Tour de France 2012

i expect an early break by mrs froome
chased down by mrs wiggins and the sky cohorts
only for mrs sagan to tweet herself over the line with a strong powerful finish

Francis will probably drop them all whilst smashing it up a hill.

I don't get the moaning about this tour, and wanting x or y to happen. Every tour is different and has different dramas, and a different feel to it. The wiggins froome thing has been blown out of all proportion, and as long as wiggins doesn't crack in the mountains, wed/thurs I'm looking at you, then he's pretty much going to win it a'la Indurain. Read somewhere that Big Mig was wiggins hero growing up and it was nice the day he won the TT that Miguel sent him a note of congratulations...

But to my previous point, just because a tour doesn't have the type of drama you specifically won't it doesn't make it any less exciting. Maybe it's because I'm watching it everyday but this tour feels like its been pretty exciting in my mind and wiggins quest to be the first Brit to win the thing will continue to keep it so...

This +100. Loving this years tour. Loving Sky's commitment to the cause. They are just so much stronger than everyone else.. haven't see such domination since Discovery (no, I'm not insinuating that Sky are riddled with drugs).

i'm liking francis's mechanic
i'm not liking francis
do you reckon if he was less of a c**t more people might sit with him at breakfast
i think he's lost the friendship of the support team with his selfish me me me attitude

it's not all about you francis me lad

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/16/tour-de-france-stage-15-report

I think this may have been said before, but Richard Williams at the Guardian is a massive douche. Hoestly I don't know why he writes the cycling reports. The title reads at 'Wiggins safe in Sky's dark embrace'. At first I thought he may be channelling David Millar's light-hearted 'Death Star reference, but instead he goes on about the 'black liveried' Sky riders being an ominous, powerful presence at the front of every stage, and makes another reference to the US Postal.

It is just such a dour, depressing report on the Tour making Sky sound like Murdoch's blackshirts, about to do a night of the long knives on any dissenters. Fuck off.

@Cornelius I think the fact that Wiggins/Sky are winning means people are complaining, because they are not widely liked outside of Britain. I do admit the parcours isn't the best and there is a lack of maountain top finishes that can bring huge drama. I think there have been some maginificent stages and ones like yesterday that aren't, but then they bring a different glory to riders like Fedrigo grabbing a slice of glory and cemeneting 'local hero' status. I also think it is because the peloton is clean, so no huge juiced up stars making massive attacking from kilometres out and making them stick

If the team leading were predominantly Spanish, for example, you would find it as boring as watching paint dry.

One thing that could make it exciting is Froome attacking against orders, Wiggo mercilessly reeling him in then leaving him in turn and crushing him in the TT.

HTC somehow made it a lot more interesting than SKY though

I think this year is very interesting. The whole Froome/ Wiggins thing is very interesting. I agree with the other comments that I don't think Froome would do so well without Sky.

Bring on tomorrow's stage.

On the subject of people asking questions; it wasn't that many years ago that I went from watching all the pretty bikes, imagining the rides but not really understanding the tactics, politics or classifications. I think - if I'm honest - I got more involved in watching and understanding by asking stupid questions. That's how it works isn't it?

Admittedly, the massive British success (so far) this tour will awaken people who until recently thought of road cyclists as vermin, but that's not an entirely bad thing is it? If Wiggo becomes a spokesperson for cycling in general I have beautiful visions of him fronting ad's saying "don't take cyclists out with your big car you stupid fucking cunt!" Could be great.

@Cornelius I think the fact that Wiggins/Sky are winning means people are complaining, because they are not widely liked outside of Britain.

I think it's more likely that you Brits are just paying more attention to it this time: the amount of complaining seems pretty average from a neutral point of view.

I personally think it's been very exciting. Ideally, I'd like to have seen Contador in this Tour because he is the only rider who I reckon could have challenged Sky's dominance, even without clenbuterol.

If the team leading were predominantly Spanish, for example, you would find it as boring as watching paint dry.

One thing that could make it exciting is Froome attacking against orders, Wiggo mercilessly reeling him in then leaving him in turn and crushing him in the TT.

Do you think I have something against the Spanish? Are you threatening me?

No you are right: if a a team/player dominates, well any sport its dull unless you are a supporter of that team/player. That said there's not many riders I actively dislike, so even if it was BMC or Liquigas I wouldn't be throwing my toys out the pram. Contador is the one exception to that probably. Frank Schleck has gone massively up in my estimation, as has Nibs

HTC somehow made it a lot more interesting than SKY though

I see your point.. But in truth while HTC was exciting it was only really a very fast, well drilled lead out train.

The way Sky have controlled the entire race, when haven't they been on the front, and just made everybody suffer on the climbs with incredible tempo is considerably more exciting for me..

Just my opinion of course.

http://parkinginstevenage.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/dan-francis-an-apology-of-sorts/

Robert Millar has been blogging like a boss on the cycling news site. Funny AND informative

Loved Jens on ITV4. If he doesn't ride the Tour next year someone needs to give him a job as a pundit. Would pay to listen to him during a live stage.

Interesting to see the clinic is turning away from the rabid doping accusations since the data doesn't back it up and is now turning their militant zeal towards paying off ASO to design a parcours perfect for Wiggins. You stay classy

I used to love Alan Peipers chats from the peleton actually during the stage years ago....shame we dont see that now as hed be perfect for it.

I think it's more likely that you Brits are just paying more attention to it this time: the amount of complaining seems pretty average from a neutral point of view.

I personally think it's been very exciting. Ideally, I'd like to have seen Contador in this Tour because he is the only rider who I reckon could have challenged Sky's dominance, even without clenbuterol.

I think more I've been made aware of the forums over at cycling news and seen the hate regularly posted there, largely I think by American cycling fans. Usually I'm watching the tour blissfully unaware. A good point about the lack of HTC, they would really make things happen and were glorious in their single minded pursuit of stage wins. Lotto and Orica but both have fallen short, although Lotto have come closest.

Did you see Bradley talking about Cav? Sky will be going full gas to give him the win on the Champ Elysees. That should be a hell of a stage, because Greipel will want it, Goss will and sagan will go for it too. Ooh

Did you see Bradley talking about Cav? Sky will be going full gas to give him the win on the Champ Elysees.

We will see.

Millar put the boot into Wiggins in his book, because Wiggins didn't bother to help with the lead out for Tyler Farrar on the Champs Elyses in 2009. Millar (rightly) thought that was unacceptable, given the work that Garmin had done for Wiggins during that tour. And then there is the Madison from Beijing. So he doesn't have a great track record of repaying the work done by others, but maybe that will come with maturity.

We all know that cav will get pay back for the olympic road race but it looks like Boonen will not be ready and Thor has announced he is still ill and will not race.

We will see.

Millar put the boot into Wiggins in his book, because Wiggins didn't bother to help with the lead out for Tyler Farrar on the Champs Elyses in 2009. Millar (rightly) thought that was unacceptable, given the work that Garmin had done for Wiggins during that tour. And then there is the Madison from Beijing. So he doesn't have a great track record of repaying the work done by others, but maybe that will come with maturity.

I know about the stuff at Garmin but Millar and him have kissed and made up since. As for the Madison, he didn't have the legs after the IP. He tried but just couldn't raise himself. I know it pissed Cav off royally but it shouldn't be regarded as a slight on his character.

And then there's the World Championship road race, where he rode at the head of the bunch for almost an entire lap at such a ferocious pace no-one could get off the front and that was a huge factor in Cav winning. We've already seen him bridge a gap and lead out EBH this tour, I expect him to try and help Cav win at Champs, and then do the same at the Olympic road race.

We will see.

Millar put the boot into Wiggins in his book, because Wiggins didn't bother to help with the lead out for Tyler Farrar on the Champs Elyses in 2009. Millar (rightly) thought that was unacceptable, given the work that Garmin had done for Wiggins during that tour.

I think that is a little unfair of Millar, and of you.
Wiggins was 4th in the GC that year, with less than a minute gap between him and Armstrong. There is an agreement that GC competitors do not race on that last stage.
Racing in the lead-out might well have resulted in him taking 3rd place from Lance, and then how much shit would everyone be giving him?

This year with first and second place hopefully in the bag for Sky he will be free to lead out without affecting the GC.

Loved this comment on the Guardian article:

Sky have killed the excitement of this Tour with their smothering of the pelaton. Last few days have been boringly predictable; Wiggins with his stony faced lieutenants protecting him and killing any possible breakout by the pack. Where are the challengers? Bring back Lance... and Ulrich, and Pantani etc... etc...Sky have basically bought the Tour, it is not dissimilar to Manchester city buying the Premiership.. Boring!

I'm fairly sure it had nothing to do with GC competition as no-one would confuse participating in a leadout with trying to take time from a GC competitor. Millar made the point very forcefully that he just couldn't be arsed.

Even Wiggins himself has admitted that he struggled with the team leadership role in the past and isn't the greatest team player, although his role at the world champs was clearly pivotal and I accept that he has grown into it.

Been granted tomorrow afternoon off work. Anyone else heading for LMNH?

why don't the rest of the peleton just try harder ?

http://parkinginstevenage.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/dan-francis-an-apology-of-sorts/

What!! His name's not Francis it's Dan.

This changes everything

1st comment ... a link to this thread !
excellent

Classic! Apologising to Dan for making the whole cycling community think he is an irritating bell end. When in reality he just really likes smashing it up and down next to rivers and eating frogs legs. Lovely!