Cycling

[Uncle Leo]

Froome abandons!

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Froome abandons!

Wiggo would have fought on like a true mod,from me plastic Brit.

 

[Davros]

Good to see Paddy Power refunding all single Froome bets

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Real shame for Froome, but a 3 crashes in 2 days he could barely walk let alone ride and looked distraught.

The amount of people on FB/Twitter with 20/20 hindsight s ridiculous. I love Wiggo as much as the next man but there are other riders! A terrific ride by Geraint Thomas & Richie Porte to get Porte into 8th in the GC.

With Froome out and no Wiggins, Dowsett or Quintana, I'll have to find a new favourite to support.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Real shame for Froome, but a 3 crashes in 2 days he could barely walk let alone ride and looked distraught.

The amount of people on FB/Twitter with 20/20 hindsight s ridiculous. I love Wiggo as much as the next man but there are other riders! A terrific ride by Geraint Thomas & Richie Porte to get Porte into 8th in the GC.

With Froome out and no Wiggins, Dowsett or Quintana, I'll have to find a new favourite to support.

I'm not a huge fan of Froome, but that was sad to see. Was looking forward to him being involved in some big battles in the high mountains.

I am however a big fan of Wiggo and although I would have loved to have seen him on the Tour, it really only made sense from a PR point of view - i.e. Britain's most popular cyclist riding three stages on British roads.

Besides, in the event of Froome being unfit, Sky had (or indeed now have) a Plan B in place called Richie Porte. He has every chance of getting on the podium, especially if Geraint Thomas can ably support him.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Don't like that KOM bet as an outright. The only way Nibs wins the KOM is by beating all the big names on pretty much every mountain top finish and winning the Tour in the process. I just don't see him as being that dominant.

Unless of course all his main rivals crash out.....

Still, looks like JRod is going for the polka dots and Nibs won't want to jeopardise the yellow.

 

[EastStandBlue]

What happened? Did Contador spot someone from WADA on the horizon?

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Starting from Saint Gaudens on Wednesday, I think. Not the best vantage point to view it but you can still fight with the kids for goodies from the caravan! :smile: Better to head out to the Pyrénées and see an ascent but you have to leave bloody early in the day because all the roads are shut off (or else you have to walk a good bit!) Spoilt, as it ALWAYS passes within 20kms of me every year.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Starting from Saint Gaudens on Wednesday, I think. Not the best vantage point to view it but you can still fight with the kids for goodies from the caravan! :smile: Better to head out to the Pyrénées and see an ascent but you have to leave bloody early in the day because all the roads are shut off (or else you have to walk a good bit!) Spoilt, as it ALWAYS passes within 20kms of me every year.

My wife was saying the other day, that it always used to finish on the 14th July.How come it doesn't now?

 

[Billy is the best]

I am sure that the tour has not finished on the 14th for at least 40 years. The 14th remains the day when every frenchman wants to win the stage.
It is traditional to hold a huge military parade in Paris for the Fete National. It could not cope with the final stage as well.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I am sure that the tour has not finished on the 14th for at least 40 years. The 14th remains the day when every frenchman wants to win the stage.
It is traditional to hold a huge military parade in Paris for the Fete National. It could not cope with the final stage as well.

Yes, my wife (and myself) agree with you and the arguments put forward seem pretty sound

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

Yes, my wife (and myself) agree with you and the arguments put forward seem pretty sound

So the means barnablueswifegetsitwrongforthefirsttime.

 

[Uncle Leo]

I am sure that the tour has not finished on the 14th for at least 40 years. The 14th remains the day when every frenchman wants to win the stage.
It is traditional to hold a huge military parade in Paris for the Fete National. It could not cope with the final stage as well.

The first Champs-Élysées finish was 1975, so that pretty much fits in with what you're saying. Prior to that it used to finish at the Parc des Princes or Vincennes.

 

[Billy is the best]

I vaguely remember the first Champs-Élysées finish being televised in the Uk. One section of the coarse they tried to keep free of spectators so that the riders could take a pee in private. Unfortunately the crowds were so large that they infiltrated all areas of the route.
Looking forward to Sunday when i will take my normal place on Rue de Rivoli. Todays stage looks great, especially if you live in St Gaudans!

 

[Firestorm]

TDF has only finished on July 14th twice 1963 and 1966

http://bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdfstats.html

 

[Billy is the best]

TDF has only finished on July 14th twice 1963 and 1966

http://bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdfstats.html

Thanks for that Firestorm, it makes interesting reading.

I had the theory that in The Day of the Jackal , president De Gaulle avoided being shot as he leaned forward at that crucial moment, to see if the Peleton had turned the corner.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Looks like Nibali has it sewn up, baring a disaster. Kind of hoping one of the French riders pips Valverde to 2nd though.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Looks like Nibali has it sewn up, baring a disaster. Kind of hoping one of the French riders pips Valverde to 2nd though.

Yeah, the races for the podium places and the white jersey are still well alive, even if Nibali has had yellow sewn up for over a week now. Really been enjoying this race, even if it has been a shame that two of the GC big beasts (Froome and Contador) crashed out.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Nibali wins AGAIN, Pinot & Peraud overtake Valverde in the GC, so 2 frenchman on the podium at the moment.

 

[Pubey]

Nibali wins AGAIN, Pinot & Peraud overtake Valverde in the GC, so 2 frenchman on the podium at the moment.

I've got Pinot (FDR) in the work sweepstake, so hopefully I can bag both 2nd place and the white jersey.