The Official 99th Tour de France thread, 2012.

[Stat Brother]

Summer is here, so it can only mean one thing, starting Saturday:-

LE TOUR.

This could be the most momentous Tour in British cycling history, for no reason I can think of , come one, come all, to the thread of Le Tour.

For added spice, this year, there's even a fantasy game so you can play along. Pit your wits and humiliate the finest panel of cycling pundits ever seem on a football forum, just by picking the funniest names.

I'm sure the details will be added by [MENTION=12656]Pantani[/MENTION], when he can.

Predictions:-

Yellow-
Cadel Evans
Vincenzo Nibali
Ryder Hesjedal (NSC finest)

Green:-
Sagan

White:-
Rolland

Polka:-



Hopefully [MENTION=2878]Woodchip[/MENTION] can get in on this before he leaves these shores, and has the unfair advantage of being 12 hours ahead.

 

[parf]

Come on Brad this is the year

Not sure how sky will cope with Cav as well - will be interesting

Disappointed G not in it - he will be missed

Can't wait for Saturday

 

[greengull]

Off to Dieppe next week to see them fly past

 

[severnside gull]

Welcome back Stat Bro - been looking forward to this thread

 

[perseus]

Tour de France 2012 - The Tour 2012

 

[Titus]

...and it's 27 years since a Frenchman won it. Long may this barren streak continue.

 

[Stat Brother]

Come on Brad this is the year

Shhhh

Not sure how sky will cope with Cav as well - will be interesting

It is THE big question.
He'll have Bernie E, 1 inch in front of him for 20 days.
Peta will probably be surprised when Bernie climbs into bed with them on Sunday the 22nd.

Disappointed G not in it - he will be missed

He certainly will, but he was never going to be there, so it's nowhere near as bad as a late withdrawal.

Can't wait for Saturday

It should be a cracking race but I think it will be a lot more tactical than just 'balls out' racing.

 

[Stat Brother]

5 Live's preview show is on @ 8:30 tonight.

 

[Stat Brother]

...and it's 27 years since a Frenchman won it. Long may this barren streak continue.

98 years for a Brit.
I have no reason for pointing that out

 

[Jesus Gul]

Watched them fly by Dol de Bretagne last year. The caravan of tat that precedes the riders was good though. Kids enjoyed it.

 

[Stoichkov]

I think Wiggins will win by virtue of the 100km of TT'ing although I wouldn't put it past Sky to somehow f**k it all up.

As there was no value in backing Wiggins, I stuck £ on Froome at 25-1 and also some on him E/W

 

[Common as Mook]

I've got some money on Nibaldi. Know nothing about cycling but was given a tip by someone obsessed by it. What are his chances?

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Bradley Wiggins, could it happen. Winner of the tour de france 2012
Would be brilliant. Looking like an exciting tour.

Shame my wife is a teacher, otherwise she could have got two days holiday. We would have gone down to rouen for stages 4 and 5.

 

[Stat Brother]

I've got some money on Nibaldi. Know nothing about cycling but was given a tip by someone obsessed by it. What are his chances?

As usual Le Tour will come down to whether the mountain climbs can put enough time into the Time Triallers.
Nibali is fast going up, and one of the fastest coming down, which is more important than you might think.
But this Tour is weighed heavier in favour of the Time Triallers, which isn't Nabali's thing.

 

[Stat Brother]

If you lot are just going to go on about Wiggins winning, I'm taking my bat and ball, and going home

 

[Woodchip]

I've have a rather large and highly irrational dislike for Sagan. Something about him doesn't seem right, but I hope I'm wrong.

I think Cadel will be there or there abouts come Paris, moany Frank (if he is in it) will pull out when he starts getting lonely without his brother to slow up and Sky will feel the pressure and balls up at least one TT.

Basically my prediction is Sagan found to be doping and the top 3 will be closer than we've seen before. Oh, and AG2R won't get a win.

 

[The Hon Sec]

I'm another who cant wait for the Tour every year. And with British presence increasing every year it becomes more interesting. Pity Andy Schleck's not in it this time.

 

[Northstandite]

Look forward to another stunning 3 weeks. Will be a bonus if Cav wins stages, and if Wiggins gets on the podium.

Love the scenery, ITV team, the variety every day, and the general feel of the event & the sport.

 

[Stat Brother]

Here's last years, for those of you wanting a warm up:-

The Official 98th Tour de France, thread, 2011.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I think it will be back to back for Cadel.

His preparation has always been first class for Le Tour and this year seems no different. Having said that the time trial aspects make a Wiggins victory very much possible.