint then you lose your place on the stage and perhaps the usual swiss franc fine they're so fond of, but I don't think you ever get disqualified from the race for that either do you? And yes, I do realise people have died descending and so potentially much more serious than sprinting carnage.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well that was all over rather quickly.
I settled down to watch and must have had a long blink while FF the adverts.
The next thing I know Mr Lampre is crossing the line.


That was so poor by Barguil.
I imagine rookie moves are rather frowned upon in the peloton.
I guess we should wait for WB's next move.

If he's full of sniveling apology, accepting of the blame, tries to make a amends, and most importantly learns from it, then so be it.

If his inner Frenchie overpowers the Bretagne, and he turns this into a shrug-fest then we should definitely unleash the lynch mob.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

To be clear, I'm not trying to defend Barguils actions. I'm saying that he didn't get 10th place on GC as a result of it

I'd be curious to know if any rider has ever been disqualified from a race for taking a dangerous line on a descent? It's a totally different scenario to the Renshaw headbutting incident.
If you go off the racing line in a sprint then you lose your place on the stage and perhaps the usual swiss franc fine they're so fond of, but I don't think you ever get disqualified from the race for that either do you? And yes, I do realise people have died descending and so potentially much more serious than sprinting carnage.

I don't know if anyone has ever been disqualified for a move like this, but then again I can't remember seeing anything quite so negligent either.

Sometimes a precedent has not yet been set.

 

[1066familyman]

Well that was all over rather quickly.
I settled down to watch and must have had a long blink while FF the adverts.
The next thing I know Mr Lampre is crossing the line.


That was so poor by Barguil.
I imagine rookie moves are rather frowned upon in the peloton.
I guess we should wait for WB's next move.

If he's full of sniveling apology, accepting of the blame, tries to make a amends, and most importantly learns from it, then so be it.

If his inner Frenchie overpowers the Bretagne, and he turns this into a shrug-fest then we should definitely unleash the lynch mob.

Not sure if true or not, but apparently Barguil may be blaming it all on a touch he got from TJVG. If that is indeed what he's saying, best unleash the lynch mob then

 

[Stat Brother]

I don't know if anyone has ever been disqualified for a move like this, but then again I can't remember seeing anything quite so negligent either.

Sometimes a precedent has not yet been set.

Disqualifying the only French man in the top 10 of Le Tour, will certainly get the fans off Sky's back.
Although I'd be surprised if Prudie wants the wrath of a nation directed at him.

Although I'm sure Jalabert will say it was all G's fault.

 

[Pantani]

If you made a move like that on the last corner going in to a sprint, you would 100% have some sort of punishment. Most likely banished to the back of the field. That would be fair, imo.

 

[1066familyman]

If you made a move like that on the last corner going in to a sprint, you would 100% have some sort of punishment. Most likely banished to the back of the field. That would be fair, imo.

So you'd banish Barguil to the back of the field today and have him lose 13 minutes on GC? Maybe that would be a lesson harsh enough to make him think twice about doing something similar again.

There may well be a very reasonable case for that happening, but don't think it ever has, and doubt it ever will.

G's own comments on sanctions for it are interesting:

"I don’t know why people can’t just stay in one line, sit where you are. What’s the point in fighting for position on a descent like that that’s known to be treacherous, so that’s annoying."

Thomas was referring, of course, to Barguil, but speaking on the steps of the Sky bus shortly afterwards, he dismissed the notion that the French youngster should face a sanction for his part in the incident.

"No, no. There’s nothing you can do there," Thomas said. "Hopefully he just learns his lesson."

 

[Bold Seagull]

Wow, talk about an over reaction to Barguil. He doesn't move into 10th as a result of that move, it's a result of Gallopin blowing up.

Yes, it was an horrendous crash, yes Barguil was entirely at fault with some really really naive riding, but there's no intent in there whatsoever.

G seems to have taken it well, and that Froome reply in the post race interview was a top bit of humour in the circumstances

I'm gutted for Sagan. The poor bloke seems to make an art form out of getting 2nd place. Even more annoying that it's a bloody Lampre rider that took the win. Fair play to Plaza, he rode the stage brilliantly and deserved the win, but Lampre have been so anonymous this tour it's not even funny.

Braguil himself should have been in the trees that was my point about him moving up to 10th on that move. As Pantini also said, Barguil is trying to nick places up on the inside, he is looking to gain an advantage, and is the luckiest man around that he shouldered G to stay on his bike and finish the stage as he did. That was why I said he moves up to 10th on that move, he should have been picking his own arse back off the tarmac, or unwrapping himself from round a tree.

 

[Bold Seagull]

So you'd banish Barguil to the back of the field today and have him lose 13 minutes on GC? Maybe that would be a lesson harsh enough to make him think twice about doing something similar again.

There may well be a very reasonable case for that happening, but don't think it ever has, and doubt it ever will.

G's own comments on sanctions for it are interesting:

"I don’t know why people can’t just stay in one line, sit where you are. What’s the point in fighting for position on a descent like that that’s known to be treacherous, so that’s annoying."

Thomas was referring, of course, to Barguil, but speaking on the steps of the Sky bus shortly afterwards, he dismissed the notion that the French youngster should face a sanction for his part in the incident.

"No, no. There’s nothing you can do there," Thomas said. "Hopefully he just learns his lesson."

I suppose with all their PR success with the French, he's not going to turn around and suggest he gets punished.

 

[1066familyman]

Braguil himself should have been in the trees that was my point about him moving up to 10th on that move. As Pantini also said, Barguil is trying to nick places up on the inside, he is looking to gain an advantage, and is the luckiest man around that he shouldered G to stay on his bike and finish the stage as he did. That was why I said he moves up to 10th on that move, he should have been picking his own arse back off the tarmac, or unwrapping himself from round a tree.

Fair enough. Can't argue with that.

 

[pb21]

Wow some ride to only lose a handful of seconds after that fall!

Can't really blame Barguil either IMO, did look like poor form by TvG though.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

In Barguil's defence -

https://vid.me/e/Zp3H?card=1

TJvG does give him a bump, barguil doesn't look like he wants the inside.

 

[pb21]

Looks like TvG moves to the right not appreciating Barguil is there forcing Barguil off line forcing him to crash into Thomas.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

TvG doesn't move far, and Barguil is coming up like an express train. He doesn't seem to brake in response to a slight deviation from TvG. I've watched this a few times now, and still think Barguill was negligent.

G could have been killed.

 

[Stat Brother]

TvG doesn't move far, and Barguil is coming up like an express train. He doesn't seem to brake in response to a slight deviation from TvG. I've watched this a few times now, and still think Barguill was negligent.

Yeah irrespective as to TJ Barguil was taking someone out.

He must have made 3 bike lengths by braking late.
I guess he could say he was spooked by TJ and missed the brake zone, while momentarily sorting himself out.
But no matter what the excuse he wasn't getting round that corner at that speed.

 

[Stat Brother]

Full Results

1 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Lampre-Merida 4:30:10
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:30
3 Jarlinson Pantano (Col) IAM Cycling 0:00:36
4 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:40
5 Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
6 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
7 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) MTN - Qhubeka 0:00:53
8 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:01:00
9 Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:22
10 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
11 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 0:01:54
12 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
13 Serge Pauwels (Bel) MTN - Qhubeka
14 Michal Golas (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:01:55
15 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:19
16 Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha 0:02:40
17 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:03:27
18 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal 0:04:07
19 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN - Qhubeka 0:04:14
20 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Lampre-Merida
21 Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement 0:06:13
22 Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek Factory Racing 0:07:09
23 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:08:44
24 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:17:44
25 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:18:12
26 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
27 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
28 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
29 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
30 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
31 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo
32 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
33 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
34 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:18:50
***35 Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky***

General classification after stage 16

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 64:47:16
2 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:03:10
3 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:03:32
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:04:02
5 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:04:23
6 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:05:32
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo 0:06:23
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:07:49


***I included Wouter as his cracking team mate ride has got lost in Barguilgate.

He was clearly blowing it out his arse, at the top of the climb, but still managed to do the descent right.
Cover Froome, then pick up G and bust a gut to cut G's loses.

I loves cycling when it's like that.