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Froome has been the highlight for me. That surprise attack. Running up Ventoux, coming off and using G's bike to get back on. Destroyed the field in the mountain TT on full time trail bike while the rest on road bikes (mostly).. yeh well deserved. Even if he is supporting Voldemort.
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All of that, and Adam Yates' ride over the three weeks, Porte looking like he might finally step up if he gets a less unlucky run, Pantano and Alephillipe beating each other into submission on the final stage.
So many good moments this year, even if history will record it as a procession -
Likewise Froome.
Never thought I'd like him. But he made the tour really exciting and interesting. No hissyfits, just this incredible drive to win at all odds and some really incredible moments along the way.
That descent early on was just wonderful. As much as everyone said "It's an easy descent though"... none of the others kept pace, or worked together, so aside from just the skills it was the strategy. It may have all been opportunity or it may have been planned, but he read it perfectly and it was so pleasing to watch.
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Try telling that to Pierre Rolland.
That was really unfortunate.
Not one of the commentators seemed to get that it wasn't an error on his part at all. Sean Kelly wittered on about "riders mustn't touch their brakes on a corner", etc. But it wasn't that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ3FoKu8rkU
If you look at the video of him coming off, on the corner there was a line of mud on the road. The leftover trace of a tractor having come from a field, using the road and leaving.
He was just incredibly unlucky in that he lent, on a turn, which had a thin surface of clay and mud about the width of a tractor wheel, and his leaning and turning intersected perfectly with that line of mud.
Sucks to be him that day.
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• #2410
Closest ever top ten in terms of time gap between first and tenth.
I wanted to do some quick stats on this a few days ago to try and work out how long the "tail" is, and how close times are in the middle. Curious if it would show Froome as an even more exceptional rider (which I suspect it will - there's more time between first and second than second and tenth).
But I couldn't be bothered to input the data.
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Well I thought it was a good Tour, despite the GC battle never kicking off. I think people in various spheres complaining it was boring thought so because the rider they didn't want to win, win.
Cav's resurgence was awe-inspiring and reminded me of what a thrilling, devastating rider he is. I love sprint stages, just enjoy the view then love the wind up in the last 20k. At the end of the day you need transition stages in a 3 week Tour, and something for the sprinters to fight four. Sagan was incredible, animating race time and again. 2 stages for Dumoulin too, and a brilliant move by Bardet to grab second and give the French something to smile about. Lastly Adam Yates, a brilliant 4th place and a marker for the future. Looking forward to the Vuelta!
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About
Tour de France 2016
Posted by
@peter_v
“I think for me the one I enjoyed the most by far was winning on the descent into Luchon,” he stated. “That to me really epitomised what racing is all about. I really did feel like I was a kid again, trying to stay away from my mates behind me and being the fastest one down the hill.
At the end of the day that is what bike racing is all about. For us it is that thrill, it is that boy racer mentality. That is a special stage for me in this year’s Tour de France.”
Nice quote from Froome