Tour de France *Spoilers*

[threebikesmcginty]

Dave Brailsford - "there's no point in coming here and just riding around".

 

[beastie]

Regardless of Froome and Bertie's absence that looked far too comfortable for me not to have a niggling doubt, unfortunately it's become almost impossible to trust some of these guys. Still, Nibali isn't the brand that Lance Armstrong was, and the UCI aren't going to protect him, plus the fact that Astana have struggled so badly in the mountains suggests the team aren't in on it. Nevertheless, if I'm watching 'the Nibali lie' in 10 years time my jaw's not dropping.

On a side note, Kwiatkowski's fast become my favourite rider, he was dropped miles out today but still paced himself well and sits 11th overall. I read an article that stated he didn't train at altitude and hasn't done his whole career, I'd hope that'd change for future tours if he has real GC ambitions. A puncture on the cobbles cost him victory last week and he looks like a great all-round talent, it would be a real shame if he came away from this tour without a race victory.

Kwiatkowski is just cooked after a lot of very hard racing in the spring

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

He looks like Ian Curtis but without the angst.

Just wait til he reads what @Ganymede wrote about him

 

[Dogtrousers]

On a side note, Kwiatkowski's fast become my favourite rider, he was dropped miles out today but still paced himself well and sits 11th overall. I read an article that stated he didn't train at altitude and hasn't done his whole career, I'd hope that'd change for future tours if he has real GC ambitions. A puncture on the cobbles cost him victory last week and he looks like a great all-round talent, it would be a real shame if he came away from this tour without a race victory.

Eurosport guys kept going on today about what a terrible day he was having, I was half listening but not watching most of the time. So I was gobsmacked to see that he'd come in 19th 4 minutes off the winner. I was expecting him to have lost 10+ minutes, so I was surprised to see him hang on to 11th.
Not sure if he'll get a stage, but he's already led out a stage winner (Trentin) and featured at the front a lot.

He does seem vulnerable in the mountains though. He blew up on la Planche des Belles Filles after being in the lead group, and he had a mare in the mountains in the Dauphine.

 

[Ganymede]

Just wait til he reads what @Ganymede wrote about him

Yeah. He'll cry.

 

[400bhp]

Could those clowns that believe Nibbles is doping because he is winning, do one please

 

[400bhp]

Body language of Porte tells me he'll never be a GC. He seemed relieved to have done shat.

Sky's tactics are so binary.

 

[KennaughKickIt]

Eurosport guys kept going on today about what a terrible day he was having, I was half listening but not watching most of the time. So I was gobsmacked to see that he'd come in 19th 4 minutes off the winner. I was expecting him to have lost 10+ minutes, so I was surprised to see him hang on to 11th.
Not sure if he'll get a stage, but he's already led out a stage winner (Trentin) and featured at the front a lot.

He does seem vulnerable in the mountains though. He blew up on la Planche des Belles Filles after being in the lead group, and he had a mare in the mountains in the Dauphine.

Yeh, they were on about how much he was struggling on ITV too. As a bit of an OPQ fan boy I wasn't surprised to see him claw his way back. Lefevere has commented on his tendency to drop off the back and look completely out of it only to pace his way back up and past guys. He's developed into a pretty handy Time Trialer too, though I think that's Tony Martin's to lose next week.

 

[400bhp]

How is Bardet at TT'ing? Van Garderen looking like a good bet for 3rd, possibly 2nd if he can hang on tomorrow.

 

[KennaughKickIt]

How is Bardet at TT'ing? Van Garderen looking like a good bet for 3rd, possibly 2nd if he can hang on tomorrow.

Does indeed seem a good bet. I think Bardet lost about half a minute to TJ in the 10km Time Trial in the dauphine, could easily lose a couple of minutes to him in next week's TT.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Could those clowns that believe Nibbles is doping because he is winning, do one please

Nothing wrong with be sceptical. After all if we had all "done one" when Lance was winning...

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Ok, clarity!

Lance Armstrong and Nibali should never EVER be mentioned in the same breath of air, again. Ever.

Am i the only one who feels like doing this.............

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Am i the only one who feels like doing this.............

Yes, people used to post that all those years ago as well.
And can I just mention Jens again - a doper that seems to have got away with it, and come out as a folk hero due to some quirky sound bites.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Anyway, let's not detract from the great racing due to getting into squabbles.
He might be clean, he might not be.

The racing is great, today's stage restored my faith in clean riding. People being dropped, people in pain, people riding bravely.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Yeh, they were on about how much he was struggling on ITV too. As a bit of an OPQ fan boy I wasn't surprised to see him claw his way back. Lefevere has commented on his tendency to drop off the back and look completely out of it only to pace his way back up and past guys. He's developed into a pretty handy Time Trialer too, though I think that's Tony Martin's to lose next week.

Garmin-Sharp director Charly Wegelius noted Kwiatkowski for his ability to ride his own race back to the group once dropped.
“He’s impressive because often you see him get dropped. We saw it last year at the Tour, too. You see him get dropped and you think ‘well that’s the end of him,’” Wegelius said. “And he just keeps making his case and he never cracks.” Velonews

He was lucky today though as he held his position while some (like Porte) fell back behind him, and some (like Rui Costa) passed him. I think there was a bit of a sort out today and any more gutsy but not terribly successful "could have been worse" days like this will see him drift down the rankings.