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Le Tour de France thread
Starts tomorrow with an individual TT in Copenhagen. Wonderful!
Got a small each way on Geraint Thomas but it looks like Slovenia will battle it out. Hope there are some fans here, for me it's my favourite 3 weeks of helicopters flying over châteaux
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
You a cyclist ?
Bit flat round sandfields innit ?
Cwmafan , Bryn ......mmmm
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SLUDGE FACTORY
You a cyclist ?
Bit flat round sandfields innit ?
Cwmafan , Bryn ......mmmm
Straight out of Margam. Steel and deer in the blood. Cycling country
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
Starts tomorrow with an individual TT in Copenhagen. Wonderful!
Got a small each way on Geraint Thomas but it looks like Slovenia will battle it out. Hope there are some fans here, for me it's my favourite 3 weeks of helicopters flying over châteaux
off to Morzine for the stage starting there.
good luck G!
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
Straight out of Margam. Steel and deer in the blood. Cycling country
Used to fish in those furze ponds by the orangery
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Taffy Blue in Berkshire
off to Morzine for the stage starting there.
good luck G!
Have fun. Been before?
Last time I went was 2016 on the stage Frome ran up Mont Ventoux
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
Have fun. Been before?
Last time I went was 2016 on the stage Frome ran up Mont Ventoux
I made the effort to see three stages of the TdF when it was in England, twice when it was in Yorkshire a few years back and once in Hampshire quite some time ago.
The two consecutive days I witnessed the race in Yorkshire were quite a contrast i.e. in Otley, which seemed semi-rural where the crowd was almost all white and the general ambience being rather genteel and in Keighley, which seemed more 'blue collar' all round and where many Indian ladies turned out in wonderful yellow saris!
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Shame about Cav but there's no room for sentiment. He only rode last years due to a late injury to a teammate.
Can't really see anyone but Pogacar winning it but can't wait for the next 3 weeks. Tom Pidcock will be good to watch and its great to see G going in with some form.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
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Originally Posted by
Des Parrot
No Cav :frown:
Take a look at Quick Step’s Facebook page! The Cav fans have been trolling it for days, it’s hilarious, every thread has been taken over by questions about Cav. He should have been given the opportunity to break the record imo. Fabio has no chance of green jersey due to lack of sprint stages, but if Cav could have achieved just one stage win it would have been the greatest cycling story for years.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
I love la Tour. Absolutely incredible what the riders put themselves through.
Thomas won the Tour de Suisse the other week so is in decent form. Be good to see him do well.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Last went to see the tour at the opening prologue time trial in 1985, such a great occasion.
Can’t look beyond the two Slovenians for the win. Great to see Geraint in good form but realistically I can’t see him finishing in the top 10. A stage win could be a good shout though.
Shame for Cav but to fair the guy that’s been picked ahead of him has twice as many wins this year.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Solid start from Geraint. He seemed to be out there in the heaviest of the rain
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
The 2018 champion Geraint Thomas been talking to the media after having a short post-stage debrief with his team and he doesn't sound overly happy.
"That was the worst first half of a time trial I have ever done.
"I wanted to start fairly conservatively power wise but everyone is telling you to go easy on the corners, there's three weeks, don't crash because there's been a lot of crashes apparently and the first few corners I cornered like my wife and she hasn't ridden a bike for 12 years.
"It was unbelievable and then I realised I still had my gilet on. It was nice and snug and I didn't realise. The guy at the start didn't notice, not that it was his fault and then when I went through the first time check and I was 18 seconds down I just took the pin out. I actually then went alright and the legs were good which was the main thing but cornering was absolutely terrible. I overthought it big time. In the wet the best thing you can do is just flow and carry the speed nice and smooth and I wasn't flowing.
"I know I could have done a better ride so it is annoying and I always want more. The legs were good and I was warm so I am not going to get a cold, maybe everyone else will get a cold now."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cycling/58914755
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
She was great in Rising Damp
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BLUETIT
She was great in Rising Damp
:hehe:
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
Have fun. Been before?
Last time I went was 2016 on the stage Frome ran up Mont Ventoux
first time at the tour, did the ride from Col de Joux Plan back to Morzine on my mountain bike in a thunderstorm. how they do those speeds on these roads is scary. will take my Wales flag with me and might wear my City shirt.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Any of you guys regular cyclists on the roads in South Wales
You have my deepest sympathy
I wouldn't get on a bike in the wet and cold with the idiots behind the wheel these days
The speed some people drive at just pottering around Bridgend is scary . Thank god you ain't allowed on the motorways . You would be sitting ducks .
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
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Originally Posted by
jon1959
:hehe:
I chuckled at that
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
As I drag the thread off page 3 I assume everyone is enjoying so much they haven't got time to comment 😂
I think week one has been fascinating with a rainy time trial, a big bridge, cobbles and some punchy little climbs. The traditional flat sprint stages before the mountains have been well and truly forgotten this week.
Geraint is in pretty good shape too.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
As I drag the thread off page 3 I assume everyone is enjoying so much they haven't got time to comment 😂
I think week one has been fascinating with a rainy time trial, a big bridge, cobbles and some punchy little climbs. The traditional flat sprint stages before the mountains have been well and truly forgotten this week.
Geraint is in pretty good shape too.
Yeah, a bit of variety this week. Pogacar in yellow now. Will be hard for anyone to take that off him.
British riders in 4th, 5th and 6th.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Pogacar looks uncatchable. Yesterday's finish was telling.
Roglic and Vingegaard don't look like they'll help each other at all, but G, Yates and Danny Martinez will work together for the team over the hills.
Great stuff so far.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Undercoverinwurzelland
Yeah, a bit of variety this week. Pogacar in yellow now. Will be hard for anyone to take that off him.
British riders in 4th, 5th and 6th.
Agree. I think he'll stay in yellow all the way to Paris unless he crashes or suffers an injury.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Great finish today. G up to 3rd.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Undercoverinwurzelland
Great finish today. G up to 3rd.
Amazing end of the stage. Wouldn't surprise me if the current top 3 will be the top 3 in Paris.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Greetings from Morzine. Tour arrives in Chatel on Sunday, rest day on Monday and leaves here on Tuesday. Already a buzz around. Hope G can do the business. Some tough hills around here, I had to get off and push tonight!
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Taffy Blue in Berkshire
Greetings from Morzine. Tour arrives in Chatel on Sunday, rest day on Monday and leaves here on Tuesday. Already a buzz around. Hope G can do the business. Some tough hills around here, I had to get off and push tonight!
Some experience on the day. The pre race caravan is worth the wait. It's like Disneyland for cycling fans 🤣
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
A protest blocking the road today. Surprised they don't get more of that happening.
Looking forward to Alpe d'Huez on Thursday.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Undercoverinwurzelland
A protest blocking the road today. Surprised they don't get more of that happening.
Looking forward to Alpe d'Huez on Thursday.
The next 2 days should be brilliant. Col de Galibier on both days aswell as Alp d'Huez. Wonder if G fancies repeating history?
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Bloop
The next 2 days should be brilliant. Col de Galibier on both days aswell as Alp d'Huez. Wonder if G fancies repeating history?
Would be brilliant.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
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Originally Posted by
Undercoverinwurzelland
Would be brilliant.
Wow!
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
What a day that was today.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Bloop
Pogacar looks uncatchable. Yesterday's finish was telling.
Roglic and Vingegaard don't look like they'll help each other at all, but G, Yates and Danny Martinez will work together for the team over the hills.
Great stuff so far.
Poagar was caught, huge shock but great tactical tide by jumbo Visma one of the greatest stages ever in the TDF chapeau to them all Supermen
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
Some experience on the day. The pre race caravan is worth the wait. It's like Disneyland for cycling fans
Just got home this evening and the experience of the Tour was amazing. Very impressed with the way it just rolled in 'took place' and rolled out. Managed to see G and got some great pics and videos.
And yes the caravan was bonkers with numerous floats chucking out all sorts of tat and everyone scrambling for it.
Think G is in a very good position to do well and it's all open.
Glad we made the effort to go out and will be watching tomorrow.
Shame the ITV coverage doesn't cover the start.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Fabulous finish yesterday , another tough day today !
I wonder if Jumbo Visma will try and put Pogacar under pressure again tomorrow and hope G can improve his GC place today though he had to do a lot of work yesterday on his own staying with Vindegaard and Pogacar group.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Taffy Blue in Berkshire
Just got home this evening and the experience of the Tour was amazing. Very impressed with the way it just rolled in 'took place' and rolled out. Managed to see G and got some great pics and videos.
And yes the caravan was bonkers with numerous floats chucking out all sorts of tat and everyone scrambling for it.
Think G is in a very good position to do well and it's all open.
Glad we made the effort to go out and will be watching tomorrow.
Shame the ITV coverage doesn't cover the start.
Sounds like a top trip, especially bumping into G. Think that long time trial will suit him nicely, hope he can stay in touch today and when they go to the Pyrenees.
Yesterday had to be one of the best mountain stages I can remember watching live. Agree about ITV4 coverage though. Late start, plus the relentless suffering animals and funeral plan insurance ads, if I see a bloated Ian Botham once more I'm going to subscribe to Eurosport!
Really looking forward to watching Bastille Day on the Alpe today.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
billy.ronson
Fabulous finish yesterday , another tough day today !
I wonder if Jumbo Visma will try and put Pogacar under pressure again tomorrow and hope G can improve his GC place today though he had to do a lot of work yesterday on his own staying with Vindegaard and Pogacar group.
Incredible day and a big twist at the end considering Pogacar was waving and smiling at the cameras just before the final climb.
Be fascinating to see who has any legs left today. I wouldn't rule out more drama.
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
Sounds like a top trip, especially bumping into G. Think that long time trial will suit him nicely, hope he can stay in touch today and when they go to the Pyrenees.
Yesterday had to be one of the best mountain stages I can remember watching live. Agree about ITV4 coverage though. Late start, plus the relentless suffering animals and funeral plan insurance ads, if I see a bloated Ian Botham once more I'm going to subscribe to Eurosport!
Really looking forward to watching Bastille Day on the Alpe today.
Eurosport has the added advantage of Sean Kelly doing his continuous impersonation of Father Austin Purcell from Father Ted - the most boring priest in the world!
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Le Tour de France thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Lime
Sounds like a top trip, especially bumping into G. Think that long time trial will suit him nicely, hope he can stay in touch today and when they go to the Pyrenees.
Yesterday had to be one of the best mountain stages I can remember watching live. Agree about ITV4 coverage though. Late start, plus the relentless suffering animals and funeral plan insurance ads, if I see a bloated Ian Botham once more I'm going to subscribe to Eurosport!
Really looking forward to watching Bastille Day on the Alpe today.
Another pic from the rest day in Morzine
Attachment 4998
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Re: Le Tour de France thread
What a ride by Tom Pidcock!
Good see Froome up there too, and G back up to 3rd in the GC.