Tour de France 2017 ***SPOILERS***

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Millar picked his TdF all time team last night. Personally I'd have gone for some more interesting and obscure choices. For instance there was a Belgian guy not many people remember called Merckx who might be worth a wildcard pick...

Perhaps a "your all time TDF team" feature on this thread is required? I'll do mine at the end of the week when home.

 

[smutchin]

@smutchin made a good point in the PPP , Colbrelli has had a good Tour even if he's flown under the radar

I thought it was a bit of a punt, to be honest. I'm banking on Kittel and Greipel getting dropped but I'm not confident the early hills are tough enough. Expecting Sunweb to attack from KM 0 though - Barguil will want the points for the climbs, and Matthews will want to get to the intermediate sprint ahead of Kittel.

Sounds like it could be a very wind-affected day today. That might even work in Kittel's favour.

 

[BrumJim]

Expecting Sunweb to attack from KM 0 though - Barguil will want the points for the climbs, ....

How many more points does he need? He's leading KoM by some distance now.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Not something I'd attempt myself. I found Millar 's a bit odd, but it was just a bit of rest day blather. Anquetil as a designated domestique was another oddity.

The whole thing is a bit odd though isn't it ? Nobody can have any idea how the riders of yesteryear could perform in today's conditions, and vice versa. Stage distances, drugs, nutrition, bike technology, especially weight and gear ratios, power meters, team tactics, and road surfaces all make it an impossible question.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Not something I'd attempt myself. I found Millar 's a bit odd, but it was just a bit of rest day blather. Anquetil as a designated domestique was another oddity.

The whole thing is a bit odd though isn't it ? Nobody can have any idea how the riders of yesteryear could perform in today's conditions, and vice versa. Stage distances, drugs, nutrition, bike technology, especially weight and gear ratios, power meters, team tactics, and road surfaces all make it an impossible question.

I was looking at it as "a bit of fun" rather than a complicated angst-filled event

 

[BrumJim]

He's mathematically almost there. It would require A.N.Other hoovering up all (or nearly all) of the remaining points to overhaul him. Sorry I've forgotten the exact details but someone on the telly box last night was making the point that for all practical purposes the jersey is his.

A.N.Other is Thomas de Gent, IIRC, and is therefore unlikely to hoover up the HC points on Thursday.

Checked, and it's Roglic instead

 

[brommers]

He's mathematically almost there. It would require A.N.Other hoovering up all (or nearly all) of the remaining points to overhaul him. Sorry I've forgotten the exact details but someone on the telly box last night was making the point that for all practical purposes the jersey is his.

Don't forget it's 40 points for Izoard

 

[brommers]

Mandela Day Today. Remember Mandela Day in 2015?

 

[smutchin]

How many more points does he need? He's leading KoM by some distance now.

As @Dogtrousers says, he's almost got it in the bag, but I think he'll want to grab the points anyway. Barguil doesn't strike me as the kind of rider to sit back and think 'Job done' - he said in an interview recently that he doesn't think he'll ever win the Tour, which is not because he doesn't have the talent, but because he doesn't have the patience to play the long tactical game, he'd far rather go stage-hunting. I guess he's a lot like Voeckler in that respect.

 

[brommers]

Should prove a great stage today with the wind livening things up in the 2nd half

 

[smutchin]

Kittel already slipping off the back of the bunch. Matthews is really trying to put him in trouble.

Looks like a strong and sizeable break is forming.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Cmon Matthews !!!

 

[Speicher]

Does anyone know when the peleton will arrive at St. Bonnet le Froid on today's stage? Thank you

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Does anyone know when the peleton will arrive at St. Bonnet le Froid on today's stage? Thank you

Between 14:53 and 15:00 French time

 

[Speicher]

Between 14:53 and 15:00 French time

Thank you, that was quick! So that is 13.42 in English time. I stayed in Saint Bonnet many years ago and have also been to other places (railway related) beween Saint Bonnet and the end of the stage. I recognised the Tower at Le Puy-en-Velay.