# Tour of California *SPOILERS*



## Flying_Monkey (12 May 2014)

ToC just kicked off with quite a strong field this year. The first stage was fast and Cav took it by inches from John Degenkolb. It was great to see Bradley Wiggins splitting the peloton in the latter stages with clever use of the strong winds - it looks like he is great shape and intends to win this one. Also fantastic to see for British fans was a guy who at just 19, is almost young enough to be Wiggo's son, Tao Geoghegan Hart, riding for Bissel Development Squad, not only in the early break but then recover his energies to finish 4th and get the young rider jersey. Britain seems to be full of prospects right now...


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## raindog (12 May 2014)

yep - that was about as close as it gets


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC_X6NTIzi0


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## User169 (12 May 2014)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Tao Geoghegan Hart, riding for Bissel Development Squad, not only in the early break but then recover his energies to finish 4th and get the young rider jersey. Britain seems to be full of prospects right now...



Sagan was 4th. Geoghegan was 51. Strong riding nevertheless: the Belgian commentators were impressed.


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## Flying_Monkey (12 May 2014)

Delftse Post said:


> Sagan was 4th. Geoghegan was 51. Strong riding nevertheless: the Belgian commentators were impressed.



Sorry, I was looking at the wrong list - he's 4th in the GC after Stage 1 (picked up some bonus seconds along the way).


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## Flick of the Elbow (12 May 2014)

Good stuff, looks like being an interesting race. Its a shame though that its always spoilt by the idiots in fancy dress running alongside.


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## User169 (12 May 2014)

Bradders going well. Caught his one minute man and flew past him.


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## thom (12 May 2014)

Delftse Post said:


> Bradders going well. Caught his one minute man and flew past him.


he's caught his one minute man's one minute man now


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## User169 (12 May 2014)

Now he's done the two minute man!


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## Pro Tour Punditry (12 May 2014)

Ten Dam on his arse after the finish line, looks like someone may have walked into him: was it @montage getting all fanboy on him?


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## User169 (12 May 2014)

ten dam's crashed - having finished!


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## Crackle (12 May 2014)

No one left who can beat Wiggins now.


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## StuAff (12 May 2014)

...and he won!


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## screenman (13 May 2014)

32mph average, that was awesome and kept me up way beyond my bed time.


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## jifdave (13 May 2014)

Bloody annoying commentary constantly repeating how amazing phinney is and how he'd beat wiggo.
Then the whole watts over and over again, wiggos 550 at Olympics and phinneys 480 this year... 
Soon as the time check came in they jumped ship like it was on fire


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## Crackle (13 May 2014)

I couldn't get on the Amgen website so ended up watching it in French. Given it was Sherwen and Liggett, pandering to an American audience on Amgen; no loss really.


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## Slaav (13 May 2014)

Has anyone else noticed Wiggo's TT bike? Finished with gold 

Or does he always ride that one since the Olympics?


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## 400bhp (13 May 2014)

Wiggo was on fire.

Just a thought-is he relatively stronger over shorter courses? He mullered this and the ToB last year.


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## jifdave (13 May 2014)

400bhp said:


> Wiggo was on fire.
> 
> Just a thought-is he relatively stronger over shorter courses? He mullered this and the ToB last year.


I think he's just good at getting the power out on a straight forward course. If it's technical I'm not sure he suits, long straight consistent roads seem to be his forte.


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## Roscoe (13 May 2014)

I wonder if he's going to be happy being a super domestique to Froome at the TdF?


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## tug benson (13 May 2014)

Roscoe said:


> I wonder if he's going to be happy being a super domestique to Froome at the TdF?


Hasn't he already stated he's happy to ride for froome?


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## beastie (13 May 2014)

tug benson said:


> Hasn't he already stated he's happy to ride for froome?


Stating he is happy being a domestiqué, and actually being happy to carry water are two different things.


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## Roscoe (13 May 2014)

He's looking in great shape, possibly his last year riding on the road with 2016 in mind. He might just fancy his chances of yellow again.


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## The Couch (13 May 2014)

Roscoe said:


> He's looking in great shape, possibly his last year riding on the road with 2016 in mind. He might just fancy his chances of yellow again.


Yeah... if only he wouldn't get tons of minutes put into him (in the TdF) once they'll hit the high and steep mountains

EDIT: I mean, this ain't the Wiggo of 2012 anylonger and the competition is perhaps better as well


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## gaz (13 May 2014)

The UCI have allowed shimano to attach a few of their new action cameras onto the bikes of some of the riders. This shows some great footage from stage one with on board cameras on the lead out train and on the sprinter Job Degenkolb.

These cameras only record around an hour of footage and they are trying to prove it as a proof of concept, with it eventually being on many of the bikes, longer life and with a radio transmitted signal. At present Shimano edits all of the footage in under an hour after the race in order to get it out to the tv stations.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7aH1bn6yUI


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## Flying_Monkey (13 May 2014)

That's great - especially being able to see the way the train works and see the massive effort each rider is putting in. On the TV it often looks effortless and here you can really feel how much power these guys are laying down.


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## The Couch (13 May 2014)

gaz said:


> The UCI have allowed shimano to attach a few of their new action cameras onto the bikes of some of the riders. This shows some great footage from stage one with on board cameras on the lead out train and on the sprinter Job Degenkolb.
> 
> These cameras only record around an hour of footage and they are trying to prove it as a proof of concept, with it eventually being on many of the bikes, longer life and with a radio transmitted signal. At present Shimano edits all of the footage in under an hour after the race in order to get it out to the tv stations.
> 
> ...



Tom Boonen saw the camera and jumped in for a quick cameo


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## Spinney (13 May 2014)

I think I'd get sea-sick watching too much of that! A bit of image stabilisation would be nice for some of the footage (sure they could do something post race?). But some of the wobbliness does give a sense of the power and effort.


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## Louch (13 May 2014)

Wiggins looking like 2012 wiggins again. If he, froome and Porte can pull together at tdf that's a very strong looking line up.


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## Smokin Joe (13 May 2014)

Flying_Monkey said:


> That's great - especially being able to see the way the train works and see the massive effort each rider is putting in. On the TV it often looks effortless and here you can really feel how much power these guys are laying down.


It certainly makes riveting viewing.

I've always been surprised they haven't done it before, ultra lightweight cameras have been round for a good few years now and F1 cars are festooned with the things with images from all angles.


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## themosquitoking (13 May 2014)

Smokin Joe said:


> It certainly makes riveting viewing.
> 
> I've always been surprised they haven't done it before, ultra lightweight cameras have been round for a good few years now and F1 cars are festooned with the things with images from all angles.


Plenty of electricity in an F1 car.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (13 May 2014)

Wiggins looking good on the climb


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## thom (13 May 2014)

pfwoar!

Wiggins looks like he could be a one man mountain lead out train


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## jifdave (13 May 2014)

lost about 20 seconds when all those buggers he dragged up the hill attacked him


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## Crackle (14 May 2014)

20 seconds in less than 500m, oof! Rohan Dennis looks dangerous. Don't know what the profile is on stage 6 but if it finishes like that it'll be close. Yates wasn't too far away either and is now in fifth.


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## jifdave (14 May 2014)




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## Slaav (14 May 2014)

I have no issue with Wiggo's time loss on that last 500m if I understand the post above correctly. If I were to genuinely burn myself out until the last 500m of a long climb (I have no idea what that may feel like ) then I know I will be stronger next time.

I would be stronger than the chap that beats me in the sprint. Next time, let the bu66er try and stay with me ..... 

I think he wants to win and still shows an element of naivety at times but in a perverse way, I'm sort of glad he didn't simply blow everyone away.....

I think more is to be learned by that loss!


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## montage (14 May 2014)

That wasn't about winning, that was about making a statement. Very impressive


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## Slaav (14 May 2014)

montage said:


> That wasn't about winning, that was about making a statement. Very impressive


 
I have watched the highlights including the climb in full this morning. It will all depend what Brad was actually trying to do/show.

Can you imagine having Brad, Porte and a couple of the younger chaps hammering up climbs protecting Froome? Let someone then try and attack Froome over the top without Froome blasting them into oblivion 

Bradley certainly made a statement! That is for sure...


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## Slaav (14 May 2014)

User3094 said:


> Thinking about it, staying out front was the only thing he could do.. If he had slowed down there would have been endless leaps off the front, which he wouldnt have been able to counter....
> 
> Damned if he did and damned if he didn't.



Agreed but it does show that sky's usual tempo ride hammering up climbs needs more than just Brad... Although if he could be 'last man standing' with less than 1km when Froome is released, it will be some spectacle and I wonder if Bertie will have enough left in the tank to seriously challenge Froome?

Personally I really can't wait!!!


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## Crackle (14 May 2014)

montage said:


> That wasn't about winning, that was about making a statement. Very impressive


True. I'd like to see him win it as well but it'll be hard to leave him out of the Tdf on this form. In fact, mad too.


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## Beebo (14 May 2014)

User3094 said:


> Thinking about it, staying out front was the only thing he could do.. If he had slowed down there would have been endless leaps off the front, which he wouldnt have been able to counter....
> 
> Damned if he did and damned if he didn't.


 I agree, he doesnt have the explosive climbing ability of others, so his best option to limit losses was to keep the temp as high as possible for as long as possible. He knew he was going to drag others up with him, but if he hadnt they would have blown him away far earlier in the climb with relentless attacks.


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## montage (14 May 2014)

Looking at Ten Dam's strava for the final climb - 16mph avg, and Ten Dam averaged 380w - about 5.7 w/kg.


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## Rob3rt (14 May 2014)

400bhp said:


> Wiggo was on fire.
> 
> Just a thought-is he relatively stronger over shorter courses? He mullered this and the ToB last year.



The TT was basically a British style TT somewhere sunny. Also, it would come as no surprise if he were better over shorter courses as he is/has been a pursuit rider and previous 10 mile TT competition record holder (17:58 on Levens).


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## beastie (14 May 2014)

Wiggins needed another 2 kms worth of a domestique and it would have been a bloodbath behind him. Either way you would think that he is a dead cert for the tour now. However he could take time out of the GC guys on stage 5 and get a little ambitious, and there is no way Froomedog wants that.


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## Louch (14 May 2014)

I wonder if Froomes autobiography coming out in June may upset the applecart in terms of Froome & wiggins riding together.


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## Crackle (14 May 2014)

Contador has put the frighteners on Sky, which is one of the reasons Porte has skipped the Giro. With Wiggins going so well and Froome isolated last year on a few stages, I can't see how they can leave him out. Anyway let's see what happens over the next few weeks.


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## 400bhp (14 May 2014)

beastie said:


> Wiggins needed another 2 kms worth of a domestique and it would have been a bloodbath behind him. Either way you would think that he is a dead cert for the tour now. However he could take time out of the GC guys on stage 5 and get a little ambitious, and there is no way Froomedog wants that.



I don't know. It was difficult to tell how many were really struggling and how much of it [sitting behind him] was due to the respect given to Wiggins.


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## Flying_Monkey (15 May 2014)

Well, you don't see that too often these days. The peloton either completely miscalculated or no-one wanted to help Cav and co. reel in the break...


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## Andrew Br (15 May 2014)

Miscalculation I think; OPQS, Cannondale and Giant put riders on the front (albeit OPQS seemed to be the most committed) while Garmin didn't really get involved.
It was tricky to follow since the time gap info seemed was a bit erratic but I thought the breakaway was done for when they started to attack each other.
An exciting stage IMO and good for Wiggins.
I'm surprised that Sky didn't hand responsibility for the chase over to the sprinter's teams a little earlier although I can't imagine that today took too much out of them (Sky).

.


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## Crackle (15 May 2014)

Reading the interviews after the Diablo stage and it strikes me that there was a little bit of arrogance in Sky's planning for the stage, or at the least a grave miscalculation. Wiggins sprinting for yesterdays finish and an extra 4 seconds on Dennis was either a clever move or a sign they fear the last 2k of Friday's stage.


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## The Couch (15 May 2014)

Haven't seen the stage, but it's nice to see one of the Novo riders getting a podium (although a win would have been even better)

I can't express enough how much respect I have for these guys... doing those long cycling efforts (at pro level) when having diabetes


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## Hont (15 May 2014)

Flying_Monkey said:


> The peloton either completely miscalculated or no-one wanted to help Cav and co. reel in the break.


The tailwind at the finish apparently put a spanner in the works, but you'd think these days that information would get fed back, so it has to be chalked up as a miscalculation.


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## thom (15 May 2014)

Hont said:


> The tailwind at the finish apparently put a spanner in the works, but you'd think these days that information would get fed back, so it has to be chalked up as a miscalculation.


Something of a miscalculation, something of skill - Tom Boonen has a comment : http://bcove.me/l1hanwnq
Sounds like you have to credit the 6 breakaway for canniness and experience - they were all seasoned performers who knew the peloton would keep the gap at a couple of mins even if they went slow for a good amount, so they did to conserve their efforts, then managed to ramp it up and take advantage of the tail wind. 

It's nice to see the big peloton riders outwitted once in a while - it would be a shame if it never ever happened.


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## Flick of the Elbow (15 May 2014)

Nice weather, and nice to see the break survive for a change, but dear me what a dull dull stage.


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## thom (15 May 2014)




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## Pro Tour Punditry (15 May 2014)

Huge effort by Phinney!


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## Strathlubnaig (15 May 2014)

Fantastic solo effort from Phinney, and nice wee bow at the end, good lad.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (15 May 2014)

Superb effort.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (15 May 2014)

Santabarbraharbra


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## jifdave (16 May 2014)

getting nearly to that point, can wiggles match dennis up the climb? gonna be exciting


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## Pro Tour Punditry (16 May 2014)

Tom Danielson; I remember when he was the next great American rider...


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## Pro Tour Punditry (16 May 2014)

C'mon Bobridge, dig in!!


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## jifdave (16 May 2014)

gonna be fireworks soon. dig in wiggo


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## Pro Tour Punditry (16 May 2014)

Great ride by Dombrowski


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## jifdave (16 May 2014)

beautiful from wiggo! perfect


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## Pro Tour Punditry (16 May 2014)

Well done to Chavez, a good stage win.
And Wiggins gets a few seconds thanks to getting onto Yates' wheel. Another great ride by Yates.


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## Crackle (17 May 2014)

When I saw Wiggo grimacing I thought he might just fade but that was gritty clever riding. Yates and Dombrowski rode well, poor old Bobridge, poisitively cruel watching him trying to get back but Chavez looked classy. Nice ride from Fanny Craddock too to get up to 3rd.


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## Pedrosanchezo (17 May 2014)

Enjoyed that stage. I too felt for Bobridge, who hasn't been in that situation - where a small increase in effort would bridge the gap but you are already riding at your limit. 

This is an interesting and humorous read describing this exact moment.


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## jifdave (17 May 2014)

Great ride from the little Colombian. Must have been a hard one for danielsen at the bottom of the hill he nearly blew everyone away, he seemed stuck between his job riding for Dennis and riding for the stage. He clearly did too much work and left chaves to ride smart.


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## philk56 (17 May 2014)

Cav had a crash at the back of the peloton and it was caught by a spectator: http://tinyurl.com/lpx2r3k . Crazy driving by the support cars and great comments at the end by the guy doing the filming!


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## thom (17 May 2014)

Garmin the clear aggressors but Rohan Denis ultimately suffering more than Wiggo in the last kms. BMC assisting on the final climb, effectively helping SKY out. Did they feel it necessary to show themselves for something given Garmin's presence in this US race ? SKY being canny - marshalling their resources well, getting a couple of fantastic supporting rides from the team, in particular Dombrowski. Wiggins also claimed he faked tiredness at one point, which drew out an attack from Stetina and brought Rohan Denis out of his wheel.

Yates is something else though - how often will he have ridden at such altitude and heat ?


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## jifdave (17 May 2014)

thom said:


> Wiggins also claimed he faked tiredness at one point, which drew out an attack from Stetina and brought Rohan Denis out of his wheel.



I did notice when stetina went wiggo didn't respond an the commentators said something about him struggling wiggo dropped in behind Dennis and soon as Dennis upped his rate and got 2-3m wiggo instantly accelerated onto his wheel. 

The scary thing with Yates, isn't his brother supposed to be better?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (17 May 2014)

jifdave said:


> The scary thing with Yates, isn't his brother supposed to be better?



Ain't that the case with everyone's brother?


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## jifdave (17 May 2014)

oh how embarrassing a rider just celebrated over the line with a lap to go..... oopsy


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## beastie (17 May 2014)

This coverage is near unwatchable. Not a good advert for US engineering


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## Scoosh (17 May 2014)

No problems with my interwebnet - are you watching this link ?


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## Andrew Br (17 May 2014)

Scoosh said:


> No problems with my interwebnet - are you watching this link ?


I was watching that link and it wasn't great.
The picture kept freezing or greying out but I could see it being refreshed so I assume that the problem wasn't the feed once the signal hit the interwebs.

.


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## jifdave (18 May 2014)

was crappy on eurosport too


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## tug benson (18 May 2014)

Aye live pictures are shocking...Had a wee giggle at the rider who thought he had won when really he still had a lap to go


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## Crackle (18 May 2014)

I didn' t watch it last night but I've used the Amgen android app a few times and thought it was really good apart from freezing occasionally. I did notice the commentators noting the same freezes, so they obviously had a few problems.


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## fimm (18 May 2014)

Yes, the commentators were apologizing for the pictures freezing & blaming the trees.


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## Kies (18 May 2014)

Where did that guy finish after his premature climax?


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## deptfordmarmoset (18 May 2014)

Kies said:


> Where did that guy finish after his premature climax?


That's just been answered on another thread: 56th.


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## RussellZero (18 May 2014)

Anyone else watching the TdC live coverage at the moment? 18km to go...


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## jifdave (18 May 2014)

RussellZero said:


> Anyone else watching the TdC live coverage at the moment? 18km to go...


Aye nearly caught me out today has been on from 10pm most nights


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## RussellZero (18 May 2014)

Good finish


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## Dogtrousers (18 May 2014)

Priceless expression on Cav's face noticing Degenkolb zooming up on his right. "Yeaaaaa ... oh crap"


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## raindog (19 May 2014)

yeah, you can see a look of doubt flash across his face while he's still got his arms in the air 
another good performance from young Adam Yates to finish 5th on GC


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhT_f9XIuqY


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