Tour de France 2012 (with SPOILERS)

[Noodley]

Today's not-very-interesting fact:

see these not-very-interesting facts that I have posted the last few days? I have made them up myself, from counting through details of winners, etc...today I have turned to the back 2 pages of the official tour programme and discovered they have 2 pages of not-very-interesting facts, all laid out for anyone to see! Bugger.

Oh well, I'll have to just go and find some not-very-interesting facts that they have not covered...

 

[smutchin]

Ha! I assumed that's where you were getting them from.

d.

 

[Paul_L]

I see Mrs Cav has tweeted some veiled criticism of Sky for sending her man to the Tour without the protection of a lead out.

 

[Nearly there]

cavs helmet
http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401,25884_7869471,00.html#photo=26

 

[lukesdad]

I have never cast doubt on either of those riders. It's just your welshness.

I wasn't being specific

 

[lukesdad]

Well - unless his crash has left him feeling worse for ware, I'm going to back Cav for today's stage. He's even better when he's annoyed and determined.

Any other predictions?

Griepel ...please I need the points !

 

[BrumJim]

cavs helmet
http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401,25884_7869471,00.html#photo=26

NSFW?

 

[Beebo]

Sky team have lost the yellow helmets, Lotto now have them.

I wonder if Griepel will get Cav's bashed up one?

 

[Steve H]

Sky team have lost the yellow helmets, Lotto now have them.

I wonder if Griepel will get Cav's bashed up one?

Am I being a bit thick here? I thought the crash happened within the last 3km and therefore everyone involved gets the same time as the group they were in when the crash occurred. Why therefore have Team Sky lost time to Lotto in order to get the team leader yellow helmets?

 

[Beebo]

Am I being a bit thick here? I thought the crash happened within the last 3km and therefore everyone involved gets the same time as the group they were in when the crash occurred. Why therefore have Team Sky lost time to Lotto in order to get the team leader yellow helmets?

Oops I was quoting from the BBC website live text, and they have just corrected themselves, so I was wrong. Sky still in yellow.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/18720873

 

[VamP]

From the official website...

26 days in yellow for Cancellara
If Fabian Cancellara keeps the yellow jersey after today’s stage, he will spend his 27th day in the lead of the Tour tomorrow (since he first won the prologue, in 2004). He will overtake Rene Vietto’s collection and become the rider with the biggest collection of Tour leader’s jersey for someone who hasn’t won the overall title. The men who have worn the yellow jersey for more than 26 days in the history of the race are:
Merckx (BEL), Armstrong (USA), Hinault (FRA), Indurain (ESP), Anquetil (FRA), Magne (FRA), Frantz (LUX), Leducq (FRA), Bottecchia (ITA) and Bobet (FRA).

That's pretty rarified company for Spartacus.

 

[smutchin]

I predict a successful breakaway today. Jimmy Engoulvent ftw.

Damn, I picked the wrong Saur-Sojasun rider - it's Julien Simon in the break. I nearly said him too! Honest!

d.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Am I being a bit thick here? I thought the crash happened within the last 3km and therefore everyone involved gets the same time as the group they were in when the crash occurred. Why therefore have Team Sky lost time to Lotto in order to get the team leader yellow helmets?

It's a team thing; Lotto's team will currently be showing a lower total time than Sky. The crash needn't come into it.

Like a TTT, the team prize can come down to who in your set-up is slowest rather than who has the most EPO, energy or similar.

 

[LosingFocus]

I wish I had someone holding out bags of food and water for me when I was out riding...

 

[smutchin]

It's a team thing; Lotto's team will currently be showing a lower total time than Sky. The crash needn't come into it.

IIRC, the team ranking is based on your top three riders per stage. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...

d.