Tour de France 2013 *spoilers*

[laurence]

i've just watched the eurosport highlights, basically the rerunning of most of the stage, as i only caught the end live. blimey...

i say again... BLIMEY!!!! it was like a one day classic.

even Kelly was getting excited as he spoke. great to see OPQS got the combativity prize as a team, the first time in Tour history, i believe.

i think next week will be bonkers, no team has control of the race... you never know, Euskaltel might do something!

 

[beastie]

I think for Froome the best tactic in the alps may just be to attack. La course en tete as it were. He is probably gonna have to chase long and hard otherwise. He might as well do his hard riding in the front groups.

 

[suzeworld]

Wow. Awesome stage, shame my Virgin box failed to record the highlights show on itv4, so forced to watch Eurosport with no post-race interviews. Bet Cav was ecstatic!

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Sh*t!! That was bike racing!!

Loving this Tour.

 

[PpPete]

Anyone else catch the Rogers interview on ES?
Said the Saxo Tinkoff break was his call (not pre-planned).... and what a call.
He's a big loss for Sky.

And Contador will be able to thank him for the podium place at the end..

 

[PpPete]

What's the betting for tomorrow?
Formulaic, let the breakaway have their fun for once?
Or something more dramatic?

Bugger, I shall be out teaching kids how to wheelie all afternoon.

 

[smutchin]

Other contenders for the overall have not just been luckier, but have spent their teams' resources more wisely.

Belkin have very much made their own luck with some extremely canny riding thus far. I do so hope they can keep it up - I'd love to see Mollema on the podium and Ten Dam in a high GC placing. Even Gesink is looking like a "lucky" rider at the moment, and he's normally a magnet for misfortune.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

And I'm glad that Valverde is now of secondary importance to Movistar, behind Quintana Roo who I really want to do well in this tour.

(I was going to say last night, but tonight seems as apt to say as ever how great that on this forum, there are so many fans of cycling, more concerned with a good bike race, competitive spirit and the like than anything to do with national pride per se. May the best rider win and all that...)

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Anyone else catch the Rogers interview on ES?
Said the Saxo Tinkoff break was his call (not pre-planned).... and what a call.
He's a big loss for Sky.

And Contador will be able to thank him for the podium place at the end..

Yep, well said that man, a big big loss.

 

[smutchin]

What's the betting for tomorrow?
Formulaic, let the breakaway have their fun for once?
Or something more dramatic?

Looks made for Sagan, doesn't it? He'll be desperate for another stage win too, after several near misses. So Cannondale will surely be trying to control the race.

I imagine there will be a breakaway though, and I bet any money that Johnny Hoogerland will be involved. One of the Garmins too - Millar or Navardauskas, perhaps? Question will be whether or not the break can stay away. I'm saying no.

 

[Slaav]

So what on Earth has happened to Sky? COmpare last year with this and they are simply different standard. Will the CLinic point to the fact they are certain dopers now? Still? Or just point at Froome?

Or are the others now on the juice?

Personally, I think the vast majority are now clean. I would worry more about Dirty Bertie and his improvement than the Sky boys!!!

But the drop off in Sky's team work and perfomance is very worrying? Should DB have picked Henao and Uran for the TdF regardless of what Uran does next season? Has DB played a duff card big time? looking like it to me

 

[Strathlubnaig]

I say let the old lads get away for a stage win... Millar and Voigt !

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

You would have to assume Tommy V would want a piece of tomorrows breakaway action!

​

 

[Flying_Monkey]

But the drop off in Sky's team work and perfomance is very worrying? Should DB have picked Henao and Uran for the TdF regardless of what Uran does next season? Has DB played a duff card big time? looking like it to me

No, it's just bad luck on the whole. Crashes in the early stages and one hot day. But they do seem to lack a true road captain. Henao and Uran were always slated for the Giro and Vuelta.

This stage was a masterclass in how to ride in cross-winds by OPQS, Saxo and Belkin. Both Cavendish and Contador showed their GT experience over their rivals, Kittel and Froome. I didn't expect this stage to be this interesting, which all makes this Tour the most exciting for a while.

 

[suzeworld]

The teammate froome needed was Wiggo !