The Official 99th Tour de France thread, 2012.

[Indurain's Lungs]

I went too prologue heavy in the dauphine so i've held back here.

No danger of a repeat here! I completely buggered up that team selection.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

What a perfect start for Wiggo, best GC ride without taking the yellow and all the xtra attention that brings with it. Team looks strong so hopefully they can bring him safely through week one with a few seconds up his sleeve.

Stage 1 tomorrow looks a good un with a Cat 4 finish, one for the classics riders, I fancy Sagen or Bosen Hagen.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

What are the best podcasts around for the Tour, I always need an info fix daily whens its on.

I imagine itv one will be a good starting point.

iTunes - Podcasts - ITV Tour de France Podcast by ITV

 

[severnside gull]

Oh to be in Cap d'Agde on Bastille Day!
We had half a plan to be in the Pyrenees this year for stages 16/17 but sadly not to be - watching on the Col du Tourmalet is the best bit for me

 

[Stat Brother]

What are the best podcasts around for the Tour, I always need an info fix daily whens its on.

I imagine itv one will be a good starting point.

iTunes - Podcasts - ITV Tour de France Podcast by ITV

Team Sky have one.
It is with Richard Moore and Michael Barry, so naturally it's biased, but it's well informed bias.

Velocast.

The Bike Show - This week has an in depth with Ned.
Last week was a personal cycling tour of France.
If your of that disposition it could be a dangerous listen.

 

[Stat Brother]

The whole family is up for this one:-

 

[1066familyman]

Just watched todays action back 'as live'.

Some real surprises there for me. Didn't expect Chavanel to pull out that ride and certainly didn't expect Gilbert to do so well either. EBH also did much much better than I expected.

Disappointments have to be Dave Zabriskie and a shame Sagan showed his inexperience by over cooking one of the bends. I had high hopes for him today.

Fantasy league wise - looks like that move to NZ has given Woody a new lease of life. Congrats on what I think is his 1st stage win. Two of us team NSC'ers in the Top 50 nationally for today's stage, and that's with nearly 4,000 players posting scores.

And one last thing...what an absolute pleasure to be back in the comfort of Phil & Paul. I swear they crammed more information, both useful and completely useless, into the first 5 minutes of their broadcast than Eurosport manage in an entire stage ! Well, not quite of course, but you get the picture.

 

[Southern Toon]

Just watched todays action back 'as live'.

Some real surprises there for me. Didn't expect Chavanel to pull out that ride and certainly didn't expect Gilbert to do so well either. EBH also did much much better than I expected.

Disappointments have to be Dave Zabriskie and a shame Sagan showed his inexperience by over cooking one of the bends. I had high hopes for him today.

Fantasy league wise - looks like that move to NZ has given Woody a new lease of life. Congrats on what I think is his 1st stage win. Two of us team NSC'ers in the Top 50 nationally for today's stage, and that's with nearly 4,000 players posting scores.

And one last thing...what an absolute pleasure to be back in the comfort of Phil & Paul. I swear they crammed more information, both useful and completely useless, into the first 5 minutes of their broadcast than Eurosport manage in an entire stage ! Well, not quite of course, but you get the picture.

ITV even managed to cram in 38 minutes of adverts in a 168 minute show & managed to f*** the end up without any explanation until the highlights show. Nine near 4.40 minute breaks every 13/14 minutes makes the show disjointed, there's nothing wrong with thier presenting team its just the shower of shit they work for. ITV sport why do they bother.

 

[1066familyman]

ITV even managed to cram in 38 minutes of adverts in a 168 minute show & managed to f*** the end up without any explanation until the highlights show. Nine near 4.40 minute breaks every 13/14 minutes makes the show disjointed, there's nothing wrong with thier presenting team its just the shower of shit they work for. ITV sport why do they bother.

Eurosport is full of adverts too. ITV did manage to go with about the last hour of racing advert free. Shame about the loss of coverage just as Evans was coming in to finish, buy hey ho. As I say, I have to watch most stages 'as live' in the evening anyway, having set it up to record during the day, so I just skip the adverts anyway. Also worth remembering that ITV have now started covering the Vuelta too. In general their cycling coverage is pretty good I'd say, although Eurosport certainly cover far more.

For sport in general on ITV though, I know exactly what you're saying and I agree with you.

 

[seagull 1979]

I can’t be bothered to read the majority of this thread, not that its boring but its getting late and I’m trying to watch Murray lose.
I have no idea about the fantasy league but here is my two penny’s worth on this year’s tour. I’m going bold with 3 Brits in the top 12. Wiggo to win, Swifty & Froome to both place well. I don’t expect to see Cav finish in Paris wearing green but I would think he will pick up a couple of stage wins with the help of EBH.
A couple of outside names Chris Anker & Lars Bak to both pick up stage wins with the possibility of Anker getting the polka dot Jersey.
What ever happens its got the makings of a really close tour it will just be a shame that if it is to be our year there will always be the fact that Shleck is missing.

 

[Pantani]

Eurosport is full of adverts too. ITV did manage to go with about the last hour of racing advert free. Shame about the loss of coverage just as Evans was coming in to finish, buy hey ho. As I say, I have to watch most stages 'as live' in the evening anyway, having set it up to record during the day, so I just skip the adverts anyway. Also worth remembering that ITV have now started covering the Vuelta too. In general their cycling coverage is pretty good I'd say, although Eurosport certainly cover far more.

For sport in general on ITV though, I know exactly what you're saying and I agree with you.

The adverts thing is all from the host broadcaster I think. ITV and Eurosport both went to commercial at the same time throughout today's coverage. Eurosport did not lose the feed though. In ITVs defence their cycling coverage is probably the best of all their sporting output, their pundits are insightful and interesting, Phil and Paul are superb as we all know, and Gary Imlach is an excellent presenter.

 

[Woodchip]

I can't believe I've won a stage. I've now made the necessary subs to ensure it doesn't happen again.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

The adverts thing is all from the host broadcaster I think. ITV and Eurosport both went to commercial at the same time throughout today's coverage. Eurosport did not lose the feed though. In ITVs defence their cycling coverage is probably the best of all their sporting output, their pundits are insightful and interesting, Phil and Paul are superb as we all know, and Gary Imlach is an excellent presenter.

I found I could swap between itv4 and Eurosport for the breaks for most of it. Mind you, I had to miss the last hour.

 

[Stat Brother]

What a perfect start for Wiggo, best GC ride without taking the yellow and all the xtra attention that brings with it. Team looks strong so hopefully they can bring him safely through week one with a few seconds up his sleeve.

Stage 1 tomorrow looks a good un with a Cat 4 finish, one for the classics riders, I fancy Sagen or Bosen Hagen.

Sagan and Gilbert in today.
I thought really hard about putting Evans in instead of Gilbert.
I'm not sure if he's going to put pressure on Sky right from the off.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

roll on the 16th july samatan-pau,it passes through my town of auch,the first time in around 20 years,i'll be the geezer wearing a 1960's brighton shirt

 

[Stat Brother]

roll on the 16th july samatan-pau,it passes through my town of auch,the first time in around 20 years,i'll be the geezer wearing a 1960's brighton shirt

We'll keep an eye out.

 

[Brixtaan]

Impressive placings for the British riders, I've never seen anything like it before. Sky must be fit and up for this if their leading sprinter comes in the top 20. Brad is in safe hands.

 

[1066familyman]

Long day for me yesterday and I don't think I was thinking straight. Should have put gilbert in in for wiggins but changed 2 doms instead. Oh well, I live in hope. Spartacus may be determined to hang onto yellow.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Cav takes second in an uphill intermediate sprint, the new CAV going for points - bring it on.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

The whole family is up for this one:-

I bet tugboat was never humiliated like this (Whats his/hers TDF prediction..)