The Official 102nd Tour de France, thread.

[Stat Brother]

Dan Martin was so far back pretty much halfway up the climb.
I'd hate to think what speed he was holding up the second half. He must be kicking himself for being so far back.

 

[Pantani]

Did anyone else notice the elbow battles Froome was having going up, he took no s***.

That was good, did you see the one about 8k out where he just started shouting at some FdJ rider who slightly bumped in to him. It is a really good sign that he is taking control of the peloton in this manner.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I've just watched the highlights on ITV4 - another brilliant, exciting, breathless stage. What a Tour this promises to be.

And I avoided this thread until I'd finished watching - of course the race should be talked about as it happens! As long as no cock knocker talks about it on the Geeks thread, that's fine! Surely this is the joy of having a separate thread?

 

[1066familyman]

Only just got in from work. What is going on?

On the spoilers, I think it is reasonable for us to talk about what is happening, as it happens. If you want to watch the highlights without knowing what happened you do not come here first. Agreed?

Agreed.

I record the live stage coverage then watch it back in the evening. I know not to come on here until I've watched it all. But at weekends when I'm usually watching live then I want to discuss things as they happen, as do weekday live watchers too no doubt.

Felt horrible watching that stage at one point today. After seeing the crash and then see them actually stop the race after first neutralising it (something I've never seen before) I was worried there was going to be some really terrible news on a rider. Thank God everyone is ok, although a real shame to see the abandons and hospitalisations. I think it was possibly the right decision to stop the race due to the two crashes one after the other, but if I was being really cynical then it does make you wonder if they would have stopped it had Dennis still been in yellow rather than peloton don Cancellara.

I'm also pleased for J Rod. His confidence certainly needed a boost.

Top ride by Sky and Froome. They're not taking any chances of getting gapped in this first week, so we'll see how they do tomorrow. Froome has good protection around him in Stannard, Rowe and G, so should be fine you'd think.

Even though it wasn't really a Sagan stage today as such, I must admit I really thought he'd be right up there as I've never seen him so strong, hence building my fantasy team around him. Didn't seem to be working overly hard for Bert today.

Wonder if Rui Costa went down in that second crash, because he was another one who surprised me today, although he was poor yesterday too unfortunately.

I think Tyrone's shout for GVA in yellow tomorrow is a good one. Failing that Martin or Stybar I suppose.

Numerous contenders for the stage, but my first Tour bet this year will be 50 p e/w on Damien Gaudin @200/1 That rules that poor bugger out as every bet I've had this season, bar one, has gone tits up

BTW, great to see Gallopin put in another great ride again today.

I don't think I've been this excited by a TdF for a good many years. Brilliant so far!, and no reason to believe it won't continue to be so for the entire three weeks.

 

[pb21]

Ouch that was a nasty crash.

Good ride from Froome and surprising to see Contador 'crack' like that.

 

[pb21]

Cancellara out with a broken vertebrae

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Cancellara out with a broken vertebrae

TWO fractured vertebrae

Impressive that he even carried on with the race. Must have been bloody painful.

 

[Pantani]

Wonder if Rui Costa went down in that second crash, because he was another one who surprised me today, although he was poor yesterday too unfortunately.

Came down on his left hip apparently. Though as you say he has not really looked on it so far this Tour.

 

[1066familyman]

Cancellara out with a broken vertebrae

That's triple gutting for him

1) He missed most of the Spring classics season already because of the exact same injury.

2) Tomorrow was his best chance of a stage win in this Tour.

3) He was in yellow before the crash and may have won it back tomorrow with a stage win after probably losing it today.

Big loss to the race and I feel for him.

 

[Stat Brother]

TWO fractured vertebrae

Impressive that he even carried on with the race. Must have been bloody painful.

At least he could still ride a bike, can you imagine the pain suffered to induce this reaction:-

 

[1066familyman]

Came down on his left hip apparently. Though as you say he has not really looked on it so far this Tour.

That's a real shame. After his showing this season now that he has the monkey of the WC jersey off his back, and particularly his Dauphine showing, I really fancied him for a possible couple of stage wins here, a good few top ten stage results and a top ten GC spot too.

Oh well, I also fancied team mate Rafael Valls as a rank outsider for a GC Top Ten. Shows just how wrong I'm getting everything so far this season

 

[pb21]

Well the GC of the 'big four' looks very one sided tonight, only Contador within 90 seconds and he doesn't look in great shape so far...

1st: Chris Froome (Sky) 7hrs 11mins 37secs
8th: Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) +36secs
13th: Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) +1min 38secs
17th: Nairo Quintana (Movistar) +1min 56secs

 

[Stat Brother]

Well the GC of the 'big four' looks very one sided tonight, only Contador within 90 seconds and he doesn't look in great shape so far...

1st: Chris Froome (Sky) 7hrs 11mins 37secs
8th: Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) +36secs
13th: Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) +1min 38secs
17th: Nairo Quintana (Movistar) +1min 56secs

Nibs will be looking to make some time tomorrow.
Quintana won't be all that surprised he's 'bottom' and will be looking to pick up some seconds in the TTT.

A la Richie Porte in the Giro, a couple of minutes in week 1 doesn't really amount to much in the whole scheme of things.

 

[Stat Brother]

Stage 3 result:-

1 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 3:26:54
2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
3 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:04
4 Daniel Martin (Irl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:00:05
5 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:08
6 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:11
7 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
8 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdge
9 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
10 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
11 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
12 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:18

General classification after stage 3

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 7:11:37
2 Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:01
3 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:13
4 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:26
5 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:28
6 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:31
7 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:34
8 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:36
9 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:01:03
10 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:01:04

 

[1066familyman]

Nibs will be looking to make some time tomorrow.
Quintana won't be all that surprised he's 'bottom' and will be looking to pick up some seconds in the TTT.

A la Richie Porte in the Giro, a couple of minutes in week 1 doesn't really amount to much in the whole scheme of things.

For the benefit of the race I hope Nibs can do a repeat of last year, bar the crash and abandon of Froome of course. Only an outside chance of some thunderstorms though apparently.

I have a soft spot for Nibs since his victory last year. I'm not at all convinced he just won it by default, choosing instead to believe he won it with some superb attacking racing that would have delivered him victory regardless.

 

[Stat Brother]

For the benefit of the race I hope Nibs can do a repeat of last year, bar the crash and abandon of Froome of course. Only an outside chance of some thunderstorms though apparently.

I have a soft spot for Nibs since his victory last year. I'm not at all convinced he just won it by default, choosing instead to believe he won it with some superb attacking racing that would have delivered him victory regardless.

I'd love Contador to be down enough on time he needs to do 'something' and not just wait to claw back seconds here and there.

 

[pb21]

For the benefit of the race I hope Nibs can do a repeat of last year, bar the crash and abandon of Froome of course. Only an outside chance of some thunderstorms though apparently.

I have a soft spot for Nibs since his victory last year. I'm not at all convinced he just won it by default, choosing instead to believe he won it with some superb attacking racing that would have delivered him victory regardless.

I would be surprised if Nibali takes anything significant tomorrow out of Froome, barring any non racing incidents, especially as it's looking dry and after today's spills...

 

[Bold Seagull]

I have a soft spot for Nibs since his victory last year. I'm not at all convinced he just won it by default, choosing instead to believe he won it with some superb attacking racing that would have delivered him victory regardless.

Difficult to have a soft spot for any rider from Astana to be honest. You don't join a voluntary elite group of rule setters only to back out when those rules don't suit you for the first time. They've well and truly put the D for dodgy back into cycling.

 

[1066familyman]

Difficult to have a soft spot for any rider from Astana to be honest. You don't join a voluntary elite group of rule setters only to back out when those rules don't suit you for the first time. They've well and truly put the D for dodgy back into cycling.

What, and they hadn't already put the D for dodgy back into cycling with Vino as DS

And let's not even go there with Riis and Saxo Tinkoff.

Where do you stop with it all?

I'm just really talking about racing styles from certain riders and particular race memories and scenarios.

 

[Bold Seagull]

What, and they hadn't already put the D for dodgy back into cycling with Vino as DS

And let's not even go there with Riis and Saxo Tinkoff.

Where do you stop with it all?

I'm just really talking about racing styles from certain riders and particular race memories and scenarios.

Well exactly, I wasn't just referring to the most recent incident. Not sure you can stop with it all can you? Especially with such a history behind them. Nibali is great to watch, but no soft spot for him from me, that's all I'm saying really.