Tour de France 2017

I think part of the problem with Froome is that he's never really seemed to have any personality. I've seen interviews with him and learned absolutely nothing about what he's like as a person. The most help in that regard was a mini documentary on ITV about his childhood riding mtb's in Kenya but I can't even remember the last time I saw him being interviewed at a race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7dCIEvhLkA

It's the hairline that gets me. He looks like somone's drawn a face on an egg and it's effect ranges from permanently disquieting to frequently upsetting.

Even more so when you factor in the visual impression he creates on a bike which is akin to a stork with broken legs trying to pedal away from a hungry alligator on a pedalo.

So fuck your professionalism and your yellow jerseys, because you are an egg and cress sandwich AICMFP!

Very weird day, with so many riders out I really thought Froome would have no problems staying in yellow, hopefully it gives some others a bit more confident to attack him, wishful thinking I guess

This is all very hilarious.

Probably.
It's even worse deliberately picking at someone for being the best. Or part of the better team.

I don't think Froome's on here, so I'm sure it's okay.

Someone has to win which also means others have to lose. I don't think it's wrong to hope for an underdog to win. Makes the whole thing more exciting. Hence the dread towards a procession.

I agree. Who doesn't love an underdog?

I'm not a fan of sky or froome,like you I'm being deliberately difficult here, there's respect and a lot of admiration (all that self control in the face of alllthe food in the world).

What I find grim are picking on people (or their family) for being, what? Unstylish? Graceless? Challenging appearance?

I would have thought these characteristics would be applauded on here as everyone could relate directly.

like you I'm being deliberately difficult here

Ha!

I would have thought these characteristics would be applauded on here as everyone could relate directly.

Double-ha!

Fair points.

I've learnt two things on the Bardet incident;

1. Just taking a bottle is enough to be penalised, you don't need to drink from it.
   
2. Penalties can only be applied on the day, and not applied retrospectively, so he's in the clear.
   
   

Good. I would love it if Bardet wins the tour.

By 19 seconds

Aha. The jury tried this with Demare and look what happened to him.

Bardet suffers a Dumoulin from karmic contaminated water? Columbian and Italians again involved in taking advantage of situation?

French commissaires suffer freak mobile phone network failure, which is miraculously sorted in the early hours of the following day.

He does look a bit like Tintin though, which got to be a good thing.

even more so in the weird 3D version: https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1Yrt.OXXXXXamXVXXq6xXFXXX2/Rush-font-b-TinTin-b-font-Cartoon-font-b-Comic-b-font-Vintage-Retro-Kraft-Coated.jpg

I am happy to see him do well, he's one hell of a bike rider. And is a really good racer.

And he seems like a decent guy, all the full time shit he gets.

Fair play to him.

Tori just ooh yes out that Groomed would have finished the last 50m quicker if he'd hopped off the bike and run up the hill.

Probably true.

For me, it was when he half wheeled Wiggins in 2012. He was the stronger climber, but Wiggins was the far stronger TT rider and wearing the yellow jersey.

Will Sky, AG2R and Cannondale try and detonate the race from the off today? Or will the latter two let Sky make the race, and try and profit it from it later in the stage? Do Sky have the tactical nous, when their usual playbook is riding tempo to maintain yellow?

I would love to see Sky play all their cards early, leaving Froome isolated over the top of the final climb. I suspect they will ride a bit more conservatively than that though.

One other thought - ultimately it is closely matched GC contenders rather than the parcours which determines whether a race is exciting or not. I thought this tour looked like a stinker, but it is getting more interesting now.

It's still been a stinker though, hasn't it? One interesting GC stage so far, the other two mountain stages have come down to the final couple of kms.

Today is one of those stages that has the potential to be interesting, but it requires someone to take a big risk and attack from a long way out. The Agnes would be the obvious point to make a move, so hopefully someone will have the guts to go long.

Also, its Bastille day and the stage is only 100km long, so it should be explosive from the off.

Humans of Lufguss: An Ode To Humourless Internet Postings Composed by Chalfie

It's going to be absolutely frenetic. The sprint is only 13km from the flag drop, so it will be strung out from there. Any word on weather on the course? How technical are the descents?