The Official 99th Tour de France thread, 2012.

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Peter Sagan's over exuberance at the finish line.

I don't mind it. I just hope he's clean...

Ah. Ta.

 

[Pantani]

Today's predictions:

Chavanel for the stage. Evans to have another dig to gain some seconds back on Wiggins, and to succeed. My tip for the rider in the breakaway and polka dots at the end of the stage is Giovanni Bernaudeau of Europcar. I did not have enough transfers to put him in my team though, so kind of hope this prediction does not come off.

So close yet so far. Predicted a rider in the breakaway, had another in my team that was in the breakaway. Predicted Chavanel would have a go and came close.
End result, hardly any points as Grivko kept failing to win climbs and Chavanel couldn't hold on. A bit gutted after that, 1066 seems to be running away with this, I need some big points and soon.

 

[Stat Brother]

Looks like a stage built for the sprinters tomorrow, any tips for a winner apart from Cavendish?

Heard Tyler Farrar and Oscar Freire mentioned both at 40-1, worth a quid or two each way for a place?

I would keep hold of your money, you could get some value in the top 10 but top 3, it seems unlikely so far.
Grippel, Goss & Cav, seem to be carrying much more speed than the rest of the peloton.
The first 2 seem to be working a train, too.
Kittel, well I wouldn't want to be the one washing his, formally white, bib shorts.

 

[Stat Brother]

All in a days work for big Jens:-

Some stats from todays stage.Max speed 82,3km/h, average 41km/h, max Watts 1230 average 275Watts.and 5250calories burned. A lot of cookies!!

 

[1066familyman]

1066 is the King of the 3 week stage race!

I wish!...next you'll be saying Sagan is The Cannibal. We've only done one fantasy grand tour on here so far and I nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in that one.

SB has it right - it's a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[Stat Brother]

Result Stage 3:-

1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 4:42:58
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:01
3 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
4 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan
5 Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
6 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
7 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
8 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
9 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

GC, unchanged:-

1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan 14:45:30
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:07
3 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
4 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:10
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:11
6 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:00:13
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:17
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:18
9 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Sharp
10 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:19

 

[1066familyman]

Really bad news not just for his season but for Team Sky's assault on the Tour. Big spanner in works, hands one over to BMC.

Certainly not ideal. Good job there's no TTT, that's some saving grace.

 

[1066familyman]

Not if the peanut is going to take the Yellow Jersey out, he's not.

I did the maths and had Gilbert been where pretty much everyone expected him to be I'd have been laughing. Did feel weird taking Spartacus out with Yellow on his back, but it still felt like a master stroke late last night. I knew he could potentially repeat stage one's efforts but seemed common sense to back Gilbert over him for the stage win - you did after all Oh well, you win some lose some.

 

[Stat Brother]

I did the maths and had Gilbert been where pretty much everyone expected him to be I'd have been laughing. Did feel weird taking Spartacus out with Yellow on his back, but it still felt like a master stroke late last night. I knew he could potentially repeat stage one's efforts but seemed common sense to back Gilbert over him for the stage win - you did after all Oh well, you win some lose some.

Ah but I kept Cancellara in, along with Sagan and mountains bloke.

Which reminds me, I'm loving his jersey celebration.
There's someone enjoying the top step of the podium.

 

[1066familyman]

Ah but I kept Cancellara in, along with Sagan and mountains bloke.

Which reminds me, I'm loving his jersey celebration.
There's someone enjoying the top step of the podium.

I also had Sagan and Mr. Polka Dot, along with EBH and Grivko. Now remind me again....Maxim who?

 

[Stat Brother]

I also had Sagan and Mr. Polka Dot, along with EBH and Grivko. Now remind me again....Maxim who?

I guess I should make the most of these discussions about the top of the table.
I'm really struggling to work out how I'm going to change my team without putting in 20 & 8 scores a la the Giro.

 

[Stat Brother]

The 4th stage:-

 

[Stat Brother]

Peter Sagan's over exuberance at the finsih line.

I don't mind it. I just hope he's clean...

Sagan's been well know as 'the next big thing' for quite a while now.
I'm not too surprised he's hit the ground running.

I am a little surprised he's only 22, it feels like he's been around a lot longer.

 

[Stat Brother]

Yesterday I forgot to mention the ride by NSC's finest.
Crash, slung out the back as the peloton were flying, and still finished 11th.

Take heed Brad.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I wish!...next you'll be saying Sagan is The Cannibal. We've only done one fantasy grand tour on here so far and I nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in that one.

SB has it right - it's a marathon, not a sprint.

True. I'm starting to feel a bit like Raymond Poulidor though!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18701660

Predictably, Millar in the olympic team. Wonder where Brad's head will be by then though, especially with the time trial a few days later.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

True. I'm starting to feel a bit like Raymond Poulidor though!

What a true tour legend and what a beaming smile he gave CAV after his stage win.

 

[Stoichkov]

Sagan's been well know as 'the next big thing' for quite a while now.
I'm not too surprised he's hit the ground running.

I am a little surprised he's only 22, it feels like he's been around a lot longer.

the numbers arent crazy, although finishing stage 1 off with 1200W is rather special. If he is still putting out the same numbers in week three then you / we can get suspicious.

Here's his SRM data from the stage 1 sprint

 

[Marxo]

What a rotten thing to happen, Cav and Brad both on the ground, don't know if Brad has anything bad. Philippe Gilbert on Flemish TV "it's always the same riders who crash, they never change". Reporter: Cavendish went down too - P.G. "of course", with a smile. I don't like him anymore! Eisel says he (himself) fell first and 20 riders went over him. Still don't know if Brad is ok, fingers crossed.

 

[Stat Brother]

I thought I saw Brad crossing the line, after the sprint, but before the fallers.

It looks like my descent into high teen fantasy points scoring has begun earlier than I thought.