Tour de France 2016 **SPOILERS**

[Tenacious Sloth]

David Millar should be ousted from his role. His dull monotone drone and outrageously poor clothes style makes me want to tweezer my nostrils and poke my eyes out.

Totally disagree. I feel much better informed this year and have a better understanding of the team tactics and what the riders are thinking. I would give him 9/10.

Ned B needs to calm down a bit though, and stop doing a 'Murray Walker' every time something happens. 6/10

Graham

 

[smutchin]

Gutted for Cav, I'm sure it's even more disappointing for him than it is for the rest of us that he won't get another crack at the Champs-Elysees this year, but I guess with four very tough days to go before Sunday, there's no guarantee he'll make it there, so I can understand the decision to withdraw.

Mollema might have something to say about that. Yates is a minute behind Mollema and only 14 seconds ahead of Quintana. So his podium place isn't exactly secure.

Mollema has done incredibly well so far but I wonder if today's final climb might find him out. In 2013, he was 2nd overall right up until the last few stages - then lost 2mins in the stage 17 time trial and 3mins on stage 18 to Alpe d'Huez. I like him so I'm crossing my fingers that he can stay strong all the way to the finish this year.

 

[SWSteve]

L'Equipe puts Movistar in 7th place with a €15m budget. Sky's #1 with €35m

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-team-largest-budget-262275

Quite what these headline figures mean exactly and how accurate they are I don't know.

That's odd, I was of the opinion that BMC were one of the 'smaller budget' teams.

 

[smutchin]

That's odd, I was of the opinion that BMC were one of the 'smaller budget' teams.

They're owned by Andy Rihs, who makes Oleg Tinkov look poor.

 

[Louch]

Bmc are apparently trying to get a new main sponsor to stop it being a plaything team. Which is a shame as as I got into cycling I liked the uniformity of their kits and bikes

 

[smutchin]

Froome looks strong and his team look very together. Quintana doesn't look strong and his team look fragmented. If he's going to get anywhere, he's got to attack and shake things up, but I don't think he looks like someone who's going to

The double-climb at the finish of today's stage looks like a good opportunity for Movistar to attempt something - if, say, Valverde goes on a kamikaze attack on the Forclaz and forces Sky to use up their domestiques, the descent is short enough that they wouldn't be able to regroup and Froome would be isolated for the final climb. Whether or not they could actually make such a tactic work is another matter, but they really do need to try something a bit more inventive than saving their attack for the final 3km of the final climb, because that isn't going to work either.

Part of the problem appears to be a lack of self-belief. The rest of the team don't appear to have much faith in Quintana.

 

[smutchin]

I can barely recall seeing any amateur cyclist on a Pinarello but I suppose they must think the marketing works.

The interesting one will be who they get in to replace Rapha. I think I know what a lot of middle-aged men will be putting on their letter to Santa this Christmas.

 

[gavroche]

Totally disagree. I feel much better informed this year and have a better understanding of the team tactics and what the riders are thinking. I would give him 9/10.

Ned B needs to calm down a bit though, and stop doing a 'Murray Walker' every time something happens. 6/10

Graham

Who is worried about David's choice of clothing? This is not a fashion show. I couldn't care less what he wears so long as he talks cycling and tactics,which he does.

 

[brommers]

Gorka out - crash at start

 

[smutchin]

Barely a minute into the stage and they've had the first crash! Gorka Izagirre was involved and has quit the race as a result - not a good omen for Movistar.

Bozic and Barguil also down.

 

[smutchin]

Snap!

(ETA: comment due to cross-posting with @brommers rather than sound effect for Izagirre's collarbone)

 

[gavroche]

Regarding the final GC, I also think the Tour is already won. Quintana is not in the same class as Froome and seems to be a wheel sucker, just like Zootemelk used to be , although he did manage to win a tour eventually.

 

[Big Dave laaa]

Izagirre out! Suspected broken collar bone

 

[coffeejo]

The Tour's not won until they roll over the finish line in Paris.

 

[SWSteve]

The interesting one will be who they get in to replace Rapha. I think I know what a lot of middle-aged men will be putting on their letter to Santa this Christmas.

i assume it will be Castelli to help more men who are a bit podgy and on bikes with a short reach and long head tube feel 'pro'.

Would be interesting to see DHB or another 'lesser' brand, if they could ever pull it off...