Tour de France 2017

he sounds like a Brummie

Born in Brum so probably not a coincidence! And grew up in Tamworth. So not really very Irish and was British under-18 road race champion in 2004, before deciding to ride for Ireland in 2006 (his parents are Irish which means Irish passport).

His mum is Irish, Stephen Roche's sister in fact, his dad, Neil Martin, is British and was a decent rider in his day.

Kwia does well to manage his fluctuating weight...

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Shame be nailed his colours to an Irish mast, something to do with not liking the set up at BC wasn't it?

How did AG2R not capitalise on the time they initially took off Froome? They seemed to be a bit disorganised as he just spun his way back up. Like opportunity lost there.

I stand corrected - even less Irish! I will look up Neil Martin.

Kwatkowski emptied himself to bring Froome back up and then Landa dropped back slightly to bring him the rest of the way.

I think it was more a testament to how strong Kwiatko is rather than any kind of fuckup on the part of AG2R

Nieve not Kwiato

AG2R got their second place to Sky in the team classification down from 19minutes to 9 minutes today which apparently is something they are targeting winning this year

I don't see how that makes him less Irish. If your parents are different nationalities I think it's perfectly normal to have an affinity with both countries.

Martin has his reasons for choosing to represent Ireland, I think that decision should be respected.

I think they were on the rivet. Dan Martin said afterwards that he thinks the only rider who could've got back on there was Froome, such was the speed AG2R were riding at.

The BC road programme at the time was virtually non-existent, so if Martin had wanted to join the BC academy he'd had to have focused on the track. He chose not to, and took out an Irish license instead, which he could do as his mum is Irish.

I think a lot of people want to make more of it than it probably warrants, as they have an axe to grind on the BC focus on track riding.

I'm baffled that he was able to do it considering AGR were massed and additional firepower that should have been pretty motivated in that group.

Piss off trying to take our cyclists - haven't Belgium and Kenya got enough for you?

That was a great stage imo phew. Shame it's a rest day but they need it

Good to see riders giving Dan Martin a turn when he caught them, he's clearly VERY well liked. I really like him.

I think it was @dubtap who alerted me to why Dan Martin rather than Nicholas Roche was more sought after. Mitochondrial DNA (and therefore the energy system stuff) passedwn the female side of the family

Well seeing as his claim to Irishness is based on his parents, not where he was brought up, he'd presumably disagree with you.

Edit: I don't have any problem with his representing Ireland by the way. It's just by any real world, non-sport definition someone who was born in Britain and grew up here is British (albeit influenced by the culture and country of their parents, of course).

I was off getting sunburn in the rain at the Royal International Air Tattoo, so just caught up. Worth watching the ES review of the stage to see Phinney chillaxed.

Apparently Laurent Jalabert made some sarcastic comment on French tv about how convenient it is that Froome always has mechanicals at the foot of climbs...

Christ knows how Jalabert retains any credibility mind.

It's just by any real world, non-sport definition someone who was born in Britain and grew up here is British (albeit influenced by the culture and country of their parents, of course).

Not everyone.

Edit: I don't have any problem with his representing Ireland by the way.

Certainly doesn't seem like that.

What do you think of Froome as a GB rider?

Nicolas Roche. Hench af now? Huge arms man.

Erm. I don't think that's quite right.