Tour de France 2017 ***SPOILERS***

[brommers]

Obviously the French are looking for a home winner. What sort of course wouldn't suit Froome? and benefit a French rider? who would it be?

 

[brommers]

Did he get done for illegal modifications or did they turn a blind eye to that? Maybe they thought anyone mad enough to ride on a sandpaper saddle is already punishing themselves enough.

Didn't Thomas Becket do something similar?

 

[Adam4868]

Were missing the little thing that is Froome is a unbelievable rider in his own right.I rarely hear a negative thing from any of his team mates.We loved Wiggins because of the whole 'wiggo' thing.... But Froomey is just a cyclist,what you see is what you get.The best at what he does.

 

[rich p]

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

Yeah, but my point is.......if one or other were on the Sky team, and was the team leader, could Sky take them to victory?

I'm not particularly interested in the Yates'. It's a general question about which riders would be good enough to win the Tour if they led the Sky team. Could Barguil have won it, for instance, if he rode (and led) Sky?

It's conjecture and hypothetical so your guess is as valid (or more accurately, invalid) as anyone elses.

 

[Bollo]

A post mortem from William Fotheringham reflects on Froome, Sky and the French. I wouldn't have bothered linking to this in the spoilers thread, but it seems to be heading that way anyway.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/23/sky-chris-froome-tour-de-france

 

[Slaav]

Couple of things ..... didn't Stock, Aitken and Waterman prove a little while ago that with a winning formula and good team behind the scenes, it is possible to get anything remotely plausible to No 1??

Returning to today, it would be truly amazing (but never gonna happen today) if it was agreed that it's ok to race today? Imagine if Sky went for podium/2nd even?? The only way this could ever happen is if Brailsford agreed to risk yellow to promote Landa with no guarantee of any upside? Obviously the other top teams, especially Bardet and Uran would have to agree but surely the upsides for them are minimal - unlike to unseat Sky and GC - so only really a downside?

Would be great but won't happen. It will still be interesting to see the stress and positioning in the lead up to the last few laps.... just imagine if the Sky Train starts mixing it with the sprinters teams only for one of the Sky chaps to miss a gear etc and an accidental gap forms??

Just imagine

 

[smutchin]

Couple of things ..... didn't Stock, Aitken and Waterman prove a little while ago that with a winning formula and good team behind the scenes, it is possible to get anything remotely plausible to No 1??

Just imagine

Hmmm, Bardet winning a pan-flat sprinters' stage by over two minutes...

I'm trying to imagine exactly what it is that you've been smoking.

 

[400bhp]

I wonder how bardet will react to what has happened. He got mullered yesterday and that will send him one of two ways.

What I know is he will never win a GT currently with his appalling TT ability.

 

[Beebo]

Obviously the French are looking for a home winner. What sort of course wouldn't suit Froome? and benefit a French rider? who would it be?

As little TT Kms as possible and more bonus seconds at the top of very steep finishes.
Froome is too good at steady pace climbing.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Brailsford's plan for today: Sky ride at the front with champagne flutes raised, they allow Landa to sneak off the front, they then smash the flutes on the roadway in order that everyone else punctures and then form a human barrier across the entire roadway with arms interlinked to prevent any attempt of regaining contact with Landa

 

[Crackle]

 

[themosquitoking]

Hmmm, Bardet winning a pan-flat sprinters' stage by over two minutes...

I'm trying to imagine exactly what it is that you've been smoking.

And where we can get some.

 

[Adam4868]

Couple of things ..... didn't Stock, Aitken and Waterman prove a little while ago that with a winning formula and good team behind the scenes, it is possible to get anything remotely plausible to No 1??
Yea right.....you don't get to be No 1 without proving your worth.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Couple of things ..... didn't Stock, Aitken and Waterman prove a little while ago that with a winning formula and good team behind the scenes, it is possible to get anything remotely plausible to No 1??
Yea right.....you don't get to be No 1 without proving your worth.

Pat and Mick.

 

[Beebo]

Pat and Mick.

View attachment 363688

Mystic Marmion is failing in his knowledge.
Just googled them, they never got to no 1, which is a shame. But they were a Stock Aitken Waterman group.