No Bronies - It's the 2012 Tour de France thread

With closet Brony Andy Schleck out with a broken pelvis and Alberto Contador on enforced vacation we're gearing up for the Grand Boucle. With any luck Pipi and Popo will take this year as an opportunity to get out of the Lance lock groove and we can look forward to three weeks of Brad Wiggins sitting on Cadel Evans' wheel.

100km of time trials, 3397km of other stuff and a laugh a minute from the team Radioshack-Nissan.

He's Ready

http://www.cyclingfans.net/2012/images/2012_tour_of_california_stage2_santa_cruz_peter_sagan_leader_podium_girls1a.jpg

They're Ready

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/06/10/2/bettiniphoto_0113471_1_full_600.jpg

Your prescription is ready.

http://www.epoboost.com/images/epo-boost2_custom.jpg

Old hat, we're all on this now:

http://southernresearchco.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/a/i/aicar_1.jpg

pls send 10 cases without delay, my CX training plan is looking p. shaky atm

sky honchos have met with the ASO to reassure them they're not going to be saunier duval mk II

http://hamishbrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Mark-Cavendish-Cyclist-Saatchi-Hamish-Brown-451.jpg

HE'S READY

Excited for the madness that is a thousand journalists submitting pieces that include the phrase "THE ASHES OF CYCLING" or some variation.

http://nile.impingesolutions.com/projects/web/Robert_Lamb/Cyclingnewsasia.com/Live/images/stories/RoadWorlds2010/majdog_gallery__600x399.jpg

THEY'RE READY

(Sorry, that is still my favourite cycling-related photo ever.)

and we can look forward to three weeks of Brad Wiggins sitting on Cadel Evans' wheel

That's actually not what Wiggins does - he basically time trials up mountains and pretends nobody else is there. He doesn't respond to any attack or change of pace, just completely ignores it and keeps going at a steady power output. Sometimes it means he gets dropped, but then gets back 30-60 seconds later, sometimes it means he's at the front of the pack stringing it out and burning people off the back.

does anyone have a chance of stopping this becoming the Wiggins v Evans show? Sammy? Nibali? little Tommy Voeckler?

Up till this morning, I thought Gesink might be in with a shout, he won the Tour of California and has been going good but he faded today in the Tour de Suisse. You have to wonder about Frank Schleck who went well today but ditched the giro and there's Levi Leipheimer who has been going well but might be riding for Chavanel. I'd stick a fiver each eachway on Tom Danielson and Ryder Hesjedal. As for Europcar, I think Pierre Rolland is the one to watch.

xxp I'll admit "never enter the red zone" seems a pretty sound tactic on paper

/!\ voeckler in doubt with knee injury /!\

/!\ rumors of late payments to radioshack-nissan riders; bruyneel might be persona non grata at tour /!\

no panache???

no batshit craziness??????

johnny hoogerland's back tho!

/!\ horner IN, bruyneel OUT /!\

rabobank squad looks strong - looks like they're loading up on alternate GC chances if gesink falters, though.

Boss of Trek seems to have had something to do with it. RSNT without a US rider can't have been great for the sponsors. There are some very angry Danes out there, Fugulsang seems to have been the unlucky party.

https://twitter.com/JBTrek08/status/214881498594164736

I love the girl on the right in that first photo. That just exemplifies what kissing should be about, the contact, the closed eyes, the foxiness of kisser etc.

I'd like Brad Wiggins to win but he's a dadrock twat.

The Girls at the giro and the Tour of California have been using some super transferable lipstick of the riders all did their interviews with big red kisses on their cheeks. I love how Peter Sagan is in an ecstatic daze in that photo

He's Ready

https://p.twimg.com/AvskiVZCQAICFhc.jpg

easily the best pro cycling-related photo of 2012.

wait is that cav??

and Rob Hayles

LORDS OF FIXED

Garmin Barracuda is now Garmin Sharp
Saxobank is now Saxo Bank Tinkoff Bank also replacing their crotch eagle with a yellow streak

http://www.team-saxobank.com/flash_grafik/195.jpg
http://cdn4.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/06/25/2/saxo_tinkoff_jersey_220.jpeg

i watched like 2 hours of hype recaps and personality profiles last night and now im fairly amped

Team Sky have a trailer

i watched like 2 hours of hype recaps and personality profiles last night and now im fairly amped

― lag∞n, Monday, June 25, 2012 1:56 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ooh where can i watch stuff like this

nbc sports channel

Good preview:

http://velocastcc.squarespace.com/race-radio/2012/6/24/tour-de-france-preview.html

thx bronies

inner ring has comprehensive TDF guide, if you're not a regular reader: http://inrng.com/tour/

and here's father ted singing about Stephen Roche (thanks to the Resonance FM Cycle Show)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYzrdKJN2fg

No really surprising that "Tinkoff Bank" would add a yellow splash.

But it should be banned, make 'em wear pink like they always did with ONCE!!!!!!!!!11!!

btw is it me or is this tour going to be more wide open than we're expecting

I still can't read the English word "once" without pronouncing it ON-THAY.

^^^

or thinking about Alex Zulle or Laurent Jalabert

I can't help but buy a can of KAS whenever I am in spain

http://i47.tinypic.com/zswpyu.jpg

I always seek out Credit Lyonnais cashpoints in France.

In 1990 I kept a plastic carrier bag from Super-U supermarket in Normandy as a souvenir.

Spent last night listening to various Pete Shelley tunes to work out which was closest to the classic TDF theme. I think this is it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkASxKgoE1g

Talking of the classic TDF theme, if you've got *a lot* of time on your hands, this is worth checking out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB98tZjDr8s
This guy has uploaded the entirety of the Channel 4 coverage of the 1989 tour (i.e. half an hour of every stage).

This is off-track but real story: I based a primary school project back in the EARLY 1990s on Tony Rominger (basically a poster explaining his POLKA DOT EXPLOITS) and had marks deducted because I didn't know what a "CLAS-Cajastur" was.

"If you're going to do a school project on the man, you should at least know what his team name means. I mean, you know what Adelaide Crows mean, right?"

lolll

OK Balls on the grill here. These are some predictions:

Yellow - Wiggins
Green - Sagan, Cav is too focussed on the olympics and Sagan can get intermediates and uphill finishes.
Peas - Not sure but I like the idea of Froome getting it because he's out there for Wiggins every day
White - Rolland, also I reckon he's on the podium.

podium: wiggins, evans, oooh maybe gesink for 3rd
green: valverde (!)
polka dot: matt lloyd
white: yeah rolland seems a good pick

If you want o join NBS and I in a fantasy league

http://fantasy.road.cc/

ID: 75413

NBS has be comprehensively kicking my arse all season.

Wiggins is cursed, sadly. Don't see it happening. Sky will self destruct under their pressure of trying to support a GC contender and a sprinter.

Cadel will repeat.

I think they'll manage with a GC contender and sprinter until Cav goes home. Can't see him making it to Paris this year with the Olympics so soon after. I say 'manage' - I'm not sure how much of a problem it will be for Sky to have them both. The same team has won green and yellow before and if any team has a plan with every detail thought out it's Sky.

Yellow: Uncontroversially I see Wiggins as top favourite and Evans as second favourite. Andy Schleck had been having such a bad season that I don't think he would have challenged anyway, but as he's out that's immaterial. Frank Schleck has looked in better shape, but has been talking down his chances and seems very unhappy with his 'team'. An anonymous Menchov might be up there. Everyone seems focused on climbing and time trialling when they try to work out who can win (and Wiggins is excellent at TTs and strong enough at climbing), but if I was Evans I'd be looking to steal time on descents - that's one thing that Wiggins is less confident at. For that reason I'll put Nibali in third.

Green: I think Cavendish *will* finish the Tour - he's got too much respect for the race (and he finished the Giro when all the other sprinters left with a week to go). He'll focus on stages, but not the green jersey. He's been working on his climbing in preparation for the Olympic road race so he might be able stay in the running for some of the hillier (but not mountainous) stages. Green will go to somebody who is prepared to chase the intermediate sprint points. Is Rojas riding again this year? Maybe Gilbert or Hushovd?

http://www.grassyknolltv.com/2012/tour-de-france/050-RTR2P88U-preview-640.jpg

Hushovd is doing Tour of Poland instead of TdF, still struggling with his mystery virus as well, Rojas and Gilbert will be there, I'd pick Rojas ahead of Gilbert on current form.

Part of the resin I like Sagan for Green is Liquigas' Yellow jersey campaign is dead in the water, I can't see them riding to hard for Nibali who is departing and Basso is just not good enough. Green would be a good aim for them especially as they are rumoured to be in the hunt for a new sponsor.

Picked my fantasy team now, ready to go...

Mine is picked too, leaving out Cancellara for the prologue, wondering whether this is such a good idea.

dupe thread bros lets all head over here Tour de France 2012

They certainly have been having more fun than us today.

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tdf_07_24/t25_19701607.jpg

someone explain weirdo frech guys who dress up in silly costumes how did they get so awesome

google translate offers clues:

that 1st! (A motion picture would be) assuming that your bicycle to the kaleidoscopic drawing goes.

I still waiting for the moment it finally comes out with an eskimo beautiful victory

- Ludo , Friday, June 29, 2012 4:52 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

He's actually German and a bit of a Legend; Didi Senft.

hah good for him

You won't see him much on the official coverage anymore. He took sponsorship form LuK and the organisers took offence. He's shilling for Wiggle this year as well.

IIRC he is a 2m tall dentist when he is not at bike races.

KBP's Yellow Prediction: Cadel to win by four seconds, because Wiggins' sideburns has cost him five seconds in aerodynamic drag (cf. Laurent Fignon's ponytail, 1989).

Mark Cavendish ‏@MarkCavendish
3 weeks of suffering physically, mentally & emotionally starts today. But the image of Champs Élysées is the most beautiful target in sport.

at least he seems positive that he's going to last the full 3 weeks

David Millar ‏@millarmind
I'm so fucking excited. I love the Tour de France.

ditto.

Aw :)

Anyone else been following the Team Sky chef? Can't say I find many of his creations very appetising...

Saxobank's chef has a blog too:

http://dailystews.wordpress.com/

Their food looks much nicer. Both teams favour quinoa, I see.

We have a new Fat Mantis

https://p.twimg.com/Awo_OX3CMAANQoT.jpg

Brave look. Double points if it ever fit him.

TODAY: A watered down Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

Has to be better than a lol Cavendish wins stage.

Like Milan-San Remo all over again for Cancellara (but at least he gets to stay in yellow)

Tony Martin out?

poor panzerwagen.

these uphill first-stage finishes are tremendous - more like this and last year, pls!

Sagan's SRM data from yesterday, peaked at 1236W in the final sprint

http://www.srm.de/index.php/us/srm-blog/tour-de-france/727

Excellent bit of sprinting without a team

yeah impressed with Cav there

He had bernie for a little bit but he was weaving from wheel to wheel till he got there. It seems like he sat of the wheel of the whole HTC train at one point or another during that run in.

Could have been carnage - did you see that Argos rider (I think) lob a bottle in the closing stages as they went round a bend? He didn't throw it high, just sideways, it hit the fence and rolled right back into the pack.

itd be awesome if cavendish won the green w/o support, i dont follow cycling enough to understand why everyone hates him so much

the rainbow jersey is awesome too, I like it almost as much as the polka dots

i like cavendish

ya he seems cool in interviews not sure why everyone thinks he such a dick, tho the tv guys do talk abt him constantly which gets kinda tiring after while

ppl don't like him because he wins and is kind of a dick about it; he's the only real american left in pro cycling god dammit

ha people r hella touchy in this sport

he rocked up at the start line yesterday hella like a hipster btw, like nba nerd chic

NBS has been comprehensively kicking my arse all season

Pulling away again :-)

don't care what the founder say, shit is SLAMMED. and neg rise.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/article/pro-bike-ryder-hesjedals-garmin-sharp-cervlo-r5ca--34473/3

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/news/2012/07/03/1341345296274-c17wg92xg0yr-670-75.jpg

Well when the head tube is that tall, you kind of have to...

pretty much. a nominal 58 has a 20cm head tube! that's a nominal 56 above.

I have more or less the same stem but no slamming for me although I did switch it in recently to push out the bars (130mm) and drop them (-17˚). Head angle must be dropping on that cervelo because the stem comes about flat on the BMC.

CAn we, for a moment, reflect on this celebration?

http://velonews.competitor.com/files/2012/07/sagan-wins2-565x421.jpg

or better yet:

http://bikehugger.com/images/runningman.gif

that guy is not v cool

whatever he does on the line it is incredible how he gets there. He overpowered everyone in an uphill sprint going round the outside of the bend and had enough time to cross himself, act like a tit on the line and still take a second out of everyone.

ya he totally owned everyone, and is a dork, nbd

To complete your picture of him his custom green jersey bike, worse than Cav's blood dripping venge last year

http://cdn1.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2012/07/03/2/tourminator_wheel_600.jpg

o jeez

I'd like to see him body popping across the line next

That bike has TOURMINATOR written on it in green. I hate him already :)

Meanwhile, I have been very much enjoying Phil Liggett's attempts to pronounce Morkoff/Mercoo/Mircow/Moorcroft right.

winning is fucking cool. .

Forrest Gump is not cool

huh i didnt see this fictional guy, i saw a guy dust everybody- AGAIN.

Personalised bike - naff
Gump/chicken celebrations - funny

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2010/04/30/2/bettiniphoto_0008768_1_full_600.jpg

sean kelly's accent never gets old

Certaintdly

winning is fucking cool. .

― they're stupid like i told ya (Hunt3r), Wednesday, July 4, 2012 8:11 AM (34 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

no dude

keep being true to your cool

i love it when Sean Kelly says "cooked"

Not liking the matt black Europcar Colnagos, the look very unfinished.

Crazy finish, watching live I thought the split in the peleton happened before the crash, but I guess not.

It was very stretched out and starting to split, but there would barely have been a gap of more than a second or two between the back of the leaders and the next riders - if everyone behind the very front was held up by the crash you can't really penalize them 2 or 3 minutes.

cavendish looked hella concussed picking lil pieces of his helmet off the road

PETER SAGAN IS THE BEST THING EVER

(Apart from Cipo, of course.)

I like to think that if Lance is found guilty, they'll have a big ceremony in Paris where Alex Zulle, "Big" Jan, Joseba Beloki, Andreas Kloden and Ivan Basso collect their yellow jerseys and have a few drinks/laughs.

then they get them stripped on the next day and we go down a place until we get to the lanterne rouge for those Tours

"Ladies and Gentlemen, your new Tour de France winner...Jimmy Casper?"

http://i49.tinypic.com/2eukaah.png

Carnage in the race today.

Wow!

So I got back from a bike ride just in time to see the last 6km or so of that - when / how did the crash happen?

~25km

chopped the peloton in half basically

Very, very impressive from Sagan

yeh Sagan killed that

nice bell. next up, jorts, a rear view mirror, and tube socks.

Nothing against Sagan but Greipel crashed hard early on, bashed his left side all apart (check the finish pics: his legs all bloodied and arm is in bandages). Told DS he did not want to contest the sprint, was ordered to, got 2nd.

I don't know if you guys have ever hit the deck at 50+ km/h, but to finish 2nd in a Grand Tour stage is rather remarkable no matter in what condition your body is.

winning 3 stages out of 6 in your first TdF is kind of remarkable

Ah, I didn't know about Greipel's crash.

Dislocated shoulder, serious contusions and lacerations = 2nd place.

That's insane

Worth a read:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/robert-millar-one-second-more

http://www.bicycling.com/sites/default/files/images/van-summeren-tour-de-france-crash.jpg

http://tonij.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/stickbiker.jpg

Maarten Wynants: two broken ribs and a punctured lung.

only so many races can be run with two lips two broken ribs and one punctured lung

http://www.bicycling.com/sites/default/files/images/van-summeren-tour-de-france-crash.jpg
https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/541879_392339197482132_1434441697_n.jpg

The fact that Garmin even have Argyle Plasters tops off that photo.

otm

Ha!

Wiggins narrowly escapes decapitation by cameraman:
http://vimeo.com/45352846

Wiggins OTM

ha

its k funny how the media is always going on abt how dangerous the race is when some not insignificant aspect of the danger is caused by them

Tour de France is, of course, especially bad for this due to the order of magnitude larger media caravan.

they should use lil remote control helicopters instead nothing could possibly go wrong

ha

Evans has been out of his seat for the last ten minutes. Doesn't necessarily mean anything...

Wow, Froome!

nice

Fantastic. I caught the end of that at Look Mum No Hands (first time I've been there) and when he attacked at the end a roar went up more like a football crowd.

Masterly work by Sky, only a small hill (albeit with a 27% kick) Still got the big mountains to go but this is amazing.

Froome for KOM looks less ridiculous right now, especially if they send him up the road.

He may not have won, but:

https://p.twimg.com/AxNgyzeCMAAcQwr.jpg

i love him

he's a doper tho isn't he i mean

they should use lil remote control helicopters instead nothing could possibly go wrong

― lag∞n, Saturday, July 7, 2012 8:25 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

totally had this idea the other day, ~bump~

http://vimeo.com/28246403

cool

how did froome get up that 27% incline so quickly, i am confused

WATTS

the alps and pyrenean stages won't get blasted up like that - cancellara beating his team leaders home is a good yardstick on what sort of climb it was - but jeez that was impressive.

bit of a breakout ride for rein taraame too!

ok so the big stage 6 crash apparently was triggered by petacchi taking off his shoe covers. i predict that may be his biggest contribution this year.

Science of Sport has been tweeting heavily about Power numbers and the cleanliness of the sport, interesting stuff. Lots of innuendo yesterday about Wiggins, but he reckons yesterday's effort was possible without dope, impressive but possible.

https://twitter.com/Scienceofsport

3 hours ago: @thejensie Totally exspect a brutal fast strage with tons of attacks, hope i got permission from my directors to "mingle" with the action a little...

and he is of course.

auric 'goldfinger' sanchez just went down very hard.

chapeau pinot

best Team Director ever there

That would have been heartbreaking if he'd been caught at the end.

(how d'you like look mum no hands, NBS?)

Yellow: Uncontroversially I see Wiggins as top favourite and Evans as second favourite....An anonymous Menchov might be up there. Everyone seems focused on climbing and time trialling when they try to work out who can win (and Wiggins is excellent at TTs and strong enough at climbing), but if I was Evans I'd be looking to steal time on descents - that's one thing that Wiggins is less confident at. For that reason I'll put Nibali in third.
― Nessun Biscotto (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Thursday, 28 June 2012 08:39 (1 week ago)

My predictions for yellow aren't looking bad: called the top three in the right order (so far) and the attacks on the descents. (My failure to tip Sagan for green is something I'll gloss over)

re: Look Mum No Hands - I liked it. It was really busy (Tour stage, Saturday afternoon) and they had a big screen outside. Normally I'd just watch it at home, but I was out in town and thought I'd take the opportunity to visit the cafe (and have a nice cold beer).

i love him

he's a doper tho isn't he i mean

is there talk?

https://p.twimg.com/AxSnt95CQAAYDTi.jpg

Science of Sport has been tweeting heavily about Power numbers and the cleanliness of the sport, interesting stuff. Lots of innuendo yesterday about Wiggins, but he reckons yesterday's effort was possible without dope, impressive but possible.

Wiggins was asked today what he thought about people insinuating on twitter that he was doping, his response:
“I say they’re just fucking wankers. I cannot be doing with people like that. It justifies their own bone-idleness because they can’t ever imagine applying themselves to do anything in their lives. It’s easy for them to sit under a pseudonym on Twitter and write that sort of shit, rather than get off their arses in their own lives and apply themselves and work hard at something and achieve something. And that’s ultimately it. Cunts.”

the words of a man hopped up on benzo fury

David Millar ‏@millarmind

Wiggo's now better at me in everything to do with cycling, profanity-filled interviews were all I had left. Now he's taken that crown. Darn.

It's a shame that L'Equipe didn't run with "FUCKING WANKERS" on the front page today.

tbh through nothing screams "fucking wanker" more than dad-rock sideburns

«Ca c'est une putain de question. Quand on voit les commentaires stupides sur twitter, c'est débile. Honnêtement, ce sont des putains de branleurs. Il faut n'avoir rien d'autre à faire. Je ne supporte pas les gens comme ça. Ca explique leur propre oisiveté parce qu'ils ne peuvent pas imaginer s'impliquer dans quoi que ce soit dans leurs propres vies. C'est facile pour eux de s'asseoir là derrière un pseudonyme et d'écrire leur merde plutôt que de se lever le cul et aller travailler dur pour réaliser quelque chose.»

They didn't even attempt to translate "Wanker"

can't find it in myself to root for wiggo

i don't mind wiggo but can't find it in myself to root for anyone on a team backed by murdoch

https://p.twimg.com/AxSnt95CQAAYDTi.jpg
https://p.twimg.com/AxSnt95CQAAYDTi.jpg
https://p.twimg.com/AxSnt95CQAAYDTi.jpg
looool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI170AF_l7Q

i was loling so hard

This was Amazing today

https://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/614276096.jpg?key=934527&Expires=1341842904&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=ZUr9JcgFrNZ8AR0kl2CIs5xLWJ3ExMSX-XTOvKhD-3mOs7Sv2CCZ8Rb3ZMNhkvzmDLM25DmaBrnCmBkp7RSSnMWW3G~i8g3emv2if1225jqMmnbs94dz0vUoAklLRE9Eoim1ObmoExuhtnKTUcBvrBVv32N604bNwOFJAWfuPPA_

wiggins leading cadel by ~60s (!) on the TT

g/o

evans 60s down on frome too?!

oof, hope cadel can turn this around

Chris Froome doing pretty well as well.

Evans just went through point one 56" down on froome and behind Nibali.

Very improbable looking tt monster that froome but bein two dimensional might come in handy at big yaws

dodgy old mods on speed

In other news, leaked TDF route says 96km of TTs next year, fewer high mountain stages. Sorry Andy.
http://inrng.com/2011/10/2012-tour-de-france-route/
― sous les paves, Monday, 10 October 2011 19:03 (8 months ago)

So...Froome or Wiggins ftw? ;-)
― Mister Potato shares Manchester United’s commitment to (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Monday, 10 October 2011 19:25 (8 months ago)

Didn't put your money where your mouth is so I'm back at the top of the fantasy league.

Yeah, I brought in Cancellara - I thought he was nailed on for a top two.

so what happens now? processional?

Hell no. There's a lot of descending on Wednesday and Nibali and Cadel should be better at that. One mistake or one mechanical and it could be all turned on it's head. Some big questions:

1) How much will Cadel and Mr Nibbles work together?
2) If Wiggins has a mechanical or a bad day, will Froome press on or work him back?
3) How will BMC use Teejay Van Garderen?

Realistically Cadel needs 2-3 minutes going into the final time trial so he needs to find 5 minutes somewhere and I can't see him sitting up just yet.

Cofidis team hotel raided, one rider arrested & two others in custody

Remy Di Gregorio http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/07/10/uk-cycling-tour-digregorio-idUKBRE8690LO20120710

is doping illegal (as in against criminal law, likely to involve the police and and not just sports governance) in other countries?

Ah, the team hotel drug raid...a fine rest day tradition.

Ah, the team hotel drug raid...a fine Cofidis tradition.

Well, yeah, that too.

Poor old Tony Martin. Really not his year.

L'equipe intimated it was part of a wider investigation into Astana.

Jens Voigt is spending the evening tweeting his love for "Rock of Ages"

I prefer his stories about the kids' fish.

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tour_de_france_2012a/bp27.jpg

couple of BMC riders in the 25-man (!) breakaway

are wiggo, cuddles & nibali all equals at climbing?

my impression was that wiggo was OK-to-good but not stellar. is nibali the best of the three?

They're all quite similar in that they're steady-paced climbers, rather than a Contador/A Schleck 'pure' climber who keeps violently accelerating and slowing down. I could see either Evans or Nibali sprinting away from Wiggins in the final km of a mountain top finish to gain 10-20 seconds, but I wouldn't expect them to drop him any earlier than that. In the Vuelta last year it was actually Wiggins dropping Nibali in the mountains. They're both better descenders than Wiggins, though.

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/12357/Kimmage-disappointed-in-Wiggins-and-Team-Sky-over-transparency.aspx

jens!

Tommy V!! As someone pointed out on twitter, having him on your team guarantees at least one jersey at some point in the race.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-im-not-some-s-t-rider-who-has-come-from-nowhere

quite an endearing interview

what a ride by jens

that finish was rad

wiggins-im-not-some-s-t-rider-who-has-come-from-nowhere

lol

Di Gregorio being charged with injecting glucose and ... ozone. what a junkie.

nibali going

frome spent, wiggins chasing on his own

cadel's fucked

yep. But I can't wait for a year or two when Tejay is a gc contender

what usually happens when a team has two gc contenders? Does it happen often?

Froome has a 1 million Euro a year contract with a 4 million break clause, with a few more years left to run. If he wants to race a bike again he won't attack wiggins. Wiggins has talked about retiring after next year and Froome clearly has the class to take over the leadership.

first signs of weakness in UK Postal there

what usually happens when a team has two gc contenders?

See Hinault v Lemond 1985/1986

froome clearly trained on a heavier bike than wiggo, he killed it today

fn wiggins is the T2 you think youve lost him and then you look back and there he is expressionless running at u face, i was p psyched when nibali made his move and frome looked donked but then

I'm starting to think Sky could dominate this for years

Wiggins->Froome->Kennaugh->?

Just finished watching the American recap/repeat of the day -- they looked frickin' EFFICIENT. Also nice win by Holland there.

I think you had an autocorrect snafu there because dutch riders are having a pretty poor tour.

my dvr from this morning ended right before the finish even tho i did +30mins so i desperately turned it to the live night rebroadcast and it was at literally exactly the same moment, v auspicious

i have now set it to record +60mins

I think you had an autocorrect snafu there because dutch riders are having a pretty poor tour.

Hahah more like an H for an R there.

Anyone know what this is about?

When a Twitter squabble broke out between the team's various wives and girlfriends, it seemed that the Team Sky bus might be about to become the scene of the Tour's most intense internecine war since Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond fought each other for victory while riding for La Vie Claire in 1986.

Not a lot of grey areas in this!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jul/13/bradley-wiggins-dope-drugs

(xp) http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/07/13/cracks-appearing-in-team-sky-via-warring-wags/

damn catherine wiggins fierce subtweet

Even the New York Times picked up on the WAGWAR

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/tour-de-france-tension-simmers-on-twitter/?ref=cycling

Michelle was back at it this morning.

Harmon and Kirby have been talking about earwax sculptures and the break is 12 minutes out. It's a slow day.

earwax sculptures?

if they're harvesting that shit I'm wondering if it would work as chain lube?

finish line is soo expensive these days

Was I the only one watching today's race? Great stuff! Greipel just holding off Sagan at the end.

finish line is soo expensive these days

my bro is a sales rep if u need a connect

Was I the only one watching today's race?
Nope

I can't help but imagine what this year's Tour would be like if Samuel Sanchez, Alberto Contador, the brothers Schleck and Mark Cavendish were in the race.

I guess until then we can only wonder...

-Peter G.

Was I the only one watching today's race? Great stuff! Greipel just holding off Sagan at the end.

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, July 14, 2012 10:55 AM (7 hours ago)

This is not called "holding off", this is called "throwing your damn bike". Note where head/hips/shoulders line up. Sagan is young, he'll figure this out.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m76gwlapWU1qbw072o1_500.png

peter sagan. what a hardman

oh dear cadel.

how unlucky

what's rolland thinking?

ah... he's only 8 minutes back

wiggins gets a flat too. whats going on.

waht

front puncture for evans now

something on the road here surely, too many punctures

someone threw some tacks on the road. tut tut tut.

shasta's fave takes the stage

ladies love sanchez

@inrng
We wanted attacks, we got tacks

it was a tack of God.

Only just seen this (out all day on the bike and then had a self-imposed media blackout until the highlights show).

what's rolland thinking? - Very good question, I don't think he's going to be too popular

shasta's fave takes the stage - isn't that the other Sanchez?

p good stage i thought

muted the commentary and watched most of it with music in the background, much improved viewing experience imo

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02276/Millar-Cav_2276757b.jpg

Think that picture's in Millar's book, isn't it?

... which reminds me, it finally made it to paperback a few weeks ago

viewing eurosport uk via sport-livez on kids' kindle fire surprisingly tolerable.

I ponied up for the NBC iPad app b/c I'm way too used to Phil and Paul, they are comforting, like Tom and Ray on Car Talk

Not much happening

Not much happened.

Late in the day but I'm loving http://velocast.cc/

Ten quid well spent for their tour podcast.

Early years

Sagan started to ride bikes at the age of nine when he joined Cyklistický spolok Žilina, a small local club in his home town. Throughout his junior years Sagan rode both mountain bikes and road bikes, and was well known for his unconventional style of riding in tennis shoes and t-shirts and drinking just pure water. Sagan drew a significant amount of attention when he appeared at the Slovak Cup with a bicycle borrowed from his sister. Sagan had mistakenly sold his own and had not received a spare from the Velosprint sponsor in time. He won the race despite riding a supermarket bike with poor brakes with limited gearing.[7]

lol

Frank Schleck fails doping test
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/07/17/uk-cycling-tour-doping-idUKBRE86G11K20120717

radio shack newsworthy in 2nd rest day shockah

Not a big surprise after the thousands he paid for 'training plans' to a rather dodgy doctor a few years ago.

both blatantly on the schlecktoplasm

He's been pulled from the tour.

post locomotive hanging out of building jpg here

countdown to saganapocalypse starts now

anyone know what competitive advantage is to be had from the alleged substance (xipamide)?

It's a masking agent

thats a shame. I always enjoy seeing the Schleck bros riding for each other. I wonder if Andy is implicated too. He always seems like a good guy

frank didnt do that good this year for being all juiced up, bad investment

kudos to wiggo annihilating dopers (presumably) unaided

his diary on doping in the guardian the other day was brilliant

There was a lot of suspicion around Frank before:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/345921/csc-suspend-schleck-from-racing-after-he-admits-fuentes-payment.html

Not a great time to be on the Radioshack team. Apparently the Schlecks haven't been paid for months and have fallen out with Bruyneel (who is on the verge of being banned from the sport forever as part of the USADA v Armstrong thing). The owner is going bust. Andy has been shit all season. Frank has just been busted.

Ha!
https://twitter.com/mattbrammeier85/
Go home Franky, you certainly won't be getting your wages now. Tosser!

carlos sastre, still the last clean winner of the tdf

lol forgot cuddles

(xp - ah you agree now) I think Evans was clean. I think Sastre was probably clean. Before that I think you'd have to go back to Lemond.

the balls on lance armstrong to call sastre's tdf win a joke

the tiny shrunken balls on lance armstrong

uh, he's not called juan pelota for nothing

my initial conspiracy theory thought on fschleck was that johan ordered up a dirty bottle for his soigneur. nothing too bad, just enough to pull him and not pay him.

fschleck: "If this analysis confirms the initial result, I will argue that I have been the victim of poisoning."

brad's sidies aren't very aero

Finished work at lunchtime, lying on the sofa with the Tourmalet in HD, this'll do nicely

Liquigas on the front, Evans off the back

Is liquigas the french word for shart?

?

It is Ivan Basso who is setting a wicked tempo for Liquigas at the front of the yellow jersey bunch as they crest the top of Aspin.

waht

did liquigas sub basso in for this stage only

Just googled 'shart', wish I hadn't. Liquigas is Italian, btw.

Nibali attacks, 3km from the top

Froome & Wiggins give chase, everyone else dropped

here we go

Caught - Froome goes to the front

Gah - I've got to go out in 10 minutes I'm going to miss the climax

I guess there's no longer any doubt about who will finish on the podium this year.

Nibali goes again - Wiggins goes hard and brings him back

Cuddles, Nibbles, Wiggles... please somebody to come up with a cute name for Froome now.

xenomorph

Hehe, Matt Goss reports a different kind of riding taking place in full view at the side of the road as the Tour went past yesterday.

Horrible weather - very difficult to see anything. The descents won't be much fun today.

anyone got a stream for today?

no matter all set

So are they catching this break or not today?

My guess - yes.

eurosport seem to think wiggins is not happy

Evans dropped again! Basso is just killing everyone out there.

Wiggins dropping Froome and Nibali a bit (following Pinot's attack)....no they're back

Wiggins to the front?? No wait, he's watching wheels again as usual.

Nibali dropped

Are they going to catch Valverde?

Wiggins and Froome drop everyone, 47 seconds to Valverde, 2.4km....

Froome should drop Wiggins' dead ass and win the tour!!

hilarious

Froome should just go on ahead now

There's absolutely nothing to lose now

i hope froome joins another team. it would be great to see wiggins vs. froome in the future.

Wiggins the other day was saying that in future he could ride for Froome - there's been some speculation that a deal has been done, Froome helps him win this year, Wiggins helps Froome win in the next couple of years. Cav is definitely in the wrong team though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7FlHWzs3w4

nice job gropey dude

Yeah, I reckon Sky have just been grooming Froome to take over as leader. It makes perfect sense. The person I don't think belongs on this team is Cavendish - he'll never get a look in.

The person I don't think belongs on this team is Cavendish - he'll never get a look in.

It depends what he wants. This year he was prepared to sacrifice the Tour (to some extent) to allow Wiggins to go for the yellow jersey, in return for the support for winning the World Championships (last year) and going for the Olympics next week. Given that Wiggins is bound to be at Sky next season and Froome is very likely to still be there, that strongly suggests Sky will be going for yellow again next summer. If so, they're probably going to have to have a team skewed towards yellow: the most Cavendish could hope for is two helpers rather than one. But that's not necessarily a problem - he's very good at using other team's trains if need be, as he showed on the stage he won this year. His lack of wins in this year's Tour so far hasn't been the result of a not having a lead-out, it's more that he's only contested two sprints due to various crashes and/or being dropped on climbs. Also, he's talked about maturing into a rider capable of challenging for things like the Tour of Flanders, so he might want to move away from being a pure sprinter who hoovers up Grand Tour stages into a Classics rider. The deliberate weight loss and focus on climbing which he's put in in preparation for the Olympics course shows a change of focus already.

ehhhh.... dude's lost 7kg since 2011 in anticipation for this year's tour and WC, with very little to show for it compared to season's previous.

Let me dig up some choice preseason articles for y'all's perusing.

Cavendish lost weight for the Olympic road race to help him deal with the repeated climbs of Box Hill, not for the Tour.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/15350897

Flatter Tour de France suits Mark Cavendish dual aim

Mark Cavendish says a flatter 2012 Tour de France route, which was revealed in Paris on Tuesday, could help his dual aim of Tour success and Olympic gold.

He will look to defend his sprinters' green jersey in the three-week Tour, ending on 22 July, then take part in the Olympic road race on 28 July.

"The course we've seen is a lot better to do that," he said of the double.

"I can probably get through [the Tour] a lot better than I could with 25-odd hors categorie [toughest] mountains."

World road champion Cavendish, who will ride for Team Sky next year, told BBC Sport: "It's going to be a long July - three weeks of the Tour then I've got to keep it going for one more week for the Olympics.
"I'll have to be as fresh as I can at the start of July and see what happens."

The first three days of the 3,479km Tour will be in Belgium, beginning with a 6.1km prologue in Liege on Saturday, 30 June, before it heads into France.

Nine of the 20 stages are designated as flat, which would be beneficial for Cavendish, who won five stages on the 2011 Tour to take his career total to 20.

But Cavendish refused to set targets, saying: "I just try and win as much as I can. If I don't win one then I'll have failed in my job so I'll look at one and see what happens after that."

As always, it will be the mountain stages and individual time trials that will play the biggest roles in deciding the overall Tour winner.

There are five mountain stages in 2012, with two summit finishes, and three time trials - the prologue, a 38km ride on stage nine and the penultimate, potentially decisive, flat 52km stage to Chartres.

Britain's Bradley Wiggins could benefit from the inclusion of an extra time trial, the discipline in which he won World Championships silver last month.

Team Sky face a tough task to juggle setting up stage wins for Cavendish and helping Wiggins ride for the overall general classification (GC).

Asked if it is possible, Cavendish replied: "Absolutely. The biggest decision in joining the team was if they could do that, and they can so we'll try it."

Australia's Cadel Evans, the defending champion, also said he was happy with the route for 2012.

When asked whether it suited him, Evans said: "I think so, you need a good team there for the GC but we have that.

"I think the second half is favourable towards me."

Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, who in 2011 finished second for the third consecutive year after failing to follow up some superb riding in the Alps with a decent time trial performance, has conceded the 2012 Tour will not play to his strengths, but says he is focusing on the mountains.

"There are still 25 mountain passes to negotiate, and there were 23 this year," he pointed out.

"Ideally I would like to see another mountain top finish and one less time trial but I have to take things as they are and keep on working on my time trial."

Race director Christophe Prudhomme said: "There are new climbs featuring very steep parts with very high gradients.

"It should make for a thrilling race. Those who want to attack a long way from the finish will be able to do so."

One of the new climbs, to the top of the Planche des Belles Filles on stage seven, is a 5.9km climb at an average gradient of 8.5%.

However, Prudhomme added: "Once the roads are completely finished, we will add a final 270m with some 60m at 20.2%."

The Col du Grand Colombier, one of France's toughest ascents, makes its Tour debut on stage 10 - it is 17.4km long at an average gradient of 7.1%, with parts over 12%.

Another new climb will be the Mur de Peguere, with gradients reaching 18%, a rarity in Tour de France history.

Irregardless, his ass got dropped as soon as the parcours went over 3%. He is barely making the cutoffs, he looks miserable, told the cameraman to fook off today when he was caught drafting cars. He's been fined a few times this Tour for "bidon colle" and "comportement incorrect envers un commissaire".

1)He's always looked moody when he's racing / post-racing unless he's won
2)He's always struggled in near the time cuts in the mountains
3)'Irregardless' isn't a word

He's not been losing weight in an attempt to fly up the Alpe d'Huez or win the Giro. He's trying to stay competitive on races featuring a number of steep climbs just 1 or 2 miles miles in length. (Though I'd agree, apart from that stage race (Ster Elektro-something?) he won, there's been little evidence that he's got any better at this - but the real proof will come in about 9 days' time)

He could have contested a sprint the other day, but the team let the breakaway go in order to save strength for Wiggins. The old HTC team would have had the breakaway for breakfast. I do hope he does it in the Olympics - I love to see Cav win - but I think he's going to need all the help they can give him on Box Hill. Before this TDF I was convinced the gold was his, but having seen what Greipel, Sagan etc. can do on short climbs I think it's going to be more of a race than I originally thought. Can't wait! No way I'm going to watch it live - I want to see it all happening on telly (I will go see the TT though).

^ agree with every single word of that

FATTP?

I might try to cycle down to Hampton Court or somewhere near there, but I don't know how practical that will be (either the cycling from north-east London to south-west London amidst OLYMPIC TRAFFIC CHAOS bit, or the trying to find a spot to watch the race while holding up a bike bit).

Wow - that was an astounding kick from Cavendish! I missed it live by about 20 seconds, desperately jogging to Look Mum No Hands. There's a camera crew filming in here.

Amazing finish from Cavendish!

This stage kind of sums up why the Tour has been so boring. Why didn't one of the GC contenders attack on the last climb to try to bridge across the gap and shake things up? There were gains to be made there. With wet roads and some difficult turns near the finish, a committed break had a chance to stay away, even if it was just by thirty seconds. But everyone seems happy to sit around, not contest anything, and wait for the TT.

(yeah, the entire race route encourages people to sit around and wait for the TT ... that's the problem)

Holy moly, the overhead shot of him sprinting away from the others...

...Look Mum No Hands. There's a camera crew filming in here.

It was a piece for Channel 4 News: http://www.channel4.com/news/allez-le-gentleman-wiggins
I make a fleeting appearance in the background circa 2:10 while they were interviewing a Japanese (?) woman.

Frank's B sample tested positive btw

Oh dear, the TDF is affecting my dreams. Last night I was in a bicycle race around the suburbs of a town and its park. I kept getting punctures, then the bike started shrinking and eventually the wheels fell off so I had to pick it up and run to the finish, which was a pile of plucked turkeys by a boating lake. I narrowly beat another woman to put my hand on the turkeys, but two men beat me by miles, so I came third. Ezri from work was the finish line judge.

That wasn't a dream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qMM2r_42bA

Holy moly, the overhead shot of him sprinting away from the others...

― Madchen, Friday, July 20, 2012 3:02 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this was so dope! and then he was so exited to meet the president aww

Is Cameron going to make the trip to Paris tomorrow?

Or is it too politically charged for him to be photographed shaking hands with someone in a Sky jersey?

Teejay has just overhauled Evans who appears to have given up.

Staggering time by Wiggins at the second time check

So a British bloke's just won the Tour de France in my lifetime. Fuck me.

Pretty crazy, I'm just as amazed as you are.

Incredible performance

processional since he took yellow really; still, enjoyable enough tour

I'm grinning from ear to ear today. First and second in the GC, plus five (six?) stage wins for Brits. Never could have imagined it as a kid - the tour was all about exotic furreners.

6: millar, froome, wiggins x 2, cavendish x2

incredible scenes

cameron just spotted on eurostar with john terry

xpost -- And then all those poor bastards have to cross the Channel and compete in rain and deal with incompetent security oh wait.

Hey, the forecast is improving! I remain hopeful...

Ah yeah, forgot Cav already has two. So we could be on for seven British stage wins, over a third.

welp I think its time for me to award the most important honor of the tour ladies and gentlemen your 2012 best castle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Beynac

sick castle

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Beynac_chateau_1.jpg

love this

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/07/22/sports/TOUR/TOUR-articleLarge.jpg

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jul/21/bradley-wiggins-team-sky-tour

Damnit, I forgot to do my last transfers for Fantasy TDF so NBS should beat me on the Champs Elysée

It's all about attention to detail, putting in the hours...

lol breakaway

G'won Jens.

this is going to be tight

Ah well. Lovely dream while it lasted. Still, at least this sprint should be very entertainingly mental...

lol

Perfect

A British rider (who's already won two stages of the race plus three major stage races this season) wearing the yellow jersey leading out a British rider (who's also already won two stages of the race) wearing the rainbow jersey as he goes on to sprint to victory on the Champs Elysee. This is about ten times above my wildest dreams.

Yeah, but Tejay van Garderen just got to meet Maurice Greene! Who I think Phil Liggett may have just mis-identified as the American ambassador!

yeah i thought it was odd that the american ambassador was wearing shorts and a t-shirt

"Have a safe journey home, don't get too drunk."

xpost -- yeah I was all 'Man I know going casual is a good thing but'

"We're just about to draw the raffle now..." - Oh, Wiggo. Never change.

http://inrng.com/2012/07/tour-de-france-winning-moment/

https://p.twimg.com/AybRPlpCQAA7G0p.jpg

inrng's 'the rise of wiggins in 21 photos' post was good too.

Is picture for real?

https://twitter.com/TelegraphSport/status/227081999691706369/photo/1

this one definitely is:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/images/2012/0723/1224320623748_1.jpg

How did cav get changed into his street clothes so quickly?

I believe the anthem picture is 4 real. This is my other favourite TDF12 pic.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/21/article-2176903-142848D1000005DC-181_306x423.jpg

L'Equipe is all like "a win for Indurian", guffaw.

Fair play to Wiggo, him and the Sky crew rode the bloody wheels off this tour and I do like his stand up material.

DOESN'T EXCUSE THE SIDEBURNS, THROUGH

sweet outfit wiggins son

oh shit, this photo

http://instagram.com/p/Neh2MRTL4M/

ha nice

Browsing for analysis of yesterday's loss, found this quote from Wiggins re. telegram the Queen sent to congratulate him on the tdf win:

"It's all very strange. Those sorts of things don't happen to guys like me. My wife kept going on ecstatic that Queen had sent us a letter. I kept saying, 'F*** the Queen, Johnny Marr has sent me a text on Twitter.' But she said, 'It's the Queen.' I said, 'And this is Johnny Marr, Cath, come on'. I had a message from 'God', too, Robbie Fowler."

<3

'And this is Johnny Marr, Cath, come on'

a+

The women's Olympic road race was blimming great.

i admit that i bought a king of the mountains cap from france off ebay and it is too small and now i am sad

If it is one of the free promo ones they hand out they are indeed very wee.

it says champion on it and has an exited lil guy whos legs are the the n

do the french have small heads

their children do

fuckers

http://www.quantieme.com/ebay/champion_cap-2007s.jpg

its not even that cool, these things r not that easy to find on the internet tho idk why

i guess its not like i ever wouldve worn it anyway

i got carried away

maybe i can find a child to give it to

http://www.ahoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mad-hectic-tour-de-france-jet-caps-4-e1336070511548.jpg

i found this one but it is in japan, and has the logo of the stupid company all over it, besides that v nice design tho imho

http://www.ahoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mad-hectic-tour-de-france-jet-caps-1-e1336070456315.jpg

i mean 'real mad hectic' come on

http://www.ezisports.com.au/product_images/q/816/Headsweats_TDF_3__06033_zoom.jpg

needs more polka dots

http://www.quantieme.com/ebay/cap_polka_07_ver.jpg

the most common and most horriblest version

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gc1lnLPWeoc/T0POWAtp6fI/AAAAAAAAHI4/PD8BcPOwB74/s1600/KOMscyclingcap.jpg

this one is from etsy, needless to say

and thats abt it, idk why there arent more models available, its almost like people dont want polka dot hats or something

http://www.maggiemae.com/maggie-mae-pics/ShirleyDer73-001web.jpg
Any use to you?

tis lovely

http://i.imgur.com/lQYXp.jpg

So does this mean Jan Ullrich is a 4 times Tour winner?

My dad'll be cheesed, to put it mildly. (He's currently hiking somewhere in the Sierras so it'll have to wait until he hits civilization again.)

John Krolik ‏@JohnKrolik
HAHA! I'M JUST AS MUCH OF A HERO AS LANCE! -- Floyd Landis, drunk off Crown Royal in a log cabin, to nobody in particular

triatheletes, maaaan

Thom J. ‏@CelestialBeard
Lance Armstrong has been abjured from all bikes. he will phase through them now, as if they are ghosts

So does this mean Jan Ullrich is a 4 times Tour winner?

― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed)

My first thought as well! HAIL DER KAISER!

Several people on twitter have suggested awarding the 1999 Tour to Christophe Bassons

Riis admitted to cheating in '96 and said he didn't care if they stripped him of the title. A Five time champ then?

Might as well take Pantani's title too while they're at it (which might have eventually happened had he lived) ... six time champ Jan Ullrich?? This is fun!