The Official 101st Tour de France, thread.

[Stat Brother]

July 22, Stage 16: Carcassonne - Bagnères-de-Luchon 237.5km

Distance: 237.5km

Category: Mountain

Highest point: 1,753m






One of my favouriteist ever holidays was to Carcassonne, that is all.

 

[teaboy]

Pinot will be worth watching today - surely others will attack him on the descent. What's the weather like...?

 

[JoshFanner]

Hopefully Bardet, Pinot and Valverde will all work together today to crack Nibali. It seems that the three of them have resigned themselves and are only fighting for second and third now

 

[1066familyman]

Went breakaway betting mad last night..

50p e/w: Kwia, Gautier, Molard, Spilak.

£5 e/w Rogers.

3 of those five in the break. Happy with that so far.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Hopefully Bardet, Pinot and Valverde will all work together today to crack Nibali. It seems that the three of them have resigned themselves and are only fighting for second and third now

They can try but unfortunately he's much faster than all of them going uphill and downhill!

Went breakaway betting mad last night..

50p e/w: Kwia, Gautier, Molard, Spilak.

£5 e/w Rogers.

3 of those five in the break. Happy with that so far.

I think Rogers is looking a good bet - could recreate his first stage win at the Giro.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Went breakaway betting mad last night..

50p e/w: Kwia, Gautier, Molard, Spilak.

£5 e/w Rogers.

3 of those five in the break. Happy with that so far.

Well done!

On a separate note, has Sky's uncompromising tactics and domination over the last couple of years created a natural resentment from the rest of the peloton? It seemed that Europcar in particular threw away a chance to win today, simply because they weren't going to help Kiyrenka doing it?

Tactically Rogers got it spot on in realising the remaining break wouldn't organise themselves to catch him and so it proved. He was catchable at 1.5km out, but the chasers fought each other and got no where near him.

 

[1066familyman]

Well done!

On a separate note, has Sky's uncompromising tactics and domination over the last couple of years created a natural resentment from the rest of the peloton? It seemed that Europcar in particular threw away a chance to win today, simply because they weren't going to help Kiyrenka doing it?

Tactically Rogers got it spot on in realising the remaining break wouldn't organise themselves to catch him and so it proved. He was catchable at 1.5km out, but the chasers fought each other and got no where near him.

Thanks Bold.

I'm quite liking this plan B betting - bigger stakes on shorter odds riders. I got Rogers @11/1 so returned £68.75 profit. Take out the £4 on my other four riders today (Gautier and Kwia gave it a good go) add in the £50 from Kristoff and that's £118.75 profit in two straight stages

I must admit I didn't think Tommy V would come so close to the win today, despite it being his favourite Tour stage finish. Knew he would be in the break for certain, but thought today would be the day that young Cyril steps up and takes over as the old man fades near the peak of that HC climb. Not enough action there in the end to drop Tommy though and Cyril did a great job for him too. No complaints from me, Europcar are one of my favourite teams and great to see three riders in that break today. How good a Tour is Kevin Reza having by the way!?

You talk of Kiryienka. The rider that worried me most in terms of beating Mick was if GVA would get back on as the front 5 played around. If he had caught them at the bottom he'd have out sprinted everyone with ease. Was nervy as no time check was being given to him at all.

 

[Stat Brother]

Great stuff 1066.

Have any team earned less than Sky, so far this tour?


Can you all do me a favour please.

I'm liking the look of ITV's competition this week.
So if none of you can enter and leave the way clear for me to win, I'd very much appreciate it.
Ta muchly.

 

[1066familyman]

Pinot will be worth watching today - surely others will attack him on the descent. What's the weather like...?

Hopefully Bardet, Pinot and Valverde will all work together today to crack Nibali. It seems that the three of them have resigned themselves and are only fighting for second and third now

Big chapeau to Pinot today, great ride! By far and away the biggest winner on the day, as Valverde especially would have been looking to put some half decent time into him on that descent.

Biggest surprise has to be TJVG. All those kind of riders are likely to have one bad day in the mountains though in a GT, so perhaps TJVG and Bardet have got theirs out of the way today. What will be interesting now is to see if Pinot will pay the price for today in the next two days. I'm hoping not personally, because if he hangs onto podium coming out of the mountains he should have no trouble keeping it as his TT isn't too bad, unlike Bardet, and I think TJVG has just lost too much time now even though he's the best TT'er of the three.

 

[Bold Seagull]

You talk of Kiryienka.

No, I quite clearly spoke of Kiyrenka. Who is this Kiryienka you speak of?

 

[1066familyman]

Great stuff 1066.

Have any team earned less than Sky, so far this tour?


Can you all do me a favour please.

I'm liking the look of ITV's competition this week.
So if none of you can enter and leave the way clear for me to win, I'd very much appreciate it.
Ta muchly.

Thanks SB.

It's a good point re: Sky. The train hasn't ever been in motion I think to hoover up any bonifications has it. Even little Bretagne - Séché Environnement must have earnt more from their breakaway riders.

 

[1066familyman]

No, I quite clearly spoke of Kiyrenka. Who is this Kiryienka you speak of?

Spell it how you like, we both know he looks absolutely nothing like G which is who should have been there today. The wheels have seriously come off for Sky in this Tour that's for sure.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Spell it how you like, we both know he looks absolutely nothing like G which is who should have been there today. The wheels have seriously come off for Sky in this Tour that's for sure.

Given Saxo effectively lost identical riders in terms of their team set ups to Sky, they seem to have adapted to sorting themselves out a lot better than Sky.

Don't understand what they're doing G, he should be lining up for a stage challenge, instead he's being flogged for everyone else.

p.s. it was me getting hit by the mallet!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Great stuff 1066.

Have any team earned less than Sky, so far this tour?


Can you all do me a favour please.

I'm liking the look of ITV's competition this week.
So if none of you can enter and leave the way clear for me to win, I'd very much appreciate it.
Ta muchly.

Shit, sorry SB, too late.

 

[Stat Brother]

Given Saxo effectively lost identical riders in terms of their team set ups to Sky, they seem to have adapted to sorting themselves out a lot better than Sky.

Don't understand what they're doing G, he should be lining up for a stage challenge, instead he's being flogged for everyone else.

p.s. it was me getting hit by the mallet!

G's was being flogged before the wheels came off Sky.

He was very clearly the 'everyday' man.

He'd be able to put his nose into the wind now, had Peter K and/or Eddie BH been selected.
Or for that matter Stannard been fit.

Sky was well balanced but only for Froome staying in the race and Porte not being shitehouse.

The decision to take Danny Pate and/or Spanish Dave along has massively backfired.

 

[1066familyman]

Given Saxo effectively lost identical riders in terms of their team set ups to Sky, they seem to have adapted to sorting themselves out a lot better than Sky.

Don't understand what they're doing G, he should be lining up for a stage challenge, instead he's being flogged for everyone else.

p.s. it was me getting hit by the mallet!

Exactly!

Sky's last hope is to wrap G in cotton wool these next two days and hope for a miracle of preventing a bunch sprint on Friday (they may need to have a chat with OPQS about that ), but it's a massive long shot. Or else Nieve pulls something amazing out of the bag either tomorrow or Thursday, which is an even longer shot!

Saxo on the other hand have two stage wins and could have an outside chance of another as Majka tries to take the polka dots. Now that's a plan B!

 

[Motogull]

I'd have off-roading attempting that descent today.

I thought we were going to get better telemetry this event? Been a wee bit pony on that front.

 

[1066familyman]

I'd have off-roading attempting that descent today.

I thought we were going to get better telemetry this event? Been a wee bit pony on that front.

I'd love to hear you in a post race interview Moto.

I can barely make sense of half your posts, composed no doubt sitting comfortably?, so breathless and shattered on the finish line I reckon you'd be priceless

 

[Motogull]

I'd love to hear you in a post race interview Moto.

I can barely make sense of half your posts, composed no doubt sitting comfortably?, so breathless and shattered on the finish line I reckon you'd be priceless

I'll take that as a compliment. I think.

 

[1066familyman]

I'll take that as a compliment. I think.

Well it could have been worse, I could have called you Frank Spencer