Tour de France 2017

I should be more like Taylor.

I was laughing quite sincerely watching those videos. I like these characters. Then I went back and looked at his track record and really it's amazing how chilled he is. Seems that he's pretty at peace with his cycling. That's great.

Turgid. Not even a scrap to get in the break.

Who is the lotto rider who is always dragging the peloton behind them?

Lars Bak?

Along with Laurens Ten Dam and Julian Vermote again Im guessing. Like Ji Cheng the"breakaway killer" from a couple of years ago.

Why the shuddering fuck are Lotto chasing? They should've put a man in the break and made QuickStep work alone, but failing that, just said "nah, not today" when asked for help.

Even with Elbowgate and Porte's unhappy exit, this is the dullest Tour since When?

Thoughts please..

The thing is, if Lotto Soudal stop pulling, it would be like Labour having refused TM's early election.

They pretty much know the red team is a fucked and that blue is stronger, but admitting that looks like giving up. And maybe Greipel can swing this one because Kittel will fuck it up or go off through a field of wheat?

It's like Jean-Marie Leblanc has returned as Tour Director, just without the 60 km ITTs.

I don't think it's that dull. Yep, sure, sprint stages would've been spicier with SagnCav, but there's always Punchy to keep an eye on. Uppy downy stages have been hectic , stage nine was brutal. Monday was a bit dull. And if you're watching on itv4 , you've got Ned n Dave waxing lyrical about chateaus and the like. And we're only just into the second week.

It's a bit dull today

We're in the second week and we've had two days of interest for the GC, it's fucking interminable, the bike racing equivalent of Chinese water torture.

It might have been slightly saved if Kittel had a challenger, but he's a class above and sprints have become predictable.

We've had one stage for attackers, why the hell couldnt they include a couple more?

Apart from the Izoard I don't think there's any uphill finishes left are there? A couple of downhill runs left which could be interesting, but it's not been a great route this year.

Tomorrow finishes up at Peyragudes.

There's the finish to Peyragudes tomorrow, where Froome dropped Wiggins twice in 2012 as they chased Valverde.

There's 22 teams in the tour and less than half that are contesting the GC or Sprint's with any serious chances. Why can't the rest do more to try a secure a stage win and not just be happy to get some TV time on half-hearted break aways?

I feel like every GT people whine in the first 10 days and then after 3 weeks call it the best race ever.

Positives for this year's Tour:

No doping discovered (yet)

Yates

If Froome crashes out the GC is wide open

If Froome doesn't crash out the GC race is still very much on and Contador, freed from GC contention, could be an important player is stirring things up.

Not even half way yet

All to ride for (apart from the green jersey)

Lovely chateaus

Or should that be chateaux?

Fackin' carstles

Big haaases.

Little country retreats.

Oh, that's good, missed that one :)

Gateaux