Tashyboy
Please don’t ask to see my tatts 👍
Been a stonking day so far.
TDF
- Thread starter fundy
- Start date
ger147
Tour Winner
Porte's crash looked very nasty indeed, hope he makes a full recovery.
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
It looked nasty but they seemed to get him in the ambulance fairly quickly,i believe if it was really serious they wouldn't have move him so quick.
The neck and back brace may have been more of a precaution[I hope so].
Great days racing though.
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
Afraid this Tour is turning out to be a bit of a damp squib. There are far too many boring mostly flat sprint stages consisting of a doomed breakaway and then Kittel winning at the end. And not enough decisive climbs apart from one day where they seemed to go bonkers with them. I suspect this was done on purpose to try and nullify Sagan and Froome from winning the green and yellow jerseys yet again, but it is making for quite a dull route up to yet. Let's hope it livens up a bit.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Another flat stage today from then on in theres 2 days in the pyrenees and 2 in the alps, but still a lack of mountain top finishes (think theres only 3 on the whole tour) and another very short TT before a couple of flat days to finish
Agree its felt very contrived against certain riders but ended up with way too many bunched sprints (and half the sprinters not left in the race) and generally been quite a dull watch
As a non bike racer who dips into the TDF, who is supposed to benefit? I assume it is supposed to stop Froome from winning again, not working so far though. Are the beneficiaries close enough to Froome to take over at some stage?
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Not really and more unlikely now, the biggest danger was Porte and he is out after an horrific crash the other day (in which Martin was also brought down and lost time) leaving Aru as the only realistic threat now
The main riders in the GC are climbers I think they thought they were setting this up for more stages being suitable for breakaway riders but it really hasnt transpired like that
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
Sky are by far the strongest team and their team is all about winning the GC (General classification) yellow jersey. Other teams are set up to get sprint wins from their main sprinters and not contend for the yellow jersey, but in effect there are only 3 or 4 riders that only ever have any chance of winning the yellow jersey due to their abilities and team they have. One of Froomes main rivals Porte has crashed out, Contador is no longer the rider he once was and Quintana seems off the boil. Aru is second and he is a great all round rider with potential, but his team is nowhere near as strong as Sky's. But they do have 2 riders in the top 5 so they could use that to their advantage.
Froome is also very good in the time trials so he will get some time back there on the time trial later in the tour on his major yellow jersey rivals. I'd say the only thing that could stop Sky is effectively all the other teams ganging up on Sky in favour of say Aru, but I doubt that will happen.
larmen
Head Pro
everyone can always have a really bad day. I remember Ulrich just dying on a mountain, that's the year when Pantani won it. Unexpected, and a gift by Telekom's error getting food to Jan. Sky should be better than that, but it can happen.
Or Landis dying in one stage. Losing a lot of time. Luckily he had a really good night and made it all back up the next day
louise_a
Money List Winner
So Kittel won another stage and looks likely to top Cavendish's 6 stage wins on one tour, but its a bit hollow with both Cav and Sagan out.
CheltenhamHacker
Journeyman Pro
Green jersey competition pretty much over, makes the flat stages even less exciting. Absolutely gutted for Cav, while he wasn't going to be winning the early stages, I wouldn't have put it past him to be competing at the end. Also gutted for Sagan, does seem to be very harsh (although nice for someone else to finally win it!)
Dasit
Tour Rookie
Not even bothered watching the flat stages
gutted Cavendish is out
Surprised how much ahead of the rest Kittel is
gutted Cavendish is out
Surprised how much ahead of the rest Kittel is
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
now weve got a race on. froome didnt have the legs at the end of that stage and lost the yellow jersey to Aru with Bardet closing the gap having won the stage too. Froome likely going to have to be defensive on the remaining climb and then look to take time on the final TT
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
Yes couldn't believe he lost so much time within 500 metres, still opens up GC and will liven up the race again, lets see what he is made of.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
makes you wonder how much time hed have lost if they had realised he was shot and attacked him from further out, think he actually got very lucky that he only lost the little time he did but doesnt bode well for the other 3 big mountain days
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
This is true if he can stay within a minute the time trial could be his saviour
AmandaJR
Money List Winner
What's been a boring tour just got interesting! Plan to watch more than just an hours highlights tomorrow.
CheltenhamHacker
Journeyman Pro
Anyone wonder if there is any tactics involved form Froome... takes the pressure off sky and lumps it on Aru with not so many strong teammates!
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
Doubt it, I'd say it is much easier for a team like Sky to defend rather than have to attack.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
nope, 2 main big hill stages he hasnt had the legs and despite having his team with him hasnt been able to go with Aru at the finish
