2012 Tour De France --Post Your Comments Here!

[burgdawg]

Tour fireworks....just throwing this out...

what if....

Froome makes a contest of it, and RACES Wiggins for the Tour crown?

Far fetched?

Wouldn't that be wild to have a wild internecine family fight?

[flying]

Tour fireworks....just throwing this out...

what if....

Froome makes a contest of it, and RACES Wiggins for the Tour crown?

Far fetched?

Wouldn't that be wild to have a wild internecine family fight?

You know I would be all for it

It would not be a first & as I mentioned before there was the time with Roche against then team mate

Roberto Visentini

Also all the old drama between Lemond & Hinault

It would be Great!!

Also note worthy they were close in TT ( Froome & Wiggins )

Well...closest I should say as 2 minutes is not small.....

As a side note I wonder why Sky did not let Froome go yesterday?

They were close enough that Wiggins could fend for himself & Froome could

have really solidified his spot in front of Nibali...maybe

I am sure the thought occurred to Froome

Not unlike the old days when Indurain was coming up & had to wait for then team

leader Delgado

Or even when Ullrich had to wait for Riis if I remember right

Anyway ....YES bring it on hahaha

Edited July 13, 2012 by flying

[GuestHouse]

The reason Froome was not allowed to go it alone so near to the front was he was hauling Wiggins' spare bike.

But as for a fight between the two, I think if they get through the Pyranees with no other contenders then Sky might just say OK to a (headline and media grabbing) race off.

Let's hope so.

Edited July 13, 2012 by GuestHouse

[GuestHouse]

My view is that Sky now have two very good chances to win the tour. The priority can nolonger simply be 'get Wiggins over the line'.

Both Wiggins and Froome are contenders and Froome looks stronger in the mountains - The Pyranees are going to be tougher than the Alps.

So look to Sky putting their team around both Wiggins and Froome, with Wiggins being told to share pace making with Froome.

I would not be at all surprised ti see Froome given a chance to close the gap on Wiggins but that would need Wiggins to be comfotably leading other contenders near the end of a stage AND somebody other than Froome to watch over Wiggins when Froome attacks.

Sky chasing down all breaks would be an indicatuon that they are setting the stage fir Froome.

Don't expext to see me out on the town this week.

[flying]

The reason Froome was not allowed to go it alone so near to the front was he was hauling Wiggins' spare bike.

True & forgot that possibility

[burgdawg]

..flying wrote:

<<As a side note I wonder why Sky did not let Froome go yesterday?

They were close enough that Wiggins could fend for himself & Froome could

have really solidified his spot in front of Nibali...maybe>>

My take was that Froome THOUGHT that Wiggins was on his rear wheel. Then he gets an earful from his race director and sat right up in his saddle and drifted back.

He got lassoe'd in, reoh-reoh.

But for how long? How many more stages?

When I recall LeMond and Hinnault is thus: BETRAYAL.

It kicks one's adrenalin up to stratospheric levels on par with a high speed descent biff by Pierre Rolland.

He was one lucky dude and with adrenalin, he coasted to the finished line, in a way.

Did you see how quickly Rolland caught up to his fellow pack riders after falling in that tight corner?

The guy ahead of him took a crappy line, blocking Rolland. Rolland does a tee-bone, or hits the deck.

He hits the deck. And wins.

Oh yeah...Stage 11 and things are FINALLY getting juicy.

The spectators as indicator plants: they have been there in past stages, but not rabid.

Today was the first day that the true maniacs came out in force. The weird costumes.

The chubby guys running towards a heart attack upslope. The costumes!

Whenever I see the maniacs, I stay riveted.

Recall Rolland's excellent victory over Sammy Sanchez and Alberto Contador 12 months ago during Alp de Huez?

Contador punched that pinhead faux doctor. Rolland went on to win a very tough stage.

Now Snachez is out.

Stay tuned. Cadel could come back, the guy has guts.

*******************************

Make a play: you can pick your TdF spot, but where?

My own fantasy? I'm one of the main motorbike drivers squiring the sign holder, dressed in bright yellow, piloting a big motorbike, YES!

[GuestHouse]

Nah Evans is done.

He's a fighter for sure but where are his team.

And I don't buy the Froome thought Wiggins was on his wheel - If he had he woild have told Wiggins he was going to attack and the attack itself would have been instructed/been agreed with the manager.

Froome was sending a message.

He's a contender, he's stronger than the man he's pacing for and he knows what we all know.... Its the things you did not do in life that we regret.

Edited July 13, 2012 by GuestHouse

[el jefe]

No matter who wins, I'm in agreement with Nibali's comments about Wigins.

[downtown]

wiggins is a yawn? how so? no different to the great Big Mig, who played to his trengths which is exactly what wiggins is doing. as for nibali, what has he done thus far? not a whole lot apart from silly, misjudged attacks

[apetley]

Tour fireworks....just throwing this out...

what if....

Froome makes a contest of it, and RACES Wiggins for the Tour crown?

Far fetched?

Wouldn't that be wild to have a wild internecine family fight?

The way Frome was called back when he put even a few seconds between himself and Wiggins suggests there are very strict team orders right now.

Frome will only be let off the leash if Wiggins were to suffer a spectacular blowup or injury.

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[el jefe]

Tour fireworks....just throwing this out...

what if....

Froome makes a contest of it, and RACES Wiggins for the Tour crown?

Far fetched?

Wouldn't that be wild to have a wild internecine family fight?

The way Frome was called back when he put even a few seconds between himself and Wiggins suggests there are very strict team orders right now.

Frome will only be let off the leash if Wiggins were to suffer a spectacular blowup or injury.

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Exactly.

Froome just signed a lucrative contract extension. He's not about to piss off his employer now. And why risk making both of them work harder than either needs to? Froome is Plan B if Wigins cracks. If they attack each other, they might need a Plan C.

From Yahoo's blog:

Quizzed about the situation at the finish, Froome simply said: "Our plan is to look after Bradley and I'm here to do that." Asked then if he was frustrated, Froome replied serenely: "No, I follow orders at all costs. I'm part of the team and I have to do what the team asks me to do."

Anyone who thinks that there's going to be race between the two current leaders doesn't understand employment contracts, or cycling.

The only thing left of interest in this tour is the Twitter cat fight between Wigins' and Froome's wives.

Edited July 13, 2012 by el jefe

[burgdawg]

Stage 12: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay Davezieux (July 13) ....226km

Stage winner

Dave Millar (GBR /Team Garmin Sharp)

Nice ride by Millar, well-deserved. Some serious poker playing right at the end.

Millar initiated the break-away early in the race.

Cadel +7:34 behind Wiggins.

Wiggins remains in the yellow.

[burgdawg]

clarification..Cadel 3:19 behind Wiggins in the standings.

Cadel was +7:34 behind the Stage Winner of the day

Four British riders have now won Stages in this year's Tour

[GuestHouse]

Like I say, game over for Evans, but Sky (the sponsors) are in this for advertising (Media Coverage) what better then than a bitter fight between two Sky Riders to the finish in Paris.

Wiggins can't even be sure that he can beat Froome at Testing..... I tell ya, this could well be decided on the Champs-Elysees.

Now that would be a tour to remember.

Edited July 13, 2012 by GuestHouse

[apetley]

Great ride by Millar to take the win yesterday.

Very harsh decision to push Goss back to seventh and dock him 30 points for a slight change of line during the bunch sprint. No way was Sagan capable of coming around him so close to the line.

Just about hands Sagan the green jersey now.

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[burgdawg]

Stage 13: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Le Cap d'Agde (July 14)

Heading to the Sea, the winds a factor.

Andre Griepel takes Stage Win, less than half a wheel length over Peter Sagan at the spring finish.

Wiggins showed a nice hit of speed at the end to lead-out team mate Boasson Hagen

Top standings remain unchanged. No Mark Cavendish at the final sprint.

Bastille Day in France and we all know how big a day this is for Frogs.....break the guillotines out for the Euro bankers?

Pyrenees tomorrow.....191 km Stage 14 Limoux to Foix

Yes, very harsh penalty to Goss for some argey-bargey. I thought a 3-5 point penalty....

[downtown]

fairly uneventful stage today, eventually won by sanchez as part of a breakaway. the strange part was the number of punctures suffered with accusations of lots of tacks on the road??? evans and wiggins both suffered but otherwise GC remained the same

[downtown]

how typically french. the only rider to try and exploit the punctures was rolland

[downtown]

in other news, the tour of poland is taking place the same time as le tour. it will be taking in london, birmingham, manchester, the home counties and finishing in the polish capital, southampton

[David48]

fairly uneventful stage today, eventually won by sanchez as part of a breakaway. the strange part was the number of punctures suffered with accusations of lots of tacks on the road??? evans and wiggins both suffered but otherwise GC remained the same

Some updated information from Australian TV covering the event.

Cadel Evans suffered three punctures after nails and tacks were thrown on the road during the latest stage of the Tour de France.

Video report here

.

Edited July 15, 2012 by David48

[T_Dog]

Never understood the motivation behind people who throw tacks on the course. We had this same problem at Ironman and large cycling events in the Pacific Northwest.

Here's a link to standings and photos.

http://www.steephill.tv/2012/tour-de-france/photos/stage-14/

[burgdawg]

Yes...uneventful stage today. No change in standings and YES--nails tossed out onto the course!

Classy move.

Sound like Tour de Detroit

Downtown...I like your Tour de Poland, very nice......what will be in the water bottles?

Cadel flatted bad.

This is bad form.

Is this motivated due to the fact that Spain is the next Greece? Or just too much booze and a bad idea?

Sad to state that this is turning into a ho-hum race......yawn.

[burgdawg]

T_Dog

nice pics.

The only class was shown by Wiggins slowing down the peloton due to the tacks...tacks?

Try nails a motorbike tyre is not easily flatted by a tack. These were nails. Tacks are about 2mm

and used for attaching papers to a corkboard.

Anyone know if there is any video footage of the perps?

[flying]

Sad to state that this is turning into a ho-hum race......yawn.

Yes I have hopes for some action on 7/18 Stage 16

Especially on the Two H category climbs Col du Tourmalet & Col d'Aubisque

also to a lesser degree the two Cat 1 climbs

One thing in yesterdays stage was when the yellow jersey group decided

as per unwritten rules to wait on Evans & Rolland took off yelling something

I guess he was later told by his team to sit up & behave

Edited July 16, 2012 by flying

[downtown]

what would be in the water bottles? ethanol/methanol that sort of thing

[burgdawg]

Stage 15: Samatan to Pau (July 16)

Stage winner Fedrigo (Team Frog)

Christian Vande Velde (USA) made it a close sprint, but Fedrgo had a better tank of reserves.

The top four standings remain unchanged:

Wiggins

Froome 2:05

Nibali 2;23

Evans 3:19

It is hard to discount the pall and sense of US against THEM after the tacky Tack Attack.

Sheer lunacy. The Tour feels deflated and for good reason: the 3rd and final week is when all riders are in their repsective

Zombie Zone. How many of us could ride a bicycle at insane speeds for 3 weeks straight?

They have turned themselves inside-out and then some pinhead (pun intended) tosses tacks out onto the course?

Guess this sort of stupid stuff happened quite a bit in the 1920s!

Riders would also disappear from the peloton --jump a train---show up in town ahead of all and claim victory!

Hahhahahh!

We could call it the "Tour de Stunts."

Tacks are just that---below the belt. How about the Astana rider who broke his collarbone due to flatting at speed?

The race footage has shown a gritty Evans in a fast turn flatting and struggling to keep his ride upright....several times!

Evans undoubtedly soiled his shorts, who wouldn't?

Add to this carnage the noise about Radio Shack/Nissan NOT paying paychecks to deserving riders on its payroll.

It is easy to foresee a day when the Tour TV coverage diminishes and bike races all become local. The witch hunt inspired drug

probes and accusations will have the same effect: I'll go work in my yard or take my own bicycle ride with my mates.

Screw all this high flying stuff.

There was a mutedness to today's peloton. It is a dangerous biz,. The sound of carbon shattering is not pleasant.

Rest day 17th and then two tough stages in the Pyrenees that will determine all. Evans is riding a strong race, Wiggo is just that much better.

Others as well. Froome, etc. I pay attention to the up and coming riders. Or the older riders doing an admirable Tour.

*******************************

Downtown: yeah what is it about eastern Euros and Russian and alcohol? It is not drinking, It is alcohol poisoning.

In the 1980s was a series of strange crashes involving the usually reliable MIG fighters. Turned out that Russian airplane techs had drained the glycol-filled

rubber boots that form the leading edge of any modern aircraft wing---the boot flexes and ice is dispensed with.

The glycol was being inhaled by various ground support crews.

Personally, it is 1972 and I am on a combo of bicycles and BMW motorbike up in Nord Kapp, Norway. Artic circle. Barren.

I go to use the restroom and some old coot is quaffing a HUGE bottle of Yardley aftershave lotion. I can never get this image out of my head.....

[burgdawg]

16th July

Miguel Indurain's birthday is today. He turned 48 years old and I bet not many of his riding buddies can keep him in sight.

Miguel won the Tour 5 times.

Tack Tally:

over 48 tyres ruined by a handful of tacks, in excess of $10k USD or 310,000b in damages.

[flying]

16th July

Miguel Indurain's birthday is today. He turned 48 years old and I bet not many of his riding buddies can keep him in sight.

Miguel won the Tour 5 times.

Tack Tally:

over 48 tyres ruined by a handful of tacks, in excess of $10k USD or 310,000b in damages.

Agreed big Mig was special & that never drifts very far

Sad state that tacks deal.........What are people thinking?

They are there so surely they are fans no?

They know these guys spent thousands of hours training/ getting ready.

Then to do something like that which could have had far worse effects

than just a quick puncture with that quick descent right after too.

Like that Astana rider

[downtown]

Indurain was the rider who got me interested in the tour in the mid 90s. a very humble man and one of the fittest athletes ever to grace the tour

[apetley]

Frank Schleck has tested positive for a diurectic and been booted from the tour.

Speechless. Bloody &lt;deleted&gt;!

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