Tour de France *Spoilers*

[Pedrosanchezo]

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.

This is my point. The racing is what cycling is about.

Sure it has a past and sure it's one that won't be forgotten swiftly, but can we not focus on the future and not assume that every rider who puts some time into his rivals must be on the juice?


Once again, lets not forget who he is racing against!! Froome and Berti are the only 2 who could really trouble an in form Nibali. He is the 3rd favourite to win and he is now the clear favourite after numbers 1 and 2 retired from the race.

I'm no mathematician but even i know that 2+2 doesn't make the 5 that many are coming up with here.

 

[400bhp]

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

Completely different. Don't compare that c**** with Nibali.

 

[KennaughKickIt]

No harm in harbouring some doubt in a sport that's done little but reinforce it. However, I'm not sure it's capable of the high profile mistakes of previous eras and I'm more confident that I'm watching the cleanest races ever.

The real disappointment is not being able to see how Froome would have fit into this. I believe Nibali had the measure of Bertie but I doubt he'd have been able to ride away from Froome so easily.

 

[400bhp]

Valverde annoys the t1ts off me. Here's hoping he gets dropped good and proper tomorrow.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

<old timer> I've had a racing bike since I was 9, and watched the tour for the first time in 1984. So I do have a fair bit of knowledge and think I can make my own mind up, and given that this is t'internet then I'm sure you'll acknowledge the right to comment and make sweeping statements without any proof - and I'm never wrong (which is a fact) <old timer>

 

[KennaughKickIt]

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.

Yep, these mountains are more about damage limitation. He'll pick up a bit of time in the TT, and being four minutes back from the White Jersey Boys (and likely more tomorrow) he'll have a chance to get in a breakaway going into the last week .

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

<old timer> I've had a racing bike since I was 9, and watched the tour for the first time in 1984. So I do have a fair bit of knowledge and think I can make my own mind up, and given that this is t'internet then I'm sure you'll acknowledge the right to comment and make sweeping statements without any proof - and I'm never wrong (which is a fact) <old timer>

And I did the milk race before I was weaned....

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

And I did the milk race before I was weaned....

Indeed. We all did back in those days.

 

[Crackle]

I'm glad to see Thomas recovered a bit. Unfortunately Sherwitt sent me to sleep after Nibbles crossed the line. I hope they never put them on five live, they'll cause accidents.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Do 5Live cover the entire stage or just updates? I might tune in if it's full coverage.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Indeed. We all did back in those days.

I know, we must have all got on our mothers' tits.

 

[Crackle]

Do 5Live cover the entire stage or just updates? I might tune in if it's full coverage.

Updates in the main. I haven't listened recently but I would think they'll be covering the Golf rather than anything else. They did do the odd stage live recently, I'm told. Didn't Simon Brotherton get into cycling because he had to go and cover the Tour?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Updates in the main. I haven't listened recently but I would think they'll be covering the Golf rather than anything else. They did do the odd stage live recently, I'm told. Didn't Simon Brotherton get into cycling because he had to go and cover the Tour?

The first time I ever heard him he was commentating on track cycling. I don't know whether that was earlier or later though.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Updates in the main.

I'll not bother then.

I have gone back to ITV4 coverage and commentary - I tried ITV4 pics with Eurosport on laptop commentary but it was out of sync.

I'm quite enjoying hurling abuse at the Chuckle Brothers. Mrs Marmion shakes her head in pity and despair. Today's outburst of "how the f*ck can it be Van Garderen if you've just seen him cross the line a few seconds ago you monkey-twatting-nobber" was the final straw for her and she left the room.

 

[Crackle]

The first time I ever heard him he was commentating on track cycling. I don't know whether that was earlier or later though.

Looks like he's always been into cycling

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/simon-brotherton-famous-last-words-32886

And he replaced Hugh Porter when Porter retired.