Tour de France 2017 ***SPOILERS***

[gavroche]

Let's remind ourselves that winning the Tour or any Grand Tour, is about completing it the fastest time over the 3 weeks, and not winning stages, and as calling winners from years past " suss" is idiotic and an insult to their achievement. Winners from many years ago didn't have the care , nutritionists and technology that they have today. Somebody like Jacques Anquetil could do 120 miles without a drink and eat a feast in a restaurant the night before a race. He was still the first to win 5 Tours and winning one Tour, wearing the yellow jersey from day 1 to the finish in Paris.

 

[themosquitoking]

so last day to Paris etiquette only extends to the maillot jaune then ? Hope Bardet attacks while they Sky squad are rolling along sipping champagne.

I'd love it if Uran attacked and took the jersey off Froome/

 

[rich p]

And, as usual, it was just a thought.

I shall be cleaning my kitchen cupboards tomorrow.

Ask gavroche if he'll do it for you....

 

[rich p]

Let's remind ourselves that winning the Tour or any Grand Tour, is about completing it the fastest time over the 3 weeks, and not winning stages, and as calling winners from years past " suss" is idiotic and an insult to their achievement. Winners from many years ago didn't have the care , nutritionists and technology that they have today. Somebody like Jacques Anquetil could do 120 miles without a drink and eat a feast in a restaurant the night before a race. He was still the first to win 5 Tours and winning one Tour, wearing the yellow jersey from day 1 to the finish in Paris.

He didn't need nutritionists!!!!!
Also at this time, one of the men to have won the Tour five times, Jacques Anquetil, was in his prime. Anquetil reportedly perfected the use of “the Anquetil cocktail” comprising a painkiller, morphine or palfium, injected directly into painful muscles even whilst cycling; an amphetamine to offset the somnolent effect of morphine; and a sleeping tablet, Gardenal, to allow sleep when the stimulatory effects of the amphetamines were still active. Anquetil’s recorded comment is that:

“You would have to be an imbecile or a crook to imagine that a professional cyclist who races for 235 days a year can hold the pace without stimulants”

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Ask gavroche if he'll do it for you....

He's unlikely to know what a kitchen is. "The door where food arrives from. pah, women's work"

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

He didn't need nutritionists!!!!!
Also at this time, one of the men to have won the Tour five times, Jacques Anquetil, was in his prime. Anquetil reportedly perfected the use of “the Anquetil cocktail” comprising a painkiller, morphine or palfium, injected directly into painful muscles even whilst cycling; an amphetamine to offset the somnolent effect of morphine; and a sleeping tablet, Gardenal, to allow sleep when the stimulatory effects of the amphetamines were still active. Anquetil’s recorded comment is that:

“You would have to be an imbecile or a crook to imagine that a professional cyclist who races for 235 days a year can hold the pace without stimulants”

The interview on ITV4 with Vin Denson missed a chance in my opinion - he seemed well open to divulge but Ned went down the "they were different days" route, which I found disappointing in a "we'll keep the omerta" position

 

[rich p]

The interview on ITV4 with Vin Denson missed a chance in my opinion - he seemed well open to divulge but Ned went down the "they were different days" route, which I found disappointing in a "we'll keep the omerta" position

In a documentary about Tommy S, I remember him showing a teammate, (possibly Vin Denson), being his pills and potions, which cost as much as the domestique was earning IIRC.

 

[rich p]

Generally, both Robbie Hatch on ES and Ned on ITV, always mention doping, albeit with a sense of reluctance.
Probably because the pundits are Kelly and Millar respectively.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Generally, both Robbie Hatch on ES and Ned on ITV, always mention doping, albeit with a sense of reluctance.
Probably because the pundits are Kelly and Millar respectively.

One would almost think "some French word that means deju vu all over again"

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Generally, both Robbie Hatch on ES and Ned on ITV, always mention doping, albeit with a sense of reluctance.
Probably because the pundits are Kelly and Millar respectively.

Kelly is a class act, and has no record of doping as far as I know, nor suspicion of it. Millar of course, guilty as sin.

 

[alicat]

So, I'm heading to Paris later today, getting there about 11. Catching a train back to my temporary home in Lille just before 9pm.

Suggestions please to make the most of the day. Do I need to be glued to a spot all day if I want to watch the race on the Champs Elysees? How hard is it to get away afterwards? Are there any loos handy?

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Disgusted with the French booing of Froome. He goes out of his way to appease them, he loves and respects their country and their race. And still they boo. And it's not like he's bullying anyone like Armstrong used to do. He seems a thoroughly decent and nice chap. His only crime is that he is better than any of the French. When foreigners compete in a Britain we cheer them on (mostly). If the French are unable to extend a warm welcome to all nationalities then they don't deserve the world's largest annual sporting event.

 

[SWSteve]

I'm away to run a marathon, did Bardet bin it, it were his legs just empty?

Seen comments from him along the lines of 'the rider from the 90s generation we will see win it all is Tom Dumoulin' - not overly positive from the Frenchman

 

[rich p]

Kelly is a class act, and has no record of doping as far as I know, nor suspicion of it. Millar of course, guilty as sin.

Well he didn't take EPO or HGH but do some easy research, read Willy Voets book.
He's always uncomfortable when doping is being discussed.

 

[HF2300]

Kwiatkowski could have won it too if he hadn't totally sacrificed himself for Froome. And he beat him in the final TT.

Indeed.