Tour de France 2016 **SPOILERS**

[ManiaMuse]

So when Red Bull were winning it all then?

Guess that would be equivalent to Lance when he was winning but he was cheating...

(Not implying that Red Bull were ever caught bending the rules *cough cough flexi wings*)

 

[HF2300]

Guess that would be equivalent to Lance when he was winning but he was cheating...

(Not implying that Red Bull were ever caught bending the rules *cough cough flexi wings*)

Of course you'd never get any other F1 teams bending the rules...

 

[HF2300]

I fell asleep. Not sure if Froome won or if I'm still asleep.

You're still asleep. Froome abandoned last week.

 

[Hill Wimp]

TTS bore me senseless.

So how did Yates do?

Any change in the top 5 on the leaderboard?

 

[T4tomo]

exactly Quintana will need to make up more than 36 seconds as he will surely lose some time to Froome in the TTs. there is a limit to what you can gain on a descent too - he needs a serious attack up hill. I don't think cutting 6k off the top changes much, any attack just needs to start earlier, the steeper bits are in the forest anyway, bar a little section very close to the top.

That's less certain than in previous years. Nairo matched Froome's time in the TT at Romandie in April, although that's not an especially useful indication of what to expect tomorrow, since it was less than half the distance and neither rider was at anything like their peak form at the time. However, what is clear is that Nairo has been working on his TT skillz in much the same way that Froome has been working on his descending. And on top of that, Movistar have the fastest TT bikes and skinsuits.

OTOH, the kind of form Froome is in, he'll probably smash it out of the park tomorrow.

We'll see!

I'm not so sure. Quintana has improved his TTs a lot this year and given one of them on the Tour is just uphill I don't think it's a given that Froome will gain loads of time. Suspect that's why Sky have been pinching seconds wherever they can.

Edit: Smutchin beat me to it - fairly similar points!

^^above all before the Ventoux stage^^


Indeed Froome has smashed it out of the park, or at least driven the bowler for a few fours, in the TT's and Quintana has slipped further back, I don't know if his conservatism is because he misguidedly thought he could gain time today, or more likely he just hasn't got the legs.

Still a lot of fun to be had in the minor places though, with Porte with 1.08s of all of Mollema, Yates, Quitharder, and Bardet. and surely on the attack tomorrow and Saturday. Porte and Yates to join Froome on the Podium for me

 

[Twizit]

Busted! Quintana surprised me today with further losses given it was a straight uphill TT which I would have thought would suit him.

I think you're right in that the minor places are where the fun will be over the next two days. Barring accidents or acts of god it really does look like Froome has this sewn up.

 

[smutchin]

Thinking about Bauke Mollema's performance so far, I just remembered this incident from a few years ago...
http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/attack-of-the-giggles-gary-and-chris-corpse

The reason for them corpsing was Phil Liggett referring to the young Dutchman as Bob Malka.

 

[Buddfox]

Feels a bit like Froome is becoming the Schumacher of cycling. His preparation is way ahead of the competition (and I don't mean that kind of preparation), he's supported by the best team with the biggest budget, and he appears to have the extra drive that the competition lacks, pushing the bar higher. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's becoming a bit predictable and a little less interesting as a result. Which is a shame, because this tour has thrown up some fantastic stages.

Thankfully the race for places 2 to 5 will provide the entertainment for the next two stages!

 

[Crackle]

I don't think Froome is boring. I have to go back to the Indurain years to find a time when I really wished someone else would win. That came along in the form of Riis and his now, infamous attack. So long ago, so naive......

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Feels a bit like Froome is becoming the Schumacher of cycling. His preparation is way ahead of the competition (and I don't mean that kind of preparation), he's supported by the best team with the biggest budget, and he appears to have the extra drive that the competition lacks, pushing the bar higher. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's becoming a bit predictable and a little less interesting as a result. Which is a shame, because this tour has thrown up some fantastic stages.

Thankfully the race for places 2 to 5 will provide the entertainment for the next two stages!

I have to admit this year's tour feels like it's over without the epic battles having even begun. Sure, there have been times when Froome really took the initiative, and the minor battles have provided sub-plot entertainment (special mention for Yates for quality of racing, plus of course the flaming rouge incident) but I feel almost cheated and am praying for a big surprise in the next couple of days.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I know it is nice to have Brits finally winning and all, but as others have said, it is now getting bit dull for everyone else.

 

[SWSteve]

1'08" between 2 and 6, very tight racing. I think we'll see Porte pick up some seconds in the next couple of days, and may end up on the podium

 

[Mike_P]

Could have been a different story this year except for puncture Porte got. On the other had the way everyone is saying the yellow jersey is sealed is tempting fate a bit...

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

It always makes me chuckle when people say the GC is dull and predictable "now" - like it was always gripping stuff going down to the wire "then"...

 

[rich p]

I know people have started moaning about Sky buying up the best support riders by throwing their money around but it doesn't really seem that way to me.
Henao, Nieve, Thomas, Poels, Rowe, Stannard were hardly stellar road riders when they were hired. Poels was considered fairly left field when he was hired. Henao was virtually unknown, Thomas a trackie largely. Rowe and Stannard classics wannabees...