Tour de France *Spoilers*

[Paul99]

A bit OT here but....

My mum came to visit me today just as the ITV4 highlights were starting, she saw the route and came out with this little nugget.
"Ypres?? Isn't that where the bananas come from?"
I am now looking into care homes.

 

[Beebo]

Froome appears to be saying he couldnt control the bike with his damaged wrist which resulted in him falling off twice.
It seems to make some sense, braking and fighting the handlebars in a cross wind does take wrist strength, and that was before he hit the pave.
The peleton sensed a weakness and maintained a vicious pace too.

 

[laurence]

Yes i did and at the time wiggo was not in a good place mentally as was stated in sky's reason for him pulling off during the giro, he also had a chest infection.

Did you see wiggo during paris roubaix

did you see Wiggo in th Tour de Suisse?

no? ... nobody else did either.

 

[StuAff]

Haven't seen the highlights yet, still catching up after weekend away, but certainly sounds like A Wednesday In Hell, at least for everyone who wasn't a Classics specialist. Despite my reservations about Froome as a person, certainly not happy to see him out. Inevitable after yesterday I think- those injuries were probably worse than first thought, and not the day or the route to find that out. I've ridden on cobblestones. I've ridden on after a prang. But both? In that rain? I hope never to do so. Most of the field seems to have gone down at least once.

Race will definitely be interesting after this. Can't see Nibbles holding yellow till the end, and he probably won't, as good as he is (he was the only real challenger to Sky in 2012 and seems to be in the same kind of form as then) but he's certainly in the mix.

 

[thom]

Wow. When Froome dropped out I was thinking I'd be losing out on an ABC supporting strategy (Anyone But Contador) but there's a good few capable GC riders ahead of Bertie to make things really tough for him now.

Shaping up for a great contest but I'm gutted for Froome - had he been ok with his wrist today, I could easily see him and the team collectively doing better than they managed with Porte today. Ifs and buts don't win you grand tours though. I guess he'll refocus on the Vuelta in due course. Actually what would be amusing would be if SKY sent both Wiggo and Froome...

Anyway, I'm hoping the likes of Kwitkowski, Talansky, Van Gaarderen or Porte etc. manage to cause Nibali some headaches and for the racing to continue to be so exciting.

 

[DannyCFC]

Only just watched the highlights. Good stage, shame for Froome, lots of admiration for Thomas's efforts, and I hope it's going to carry on being an entertaining Tour. I won't get to watch a stage live till next Tuesday and already have the sandwiches planned - they'd better not let me down!

 

[beastie]

This first week has been more interesting than most, probably any week one of a TDF. (Well stage 2 and stage 5 anyway. ) Froome was obviously in difficulty from yesterday's injury, and he looked completely destroyed by the time he abandoned.
Today was right up there as one of the best days racing I have watched, Cuddles win in the WC jersey on the Strade Bianchi was of a similar ilk and it confirms my belief that every GT should have at least one ( but preferably more) "classic" parcours. GT racing is too predictable with TT and mountains being the only battleground, but now Nibali has gained time then Contador must be aggressive in the mountains.

An Epic stage!

 

[montage]

If Porte wins then Sir Dave has a hell of a selection headache for 2015

 

[Louch]

With froome today, and sir brad in Italy/ Switzerland/ the worlds, maybe not all training should be in sunny Tenerife.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

With froome today, and sir brad in Italy/ Switzerland/ the worlds, maybe not all training should be in sunny Tenerife.

You try holding the bars and carefully touching the brakes in a peloton at 30mph over cobbles in the rain with injured wrists

 

[MisterStan]

You try holding the bars and carefully touching the brakes in a peloton at 30mph over cobbles in the rain with injured wrists

Just to reiterate what has already been said, Froome didn't make it to the cobbles, he fell off on slippery roads. I think Louch is suggesting they do some training in weather conditions that they would potentially encounter.
I also think he was being slightly tongue in cheek.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

The cobbles were undoubtedly a factor in his decision, if he was having that much trouble holding the bars and braking safely on tarmac, he must have known that he was risking a very serious crash on the pave. Choice of training weather has nothing to do with it.

 

[raindog]

it takes good quality close up photos to appreciate how bad the conditions were yesterday
http://www.steephill.tv/2014/tour-de-france/photos/stage-05/

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

The main question that needs discussing from yesterday is was that an appropriate stage for the Tour ? Cancellara and Terpstra are both saying it wasn't. I have to agree.

 

[uclown2002]

Lars Boom on strava:-

http://app.strava.com/activities/163860374

Not too shabby given the cobbles!