Tour de France 2021

I certainly have never understood the Kirby hate. I like listening to the guy.

don't hate the big man - and even find his avuncular partridgeisms kinda endearing at times. admit he can be annoying when he completely misses (or miscalls) moves, and he does come out with some amount of pish. give him a solid 5/10

my favourite combo is hatch-blythey

What time do they hit Ventoux?

Dunno, but the sprinters will hit it a long time after the GC guys the second time round...

I understand why a summit finish is a pain logistically, but today strikes me as a missed opportunity.

Why do Sky hate Cav?

How are there no Ineos riders in the break?

I understand why a summit finish is a pain logistically, but today strikes me as a missed opportunity.

Don’t understand it myself.

Maybe there’ll be some drama on the final descent, but still.

Is there a rider in the break who would be a threat to Carapaz?

Are Cav looking like he might be in trouble today. Nearly 8 minutes down as they start the first ascent. Estimates from Boardman are that he will have 38 minutes after the winner crosses the line.

In which case why is Alan Phillip's riding?

Anyone else's Eurosport player borked? Can't get it to load on desktop or my phone

So why are we bleeding nosebleed then?

Have they talked about Tom Simpson yet?

fine for me on a desktop

Thanks. On to Eurosport live chat now

Green jersey autobus should fill out as the day goes on, but currently includes Colbrelli and Bol amongst others, and 5 DQS riders.

I wonder if it because the team are all in for the stage win each day. I remember earlier in the race when Cav was on the front and the team kept him hanging there even though he was shot. They didn’t care it might affect his performance the next day in the sprint stage.
They aren’t showing Cav but the app shows he has at least a couple of the team to pace him.

https://racecenter.letour.fr/en/

If he loses 30 seconds per km for the rest of this climb, 7.5 minutes, he'll be 18 minutes back, they'll make up some time on the downhill and flat, and leaves him with around 20 minutes for the second ascent and the downhill at the end.

Anyone else watching on ITV4? I always forget how mental daytime adverts are.

Going to be a big old autobus soon.

Don't know how accurate the live tracker is, but Luke Rowe appears to be off the back by himself.
Unlikely that Campernaerts or Eekhoff will make it to the end.

I'm not sure they'll make up any time on the downhill or flat bits given the composition of the break. Alaphilippe (and Wout if he makes it) gonna be flying down it.

ITV player is dreadful and constantly frozen for me

Maybe not the downhill, At least on the flat, big heavy riders/sprinters chainganging in the valley?

Eurosport player is worth the subscription during the Tour. Its rock solid.