Tour de France 2012

So is he a waffle-eating, Smurf-watching paedo?

Yes, but it beats being british.

Wiggins le Héron.

Sounds like a Hergé character aswell.

We're all island dwellers, Andy.

Just for reference;
Wiggins, born in Ghent which is not part of the UK
Millar, born in Malta which is not part of the UK
Froome, born in Nairobi which is not part of the UK
Cavendish, born on the Isle of Man which is not part of the UK
Roche, born in Dundrum in the Republic of Ireland which is not part of the UK
Cummings, born in Clatterbridge which is part of the UK

Calling someone from Ireland British because it's part of the British Isles is like calling someone from East Timor an Aussie just because it's geographically fairly close. Separate nations means separate nationalities.

So, odds on a Froome attack today? Are three incredibly uncomfortable days on the team bus bearable if you can win the tour? Fairly sure the likes of Anquetil, Merckx or Hinault would have seized the chance for glory.

Wiggins le Héron

He can't be called that, because Fausto "Il Airone" Coppi has dibs.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fausto+coppi+heron

I wish Orica Greenedge had got an invite to Le Tour, they'd be really lighting up some of these stages and probably grabbing a few here and there too and definitely not languishing with barely a rider in the top half of the GC like some some of these teams just making up the numbers.

Anquetil, Merckx and Hinault raced in a very different era of the Tour though. Froome will not attack today, partly because I think he believes very much in the campaign for Wiggins to win this year. I also think he believes that there can be a continued campaign of British success at the Tour if there is a consistent and cohesive British presence and that he can be part of that.

I would imagine that he is aware that Wiggins will be interested in an attempt at defence but is prepared to work for him in the Tour at a point in the near future.

There is also the issue of Cavendish. I think Froome will be on with a plan to put Cav on the win on the Champs and won't want to burn himself out two days before for his own interests which can easily be served later on. Froome simply isn't that kind of wanker.

He's a contractually obliged kind of wanker.

I'm playing devil's advocate to an extent, but I do wonder if Froome will have such a great opportunity again. Contador will be back next year, and whilst we might never have seen him ride clean before, I personally think he is different mustard compared to anybody at this tour.

I'd have a look at Valverde's performance in this Tour before you start awarding wins to Contador.

Yeah - there is a thread over on the clinic called 'from racehorses to donkeys' with the same point about a number of riders.

I still think Contador is a different proposition to Valverde. Basso might be a better example.

Point stands that you never know what is round the corner, and the greats snatch their opportunity to win when it is in front of them and hang the consequences.

I'd have a look at Valverde's performance in this Tour before you start awarding wins to Contador.

Absolutely right. I think both Schleck Jr and Conty are different mustard. Dirty mustard.

That said, Conty is a real talent. He'll need a serious team around him if he's going to get close to scratching sky though.

i kinda hope he is though. it will be very interesting and make the TT not just a procession

if froome attacks i can just see wiggins wind up the " V8 diesel turbo " and chug off after him, catching him shortly before the final summit and giving him the eyes

don't do it froomey please

Ideal scenario - Froome attacks then pops and Wiggo crushes him. At least it would end all discussion about whether Froome could win - which must taint it a bit for Wiggo...

Froome will get his chance, just not this time.

And his missus should just piss off.

Today Wiggins & co climbed at 1680m/h. Limits of VAM acknowledged, compare that to this graph we drew back in 2010:

Thanks for that hippy, very insightful.

So would a correct reading of this graph be that if you're climbing at > 1700m/h you're probably doping? Which would suggest that Sky aren't..?

I'm playing devil's advocate to an extent, but I do wonder if Froome will have such a great opportunity again. Contador will be back next year, and whilst we might never have seen him ride clean before, I personally think he is different mustard compared to anybody at this tour.

It's harsh on Wiggins to portray this tour as if it was Froome's if he'd wanted it. He'd need to pull out minuites today only to loose time in the flat TT, and some friends.

It would be exciting though.

Thanks for that hippy, very insightful.

So would a correct reading of this graph be that if you're climbing at > 1700m/h you're probably doping? Which would suggest that Sky aren't..?

As you will see up thread, w/kg is a better measure than VAM which is partly governed by conditions and characteristics of the climb.

On that score, most climbs have been run off at 6 watts / kg, which is accepted as a threshold for clean athletes.

what were dov and joe smiff's climb rates up the col du galibier ?

8.7 w/kg. They both tested positive for red stripe and bullshit.

So when the commentators on ITV4 say that Wiggins will be the first British winner, why are they discounting the win of Roche in 1987?

He is by definition from the British Isles, therefore making him British...
I assume you are only taking the piss, but just in case you are genuinely stupid, you'll find that most Irish people object to the term British Isles. There has never been a British tdf winner. But there have been irish winners.

According to Strava, Dov did Galibier in 645 m/h. Dope control tests aren't in yet.