Tour de France 2010

I initially thought it was a bit cunty, but then I noticed Contador looking behind a lot, checking for Shleck. Contador didn't actually continue attacking at full gas, he stuck with the Menchov/Sanchez group.

I still don't like him though[t]...

That's even more conniving and calculating.

"I'm going to be an unsporting cunt, but I'll look like less of an unsporting cunt if I stick with these other unsporting cunts. It'll still be enough to get the yellow, which will match my character nicely."

sorry if already been said, but Gerard Vroomen raised a good point; Schleck didn't stop for Conty when he bailed on the cobbles. OK it wasn't the same GC battle back then, but still.

I think BDW nailed it, if Conty attacked after seeing the chain slip then that would have been outrageous. But as it happened, just bad luck to Schleck.

would have been less of an issue if they hadn't played 'trackstand champ' yesterday and allowed Menchov to gain time

Gerald Vroomen seems to be on a one man mission to upset as many teams as possible in this Tour. His point neglects to mention one key point, when Schleck dropped Contador on the cobbles he wasn't in the yellow jersey, nor did Contador have a mechanical.

There's been a long standing tradition in the Tour that if the yellow jersey suffers a mechanical problem then the peleton waits, Contador failed to uphold this tradition today, as did Menchov and Sanchez.

Yeah, and who's going to listen to someone named after the noise of a car?

Gerald Vroomen appears to be determined to put as many noses out of joint as possible in this Tour. His point ignores one salient factor, when Schleck dropped Contador on the pave he wasn't in the leader's jersey, nor did Contador have a problem with his bike.

There's been a traditional unwritten rule in le grande boucle that if the leader has a bike problem then the bunch waits, Contador did not do that today, nor did Menchov and Sanchez.

on the other hand - contador lost time from someone else's fall on the cobbles. schleck lost time from the chain. as far as winning by racing is concerned, it's about even..

Gerald Vroomen seems to be on a one man mission to upset as many teams as possible in this Tour. His point neglects to mention one key point, when Schleck dropped Contador on the cobbles he wasn't in the yellow jersey, nor did Contador have a mechanical.

There's been a long standing tradition in the Tour that if the yellow jersey suffers a mechanical problem then the peleton waits, Contador failed to uphold this tradition today, as did Menchov and Sanchez.

Gerald Vroomen appears to be determined to put as many noses out of joint as possible in this Tour. His point ignores one salient factor, when Schleck dropped Contador on the pave he wasn't in the leader's jersey, nor did Contador have a problem with his bike.

There's been a traditional unwritten rule in le grande boucle that if the leader has a bike problem then the bunch waits, Contador did not do that today, nor did Menchov and Sanchez.

I too, would have waited, may have even helped him fix his bike.

Gerald Vroomen appears to be determined to put as many noses out of joint as possible in this Tour. His point ignores one salient factor, when Schleck dropped Contador on the pave he wasn't in the leader's jersey, nor did Contador have a problem with his bike.

There's been a traditional unwritten rule in La Grande Boucle that if the leader has a bike problem then the bunch waits, Contador did not do that today, nor did Menchov and Sanchez.

Exactly. And who would listen to a person who's named after the sound a motor vehicle makes?

Mmccarthy.

Gerald Vroomen seems to be on a one man mission to upset as many teams as possible in this Tour. His point neglects to mention one key point, when Schleck dropped Contador on the cobbles he wasn't in the yellow jersey, nor did Contador have a mechanical.

There's been a long standing tradition in the Tour that if the yellow jersey suffers a mechanical problem then the peleton waits, Contador failed to uphold this tradition today, as did Menchov and Sanchez.

Gerald Vroomen appears to be determined to put as many noses out of joint as possible in this Tour. His point ignores one salient factor, when Schleck dropped Contador on the pave he wasn't in the leader's jersey, nor did Contador have a problem with his bike.

There's been a traditional unwritten rule in le grande boucle that if the leader has a bike problem then the bunch waits, Contador did not do that today, nor did Menchov and Sanchez.

well thats what I think anyway...

I don't respect sell-outs. I don't like the way certain contracts were bought out. Morality and right wing politics? Hmmm, maybe it's a conscience they lack, rather than (or as well as) integrity.

6th form politics. The world of professional cycling is controlled by business sponsorship not vegetarian co-operatives. Murdoch and the FOX empire are politically despicable, but you either opt out completely or you're as culpable as the next man.

Yeah, whatever. No benefit at all to opting out at a level that preserves a foothold in society that steps on as few people as possible. It's got to be all or nothing. Who's the fucking 6th former now?

I've been away for a few days so I thought I'd catch up. Here is my take on Wiggins
My theory on Wiggins for what it's worth; last year's Tour route was the easiest since 1992 and the Pyrenees were neutralised bar the final 3 kms of the stage to Arcalis when Contador jumped to ensure he was ahead of Armstrong on GC.

In the Alps the mix up of rest days, a time trial and a lack of summit finishes meant that Wiggins was able to survive them due to being fresh. He showed his true form on Ventoux where he was dropped by the favourites group but turned himself inside out to ensure he lost minimal time.

This year the route is far more mountainous and has been raced rather than ridden. His form is on the wane, this rumour was going around the press room in Rotterdam, and he did well to limit his losses in the Alps but he's on the back foot, is short of form so cannot make up time on his rivals unless he can get in a break. The TT on Saturday, which should suit him, will see him finish in the top twenty at best as he's not got the form.

There's been a long standing tradition in the Tour that if the yellow jersey suffers a mechanical problem then the peleton waits, Contador failed to uphold this tradition today, as did Menchov and Sanchez.

It's a stupid tradition. In 1983, Pascal Simon was in yellow. He fell and broke his shoulder. None of the other contenders attacked him, and the race became a procession. This lasted for 7 days. The travesty only ended on the stage to Alpe d'Huez when Simon finally climbed off.

It is arguable that if Peugeot had released Roche, Anderson or even Millar (R) from the burden of looking after Simon, they might have been able to have had a greater say in the race.

Schleck didn't suffer a puncture, he unshipped his chain, just like Millar (D) did when he was pipped to the prologue win by a few 1/100s of a second.

If Schleck had had a little more presence of mind, he might have got that chain back on a little quicker, or perhaps if he had his anti-suck device correctly fitted it wouldn't have happened at all.

I've been away for a few days so I thought I'd catch up. Here is my take on Wiggins
My theory on Wiggins for what it's worth; last year's Tour route was the easiest since 1992 and the Pyrenees were neutralised bar the final 3 kms of the stage to Arcalis when Contador jumped to ensure he was ahead of Armstrong on GC.

In the Alps the mix up of rest days, a time trial and a lack of summit finishes meant that Wiggins was able to survive them due to being fresh. He showed his true form on Ventoux where he was dropped by the favourites group but turned himself inside out to ensure he lost minimal time.

This year the route is far more mountainous and has been raced rather than ridden. His form is on the wane, this rumour was going around the press room in Rotterdam, and he did well to limit his losses in the Alps but he's on the back foot, is short of form so cannot make up time on his rivals unless he can get in a break. The TT on Saturday, which should suit him, will see him finish in the top twenty at best as he's not got the form.

Good points, well made. You are a fountain of level-headed and knowledgeable cycling information, Will. We are lucky to have you on this forum.

It's a stupid tradition. In 1983, Pascal Simon was in yellow. He fell and broke his shoulder. None of the other contenders attacked him, and the race became a procession. This lasted for 7 days. The travesty only ended on the stage to Alpe d'Huez when Simon finally climbed off.

Cadel should have had more forethought. Could have held the yellow until the penultimate day!

Fuck, that would have been dull.

Good points, well made. You are a fountain of level-headed and knowledgeable cycling information, Will. We are lucky to have you on this forum.

reported for internet brown-nosing

I thought that was called 'rep'?

reported for internet brown-nosing

reported for missing the joke.

If Schleck had had a little more presence of mind, he might have got that chain back on a little quicker, or perhaps if he had his anti-suck device correctly fitted it wouldn't have happened at all.

That's true. I was thinking, 'WhyTF doesn't he just ride it back on, instead of getting his hands oily like a fucking amateur, or waiting for his brother to come and sort it out?'

I had another look, and he does try to shift/ride it back on, but he's panic-clicking.

But I still think if anyone really needed an anti-suck device today, it was Contador.

I had another look, and he does try to shift/ride it back on, but he's panic-clicking

Panic-clicking? I think that's what I do when I run out of gears... ha!

It's what I do every time dogsballs posts.