Tour De France 2018

The Ardechoise sportive is a good way to get to know the best cycling roads there;

http://www.ardechoise.com

And if you want to stay at a really special place, try this Hugenot hideout from the early 1700s, owned by a very nice Dutch couple. We were there for a week in May and it was terrific

https://youtu.be/xNm7bHfvGso

http://www.burg-ardeche.net/nl/index.html

snot rocket

Mine’s more like a cluster grenade

Am the equivalent of a rolling Katyusha, can't help it, sorry

Fair play that is insane, extraordinary place to stay and explore

Shows the love for France when someone says the Tour is a bit dull and everyone starts talking about what an amazing beautiful place it is. Bunch of closet cheese-eating Francophiles we are.

Except the Aussie discussing snotting techniques

Noice. It doesn't count as a sportive if you do it overseas, right?

Can be a risky maneuver.

He's special.

Cyclosportifs are very different to our low class sportives

Yeah, I realised that many years ago when ex-fulltimepro explained how him and his team race them for decent money. I've ridden some in Belgium but they're seemed more touristy.

https://besenwagen.podigee.io

Rick Zabel on the Alpe d Huez stage.

@tommmmmmm

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2018/jul/26/chris-froome-furious-with-policeman-who-pulled-him-off-bike-after-tour-de-france-stage-17-video

‘Years ago Cavendish and Eisel risked there lifes descending and had the commissaires with them all the time.’

It’s been a meh tour

Been a bit of an odd one, for sure. I've kinda enjoyed it, the will he won't he tension thing building slowly. Seeing both windmills and froome busting a gut despite their Giro efforts. On the other hand it's been strangely without fizz. Windmills, Thomas, Froome and possibly Roglic a class above numerous also rans that curiously include names like Quintana, Landa, Bardet, Yates, Valverde, Majka, Fuglsang. And Luckless Martin, Porte, Nibbles, Uran all neutralised too early.

On paper it should have been a cracker.

I feel very sorry for Porte - I think he could have won last year and I'm sure he'd have been as good as anyone this.

Maybe if the team time trial wasn’t there or was later in the tour it might have contributed to more excitement.

After it happened, some possible contenders were already working from a handicapped position.

Maybe the reduced team sizes actually works in Sky’s favour, as the other teams always looked like they could do with one final man in the mountains where Sky still had Poels/Bernal.

A TTT has to be early or not at all. Otherwise there will be teams that have lost multiple riders which makes it very unfair.

numerous also rans that curiously include names like Quintana, Landa, Bardet, Yates, Valverde, Majka, Fuglsang.

How many more seasons until Bardet gives up on GC and starts riding for France's consolation prize of Polka Dots and stage wins ?

Considering Sagan’s success in the green, it would have been a better focus.

I wonder if the TdF give Sagan some kinda lifetime achievement award, like a ban.

I think one more shitty time trial will do it

Tomorrow then ?

He's probably got the potential to win a Giro and/or a Vuelta much like Quintana as long as the parcours is right. Being French on a French team he's probably never going to be allowed to target them though.

It looks like other team budgets are catching up with Sky’s. Lots of people handing out bottles on the climbs :)

Finally the man does something I can relate to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HELmRGDNIO4