Tour de France 2017 ***SPOILERS***

[SWSteve]

Seen as no winner since 1932* has won after having fallen off, can anyone actually win this year

*may not be a real fact, but the sentiment applies

 

[brommers]

Marmy you're getting a bit carried away with all this mystic nonsense

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Marmy you're getting a bit carried away with all this mystic nonsense

It's true.

Ask me anything...

 

[SWSteve]

Interesting to see Portal's reported to having given Landa a dressing-down in public. I would've thought trying to get the stage/the bonus seconds would have been useful as his spiderness had been dropped. It wasn't as if Froome would need to be paced those final 100m, he could see everyone getting away so could go into the red...

Brian Smith certainly thought he was hunting the seconds on Eurosport's coverage.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sha...s-landa-rides-away-from-froome-at-peyragudes/

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Appeals against today's time penalties have failed - kel sipreez

 

[SWSteve]

Appeals against today's time penalties have failed - kel sipreez

It certainly wasn't sip-ease

 

[Adam4868]

I'm surprised sky didn't let Landa go for.the stage today,he could have possibly picked up.some bonus points to take of their rivals.He looked solid on the front.Still wouldn't write Froome out of this yet.

 

[MikeG]

........Still wouldn't write Froome out of this yet.

Like many recent Tours, I reckon this will be decided by the TTs. It's certainly too early to give up on Froome.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

<Carlton Kirby mode on> Today's stage is the shortest since they had "half stages" <and off...>

Half stages - now there's something they should bring back.

 

[Bonus]

It's been raining overnight here in Saint-Giron. This morning it's heavily overcast and misty.

Last evening we drove the first 10km of the route out of town. A flat road alongside the river. LOTS of speed humps in town initially though!

Shortly we will go down to the plaza for a coffee and a croissant and see what's going on. There were literally hundreds of camper vans parked everywhere last night so despite the weather I'm sure it will be busy.

Hoping to see some of the boys - Louis, Jacubus, RJVR, DI etc.

 

[Bonus]

For anyone who hasn't noticed, today's stage doesn't leave here until 2:30 this afternoon.
Short and sharp today.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

For anyone who hasn't noticed, today's stage doesn't leave here until 2:30 this afternoon.
Short and sharp today.

Aye a late start, official start time is 14.45 CET - they could get a couple of rounds of golf in before that

 

[Crackle]

<Carlton Kirby mode on> Today's stage is the shortest since they had "half stages" <and off...>

Half stages - now there's something they should bring back.

Yeah, they're shoot too: What they should have is a LeMans start without bikes and invite the locals to leave out a bike of their choice around the town. The camera then follow the riders around as they hunt for a bike and set off on tricyles and balance bikes for a short criterium around the the town square whilst tourists shop for cheese and eggs in the market or sit eating steak and frites. It should appeal to the Japanese audience and next year they can start in Tokyo.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Yeah, they're shoot too: What they should have is a LeMans start without bikes and invite the locals to leave out a bike of their choice around the town. The camera then follow the riders around as they hunt for a bike and set off on tricyles and balance bikes for a short criterium around the the town square whilst tourists shop for cheese and eggs in the market or sit eating steak and frites. It should appeal to the Japanese audience and next year they can start in Tokyo.

No less bonkers than some of the ideas put forward on this thread

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

We need a new thread for ways to improve bike racing in general, and the TdF in particular. My vote is for more TV coverage of the caravan. We need more shots of bored young men and women dressed as bags of chips and bottles of water.

I think you're onto a winner there