Tour de France

Congrats to Cadel! Now I have to wait another year to use my newfound knowledge. :-(

Thanks, guys.
 
Just saw this thread as I was on vacation last week and didn't have much access to the Internet but was able to follow the TdF as much as possible. I've followed it for the past 25 years and I just love it. That love turned into my main form of exercise as I ride 2500-3000 miles a year on my road bike.

Glad to see Cadel win this year. He rode a perfect race and missed out on all the bad luck that seemed to hit a lot of riders this year. Quite an exciting race this year. Best in recent memory!

I have to add that I just don't get the anti-Contador contingent. I guess it's probably the same sentiment as the anti-Lance crowd or anti-[insert name of perennial winning rider/team/player here]. Folks love to hate a winner. I thought he had a lot of bad luck (some due to bad judgement) and that the way he fought in the Alps was admirable.

Can't wait for next year's edition!
 
sukie said:
Congrats to Cadel! Now I have to wait another year to use my newfound knowledge. :-(

Thanks, guys.
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Actually, the Vuelta a España (the Tour of Spain) starts in just few weeks! Most of the same riders...just more screaming Basque fans, dressed in even more orange, waving even more Basque flags. Lots of fun!

~Michael
 
hopkid said:
I have to add that I just don't get the anti-Contador contingent. I guess it's probably the same sentiment as the anti-Lance crowd or anti-[insert name of perennial winning rider/team/player here]. Folks love to hate a winner.
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and don't like dopage suspicion . . .:p . But I'm agree , he was brave in the Alps.

I'm happy for Cadel Evans , he was very unlucky in previous years.

Great pics on big picture or totallycoolpix:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/07/2011_tour_de_france_part_2.html
http://totallycoolpix.com/2011/07/tour-de-france-2011-3rd-week-highlights/

bp22.jpg
 
hopkid said:
I have to add that I just don't get the anti-Contador contingent.
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I hope you don't mean me. I'm not really a fan of any of them as I don't know a whole lot about them. I only got tired of Phil talking about him, because he talked about AC like he would, for sure, win. He was in 7th place at that point. The other riders were doing a better job and I thought he should talk them up.
 
sukie said:
I hope you don't mean me. I'm not really a fan of any of them as I don't know a whole lot about them. I only got tired of Phil talking about him, because he talked about AC like he would, for sure, win. He was in 7th place at that point. The other riders were doing a better job and I thought he should talk them up.
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No, not directed at you sukie. :)

Even I got tired of Versus' daily showing of each of AC's crashes. Yes, we know he's the defending champion. Yes, he's had a lot of bad luck. We know, we know, already! I even sent them an email telling them to knock it off.
 
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ukulegreg said:
Well...
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Ha ha Greg....well indeed.

Froome can't possibly lose unless a bad accident happens. Team Sky were incredible yesterday. I was very excited by Nairo Quintana's brave move in the mountains, that was amazing riding, and a shame it didn't last. But wow, we have the winner already and barely into the second week.

Now it's to just hope for some great breakaway's and stage wins from underdogs, and to enjoy more beautiful scenery for the next two weeks...

I must say I am very proud of Richie Porte. He took Froome all the way yesterday and probably could have kept going himself. He clearly showed why he is the best domestique rider in the world and why he could win a Grand Tour himself soon. Also, he was born and raised only about 30 minutes drive from me, in a little town called Hadspen in northern Tasmania, so I am a big fan of him. :)

Today's stage could be very interesting...
 
Who IS this Cadel Evans? Got really into the Tour last year when "Sir Bradley" was coming up trumps. Might do the same this year now it looks as though Chris Froome is in the running. For the moment, can't though, as there is a little matter of Andy Murray and the Wimbledon final this afternoon!

(As a matter of interest, living in France, friends of ours have stationed themselves along the route when it comes over in our direction - it doesn't pass anywhere close this year - and, having waited for hours, the whole thing is suddenly over in a flash. Probably better to watch on the telly!)

Val
 
LimousinLil said:
Who IS this Cadel Evans? Got really into the Tour last year when "Sir Bradley" was coming up trumps. Might do the same this year now it looks as though Chris Froome is in the running. For the moment, can't though, as there is a little matter of Andy Murray and the Wimbledon final this afternoon!

(As a matter of interest, living in France, friends of ours have stationed themselves along the route when it comes over in our direction - it doesn't pass anywhere close this year - and, having waited for hours, the whole thing is suddenly over in a flash. Probably better to watch on the telly!)

Val
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YES! Val, it's TV heaven tonight - our time it'll be roughly between 10pm and 2am - Le Tour AND the men's Wimbledon final....the only thing good about July in Tasmania believe me :p Oh, and Chris Froome is better than in the running. He is the winner barring any major mishaps...mind you, it is the Tour de France where mishaps are many and frequent, but it's very difficult to see anyone pulling back that time, especially as he has such an awesome team around him. Enjoy the final Val...I'll be going for Novak I must confess but I hope it's a great match. I'll be switching back and forth between the channels.
 
Yippee!

Murray won - but what a match! You must all be suffering from sleep-deprivation down there in Australia, Jon! Have just read that Chris Froome has retained the yellow jersey despite having no support from his team. I must now concentrate on the Tour and get clued up on the finer points!

Val
 
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Fantastic match to be sure and congrats to Andy Murray.

As for Richie....Richie? RICHIE????

I think he's still racing... :(
 
eugene ukulele said:
YES! Val, it's TV heaven tonight - our time it'll be roughly between 10pm and 2am - Le Tour AND the men's Wimbledon final....the only thing good about July in Tasmania believe me :p Oh, and Chris Froome is better than in the running. He is the winner barring any major mishaps...mind you, it is the Tour de France where mishaps are many and frequent, but it's very difficult to see anyone pulling back that time, especially as he has such an awesome team around him. Enjoy the final Val...I'll be going for Novak I must confess but I hope it's a great match. I'll be switching back and forth between the channels.
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Promise this will be absolutely my last post regarding the Tour de France! But, Jon, please excuse my ignorance - and I have "googled" to try and find the answer and avoid asking daft questions - how is it possible to predict two weeks' in advance that Chris Froome will win? I think there must be a vast chunk of knowledge missing in my understanding of cycle racing! (And, as an afterthought, I have noticed that the bookies are offering 1/5 odds for a win by CF - so there you go!) Please explain! (Then I'll get back to the serious business of learning the ukulele!)
 
Combined efforts of multiple teams to isolate him worked, but no one had any juice left to do something substantial with it. Porte losing minutes isn't the end of the world, but Kyrienka being out of time is a big loss for the Sky-team. Froomes TT-skills will probably gain him a few minutes over the lesser skilled numbers 2 till 5 in the overall standings, and in the mountains he has proved to be equal or better than most. I can't see how anything but a really, really bad day in the Alps will keep Froome from winning this TdF. The fact that my two fellow countrymen are 3d and 4th overall after the Pyrenees seems to prove that the sport has become cleaner. But as someone who has been following cycling closely for over 30 years I must say that I still think the majority of the peloton is still cheating. But hey, I'm a sceptic on a bad day.
 
Rodney I am just as much a sceptic as you are and yes, I believe exactly the same thing. No, Porte losing time isn't a problem for the Sky team, just for HIM! I was anxious for him to finish high up in the GC this year, but the previous day obviously took more out of him than I'd realised. Besides, yesterday was a gruelling stage to say the least with 4 cat 1 climbs. Was pleased to see Evans stick with Froome and the yellow jersey group.

Val, Froome is one of the best climbers in the peleton and also one of the excellent time-trialers. It's just hard to see how anyone will pick up substantial enough time on him on the remaining stages unless, like Rodney said, he has one very, very bad day. The fact that he more than held his own in the face of strong opposition yesterday and was isolated (losing the protection of his race team members) for most of the stage showed his incredible strength.

I'll still be hoping for some great attacks against the yellow jersey but not holding my breath they will amount to anything...
 
I first got interested in cycling when I saw what Greg Lemond did to Laurent Fignon on the last stage...

just sayin' ...s** happens.
 
cletus said:
I first got interested in cycling when I saw what Greg Lemond did to Laurent Fignon on the last stage...

just sayin' ...s** happens.
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I remember it too Mark. That was a great Tour....aaaaah, but it was heartbreaking....those blasted aerobars. :p
 
HAHA!!! That's great. Seen some pretty bad mankinis this year too. :uhoh: Here's a nice little clip I just found

 
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