2012 Tour De France --Post Your Comments Here!

[apetley]

Amazing how Greipel stayed upright. Luck or bike handling skills it was still impressive.

I think Farrar is starting to feel the pressure of under performing hence his hissy fit.

That incline at the finish didn't really suit Cav but once again Greipel was incredibly strong all the way to the line.

Just sitting down with a cold Singha and hoping Cav is fully recovered from his crash for todays probable sprint finish.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[burgdawg]

Brief Outline of Stage 6

Stage 6: Epernay to Metz (July 6)

Stage winner: Peter Sagan(Slovak Team Liquigas) by 1.5 bike length over Greipel

So close at the finish that Sagan did not have time for any dance at the finish line.

Andre Greipel(Lotto) crashed twice, if he had not, would he have had the energy to win his 3rd Stage?

Greipel is now in the top 10 riders of the Tour. How will he fare in the mountains?

Matt Goss(Orica GreenEdge) came in 3rd today. Mark Cavendish not a factor at the end.

These flat stages suit him and it is becoming a heartbreak Tour for Cavendish.

Big crashes, becoming a Tour de Crash, 2nd crash was 25km prior from the finish line.

This split the peloton into two.

Crash 1 took place in tight road conditions at 60.2km from finish line

Much congestion, took place in the middle of the peloton. Tight lane, trees right up the roadbed,

crowd behind barriers, crash time.

Bulk of peloton arrived in 12 minutes after the finish of Stage 3. For many riders, their Tour is over.

Eg: Ryder Hesjedal(Canada Team GarminSharp) winner of Giro de Italia caught in accidents, lost huge time. Team GarminSharp wounded greatly, the highlight was the riding by

David Zabriske. Zabriske was a force up until the end. Tommy Danielson, out.

Top riders, pretty well unchanged: Fabian Cancellara in yellow. Bradley Wiggins is in 2nd

More becoming a race of Staying Safe.

Stage 7 is 199km

[downtown]

to see an englishman wearing yellow was a very special moment. a fantastic ride by team sky, particularly chris froome who won the stage. its already looking like wiggins Vs evans; let battle commence

[burgdawg]

Stage 7: Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles (July 7) 198 km..... First of many mountain stages.....

..kuhn downtown...correctomundo!

Big Day for Great Britain riders today, their time to shine! Will this be UK's year to field a Tour de France victor?

The planets do seem to be shining on Britain.

In short...the TDF is entering the mountain stages and tough to have high-speed pile ups if one is struggling to maintain momentum

in an arduous climb.

It was Team Sky's Big Day, very impressive, played to perfection.

Chris Froome (GBR Team SKY) takes the Stage Win and now teamate Bradley Wiggins(GBR Team SKY) assumes the mantle of the

yellow jersey. Love the sideburns, Bradley! Very retro! If it helps him to win the TDF, why not?

Wiggins gave UK their first Tour de France leader in 12 years! First UK Tour leader since David Millar in 2000.

Wiggins is Kenyan born and was raised at 6,000ft altitude. Might have something to do with his great climbing ability?

Chris Froome was squiring Bradly up the hills when he made his gutsy move, Cadell did not purse, race over.

Cadell Evans is 10 seconds behind Tour leader Wiggins.

Yes, it does appear that from here on out, it will be an Wiggins-Evans shootout.

Let the fun begin!

Kinda nice to see a fine Stage win by Froome and not the usual pile-up of the peloton.

I was chatting with a bicycle buddy about all the Tour crashes. He pointed out "...not too long ago, a Stage win

garnered a cyclist $25k USD, Now that amount is $500k USD per Stage win for the team.

People go beserk taking chances, and that is what we are viewing out on the course..."

[downtown]

er think you're mixed up there. wiggins was born in belgium and raised in london. froome was born in kenya

[burgdawg]

downtown...

oops!

thanks for catching that errata......

[mackayae]

Team Sky were amazing. I don't think anyone is in their league. Cadel Evans will have to hang on to Sky's coattails to keep in the hunt.

[flying]

Team Sky were amazing. I don't think anyone is in their league. Cadel Evans will have to hang on to Sky's coattails to keep in the hunt.

Could be but remains to be seen. Day 7 of 20 & there is much to come.

Smart teams do not use their energy pulling the peloton up a medium mountain stage if others are willing to do the work

The real tour as always starts when the major multi climbs do.

While yesterdays final 6km climb did have 13+% sections ... the climb itself was too short for any of the big guns to put minutes on rivals

or waste much energy trying.

The tour starts when we hit the major multi per day climbs

I would say the day after the rest day Stage 10.... Mâcon Bellegarde-sur-Valserine

is when we start to see who are the long term contenders for this years podium in Paris.

But yes Froome, Eveans & Wiggins all looked good yesterday.

Sky kept a strong tempo due to the length of the climb & if they have that ability in the big climbs

of course it will be a big help to Wiggins.

[catwho]

Its A 2 horse race,being an ozzie i'd love to see cadel win again,and maybe he will, wiggins will always beat cadel in a time trial,so the only way cadel will beat him is to get time on him in the mountains,wiggins has a team to kill for,and unless he carnt keep pace on a bad stage with his team the race is his,but as we know it is the tour anything can happen,for mine frome, is a super star in the making,when have u ever seen ,3 non euros capable of winning grand tours,[cadel wiggins,and ryder,great to see.and cavendish [WHO] AS a contenter,have another beer.GO CADEL

[T_Dog]

Went for a ride with a neighbor yesterday and he starts telling stories of riding with Team Madison, being a sprinter for Greg Lemond and being good friends with him. Judging by how I feel today after our three hour ride, the guy is for real.

[burgdawg]

T_Dog..how is the coal-fired internet connection?

Stage 8: Belfort to Porrentruy (July 8) 158km Hilly section

Stage win: French rider Thidaut Pinot (Team FDJ-Big Mat)

Great ride. The FDJ team manager was hanging out of his team car, urging Pinot on.

Who needs microphones? The FDJ car was filled with Frenchmen hugging one another, touching!

22 year old, his first tour, great Stage win for a Frenchman

The top five riders remain unchanged with Bradley Wiggins in yellow.

The main riders finished 26 seconds behind Pinot.

Cadel did put on a great move at the end. Wiggins did not panic and Wiggins had Froome as an able ally.

Wiggins closed the gap.

Green jersey unchanged: Peter Sagan (217 point)

Cavendish is in 4th in Green jersey at 129 points...22 minutes behind stage leader

Sammy Sanchez (Spain Team Eskadel/Eskdai) crashed and is out of Tour.

Out of his Olympic rides as well....tough break

Time trial tomorrow, Stage 9

[downtown]

the french must be delighted to actually have a frog win a stage...still no hopers for the GC though

[flying]

the french must be delighted to actually have a frog win a stage...still no hopers for the GC though

It was fun watching Marc Madiot going crazy in the car

[T_Dog]

T_Dog..how is the coal-fired internet connection?

I'm getting the highlights, but not the same as last year where we watched almost every stage from beginning to end. Appreciate seeing the commentary here on Thaivisa. Thanks for asking.

[burgdawg]

TDF..

heard an interesting discussion regarding the many crashes: team radios.

If all the rider's hearing is reduced by 50% due to an ear bud, riders cannot hear of an accident unfolding up ahead.

Especially with tour directors shouting in their ears.

Possible solution: allow only 2 radio sets per team to relay team info.

Not all the riders are wired up, distracted.

I know I never use my iPod when the traffic is tight. Out in the rural area, sure, why not?

[burgdawg]

Stage 9: Arc-et-Senans to Besancon (July 9)

Individual Time Trial 41 kms

At start of race, Wiggins was 10 seconds ahead of Evans, now Wiggins is 1:53 ahead of Evans.

Stage Winner: Wiggins (his first!)

Sequence of events:

Tony Martin set a very fast pace, shattered by 1:19 by Fabian Cancellara.

Fabian had such fine form whizzing about the turns. He really set the standard, but this allows everyone

behind to know what they have to put out. Crucial time checks.

Fabian might've been spooked by the excellent time put in by Tejay Van Gardener, who came in second, +9 seconds.

Stage leader still Cancellara at this point.

Chris Froome also had a fantastic ride, raising the bar...BLOWING ALL away! 22 seconds faster than the fine ride by Fabian Cancellara.

Cancellara must've been shocked...I got goose bumps watching Froome's ride. The guy is very smooth......not a wasted motion.

At this point, it was Froome / Cancellara / Van Gardener in the time trial.

Evans and Wiggins still out on the course.

Both Froome and Van Gardener will be future Tour victors, amazing talent to take in.....

Cadel Evans had a very good time trial--6th best of the day overall, but Wiggins put the hammer down and increased his time over his closest rival.

Wiggins is showing to all he is the man to beat, amazing rider. I've noticed that Wiggins has this "Everyman" appeal.

Easy to identify with, very accessible.

Bradley Wiggins wins his FIRST Tour de France stage! He beats teamate Froome incredible time by 35 seconds, 57 seconds over Cancellar's time, which quickly faded

from view.

Wiggins really left it all out on the course today, an astonishing 1:43 seconds over Evans.

Evans is a great rider, what's with his voice of a ventriloquist? Am I the only one to think he's spent too many hours in the saddle?

Evans will be throwing the hammer down in the stages to come.The real Tour de France is about to begin....

this thing is far from over. About 2 weeks remain, woohooo!

TDF top 3 standings now:

Wiggins (GBR Sky) / Cadel Evans +1:53(Aus BMC) / Chris Froome(GBR SKY) + 2:07

Rest day tomorrow......then the mountains resume. Stage 10 is 194km, many climbs. Interesting: BOTH Wiggins and Cadel have able help in the mountains.

In the past, Cadel had team support during the flat stages, yet no assistance in the moutains, where he had to fend for himself.

Wiggins has an able deputy in Froome.

Cadel has an able deputy in Van Gardener.

Let the attacks begin!

TJ_Dog

Yes, agreed. Last year's Tour was amazing. This year, I still have some finger nails remaining....

[burgdawg]

...recall the German techno-synthesizer band called "Kraftwerk?"

here is their take on the Tour de France...

[downtown]

wiggins smashed evans today, great stuff. like wiggins rant against twitter twots as well; good on him for that. shame the tour hasnt visited les deux alps for a while, its a great climb

[burgdawg]

Stage 10 194 km

Wiggins is not about to let Cadel gain any psychological advantage from here on out.

Wiggins retains his 1:53 lead over Cadel and is showing the grit of a true Tour Champion.

The top places remained unchanged.

You can just witness "Wiggo" getting chuff with each turn of the pedals.

I've never ridden in a velodrome, but this background certainly has given Wiggins a very steely edge.

Amazing cyclist. Cadel is the defending champ and it appears as if Wiggins is just toying with him, like a cat 'n mouse.

Yes, Wiggins parry with the reporters and his "tweets" was classic.

We need more guys like Wiggo to stuff stupid questions and issues before they get started.....

Stage Winner: Thomas Voeckler, France. The French get to feast on crumbs yet again....

Stage 11 tomorrow, less than weeks of riding remain. Anything can transpire....

[downtown]

the col d' colombier was wicked, though a pretty uneventful stage overall. tomorrow , at last, a mountain top finish - evans needs to take time tomorrow or its will be very difficult to retain his title

[GuestHouse]

the col d' colombier was wicked, though a pretty uneventful stage overall. tomorrow , at last, a mountain top finish - evans needs to take time tomorrow or its will be very difficult to retain his title

I don't know how you fugure that, Wiggins was clearly very comfortable while Evans was waddling all over the road.

The Sky team are in control of the race, Evan's team mates are.... Where?

Not up front giving him a hand, that's for sure.

[flying]

For me that was a rather disappointing stage.........

Credit to Voeckler for at least making it interesting & exciting in the final moments.

Also Voight ! where the heck did he come from Good job & I always liked him as he is one of the hardest workers

You know props to sky they sat & controlled well....but to be honest as the years go by I really see less & less to get excited about

Dont want to show my age but it seems to me for many years now folks ride to survive or protect.

In the past folks seemed more willing to lay it all out on the road & take chances. There were many more antagonist

that would really piss off even the heads of State within the peloton. With their constant attacks...coming at anytime not just when expected.

They might blow up & not make it stick but they laid it all out. Made for much more exciting racing IMHO

Riders like Chiappucci, Ghirrotto, Virenque, Jalabert, & many more

I guess the Tour is so big & points so important risk is minimized now? I don't know........maybe it is just been perfected/homogenized

But I would like to see some real attacking by some that scare the lead teams into action. Not just sitting on wheels.

Well there is still time & I can hope

[GuestHouse]

This very point was discussed on Eurosport last night.

Live TV feed into the manager's cars, direct radio contact to the riders and computers calculating all the times, the game has changed from when an attack was out of sight of the managers and the managers out of touch with the riders.

[burgdawg]

Good points about much flavor and excitement missing from the Tour de France.

I maybe wrong on this, but wasn't it Lance Armstrong and his mega buck backers that launched all into

computers, wind tunnel testing and carbon everything?

Now, every second is filmed. Something has been lost after so much connectivity gained.

[burgdawg]

Stage 10: Jens Voigt (Ger / Team RadioShack-Nissan) had quite the ride, leaving all out on the course. He was in contention with Voeckler (Fra/Team Europcar) up until the final meters.

Stage 10's finish was agonizing slow as it was a hill top finish. Voigt is 40 years old and had six kids! Wow! I wish the guy well....colorful rider! Voigt came in 3rd, behind Voeckler and Scarponi.

Voigt said "...we had some slow motion attacks there at the end, and everyone was on the limit. It was a hard day."

Stage 11: Albertville to La Toussuire - Les Sybelles (July 12)

First day of racing in the Alps.

The solid teams hang back, well-protected. Gorgeous views and hairy descents.

The race tempo is being hammered out by a handful of riders desirious of a stage win.

Cadel's able lieutenant is American Teejay Van Garderen

5.4kms to go, Cadel begins to struggle. Teejay does his best to nurse him back to form.

Chris Foome and Bradley Wiggins are an amazing 1-2 punch. Froome pulling Wiggins to the lead and

Froome snatches 2nd place in the Tour over Cadel.

Wait...Froome just splits away from Wiggins, going for the Stage victory. Everyone for themselves....

Spoke too soon....Froome drops back to protect and shepherd Wiggins after that breakaway experiement....all this about 3-5 kms from the finish.

Stage Victor: Pierre Rolland (Fra / Team Europcar). Pinot (Fra) comes in second. A 1-2 French finish.

Yet it is 1-2 British cycling in Tour standings.

Announcers are saying "...today is the day that Cadel lost the Tour de France..."

Cadel loses 1.30 minutes, 3:19 behind Wiggins. Cadel is now in 4th Place.

Nice ride by Nibaldi who now is in 3rd place in the Tour.

[flying]

Agreed GH & the radios is something I have thought about over the recent years....

Well tonights stage was a bit better.

We saw some antagonist even if they couldn't make it stick.

Nibali gave it a couple of goes & Van Den Broeck is active...Also props to winner Roland falling on that decent & getting back on with the break.Not easy to descend fast after a fall...then go on to win

That last climb was interesting & props to Wiggins & especially Froome for riding just about everyone off their wheels.

Including Schleck & Evans

For a moment it looked like Froome was going to attack his leader

Pretty amazing as Froome a few minutes earlier looked cooked.

Evans..........hmmm does not look to have it timed for peaking at this year.

[downtown]

Guesthouse - you should try actually reading my previous post and you'd see i was stating evans is struggling...

as for todays stage, by far the most exciting stage yet. a bit of poker face work by wiggins when nebali tried it on a few times during the last 6K. strange goings on team sky as froome led wiggins to catch nibali's group; first froome looked knackered and then shot off leaving wiggins on his own before the team called him back. great work by the pair of them to catch nibali. another stage win for the frogs which is the most they can hope for. barring a massive comeback evans looks spent

[GuestHouse]

Today's stage brought back many happy memories.

I used to live and race around Albertville (actually at Beaufort) and have often raced on the Col De La Madeleine, and over the Cormet de Roselend, which sadly is not on this years route.

But, here's the rub. I know there was 'a bit more action' in this stage, but really, honestly, is any young kid going to look at Wiggins riding and think - ' I want to be a racing cyclist'?

Sean Kelly who is presenting with Eurosport, used to light the road up, magnificant to watch in action.

Back in the day we'd be out training, as ever sprinting for town boundary signs of the tops tops of hills - The war cry from whoever of us got to the line first was to thunder past shouting '.... and its Sean Kelly on the outside'.

'..... and its Wiggins keeping the pace' just doesn't inspire.

[flying]

Today's stage brought back many happy memories.

I used to live and race around Albertville (actually at Beaufort) and have often raced on the Col De La Madeleine, and over the Cormet de Roselend, which sadly is not on this years route.

But, here's the rub. I know there was 'a bit more action' in this stage, but really, honestly, is any young kid going to look at Wiggins riding and think - ' I want to be a racing cyclist'?

Sean Kelly who is presenting with Eurosport, used to light the road up, magnificant to watch in action.

Back in the day we'd be out training, as ever sprinting for town boundary signs of the tops tops of hills - The war cry from whoever of us got to the line first was to thunder past shouting '.... and its Sean Kelly on the outside'.

'..... and its Wiggins keeping the pace' just doesn't inspire.

I read Kelly's autobiography so many years ago

Was a personal hero of mine too & agree that a harder working cyclist would be hard to find.

The words True Grit come to mind

What you say is what I meant & not just this year either. Maybe as you said the radio is

too much of a leash....I did have to laugh when Froome sat right up after getting an earful on his...

Not exactly what we are talking about but still a visual.

Or maybe the planning is so....planned

But yes I want more racing. I want big names will to put it all out there.

Maybe we will see some yet

[GuestHouse]

I'm not sure what Froome was thinking, maybe he wanted to stamp his authority on Nibali to deter another attack in the last kms, but, he's now second in the GC and looking a lot stronger than Wiggins on the climbs.

One bad day for Wiggins and we might get the race we want afterall.

Two Brits in the Top Slot - we are spoiled for choice.

But as I've said, I find Wiggins a bit of a yawn.

Back to Kelly for a moment, he was racing at a time when we were spoiled for choice with some of the greatest riders ever - But Kelly, F' he was a delight to watch in action.