Tour de France 2017

Come on. Wasn't you saying similar about Chelsea?

Forgetting it's a race.

Where was the decency/sportsmanship when Urán had a proper mechanical?

He won through ingenuity and balls. Why shouldn't Froome have to do the same?

Thing is, why are you complaining about it? They are grown men, they do what they want, Aru wanted to attack, others didn't because they felt it was shitty. Aru and Astana could have just cracked on, on their own, and the rest would have just sat on their wheels. The peloton races with various rules and unwritten ones, for ever. One of them is not attacking when a rival/leader has a mechanical.

Not because of the GC battle or anything Sky did deliberately

yeah, but it's not exactly the sky train of death.

Uran wasn't wearing the race leader's jersey.

If you don't understand that difference, then there's no point explaining to you.

Where was the decency/sportsmanship when Urán had a proper mechanical?

Uran wasn't in yellow, respect is for the jersey, not the man wearing it.

Have people forgotten how Froome won last year's Tour, he was the most exciting GC rider by a country mile then.

This year ASO have put together a parcours that is designed to undermine Sky's dominance. The race will be harder to control and the set piece GC stages are few and far between, replaced with tricky stages like today. I thought three teams rode really well today, AG2R, Sunweb and Sky, but for completely different reasons, and it was a tactically fascinating stage.

Also, the rest of the group didn't ride off while Urán was on the NS car. I don't think they slowed up, but they didn't try and distance him either.

Kwiatkowski was 20 minutes slower up the Mont du Chat today than he was at the Dauphine. I hope part of that was because he was enjoying an ice cream as he rode.

AG2R were awesome today - all the other talking points are getting in front of that. I think there are a few more stages to come where Bardet can try similar tactics.

Genuinely got me right in the feels seeing G and Porte crash out today - having both looked super strong so far.

Dan Martin bouncing off a rock wall at 70kmph and then getting back on the bike #nails

Agreed, Sky were Sky but Sunweb and AG2R both had brilliant days that made for exciting racing

This year ASO have put together a parcours that is designed to undermine Sky's dominance.

I was thinking about that earlier. Do you think it will work?

So far has it meant more crashes, or is that just perception?

Froome attacking and putting everyone under the hammer near the top of Mont du Chat, dropping Quintana and others, world class descending, Porte and Martin's crash, Barguil being caught and passed by Bardet's descending, him getting caught by the rest then a climber's sprint won by Uran on a photo finish.
Couldn't have been more thrilling.
Super sad to see Geraint and Porte crash out, G is unbelievably unlucky...

The Cornetto Grupetto™

@Fox , I'm no Froome fanboy, but I think you over estimate his power over the peleton/ gc rivals, it's a sport, where, thankfully, some (unwritten) values apply, such as respecting the jersey not the rider, it's a tradition and in my opinion a virtue. Well played Porte et al for not letting Aru go. Yes, watching Sky race can be predictable/mechanical but it's upto other teams to overcome their dominance. AG2R thanks for a cracking stage.

I reckon they have, if AG2R had successfully executed their strategy, Bardet would be in yellow today.

As it was, if Froome hadn't learnt how to descent so well, Bardet may still have been in yellow (or close).

The downhill finishes make it more dangerous for everyone though, from GC contenders, stage hunters and also the gruppetto, more risk taking to the line.

Sky were on the front today from kilometre 0, working hard to retain yellow. They take that responsibility without complaint, so I think it only fair that other teams respect that and race hard but fair.

Froome made it clear in pre/post interviews that the other teams will make it difficult for Sky. I think he has it there, it's his job to defend (not give it away).

I agree it's a bit repetitive that Sky are yet again yellow, but the guy is a good rider and the other teams need to work together to find a way to shake it off him.

Slight side note, but I'm looking forward to a the post Froome years - bardet/aru/domoulin could be quite the match up

Think Dumoulin will learn not to swear on live tv? I quite enjoyed the neo-realism of his language in the Giro.

And hopefully Yates, although he's not quite at their level yet.

Eight or nine British riders started the Tour in a number of different teams. Many others in teams but not selected. Many great young riders coming through. The foundations of Brits in cycling have been laid and will last beyond the Froome years. Add to that, that cycling isn't about jingoistic nonsense, there is a huge amount of talent coming through

Dan Martin feels a bit of good luck away from a podium in most tours. But always gets shit luck instead.

Real shame again today for him.

He crashed AGAIN the next corner after the Porte spill because his brakes didn't work with the neutral service wheel.

Hope he gets some leeway to go for a stage win.

He should switch to disc brakes.