# Tour De France 2021 with spoilers



## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

And they're off.........wahey....


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## bitsandbobs (26 Jun 2021)

Demi Vollering takes La Course getting past Vos in a sprint finish.


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## fossyant (26 Jun 2021)

I'll try and watch some in a bit. Getting ready for daughter's 18th BBQ. Currently dry and light winds and some sun. Family in the garden.


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## Eziemnaik (26 Jun 2021)

Vaaaaaamos!!!!
I hope Carapaz can challenge Rog and Pog


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## Cathryn (26 Jun 2021)

bitsandbobs said:


> Demi Vollering takes La Course getting past Vos in a sprint finish.


Cracking final stretch!! So tense!


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## Eziemnaik (26 Jun 2021)

Why these behemoth 200km+ stages where flick all happens for the first 4h?


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## bitsandbobs (26 Jun 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Cracking final stretch!! So tense!



Some good aggressive racing all round! And great work by Vd Breggen in support of Vollering.


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

Thats some fecking crash , roglic down among many others caused with a fan with a card board plackard


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

what a fekin prick


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## fossyant (26 Jun 2021)

Oof. Idiot fan


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

absolute chaos caused by a fekin nob ed


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## Dayvo (26 Jun 2021)

Why the fackin’ fack are these fackin’ idiots not charged for this kind of reckless behaviour? 😡😡
Their own ego and 15 seconds of fame seems to be of more importance than the most famous and prestigous cycling race in the world. And on day one with so much excitement and anticipation for all riders - experienced and debutants alike.

FFS! 😡🤬


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

The nob ed should be charged with actual bodily harm on each and every rider that went down


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## Dogtrousers (26 Jun 2021)

Ah, here you all are. I was wondering why there was no activity in the other unspoilered thread.


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## hoopdriver (26 Jun 2021)

Surely the moron could be charged with reckless endangerment at the very least, and/or sued for damages to the riders and write-off of the dozens of wrecked bicycles


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## bitsandbobs (26 Jun 2021)

FFS. Another big crash.


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

feck another big crash


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## bitsandbobs (26 Jun 2021)

Froome in trouble by the looks of it.


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

looks like day 1 will bill have a massive outcome on deciding the race winner


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

froome does not look good at all


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

stage 1 and yellow jersey goes to alaphilipe


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## fossyant (26 Jun 2021)

What a finish.


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## Eziemnaik (26 Jun 2021)

Great attack by Frenchie


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

anyone not in that front group due to that crash must be absolutely gutted


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## roadrash (26 Jun 2021)

froome has finished the stage


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## Dayvo (26 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> froome has finished the stage


Tony Martin, too! 👏


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## Milzy (26 Jun 2021)

The little twerp with the cardboard should spend a night in the cells. The French crowd should have pulled him away. If you did that around here someone would shout oi nobhead move back. 
2021 TDF practically ruined now. Can see a few non starters tomorrow.


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## Dogtrousers (26 Jun 2021)

S/he wasn't standing a great deal nearer the race than many other spectators. I don't think anyone had any reason to pull him/back. Problem was they turned round and swung an effing big placard into the way. I don't think anyone could foresee that, especially not Tony Martin. 

I can feel a bit of sympathy for him/her because this was a case of thoughtlessness, unlike those who run alongside the riders where it is nobeddery aforethought.

If people want to follow one rule then "never turn your back on the riders" would be a good one to start with. Followed by "keep your dog under control" and "don't be an utter nob". And maybe "if 8 year olds want trinkets from the caravan they had better be prepared to fight for them".

The message was "Allez Opi Omi" Twitter tells me that this means "Allez Granny and Gradad" in German. Kind of ironic that it was two German riders who came off the worst.


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## ozboz (26 Jun 2021)

Milzy said:


> The little twerp with the cardboard should spend a night in the cells. The French crowd should have pulled him away. If you did that around here someone would shout oi nobhead move back.
> 2021 TDF practically ruined now. Can see a few non starters tomorrow.


It was a woman


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## homebuilds (26 Jun 2021)

ozboz said:


> It was a woman


And she only wanted to be on the telly!
Not only is she on the telly, she'll be hounded on social media when her identity is known. I wouldn't like to be her just now


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## cyberknight (26 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> stage 1 and yellow jersey goes to alaphilipe


good on him i like Julian as he races with panache


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## cyberknight (26 Jun 2021)

The placard waver needs to be charged with something , as im not up on french law i cant say what but definitely needs a good slap with a wet kipper


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## nickyboy (26 Jun 2021)

cyberknight said:


> good on him i like Julian as he races with panache


Good on you to use a French word to describe Ala.
Also...Joie de vivre?


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## cyberknight (26 Jun 2021)

nickyboy said:


> Good on you to use a French word to describe Ala.
> Also...Joie de vivre?


I would order that but i dont know if it comes with gravy ?


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## Sunny Portrush (26 Jun 2021)

I think one of the best bits of the coverage today was when Gary Imlach was anchoring and just as the roll out started, he said, "And now it`s time to hand over to our commentators Navid and Ded lol


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## Dogtrousers (26 Jun 2021)

homebuilds said:


> And she only wanted to be on the telly!
> Not only is she on the telly, she'll be hounded on social media when her identity is known. I wouldn't like to be her just now


Speaking as someone who has in the past done stupid clumsy things that I later regretted, I feel some sympathy, especially after reading some of the pant-wetting overreaction on Twitter.

It's a sad but almost inevitable consequence of crowds at the roadside. Expecting everyone to be completely sensible all the time is a bit optimistic


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## deptfordmarmoset (26 Jun 2021)

nickyboy said:


> Good on you to use a French word to describe Ala.
> Also...Joie de vivre?


He certainly has élan.


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## Beebo (26 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Speaking as someone who has in the past done stupid clumsy things that I later regretted, I feel some sympathy, especially after reading some of the pant-wetting overreaction on Twitter.
> 
> It's a sad but almost inevitable consequence of crowds at the roadside. Expecting everyone to be completely sensible all the time is a bit optimistic


Just watched the highlights. I think you’re being overly kind. It was a stupid thing to do and could have been easily avoided. 
But I’m not calling for a lynching, just some accountability for their actions.


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## homebuilds (26 Jun 2021)

Beebo said:


> Just watched the highlights. I think you’re being overly kind. It was a stupid thing to do and could have been easily avoided.
> But I’m not calling for a lynching, just some accountability for their actions.


Unfortunately for her, the accountability will not come from the law, but the lawless, namely the keyboard warriors that is Twitter


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## Buck (27 Jun 2021)

Reports that the placard fan is going to be sued by the ASO. Hopefully a deterrent to others rather than a David vs Goliath for a thoughtless and stupid attempt at a moment of fame.

For sure both crashes will shape the rest of the Tour both with rider injuries but also strategy/tactics.


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## hoopdriver (27 Jun 2021)

She ought to be sued. Theres no excuse for that kind of stupidity.


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## Tom B (27 Jun 2021)

cyberknight said:


> good on him i like Julian as he races with panache



We call it Lobbies in Wigan



Buck said:


> Reports that the placard fan is going to be sued by the ASO. Hopefully a deterrent to others rather than a David vs Goliath for a thoughtless and stupid attempt at a moment of fame.
> 
> For sure both crashes will shape the rest of the Tour both with rider injuries but also strategy/tactics.



We said at the time the cost of broken bikes alone would be huge.

Regardless of whether or not they do sue, the need to make some noise about it to dissuade others.

What was she thinking.


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## LeetleGreyCells (27 Jun 2021)

Tom B said:


> What was she thinking.


An assumption too far, methinks


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## rogerzilla (27 Jun 2021)

Suing won't achieve much - she won't be worth enough. 

I see one rider finished the stage minus a left seatstay (presumably broken in the second crash, which wasn't far from the finish). I imagine it was rather squirrelly on the climb to the line.


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## Tom B (27 Jun 2021)

rogerzilla said:


> Suing won't achieve much - she won't be worth enough.



It's not about her paying it's going to.be about sending a message.

Being sued like this will be hugely time consuming and stressful.

Almost to the point the less she has the more it'll be an issue for her.

It's about making others think twice, or just plain think.


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## cyberknight (27 Jun 2021)

https://cyclingtips.com/2021/06/21-...lR21YKmFMO5gdmqfB5adhAuLirc3KqnpuBRLDnIEXtL24


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## cyberknight (27 Jun 2021)




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## rogerzilla (27 Jun 2021)

cyberknight said:


> https://cyclingtips.com/2021/06/21-...lR21YKmFMO5gdmqfB5adhAuLirc3KqnpuBRLDnIEXtL24


The second crash did more damage, it seems. It was lucky that no-one hit that strategically-placed telegraph pole.


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## cyberknight (27 Jun 2021)

rogerzilla said:


> The second crash did more damage, it seems. It was lucky that no-one hit that strategically-placed telegraph pole.


indeed i think the race was close to full on by that stage so everyone was more twitch and speed higher , i havent seen anything about froome dog yet i do hope he can continue but i wouldnt begrudge him pulling out as he looked in pain .Same goes for all the riders involved in all the carnage yesterday


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## Adam4868 (27 Jun 2021)

Jasha Sutterlin, Ignatas Konovalovas, Cyril Lemoine and Marc Soler.Who knows today,I'm sure a lot had a bad nights sleep !
SolerI think fractured his arm/arms yesterday and still finished the stage.


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## Adam4868 (27 Jun 2021)

cyberknight said:


> indeed i think the race was close to full on by that stage so everyone was more twitch and speed higher , i havent seen anything about froome dog yet i do hope he can continue but i wouldnt begrudge him pulling out as he looked in pain .Same goes for all the riders involved in all the carnage yesterday



View: https://twitter.com/TeamIsraelSUN/status/1409067597702828035?s=19


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## MoneyForNothing (27 Jun 2021)

Deputy race director has said they’ll press charges against the ‘fan’. As long as they can find them which I’m sure will happen.

best message to set is by example and facing charges is the best message for others . Actions have consequences. Stupid actions are not an allowable defence.

riders consent to inevitable racing events that cause crashes but do not consent to people inflicting carnage like they have.
Criminal charges for me.


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## hoopdriver (27 Jun 2021)

MoneyForNothing said:


> Criminal charges for me.


Why should you face criminal charges?


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## Beebo (27 Jun 2021)

cyberknight said:


> View attachment 596001
> View attachment 596002


Her grandparent must be very proud. 
apparently the sign says “go pops and nana.”


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## hoopdriver (27 Jun 2021)

A moment they’ll long treasure


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## DRM (27 Jun 2021)

Someone will find that grinning idiot, they’ll recognise her from social media, I do hope that she gets sued for the injuries caused, bikes damaged and loss of earnings, should send a message to any other brain dead buffoon that has similar ideas to get their 15 minutes of fame.
As an aside that win from Allaphilipe was fantastic, chapeau to him, he was really suffering as he got to the finish line


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## Martinsnos (27 Jun 2021)

Did anyone else cringe when Daniel Friebe asked Alaphilippe the question about his dad?


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## roadrash (27 Jun 2021)

MVDP Takes stage 2


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## Eziemnaik (27 Jun 2021)

Mvdp is built like a brick shithouse


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## Cathryn (27 Jun 2021)

His interview!
I think I’m a little bit in love with him!


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## Eziemnaik (27 Jun 2021)

GT 41s behind top spot... Carapaz to lead?


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## Grant Fondo (27 Jun 2021)

Good stage! A much better watch than the F1


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## hoopdriver (27 Jun 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Good stage! A much better watch than the F1


Yes, there’s a bit more passing…


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## Dayvo (27 Jun 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> Yes, there’s a bit more *passing*…


Spelling mistake!


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## Eziemnaik (27 Jun 2021)

Passing the water


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## Dayvo (27 Jun 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> Passing the water


Bidon? Bidet?


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## Grant Fondo (27 Jun 2021)

Bloody idiot!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57631134


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## Beebo (27 Jun 2021)

Dayvo said:


> Spelling mistake!
> View attachment 596093


The answer is blowing in the wind.


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## Adam4868 (27 Jun 2021)

MVDP....he lives up to the hype doesn't he !


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## tribanjules (27 Jun 2021)

I see the froome has 3 minute lead….over the broom !


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## stoatsngroats (27 Jun 2021)

Dayvo said:


> Bidon? Bidet?


Bardet?


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## Milzy (27 Jun 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> GT 41s behind top spot... Carapaz to lead?


Ineos have no chance now. Nobody fears them anymore. They have lost that invincible edge. Maybe if things went their way but the crashes have gone against them. GT and carapaz need to have superb time trials. There’s actually not a lot of mountains to make time up in this year either.


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## Eziemnaik (27 Jun 2021)

Milzy said:


> Ineos have no chance now. Nobody fears them anymore. They have lost that invincible edge. Maybe if things went their way but the crashes have gone against them. GT and carapaz need to have superb time trials. There’s actually not a lot of mountains to make time up in this year either.


While PogRog monster is the favourite, I still believe ineos can drive GT or more likely Carapaz to the victory. Roglic can have a weaker 3rd week (as usually, unless him not racing before TDF is supposed to fix that) and Pog hasn't got the same quality team behind him.


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## Adam4868 (27 Jun 2021)

Milzy said:


> Ineos have no chance now. Nobody fears them anymore. They have lost that invincible edge. Maybe if things went their way but the crashes have gone against them. GT and carapaz need to have superb time trials. There’s actually not a lot of mountains to make time up in this year either.


It's not over yet ! It's a grand tour which is three weeks you know 😁


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## tribanjules (27 Jun 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> It's not over yet ! It's a grand tour which is three weeks you know 😁


It is for mr froome


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## Adam4868 (27 Jun 2021)

tribanjules said:


> It is for mr froome


Do you know something we don't... Was his aim not to ride the tour as a domestique ?


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## tribanjules (27 Jun 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Do you know something we don't... Was his aim not to ride the tour as a domestique ?


He seems to have really been grafting in training too only for the usual early crash to knock him. Must be v v frustrating


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## deptfordmarmoset (27 Jun 2021)

Dayvo said:


> Bidon? Bidet?


Biden gets my vote.


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Do you know something we don't... Was his aim not to ride the tour as a domestique ?




road captain ?


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## Adam4868 (28 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> road captain ?


Your right....sounds better 😁


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

I would love to have seen mvdp face when they showed him his bike today ..


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

What a lovely gesture


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

geraint thomas down , and looks like out


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

heyup ......hes back on his bike, doesnt look good though, tony martin down in same crash


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

Robert gesink abandoned


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

Having Geraint Thomas and Ritchie Porte on the same team is like begging for bad luck….


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

tour de france rumour is geraint had a dislocated shoulder that was popped back in immediatley


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> tour de france rumour is geraint had a dislocated shoulder that was popped back in immediatley


Ouch


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> According to Rob Hatch, Thomas rides with two good luck charms attached to his Garmin. I suspect they may actually be cursed.


Perhaps that’s the trouble - only two. As the saying goes, three’s the charm…


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## Mo1959 (28 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> tour de france rumour is geraint had a dislocated shoulder that was popped back in immediatley


Good job he’s a cyclist. He would have been out for two months if he was a footballer!


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

Broke his trademark white glasses again


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## fossyant (28 Jun 2021)

That lad needs stabilisers !


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

fossyant said:


> That lad needs stabilisers !


I’m on tenterhooks just watching him on the Zwift ad…


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I wonder how many takes they needed to do in order to film that ...


I dunno…the way he’s grinning into the camera, not looking ahead…


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

Roglic down again


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

anyone in my fantasy team is cursed


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## Grant Fondo (28 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> Roglic down again


He's pulling it back .... whats going on another crash!!!!


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

another crash , feck....


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

chaos


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

sagan gets taken down just before the line


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

feck absolute carnage, caleb ewan takes out sagan


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

or did sagan take ewan out


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## Dayvo (28 Jun 2021)

3 of my fantasy team, Roglic, Sagan and Ewen, hit the asphalt HARD! 
Hope all the fallers are OK!


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## Grant Fondo (28 Jun 2021)

Did Sagan go into Ewan?


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

Ewan went into Sagan


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

Dayvo said:


> 3 of my fantasy team, Roglic, Sagan and Ewen, hit the asphalt HARD!
> Hope all the fallers are OK!




three of mine , Roglic , Thomas and Sagan


Ewan doesnt look good , still on the deck


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## Grant Fondo (28 Jun 2021)

Merlier did well, thought he was good in Giro too


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## Milkfloat (28 Jun 2021)

It was like a war zone out there - crashes all over the place.


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## JBGooner (28 Jun 2021)

Sagan seemed to be bulling his way forward in the sprint a bit recklessly.


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## roadrash (28 Jun 2021)

looking at it again , i think ewan took sagan down


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## Milzy (28 Jun 2021)

The whole tour is ruined. I left Tim M out for a second tour. Learned my lesson now. Our Fantasy leagues are filled with more pot luck than ever this time around.


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## gavroche (28 Jun 2021)

I think Alaphilippe should re-assess his situation now and aim for the GC now that some contenders are out of it. He has a chance to be the first Frenchman since Hinault to win it. I certainly hope so. Cocorico.......


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## Milzy (28 Jun 2021)

gavroche said:


> I think Alaphilippe should re-assess his situation now and aim for the GC now that some contenders are out of it. He has a chance to be the first Frenchman since Hinault to win it. I certainly hope so. Cocorico.......


My thoughts exactly. It’s his to lose now.


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## Cathryn (28 Jun 2021)

Heck what a day. 

I was wondering, are there MORE riders in the peloton now than historically? Is the sheer 'weight of traffic' more than the infrastructure can handle? (I would have posted this on the 'why so many crashes' thread but I think it's been closed). I don't mean to open up a can of worms, just wondered about numbers and how they've changed.


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## Eziemnaik (28 Jun 2021)

gavroche said:


> I think Alaphilippe should re-assess his situation now and aim for the GC now that some contenders are out of it. He has a chance to be the first Frenchman since Hinault to win it. I certainly hope so. Cocorico.......


I see a French fan coughing on Pog and Carapaz
But seriously, should these two suffer some more misfortune, Alaphilippe would be the main contender


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## Milzy (28 Jun 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Heck what a day.
> 
> I was wondering, are there MORE riders in the peloton now than historically? Is the sheer 'weight of traffic' more than the infrastructure can handle? (I would have posted this on the 'why so many crashes' thread but I think it's been closed). I don't mean to open up a can of worms, just wondered about numbers and how they've changed.


They race much closer and faster now. Position is so important in such little space. They’ve tried to make some stages more like monument courses this year to spice it up at a shorter notice due to Covid changes. They’ve certainly achieved a lot of drama.


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## Mike_P (28 Jun 2021)

Number of riders on a team has reduced from 10 to 9 (effective 1987) to 8 in 2018. Do wonder if there should be a case of substitutes being allowed subject to being marked down such that they are ruled out of the jersey competitions.


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## Adam4868 (28 Jun 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Number of riders on a team has reduced from 10 to 9 (effective 1987) to 8 in 2018. Do wonder if there should be a case of substitutes being allowed subject to being marked down such that they are ruled out of the jersey competitions.


Maybe just have them for the first week ?


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## Adam4868 (28 Jun 2021)

That was a fecking horrible stage to watch ! To edgy the first week of the tour...quite a few GC men look like their out of the game after that.


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## LeetleGreyCells (28 Jun 2021)

It could be the width of the roads as they are quite narrow in that part of France I believe, combined with the speed of the stage.


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## Beebo (28 Jun 2021)

The overhead shots of the peloton in a tight bunch shoulder to shoulder looks so sketchy. 
Then you realise they are doing 50kph and most of them have already fallen off this week. 
My nerves would be shredded.


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## Beebo (28 Jun 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Number of riders on a team has reduced from 10 to 9 (effective 1987) to 8 in 2018. Do wonder if there should be a case of substitutes being allowed subject to being marked down such that they are ruled out of the jersey competitions.


It might work with verifiable broken bones but just being tired isn’t going to be enough for a substitute IMO. 
There would always be one team seeking marginal gains!😁


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## Adam4868 (28 Jun 2021)

Ewan out with fractured collarbone.


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## BalkanExpress (28 Jun 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Ewan out with fractured collarbone.



That is a real pity.

Jacky Durand on French Eurosport did a frame by frame analysis, as Merlier got our of the saddle to sprint hus bike obviously swung from side to side and clipped Ewen so one of those things. He was, however, very carefully not suggesting that Sagan had nudged Ewen into a position where there was no space


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## LarryDuff (28 Jun 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Number of riders on a team has reduced from 10 to 9 (effective 1987) to 8 in 2018. Do wonder if there should be a case of substitutes being allowed subject to being marked down such that they are ruled out of the jersey competitions.


But this year there are 23 teams, one more than the previous years


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## hoopdriver (28 Jun 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Number of riders on a team has reduced from 10 to 9 (effective 1987) to 8 in 2018. Do wonder if there should be a case of substitutes being allowed subject to being marked down such that they are ruled out of the jersey competitions.


You’d suddenly find a huge turnover of sick and injured domestiques with GC contenders getting a fresh supporting cast every week


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## andrew_s (29 Jun 2021)

BalkanExpress said:


> Jacky Durand on French Eurosport did a frame by frame analysis, as Merlier got our of the saddle to sprint hus bike obviously swung from side to side and clipped Ewen so one of those things. He was, however, very carefully not suggesting that Sagan had nudged Ewen into a position where there was no space


Merlier kept straight, but getting out of the saddle always moves the rear wheel back a bit.
That would lead to Ewen's front wheel overlapping Merlier's rear wheel, and if there isn't wobble room, Ewen goes down. Every cyclist ought to know not to overlap wheels unless there's a good amount of lateral space.

Yes, Sagan had nudged Ewen over so there wasn't space to try to go round Merlier on either side - barriers to the right, Sagan on the left. It's called tactics, and meant that Ewen would have to wait until either Merlier or Sagan jumped before he could go. As it was, Ewen was a bit too keen, and overlapped wheels.


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## Eziemnaik (29 Jun 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> You’d suddenly find a huge turnover of sick and injured domestiques with GC contenders getting a fresh supporting cast every week


I like what Sean Kelly wrote about this - pro cyclists are LESS healthy than back in the days. They stay at their peak for months on end. They look compared to him, Hinault or Merckx emaciated. In the end, body is not able to withstand any sort of accident.
https://www.seankellycycling.com/blog/seans-concerns-for-todays-riders


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## Cathryn (29 Jun 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> I like what Sean Kelly wrote about this - pro cyclists are LESS healthy than back in the days. They stay at their peak for months on end. They look compared to him, Hinault or Merckx emaciated. In the end, body is not able to withstand any sort of accident.
> https://www.seankellycycling.com/blog/seans-concerns-for-todays-riders


Does the man not like apostrophes?


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## hoopdriver (29 Jun 2021)

Eh?


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## Cathryn (29 Jun 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> Eh?


Look at his headline 😆


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## Venod (29 Jun 2021)

andrew_s said:


> Merlier kept straight, but getting out of the saddle always moves the rear wheel back a bit.



The back wheel doesn't move back, the bike slows a little, and the wheel appears to move back to the rider behind who isn't slowing, for the wheel to move back the bike it has to stop and the wheel start turning the other way.


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## hoopdriver (29 Jun 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Look at his headline 😆


He wouldn't have written the headline


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## Cathryn (29 Jun 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> He wouldn't have written the headline


It's his blog, not a newspaper.

I'm only having some fun though - he's a great writer and raises excellent points.


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## hoopdriver (29 Jun 2021)

I used to comment on grammatical slip-ups but no longer. Auto-correct, even when one has it switched off, has a way of introducing errors in even the most conscientious writer’s copy - especially with apostrophes, inserting them where they don’t belong and removing them where they do.


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## roadrash (29 Jun 2021)

That looks rather sore


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## Adam4868 (29 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> They're having a little protest. From the letour site ...
> 
> _*On a slow motion*
> 12:49
> ...


There's was only the Haig crash on the bend that was preventable really....the rest weren't really UCIs fault.What you gonna do with the team car shouting at you to get into he front ! It's the Tour and high anxiety/jumpy first week.
Hopefully it'll calm down....don't hold your breath though 😁


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## Adam4868 (29 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> That looks rather sore
> View attachment 596371


Ouch...how many plasters did that take !


----------



## Dogtrousers (29 Jun 2021)

They're over half way and I don't think anyone has fallen off yet. Good going lads. Keep it up.


----------



## GuyBoden (29 Jun 2021)

He won't win the sprint, but it would be nice to see Cav have a go today.


----------



## Dogtrousers (29 Jun 2021)

How did he do that?


*Cavendish has lost his saddle*
_15:02_
_Mark Cavendish got a new bike because he lost his saddle! He's making his way back to the pack along with riders who had stopped to answerthe call of the nature, including yellow jersey holder Matnieu van der Poel._


----------



## Poacher (29 Jun 2021)

Had quite an effect - Cav just won the intermediate sprint!


----------



## fossyant (29 Jun 2021)

They aren't catching - yet !


----------



## fossyant (29 Jun 2021)

It's going to be close.


----------



## roadrash (29 Jun 2021)

GET IN CAV


----------



## fossyant (29 Jun 2021)

Yes !! Nice one Cav.


----------



## fossyant (29 Jun 2021)

The Manx Missile is BACK !


----------



## roadrash (29 Jun 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> He won't win the sprint, but it would be nice to see Cav have a go today.




AHEM ...


----------



## Fab Foodie (29 Jun 2021)

Jeezus...can this Tour get any better?


----------



## hoopdriver (29 Jun 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> He won't win the sprint, but it would be nice to see Cav have a go today.


You were saying?


----------



## Adam4868 (29 Jun 2021)

All the sweeter with Bouhanni in second 🙄


----------



## roadrash (29 Jun 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> All the sweeter with Bouhanni in second 🙄




that makes it even better  boo hoo hani


----------



## Lee_M (29 Jun 2021)

I seem to have some sand in my eyes


----------



## MasterDabber (29 Jun 2021)

Just so,so pleased.


----------



## PaulB (29 Jun 2021)

I think we were all sad for the Belgian...until we saw who'd took it and our disappointment was very short-lived!


----------



## hoopdriver (29 Jun 2021)

PaulB said:


> View attachment 596401
> 
> 
> I think we were all sad for the Belgian...until we saw who'd took it and our disappointment was very short-lived!


Exactly!


----------



## matticus (29 Jun 2021)

Cathryn said:


> His interview!
> I think I’m a little bit in love with him!


*I* wanted to give him a hug.

What a lovely young man! Seems much nicer than those other sulky brash two-some from the Lowlands.


----------



## Adam4868 (29 Jun 2021)

Bet Merckx is twitching...there's a fair few more sprint stages left.Could he ?
34 - Eddy Merckx
31 - Mark Cavendish


----------



## Eziemnaik (29 Jun 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Bet Merckx is twitching...there's a fair few more sprint stages left.Could he ?
> 34 - Eddy Merckx
> 31 - Mark Cavendish


UCI would never let him


----------



## Cathryn (29 Jun 2021)

I was stuck in a staff meeting, with my laptop strategically positioned so I could refresh the BBC feed. It was SO hard to sit calmly and look professional when I found out he'd won! 

Home now and off to watch the replay. SUCH wonderful news. I'm so happy for him.


----------



## yello (29 Jun 2021)

Well chuffed for Cavendish. It was like days of old. 

Tbh, watching, I didn't think he was going to do it, didn't think he still had the legs. I do love to be wrong sometimes!


----------



## GuyBoden (29 Jun 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> He won't win the sprint, but it would be nice to see Cav have a go today.


I'm so glad I was wrong, a great day for Cav, a great team effort to get him there too.


----------



## T4tomo (29 Jun 2021)

CCCCAAAAVVVVVV!!!!!


----------



## Cathryn (29 Jun 2021)

Okay, I watched the end and his reaction and the interviews and I'm a mascara-y mess. 

This is an epic tour so far.


----------



## Ming the Merciless (29 Jun 2021)

Just seen on highlights. Made up for him. His team believed in him and he delivered.


----------



## GuyBoden (29 Jun 2021)

With the Quick Step team being inspired, it will be interesting to see how Cav's team mate, Kasper Asgreen, gets on in the TT tomorrow, stage 5.


----------



## Saluki (29 Jun 2021)

Cathryn said:


> I was stuck in a staff meeting, with my laptop strategically positioned so I could refresh the BBC feed. It was SO hard to sit calmly and look professional when I found out he'd won!
> 
> Home now and off to watch the replay. SUCH wonderful news. I'm so happy for him.


Oh well done. 
I was on a teams meeting with the project accountant and my exception handler. Totally forgot about them and yelled at the TV, on in the background - WFH perks . Danced about the room woohoo-ing then remembered the meeting.
Then got to answer lots of random questions about the TdF 
Those two know my passion for cycling. It wasn’t a management meeting, thank heavens.


----------



## suzeworld (29 Jun 2021)

I never screamed so loud at a stage. 
just ecstatic. 
so so so happeeeeee


----------



## Supersuperleeds (29 Jun 2021)

Our lass was nearly in tears watching the highlights, she has a bit of a soft spot for Cav.


----------



## mjr (29 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Led out by the world champ no less. Doesn't get much better than that.


 Could be led on to the Champs Elysee by the yellow jersey...


----------



## hoopdriver (30 Jun 2021)

mjr said:


> Could be led on to the Champs Elysee by the yellow jersey...


What a dream end to the tour that would be!


----------



## T4tomo (30 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Led out by the world champ no less. Doesn't get much better than that.


and absolutely key to victory was Alaphilippe's big effort to chase down the solo leader and put Cav and Morkov in a position to win, and boy did they deliver!

first chance to sprint and he wins it - dare we dream?


----------



## jowwy (30 Jun 2021)

mjr said:


> Could be led on to the Champs Elysee by the yellow jersey...


i think thats already happened once....back in 2012, by a certain Sir Bradley Wiggins


----------



## Adam4868 (30 Jun 2021)

Don't get to excited....

View: https://twitter.com/Cycling_Memes1/status/1409949532364972035?s=19


----------



## cyberknight (30 Jun 2021)

Well Roger me with a kipper!
Well done cav,I thought it was time he retired I'm glad he proved me wrong.
All we need now is for froomey to win the TT and take yellow for the comeback kings to rule the roost


----------



## Dogtrousers (30 Jun 2021)

cyberknight said:


> All we need now is for froomey to win the TT and take yellow for the comeback kings to rule the roost


He's 12th to start today. How times change.


----------



## T4tomo (30 Jun 2021)

Cav ahead of Tony Martin, one suspects neither was trying that hard, especially Martin!


----------



## Beebo (30 Jun 2021)

T4tomo said:


> Cav ahead of Tony Martin, one suspects neither was trying that hard, especially Martin!


I knew Froome was just looking at this as a rest day but What’s the cut off time or percentage to keep everyone at the back honest?


----------



## T4tomo (30 Jun 2021)

Beebo said:


> I knew Froome was just looking at this as a rest day but What’s the cut off time or percentage to keep everyone at the back honest?


good question..


----------



## Beebo (30 Jun 2021)

So 25%. That’s a fairly big cushion.


----------



## matticus (30 Jun 2021)

Beebo said:


> So 25%. That’s a fairly big cushion.


Yes. I'd say any Tour rider who is not sick/injured could just stroke round at that pace. Even 50kg climbers.

But they would probably look like they were trying to the untrained observer - no-one wants the event to look ridiculous. I doubt that Sagan could wheelie round the course at that speed. Sadly.


----------



## T4tomo (30 Jun 2021)

Yes - the individual TT is a rest day for all but the serious GC contenders and the handful of TT specialists vying for the stage win.

I won't begrudge them that in a 3 week tour.


----------



## Ridgeway (30 Jun 2021)

+400w for 30mins for the main rivals today in the ITT, ouch


----------



## roadrash (30 Jun 2021)

reports saying the female fan that caused that crash has been arrested, nob ed carlton kirby says he is very uncomfortable with the fact that she has been arrested , he says it sets a very sad presedent ,..... sorry carlton but it doesn't , it says if you feck with the riders then you yourself can expect to be fecked ..... in my opinion of course

Tour de France: French Police arrest a woman over worst-ever crash | Daily Mail Online


----------



## roadrash (30 Jun 2021)

Thomas now sits 7 secs behind Roglic


----------



## matticus (30 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> Thomas now sits 7 secs behind Roglic


Cool! Sounds like he's recovered better than Rog from yesterday's adventures.


----------



## matticus (30 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> reports saying the female fan that caused that crash has been arrested, nob ed carlton kirby says he is very uncomfortable with the fact that she has been arrested , he says it sets a very sad presedent ,..... sorry carlton but it doesn't , it says if you feck with the riders then you yourself can expect to be fecked ..... in my opinion of course
> 
> Tour de France: French Police arrest a woman over worst-ever crash | Daily Mail Online


Now has its own thread:


Arrowfoot said:


> https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/s...r-de-france-crash-arrested-bfm-tv-2021-06-30/
> View attachment 596641


----------



## Beebo (30 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> Thomas now sits 7 secs behind Roglic


1.54 off the lead.


----------



## roadrash (30 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> "Worst ever crash?" WTF are they on about? Oh, it's the Mail. Of course it's utter cobblers.



didnt really take notice of it being the mail i was more interested in the content


----------



## roadrash (30 Jun 2021)

Pogacar is a beast


----------



## roadrash (30 Jun 2021)

all i wanted to get across was the fact that she had been found and arrested, not interested in the rest or who doesnt like the fact that it was from the mail nor do i care if anyone doesnt agree with it .


----------



## matticus (30 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> all i wanted to get across was the fact that she had been found and arrested, not interested in the rest or who doesnt like the fact that it was from the mail nor do i care if anyone doesnt agree with it .


Someone kindly started another thread to deflect discussion away from your thread.
But you seem to be stoking the fires on your own thread, so carry on!


----------



## roadrash (30 Jun 2021)

Thank you , I will


----------



## GuyBoden (30 Jun 2021)

Pogacar was very impressive, made it look so easy. Van der Poel was incredible too.

Hopefully, Cav will have a good go at winning tomorrow's sprint stage, but I'd say that he'll be watched more closely this time.


----------



## GuyBoden (30 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> No no no. Last time you predicted he would have no chance. And it worked. Repeat after me:


Cav's got no chance of winning tomorrow's sprint stage, he's just too old.


----------



## roadrash (30 Jun 2021)

His self belief must be massive at the moment , i bet he has his lead out train intact tomorrow.


----------



## Milzy (30 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> Pogacar is a beast


Yeah but he hardly sweats breathes, grimaces & doesn’t go red. Casually sips his pop after winning. His power figures are super human, can you imagine what he could do if he doped?


----------



## Adam4868 (30 Jun 2021)

Pogi....one of the best climbers in the world beats Kung in a TT,on stage 5 ! Gonna take something special to beat him 😁


----------



## Ridgeway (30 Jun 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Pogi....one of the best climbers in the world beats Kung in a TT,on stage 5 ! Gonna take something special to beat him 😁



It will take a good team to beat him, there are 2 or 3 that can do that and/or one bad day at the office for him, it can happen.


----------



## Ridgeway (30 Jun 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Cav's got no chance of winning tomorrow's sprint stage, he's just too old.



Fully agree he's got no chance tomorrow, yesterday was a fluke


----------



## Adam4868 (30 Jun 2021)

Ridgeway said:


> It will take a good team to beat him, there are 2 or 3 that can do that and/or one bad day at the office for him, it can happen.


Yea anything can happen as we know,but it's gonna take more than a team.He can defend this if he chooses,which I'm not sure he will.I think he'll attack whenever he can.
Although I do hope it's not over yet 😁


----------



## Milzy (30 Jun 2021)

Pog has got this all sewn up. His main rivals are slipping down, battered & bruised, deflated & thinking about other things. Probably about getting home to their kids. The organisers along with that nutty women have ruined this years tour I’m afraid. We’ve had had drama & entertainment but a lot of it I don’t want to see.


----------



## mjr (30 Jun 2021)

roadrash said:


> all i wanted to get across was the fact that she had been found and arrested, not interested in the rest or who doesnt like the fact that it was from the mail nor do i care if anyone doesnt agree with it .


Yeah but if the "newspaper" linked can't even get the headline right, why should anyone believe anything else in their report? They are pretty much worthless as proof of anything beyond "it was in the Mail"! The link posted later was much more convincing.


----------



## Beebo (30 Jun 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Boardman said that Rog's un-aerodynamic bandages would cost him 30 sec. He seemed serious.
> 
> Now I know areodyamics are important to racers but I don't have any intuitive feel for how important at these speeds. That's about a 1.5% reduction. Seems a lot.
> 
> I guess it must be right after all he's Chris Boardman so he should know. Or maybe his joke delivery was a bit too deadpan.


What hope do I have in my jacket with hood acting as a wind break (brake)


----------



## mjr (30 Jun 2021)

Milzy said:


> His power figures are super human, can you imagine what he could do if he doped?


Are you saying he's not?


----------



## Eziemnaik (1 Jul 2021)

I think, given circumstances Roglic rode very good TT. All it takes for Ineos or Jumbo is to isolate Pog and a single missed refueling or puncture will make it exciting. OTH last year he rode solo and didn't come worse for it.


----------



## Shadow (1 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Pog has got this all sewn up.


Were we not all saying exactly the same thing with only 2 stages remaining last year?



Milzy said:


> The organisers .....have ruined this years tour I’m afraid.


The riders make the race.


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

Yeah but if the "newspaper" linked can't even get the headline right,


mjr said:


> Yeah but if the "newspaper" linked can't even get the headline right, why should anyone believe anything else in their report? They are pretty much worthless as proof of anything beyond "it was in the Mail"! The link posted later was much more convincing.




has the woman been arrested?,,,, yes she has

that was the point

I really couldn’t care less who doesn’t like the mail or who thinks the headline is wrong
Get a life .. go find something else to complain about.


----------



## Shadow (1 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Pog has got this all sewn up.


Yes, you may be right. And yet I still want to see how it plays out.
And there is so much more to watch. Will Cav win another stage? Can he win the green jumper? Who will take the KOM? It won’t be Schelling but it will be fun to watch him defend it. Who will win stage 11? Will we see another young upstart be a demon descender? Can Pog win the next TT? Or will one of the other TT specialists want to prove yesterday was an upset. Which stage will be won by the break? Van Moer will want another go!
So much, much more to see.

Edited to correct factual error.


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

Some friends i have spoken to seem to think the tour is over , I dont think they have been watching the same tour i have if thats their thoughts, much more to come yet, the fat lady isnt singing yet , in fact she hasnt even cleared her throat.


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

At least it isnt stuck under the finish line gantry eh.... like some other team bus


----------



## Ridgeway (1 Jul 2021)

Probably the weight of Cav's balls caused this


----------



## matticus (1 Jul 2021)

Shadow said:


> And there is so much more to watch. Will Cav win another stage? Can he win the green jumper? Who will take the KOM? It won’t be Schelling but it will be fun to watch him defend it. Who will win stage 11? Will we see another young upstart be a demon descender? Can Pog win the next TT? Or will one of the other TT specialists want to prove yesterday was an upset. Which stage will be won by the break? Van Moer will want another go!


Yes, there is plenty to watch/follow outside of Pog-vs-TheWorld :-)

But I don't think the GC race is over: Pog may be the clear strongest rider, but there are two big teams hunting him down who may yet capitalise on situations later. As Pete Kennyuck commented, the other podium contenders _might _even gang up on him, if they decide 2nd/3rd are of little interest.


----------



## yello (1 Jul 2021)

Symbolic day today, not just for Cavendish but for me too. I was there to witness his first TdF win, in 2008. I'd cycled up from my then new home to the finish in Chateauroux. It was all so perfect, part of why I'd moved to France. I won't be cycling up today but I will be watching the finish on TV, and hoping to see him win again. It'd be his third win there, so he's probably more fond of the place than I am!


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> And Nairo is still there. Like a coiled spring. Waiting ... waiting ...



if only he would release the spring more often, I love to see him attack but of late it always seems to be short lived


----------



## Adam4868 (1 Jul 2021)

I've got money and confidence in Carapaz to win this....25/1 so he better pull his socks up.
Not too high 😁


----------



## Grant Fondo (1 Jul 2021)

I'm getting far too distracted by the pretty Eurosport presenter . Cycling 1 - 0 Football.


----------



## rich p (1 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> And Nairo is still there. Like a coiled spring. Waiting ... waiting ...


Don't tell me he's in your fantasy team!!!!!!


----------



## Grant Fondo (1 Jul 2021)

Some of the GC riders might keep some in the tank, a mere 155 mile ride tomorrow


----------



## Grant Fondo (1 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Symbolic day today, not just for Cavendish but for me too. I was there to witness his first TdF win, in 2008. I'd cycled up from my then new home to the finish in Chateauroux. It was all so perfect, part of why I'd moved to France. I won't be cycling up today but I will be watching the finish on TV, and hoping to see him win again. It'd be his third win there, so he's probably more fond of the place than I am!


I hope Cav gets this one, 20 to go!


----------



## Ridgeway (1 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> I hope Cav gets this one, 20 to go!



not a chance today, his form is gone and he'll never win again  _(see rule on post 216 from Dogtrousers)_


----------



## tribanjules (1 Jul 2021)

Yup he’s history


----------



## fossyant (1 Jul 2021)

That's a long straight road....


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

its gonnabe a very fast run in...


----------



## fossyant (1 Jul 2021)

1k


----------



## fossyant (1 Jul 2021)

500m


----------



## Beebo (1 Jul 2021)

Have It!!!!


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

Cav i think , down to a photo


----------



## fossyant (1 Jul 2021)

Get in !!!! Champ


----------



## tribanjules (1 Jul 2021)

Yeeeeees !!!


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

Cav


----------



## Beebo (1 Jul 2021)

Potential stewards enquiry


----------



## Grant Fondo (1 Jul 2021)

Yay! The lads on fire


----------



## fossyant (1 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Potential stewards enquiry



Nah


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Potential stewards enquiry


 they just put up the results showing cav as winner


----------



## fossyant (1 Jul 2021)

What's happened to Sagan this year - too busy pulling wheelies ?


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

boo hoo hani shakes his head again, oh dear, how sad nevermind


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

fossyant said:


> What's happened to Sagan this year - too busy pulling wheelies ?




He may be feeling the effects of the crash with ewan,...who knows


----------



## fossyant (1 Jul 2021)

Mark seems somewhat 'chuffed'.


----------



## yello (1 Jul 2021)




----------



## PaulB (1 Jul 2021)

I was pleaseder than watching anything Engurland's football team can do watching that.


----------



## GuyBoden (1 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Cav's got no chance of winning tomorrow's sprint stage, he's just too old.


I knew he wouldn't win again.


----------



## suzeworld (1 Jul 2021)

Evidently
😂


> too old


----------



## Domus (1 Jul 2021)

Top man. 🚴‍♀️👏👏👏👏


----------



## Smokin Joe (1 Jul 2021)

Without his illness and injuries he'd have blitzed Merckx's record by now.


----------



## yello (1 Jul 2021)

fossyant said:


> That's a long straight road....


Apparently the longest finishing straight of any stage on the tour.


----------



## Beebo (1 Jul 2021)

Smokin Joe said:


> Without his illness and injuries he'd have blitzed Merckx's record by now.


They were just saying the same on ITV4. 
If he hadn’t crashed out of the tour he would be well away, but that’s what sprinting is about.


----------



## KneesUp (1 Jul 2021)

Smokin Joe said:


> Without his illness and injuries he'd have blitzed Merckx's record by now.


Who knows how many Merckx would have won if he hadn't crashed at Blois in 1969? He crushed everyone in '69 in. any he could never quite replicate - he said himself that he was never the same again.

It's about how many you win despite the racing incidents.


----------



## hoopdriver (1 Jul 2021)

😂
[/QUOTE]
Indeed, too old. And in such a hurry towards the end of the race to get back to his rocking chair...


----------



## BalkanExpress (1 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Potential stewards enquiry



All safe in the end, although a gun straight road with a big white line down the middle is perhaps not the best place to gently drift off your line


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (1 Jul 2021)

And he shipped his chain. There are pictures with the chain flying loose and free. Lucky guy.


----------



## Cathryn (1 Jul 2021)

Just a fantastic day!!! Well done Cav!
Question..I’ve heard a few snide comments about Bouhanni this week! Any idea why? Is he not liked?


----------



## rich p (1 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Just a fantastic day!!! Well done Cav!
> Question..I’ve heard a few snide comments about Bouhanni this week! Any idea why? Is he not liked?


I suspect even his Maman isn't too keen him
Numerous unsavoury incidents, the latest causing Jake Stewart to break his hand by nudging him into the barriers


----------



## roadrash (1 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Just a fantastic day!!! Well done Cav!
> Question..I’ve heard a few snide comments about Bouhanni this week! Any idea why? Is he not liked?




@Cathryn im sure he is liked ....well maybe ...by someone....somewhere, but as @rich p says above , and i dislike the way he blames everyone else when he doesnt win even his team members of the past have said its a horrible atmosphere on the team bus when hes tried and didnt win, he always sulks apparently,throws his toys from the pram,.. apart from that , i just dont like him, i'm sure his mother loves him......probably


----------



## rich p (1 Jul 2021)

DQS are an amazing unit. They keep going after all these years with different personnel but still find a winning formula somehow.
Nobody would have thought that they'd have 3 stages by now and 2 of them from an old hasbeen!
World champ and possible GC contender, JA, burying himself for the old washed up sprinter - just amazing! 
Testament to how much like and respect they Hav for Cav.
Bennett must be kicking himself at home in Carrick en Suir...or Nice or Gerona...


----------



## Ridgeway (1 Jul 2021)

As suspected another loss for Cav, i suspect more of these over the coming days, pitty really


----------



## Boo (2 Jul 2021)

So pleased for Cav - astounding ride, astounding teamwork.

Just out of interest, if Merckx is on 34, and Cav is 2nd on 32, how far back is the guy in 3rd place? Is there anyone riding now who could potentially get ino the 30's?


----------



## rualexander (2 Jul 2021)

Boo said:


> So pleased for Cav - astounding ride, astounding teamwork.
> 
> Just out of interest, if Merckx is on 34, and Cav is 2nd on 32, how far back is the guy in 3rd place? Is there anyone riding now who could potentially get ino the 30's?


Third place is Bernard Hinault on 28
Best current riders after Cavendish are Sagan on 12 wins and Greipel on 11, not much chance of either of them getting to 20, let alone 30.


----------



## Boo (2 Jul 2021)

Much obliged!


----------



## LeetleGreyCells (2 Jul 2021)

I don’t believe it! BBC News has mentioned the TdF again due to Cav’s win! That’s twice in one week cycling has featured on BBC News! Other than the spectator causing the crash, the only previous recent mention I recall is Tao Geoghehan Hart’s win of the Giro last year.

Could the BBC be taking more of an interest in cycling?

Nah…


----------



## MasterDabber (2 Jul 2021)

Dan Roan will only get interested if there's a nice juicing doping story to be told.


----------



## Mike_P (2 Jul 2021)

LeetleGreyCells said:


> Could the BBC be taking more of an interest in cycling?


 The Grand Tours always get a mention on Sportsday, whether mention is made in more general coverage is typically down to whether their is a British success.


----------



## T4tomo (2 Jul 2021)

At risk of repeating myself....

CCCAAAAVVVVV!!


----------



## bitsandbobs (2 Jul 2021)

Why were Alpecin-Fenix leading out for Philipsen? Seems a bit odd. Merlier is faster surely and has beaten Cav. Don't think Philipsen has managed that.


----------



## matticus (2 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Question..I’ve heard a few snide comments about Bouhanni this week! Any idea why? Is he not liked?


He seems to be a magnet for trouble (might be putting it kindly). Banned in May (for 2 months) for sticking a rider into the barriers. I done a thread about his most recent misfortunes:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/lidiot-and-the-racists.273854/


----------



## Dogtrousers (2 Jul 2021)

But oddly enough Bouhanni was the only rider not veering from his line yesterday


----------



## Dogtrousers (2 Jul 2021)

Well the break has 2 two minutes. Which isn't so surprising. Except the Yellow jersey is in the break. Which is.

Crazy fast so far and the MvDP and WvA both in the break.


----------



## Martinsnos (2 Jul 2021)

I record literally all coverage and then watch various combinations. Just happen to be watching live now and give him his due Sean Kelly appears to be genuinely excited this year!


----------



## GuyBoden (2 Jul 2021)

Today is 249.1km, wow, that's nearly 155 miles.

Edit: 
The longest ever stage came in 1920 and it was 482km early 300 miles.


----------



## bitsandbobs (2 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Well the break has 2 two minutes. Which isn't so surprising. Except the Yellow jersey is in the break. Which is.
> 
> Crazy fast so far and the MvDP and WvA both in the break.



Break up to 6 mins with 100km to go. Cav in the break and won the intermediate sprint.


----------



## Dogtrousers (2 Jul 2021)

bitsandbobs said:


> Break up to 6 mins with 100km to go. Cav in the break and won the intermediate sprint.


I don't know what he's still doing there. Why hasn't he put his feet up now he has got the points? He'll just get murdered on the steep hills near the end (18% Signal d'Uchon). Maybe he's just trailing along in the slipstream admiring his own jersey?


----------



## Beebo (2 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I don't know what he's still doing there. Why hasn't he put his feet up now he has got the points? He'll just get murdered on the steep hills near the end (18% Signal d'Uchon). Maybe he's just trailing along in the slipstream admiring his own jersey?


He seems to be liked by so many riders that they are probably happy to have him. He’s no threat to most of them and most are no threat to him.


----------



## fossyant (2 Jul 2021)

LeetleGreyCells said:


> I don’t believe it! BBC News has mentioned the TdF again due to Cav’s win! That’s twice in one week cycling has featured on BBC News! Other than the spectator causing the crash, the only previous recent mention I recall is Tao Geoghehan Hart’s win of the Giro last year.
> 
> Could the BBC be taking more of an interest in cycling?
> 
> Nah…



He was mentioned on ITV's Granada Reports quite a bit last night, and the presenters said what a lovely man he was (having previously interviewed him on the programme).


----------



## matticus (2 Jul 2021)

View: https://twitter.com/friebos/status/1410911198665654272?s=19


----------



## Beebo (2 Jul 2021)

They are currently 20 mins ahead of their estimated finish time. anyone hoping for a bit of a rest day will be sorry.


----------



## Eziemnaik (2 Jul 2021)

Vaaaaaamos Carapaz!


----------



## GuyBoden (2 Jul 2021)

A very entertaining stage today and most unexpected.


----------



## yello (2 Jul 2021)

Unexpected indeed. Not very often you'll see the yellow jersey be allowed to get away like that. Maybe the thinking, on both sides of the equation, is that VdP will lose time in the mountains.

Roglic looks crocked though. Hope he's able to ride himself back to some kind of shape.


----------



## fozy tornip (2 Jul 2021)

Slovenian cycling seems to be acing the, er, marginal gains.


----------



## Dogtrousers (2 Jul 2021)

That was bonkers. I thought the Tour was supposed to be good as over, might as well not watch any more.


----------



## Cathryn (2 Jul 2021)

I don’t know that part of France at all but it’s beautiful!!! Adding it to my list!


----------



## Eziemnaik (2 Jul 2021)

Should Jumbo go all in on WVA for GC?


----------



## Dogtrousers (2 Jul 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> Should Jumbo go all in on WVA for GC?


I wouldn't be at all surprised if Rog doesn't start tomorrow. The poor guy looked a wreck.


----------



## Beebo (2 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I don't know what he's still doing there. Why hasn't he put his feet up now he has got the points? He'll just get murdered on the steep hills near the end (18% Signal d'Uchon). Maybe he's just trailing along in the slipstream admiring his own jersey?


He ended up finishing all on his own in the middle of two groups. Very odd.


----------



## matticus (2 Jul 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> Vaaaaaamos Carapaz!


Good to see him giving it a go. Shame Movistar (who?) bolloxed it.


----------



## matticus (2 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Unexpected indeed. Not very often you'll see the yellow jersey be allowed to get away like that. Maybe the thinking, on both sides of the equation, is that VdP will lose time in the mountains.


Also, just about every big team had a rider in the main break.
V unusual circumstances!


----------



## mjr (3 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> I don’t know that part of France at all but it’s beautiful!!! Adding it to my list!


Don't tell him, Pike!





matticus said:


> Good to see him giving it a go. Shame Movistar (who?) bolloxed it.



I think there's some history there(!)


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> I don’t know that part of France at all but it’s beautiful!!! Adding it to my list!



I know the earlier bit (Vierzon way) relatively well, and have done a few rides around there and Bourges/Sancere/Nevers way. It's really flat around Bourges and can be hard work if the wind's against you. But the latter part of the stage I don't know at all and I agree that it did look lovely.


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

I've read that Matthieu VdP wasn't planning to ride the full tour and was intending to pull out at some point to prepare for the Olympic Games. I'm guessing then that he's just planning to enjoy his days in yellow and defend it for as long as he can. That'd maybe explain why the GC 'usual suspects' were unconcerned with him in the breakaway. 

A good day for Cavendish though. I didn't realise just how many points he bagged yesterday.


----------



## Mike_P (3 Jul 2021)

Have Thomas, TGH and Yates indicated they will pull out to prepare for the Olympics?


----------



## Buck (3 Jul 2021)

Yates said he wasn’t going for the GC but was looking at some stage wins and using the TdF as prep for the Olympics


----------



## jowwy (3 Jul 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Have Thomas, TGH and Yates indicated they will pull out to prepare for the Olympics?


Dont think thomas was picked for the olympics was he??


----------



## GuyBoden (3 Jul 2021)

Looking forward to today's mountain stage 8, it looks like a good stage for Alaphilippe, with a nice descent to the finish.


----------



## Mike_P (3 Jul 2021)

jowwy said:


> Dont think thomas was picked for the olympics was he??


Is according to British Cycling
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/about/article/Team-GB-Announce-Cycling-Team-Tokyo-2020-Olympics


----------



## cyberknight (3 Jul 2021)

I was thinking and correct me if im wrong , its great that Cav is in green but is it me or are there no real top flight sprinters this year ?


----------



## KneesUp (3 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> He ended up finishing all on his own in the middle of two groups. Very odd.
> View attachment 597058


I've not seen anything but that just looks to me like he stuck with the 18'37" group for a fair while until either he thought 'I'm definitely within the cut off now, even if I get a mechanical' or he got to the last climb / decent and thought he had no need to push himself or take any risks so just coasted home, but the other group were so far behind they didn't catch him.


----------



## bitsandbobs (3 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I wouldn't be at all surprised if Rog doesn't start tomorrow. The poor guy looked a wreck.



JV have said they'll take a decision on Monday (assuming he can hang on over the weekend).


----------



## bitsandbobs (3 Jul 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> Should Jumbo go all in on WVA for GC?



Dont think he'll be allowed to get in any more breaks!


----------



## roadrash (3 Jul 2021)

Roglic does indeed look wrecked


----------



## Eziemnaik (3 Jul 2021)

Spanish tv commentary is funny. A guest (ex movistar rider) mentioned Movistar is still doing anything possible to hinder Carapaz. The host is looking at him like as if he shat on the floor


----------



## Eziemnaik (3 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Roglic does indeed look wrecked


Jumbo cut the losses already and he is on his own


----------



## Grant Fondo (3 Jul 2021)

Shame about Roglic, not nice to see . 12km behind with GT now. Cat 1 climb up ahead and Poels now caught.


----------



## matticus (3 Jul 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> Spanish tv commentary is funny. A guest (ex movistar rider) mentioned Movistar is still doing anything possible to hinder Carapaz. The host is looking at him like as if he shat on the floor


Well it is quite shitty behaviour.
Nothing new of course.


----------



## Grant Fondo (3 Jul 2021)

I love the randomness of Eurosport ads .... Ceratizit Group, what the hell is all that about


----------



## Mo1959 (3 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> I love the randomness of Eurosport ads .... Ceratizit Group, what the hell is all that about


Better than the constant ads for monthly donations for every cause under the sun or funeral plans on ITV4


----------



## Eziemnaik (3 Jul 2021)

Crazy descending skills


----------



## KneesUp (3 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Better than the constant ads for monthly donations for every cause under the sun or funeral plans on ITV4


Let's check - are the adverts to do with search history - I've had 2 adverts for weight loss meal plans in the current break. Did you?

I do get the "aw look at this poor animal" ones too though.

Some fan from JML now.


----------



## KneesUp (3 Jul 2021)

Christ the 'Revitive" advert with Eamon & Ruth is a new one. Painfully bad.


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> Crazy descending skills


Crazy frightening too. Takes skill and guts to hurlte down sodden roads at 80kph.


----------



## Eziemnaik (3 Jul 2021)

Pog is working hard for these rumors


----------



## rich p (3 Jul 2021)

Blimey, Pog is killing this race


----------



## roadrash (3 Jul 2021)

Nob Ed with a Brolly , what a tool


----------



## cyberknight (3 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Roglic does indeed look wrecked


indeed i caught a glimpse in passing and he looks very umcomfy , kudos for even trying to ride unlike a clip of a wendyball player i saw this morning feigning injury till his team scored and he was up and running around


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Made me smile - not long ago Laurent Jalabert (commentating on French tele) announced it was only a matter of time before Woods was caught. Maybe he meant on Colombierre.


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Blimey, Pog is killing this race


Isn't he though. Shame in a way, even if not unexpected. With other favourites seemingly crocked it kind of gives him an open goal (to mix me sporting metaphors) or perhaps 'an open road' is more appropriate. I've enjoyed so far looking at the GC leader board and thinking 'who he?'


----------



## Adam4868 (3 Jul 2021)

Nobody is on Pogs level....dare I say unbeatable.Doesnt need a team.


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

He's certainly making the others look has beens, it's effortless for him. He passed Yates like he wasn't there. Cripes that must be demoralising.


----------



## StuAff (3 Jul 2021)

Amazing performance....just amazing. Van Aert too....


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Where's Quintana? I thought he was with Yates, or therearounds. Or has Pogocar already passed him?


----------



## Dogtrousers (3 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> *Where's Quintana?* I thought he was with Yates, or therearounds. Or has Pogocar already passed him?


Biding his time ... waiting to pick his moment ... the VOOM!


----------



## StuAff (3 Jul 2021)

Given Pog is chasing down Theuns for the win....nowhere, at a rough guess.


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Dunno why, I thought he was with the group behind Woods.


----------



## Supersuperleeds (3 Jul 2021)

I know I say it every year, but please ITV, get rid of David Millar, the bloke is a proper nobber


----------



## StuAff (3 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Dunno why, I thought he was with the group behind Woods.


He wishes.....


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Stop the tour. Pogocar has won.


----------



## Dogtrousers (3 Jul 2021)

That was quite some ride when he left Carapaz behind.


----------



## avsd (3 Jul 2021)

At least there is some excitement around Cavendish. Race for GC is over.


----------



## matticus (3 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Biding his time ... waiting to pick his moment ... the VOOM!


Pog is on his rollers warming down - perhaps now he will pounce?


----------



## hoopdriver (3 Jul 2021)

avsd said:


> At least there is some excitement around Cavendish. Race for GC is over.


The excitement might be his finishing time today…


----------



## Dogtrousers (3 Jul 2021)

Here comes Nairo. At 8'33"


----------



## StuAff (3 Jul 2021)

GC may or may not be done but still plenty of interest. Don't see Pog getting from the field like Merckx in 1969...other jerseys still very much up for grabs.


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

To be clear, I was being ironic. Ain't over 'til the fat lady sings... or summat. Pogocar could crack, crash... or another word beginning 'cr'... crap himself??


----------



## mjr (3 Jul 2021)

Supersuperleeds said:


> I know I say it every year, but please ITV, get rid of David Millar, the bloke is a proper nobber


What did he say? A bit repetitive but occasional insight.


----------



## Milzy (3 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> To be clear, I was being ironic. Ain't over 'til the fat lady sings... or summat. Pogocar could crack, crash... or another word beginning 'cr'... crap himself??


He has never cracked & never will. If he crashed he’d get back on & catch up. He’s invincible.


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> He has never cracked & never will. If he crashed he’d get back on & catch up. He’s invincible.


OK. It's over then


----------



## Mike_P (3 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> He has never cracked & never will. If he crashed he’d get back on & catch up. He’s invincible.


Not so clever on the flat in the crosswind last year.


----------



## Dogtrousers (3 Jul 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Not so clever on the flat in the crosswind last year.


Ah ha! Crosswind! Another thing beginning with Cr...


----------



## StuAff (3 Jul 2021)

Millar & the entire ITV team do a fine job. Memories of the deadly duo are still painful, OTOH ...


----------



## yello (3 Jul 2021)

Seafood allergy? Can't eat CRustaceans?


----------



## matticus (3 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Ah ha! Crosswind! Another thing beginning with Cr...


You've identified the critical issues. They are crucial.


----------



## carpiste (3 Jul 2021)

Pogocar does seem to have it sewn up already but as I watched today I couldn`t help but feel weather conditions, breakdown, maybe even outside forces ( stupid roadside fans) could still have a say. It`s never over `til ......


----------



## mjr (3 Jul 2021)

carpiste said:


> Pogocar does seem to have it sewn up already but as I watched today I couldn`t help but feel weather conditions, breakdown, maybe even outside forces ( stupid roadside fans) could still have a say. It`s never over `til ......


And the thing is, unlike some one-stage wonders and time-trial muggings, it would be difficult to begrudge him the GC win based on his first week performance including today.

Bit of a shame no other GC contenders are within 4 minutes, unless Van Aert has become one overnight.


----------



## Martinsnos (3 Jul 2021)

StuAff said:


> Millar & the entire ITV team do a fine job. Memories of the deadly duo are still painful, OTOH ...





mjr said:


> What did he say? A bit repetitive but occasional insight.


I agree. I compare ITV4 to Eurosport. Generally ITV know why x situation is happening in the race Eurosport not only question ‘why is x happening?’ they sometimes completely miss it has happened in the first place.
(I appreciate not easy and both make mistakes but ITV more insightful from what I have seen).


----------



## Supersuperleeds (3 Jul 2021)

mjr said:


> What did he say? A bit repetitive but occasional insight.



Nothing in particular today, it's just his general demeanour. Also doesn't help that he keeps getting the rider identification wrong all the time and is constantly being corrected by Ned Boulting.


----------



## Adam4868 (3 Jul 2021)

I'm with @Supersuperleeds about Millar,does my fecking head in.So far up his own arse I have to turn the volume down when only itv4 available !


----------



## Adam4868 (3 Jul 2021)

Pogacar WTF.....


----------



## Mike_P (3 Jul 2021)

.....or Hey Rogs fancy competing for Lanterne Rouge?


----------



## KneesUp (3 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> The excitement might be his finishing time today…


"Happily for the Deceuninck-Quick Step rider, who made his Tour de France debut 14 years ago and is well used to riding within the time limit in mountain stages, he rolled across the line in a huge group of riders with a minute or so to spare."

From the Road.cc report here


----------



## Dogtrousers (3 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> I'm with @Supersuperleeds about Millar,does my fecking head in.So far up his own arse I have to turn the volume down when only itv4 available !


+1. Smarmy doper.

Actually I'm not too fussed who's commentating, but Millar does set my teeth on edge rather.

But hey, I like Carlton Kirby, so what do I know?


----------



## KneesUp (3 Jul 2021)

I like Millar's commentary - didn't even occur to me people would find him annoying. I guess anyone commentating for hours a day might struggle for things to say everyone and again, and maybe I'd feel differently if I watched all of every stage, but I'm sure I'd find anyone annoying if I listened to them for hours a day for three weeks.


----------



## Martinsnos (3 Jul 2021)

KneesUp said:


> I like Millar's commentary - didn't even occur to me people would find him annoying. I guess anyone commentating for hours a day might struggle for things to say everyone and again, and maybe I'd feel differently if I watched all of every stage, but I'm sure I'd find anyone annoying if I listened to them for hours a day for three weeks.


I was going to retort - ‘14 years with my wife’ - but then I remembered I don’t listen!


----------



## bladesman73 (3 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> I'm with @Supersuperleeds about Millar,does my fecking head in.So far up his own arse I have to turn the volume down when only itv4 available !


He's such a self absorbed terwatt...I had the misfortune of watching Time Trial...plus I don't like his downton accent


----------



## fozy tornip (3 Jul 2021)

This time, for sure:


----------



## Grant Fondo (3 Jul 2021)

That bottle of water that Teuns (just) missed? Good job no bunched sprint finish eh?
Great job by Pogacar today.


----------



## MasterDabber (3 Jul 2021)

Now this is classy and really a nice moment.


View: https://twitter.com/cyclingtips/status/1411372266508611593


----------



## Milzy (3 Jul 2021)

Miller is a smarmy silver spooned posh twunt but I don’t mind him. He does talk crap sometimes like about Sonny C been a second rate sprinter. He’s a niche climby/sprinter, can’t beat Cav & Bennet on conventional flat courses but when the terrain suits him & he’s on form he’s great & can win races.


----------



## Cathryn (3 Jul 2021)

MasterDabber said:


> Now this is classy and really a nice moment.
> 
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/cyclingtips/status/1411372266508611593



That whole clip made me weepy! Gorgeous!


----------



## mjr (3 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> +1. Smarmy doper.
> 
> [...]
> But hey, I like Carlton Kirby, so what do I know?


Surely Kirby must be doping to come out with what he does, and not performance enhancing either!


----------



## matticus (3 Jul 2021)

MasterDabber said:


> Now this is classy and really a nice moment.
> 
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/cyclingtips/status/1411372266508611593



Ther is also footage of Rog donating a bidon (in the finish funnel?) after a VERY bad day. 👍


----------



## Martinsnos (4 Jul 2021)

Did Pogacar get the call to slow down because the team thought ‘we don’t want him coming in ahead of a Bahrain rider on such a tough stage’?!! (I know he looked knackered at the end really!).


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Did Pogacar get the call to slow down because the team thought ‘we don’t want him coming in ahead of a Bahrain rider on such a tough stage’?!! (I know he looked knackered at the end really!).


No reckon it was more of the wet descent and why risk it.He didn't really need the stage win to show how dominant he is.


----------



## yello (4 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> No reckon it was more of the wet descent and why risk it.



This, imo.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Roglic not starting today...not suprised to be honest.He must be hurting bad.


----------



## Martinsnos (4 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> No reckon it was more of the wet descent and why risk it.He didn't really need the stage win to show how dominant he is.


I know - I was being ‘naughty’!!!


----------



## yello (4 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Roglic not starting today...not suprised to be honest.He must be hurting bad.



It's sadly not a surprise. I'm surprised he started yesterday tbh - I thought he looked crocked then. Still, he gave it a shot and credit it to him for that. He was probably hoping to hang in there until the rest day and then reassess. 

I've a sneaking suspicion that Thomas will likewise pack, maybe not today but Tuesday. He's clearly not at his best and fell away easily yesterday. I'm not sure he can go into 'damage limitation' mode even.


----------



## Martinsnos (4 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> It's sadly not a surprise. I'm surprised he started yesterday tbh - I thought he looked crocked then. Still, he gave it a shot and credit it to him for that. He was probably hoping to hang in there until the rest day and then reassess.
> 
> I've a sneaking suspicion that Thomas will likewise pack, maybe not today but Tuesday. He's clearly not at his best and fell away easily yesterday. I'm not sure he can go into 'damage limitation' mode even.


I’m not sure if ‘all’ the (second!) favourites going out is good for the sport. I think the sport does benefit from familiar faces (however much that irks some people) and losing those characters isn’t good for the ‘brand’?!
Above is not to suggest it is anyone’s fault (a lot was self-inflicted).


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> It's sadly not a surprise. I'm surprised he started yesterday tbh - I thought he looked crocked then. Still, he gave it a shot and credit it to him for that. He was probably hoping to hang in there until the rest day and then reassess.
> 
> I've a sneaking suspicion that Thomas will likewise pack, maybe not today but Tuesday. He's clearly not at his best and fell away easily yesterday. I'm not sure he can go into 'damage limitation' mode even.


Or maybe Thomas can ride himself into some sort of fitness ? Maybe that's me being a little to optimistic,be good to see someone from Ineos going for a stage win at least.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> I’m not sure if ‘all’ the (second!) favourites going out is good for the sport. I think the sport does benefit from familiar faces (however much that irks some people) and losing those characters isn’t good for the ‘brand’?!
> Above is not to suggest it is anyone’s fault (a lot was self-inflicted).


How many really know who the "second favourites ' are ? Once someone like Pogi becomes so dominant it's good to see some attacking stages from lesser known riders.Gives a few opportunities they wouldn't normally have.


----------



## Martinsnos (4 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> How many really know who the "second favourites ' are ? Once someone like Pogi becomes so dominant it's good to see some attacking stages from lesser known riders.Gives a few opportunities they wouldn't normally have.


Agreed to a point. As long as the unknowns become known in a way - the history is based on ‘dominant’ characters (not always a good thing). ‘This year it was x, the following it was y’ isn’t something ‘we’ are used to.
It could be a good thing, no doubt.


----------



## Milzy (4 Jul 2021)

I agree GT to pack next. Maybe even Sagan unless he’s going to challenge Cav in Paris which he won’t win. Pog too dominant, it’s the worst TDF I’ve ever seen in my life.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> I agree GT to pack next. Maybe even Sagan unless he’s going to challenge Cav in Paris which he won’t win. Pog too dominant, it’s the worst TDF I’ve ever seen in my life.


You didn't enjoy the first eight stages ? Who knows what's to come.


----------



## yello (4 Jul 2021)

I dunno about the worst but it certainly is, um, different. Personally, I'm enjoying seeing names I don't know on the leaderboard. And I'm enjoying watching with comparatively few expectations and little idea as to who can do what (Pogocar aside). It's kind of refreshing.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

It's boring when Sky/Ineos/Jumbo dominate with teams in a train.....it's boring when one man can be so good and not need a team.
It's far from over unless you want it to be.Anything can happen !


----------



## hoopdriver (4 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> I agree GT to pack next. Maybe even Sagan unless he’s going to challenge Cav in Paris which he won’t win. Pog too dominant, it’s the worst TDF I’ve ever seen in my life.


How do you reckon that? The crashes were unfortunate, true, but that’s a part of racing (well, not the woman with the placard) and both the Roglic and Thomas crashes were self inflicted, as was the Ewan crash. The race has certainly opened up considerably and instead of tedious club run days of ‘racing” we’ve been treated to some very dynamic attacking days with interesting results. How is that bad?


----------



## Dogtrousers (4 Jul 2021)

I've definitely enjoyed it so far. It's been brilliant.

Now ... we've entered into a situation where the main contender takes a stranglehold on the race. This normally happens ... OK a few days later than this but it happens. And over recent years it has happened when a dominant team nullifies all the racing. This year it's happened through self inflicted injuries to the other contenders and the main guy (but not his team) being just too good. 

End result is similar, with respect to GC. 

It's been crazy - I'm looking forward to the rest.

If you're very, very invested in your favourite winning, or have a serious dislike of the leader for one reason or another then it can be dis-spiriting. But if you're prepared to look at the big picture it's going to be interesting.


----------



## StuAff (4 Jul 2021)

Worst? Wasn't that 1999-2005? 

Anything but dull. It's more finely poised than it looks. If Pog holds on, it wouldn't certainly wouldn't be a surprise…but a lot could happen.


----------



## KneesUp (4 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> I agree GT to pack next. Maybe even Sagan unless he’s going to challenge Cav in Paris which he won’t win. Pog too dominant, it’s the worst TDF I’ve ever seen in my life.


Do you think people said the same thing when Merckx made everyone else look ordinary in 1969?


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Jul 2021)

KneesUp said:


> Do you think people said the same thing when Merckx made everyone else look ordinary in 1969?


Was that the year when he was doped close to Armstrong's level?


----------



## Milzy (4 Jul 2021)

KneesUp said:


> Do you think people said the same thing when Merckx made everyone else look ordinary in 1969?


Yes. Lance did the same thing as Merckx.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Rumour is that Van der Poel not starting today ?


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Jul 2021)

Maybe Nairo and Poels can get to the finish line today without the Slovenian TGV overtaking them


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Jul 2021)

Alaphilippe caught cold
Slick jersey change by Nairo


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Merlier abandoned.


----------



## Martinsnos (4 Jul 2021)

The Jumbo race director says Roglic was pushed off (over or similar).
Is this 100% known or is it also possible he crossed wheels?


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Come on Ben !


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Jul 2021)

Just got dropped...
Hopefully he can get back and wear a yellow today


----------



## Supersuperleeds (4 Jul 2021)

The UAE rider shoulder checking and then going straight off, never done that (at a much slower pace obviously) honestly


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Go Ben ....I'm skint !


----------



## Supersuperleeds (4 Jul 2021)

Nairo blown up.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Nairo blown up.


KOM king 👑


----------



## Grant Fondo (4 Jul 2021)

Great ride by O Connor, still taking time out of the peleton, hope he makes it to top for yellow.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Great ride by O Connor, still taking time out of the peleton, hope he makes it to top for yellow.


10 second bonus for the win !


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Anyone want a drink......😍


----------



## Beebo (4 Jul 2021)

Pogacar riding in a different race than everyone else. 
The didn’t even appear to be trying at the end but grabbed 30secs.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

How the feck did Colbreli come third on that sort of mountain stage 🙄


----------



## Shadow (4 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Pog too dominant, it’s the worst TDF I’ve ever seen in my life.



I do wonder if we are watching the same race...or you are being deliberately being provocative.

We have just seen an another amazing ride by another up and coming youngster. Seemingly out of nowhere OConnor drops Higuita and minutes prior Quintana just falls by the wayside.

Yes, Pog may win at a canter but watching him use Ineos as a lead out was fun.

As previously discussed there is much to see and to see how it is done. Another example is Colbrelli. Can he challenge Cav for green? It will be fun to watch.

And if you are still disappointed you can always use the off button.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Cav made the the time cut off ! Riders who didn't...Demare, Guarnieri, Delaplace, De Bod, Dlamini, Vliegen, Coquard


----------



## rich p (4 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Cav made the the time cut off ! Riders who didn't...Demare, Guarnieri, Delaplace, De Bod, Dlamini, Vliegen, Coquard


And Merlier out too. The sprint winning possibles are thinning out!


----------



## Grant Fondo (4 Jul 2021)

Really enjoyed todays stage, brutal conditions too.


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## Mike_P (4 Jul 2021)

Not the best of days for the British riders with GT (19th) the highest placed and Luke Rowe (79th) the next highest.
81 Fred Wright
92 Mark Donovan
108 Connor Swift
115 Simon Yates 
118 TGH
128 Froome
144 Dan McLay
160 Cav


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## Milzy (4 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Cav made the the time cut off ! Riders who didn't...Demare, Guarnieri, Delaplace, De Bod, Dlamini, Vliegen, Coquard


It’s unbelievable they didn’t make it. You’d think Demare would go for the win in Paris & Coquard would finish his home tour too. I wouldn’t be extending their contracts.


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## Toshiba Boy (4 Jul 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Not the best of days for the British riders with GT (19th) the highest placed and Luke Rowe (79th) the next highest.
> 81 Fred Wright
> 92 Mark Donovan
> 108 Connor Swift
> ...



Whilst understanding what you're saying, having followed the Tour for some 50 years (probably like many on here, maybe like yourself too), have watched Tours without a single British rider in it from the start. So, tbh, I would say fantastic, 10 British riders still in it ( i.e. All those that started) well done guys.

On the start line, placed us as joint 7th Nationality (with Aussies), one more than the cycling Powerhouse that is Italy.


----------



## StuAff (4 Jul 2021)

Toshiba Boy said:


> Whilst understanding what you're saying, having followed the Tour for some 50 years (probably like many on here, maybe like yourself too), have watched Tours without a single British rider in it from the start. So, tbh, I would say fantastic, 10 British riders still in it ( i.e. All those that started) well done guys.
> 
> On the start line, placed us as joint 7th Nationality (with Aussies), one more than the cycling Powerhouse that is Italy.


Or, to put it another way: the green jersey wearer (and one of the leading stage winners of all time), four GT winners, and seven riders still in the running and capable of making history/winning a stage or two/just doing a good job for their teams.


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## gavroche (4 Jul 2021)

At only 22 years of age, Pogacar could be the first rider to win more than 5 tours and take the record. His future is certainly bright. As a climber, he is head and shoulders above all the others. As a TT rider, he is pretty good too.


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## Dogtrousers (4 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> It’s unbelievable they didn’t make it. You’d think Demare would go for the win in Paris & Coquard would finish his home tour too. I wouldn’t be extending their contracts.


Do you think the guys who finished outside time limit did so because they couldn't be arsed?


View: https://twitter.com/IntermarcheWG/status/1411739548040761347?s=19


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## Milzy (4 Jul 2021)

Loic was a lot more banged up than who I mentioned so it’s understandable.


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## Ming the Merciless (4 Jul 2021)

Enjoyed that. Tough weather conditions again. Was at finish in Tignes in 2007. About 400 metres from finish having climbed an alpine peak in the morning.


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## StuAff (4 Jul 2021)

Nic Dlamini crashed early in the stage, but finished (over forty minutes after the cut) because he wanted to honour the Tour. Chapeau.


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## Eziemnaik (4 Jul 2021)

gavroche said:


> At only 22 years of age, Pogacar could be the first rider to win more than 5 tours and take the record. His future is certainly bright. As a climber, he is head and shoulders above all the others. As a TT rider, he is pretty good too.


Pog destroys TT world champions and outclimbs pure climbers. Sometimes within days. Sometimes on the same day. Soon will outsprint Cav


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## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> It’s unbelievable they didn’t make it. You’d think Demare would go for the win in Paris & Coquard would finish his home tour too. I wouldn’t be extending their contracts.


To be fair that was a bastard of a stage for a lot.I think Cav only just made it by a minute and a half ish ? He had two team mates to help him make the time.He knew before hand how hard this would be.Especially as the ride O'Connor put in ! 

View: https://twitter.com/VeloUK/status/1411732031990648835?s=19


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## Dogtrousers (4 Jul 2021)

I've always thought the time limits were a bit mean. But I suppose, sport being what it is, that if they extended the limit there'd still be a big group finishing exactly on the limit, saving energy.

Wasn't there a case in the Vuelta(?) a few years back when a fast break went off and half the peloton said "sod this for a game of soldiers" and called the race authorities' bluff and rolled in late, and because there were so many of them the organisers extended the limit. Did that happen or am I making it up?


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## Adam4868 (4 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I've always thought the time limits were a bit mean. But I suppose, sport being what it is, that if they extended the limit there'd still be a big group finishing exactly on the limit, saving energy.
> 
> Wasn't there a case in the Vuelta(?) a few years back when a fast break went off and half the peloton said "sod this for a game of soldiers" and called the race authorities' bluff and rolled in late, and because there were so many of them the organisers extended the limit. Did that happen or am I making it up?


Personally I think it should be last man standing...Pog could try and catch Lachlan Morton ?
No you weren't dreaming.....
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/riders-react-vuelta-espana-time-cut-incident-282115


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## mjr (4 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Wasn't there a case in the Vuelta(?) a few years back when a fast break went off and half the peloton said "sod this for a game of soldiers" and called the race authorities' bluff and rolled in late, and because there were so many of them the organisers extended the limit. Did that happen or am I making it up?


That has happened in all three grand tours and some others. I think there may even be a UCI regulation requiring it, to avoid race organisers deliberately misgrading stages to force the autobus to work harder instead of being the laughing group.

Is there a cycling equivalent of the Barkley Marathons, which often has no finishers due to tight time cuts?


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## cougie uk (4 Jul 2021)

mjr said:


> That has happened in all three grand tours and some others. I think there may even be a UCI regulation requiring it, to avoid race organisers deliberately misgrading stages to force the autobus to work harder instead of being the laughing group.
> 
> Is there a cycling equivalent of the Barkley Marathons, which often has no finishers due to tight time cuts?


Can't think of anything like Barkley - certainly not great for a sport that relies on advertising as much as cycling does.

I'm sure the Giro booted dozens of riders out one edition not so long ago for missing the cut off ? Not ideal.


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## yello (5 Jul 2021)

I only appreciated yesterday (thanks to a snippet on the tele) just how tough a competition it is at the tail end. The weather was atrocious, and that just made it tougher. But some riders are on their limit to make the cut off. The cameras and reports don't really do justice to that. The focus tends to be on the winners.

Riders were rolling in shattered, wet and cold to almost zero acknowledgement. Naccer Bouhanni looked and sounded like a physical wreck. Cavendish, as remarked earlier, treated making the cut as akin to as stage victory.

How some of those guys continue on amazes me. 

BTW, I believe the race commissioners can, and do, practice leniency in the application of the cut off. In the TdF anyway, I don't know about other GTs.


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## hoopdriver (5 Jul 2021)

They do - and if there is a big enough group that fails to make the cut they will reinstate them, at their discretion, but the reinstated riders lose any points they might have accrued up to that point. In Mark Cavendish’s case that would mean losing every single point he’s acquired in the Green Jersey chase and having to start all over again at zero - not something he really wants to do.


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## Dogtrousers (5 Jul 2021)

There was the famous case of Paul Sherwen who restarted after a crash and rode most of a mountain stage alone. They took pity on him and did not eliminate him despite the fact that he was extremely out of time.

There's an oft repeated story on here - which sounds plausible - that one year Étape du Tour sportive followed the same route as a particular mountain stage, and the fastest riders on the Étape du Tour were slower than the slowest eliminated rider of the actual stage.


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## cyberknight (5 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> There was the famous case of Paul Sherwen who restarted after a crash and rode most of a mountain stage alone. They took pity on him and did not eliminate him despite the fact that he was extremely out of time.
> 
> There's an oft repeated story on here - which sounds plausible - that one year Étape du Tour sportive followed the same route as a particular mountain stage, and the fastest riders on the Étape du Tour were slower than the slowest eliminated rider of the actual stage.


indeed we all think sprinters are slow on hills but the fact is most of them would trounce any amateur on any sort of terrain


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## Dogtrousers (5 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I see Froome has managed to overtake Cav.


My mistake. I was looking at the stage rankings, not the overall. Froome did indeed take a big bite out of Cav's overall lead, but not quite enough. The GC battle of the titans is on a knife edge. Cav's lead is down to 24"


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## yello (5 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> There's an oft repeated story on here - which sounds plausible - that one year Étape du Tour sportive followed the same route as a particular mountain stage, and the fastest riders on the Étape du Tour were slower than the slowest eliminated rider of the actual stage.



I can believe it and, coincidently, I remarked on something similar to my wife when walking the dog earlier. That is, I knew that I'd personally take at least twice the amount of time to complete a stage of the TdF - and yesterday's stage, sheesh, I'd probably still be out there!


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## Dogtrousers (5 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> I can believe it and, coincidently, I remarked on something similar to my wife when walking the dog earlier. That is, I knew that I'd personally take at least twice the amount of time to complete a stage of the TdF - and yesterday's stage, sheesh, I'd probably still be out there!


I use "double the pros' time" as a benchmark quite often, going back to when I was a runner. Marathon? 2hrs for the pros. 4h will do me. The peloton can cruise happily at 40-50kmh. I cruise happily at 20-25 kmh. And so on.

Of course that's only for running and cycling, things that I would consider myself good at. Thinks like shot-putt or swimming or other stuff that I never do I'm probably down to 10%. Ski-jumping probably more like a fraction of a percent 

Edit: I just checked. Stage 1 of the 2016 tour (flat, 188km) was won by Cav in 4h 13' 55" I rode it a few days before the race and it took me 11h 04' 58". So a factor of 2.6  Mind you that did include a hearty breakfast stop  a really good lunch stop  ... and a mid-afternoon snack And my route came out 10km or so longer for some reason.


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## BrumJim (5 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I use "double the pros' time" as a benchmark quite often, going back to when I was a runner. Marathon? 2hrs for the pros. 4h will do me. The peloton can cruise happily at 40-50kmh. I cruise happily at 20-25 kmh. And so on.
> 
> Of course that's only for running and cycling, that I would consider myself good at. Thinks like shot-putt or swimming or other stuff that I never do I'm probably down to 10%. Ski-jumping probably more like a fraction of a percent


Eddie "the eagle" Edward's record for the ski jump is 71m. Given that he did it all himself without any funding or professional coaching, with second-hand kit that didn't fit, and being much heavier than the average ski jumper. So I guess it wouldn't be that difficult for an average Joe / Jo to get reasonably close to that distance......


as long as.....


they had the guts to launch themselves off a 90m hill into the oblivion. Frankly I would get nowhere near 71m. As in not 60m, not 50m, not 40m, but as in not even having the courage to sit on the pole with my skis on looking down the massive slope and hill that awaits me!


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## Dogtrousers (5 Jul 2021)

BrumJim said:


> So I guess it wouldn't be that difficult for an average Joe / Jo to get reasonably close to that distance......


I'd have to learn how to ski first ...


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## JBGooner (5 Jul 2021)

gavroche said:


> At only 22 years of age, Pogacar could be the first rider to win more than 5 tours and take the record. His future is certainly bright. As a climber, he is head and shoulders above all the others. As a TT rider, he is pretty good too.



After his performances so far this tour I'm leaning towards him winning as many TdF as Lance Armstrong ...

Which would make the race for "second" place interesting at least.


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## matticus (5 Jul 2021)

The race for 2nd IS interesting; the strongest on-paper candidates pre-tour seem to have teams in disarray. Could be a left-field contender - such as that mountain goat "Cobrelli" chappie?

(and for 3rd place of course)

Green Jersey looks set for a battle royal, which is unusual. :-)


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## Dogtrousers (5 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> The race for 2nd IS interesting; the strongest on-paper candidates pre-tour seem to have teams in disarray. Could be a left-field contender - such as that mountain goat "Cobrelli" chappie?
> 
> (and for 3rd place of course)
> 
> Green Jersey looks set for a battle royal, which is unusual. :-)


Who is this Sonic O'Brelly guy? Is he Irish?


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## BrumJim (5 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Who is this Sonic O'Brelly guy? Is he Irish?


Yup. An Irish blue hedgehog. Goes really fast too.


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## JBGooner (5 Jul 2021)

Ol' Rigoberto Uran has done a good job submarining his way onto the podium positions


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## matticus (5 Jul 2021)

JBGooner said:


> After his performances so far this tour I'm leaning towards him winning as many TdF as Lance Armstrong ...


Think you'll find he is one up on the Texan already.


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## gavroche (5 Jul 2021)

JBGooner said:


> After his performances so far this tour I'm leaning towards him winning as many TdF a*s Lance Armstrong ...*
> 
> Which would make the race for "second" place interesting at least.


Who is he? Officially, no-one has won more than 5 TdF so far.


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## matticus (5 Jul 2021)

Some wag on twitter:

Unexpected graffiti on the final summit today; "Allez OPI!"
Shouldn't laugh, but I did.
#TDF2021


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## yello (5 Jul 2021)

Over the last Sky years (era?) I'd gotten used to it being a race for 2nd. It was the only way I could sustain interest. And even then, I stopped watching in the last few years, just read reports. What's happening now is a god-send for my interest in the sport.


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## yello (5 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Unexpected graffiti on the final summit today; "Allez OPI!"


Was Omi dropped?


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## matticus (5 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Was Omi dropped?


 Don't know!
It looked like they ran out of paint (or road width).

Replay the coverage of Pog summiting if you want to check.


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## JBGooner (5 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Over the last Sky years (era?) I'd gotten used to it being a race for 2nd. It was the only way I could sustain interest. And even then, I stopped watching in the last few years, just read reports. What's happening now is a god-send for my interest in the sport.



Wait until Team Ineos sign Tadej Pogacar! 

(Don't worry, that'll never happen!)


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## Dogtrousers (5 Jul 2021)

Here's an interesting rest day fact

View: https://twitter.com/EdwardPickering/status/1412031100654964740


Poulidor 2nds: 
TdF ('64,'65, '74)
Vuelta ('65)

Uran 2nds
Giro ('13, '14)
TdF ('17)


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## ebikeerwidnes (5 Jul 2021)

Rest day today
so - decorating it is then!


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## mjr (5 Jul 2021)

BrumJim said:


> Eddie "the eagle" Edward's record for the ski jump is 71m. Given that he did it all himself without any funding or professional coaching, [...]


Maybe you mean paid coaching. The Viscomes were professional coaches, but I'm not sure if Eddie the Eagle paid them, or if they gave him advice because of his enthusiasm, as reportedly did many coaches when he started travelling to competitions.

What's this got to do with the Tour? Are any ski jumpers still in it?


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## Mike_P (5 Jul 2021)

UAE should sign Sam Bennett and a decent sprint train, that will cover the sprint stages and TP can cope on his own on the rest.


----------



## MasterDabber (5 Jul 2021)

Roglic's crash this week must have felt minor compared to this.

View: https://youtu.be/oNRYgKyZBAI


----------



## yello (5 Jul 2021)

Age restricted. First time I've come across that.


----------



## Buck (5 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Over the last Sky years (era?) I'd gotten used to it being a race for 2nd. It was the only way I could sustain interest. And even then, I stopped watching in the last few years, just read reports. What's happening now is a god-send for my interest in the sport.



Totally agree. The carnage of the first couple of days has opened up the race beyond its usual formulaic outcomes. 
we’ve had so many twists and turns in the first week that nobody can see the next two weeks as being a “done thing”. 
For me it has been so good to see some new GC contenders coming through as a result too. 
Plus the resurgence by Cav has been something to behold.


----------



## MasterDabber (5 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Age restricted. First time I've come across that.


When you post a video on YouTube it asks you whether you want to age restrict the access.


----------



## Grant Fondo (5 Jul 2021)

Hopefully Cav is still in good nick after the mountains for tomorrow


----------



## Smokin Joe (5 Jul 2021)

Worrying?

De Gendt: It's clear that the general level is just much higher at the Tour de France | Cyclingnews 

Possibly, but I hope not.


----------



## matticus (5 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Hopefully Cav is still in good nick after the mountains for tomorrow


Cav fans should watch the Rest Day ITV4 prog - great interview, classic Cav (and Freibos failed to bait him  )


----------



## geocycle (5 Jul 2021)

Brilliant ITV rest day show. Loved the line from Imlach about his late director ‘he could have set up a stubbornness consultancy in a field full of mules’ will use that one! Nice tribute and the climate change was different,


----------



## cyberknight (5 Jul 2021)

JBGooner said:


> Wait until Team Ineos sign Tadej Pogacar!
> 
> (Don't worry, that'll never happen!)


I can see it happening, either at the end of contract or if ineos really want him a contract buyout


----------



## cisamcgu (5 Jul 2021)

cyberknight said:


> indeed we all think sprinters are slow on hills but the fact is most of them would trounce any amateur on any sort of terrain



A case in point is Chris Boardman - a specialist time trialist and a very poor TdF climber. However, he was the Britsih hill climb champion for 4 years in succession - the best amateur the UK had to offer. It reinforces the idea that a poor TdF climber would out-perform pretty much anyone else.


----------



## Beebo (5 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I use "double the pros' time" as a benchmark quite often, going back to when I was a runner. Marathon? 2hrs for the pros. 4h will do me. The peloton can cruise happily at 40-50kmh. I cruise happily at 20-25 kmh. And so on.
> 
> Of course that's only for running and cycling, things that I would consider myself good at. Thinks like shot-putt or swimming or other stuff that I never do I'm probably down to 10%. Ski-jumping probably more like a fraction of a percent
> 
> Edit: I just checked. Stage 1 of the 2016 tour (flat, 188km) was won by Cav in 4h 13' 55" I rode it a few days before the race and it took me 11h 04' 58". So a factor of 2.6  Mind you that did include a hearty breakfast stop  a really good lunch stop  ... and a mid-afternoon snack And my route came out 10km or so longer for some reason.


I’ve had similar pub chat with friends.
Take every Olympic event and see if you can get 50%.
Sprint events are OK, long distance running a bit harder but technical track events are impossible. How’s your triple jump and hammer throwing?


----------



## Milzy (5 Jul 2021)

Smokin Joe said:


> Worrying?
> 
> De Gendt: It's clear that the general level is just much higher at the Tour de France | Cyclingnews
> 
> Possibly, but I hope not.


He’s right, they are on a new kind of program. Next level methods. The sports scientists & coaches can’t believe the numbers.


----------



## Adam4868 (5 Jul 2021)

Or could it be he's just a class act....if I thought every great ride,stage win,GT win was dodgy I'd give up watching.I mean whats happened to Jumbo,Ineos this year ? Maybe it's out with the old and in with the new.
Or take a look at past stages and rides and realise that Pogi isn't actually breaking any records as such...just riding smart,he's fearless is that not what we wanted.Its not like we haven't seen how good he is already.Tirreno,Liege etc.
Maybe start a separate thread if anyone wants to,its not the right one for endless doubting 🙄


----------



## Adam4868 (5 Jul 2021)

Nibali says he's pulling out on second rest day to concentrate on getting ready for Olympics.


----------



## rich p (5 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Nibali says he's pulling out on second rest day to concentrate on getting ready for Olympics.


Which event is hoping to do? Not cycling for sure...


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> if I thought every great ride,stage win,GT win was dodgy I'd give up watching.



I have a slightly different take but it's the same in as much as I don't think about it either. If someone's doping then so be it. I don't support it, I don't want it and I'm not naive about it - but I don't think about it during a race. I just watch and (hopefully) enjoy the performances.

I'm looking forward to today; to see who starts and how everyone looks. But, like Cavendish, I don't want to talk about records. I don't want to get my hopes up or jinx it! Suffice it to say that it's a day for the sprinters... or a committed breakaway. The weather forecast is pretty shitty (winds and rain) so that could be a factor.


----------



## DCLane (6 Jul 2021)

cisamcgu said:


> A case in point is Chris Boardman - a specialist time trialist and a very poor TdF climber. However, he was the Britsih hill climb champion for 4 years in succession - the best amateur the UK had to offer. It reinforces the idea that a poor TdF climber would out-perform pretty much anyone else.



The British national hillclimb is only short though - 2019's was exceptional at 3 miles, 2020's was 650m and this year's is 1.5km of Winnat's Pass - so they're usually short enough for a sprinter to do well. 

Whereas French climbs tend to be less steep and longer.


----------



## hoopdriver (6 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Which event is hoping to do? Not cycling for sure...


Hammer throw


----------



## Martinsnos (6 Jul 2021)

Much as there has been an exceptional performance, I wonder how many have underperformed because of Covid (not necessarily the having but the whole pandemic situation)?
Carapaz said his numbers were good but there may be others where that isn’t the case. Apart from all the interruptions to training/racing, there has been a huge amount of stress generally that could really impact performance and other factors like change of mindsets bought on by the pandemic.


----------



## matticus (6 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Much as there has been an exceptional performance, I wonder how many have underperformed because of Covid (not necessarily the having but the whole pandemic situation)?
> Carapaz said his numbers were good but there may be others where that isn’t the case. Apart from all the interruptions to training/racing, there has been a huge amount of stress generally that could really impact performance and other factors like change of mindsets bought on by the pandemic.


I do think the mental factor has been siginificant. Unfortunately we can never measure it. 
I would imagine the youngsters are least affected - especially if no dependants. They are worrying less about the world changing, worrying less about their family, and dealing better with changes in routine/logistics (many won't have settled into any routine since turning pro!).

Read the blog post from Pog and his girlfriend before they set off for France (to separate races) around June 2020 - not a care in the world. I am jealous, but pleased for them!


----------



## matticus (6 Jul 2021)

DCLane said:


> The British national hillclimb is only short though - 2019's was exceptional at 3 miles, 2020's was 650m and this year's is 1.5km of Winnat's Pass - so they're usually short enough for a sprinter to do well.


Boardman was no sprinter!

;-)


----------



## Flick of the Elbow (6 Jul 2021)

When talking of Cav we’re not to mention Merckx.
When talking of Pogacar we’re not to mention you know who


----------



## Ming the Merciless (6 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I've always thought the time limits were a bit mean. But I suppose, sport being what it is, that if they extended the limit there'd still be a big group finishing exactly on the limit, saving energy.



That would be the full value audax group with their jam butties


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Suffice it to say that it's a day for the sprinters... or a committed breakaway. The weather forecast is pretty shitty (winds and rain) so that could be a factor.


I've gone with Pogi....e/w at 400/1....well he is unbelievable isn't he 🙄


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Much as there has been an exceptional performance, I wonder how many have underperformed because of Covid (not necessarily the having but the whole pandemic situation)?
> Carapaz said his numbers were good but there may be others where that isn’t the case. Apart from all the interruptions to training/racing, there has been a huge amount of stress generally that could really impact performance and other factors like change of mindsets bought on by the pandemic.


If your really into numbers/watts there all out there.I don't think it's anything to do with underperforming,more the stress/crashes of the first week.Thats whats been zapping a lot of riders energy.Maybe quite a few will ride themselves into better fitness in the coming weeks....or maybe Pog will do a Yates and blow up in the third week ! Although I wouldn't like to bet on that.


----------



## Martinsnos (6 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> If your really into numbers/watts there all out there.I don't think it's anything to do with underperforming,more the stress/crashes of the first week.Thats whats been zapping a lot of riders energy.Maybe quite a few will ride themselves into better fitness in the coming weeks....or maybe Pog will do a Yates and blow up in the third week ! Although I wouldn't like to bet on that.


Thanks. I guess the decents are where some riders might question ‘is it worth it?’ and those ‘stats’ might be less hard to quantify.


----------



## Dogtrousers (6 Jul 2021)

Well at least UAE should get a bit of help from DQS controlling the breaks today. Now that pair of naughty troublemakers MvDP and WvA have been split up (I don't know why teacher ever allowed them to sit together) maybe things won't be so insane today.

I predict: Things will be so insane today. It's the new normal.


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Well at least UAE should get a bit of help from DQS controlling the breaks today. Now that pair of naughty troublemakers MvDP and WvA have been split up (I don't know why teacher ever allowed them to sit together) maybe things won't be so insane today.
> 
> I predict: Things will be so insane today. It's the new normal.


Echelons ! Been saying a prayer for some..


----------



## GuyBoden (6 Jul 2021)

Breaking TdF news:
David Millar chills his red wine........................


----------



## Dogtrousers (6 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Breaking TdF news:
> David Millar chills his red wine........................


Not the only thing he's kept in his fridge


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Breaking TdF news:
> David Millar chills his red wine........................


It won't be him....you mean his butler 🙄


----------



## matticus (6 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> It won't be him....you mean his butler 🙄


Is this fair?? I mean, don't let me stop the d*ping jokes, please no; but I don't believe his family were super-minted (he just talks proper-like), and he was paid millions less than the sport's superstars.
IAMFI!


----------



## Beebo (6 Jul 2021)

Cav didn’t bother with the intermediate sprint. Full guns for the win.


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Is this fair?? I mean, don't let me stop the d*ping jokes, please no; but I don't believe his family were super-minted (he just talks proper-like), and he was paid millions less than the sport's superstars.
> IAMFI!


Fair lol....there's no fair in my world.WTF is talking proper by the way 🙄


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

Better hope it stays dry...looks like a sketchy finish.

View: https://twitter.com/RenaudB31/status/1412388774156410884?s=19


----------



## mjr (6 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Or could it be he's just a class act....if I thought every great ride,stage win,GT win was dodgy I'd give up watching.I mean whats happened to Jumbo,Ineos this year ? [...]


Someone hit Jumbo with a placard, then a bike, whereas Ineos got mixed up in it too, then G crashed early this year and Movistar hunted down Carapaz twice. I'd not count them out for future races yet.

As to Pog, benefit of the doubt for now until we see how he does after two weeks of defence or faces luckier opposition in a grand tour, but some of the calculations look convincingly suspicious so I won't be surprised if he gets caught in 10 years or so.


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Cav didn’t bother with the intermediate sprint. Full guns for the win.


I hope I'm wrong but I've got the impression he's not really up for it today. Just the couple of shots I've seen of him, he doesn't look comfortable.

He was riding up towards the front but fell back approaching the sprint and hasn't really moved up since. Maybe he's just preserving energies and I'm seeing things that don't exist.


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

mjr said:


> As to Pog, benefit of the doubt for now until we see how he does after two weeks of defence or faces luckier opposition in a grand tour, but some of the calculations look convincingly suspicious so I won't be surprised if he gets caught in 10 years or so.


Yawn....


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Quelle surprise, Richie Port hits the deck.


----------



## mjr (6 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Quelle surprise, Richie Port hits the deck.


I blame Jens Voigt, who had just been saying about the lovely wide smooth roads they are racing on today!


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Quelle surprise, Richie Port hits the deck.


And Thomas !


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Fortunately looks like I'm wrong and Cavendish is back towards the front.


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Porte was left to make it back on his own (he changed bikes)


----------



## mjr (6 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> The Ineos not-falling-off masterclass continues.


They misheard today's plan and have been heading for the margins and drains?


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Bike Exchange upping the pace to try and drop Cavendish but it hasn't worked.


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Apparently, they've just crossed the 45th parallel north (whatever that is!) So there you go.


----------



## tribanjules (6 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Apparently, they've just crossed the 45th parallel north (whatever that is!) So there you go.


And not a lot of people know that etc 🤣


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Alaphillipe and QS picking up the pace, and Sonny C punctures


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Not sure I understand the tactics there. They've some way to go. Maybe hoping for wind to assist and break up the peleton.


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Colbrelli 40s back, with a teammate, he'll get back on as the peleton ease up.


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

Bastard of a time to puncture for Cobrelli


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

70 kmh !


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Hotting up now, peleton stretched and breaks


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Cavendish nice and safe.


----------



## Beebo (6 Jul 2021)

It’s splitting up!


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

Carapaz up for the sprint 😁


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

I almost forgot about Greipal


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

QS starting to line up


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Brilliant!!!


----------



## tribanjules (6 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Colbrelli 40s back, with a teammate, he'll get back on as the peleton ease up.


Yeeeeeees 👍🏻👍🏻👍


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

That was so well managed. The QS boys played a blinder.


----------



## MasterDabber (6 Jul 2021)

Great ride by Cav and what a fantastic team leadout.


----------



## Beebo (6 Jul 2021)

Almost too easy!


----------



## Boo (6 Jul 2021)

Woohoo!


----------



## Beebo (6 Jul 2021)

You know the team is doing well when your lead out man finishes 6th despite not pedalling for the last 50m.


----------



## tribanjules (6 Jul 2021)

CF is only 8 mins ahead of last man - takes character to keep going in that position


----------



## GuyBoden (6 Jul 2021)

Cav, unbelievable, what a win, what a team............


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

I'm impressed how cool Cavendish rode. I was watching out for him a lot, too much, and he floated back and forwards, sometimes with his team, sometimes detached, but he was always safe and, more importantly, where he needed to be and when he needed to be. Even in the last 10km, he wasn't panicked; his team did the work and he made sure he was where he needed to be to finish. He made it look easy but those QS guys ripped themselves up for him, and he rewarded them by not wasting their efforts.


----------



## Beebo (6 Jul 2021)

tribanjules said:


> CF is only 8 mins ahead of last man - takes character to keep going in that position


What’s his overall ambition. Is he just trying to ride a full 3 weeks?


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Cav "I didn't do anything today" !!!


----------



## Dogtrousers (6 Jul 2021)

Amazing that he's managed to recover his 2008 form.

Froome I mean. But yeah, Cav too.


----------



## Grant Fondo (6 Jul 2021)

So Cav's one away from Merckx, wow  Bloody brilliant.


----------



## LeetleGreyCells (6 Jul 2021)

Great interview. I love how Cav mentions every member of the D-S team, what they’ve won and that Morkov is also representing his country in the Olympics.


----------



## Dogtrousers (6 Jul 2021)

Right. Time to fire up the Ventoux stage cutoff time calculators.


----------



## Milkfloat (6 Jul 2021)

Fingers crossed he makes it, hopefully the GC boys don’t go too wild tomorrow for him. If he does miss the cut off I hope a lot of riders do as well and the suits take pity on him to allow him to get to Paris.


----------



## Martinsnos (6 Jul 2021)

Milkfloat said:


> Fingers crossed he makes it, hopefully the GC boys don’t go too wild tomorrow for him. If he does miss the cut off I hope a lot of riders do as well and the suits take pity on him to allow him to get to Paris.


Serious question (as much as a question can be serious in the thread but…) is there a department within cycling governance that looks at marketing/image?
If there is, are they potentially worried that the Cav news story could be lost by elimination?
Or…as I think someone said previously, is it possible they want the Merckx record to prevail?
Main point of question though - is there a ‘Brand Cycling’ unit anywhere?


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Serious question (as much as a question can be serious in the thread but…) is there a department within cycling governance that looks at marketing/image?
> If there is, are they potentially worried that the Cav news story could be lost by elimination?
> Or…as I think someone said previously, is it possible they want the Merckx record to prevail?
> Main point of question though - is there a ‘Brand Cycling’ unit anywhere?


Nah you just need his blessing....

View: https://twitter.com/Cycling_Memes1/status/1412438327295459328?s=19


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Right. Time to fire up the Ventoux stage cutoff time calculators.


It's twice up Ventoux....and down obviously.Piece of piss.


----------



## Cathryn (6 Jul 2021)

Watched Cav’s interview and his humility and gratitude really moved me! What a guy!


----------



## Beebo (6 Jul 2021)

Milkfloat said:


> Fingers crossed he makes it, hopefully the GC boys don’t go too wild tomorrow for him. If he does miss the cut off I hope a lot of riders do as well and the suits take pity on him to allow him to get to Paris.


He would be stripped of all green jersey points so would be a very hollow victory if he was allowed back in.


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Watched Cav’s interview and his humility and gratitude really moved me! What a guy!



He's loveable isn't he!? Honestly, it's so wonderfully refreshing to see someone speak so openly and with such genuine emotion.


----------



## TissoT (6 Jul 2021)

Could be Cavs last day tomorrow unless he is selected next year... Twice up mont ventoux is a tall order.

would love to see him snatch another stage win.


----------



## yello (6 Jul 2021)

Yep, he has to hang in there tomorrow. It's not going to be as easy as today.


----------



## rich p (6 Jul 2021)

Sam Bennett must be kicking himself...

...unless his knee is too sore


----------



## Cathryn (6 Jul 2021)

TissoT said:


> Could be Cavs last day tomorrow unless he is selected next year... Twice up mont ventoux is a tall order.
> 
> would love to see him snatch another stage win.


I'm nervous for him.


----------



## TissoT (6 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> I'm nervous for him.


He will have the same concerns as you after a chat round the team dinner table this evening .


----------



## Beebo (6 Jul 2021)

TissoT said:


> Could be Cavs last day tomorrow unless he is selected next year... Twice up mont ventoux is a tall order.
> 
> would love to see him snatch another stage win.


If Cav goes then 20 others could go too.
The fact there are 2 descents will push up the average speed, which increases the % time allowance.


----------



## Donger (6 Jul 2021)

Don't know how to feel at the moment. Part of me is amazed and delighted by what Cav has already done, and the other part wants even more. Starting to think he might even make the cut tomorrow. He did have three team mates help him up the last climb of Stage 9, so I expect the same will happen again. Hardly dare to hope. _If_ he gets past that, Stages 12 and 13 look taylor-made for him. I'm even wondering whether he can make it through the Pyrenees and on to Paris in the green jersey. But Ventoux twice? After only entering le Tour as a late sub? Yikes! Whatever he does, I shall remember this tour for his achievements. Chapeau!


----------



## BalkanExpress (6 Jul 2021)

Donger said:


> But Ventoux twice? After only entering le Tour as a late sub? Yikes! Whatever he does, I shall remember this tour for his achievements. Chapeau!



One of the ascents of Ventoux is only a 1st cat climb as it goes up the easy side so Cav should be fine


----------



## Toshiba Boy (6 Jul 2021)

Just watched the highlights, wow, that was one textbook lead out, what a superb train. Chapeau to both them and Cav, brilliant stuff.


----------



## Dogtrousers (6 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> He would be stripped of all green jersey points so would be a very hollow victory if he was allowed back in.


Well ... not so hollow if it enabled him to move on towards _that_ record ... you know ... the one we aren't supposed to mention


----------



## carpiste (6 Jul 2021)

I understand the concerns regards the climb tomorrow but he looked so relaxed and in control today. I`m not saying it was easy and not saying it will be easy tomorrow but his general demeanour suggets he is confident to get through a tough day.


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Just looked up the projected times and the cutoff coefficients and stuff. 

The cutoff will be between* 40 min* (12% of winner at 05:41 or 35 km/h) and *48 min* (16% of winner at 05:06 or 39 km/h) or maybe it will be something else entirely (if I've got my calculations all wrong).


----------



## LeetleGreyCells (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Just looked up the projected times and the cutoff coefficients and stuff.
> 
> The cutoff will be between* 40 min* (12% of winner at 05:41 or 35 km/h) and *48 min* (16% of winner at 05:06 or 39 km/h) or maybe it will be something else entirely (if I've got my calculations all wrong).


Hope Cav can make it. Would love to see him win future stages.


----------



## T4tomo (7 Jul 2021)

CCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV!!!


----------



## Twizit (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Just looked up the projected times and the cutoff coefficients and stuff.
> 
> The cutoff will be between* 40 min* (12% of winner at 05:41 or 35 km/h) and *48 min* (16% of winner at 05:06 or 39 km/h) or maybe it will be something else entirely (if I've got my calculations all wrong).



I don't know about the final calculations, but commentary on ITV yesterday were fairly confident about today, quoting longer stage and climbing not coming until later on too, which should all help Cav. First climb from Sault isn't too bad either; very long but not too steep.


----------



## T4tomo (7 Jul 2021)

Twizit said:


> I don't know about the final calculations, but commentary on ITV yesterday were fairly confident about today, quoting longer stage and climbing not coming until later on too, which should all help Cav. First climb from Sault isn't too bad either; very long but not too steep.


yes and the bulk of the climbing is in 2 concentrated blocks, not unrelenting multi climbs like the other day. Plus his team are all there for him, no wonder he's happy and winning, world champion fetching bottles for you, domestiques in the autobus and a lead out of all lead outs. I remember that year or so at Sky, and aprt from Wiggo leading down the champs in yellow, he got sod all help in every other stage, just left to surf the wheels of other teams and sort himself out.

plus if he needs some energy, there is a super little pancake/ crepe place in Sault - I can highly recommend it.


----------



## matticus (7 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> He would be stripped of all green jersey points so would be a very hollow victory if he was allowed back in.


But not his Stage Wins? If so, I think he'd take that deal, if it came to it.


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Weather forecast seems benign. 28°, Light breeze


----------



## matticus (7 Jul 2021)

Anyone got the finish ETA to hand? Would be very useful, I can't watch the highlights tonight ...


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Anyone got the finish ETA to hand? Would be very useful, I can't watch the highlights tonight ...


17:18 to 17:57 local time. So subtract an hour for UK time.
Source: https://www.letour.fr/en/stage-11


----------



## jowwy (7 Jul 2021)

if i was cav...i would try and get in the breakaway today and give myself some time on the peleton before getting to the 1st climb of ventoux


----------



## Twizit (7 Jul 2021)

jowwy said:


> if i was cav...i would try and get in the breakaway today and give myself some time on the peleton before getting to the 1st climb of ventoux


Nice idea but can’t see Bike Exchange letting him given they will be after intermediate sprint points, unless they all get in the break.


----------



## matticus (7 Jul 2021)

jowwy said:


> if i was cav...i would try and get in the breakaway today and give myself some time on the peleton before getting to the 1st climb of ventoux


I think the sprinters would have thought of this trick by now if it worked.


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> I think the sprinters would have thought of this trick by now if it worked.


Involve "burning a lot of matches" and "going into the red" and other cliches very early on.

Tony Martin is out  In an ambulance


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)




----------



## GuyBoden (7 Jul 2021)

Nice to see Alaphilipe making a break to get the intermediate sprint points, so the other green jersey contenders couldn't, what a team.

Edit: David Millar and Ned have just figured out that this was the reason too.


----------



## Eziemnaik (7 Jul 2021)

Stunning part of the world 😍


----------



## Martinsnos (7 Jul 2021)

Eziemnaik said:


> Stunning part of the world 😍


Yes and incredible builders.
Apparently they started a castle around 10:30. I was watching at just after 12 and it was finished already!!!


----------



## jowwy (7 Jul 2021)

Twizit said:


> Nice idea but can’t see Bike Exchange letting him given they will be after intermediate sprint points, unless they all get in the break.





matticus said:


> I think the sprinters would have thought of this trick by now if it worked.


but didnt he do that in the first alps stage??? or was i dreaming


----------



## Beebo (7 Jul 2021)

Latest time check is Cav about 7 minutes off the pace but in a large group of sprinters and other tired riders.


----------



## jowwy (7 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Latest time check is Cav about 7 minutes off the pace but in a large group of sprinters and other tired riders.


he's only 2mins behind the main bunch though......does it go on the winner of the stage or the yellow jersey crossing the line???


----------



## roadrash (7 Jul 2021)

nice to see Dan Martin stretch his legs


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

jowwy said:


> he's only 2mins behind the main bunch though......does it go on the winner of the stage or the yellow jersey crossing the line???


Clock starts when the stage winner crosses the line. Time allowed is a % of the winner's time. Smaller % if winner is slow, bigger % if winner is fast.


----------



## T4tomo (7 Jul 2021)

jowwy said:


> but didnt he do that in the first alps stage??? or was i dreaming


No you weren't dreaming, but it was a very large break that just sort of rode off the front in the headwinds. On the coverage you can see Cavendish checking with someone he was OK to stay with them or maybe indicating he was only in it until the inter sprint, but whatever he got the nod, scooped up the green points and then paced himself home. Probably helped that Yates from bike exchange was in that group too, so no incentive for BE to chase it for the sake of green points, and Cav had Asgreen with him to contribute to the efforts on the front in exchange for him having a free ride.


----------



## jowwy (7 Jul 2021)

T4tomo said:


> No you weren't dreaming, but it was a very large break that just sort of rode off the front in the headwinds. On the coverage you can see Cavendish checking with someone he was OK to stay with them or maybe indicating he was only in it until the inter sprint, but whatever he got the nod, scooped up the green points and then paced himself home. Probably helped that Yates from bike exchange was in that group too, so no incentive for BE to chase it for the sake of green points, and Cav had Asgreen with him to contribute to the efforts on the front in exchange for him having a free ride.


but tbh no one is going to win the green other than cav, if he stays in the race........so why does it matter to BE if he goes in the break, hes got a 58pt lead over mathews......even today mathews only got 1pt in the intermediate, not exactly pulling up trees is it


----------



## T4tomo (7 Jul 2021)

Cav has 4 DQT teammates with him, which makes sense as AlaPip is up the road on his own, so the majority of the others may as well sit with Cav, as they are no help to AlaPip


----------



## T4tomo (7 Jul 2021)

jowwy said:


> but tbh no one is going to win the green other than cav, if he stays in the race........so why does it matter to BE if he goes in the break, hes got a 58pt lead over mathews......even today mathews only got 1pt in the intermediate, not exactly pulling up trees is it


on that day the green jersey comp was still quite close, Cav was just up front keeping out of trouble like the pro he is.

re today - cav wouldnt bother to waste energy even trying to get in a break, no point - better focused on keeping with peloton whilst he can and then pace himself in the auto bus. The only aim today is beat the cut off time. He generally doesn't bother with intermediate points if there is a good chance of contesting the final sprint either, but he would on a day that had say a 3km climb upto the line, as he wouldnt have a chance in the final sprint, so get what points he can early.


----------



## roadrash (7 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> nice to see Dan Martin stretch his legs


 i think i jinxed him


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

The day Cav was off in the break wasn't an alpine stage and there was no chance of him fighting the cutoff. It was a relatively flat stage with a sharp hill at the end. It was also an utterly bonkers stage with MvDP and WvA ripping it up, so not really representataive.

When the non climbers are up against the OTL limit I imagine that the best they can do is keep a constant sustainable effort. And have teammates to help.


----------



## Beebo (7 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> nice to see Dan Martin stretch his legs


Not anymore. He’s cracked


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

View: https://twitter.com/Doctor_Hutch/status/1412758698037022723


----------



## roadrash (7 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Not anymore. He’s cracked


 yeah, see two posts above yours


----------



## Boo (7 Jul 2021)

I think I read somewhere back in the thread that more than half of Merckx's stage wins had come from TT's. I'm not saying they're easy, by any means, but even so...

Am I right in thinking that most, if not all, of Cav's stages have been road stages rather than TT's?


----------



## hoopdriver (7 Jul 2021)

Boo said:


> I think I read somewhere back in the thread that more than half of Merckx's stage wins had come from TT's. I'm not saying they're easy, by any means, but even so...
> 
> Am I right in thinking that most, if not all, of Cav's stages have been road stages rather than TT's?


All of them, I believe - and bunch sprints at that!


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Boo said:


> I think I read somewhere back in the thread that more than half of Merckx's stage wins had come from TT's. I'm not saying they're easy, by any means, but even so...
> 
> Am I right in thinking that most, if not all, of Cav's stages have been road stages rather than TT's?


I don't think there has ever been any danger of Cav coming close to winning a TT in the Tour 

_Mark Cavendish has the most mass finish stage wins with 33 ahead of André Darrigade and André Leducq with 22, François Faber with 19 and Eddy Merckx with 18._

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France_records_and_statistics

But Mercx won all kinds of stuff - sprints, TTs, mountains, you name it.


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> All of them, I believe - and bunch sprints at that!


I can think of one case where he won that wasn't really a "bunch sprint". It was one of my favourites, in 2013. Cav's first Tour with OPQS. Mega crosswinds and Saxo riding like demons to gain time for Bertie, helped with OPQS riding similarly to distance Kittel. There was so much going on in that stage. It ended up with a one on one sprint between Cav and Sagan.


----------



## Poacher (7 Jul 2021)

Why are the ITV4 commentators going on about the Col de la Madeleine?
It's higher than Ventoux, and scores of km away!
Confusion because today's route passes la Madeleine (approx. 360m high) on the fairly undemanding road to Bedouin?


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Poacher said:


> Why are the ITV4 commentators going on about the Col de la Madeleine?
> It's higher than Ventoux, and scores of km away!
> Confusion because today's route passes la Madeleine (approx. 360m high) on the fairly undemanding road to Bedouin?


Well, that's what you get with ITV4

The great Carlton Kirby would never make a foolish error like that.


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

and I thought madeleines were little cakes...

I think I best go camp in a different thread


----------



## Poacher (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> and I thought madeleines were little cakes...
> 
> I think I best go camp in a different thread


Thanks for reminding me about an unopened pack of Bonne Maman in the kitchen cupboard!


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

Dunno if you guys saw/heard it but Nibali hit 107kph on the descent.

That'd be just a wee bit quick for me. Still, he's a darned talented descender so it doesn't surprise me.


----------



## tribanjules (7 Jul 2021)

TdeF app shows green jersey in a group of 6 some 23 mins back from leader


----------



## tribanjules (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Dunno if you guys saw/heard it but Nibali hit 107kph on the descent.
> 
> That'd be just a wee bit quick for me. Still, he's a darned talented descender so it doesn't surprise me.


#brown pants !!


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

tribanjules said:


> TdeF app shows green jersey in a group of 6 some 23 mins back from leader


Should be fine.


----------



## tribanjules (7 Jul 2021)

Video footage from the side of the mountain, captured by Cycling Weekly, showed Cavendish in green, surrounded by his team-mates, removing his helmet as he passed the Simpson memorial on the way to the summit. 


Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) also nodded his head to the monument on the way past.


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

It's good to see the Yellow Jersey has such a strong team working for him. 

Slightly odd that it isn't actually his team.


----------



## Poacher (7 Jul 2021)

tribanjules said:


> TdeF app shows green jersey in a group of 6 some 23 mins back from leader


Group of 6, or 6th group on the road? I'd guess the autobus will be more than 6 strong.


----------



## matticus (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> But Mercx won all kinds of stuff - sprints, TTs, mountains, you name it.


Shows how little competition he had in those days. Overrated rider?


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Shows how little competition he had in those days. Overrated rider?


He always avoided taking on Beryl Burton over 12 hours.


----------



## FishFright (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Well, that's what you get with ITV4
> 
> The great Carlton Kirby would never make a foolish error like that.



But only Duffer's would tell you what kind of cheese was made there .


----------



## tribanjules (7 Jul 2021)

TdeF app shows green jersey at +33


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

tribanjules said:


> TdeF app shows green jersey at +33


Cutoff is 47'


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

So, do we reckon Pogocar is mortal?


----------



## Mo1959 (7 Jul 2021)

Vingegaard doesn’t look a great descender. Could have pulled back quite a few seconds if he had held his lead he built up.


----------



## Twizit (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> So, do we reckon Pogocar is mortal?


Maybe


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Vingegaard doesn’t look a great descender. Could have pulled back quite a few seconds if he had held his lead he built up.



Anyone doing those kind of speeds downhill (and he was probably in the 90s) gets my total respect! It terrifies me just watching!!


----------



## Mo1959 (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Anyone doing those kind of speeds downhill (and he was probably in the 90s) gets my total respect! It terrifies me just watching!!


Totally, but I just thought he looked slightly more ragged than the others. I would be on the brakes!


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Cav has just finished. About 6 mins inside the cutoff.


----------



## Boo (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Cav has just finished. About 6 mins inside the cutoff.



\o/

Bring on tomorrow!


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Luke Rowe was outside the time limit.


----------



## fossyant (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Cav has just finished. About 6 mins inside the cutoff.



They just roll in within the limit as best possible to save effort. Close though...


----------



## Cathryn (7 Jul 2021)

fossyant said:


> They just roll in within the limit as best possible to save effort. Close though...


That’s good news! I was on a zoom meeting and couldn’t keep checking!!


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

Close? He had 6 minutes! Could have stopped for a burger!!


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

A few minutes later Soren Kragh Anderson showed how it should be done, arriving with *three seconds* to spare


----------



## Cathryn (7 Jul 2021)

Just watching now and the road down Ventoux looks amazing!


----------



## Beebo (7 Jul 2021)

Boardman was suggesting that some of the other stages pose more of a risk to Cav than this one.


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Boardman was suggesting that some of the other stages pose more of a risk to Cav than this one.


Well, they probably do now 

Tbh, during the stage, I went from thinking he'd be OK to thinking it'd be close.


----------



## Beebo (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Cav has just finished. About 6 mins inside the cutoff.


He had 4 team members with him. 
The team are putting huge effort into supporting him.


----------



## Beebo (7 Jul 2021)

And Froome extends his lead to Cav to over 4 minutes


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Tearing ourselves away from the grupetto for a moment, that Wout van Aert is some rider. 

That was his fourth stage win. He's won a couple bunch sprints already at the Tour. So for a change - why not an iconic mountain stage? Not sure if he's won an ITT yet but if not, it's only a matter of time.


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

Despite his amazing allrounderness, it has been suggested (by Laurent Jalabert) that WvA is too heavy to be a GT contender.


----------



## Adam4868 (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Despite his amazing allrounderness, it has been suggested (by Laurent Jalabert) that WvA is too heavy to be a GT contender.


Lol...so what is he 78kg compared to Pogacar 76kg ? Never be able to get up a mountain 🙄


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Despite his amazing allrounderness, it has been suggested (by Laurent Jalabert) that WvA is too heavy to be a GT contender.


He may well not be able to challenge for GT GC as he is now. I don't doubt that he _could_, but it would probably involve turning himself into a far less interesting and impressive rider.


----------



## Adam4868 (7 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Totally, but I just thought he looked slightly more ragged than the others. I would be on the brakes!


Yea he had over 30 second lead over Pogacar at the top....finished in same group.So didn't take any risks descending.


----------



## yello (7 Jul 2021)

He was also descending alone. With someone, he/they might have been able to maintain the gap.


----------



## Adam4868 (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> He was also descending alone. With someone, he/they might have been able to maintain the gap.


He said to danish TV that he didn't want to take unnecessary risks and no recon prior to the race.


----------



## Aravis (7 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I don't think there has ever been any danger of Cav coming close to winning a TT in the Tour
> 
> _*Mark Cavendish has the most mass finish stage wins with 33 ahead of André Darrigade and André Leducq with 22, François Faber with 19 and Eddy Merckx with 18.*_
> 
> ...


The wording in bold is a bit careless. "Mass finish stage" clearly suggests a bunch finish, but I don't think that's what the numbers represent. Merckx's 18 is his total for all road stages, not just bunch finishes. But just to muddy the waters a little, I think Leducq may have 24 road stages (plus 1 ITT).

Whether TT wins are more or less meritorious that road wins is something about which folks will have their own opinion. In the context of the record which is drawing attention at the moment I think you have to say that a stage is a stage.

If Cavendish soon finds himself in need of a new challenge, he might like to look at the record for the total number of Grand Tour stage wins. Naturally Merckx is top, on 64, but Cavendish with 51 is already well ahead of Merckx's road total. If 64 is a step too far, the record for road stages is 57, held by our old friend Mario Cipollini. 

Sorry if that's a bit of a ramble. I've done my best to check that neither Cav nor Cipo spoiled my numbers by sneaking a prologue win along the way. I don't think either did.


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Jul 2021)

Aravis said:


> The wording in bold is a bit careless. "Mass finish stage" clearly suggests a bunch finish, but I don't think that's what the numbers represent.


I think what they mean is "mass start" or maybe "road stage". Or simply, "Not time trial". That's how I read it anyway.

Another interesting Cav fact us that he once rode in the TdF with the red number of "most combative rider". That's normally given as a consolation prize to a plucky but failed breakaway rider. But in that particular case they awarded it to the entire OPQS team.


----------



## gavroche (7 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Despite his amazing allrounderness, it has been suggested (by Laurent Jalabert) that WvA is too heavy to be a GT contender.


Miguel Indurin was no lightweight and he still won 5 TdF.


----------



## Martinsnos (7 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Vingegaard doesn’t look a great descender. Could have pulled back quite a few seconds if he had held his lead he built up.


He was told not to take risks by the team apparently. It might explain his slightly odd style - ‘playing’ a bit to show he could go faster.


----------



## ColinJ (8 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Lol...so what is he 78kg compared to Pogacar 76kg ? Never be able to get up a mountain 🙄


There is no way that Pogacar is 76 kg... I am a bigger build, about 10 cm taller than him, and weighed only 68.5 kg when I left university! I'd guess that he is closer to 65 kg?

PS I just searched and various sites have him at 1.76 m tall and weighing 66 kg.


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Jul 2021)

ColinJ said:


> There is no way that Pogacar is 76 kg... I am a bigger build, about 10 cm taller than him, and weighed only 68.5 kg when I left university! I'd guess that he is closer to 65 kg?
> 
> PS I just searched and various sites have him at 1.76 m tall and weighing 66 kg.


Just a guess ! Should have used Google.Still think Van Aert could be a Tour contender if he was the chosen one.From coming second in a sprint to winning like he did yesterday.


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (8 Jul 2021)

On the subject of the cut off....how is this calculated?


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Jul 2021)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> On the subject of the cut off....how is this calculated?


It's a percentage of the winners time. Exactly what percentage depends on two things : how fast the winner was (faster finish - bigger %); how hilly the stage is (hillier stage - bigger %).

Here's an article about it https://inrng.com/2014/07/tour-de-france-time-cut-calculation/


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (8 Jul 2021)

Thank you.


----------



## yello (8 Jul 2021)

gavroche said:


> Miguel Indurin was no lightweight and he still won 5 TdF.



Ask M Jalabert for clarification. Tbf, Laurent was talking about physique and general build as well. But I dunno. WvA doesn't look porky to me (even by cyclists standards) but, as @Dogtrousers suggests, weight loss might well rob him of the exciting cyclist he is now. Modern era road cyclists are more weight aware though, Wiggins lost a bit to make the transition to GT contender.

Tbh, I'm more familiar with WvA from cyclocross. I'd more-or-less lost interest in road cycling these last few years (outside Paris-Roubaix) and Equipe21 covers cyclocross events at all levels.


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Jul 2021)

Luke Rowe talking about yesterday's stage, and getting eliminated.

View: https://twitter.com/INEOSGrenadiers/status/1412860558131568652


----------



## yello (8 Jul 2021)

Ah man, I've been there (not at that level obviously!) You go to increase tempo/workrate and.... there is nothing but _nothing_ there. Gutted for him.


----------



## Martinsnos (8 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Luke Rowe talking about yesterday's stage, and getting eliminated.
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/INEOSGrenadiers/status/1412860558131568652




‘Leaving the team in a good place’ is a positive spin on being another man down!


----------



## Beebo (8 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Luke Rowe talking about yesterday's stage, and getting eliminated.
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/INEOSGrenadiers/status/1412860558131568652



Must be an odd feeling when he’s never missed a time cutoff in his whole career. He probably has a virus or other illness because he’s too good at climbing to just drift off the pace like that.


----------



## yello (8 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> He probably has a virus or other illness because he’s too good at climbing to just drift off the pace like that.



That's what I was thinking.

To not know there was something wrong, other than a general level of understandable fatigue (which he'd be well used to, and you ride on anyway!) points to a lurgy of some kind that'll make itself known in due course. He'd be regularly covid tested so it's probably not that.


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Must be an odd feeling when he’s never missed a time cutoff in his whole career. He probably has a virus or other illness because he’s too good at climbing to just drift off the pace like that.


Do the Welsh not have a habit of going home early 🙄


----------



## Grant Fondo (8 Jul 2021)

With great riders like Uran and Carapaz 5+ mins down on Pog, is this race done or could we see some upsets? Whats the chance of Pog plummeting in the Pyrenees?


----------



## hoopdriver (8 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> With great riders like Uran and Carapaz 5+ mins down on Pog, is this race done or could we see some upsets? Whats the chance of Pog plummeting in the Pyrenees?


About the same as Cav dropping him on a climb


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> About the same as Cav dropping him on a climb


Yates Giro....epic blow up 😁


----------



## jowwy (8 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Do the Welsh not have a habit of going home early 🙄


not in 2018 when a welshman won the tour or in 2021 when a welshman dislocated his shoulder and rode on - not in 2015 ( i think) when a welshman broke his pelvis and road the full tour...........hope that helps


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Jul 2021)

jowwy said:


> not in 2018 when a welshman won the tour or in 2021 when a welshman dislocated his shoulder and rode on - not in 2015 ( i think) when a welshman broke his pelvis and road the full tour...........hope that helps


Sorry....with all the celebrations of last night I must of got mixed up with football ! Easy mistake 😁


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

I will se if i can stay awake to watch it today, since what happened on sunday, i just keep falling asleep


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

Sagan is a non starter today, knee problems from the crash with Ewan.


----------



## Shadow (8 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Sagan is a non starter today, knee problems from the crash with Ewan.


Oh dear. It seems we ask the same question each year - are abandons this year higher than the 'norm' (whatever that may be). Sagan is #28 this Tour and we are not at rest day 2 yet.


----------



## mjr (8 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Must be an odd feeling when he’s never missed a time cutoff in his whole career. He probably has a virus or other illness because he’s too good at climbing to just drift off the pace like that.


So it's not true that he fell off after someone pressed the cyclist button in an Ineos Grenadier - the button which sounds the horn!


----------



## mjr (8 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> With great riders like Uran and Carapaz 5+ mins down on Pog, is this race done or could we see some upsets? Whats the chance of Pog plummeting in the Pyrenees?


Nobody knows. Pog's never defended the yellow jersey at all and I'm not sure Team UAE have defended a Grand Tour lead for 2 weeks, definitely not in their current name and I think not even as Lampre, as Simeoni took the 2001 Giro lead only after stage 13 and Scarponi was only awarded 2011 after the jersey wearer got a doping ban.

It's questions like this that keep a little interest in even the GC race until the margin looks completely impossible because we've seen a leader lose 41 minutes to a rival in one stage.


----------



## Beebo (8 Jul 2021)

It was odd seeing Ineos give him an armchair ride yesterday. But I guess they are playing for podium places and their own race priorities.


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Jul 2021)

Boasson Hagen and Greipel in the front group. Blast from the past.


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

Like Brian Smith just said , may not see a Cavendish sprint today with 2000 meters of climbing today and considering yesterdays stage. breakaway already got 6 mins


----------



## hoopdriver (8 Jul 2021)

I see ITV has decided to bring in a comedian - Alexei Sayle - to provide a folksy presence for their coverage. That is so dire. At least now I don't have to bother fiddling around with the mute button when the adverts come on - it's already on mute. Still, the scenery is pretty


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

"Alexei Sayle" and "comedian" in the same sentence  what the feck have they got him on for,.... glad I have eurosport on.


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

I would like to see greipel take the stage today, but cant really see it happening, i think this breakaway will split soon


----------



## Mo1959 (8 Jul 2021)

Does watching the cycling make anyone else want to go out on their bike?  Been out already so won’t, but they do sort of inspire me.


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

It sure does @Mo1959 , just a pity wigan pier doesnt look much like the french countryside, its not like i will be out on mine for a while though


----------



## jowwy (8 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Does watching the cycling make anyone else want to go out on their bike?  Been out already so won’t, but they do sort of inspire me.


sat here in my home office with it on and would like to get out, but alas i'm working for at least another 40mins and then i need to mow the lawn


----------



## Beebo (8 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> "Alexei Sayle" and "comedian" in the same sentence  what the feck have they got him on for,.... glad I have eurosport on.


it’s an odd booking, but He’s a very keen cyclist. He does some pod casts and youtube videos about it. 
And whilst I’m not a fan of all his work he is definitely a comedian of high regard on the comedy circuit. But he’s never going to be a mainstream family favourite.


----------



## Beebo (8 Jul 2021)

I predict Cav will not win today. You heard it here first. 
Could be an exciting final run in as there is a decent breakaway.


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Jul 2021)

_" Stefan Küng can't follow Politt, Sweeny and Erviti with 14km to go. "_

Stefan, as your fantasy DS I command you to go faster. Faster, I say!


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

kung dropped, now down to three


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> kung dropped, now down to three


You don't have to rub it in.


----------



## roadrash (8 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> You don't have to rub it in.




I am next to last in the fantasy comp, what do i know


----------



## carpiste (8 Jul 2021)

You have to be happy for Nils Pollit after that ride. He looked so, so happy in the last 2 km.


----------



## TissoT (8 Jul 2021)

looks like its been a interesting stage today... just catching up on the last 10 mins.

Will have to watch the dreaded ITV highlights later


----------



## Mo1959 (8 Jul 2021)

carpiste said:


> You have to be happy for Nils Pollit after that ride. He looked so, so happy in the last 2 km.


I always end up feeling quite emotional when I see what it means to them. Great win.


----------



## Poacher (8 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> it’s an odd booking, but He’s a very keen cyclist. He does some pod casts and youtube videos about it.
> And whilst I’m not a fan of all his work he is definitely a comedian of high regard on the comedy circuit. But he’s never going to be a mainstream family favourite.


Also writes some excellent short stories. Try Barcelona Plates or The Dog Catcher, for example.


----------



## Beebo (8 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> kung dropped, now down to three


I heard that “Kung’s through fighting” for the stage win. 
I’ll get my coat!


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> I heard that “Kung’s through fighting” for the stage win.
> I’ll get my coat!


It's good, but it's not CC's best ever Kung pun...



brommers said:


> Picture this: the 1-2-3 in the men's ITT Stefan Kung, Chris Froome and Odd Christian Eiking and the music ringing out when they step on the podium, ''everybody was Kung Froome Eiking, those kicks were .......''
> 
> And I haven't even been drinking!


----------



## Beebo (8 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> It's good, but it's not CC's best ever Kung pun...


Great minds eh?
What ever happened to Brommers?


----------



## Beebo (8 Jul 2021)

Just seen that Cav finished 1st of the main bunch and got 3 points in the green jersey competition.


----------



## ColinJ (9 Jul 2021)

TissoT said:


> Will have to watch the dreaded ITV highlights later


I haven't been watching my ITV4 (SD) highlights recordings from 7pm until very late. I have just discovered that the highlights are repeated later on ITV(1) in HD so I am recording those instead.


----------



## rich p (9 Jul 2021)

Tough day today. Breakaway or sprint?
I think it's another van Aert day but hoping for Cav


----------



## Milzy (9 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Tough day today. Breakaway or sprint?
> I think it's another van Aert day but hoping for Cav


Deffo a breakaway victory. Cav primary objective is green Jersey first record second.


----------



## Martinsnos (9 Jul 2021)

10:45 start on Eurosport today - going to have to set an alarm for the early starts soon!


----------



## ColinJ (9 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Cav primary objective is green Jersey first record second.


According to him, the order is:

Stage wins
Green Jersey, but only if it results from the wins
The first, second and third rules of Objective 3 Club are... _We do not discuss Objective 3!!_


----------



## Dogtrousers (9 Jul 2021)

_Today the rule of the 3km has been extended to 4.5km as a test for professional cycling. It means if an incident (crash or mechanical) happens within the last 4.5km, the victims will be credited the time of the group they belonged to at that point._


----------



## Martinsnos (9 Jul 2021)

Just seen on recording that the other day Dan Lloyd said he had ‘foreskin suits’.
I know air resistance is important but that is taking aerodynamics to a whole new level?!


----------



## Beebo (9 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Just seen on recording that the other day Dan Lloyd said he had ‘foreskin suits’.
> I know air resistance is important but that is taking aerodynamics to a whole new level?!


Marginal gains.


----------



## ColinJ (9 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Marginal gains.


I didn't have my reading glasses on... I read that as '_*Marital* gains_'!


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

feck  riders disappear downwards off the side of the road


----------



## Dogtrousers (9 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> feck  riders disappear downwards off the side of the road


Yellow and Green jerseys both OK.
Uran was involved but back on his bike (I think)
Yates back on his bike.
Soren Kragh Andersen and Tim de Clerq involved too

That could all be wrong except the bit about yellow and green


----------



## Mo1959 (9 Jul 2021)

That could have been dreadful if anyone had hit one of the trees hard at that speed. Thankfully all mostly ok.


----------



## Dogtrousers (9 Jul 2021)

Breakaway's done but there's still 50k to go. Lots of sporadic attacking going on


----------



## Beebo (9 Jul 2021)

Just switched on. Missed the crash. 
not at all surprising to hear Thomas was also involved!


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

Yates abandoned


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

That was clearly some pile up. I didn't see it but I'm seeing the injuries.

Nobody appears to know why Cavendish changed bike. They don't think it was a puncture, possibly disc brakes... he obviously decided something wasn't right


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

Who are Ineos working for?

Protecting Carapaz?


----------



## Dogtrousers (9 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Who are Ineos working for?


Quite a common question these days.


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

Alaphillipe is distanced. Hope DQS are okay without him taking a turn in the lead out.


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Jul 2021)

At least they have been giving it a go....what else they going to do sit in the bunch ?


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

Are Ineos helping Cav????


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

GC are safe at 4.5 km today


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Jul 2021)

It's either Cav or Van Aert


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

Looking good.


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

CCCCCAAAAAVVVV ....JOINT RECORD HOLDER:


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

Yes!


----------



## Mo1959 (9 Jul 2021)

Brilliant.


----------



## carpiste (9 Jul 2021)

OMG! what a finish! Super Cav!


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

What can you say about the guy? On a number of occasions, I thought he wasn't going to do it, thought we was hemmed in, too far back.... but then he just gives it the gas and he's away. He's a really intelligent sprinter.


----------



## Domus (9 Jul 2021)

No words.


----------



## PaulB (9 Jul 2021)

I never thought I'd live to see what I've just seen! That trumps any sporting achievement we're going to witness this weekend. Un-be-bloody-lievable!


----------



## Beebo (9 Jul 2021)

Morkov Could have spoilt the party if he kept going. Had to check his wheel. 😀


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Morkov Could have spoilt the party if he kept going. Had to check his wheel. 😀




I think thats the second time hes come second in the sprint


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Morkov Could have spoilt the party if he kept going. Had to check his wheel.



Yes, I was going to say that... later perhaps 

French commentators picked up and commented on it. Almost sounded sniffy but I know what they mean, it was matter-of-fact rather than spiteful. Cavendish said it was a really hard finish and he's tired, it wasn't easy for him so I reckon he's earned that one.


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Cavendish said it was a really hard finish and he's tired, it wasn't easy for him so I reckon he's earned that one




I reckon hes earned them all, he did look absolutely spent while giving that interview.


----------



## Dogtrousers (9 Jul 2021)

Tim Declerq came in last 2 mins inside the cutoff. He was in the crash. Also Soren KA was in the crash and only a couple of minutes ahead of him. Hope they're OK
Also, what happened to Alaphilippe. Did he just fancy a rest or did something happen?


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (9 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Also maybe it's time for us (Cav fans) to say a little thank you to Patrick Lefevre.


Patrick must be over the moon. Cav is getting more publicity than Pogacar. And he won't be on top money - Bennett will be No 1 sprinter. 

Cav is assured of a contract for next year. 
And if Southgate gets a knighthood for being a runner up what should Cav get?


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> I reckon hes earned them all, he did look absolutely spent while giving that interview.


Oh yes, wasn't meaning to suggest otherwise! 

I think it was a long, hard and hot day today and he felt every bit of it. He had to work harder today than the other day. That was a bit of a cake walk in comparison, but a perfectly managed one. Today was more disjointed and he's had to use his sprinter knowhow, and a bit of head and shoulder!

Even if Morkov could have taken it, Cavendish worked damned hard for it so I don't begrudge him one iota.


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Oh yes, wasn't meaning to suggest otherwise!




 I know you didnt mean to suggest otherwise, just my way of saying they was all hard, i didn't mean anything by it


----------



## yello (9 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Also, what happened to Alaphilippe. Did he just fancy a rest or did something happen?



Just fatigue. He's had a hard few days and was feeling it today. DQS were working hard today (apparently, I didn't see most of it) and he was just feeling it a bit.


----------



## hoopdriver (9 Jul 2021)

I wonder if Morkov thought Cav was out of it - it could well have appeared that way from where he was in those final frantic seconds - and that he ought to take the win for the team.


----------



## Cathryn (9 Jul 2021)

Just caught up. Oh my word what a day!


----------



## Martinsnos (9 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> I wonder if Morkov thought Cav was out of it - it could well have appeared that way from where he was in those final frantic seconds - and that he ought to take the win for the team.


Does that finish have green jersey points too to deny others?


----------



## Cathryn (9 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> We all know "I'll get it done by end of day on Friday" means "I'll send it to you sometime on Monday morning" don't we?
> I'd better do some work now



In case your Sunday night involves watching some sport, I'd get it done tonight


----------



## hoopdriver (9 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Does that finish have green jersey points too to deny others?


Sure does


----------



## Supersuperleeds (9 Jul 2021)

I was in the office today and we finish at 16:15 on a Friday. Got to 16:00 and I kicked everyone out, they thinking I'm being a nice boss (which I am ) but I wanted to watch the end in peace.

Good job I was on my own, when he crossed the line there might have been noise and language not appropriate for the office.

Well done Cav, fingers crossed you take the record outright


----------



## Dogtrousers (9 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> In case your Sunday night involves watching some sport, I'd get it done tonight


No. I'll be at a loose end on Sunday. Not interested in footy


----------



## Dogtrousers (9 Jul 2021)

You know, I'm in such a good mood I'm going to stop praying that the kickball lot lose 10-0.

After all, it would be a bit mean spirited if they wished for Cav to get timed out on the Tourmalet. So good vibes.


----------



## roadrash (9 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> In case your Sunday night involves watching some sport, I'd get it done tonight




Is cycling on later on sunday then


----------



## tribanjules (9 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> No. I'll be at a loose end on Sunday. Not interested in footy


Me too


----------



## cyberknight (9 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> In case your Sunday night involves watching some sport, I'd get it done tonight


AHH you mean a game? It doesn't deserve the name "sport" 😁


----------



## tribanjules (9 Jul 2021)




----------



## Grant Fondo (9 Jul 2021)

Wow! Cav has equalled that mighty 46 year old record. Made up for the lad


----------



## Grant Fondo (9 Jul 2021)




----------



## Beebo (9 Jul 2021)

Does anyone know how the UCI individual rankings work?
At the start of the season Cav was ranked no. 473, I know he wasnt on top form but that seems very low. How many pro cyclists are there? 
Even now as of 5th July when he was in Green he is only ranked No.108.
I guess it will all be reworked again soon but it seems a bit low to me.


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Does anyone know how the UCI individual rankings work?
> At the start of the season Cav was ranked no. 473, I know he wasnt on top form but that seems very low. How many pro cyclists are there?
> Even now as of 5th July when he was in Green he is only ranked No.108.
> I guess it will all be reworked again soon but it seems a bit low to me.


Knock yourself out.....






https://inrng.com/2019/01/uci-rankings-explained/


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Jul 2021)

Chapeau Cav ! 
Late to the party,been on taxi duty for the kids 🙄


----------



## Boo (9 Jul 2021)

What an athelete.

Shows the footballers up for the ovrpaid primadonnas they are.


----------



## Milzy (9 Jul 2021)

At least Cav didn’t pay people to lose to him like the Cannibal. 
Question is if the ageing Cav can keep this form and manage to compete in next years TDF? Why not?


----------



## hoopdriver (10 Jul 2021)

I thought Merckx comments were pretty churlish - entirely within character, but pretty churlish.


----------



## Martinsnos (10 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> At least Cav didn’t pay people to lose to him like the Cannibal.
> Question is if the ageing Cav can keep this form and manage to compete in next years TDF? Why not?


Hi Milzy,
I’m not questioning what you are saying but do you have a link for the best source for this? There is a debate about Merckx on a post by Betsy Andreu on Facebook and I’d like to add it if I can.
Many thanks


----------



## cyberknight (10 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Does anyone know how the UCI individual rankings work?
> At the start of the season Cav was ranked no. 473, I know he wasnt on top form but that seems very low. How many pro cyclists are there?
> Even now as of 5th July when he was in Green he is only ranked No.108.
> I guess it will all be reworked again soon but it seems a bit low to me.


its a rolling 52 week ranking and winning a GT is worth more so winning the TDF overall is worth 1000 , a stage of the tdf is worth 120 
https://inrng.com/2019/01/uci-rankings-explained/


----------



## rich p (10 Jul 2021)

Lumpy stage today with the GC men having a rest day along with the sprinters? 
Got to be a day for the puncheur/breakaway guys who need a win?
Thomas de Gendt would be nice but he's complained that they're all too fast these days.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Lumpy stage today with the GC men having a rest day along with the sprinters?
> Got to be a day for the puncheur/breakaway guys who need a win?
> Thomas de Gendt would be nice but he's complained that they're all too fast these days.


Gone with Kwiato...he was 40/1 and he deserves a stage 😁


----------



## roadrash (10 Jul 2021)

Ineos have to try to get something out of this tour,.... including as team sky have they ever not even won a stage in the tour de france.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Ineos have to try to get something out of this tour,.... including as team sky have they ever not even won a stage in the tour de france.


Not over yet 😁


----------



## Mike_P (10 Jul 2021)

Cav makes the cover of the Sport pullout in today's Times headlined "Mark of Greatness", full page article on page 5 (following 3 pages of Wimbledon) headlined "l'm dead. I went deep there, do deep" and a column on page 3 of the main paper headlined "Cavendish matches record of cycling great".


----------



## Mike_P (10 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Ineos have to try to get something out of this tour,.... including as team sky have they ever not even won a stage in the tour de france.


Eh ? GT won 3 in 2017/8 and Froome 7 in 2012/3/5/6.


----------



## roadrash (10 Jul 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Eh ? GT won 3 in 2017/8 and Froome 7 in 2012/3/5/6.




I think you miss understood...
I was asking if sky/ineos have ever gone to the tour and not won a single stage.


----------



## Mike_P (10 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> I think you miss understood...
> I was asking if sky/ineos have ever gone to the tour and not won a single stage.


Apologies tripped by the near double negative


----------



## Beebo (10 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Lumpy stage today with the GC men having a rest day along with the sprinters?
> Got to be a day for the puncheur/breakaway guys who need a win?
> Thomas de Gendt would be nice but he's complained that they're all too fast these days.


Call me crazy but could Froome give it a try?
He’s been almost invisible so far but was at the front of the peloton yesterday. 
Maybe he could chance his arm to see what form he is in.


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Call me crazy but could Froome give it a try?


I'm sure he'd love to. I honestly don't think he's capable of it.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Call me crazy but could Froome give it a try?
> He’s been almost invisible so far but was at the front of the peloton yesterday.
> Maybe he could chance his arm to see what form he is in.


He's 600/1 for today's stage..🙄


----------



## hoopdriver (10 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> He's 600/1 for today's stage..🙄


Geez - what are Cav’s odds?


----------



## GuyBoden (10 Jul 2021)

Just an easy leg warmer today, the mountains are tomorrow.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

@hoopdriver 
1500/1.....I know he's good but he ain't winning this stage.


----------



## rich p (10 Jul 2021)

Just thinking of Cav's lead-out men over the years.
Renshaw, Goss, Greipel, Chichi, Eisel...
Who else?


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Just thinking of Cav's lead-out men over the years.
> Renshaw, Goss, Greipel, Chichi, Eisel...
> Who else?


Blimey, I wasn't aware Greipel ever was, not intentionally anyway  I had to resort to a bit of googling.


----------



## Dogtrousers (10 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> I thought Merckx comments were pretty churlish - entirely within character, but pretty churlish.


Just been reading what he said. I don't know anything about Merckx's character, despite having read a couple of books about him. He comes over as a right dickhead, which is disappointing.

Merckx is difficult enough to spell as it is, without autocorrect sticking its oar in.


----------



## cyberknight (10 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> He's 600/1 for today's stage..🙄


Froome has done well to walk , anything else is a bonus


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

cyberknight said:


> Froome has done well to walk , anything else is a bonus


Top 10 at the Vuelta ?


----------



## BalkanExpress (10 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> At least Cav didn’t pay people to lose to him like the Cannibal.
> Question is if the ageing Cav can keep this form and manage to compete in next years TDF? Why not?



Different times, buying races was a part of racing probably up until at least the mid 1980s if not later all the way from local Kermesses to monuments (the former was understandable, the latter unforgivable, looking at you Vino)

As Roger de Vlaeminck. Once said “ a great champion may buy a race but he will never sell one”


----------



## cyberknight (10 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Top 10 at the Vuelta ?


I doubt he will ever get his former form back TBH , much as i hope he will i think any hope of a high GC is unlikely ,i hope he proves me wrong of course


----------



## roadrash (10 Jul 2021)

cyberknight said:


> I doubt he will ever get his former form back TBH , much as i hope he will i think any hope of a high GC is unlikely ,i hope he proves me wrong of course




That could have been written by me... 
The fact that he is even on a bike is testament to his character , but to come back from that and anyone expect him to be the same is madness.


----------



## cyberknight (10 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> That could have been written by me...
> The fact that he is even on a bike is testament to his character , but to come back from that and anyone expect him to be the same is madness.


indeed i dont doubt his determination , like Cav he believes which can bring you back but is his body capable ?


----------



## BalkanExpress (10 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> I thought Merckx comments were pretty churlish - entirely within character, but pretty churlish.



The full comments are much more matter of fact and the overal tone is a relaxed “not worried if I lose this record I have plenty of others” . For his part Cav, who is obsessive about the sport, has said similar about there being no comparison between the two.


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

BalkanExpress said:


> The full comments are much more matter of fact and the overal tone is a relaxed “not worried if I lose this record I have plenty of others” . For his part Cav, who is obsessive about the sport, has said similar about there being no comparison between the two.


Yes, it is being risked of being blown out of all proportion. Nobody that knows cycling is comparing the two.


----------



## cyberknight (10 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Yes, it is being risked of being blown out of all proportion. Nobody that knows cycling is comparing the two.


indeed work mate was on about it cus he knows im into cycling ans he doesnt get it it like comparing a bowler to a batsman in cricket i guess both play the same game but have different overall aims


----------



## BalkanExpress (10 Jul 2021)

Bouhanni among those already 5 minutes down. If he misses the cut it makes Cav’s job a little easier.


----------



## roadrash (10 Jul 2021)

BalkanExpress said:


> Bouhanni among those already 5 minutes down.




oh dear, how sad, never mind


----------



## hoopdriver (10 Jul 2021)

BalkanExpress said:


> The full comments are much more matter of fact and the overal tone is a relaxed “not worried if I lose this record I have plenty of others” . For his part Cav, who is obsessive about the sport, has said similar about there being no comparison between the two.


Yes, but instead of talking about himself he could always have offered his congratulations to Cav for his remarkable achievement and left it at that. He could have recognised that not everything has to be about him.


----------



## Grant Fondo (10 Jul 2021)

Tired legs out there today, its a beast of a race alright


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

BalkanExpress said:


> Bouhanni among those already 5 minutes down. If he misses the cut it makes Cav’s job a little easier.



There's that, but I've already heard it perhaps sniffily said that Cavendish is only winning/in green because he's 'best of who is left'... as if that somehow diminishes his efforts. Like Merckx above, it seems it can be difficult for some people to simply offer congratulations.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

Not taking anything away from Cav but how much is Morkov worth !


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

Did you know Morkov is 36? I thought in his interview yesterday that he looked a bit of an old git (for a cyclist) and interest got the better of me.


----------



## mjr (10 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> There's that, but I've already heard it perhaps sniffily said that Cavendish is only winning/in green because he's 'best of who is left'... as if that somehow diminishes his efforts. Like Merckx above, it seems it can be difficult for some people to simply offer congratulations.


Merckx won a few attritional races, notably 1971 where two rivals (Ocaña and Guimard) crashed out and two were kept away by their teams (Fuente and Van Springel).


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

Think Mollema could have this....


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Think Mollema could have this....


Maybe, once he gets on to the descent then I'll feel more confident. Guillame Martin will want as many seconds as he can get.

Edit: but, yes,inclined to agree. I like Mollema too so I hope so.


----------



## Grant Fondo (10 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Think Mollema could have this....


Oooh, not sure with 20k's to go in that terrain? Brave ride from the lad


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

Put the kybosh on Martin didn't I? That's a nasty climb, that'll sting the legs


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Oooh, not sure with 20k's to go in that terrain? Brave ride from the lad


He's a class rider at that sort of break....top descender aswell !


----------



## bitsandbobs (10 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Think Mollema could have this....



Hope so!


----------



## Grant Fondo (10 Jul 2021)

He's keeping them at bay for sure, top ride


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

Love watching him descend !


----------



## Grant Fondo (10 Jul 2021)

I had a very nice lunch in Quillan a few years back, lovely part of the world.


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

As long as he stays upright, it's his.


----------



## bitsandbobs (10 Jul 2021)

Yes! Enjoyed that.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

Yea classy win ! Deserved it.


----------



## Grant Fondo (10 Jul 2021)

Never in doubt, great win!


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

Good ride from Guillaume Martin, puts him into 2nd in the GC.


----------



## carpiste (10 Jul 2021)

Turned out to be a relatively easy win. Well deserved to be honest


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

carpiste said:


> Turned out to be a relatively easy win. Well deserved to be honest


Easy might be a slight understatement 😁


----------



## roadrash (10 Jul 2021)

it seems like mollema has been around for ever , wonder if we will see carapaz try to make some time up tomorrow


----------



## carpiste (10 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Easy might be a slight understatement 😁


Turned out to be a _*relatively*_ easy win. Well deserved to be honest


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

Cavendish finishing at 17:40?? I'm assuming he was there but I didn't see the green jersey

Edit: nope, he's still on the road. Cut off is 50 minutes? That seems a lot for today.


----------



## yello (10 Jul 2021)

I really love listening to Cavendish. He's such an open and honest guy, natural and disarming. Someone you want as your best mate, just from listening to him.

He says this is the hardest, and fastest, tour he's ever ridden. Everyday is like a one day race. Today's stage was apparently a lot harder than it looked on paper.


----------



## MasterDabber (10 Jul 2021)

So Cav in at 00:25:34 and Bouhanni at 00:36:46 .....both OK regarding the time cut.
Morkov and Tim Declercq at the same time as Cav.
I was a bit concerned about BigTim as he was suffering after yesterday's crash. I like seeing Tim ride.... on the front for km after km powering along.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> it seems like mollema has been around for ever , wonder if we will see carapaz try to make some time up tomorrow


Should suit Carapaz tommorow,four big climbs and at altitude.


----------



## rich p (10 Jul 2021)

I'm always amazed at how Greipel the Gorilla climbs considering his physique. 
He still has more pro wins than Cav too


----------



## MartinQ (11 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> I'm always amazed at how Greipel the Gorilla climbs considering his physique.
> He still has more pro wins than Cav too



I still like Cav's view on that subject (11 years ago - last sentance). Poo small wins in poo small races 
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendish-responds-to-greipels-criticism/


----------



## mjr (11 Jul 2021)

Loved the Reverend Gary's comments on the highlights that Cav's achievement may have been overshadowed in England by the footsie but at least it spares us the sight of Boris in FPKW (or words to that effect).


----------



## Aravis (11 Jul 2021)

If I could still climb hills, that final ascent from yesterday's stage would now be very high on my wanted list.


----------



## ebikeerwidnes (11 Jul 2021)

mjr said:


> Loved the Reverend Gary's comments on the highlights that Cav's achievement may have been overshadowed in England by the footsie but at least it spares us the sight of Boris in FPKW (or words to that effect).


Don't remind me - I have only just got rid of that image in my mind after commentary yesterday!!!


----------



## Mo1959 (11 Jul 2021)

It’s been mentioned a couple of times there could be gravel on the road. Surely with closed roads it could have been cleared?


----------



## roadrash (11 Jul 2021)

Boo Hoo Hani , has abandoned...oh dear.....how sad .....never mind


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Boo Hoo Hani , has abandoned...oh dear.....how sad .....never mind


Just gets better for Cav....


----------



## Dogtrousers (11 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Boo Hoo Hani , has abandoned...oh dear.....how sad .....never mind


Why such antipathy towards Bouhanni?


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Why such antipathy towards Bouhanni?


It's just cause we all want to see Nairoman get a chance to sprint 😁


----------



## Grant Fondo (11 Jul 2021)

Tops out at 35c in Andorra, you could fry an egg on your saddle.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Jul 2021)

Movistar and Ineos working together 😲


----------



## Cathryn (11 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> It's just cause we all want to see Nairoman get a chance to sprint 😁



I asked this question a few weeks ago - answers on P19 of the thread. Apparently, he's not the nicest.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> I asked this question a few weeks ago - answers on P19 of the thread. Apparently, he's not the nicest.


And he seemed such a charmer....you can never tell 😁


----------



## yello (11 Jul 2021)

he's a bit of a misery but maybe that's may because I've only ever seen him interviewed after a stage...


----------



## Dogtrousers (11 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> It's just cause we all want to see Nairoman get a chance to sprint 😁


Thanks

Hmmm. I think it's rather poor form to be celebrating someone having to abandon the Tour.

Unless of course it was Gianni Moscon, but that's another story.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> he's a bit of a misery but maybe that's may because I've only ever seen him interviewed after a stage...


More to do with his actions on the bike I think.


----------



## roadrash (11 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Why such antipathy towards Bouhanni?




As @Cathryn says see page 19, ...im sure his mother loves him .....maybe




Dogtrousers said:


> Hmmm. I think it's rather poor form to be celebrating someone having to abandon the Tour



Guilty as charged then ,  i just think he is a massive nob ed , obviously i dont know him , but thats how he comes across to me , even some team mates have said pretty much the same, they keep out of his way if he hasnt won , its always someone elses fault, sulks etc , thats enough without the racing incidents hes been involved in, just incase you cant tell....... i dont like him .... at all ,....though i believe he speaks highly of me


----------



## Rusty Nails (11 Jul 2021)

Aravis said:


> If I could still climb hills, that final ascent from yesterday's stage would now be very high on my wanted list.


Hire an e-bike


----------



## roadrash (11 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> It's just cause we all want to see Nairoman get a chance to sprint 😁


----------



## Dogtrousers (11 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Guilty as charged then ,  i just think he is a massive nob ed , obviously i dont know him , but thats how he comes across to me , even some team mates have said pretty much the same, they keep out of his way if he hasnt won , its always someone elses fault, sulks etc , thats enough without the racing incidents hes been involved in, just incase you cant tell....... i dont like him .... at all ,....though i believe he speaks highly of me


Hmmm... sounds like the young Cavendish. Sulky loser ... known for pushing it in sprints and causing incidents


----------



## roadrash (11 Jul 2021)

only a hell of a lot worse. in my opinion that is
not sure if every cyclist has a section on wikipedia titled ..".INCIDENTS"
Nacer Bouhanni - Wikipedia


----------



## roadrash (11 Jul 2021)

quintana caught ...but looks good


edit, well he did


----------



## Milkfloat (11 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> only a hell of a lot worse. in my opinion that is
> not sure if every cyclist has a section on wikipedia titled ..".INCIDENTS"
> Nacer Bouhanni - Wikipedia


I am surprised that Wikipedia does not include his fighting incident in a hotel and his jewellers ‘do you know who I am - Nancy Millionaire’ incident.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Jul 2021)

Sepp Kuss ! Great stage win.....as for the GC they tried,but Pogi looks pretty unshakable,everyone of those attacks he looked to close down easily.


----------



## stoatsngroats (11 Jul 2021)

That’s was a wonderful stage, the last climb and descent was thrilling.


----------



## roadrash (11 Jul 2021)

Pog really does look untouchable at the moment , but as we all know its not over till the fat lady sings


----------



## Grant Fondo (11 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Pog really does look untouchable at the moment , but as we all know its not over till the fat lady sings


Aye, certainly looks that way! Didn't we say the same about Rog last year though?


----------



## roadrash (11 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Aye, certainly looks that way! Didn't we say the same about Rog last year though?





we did , but look what happened just as the fat lady was clearing her throat


----------



## Mo1959 (11 Jul 2021)

Still remaining one of the most enjoyable and interesting Tours for some time I think.


----------



## gavroche (11 Jul 2021)

It must be Cavendish's lucky year so far as all the sprinters are disappearing fast so he won't have any competition left soon. 
So long as he can get through the mountains, he is practically assured of winning in Paris too.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Jul 2021)

gavroche said:


> It must be Cavendish's lucky year so far as all the sprinters are disappearing fast so he won't have any competition left soon.
> So long as he can get through the mountains, he is practically assured of winning in Paris too.


Don't rule out Van Aert.


----------



## mjr (11 Jul 2021)

Boasson Hagen outside the time limit and eliminated.


----------



## ebikeerwidnes (11 Jul 2021)

Does look like an elimination race for the sprinters

But whatever Cav does - 34 is 34 - 35 is greater!
Just becaue the last 2 were against dodgy competition doesn't eliminate the previous 32


----------



## Martinsnos (11 Jul 2021)

I know not much can be done about fans on open roads but where there are barriers, the organisers need to make sure there is the person power to keep people behind them.
(was very dangerous on the open roads but not sure much can be done there).

Added this having seen a bit more - during a pandemic if you shout into the face of a rider (or indeed anyone) you are an idiot.


----------



## hoopdriver (12 Jul 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Does look like an elimination race for the sprinters
> 
> But whatever Cav does - 34 is 34 - 35 is greater!
> Just becaue the last 2 were against dodgy competition doesn't eliminate the previous 32


It doesn't eliminate anything at all. Every race is different, every race is unique, they are all stages in the Tour de France against the best on that day - not all of Eddie Merckx wins were against the cream of the days' cyclists performing at their very peak. It's about who wins on the day. About who can stay in the race - not getting mixed up in crashes or failing to make time cuts. That's a part of winning too.


----------



## jowwy (12 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> It doesn't eliminate anything at all. Every race is different, every race is unique, they are all stages in the Tour de France against the best on that day - not all of Eddie Merckx wins were against the cream of the days' cyclists performing at their very peak. It's about who wins on the day. About who can stay in the race - not getting mixed up in crashes or failing to make time cuts. That's a part of winning too.


Totally agree…..nobody will down play Pogacar winning yellow, just because all the other contenders crashed out of the race. Thats bike racing


----------



## Dogtrousers (12 Jul 2021)

View: https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/1414299473807872007


----------



## roadrash (12 Jul 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Just becaue the last 2 were against dodgy competition



As explained above by @jowwy and @hoopdriver nothing dodgy about the competition. I honestly cant see why you would say that.


----------



## Dogtrousers (12 Jul 2021)

Losing Ewan was a loss to the points comp, but a double edged sword for DQS because it meant one fewer sprint team to control the breakaways* meaning the likes of Declerq and Alaphilippe had to work so much harder to ensure there even was a bunch sprint for Cavendish to compete in.

I don't buy this "dodgy competion" theory. It's a race and stuff happens. You can't start second guessing all the results with "what ifs". People crash out - it's happened to Cavendish in the past, it's happened to all kinds of riders. That's how things work and always have.

* Edit: And Pog's dominance of the GC has made this even harder because teams whose GC hope has gone out of contention or out of the race have turned their sights on the breakaway/stage win. So sometimes it's been DQS vs The World.


----------



## yello (12 Jul 2021)

The illogical conclusion is that events are cancelled if too many favourites drop out. I mean, it's not really a competition without them is it?

Or perhaps just award a favourite with the win and scrap the competition entirely. Wimbledon Men's Tennis has been cancelled and awarded to Djorkovic (sp?) because he would have won anyway so what's the point...


----------



## Mike_P (12 Jul 2021)

The next sprint stage might be tougher for Cav if other teams seek to take control like DSM did on the last one. With 400m to go Cav looked to be in trouble and if another team had been gathering force then he might not have got pass everyone. Could have the possibility of teams working together to counter DQS but then on the other hand they might just want to say they were there when he got the 35th.


----------



## Martinsnos (12 Jul 2021)

Mike_P said:


> The next sprint stage might be tougher for Cav if other teams seek to take control like DSM did on the last one. With 400m to go Cav looked to be in trouble and if another team had been gathering force then he might not have got pass everyone. Could have the possibility of teams working together to counter DQS but then on the other hand they might just want to say they were there when he got the 35th.



Or a team doesn’t want to be seen as the one that ‘spoilt the party’.

Being a bit naive I was amazed to hear that Merckx paid people to let him win (quite common back in the day apparently).

Hopefully that doesn’t happen now but you hear of teams agreeing to help each other etc, so who knows what goes on?!


----------



## hoopdriver (12 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Or a team doesn’t want to be seen as the one that ‘spoilt the party’.
> 
> Being a bit naive I was amazed to hear that Merckx paid people to let him win (quite common back in the day apparently).
> 
> Hopefully that doesn’t happen now but you hear of teams agreeing to help each other etc, so who knows what goes on?!


Imagine if you did that in horse racing? I doubt people would be so blasé


----------



## cougie uk (12 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> Or a team doesn’t want to be seen as the one that ‘spoilt the party’.
> 
> Being a bit naive I was amazed to hear that Merckx paid people to let him win (quite common back in the day apparently).
> 
> Hopefully that doesn’t happen now but you hear of teams agreeing to help each other etc, so who knows what goes on?!



I'm sure it still does for certain races. Wasn't Vino accused of this not that long ago ?


----------



## Martinsnos (12 Jul 2021)

cougie uk said:


> I'm sure it still does for certain races. Wasn't Vino accused of this not that long ago ?



I honestly don’t know. I rely on multiple sources for my information and my memory is rarely one of them!!!


----------



## MartinQ (12 Jul 2021)

cougie uk said:


> I'm sure it still does for certain races. Wasn't Vino accused of this not that long ago ?


Along with dodgy emails and bank transfer .... allegedly
https://inrng.com/2012/11/vinokourov-kolobnev-race-fixing-cycling/


----------



## Cathryn (12 Jul 2021)

So Deceuninck (sp?) have dropped out of sponsorship?


----------



## Adam4868 (12 Jul 2021)

I hope Ineos at least keep pushing UAE and the race in general.Still feel it's at least worth going for rather than a one off stage win ? shoot or bust so to speak 😁


----------



## Cathryn (12 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> So Deceuninck (sp?) have dropped out of sponsorship?


I see this is posted elsewhere. Soz


----------



## Dogtrousers (12 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> I hope Ineos at least keep pushing UAE and the race in general.Still feel it's at least worth going for rather than a one off stage win ? shoot or bust so to speak 😁


I hope so too. I actually think it's positive.

But it won't stop me from pointing and laughing if all they manage to do is soften Carapaz up for Vingegaard to attack.


----------



## Adam4868 (12 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I hope so too. I actually think it's positive.
> 
> But it won't stop me from pointing and laughing if all they manage to do is soften Carapaz up for Vingegaard to attack.


Better to lose trying/attacking.....


----------



## rich p (13 Jul 2021)

I can't help wondering if Alaphillipe is a bit pissed off, deep down by expending so much energy working for Cav when he could have conceivably collected a couple of more stages if he hadn't been knackered.
Also crushed physically by Cav, post race, as someone pointed out upthread!
I'm hoping he'll be in the breakaway mix today.


----------



## Martinsnos (13 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> I can't help wondering if Alaphillipe is a bit pissed off, deep down by expending so much energy working for Cav when he could have conceivably collected a couple of more stages if he hadn't been knackered.
> Also crushed physically by Cav, post race, as someone pointed out upthread!
> I'm hoping he'll be in the breakaway mix today.


We hear lots about teams not caring who wins as long as it is one of them etc but in the stats in 20 years time ‘I was in the team’ isn’t one of them.
A’s face/body language after one of the stages wasn’t of unrestrained joy - kind of ‘well done but calm down a bit’.


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Maybe there are a few riders in DQS that are perhaps playing more of a team role than they'd ideally like. It wouldn't surprise me, let's put it that way. I mean, whose idea of a tour is it to escort a sprinter over various cols to make sure he makes the cut?

Still, that said, they are to be lauded for doing what they are doing even if they are not personally 100% behind it. Called self-sacrifice I suppose?

Alaphilippe is a a bit different in that he really is more of a one-day rider, imho, and there are most definitely stages that will appeal to him more than others. It might well niggle him that he doesn't get more of a free role to decide his own agenda. I hope not and hope that both he and the team can strike that right balance.


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Martinsnos said:


> A’s face/body language after one of the stages wasn’t of unrestrained joy - kind of ‘well done but calm down a bit’.



I'd be careful not to rush to judgement. That could equally be explained by their different temperaments. Cavendish wears his heart on his sleeve, that's why so many have taken to him! Alaphilippe has a much cooler, laid back personality.


----------



## StuAff (13 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Pog looking nailed on for second place behind Lachlan Morton


Third....Jack Thompson is intending to beat them into Paris as well, on course so far.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> I can't help wondering if Alaphillipe is a bit pissed off, deep down by expending so much energy working for Cav when he could have conceivably collected a couple of more stages if he hadn't been knackered.
> Also crushed physically by Cav, post race, as someone pointed out upthread!
> I'm hoping he'll be in the breakaway mix today.


Cavs rise from the ashes or Allaphilipes stage win/s.....not that tough a choice as far as the sponsors go.


----------



## hoopdriver (13 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Maybe there are a few riders in DQS that are perhaps playing more of a team role than they'd ideally like. It wouldn't surprise me, let's put it that way. I mean, whose idea of a tour is it to escort a sprinter over various cols to make sure he makes the cut?
> 
> Still, that said, they are to be lauded for doing what they are doing even if they are not personally 100% behind it. Called self-sacrifice I suppose?
> 
> Alaphilippe is a a bit different in that he really is more of a one-day rider, imho, and there are most definitely stages that will appeal to him more than others. It might well niggle him that he doesn't get more of a free role to decide his own agenda. I hope not and hope that both he and the team can strike that right balance.


How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.


Is that not why Cav never stayed with sky.


----------



## ColinJ (13 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Is that not why Cav never stayed with sky.


It was a bit of an odd mix though, wasn't it! Why hire a top sprinter and then not want to support him properly?


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

ColinJ said:


> It was a bit of an odd mix though, wasn't it! Why hire a top sprinter and then not want to support him properly?


Maybe he fancied the money


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.



Not different at all. That was kinda my point. A domestique may well have aspirations unfulfilled by team needs. They self-sacrifice for the team... and, of course, a wage! And a ride (hopefully) next year.

It's something we've touched on before. Each of these riders, domestique or sprinter, is a supreme athlete and would wipe the floor with any of us. They were champions in their own right in their club/town/region/country... whatever. They (presumably) love what they do and have their own goals. That maybe goes on the back burner.

Kinda like a university grad getting assigned photocopier duty.... only much much harder!


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Not different at all. That was kinda my point. A domestique may well have aspirations unfulfilled by team needs. They self-sacrifice for the team... and, of course, a wage! And a ride (hopefully) next year.
> 
> It's something we've touched on before. Each of these riders, domestique or sprinter, is a supreme athlete and would wipe the floor with any of us. They were champions in their own right in their club/town/region/country... whatever. They (presumably) love what they do and have their own goals. That maybe goes on the back burner.
> 
> Kinda like a university grad getting assigned photocopier duty.... only much much harder!


Agree....but most knew what they signed up for.I think I'm worth more than my job 😁


----------



## matticus (13 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.


Yes, they're all domestiques!
I can see how some might find helping a GC contender at/near the front more "glamorous" than crawling in on the time limit with some fat sprinter who didn't train for the mountains.


----------



## roadrash (13 Jul 2021)

some people find it hard to accept that riders DO regularly sacrifice their own goals in pursuit of a team goal, but that is what happens in every team , most of the riders at any grand tour know they are not there to win individually in fact many of them know they stand no chance, but yet they accept their role in the team and do it well.


crawling in on the time limit with some fat sprinter who didn't train for the mountains. 

" a fat sprinter that hadnt trained right" would even make the team selection


----------



## Dogtrousers (13 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> " a fat sprinter that hadnt trained right" would even make the team selection


Unless of course if he happened to be the team's #2 sprinter, standing in at late notice for the main sprinter, and wasn't expecting to ride the tour so consequently "hasn't ridden an alpine pass for 3 years".


----------



## T4tomo (13 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Unless of course if he happened to be the team's #2 sprinter, standing in at late notice for the main sprinter, and wasn't expecting to ride the tour so consequently "hasn't ridden an alpine pass for 3 years".


Or one that knew he was a reserve rider for the Tour so was in pretty decent shape already....its not like he was smoking fags on he beach in the the couple of months pre tour


----------



## T4tomo (13 Jul 2021)

should be a fast start today - down hill off the mountain top with a break trying to get away. What could possibly go wrong.....stay safe chaps.


----------



## roadrash (13 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Unless of course if he happened to be the team's #2 sprinter, standing in at late notice for the main sprinter, and wasn't expecting to ride the tour so consequently "hasn't ridden an alpine pass for 3 years".




is he what you would call "fat"


----------



## rich p (13 Jul 2021)

Carlton Kirby thinks he's in a comedy double act - about as funny as Mike and Berniw Winters...for those of a certain vintage
I might have to mute the twat.


----------



## cougie uk (13 Jul 2021)

Cav looks to be very trim this year. No way could you call him fat.


----------



## rich p (13 Jul 2021)

Some are wearing leg warmers. Must be a bit nippy


----------



## roadrash (13 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Carlton Kirby thinks he's in a comedy double act - about as funny as Mike and Berniw Winters...for those of a certain vintage
> I might have to mute the twat.




about as funny as schnorbitz


----------



## T4tomo (13 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Some are wearing leg warmers. Must be a bit nippy


start above 2000m in crap weather. read that they all stopped 0.5km before the depart real to strip off the "keep warm during the pre depart procession" layers.

My mate posted on FB that he went out for ride yday and came across the BoraHans team out for a rest day legs stretch. They humoured him riding and chatting with them for 20 mins and gave him a blast of "Italia Italia!" as they parted ways.


----------



## matticus (13 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> I can't help wondering if Alaphillipe is a bit pissed off, deep down by expending so much energy working for Cav when he could have conceivably collected a couple of more stages if he hadn't been knackered.


This is just IMHO; he put *such* big efforts into the leadouts, that must have been way above what was required from him by management. So I think he's happy to serve.


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> This is just IMHO; he put *such* big efforts into the leadouts, that must have been way above what was required from him by management. So I think he's happy to serve.


He does indeed, knocks himself out. He's team leader isn't he? Don't know. Whatever. Lead by example anyway. As a team, they are defending the green jersey even when it's perhaps less glamorous to do so (i.e. making sure it finishes in time) It's actually a great reminder of what cycling can be about sometimes. It's not Cavendish they're defending per se, it's the jersey. Cavendish just happens to be wearing it!


----------



## MikeonaBike (13 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Yes, they're all domestiques!
> I can see how some might find helping a GC contender at/near the front more "glamorous" than crawling in on the time limit with some fat sprinter who didn't train for the mountains.



Is that a serious comment? Fat? Dear me………


----------



## roadrash (13 Jul 2021)

looks a bit dodgy on that descent, wet roads...


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> looks a bit dodgy on that descent, wet roads...


Does doesn't it. Some top handing skills both required _and_ on display.


----------



## hoopdriver (13 Jul 2021)

MikeonaBike said:


> Is that a serious comment? Fat? Dear me………


Indeed! And here’s me, only a bit tubby. I suppose that must mean I could wipe the floor with Cav. Gosh. I never knew…


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

hoopdriver said:


> I could wipe the floor with Cav.


He's probably absorbent, so it'd be a good choice. We'll find out later today, they're in for more rain.


----------



## rich p (13 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> about as funny as schnorbitz


Bernie's fur coat might keep them warm today!


----------



## rich p (13 Jul 2021)

Nice to see Fred Wright is a poursuivant au jour d'hui


----------



## T4tomo (13 Jul 2021)

good news for Cav is that he is still in the peloton within 4 mins of the lead, so shouldn't be any cut off issues today. The bad news is that Matthews has swept up some inter points and is within a minute of the lead group in a decent sized chase group in which he'd be favorite to win a bunch sprint at the line if it came to that. Colbrelli is also in that chase group. lets hope its doesnt come to that.


----------



## ColinJ (13 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Maybe he fancied the money


I'm sure that Cav liked the money; I'm just wondering why Sky wanted _him_, given that they weren't really interested in anything other than the GC!


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Matthews is struggling now, as the chase group splits. Sonny whatsit stays with the pace.


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Chase group back together and 18 seconds off the front. Cavendish was back in the yellow jersey group for a bit but has fallen back again.


----------



## T4tomo (13 Jul 2021)

ColinJ said:


> I'm sure that Cav liked the money; I'm just wondering why Sky wanted _him_, given that they weren't really interested in anything other than the GC!


Cav was a top British rider and Brailsford wanted all such riders at Sky, without thinking thru how that would work keeping Cav and Wiggo happy in the Grand Tours. The answer was he couldn't and the limited assistance Cav was promised on sprint stages went out of the window when they were defending yellow jerseys (or came from Cav jumping on other teams trains).


----------



## matticus (13 Jul 2021)

ColinJ said:


> I'm sure that Cav liked the money; I'm just wondering why Sky wanted _him_, given that they weren't really interested in anything other than the GC!


I think maybe it was a Buy British thing? Brailsford over-stretching, thinking that having the Best British Sprinter on the team would be a nice thing, sponsors would love it ... etc.
He's got a fair bit cannier since - employing Columbians, Australians, even Kenyans as team leaders ...


----------



## Dogtrousers (13 Jul 2021)

The Cav to Sky thing is/was baffling. At the time I thought it was utterly stupid, but assumed that there must be some deeper reason or plan that I didn't understand. There wasn't. It was stupid. It failed. That would mean I was right, which I find hard to accept.


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

yello, bringing you useless information from the other side of the channel...

Did you know that 'Fred Wright' sounds just like 'Fred Wright' when said with a French accent. A truly cross channel name.

Though calling him "benjamin" might confuse


----------



## matticus (13 Jul 2021)

MikeonaBike said:


> Is that a serious comment? Fat? Dear me………


Bazinga!

(Actually a well-known Gt winner once commented on fat sprinters. I'll dig out the quote one day ... )


----------



## GuyBoden (13 Jul 2021)

A big thanks to Sam Bennettt for missing the TdF. 
I hope his mystery knee injury improves, he's moving to another team.


----------



## roadrash (13 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> he's moving to another team.




And i hope he gets the support he needs , he has proved he can come up with the goods since leaving Bora.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

Hope Cobrelli wins this stage....mental how he held on to Gaudu on that climb !


----------



## GuyBoden (13 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Hope Cobrelli wins this stage....mental how he held on to Gaudu on that climb !


Looks a bit wet out there.


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Cobrelli is really going for it!


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

Gaudu is going to have to try and drop him on the descent....looks sketchy enough !


----------



## matticus (13 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> The Cav to Sky thing is/was baffling. At the time I thought it was utterly stupid, but assumed that there must be some deeper reason or plan that I didn't understand. There wasn't. It was stupid. It failed. That would mean I was right, which I find hard to accept.


I thought their Tour went OK!
https://roadcyclinguk.com/news/racing-news/tour-de-france-stage-20-cavendish-wiggins-4382.html


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

Probally for a different thread but there's not much room for yellow and green.Take your pick which Sir Dave thought was more important.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

Konrad's going to win it !


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Colbrili and Gaudu disagreeing over a course of action ...

Chase group back together.

(edit: Sonny wanted to hammer on methinks)


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Yes, I reckon Konrad has this now, chase group are going to scrap for 2nd.
It's apparently a nasty steep, little finish, not a sprinter's finish.

Edit: no hang on, I've probably misunderstood that. Commentators talking about this little col, not the finish.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

Gaudu wasn't going to drag Cobrelli to the finish...


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Yes, I reckon Konrad has this now, chase group are going to scrap for 2nd.
> It's apparently a nasty steep, little finish, not a sprinter's finish.
> 
> Edit: no hang on, I've probably misunderstood that. Commentators talking about this little col, not the finish.



No, as you were, I understood correctly.


----------



## GuyBoden (13 Jul 2021)

A nice 4hr pootle.


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

I think Cobrelli earned his 2nd place. A good and gutsy ride.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

Great win by Konrad and Cobrelli to come in second !


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Still some racing left in this stage.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Still some racing left in this stage.


A little late I think 🙄


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

View: https://twitter.com/Cycling_Memes1/status/1414976314877087747?s=19


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Bernie's fur coat might keep them warm today!


Brad knows the score with coats...love his Welsh accent 😂

View: https://twitter.com/Eurosport_UK/status/1414940757694287875?s=19


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> A little late I think 🙄


Must admit, I did wonder why. Valuable seconds?


----------



## yello (13 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Matthews roughly halves his deficit on Cavendish. He's now on 242, 37 behind Cavendish on 279


Not a good day for Cavendish at all. Colbrelli picked up a good haul of points too.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Must admit, I did wonder why. Valuable seconds?


Because Wout can !


----------



## roadrash (13 Jul 2021)

I just love the way sean kelly says .... pog..... a ....car


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (13 Jul 2021)

Anyone else noticed that rim brakes are virtually absent now? All now seem to be on discs.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Jul 2021)

Froome swapped his discs for rim....see the difference its made 😁


----------



## matticus (14 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> I think Cobrelli earned his 2nd place. A good and gutsy ride.


I must admit I know bu99er-all about him. Not sure I've even seen an interview, like ever.

He's certainly taking the fight to Cav and not just sitting back, so for now I'll back him in the race for 2nd :P


----------



## T4tomo (14 Jul 2021)

Expect bit of a dust up at the intermediate sprint today, if a break hasn't gone up the road by then, Cav hinted at it yesterday, he needs to make sure neither rival gains too many more points on him.

The next 2 stages are HC summit finishes, one would hope that neither Matthews nor Colbrelli will be at the sharp end of the finish of either one, I know they can climb reasonably well, but surely both days for pure climbers, and there is a lot still to settle in the GC minor placings and some vital KoM points out there to be won.


----------



## mjr (14 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> The Cav to Sky thing is/was baffling. At the time I thought it was utterly stupid, but assumed that there must be some deeper reason or plan that I didn't understand. There wasn't. It was stupid. It failed. That would mean I was right, which I find hard to accept.


The deeper plan was Sky allowed Cav time to train for a shot at the Olympic gold he wanted, while the Mega Farmers reportedly wouldn't and I don't remember if other teams were chasing him as HTC ended. Sky also fancied having the rainbow jersey and lots of Olympians on their squad in 2012. For one season, Sky weren't obsessing only about the Tour.


----------



## matticus (14 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Quality breakaway. Consists of some people whose names I just about recognise, but don't know much or anything about. And some people whose names I don't recognise. And Danny van Poppel.
> 
> Let battle commence!


Sounds good for Cav 👍

<goes into stealth mode until watching Highlights>


----------



## T4tomo (14 Jul 2021)

Yes - Break should sweep up most of the inter sprint points 

i got excited as thought I had D vP in my fantasy team, tuns out I've got Boy vP


----------



## Beebo (14 Jul 2021)

Cav didn’t seem to go full beans for the intermediate sprint despite a good set up by the team. Only lost 1 point to his main rival. All other points went to riders with no hope of winning.


----------



## roadrash (14 Jul 2021)

Ineos riders dropping like flies..


----------



## Beebo (14 Jul 2021)

That moment when you suddenly realise the pig costume was a waste of time and it would have been easier to just wear normal clothes. And you still have to get home


----------



## Milzy (14 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> A big thanks to Sam Bennettt for missing the TdF.
> I hope his mystery knee injury improves, he's moving to another team.


Sean Kelly tried his hardest to make us all believe his knee got worse by rushing back as well.


----------



## roadrash (14 Jul 2021)

Pogacar  fekin animal


----------



## Beebo (14 Jul 2021)

Great battle for the places.


----------



## Dogtrousers (14 Jul 2021)

Phew!

Ineos attrition is working. Carapaz is now on the podium at the expense of Uran.

Cav watchers can relax as the cutoff is 30 odd minutes and the last I remember they were umpteen minutes behind.


----------



## tribanjules (14 Jul 2021)

Cf just rocked up . +3h 39 off pog overall


----------



## tribanjules (14 Jul 2021)

Cav over the line +34


----------



## Dogtrousers (14 Jul 2021)

tribanjules said:


> Cav over the line +34


5 min to spare. Why waste so much energy racing??


----------



## tribanjules (14 Jul 2021)

Saving for tourmalet !


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Jul 2021)

So Carapaz adds UAE and Jumbo to the list of haters 😁 Love the way he blagged that last climb...really was he going to take turns and drag two stronger riders up there ? 
Pogi looks invincible !


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I really enjoyed the tactics on that finish.


Me too ! All the commentators on Eurosport were convinced the Carapaz grimace was real 😁 Loved the way it all came down to the three of them.


----------



## roadrash (14 Jul 2021)

pogs face was a picture when interviewed warming down , when carapaz was mentioned he couldnt help but screw his face up as if to say feck him 
he did get the dig in his reply saying he did no work at all.


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> 5 min to spare. Why waste so much energy racing??


They should give him those minutes in the bank for tomorrow


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (14 Jul 2021)

So where is Bennett going?


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> So where is Bennett going?


Back to Bora supposedly


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

My son reckons that Poigacar is pretending to make it look tough for himself. and also did so on that climb last week when he 'allowed' Vingegaaard to beat him.
I blame myself for bringing him up to distrust that bastard Armstrong!
Look what you've done Lance, spawned a generation of doubters!!!!


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (14 Jul 2021)

He didn't look in much trouble today.


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

I must confess to knowing 3 parts of fark all about Mattia Cattaneo in Cav's team but he's doing pretty well to be only 19 minutes down in the GC


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

I also know that even I as, a mega Cav fan, who doubted his ability to come back from his last few years ...

there ain't no way, poor old Froomedawg is going to make a similar Lazarus-like rise from the dead!

Having said that, if he enjoys what he's doing and somebody is willing to pay him big bucks to do so then I don't buy into the !ruining his legacy bollox". Good on yer for keeping buggering on. He's not whingeing or making excuses.

My hero when I was young(er) was Jimmy Breaves who likewise got criticised for dropping down the leagues to Barnet FC from the top to the...botton. They enjoy what they were doing even if the glory days are gone. Kudos to them IMHO


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

I have had a couple of sherberts, as it happens


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> My son reckons that Poigacar is pretending to make it look tough for himself. and also did so on that climb last week when he 'allowed' Vingegaaard to beat him.
> I blame myself for bringing him up to distrust that bastard Armstrong!
> Look what you've done Lance, spawned a generation of doubters!!!!


I'm not sure about pretending...nothing has looked too much trouble so far.He can hardly be arsed to stand up on the bike when climbing,almost go on then I'll make it look a little hard 😁


----------



## Milkfloat (14 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> I have had a couple of sherberts, as it happens


We can tell


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> I'm not sure about pretending...nothing has looked too much trouble so far.He can hardly be arsed to stand up on the bike when climbing,almost go on then I'll make it look a little hard 😁


True!!! but he thinks he was pretending on the stage that Vinegaard beat him to defuse doping suspiscions thrown at him the day before.


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> True!!! but he thinks he was pretending on the stage that Vinegaard beat him to defuse doping suspiscions thrown at him the day before.


Lol...know what he means.Im sticking with my naivety and convinced he's clean ! The competition is just not up to it.


----------



## rich p (14 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Lol...know what he means.Im sticking with my naivety and convinced he's clean ! The competition is just not up to it.


Pssssst, Adam. Santa and the Tooth Fairy aren't real...😄


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Pssssst, Adam. Santa and the Tooth Fairy aren't real...😄


Put the bottle down....before you really piss on my parade !


----------



## DRM (14 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Lol...know what he means.Im sticking with my naivety and convinced he's clean ! The competition is just not up to it.


I’ve got to admit to me Pogacar seems to be finding it just a bit too easy, and on the ITV podcast in one episode it was said his manner reminded them of Lance, it’s just got me thinking that something fishy is going on here.


----------



## Dogtrousers (14 Jul 2021)

Right. One more day of keeping our fingers and toes crossed for Cav's battle against the clock.

Forecast finish time is between about 3hr 30 and 3h 55. Cutoff will therefore be between 18% (if fast) and 15% (if slow) which comes out at between 33 and 37 mins or thereabouts.

If you look on the https://racecenter.letour.fr/ page they start the countdown as soon as the winner crosses the line. And search #cavwatch on Twitter.

On the "is Pog up to something?" question. People _always _think there's something fishy going on. Same for Froome (how could the Barloworld loser turn into a world beater?) Thomas (how did a trackie-cum-classics rider turn into a mountain stage winner?) Maybe there is something going on. Maybe not. If there is it will probably come out in the end. But until then, I for one propose to just enjoy the racing. Today was great.


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Jul 2021)

DRM said:


> I’ve got to admit to me Pogacar seems to be finding it just a bit too easy, and on the ITV podcast in one episode it was said his manner reminded them of Lance, it’s just got me thinking that something fishy is going on here.


Ok I'll bite one last time.We have been here plenty of times with Froome etc.When anyone's on peak form were going.to question that because of cycling's history of doping.I sort of think if he was surely he'd be better having some sort of wobble ? I mean with the advantage he's got he could lose a minute or two comfortably and not look as invincible.Did we question his performance last year or Roglics for that matter.If you look at the numbers he's hitting there good but nothing that's not been seen before.He deserves to be in Yellow !
What about Van Aert he's definately on the laughing gear isn't he.....


----------



## Mike_P (15 Jul 2021)

Did anyone question Allaphilippe and MVP ? What Pog has done on two stages clearly and less so on a third is similar to what happened on the first two stages. If yesterdays finish line was a bit further it looked distinctly possible Vingegaard could have caught and possibly overtaken him while Capapaz would have looked a even bigger clown for his playacting.


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Did anyone question Allaphilippe and MVP ? What Pog has done on two stages clearly and less so on a third is similar to what happened on the first two stages. If yesterdays finish line was a bit further it looked distinctly possible Vingegaard could have caught and possibly overtaken him while Capapaz would have looked a even bigger clown for his playacting.


Mike did Carapaz not drop Uran off the podium and take a spot himself ? At least he tried something....what was he going to work with them both to gift Pogi the stage?
They've already said we though he was bluffing lol
Job done for him yesterday I think.


----------



## Tom... (15 Jul 2021)

Clean or not, you still have to be a highly talented, gifted and dedicated athlete to be where he is.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> He's not whingeing or making excuses.



Indeed not. I'm no fan of Froome but fair-do's, respect even.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

It was a cripping finish yesterday, loved every second of it.


----------



## T4tomo (15 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Right. One more day of keeping our fingers and toes crossed for Cav's battle against the clock.
> 
> Forecast finish time is between about 3hr 30 and 3h 55. Cutoff will therefore be between 18% (if fast) and 15% (if slow) which comes out at between 33 and 37 mins or thereabouts.



Hopefully will pan out similar to today, as long as Matthews and Colbrelli don't get up the road, DQS will need to be alert to shut any threatening move down. Cav will be fine in the peloton upto and beyond the inter sprint, where he can limit any losses to M&C to a point or two. Then with the two big climbs stacked at the back end, rather than a series of climbs from early doors, the autobus should comfortably make the cut-off.


----------



## roadrash (15 Jul 2021)

carapaz did what he needed to do yesterday, why on earth would he do anything other than what he did , regarding pogacar , iy is getting really boring ow to suggest whoever is winning must be on the juice , put a rondom dozen of people on a bike , one of them will be better than the rest, does that make that person a doper . its like some folk just dont like anyone winning, it has to be questioned, if i felt like that then i wouldnt bother watching.


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> carapaz did what he needed to do yesterday, why on earth would he do anything other than what he did , regarding pogacar , iy is getting really boring ow to suggest whoever is winning must be on the juice , put a rondom dozen of people on a bike , one of them will be better than the rest, does that make that person a doper . its like some folk just dont like anyone winning, it has to be questioned, if i felt like that then i wouldnt bother watching.


Saying that rumour has it Sir Dave has been seen,in disguise with beige mac and false tash snooping around other team buses.Hes been heard whittering "what is this new wonderdrug,where can I get my hands on it. Freeman's in the Cayman Islands so hes no use"Gotta feel for him with his riders going pop one by one 🙄
Can you tell I've got a day off and too much time on my hands....bring on some more drama and badass tactics today by Billy the Kid Carapaz !


----------



## rich p (15 Jul 2021)

That's true but unfortunately cycling is a victim of its dirty past and there are always people who are happy to point the finger.
I think Pog and Rog are clean but they have some dubious associations, I believe, which fuels the flames. And that they come from the same country doesn't help.


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> That's true but unfortunately cycling is a victim of its dirty past and there are always people who are happy to point the finger.
> I think Pog and Rog are clean but they have some dubious associations, I believe, which fuels the flames. And that they come from the same country doesn't help.


Preferred your late night pissed ramblings 🙄


----------



## rich p (15 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Preferred your late night pissed ramblings 🙄


I'm a changed man... on the wagon.
Hopefully not with Cav and the brooms...


----------



## roadrash (15 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Saying that rumour has it Sir Dave has been seen,in disguise with beige mac and false tash snooping around other team buses.Hes been heard whittering "what is this new wonderdrug,where can I get my hands on it. Freeman's in the Cayman Islands so hes no use"Gotta feel for him with his riders going pop one by one




could always use a jiffy bag and post it 

or send Brad on a bike


----------



## rich p (15 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> could always use a jiffy bag and post it
> 
> or send Brad on a bike


Did you hear him call his new motorbike driver "useless" the other day. 
How rude!


----------



## matticus (15 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Mike did Carapaz not drop Uran off the podium and take a spot himself ? At least he tried something....what was he going to work with them both to gift Pogi the stage?
> They've already said we though he was bluffing lol
> Job done for him yesterday I think.


Carapaz did OK. But with my 20:20 Hindsight goggles on:
He should have known he couldn't win the stage. If GC was the focus, he could have worked with the other two to maximise his gain over the other 4-5 podium rivals.

He's definitely a gurner. The spirit of Voeckler lives on!


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Carapaz did OK. But with my 20:20 Hindsight goggles on:
> He should have known he couldn't win the stage. If GC was the focus, he could have worked with the other two to maximise his gain over the other 4-5 podium rivals.
> 
> He's definitely a gurner. The spirit of Voeckler lives on!


Lol....over 5 minutes behind,wtf should he do what Pogi wants....or go for it and light it up ! As I've said I enjoyed the drama.
UCI please make a rule change 10 second bonus for c@nt of the day.
Hopefully some more drama today.


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/police-raid-bahrain-victorious-hotel-at-tour-de-france/
> Looks like they got the wrong hotel. We could have told them, Pog's thattaway! Stands to reason dunnit. He's the one who's winning.


Apparently they were searching for vintage Festina Watches from the 90s 🙄


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> The spirit of Voeckler lives on!



Our Tom is ensconced, Wiggo-like, on the back of a motorbike for the French live coverage. His insights are of great value and his continual 'cheeky-chappie' persona a refreshing change from the studio voices. One has to imagine his gurning of course... but that's not very difficult as he mastered the art to such a high standard that he has become standard bearer, the measure to which all others are compared.


----------



## matticus (15 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> UCI please make a rule change 10 second bonus for c@nt of the day.


But who would decide?? Phone-in vote, or a meeting of the peloton?


----------



## matticus (15 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> Our Tom is ensconced, Wiggo-like, on the back of a motorbike for the French live coverage. His insights are of great value and his continual 'cheeky-chappie' persona a refreshing change from the studio voices. One has to imagine his gurning of course... but that's not very difficult as he mastered the art to such a high standard that he has become standard bearer, the measure to which all others are compared.


I will never forget the image of his face.

And I doubt anyone will ever say Tom is "wiggo-like" again!


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

I've warmed to him (Voeckler) over the years. His nickname was apparently 'Hollywood' as teammates liked to take the piss out of his 'playing to the camera'!!

Edit: I'm off the mark with the nickname, it wasn't his teammates that called him that, it was the Spanish (riders). I found this fascinating article on him...

https://inrng.com/2012/07/le-voeckler-show/

I love the Begbie reference!


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> But who would decide?? Phone-in vote, or a meeting of the peloton?


CC massive ?


----------



## roadrash (15 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Did you hear him call his new motorbike driver "useless" the other day.
> How rude!



yeah, if i was driving ,wiggo would have been walking after that


----------



## roadrash (15 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I loved it when he was present at the route announcement a couple of years ago, just after he retired. Standing next to Prudhomme he looked like a schoolboy who'd won a competition to be at the announcement.



I knew he was small but didnt realise how small until i was stood at side of him outside team bus at the first tour of yorkshire, hes like a jockey, or a test pilot for airfix


----------



## roadrash (15 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> CC massive ?




Carlton Kirby would get it every day


----------



## ColinJ (15 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> yeah, if i was driving ,wiggo would have been walking after that


Perhaps he doesn't speak English...?


----------



## T4tomo (15 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Did you hear him call his new motorbike driver "useless" the other day.
> How rude!


banter!


----------



## Grant Fondo (15 Jul 2021)

Whats all this with the BV police raid? Not much news coming out?


----------



## Dogtrousers (15 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Whats all this with the BV police raid? Not much news coming out?


I'd bet we'll hear no more. There was a similar one on Arkea Samsic a short while ago


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Every team will get a raid, just to be even handed.


----------



## Grant Fondo (15 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> I'd bet we'll hear no more. There was a similar one on Arkea Samsic a short while ago


There's an odeur de poisson about this (if you pardon my French)


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Anyway, Cavendish did all he could/needed/had to do at the intermediate. Then an entirely different race started. I like cycling's races within races


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Whats all this with the BV police raid? Not much news coming out?


Apparently Colbrelli is still filling the p1ss bottle....


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Pierre Roland.... now there's a name we should have been hearing more of over the years. Now 'e could climb when 'e werra lad.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Alaphilippe is channeling his inner Voeckler.... and gurning!


----------



## biking_fox (15 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Whats all this with the BV police raid? Not much news coming out?



https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fr...nto-doping-allegations-at-bahrain-victorious/

There was a raid - they disturbed the riders for a bit. Everybody went back to bed. I don't know how significant having 50 police attending is, presumably a hotel takes a bit of looking through.


----------



## cougie uk (15 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Whats all this with the BV police raid? Not much news coming out?


They've taken the riders training files apparently. Maybe they just want tips for the gendarme cycling club ?


----------



## T4tomo (15 Jul 2021)

DQS team work - the green jersey group off the back of the peloton is.... 5 DQS riders! Also Cav +2pts to Matthews over the sprint.

AlaPip is up the road in search of polka dots.


----------



## Grant Fondo (15 Jul 2021)

Some right ugly buildings up the Tourmalet, yuk!


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Nice to see the 'paper up the jumper' is still done.

This descent could be interesting; long, technical and quick.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

I reckon Alaphilippe is cooked.


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> I reckon Alaphilippe is cooked.


He'll make it up on the descent.


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

Allez David !


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> He'll make it up on the descent.


...and then?


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

I don't think Gaudu will do it, sadly


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> I don't think Gaudu will do it, sadly


Pah...your all doom and gloom.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Credit to Ineos, they're going for it.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Catch... 

Gaudu couldn't quite keep the fire going.. 10km. Good fight fella.


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Jul 2021)

Can you believe I've gotta drop son at work! Lazy get


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Pogacar looks comfortable.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

A repeat of yesterday? Will Carapaz play act this time?


----------



## roadrash (15 Jul 2021)

uran is a big loser today


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Pogacar is just too/so strong. Unbeatable.

Edit: and he takes the polka dots too. That's only the green to go... how many points has he?


----------



## MasterDabber (15 Jul 2021)

Grant Fondo said:


> Some right ugly buildings up the Tourmalet, yuk!


The other side up from Luz St Sauveur is a lot nicer plus you can divert onto Voie Laurent Fignon (the old road).


----------



## Supersuperleeds (15 Jul 2021)

Pogacar is in a different league to everyone else. He could dominate for years to come


----------



## Dogtrousers (15 Jul 2021)

Uran 9 mins lost. Ouch.


----------



## yello (15 Jul 2021)

Cavendish finishes with 7 minutes and a bit to spare


----------



## Grant Fondo (15 Jul 2021)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Pogacar is in a different league to everyone else. He could dominate for years to come


Pog's unstoppable now, great riding last two days. 200km flat then the TT on saturday, he could do it on my old 5 speed


----------



## cyberknight (15 Jul 2021)

EF are going to start a coaching business to help fund themselves with T J van Garederan as one of the coaches starting from $390 a month !


----------



## Mike_P (15 Jul 2021)

Are they doing an 18 day tour of France with Lachlan Morton?


----------



## carpiste (15 Jul 2021)

I left the house as soon as the first 10 or so riders had gone past the finish so I could do my 21 mile TDF (in my head)
I was really pleased to see Cav finished with a comfortable 7 minutes to spare. The race is pretty much over now so I`m just hoping Cav can get at least one more sprint stage win under his belt


----------



## Beebo (15 Jul 2021)

carpiste said:


> I left the house as soon as the first 10 or so riders had gone past the finish so I could do my 21 mile TDF (in my head)
> I was really pleased to see Cav finished with a comfortable 7 minutes to spare. The race is pretty much over now so I`m just hoping Cav can get at least one more sprint stage win under his belt


He finished in last place with his full team
guard. Just doing the bare minimum I hope.


----------



## yello (16 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Just doing the bare minimum I hope.



Yes, I think that's the case. A (comparatively) fresh leadout team for the the remaining sprint stages. DQS have managed this very well so far.


----------



## Mike_P (16 Jul 2021)

Be interesting to see if Cav puts less effort into the TT than he did the first where he finished a good way up the list.


----------



## GuyBoden (16 Jul 2021)

Ineos will rethink their strategy, but I'd like to see Ineos have a fit Egan Bernal as their sole leader next year against Pogacar in the TdF.


----------



## matticus (16 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Ineos will rethink their strategy, but I'd like to see Ineos have a fit Egan Bernal as their sole leader next year against Pogacar in the TdF.


It's funny with hindsight, that we were scathing about Ineos having 4 Grand Tour winners on their roster (and that's after Froome left). How could they _not _be in the running for any race they turn up to??


----------



## cisamcgu (16 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Ineos will rethink their strategy, but I'd like to see Ineos have a fit Egan Bernal as their sole leader next year against Pogacar in the TdF.


Bernal, Pogacar and Roglic - that might be fun


----------



## Darius_Jedburgh (16 Jul 2021)

Where will Thomas end up? His days are surely over at Ineos.


----------



## Dogtrousers (16 Jul 2021)

Worth remembering that Pog gave away well over a minute in one stage and dropped way down the GC at one point in last year's race. I know it's pointless whatiffery, and I do know that he came back to win, but if it was not for getting caught out on that one day, last year could have been a similar tale of dominance.

Or perhaps not.


----------



## GuyBoden (16 Jul 2021)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> Where will Thomas end up? His days are surely over at Ineos.


Domestique in Start Up Nation's pension scheme team.


----------



## roadrash (16 Jul 2021)

I bet wout poels is absolutely gutted losing the polkadot jersey to pog, and to add insult to injury , poels will wear it on behalf of pogacar today


----------



## rich p (16 Jul 2021)

Can I just say that I like the educated anchoring of Jonathan Harris Bass on GCN. A nice light touch and gentle humour


----------



## roadrash (16 Jul 2021)

crash


----------



## roadrash (16 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Can I just say that I like the educated anchoring of Jonathan Harris Bass on GCN. A nice light touch and gentle humour




Have you ordered a copy of his recipe book yet,.... it will make a change from chips n egg


----------



## Dogtrousers (16 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> crash



_Crash in the peloton
11:33
Crash at km 2 in the middle of the bunch. *Thomas*, Henao, Poels are among the riders affected. _

Why am I not surprised?


----------



## matticus (16 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Worth remembering that Pog gave away well over a minute in one stage and dropped way down the GC at one point in last year's race. I know it's pointless whatiffery, and I do know that he came back to win, but if it was not for getting caught out on that one day, last year could have been a similar tale of dominance.
> 
> Or perhaps not.


Yup, he might lose a minute. Not totally unlikely, with crashes, crosswinds, mechanicals etc

But he'd still be in yellow by 4 minutes ...

:P


----------



## rich p (16 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Have you ordered a copy of his recipe book yet,.... it will make a change from chips n egg


Just been reading his soufflé recipe for today! Tasty!

Who does Pog think he is? The Boss!


----------



## rich p (16 Jul 2021)

Great to be able to see all these skirmishes and early attempts at the break now it's televised from the start.
Not good for my domestic productivity though!


----------



## Dogtrousers (16 Jul 2021)

Am I the only one to have rider theme songs, that you sing whenever the rider is named in commentary?

In this race we have
Heinao, Heinao ... don't dream it's over
Higuita ... you and I know, how the heartaches come and they go

And although Hindley isn't in this race ..
Jai ho!


----------



## matticus (16 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Am I the only one to have rider theme songs, that you sing whenever the rider is named in commentary?
> 
> In this race we have
> Heinao, Heinao ... don't dream it's over
> ...


Hirschi?


----------



## Mo1959 (16 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Great to be able to see all these skirmishes and early attempts at the break now it's televised from the start.
> Not good for my domestic productivity though!


Thought it didn’t start till 1 or is it on earlier on Sky?


----------



## Martinsnos (16 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Thought it didn’t start till 1 or is it on earlier on Sky?


Eurosport often a lot earlier than ITV4. Is on now.


----------



## matticus (16 Jul 2021)

Hirschi?

...comes again, 
When she's dancing 'neath the starry sky


----------



## rich p (16 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> Thought it didn’t start till 1 or is it on earlier on Sky?


Yes it starts even before the roll out on GCN/Eurosport


----------



## Mo1959 (16 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Yes it starts even before the roll out on GCN/Eurosport


The joys of just having cooncil telly!


----------



## yello (16 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Heinao, Heinao ... don't dream it's over



That's quite good that one.


----------



## rich p (16 Jul 2021)

Mo1959 said:


> The joys of just having cooncil telly!


It's was only 20 quid for a whole year!


----------



## T4tomo (16 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Hirschi?
> 
> ...comes again,
> When she's dancing 'neath the starry sky


Pity Hirschi's nemsis Therschi isn't racing, then we could have had Hirschi comes again vs Therschi goes again


----------



## roadrash (16 Jul 2021)

Thershi goes just walking down the street ...singing doo wha diddy.....................


----------



## rich p (16 Jul 2021)

Ballerini is pulling the break. Does that mean that DQS aren't going to chase for a Cav sprint?


----------



## roadrash (16 Jul 2021)

my, my, my ,my, my verona carlos verona.. moviestar, slight deviation of ...my sherona by the knack


----------



## fossyant (16 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> my, my, my ,my, my verona carlos verona.. moviestar, slight deviation of ...my sherona by the knack



Give up whilst you are ahead !


----------



## yello (16 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Ballerini is pulling the break. Does that mean that DQS aren't going to chase for a Cav sprint?


a "change of tactics" Laurent Jalabert helpfully suggests.


----------



## T4tomo (16 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> Ballerini is pulling the break. Does that mean that DQS aren't going to chase for a Cav sprint?


They are probably ambivalent on sprint or not. matthews and colbrelli are in the peloton with Cav, BEX & ISN have no-one in the break so let them pull for matthews and greipel and if it comes together Cav will go for it. If not let ballerini have a dart for it. DQT Know they will have a sprint on final stage anyway to go for 35 and seal green for Cav


----------



## rich p (16 Jul 2021)

Yep, the peloton are having a day off now with riders from different teams chewing the cud.

Bit like the stroll into the Champs on Sunday. I'll mow the grass!


----------



## yello (16 Jul 2021)

I suspect the green jersey is more important (to DQS) than the record. My guess is that they'll make sure they do enough to keep it and anything extra will be a bonus. In real terms perhaps that means don't expect Cavendish to win today, just to make sure he maintains the points gap... and finishing 2nd, 3rd, whatever may well be enough.


----------



## MasterDabber (16 Jul 2021)

Just got in after a ride....looks a bit of a snoozefest at the moment. Glad I went out and enjoyed the sun.


----------



## Grant Fondo (16 Jul 2021)

MasterDabber said:


> Just got in after a ride....looks a bit of a snoozefest at the moment. Glad I went out and enjoyed the sun.


Yes I think Tourmalet took its toll, fairly leisurely for both groups, some sort of breakaway soon surely?


----------



## Grant Fondo (16 Jul 2021)

.... I'll add that the Laka advert seems much more interesting today ....


----------



## GuyBoden (16 Jul 2021)

Cav's waiting for a more spectacular finish on the Champs Élysées.


----------



## Dogtrousers (16 Jul 2021)

Cutoff today was 25'56" Peloton arrived at 20'50" A closer run thing than Cav's arrival after the Tourmalet!

Could have been a laugh with just 18 riders trundling around Paris.  (Yes, I know ...)


----------



## JBGooner (16 Jul 2021)

What's with






and the zipping lips gesture by Mohoric?

Extraordinarily stupid (or arrogant) gesture given the history of _omerta_ in pro cycling.


----------



## Adam4868 (16 Jul 2021)

Matej Mohoric won the stage at an average speed of 47.90 km/h despite the headwind. Important to mention that he was in the breakaway for exactly 200 km, the last 25 km solo against fresher riders.Some ride that ! 🙄


----------



## hoopdriver (16 Jul 2021)

Truly brainless and tone deaf. I expect his team management might have a quiet word this evening…


----------



## Adam4868 (16 Jul 2021)

A dick or just misunderstood.....

View: https://twitter.com/inrng/status/1416063281148612611?s=19


----------



## yello (16 Jul 2021)

most exciting thing to happen on the stage


----------



## Mo1959 (16 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> most exciting thing to happen on the stage


Yep, first day I've been bored watching and may have shut my eyes a few times.


----------



## Cathryn (17 Jul 2021)

Is anyone else really dismayed about this whole Bahrain Victorious thing? I feel like it's totally put a dampener on a fantastic tour. I hoped that those drug-raid days were behind cycling now and Mahoric's horrible gesture yesterday made me really annoyed.


----------



## Poacher (17 Jul 2021)

Cav third down the ramp in today's ITT, so he could spend a little while in the hot seat.....


....unless, of course, he's aiming for the _Maillot Vert / Lanterne Rouge _combination! He wouldn't, would he?


----------



## yello (17 Jul 2021)

There'll be no chance he'll be knocking himself out, that's for real. What is the cut-off when you among the first to go?!


----------



## Poacher (17 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> There'll be no chance he'll be knocking himself out, that's for real. What is the cut-off when you among the first to go?!


Simple answer is that you don't know. Cut-off is 25% of the winner's time.


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Jul 2021)

Pogi has time for a cafe stop today.....


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> Is anyone else really dismayed about this whole Bahrain Victorious thing? I feel like it's totally put a dampener on a fantastic tour. I hoped that those drug-raid days were behind cycling now and Mahoric's horrible gesture yesterday made me really annoyed.


I've forgiven him as he's put me on the podium in the fantasy league 🙄


----------



## DRM (17 Jul 2021)

JBGooner said:


> What's with
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Police have been, shushy slushy, say nothing


----------



## roadrash (17 Jul 2021)

Will pogacar go for another stage win with all the potential risks, or take it easy knowing hes won the tour ????


----------



## GuyBoden (17 Jul 2021)

Just thought I'd say, I like the TTs.


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Will pogacar go for another stage win with all the potential risks, or take it easy knowing hes won the tour ????


That's one of those "does a bear sh1te in the woods"


----------



## Grant Fondo (17 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Just thought I'd say, I like the TTs.


Not a big fan tbh, but the Rog/Pog shakedown last year was cycling gold


----------



## Milkfloat (17 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> Will pogacar go for another stage win with all the potential risks, or take it easy knowing hes won the tour ????


I cannot see him wanting to fall off, so I expect him to go slow on the tricky bits, but still win.


----------



## CanucksTraveller (17 Jul 2021)

Someone didn't fully think through how the EF POC time trial helmet might look from certain angles.


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## matticus (17 Jul 2021)

GuyBoden said:


> Just thought I'd say, I like the TTs.


Today showed how boring they can be. No change in Top 10.
Only plus was some nice field art, and a road stage would have had that, plus some actual Bike Racing.
Hrumph.


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## Dogtrousers (17 Jul 2021)

Cav beat Froome again.


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## roadrash (17 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> That's one of those "does a bear sh1te in the woods"




well.... do they


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## rich p (17 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> well.... do they


I saw a road sign today which said, Bear Left...


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## roadrash (17 Jul 2021)

I wonder if they let Andre Greipel do the lead on to the champs elysees tomorrow seeing as its his last tour de france before his retirement


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## Beebo (17 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> I wonder if they let Andre Greipel do the lead on to the champs elysees tomorrow seeing as its his last tour de france before his retirement


1st lap or last lap?


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## yello (18 Jul 2021)

I'll only watch TTs (individual or team) if I've really _really_ got nothing else to do, and/or the weather's rubbish. The 'race of truth' they might well be but they don't rate highly as viewing entertainment for me. Which reminds me, must look at the finishing times - just out of interest....

...blimey, Cavendish placed better than I expected him to! I wonder what the thinking was? Did he do justice to the competition by giving it max effort? Or stay comfortably within himself?


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## Mike_P (18 Jul 2021)

Cav does seem to has put less effort into this TT than the first TT where he was 77 out of 177 3:24 behind and 3:31 in front of McNulty who was last.
This one he was 66 out of 142 4:12 behind, 2:26 in front of Chaves who was last.


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## Adam4868 (18 Jul 2021)

yello said:


> I'll only watch TTs (individual or team) if I've really _really_ got nothing else to do, and/or the weather's rubbish. The 'race of truth' they might well be but they don't rate highly as viewing entertainment for me. Which reminds me, must look at the finishing times - just out of interest....
> 
> ...blimey, Cavendish placed better than I expected him to! I wonder what the thinking was? Did he do justice to the competition by giving it max effort? Or stay comfortably within himself?


TTs are great to go and watch live.Been to quite a few.But agree they can be a bit dull on tv.Except maybe the 2020 tour 😁
The only thing worse is today's stage...too nice to sit in and watch I'm out for a drink.


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## Adam4868 (18 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> I wonder if they let Andre Greipel do the lead on to the champs elysees tomorrow seeing as its his last tour de france before his retirement


Dare I say it...I'm going out so I will.As much as I love Cav and hope he gets his record.Be a nice farewell for Greipal to take the win today.Be hard with his lead out team though.


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## rich p (18 Jul 2021)

I'm a bbq chef toay so I'll miss it. Dunno whether to avoid the result and catch up later or not.


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## Milzy (18 Jul 2021)

Good luck to……

Jasper Philipsen
Wout Van Aert 
Cees Bol 
Mads Pedersen 
Michael Morkov 
Mike Teunissen 
Christophe Laporte 
Andre Greipel 
Ivan Cortina 
Jasper Stuyven.


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## Adam4868 (18 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> I'm a bbq chef toay so I'll miss it. Dunno whether to avoid the result and catch up later or not.


You and a barbeque....spare us the late night ramblings.😁


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## Milkfloat (18 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Dare I say it...I'm going out so I will.As much as I love Cav and hope he gets his record.Be a nice farewell for Greipal to take the win today.Be hard with his lead out team though.


I will be glued to the tv for the last 45 minutes, I think if Cav does it, then for me it will be a where were you moment. This could be his only chance as next year he will be a year older and the competition is likely to be a lot stronger. Today is a bit of a sports fest, cricket, golf, F1 and fingers crossed history being made and an awesome interview to go with it. It is the one positive if me being stuck in bed for the last 3 weeks continuously with bloody horrible sciatica.


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## Dogtrousers (18 Jul 2021)

The van Poppel brothers both set exactly the same time in yesterdays TT





Who says time trials are boring?


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## roadrash (18 Jul 2021)

well, that three weeks have soon passed.


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## roadrash (18 Jul 2021)

ive tried google but going round in circles,.. does anyone know what is the longest a single rider has kept the yellow jersey in a single tour, google keeps giving me a list of who has wore the yellow jersey the most


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## Aravis (18 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> ive tried google but going round in circles,.. does anyone know what is the longest a single rider has kept the yellow jersey in a single tour, google keeps giving me a list of who has wore the yellow jersey the most


I can always remember that Romain Maes is one of those who've led from start to finish. If you add that to your search you should find what you're looking for.

Slightly more recently, Jacques Auquetil led from the first day to the last, but the first day had split stages and he didn't lead until the end of the second part.

With split stages in many years (three in a day sometimes) there will have been some years with more than others. Another interesting question might be who has held the jersey on the most consecutive stages, or the most in a particular year, not necessarily consecutive. I don't know the answers and I should be doing something else right now.


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## hoopdriver (18 Jul 2021)

Ottavio Bottecchia was the first to wear the yellow jersey from start to finish - he did it in 1924


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## roadrash (18 Jul 2021)

Aravis said:


> Another interesting question might be who has held the jersey on the most consecutive stages,




that is actually what i meant


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## roadrash (18 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> I wonder if they let Andre Greipel do the lead on to the champs elysees tomorrow seeing as its his last tour de france before his retirement




i will take that as a NO then


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## Aravis (18 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> that is actually what i meant


In that case I think there are two answers to this, according to my calculations:

Nicholas Frantz held then jersey for the final 14 stages in winning the 1927 Tour, followed by all 22 stages of the 1928 Tour - total *36*.

Romain Maes held the jersey after all 27 stages in 1935, the most for a single tour.


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## Boo (18 Jul 2021)

Cav looks like he's not mucking about today.


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## Buck (18 Jul 2021)

Nice little warm up sprint win.


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## Supersuperleeds (18 Jul 2021)

Come on Cav.


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## roadrash (18 Jul 2021)

Aravis said:


> In that case I think there are two answers to this, according to my calculations:
> 
> Nicholas Frantz held then jersey for the final 14 stages in winning the 1927 Tour, followed by all 22 stages of the 1928 Tour - total *36*.
> 
> Romain Maes held the jersey after all 27 stages in 1935, the most for a single tour.






Thank you


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## suzeworld (18 Jul 2021)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Come on Cav.


Gawd. I cannot stand it! 
10km to go with 16” gap. 
Tense. 
Ned says it’s 10” not 16.
Argh.


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## carpiste (18 Jul 2021)

Tense, tense, tense


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## tribanjules (18 Jul 2021)

Allez allez Cav !


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## Beebo (18 Jul 2021)

It’s kicking off now. 😀


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## roadrash (18 Jul 2021)

WVA


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## carpiste (18 Jul 2021)

Damn!!! 50 metres and Cav had to stop pedaling for a second! Damn!!!


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## suzeworld (18 Jul 2021)

Damn


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## Boo (18 Jul 2021)

Nooooooooooo.......


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## Buck (18 Jul 2021)

What a finish from WVA.


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## Supersuperleeds (18 Jul 2021)




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## Dogtrousers (18 Jul 2021)

Oh well. I find it hard to be too disappointed. In green! Joint record holder.

WvA what a rider!


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## Beebo (18 Jul 2021)

Boxed in I think.


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## mjr (18 Jul 2021)

Beebo said:


> Boxed in I think.


Yep. By Philipsen? Revenge? Although Cav was in a 50-50 position as it came into the straight and with the leaders going for the left edge, it turned out he'd picked the wrong side.


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## Milkfloat (18 Jul 2021)

I am afraid to say that I don’t think he will get another stage and break the record, that might have been his last chance.


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## Adam4868 (18 Jul 2021)

Milkfloat said:


> I am afraid to say that I don’t think he will get another stage and break the record, that might have been his last chance.


How many times have we heard that over the past years...


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## Adam4868 (18 Jul 2021)

Wout Van Aert ! Sprint stage,Mountain stage,TT....greedy fecker.
Who was it said he couldn't be a GC rider,too big lol


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## Mike_P (18 Jul 2021)

Belgium victory to ensure another Belgiums record is not beaten while the sprinter who had been written off not only equals the record and retains the green jersey. If it hadn't happened it would have been laughed off a work of fiction.


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## yello (18 Jul 2021)

I reckon he chose the right wheel, just didn't have the space and it opened up just a tad too late for him. Dem's da breaks.

Cavendish had has been brilliant, not just the sprint wins but to get himself through the mountains. Remember that he wasn't going to be riding the tour at all, he was drafted in the week before it started. So next to no prep, no specific training. To achieve what he has in this tour has been nothing short of incredible.


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## cyberknight (18 Jul 2021)

well done Cav for a comeback dreams are made off , we all just woke up a few seconds to early
Mention to froome dog for even being able to ride at that level is an amazing feat
Pog looks set to dominate for the foreseeable unless he burns out


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## Milzy (18 Jul 2021)

Hard Cheese Cav. That’s Karma for been like a petulant spoilt brat.


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## Rocky (18 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Hard Cheese Cav. That’s Karma for been like a petulant spoilt brat.


Who won the Green Jersey? Who holds the joint record of TdF wins? Seems pretty good cheese to me.


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## Dogtrousers (18 Jul 2021)

Green cheese


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## MartinQ (18 Jul 2021)

Rocky said:


> Who won the Green Jersey? Who holds the joint record of TdF wins? Seems pretty good cheese to me.



What cheese causes echelons?
Bries


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## Cathryn (18 Jul 2021)

I'm gutted for Cav but also thrilled to bits at all he achieved! What a rockstar.


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## Adam4868 (18 Jul 2021)

Cathryn said:


> I'm gutted for Cav but also thrilled to bits at all he achieved! What a rockstar.


First tour in four years,green jersey and four stages...on top of that equaled the record !


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## sheddy (18 Jul 2021)

15 mins MC on R4 Sunday am
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xzj7


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## Mike_P (19 Jul 2021)

Cav on 5 Live this am 0852-0859 if you want to find it on BBC Sounds


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## Dogtrousers (19 Jul 2021)

Congratulations also to "the philosopher-climber" Guillaume Martin for his first TdF top 10 placing. He's been on the fringes for a while - 11th last year and 12th the year before.


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## Dogtrousers (19 Jul 2021)

Mooching around for other interesting facts.

Richard Carapaz has now finished on the podium in all three GTs. 

The Maillot Sable (FIrst rider over an hour behind the winner - see https://cyclingtips.com/2019/07/the-maillot-sable-classification/ ) goes to Bauke Mollema who finished 1:02:18 behind Pog. That's his second Maillot Sable, having finished 1:06:33 in 2018. 

I think that's the bottom of the barrel well and truly scraped


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## T4tomo (19 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Hard Cheese Cav. That’s Karma for been like a petulant spoilt brat.


He probably would think much of you, if he knew you.


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## matticus (19 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Mooching around for other interesting facts.
> 
> Richard Carapaz has now finished on the podium in all three GTs.
> 
> ...


Did you know there is a Maillot Beige for Least Interesting Stat?


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## yello (19 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Did you know there is a Maillot Beige for Least Interesting Stat?


Is that the jersey for an uninteresting stat delivered one hour after the most uninteresting stat? If so, we have an hour to wait before we can award it.


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## Dogtrousers (19 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> Did you know there is a Maillot Beige for Least Interesting Stat?


Of course, the fact that a stat is the least interesting stat is, in itself, interesting.


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## Adam4868 (19 Jul 2021)

Malliot Beige.....I'll bite 😁

View: https://twitter.com/radiotour_en/status/1416780878387286016?s=19


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## Mike_P (19 Jul 2021)

Wonder if there's an opposite award or does it automatically go to Nasser Boohoo


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## Milzy (19 Jul 2021)

Mike_P said:


> Wonder if there's an opposite award or does it automatically go to Nasser Boohoo


Nasser nicer than cav.


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## matticus (19 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Nasser nicer than cav.


You don't give up, do you


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## yello (19 Jul 2021)

Just agree with them.


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## Adam4868 (19 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> Nasser nicer than cav.


The heat getting to you babe 😂


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## roadrash (19 Jul 2021)

I got an award in the fatasy cyclechat league......the well earned lantern rouge


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## Milzy (19 Jul 2021)

roadrash said:


> I got an award in the fatasy cyclechat league......the well earned lantern rouge


I’d blame that women with the cardboard grandparents sign.


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## Aravis (19 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Mooching around for other interesting facts.
> 
> Richard Carapaz has now finished on the podium in all three GTs.
> 
> ...


I was following the _Maillot Sable_ battle with interest. At the start of the final TT Mollema was already in the jersey, and normally he would have been unlikely to keep it. But his nearest rival was Wout van Aert, who understandably had a different objective, and against the odds he managed to hold on. 🎩

Over the years there have occasionally been some other (genuine) peripheral awards. Sadly these don't always get remembered in sites such as Wikipedia, but they include:

Funniest Rider
Best Teammate
Most Elegant Rider
Fair Play Award
Most Likeable Rider

At least one of those is quite sensible (IMO).


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## Dogtrousers (19 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> I’d blame that women with the cardboard grandparents sign.


Never trust a woman with cardboard grandparents.


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## yello (19 Jul 2021)

Yes, 'most elegant rider', I can see a case for that one


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## yello (19 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Never trust a woman with cardboard grandparents.


beat me to it!


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## Cathryn (19 Jul 2021)

matticus said:


> You don't give up, do you



Seriously. Shhhh.

(Not Matticus, old cheerful Milzy)


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## roadrash (19 Jul 2021)

Milzy said:


> I’d blame that women with the cardboard grandparents sign.




oh ..i do ...I DO


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## rich p (20 Jul 2021)

I had 2 quid each way on Bert Uran Uran sir?, and the same on Miguel Angel Lopez. Superman, pah!

Hmmm, what do I know!


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## Adam4868 (20 Jul 2021)

rich p said:


> I had 2 quid each way on Bert Uran Uran sir?, and the same on Miguel Angel Lopez. Superman, pah!
> 
> Hmmm, what do I know!


Suprised at Lopez....especially with a team like Movistar behind him 🙄


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## rich p (20 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Suprised at Lopez....especially with a team like Movistar behind him 🙄


Quite, tactical nous...
Sorry, bloody autocorrect, should have said, tactical nowt!


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## Dogtrousers (23 Jul 2021)

If Lopez hadn't been so utterly useless I might have won the fantasy comp. My DS, Caligula, has ways of dealing with underperforming riders.


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## Adam4868 (23 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> If Lopez hadn't been so utterly useless I might have won the fantasy comp. My DS, Caligula, has ways of dealing with underperforming riders.


Team tactics went tits up....not like Movistar


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## Shadow (23 Jul 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> Team tactics went tits up....not like Movistar


Tactics? Movistar? Not two words usually used in the same sentence....unless describing the total absence of!!


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## rich p (23 Jul 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> If Lopez hadn't been so utterly useless I might have won the fantasy comp. My DS, Caligula, has ways of dealing with underperforming riders.


Does he make them senators?


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## Dogtrousers (26 Jul 2021)

This is quite interesting as an insight into how one of the lesser teams approaches the race, and what their objectives are etc

https://intermarche-wantygobert.eu/news/tdf21review/


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## Mike_P (9 Aug 2021)

Apparently (last week's GCN News) Podacar stats compared to previous where not that different and what was that his rivals under performed compared to their previous.


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## Milzy (9 Aug 2021)

I can’t wait for next Summer for Le Tour. I’m hoping a lot less crashes & a more open GC battle.


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## Adam4868 (9 Aug 2021)

The tour is my least favourite of the grand tours I think !
Giro....the starter dish when your starving,my favourite.
The Tour...over hyped,too much expectation.
The Vuelta....the desert,relaxed and can be better than expected.
On my hols had a drink and talking shoot 😁


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## Tom B (10 Aug 2021)

Adam4868 said:


> On my hols had a drink and talking sh1t 😁



The whole point of hols imho.


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## yello (10 Aug 2021)

Might be sh1t @Adam4868 but it's sh1t I can agree with. The TdF, for all it's circus like magic (which is, of course, some of its appeal) has often struck me as much a travelling road show than a bike race. That said, I enjoyed this year's way more than previous. 

The Giro is my favourite GT.


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## Tom B (11 Aug 2021)

I think it's a case of enjoying it for what it is.

I quite often enjoy the smaller events of all sorts of sports. My dad is a massive football fan, bit he prefers the fun of the local Sunday league than going watching pro football - though he does have one ear stuck permanently to five live since it started transmission.


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