Tour de France 2012

^^^ That would make Evans the gollum, Schleck the elf, Voekler... another elf, I suppose Sagan would have to be the wizard, Cav the dwarf and Froome the guy who is a bit of a judas and then gets offed.

If Mrs Froome's twitterings are distracting from your enjoyment of the tour simply choose not to follow her. And maybe don't post them here.

It's not as if they have anything to do with the reality of the racing.

+1
Not a twatter user myself but from what I know, one is not forced to follow peoples inane comments are they?

Is Froome confirmed for the Vuelta? Might keep my eurosportplayer subscription alive a bit longer..

Hang on, hang on. Just a couple of pages ago, you (GL) were bigging up the slow creeping death of the sky train.

I don't deny that, I admired the grinding dominance that allowed them to take seconds then minutes from their rivals, but there was an open opportunity there to take a stage and it went from a slow, smothering of GC rivals to Wiggins holding back a rider who could have taken a classy victory (from a cheating fucker, to boot!)

Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of pantomime from Froome there, accelerating a little before dawdling and wafting a beckoning hand to Wiggins - it was all for the camera, riding one handed to show of his strength and superiority, and let everyone know it was only Wiggins holding him back from victory.

The cracks have appeared in the united front that Sky has used to obliterate this Tour, and now it is easier to scrutinize individual performances, weigh up loylaties and measure who really is the best rider on the team.

I still think Froome will move next year and he will be a pale shadow of the rider he has been, and perhaps deep down he knows that, and that his why he wants to make hay while the sun shine with as many stages as possible.

Rather than listen to the bitchy comments of his gf, here is what Froome had to say:-
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/07/news/no-regrets-for-chris-froome-who-says-hes-content-to-work-for-bradley-wiggins_230701
He didn't sound quite so convincing when he was interviewed warming down after the race.

But then again, he's human (mostly) and was probably a little tired & emotional.

@ Yemble

Contador will be riding.

Which evokes mixed feelings (to say the least).

Contador is going to have to find a new trainer, given his has just been given a lifetime ban from the sport.

I just hope everyone isn't talking it up and Wiggins hurts himself today.

So are you just hoping that Wiggins hurts himself today and that we are not just talking things up?

Really?
Does any one have first hand knowledge, or is this all opinion and conjecture?

I'm beginning to understand why some of you longer term followers of the sport (andyp) are such jaded fuckers...

Even if Contador wins with an amazing ride I can't get behind it.

History is still quite unkind about Indurain's victories. He smashed nearly all the TTs he took part in, and in a classy way too, but they are damning about his time in the mountains.

You're right not to say they are right; only a history that knows nothing about history would not have remembered how brilliant Indurain was in the mountains, how many stage victories he gifted in the mountains (two in a row to Rominger, one year) and how he never lost any time in the mountains to anyone who could win over all - until Mr 60% came along.
The way Sky go about training and analysis they must know exactly how strong - or weak - Froome is. But like RPM said, this year it is for Wiggins, the Olympic champion, the Londoner, not the male Zola Budd who's accent makes it a bit hard to sell him as a great British champion.
I think people are underestimating Frroome; if he'd been in Liquigas, BMC, RadioShack or even Astana this year I think there would be seconds in it between him and Wiggins. And not necessarily in Wiggins' favour.

Really?
Does any one have first hand knowledge, or is this all opinion and conjecture?

It's all waffle, but I kind of like that about this sport! None of us are experts, we're fans! That's why we spout off like this with no real expert knowledge. Perhaps this Tour will be one of the most talked about in the modern era because of the way it was ridden, because of the relationships between the GC contendors.

COME ON TIM!!!

I still think Froome will move next year and he will be a pale shadow of the rider he has been, and perhaps deep down he knows that, and that his why he wants to make hay while the sun shine with as many stages as possible.

How do contracts in cycling work: he's signed a four year one apparently. If he wants to move to another team does he/they have to buy him out of it? Or will he have a get out clause? Or is it simply a question of resigning?

There's more chance of Frank Schleck moving to Sky next year than there is of Froome leaving.

You're right not to say they are right; only a history that knows nothing about history would not have remembered how brilliant Indurain was in the mountains, how many stage victories he gifted in the mountains (two in a row to Rominger, one year) and how he never lost any time in the mountains to anyone who could win over all - until Mr 60% came along.

Personally I thought Indurain rode with grace and style in the mountains, especially for a big lad. His gifting of wins is very much part of the Spanish culture of stage racing and I love it, but the historians don't appreciate it, which is a crying shame.

That's why I'm worried that Wiggins' win won't be seen for what it is - a titanic team effort to place one man on the podium, riding against the whole peloton and riding clean, and in the process taking 1st AND 2nd. A stupendous feat, and the story has been riveting.

There's more chance of Frank Schleck moving to Sky next year than there is of Froome leaving.

A very fat cheque can turn any head. I reckon he'll have bought out of Sky by Christmas.

I am already salivating over next years tour. Whether Froome is still at Sky or not, there will b a degree more freedom for him to stamp his hold on the stages and ultimately the jersey. It could be legendary in terms of competition in the early stages while they fight for ultimate team support in the latter.

There's more chance of Frank Schleck moving to Sky next year than there is of Froome leaving.

Surely they don't let Yates drive the deathstar. Perhaps Frank could do that?

http://inrng.com/2012/07/romanticism-prudhomme-tour/

The inner ring has this excellent piece about this year's route. I can't say I have found this year's race especially exciting - has there been a period of even five minutes, or even two minutes, when Wiggins has looked like losing the yellow jersey? His main rival is on his own team and other rivals crashed out or didn't start. The mountains competition has been enjoyable though and has a decent winner for the first time in donkey's years.

Did anybody see Yates in his post-stage interview saying that they didn't give Froome the OK to go for the win because, not having TV pictures in the car, they didn't know the situation?

Funny to see this in the gallery today:

An earlier caption stating: "The car has TV pictures beamed in - here's Edvald Boasson Hagen setting the pace on the front again"

How do contracts in cycling work: he's signed a four year one apparently. If he wants to move to another team does he/they have to buy him out of it? Or will he have a get out clause? Or is it simply a question of resigning?

It is very rare for anyone to break a contract, the only example I can think of is when Sky bought Wiggins out of his Garmin contract and Slipstream, the management company behind Garmin, were compensated generously.

The only way I could see Froome leaving is if one of the teams backed by a wealthy benefactor, so essentially BMC or Quick Step now following Team Leopard's documented problems, desperately wanted him. BMC would seem to have a Tour GC replacement for Evans already signed up in Van Garderen, which leaves Quick Step, who do not have a good track record of signing GC riders.

There's more chance of Frank Schleck moving to Sky next year than there is of Froome leaving.

I agree: there is a long term plan here. I've said already I feel this should be Wiggo's one and only Tour win, and that long term Froome will be the number one and has the capapcity to be a multiple GT winner. I can see Bradley having a tilt at the Giro next year though, then riding in support of Froome in next year's Tour

... which leaves Quick Step, who do not have a good track record of signing GC riders.

That's my fear. Spooge a wad on Froomey, watch him wither on the vine. They've done it with GC hopefuls in the past!

And I'm sure all those talking about this "boring" tour wouldn't think it was boring if they were British and had spent the last 30 years watching it as some kind of strange foreign thing where maybe there'd be some plucky Brit finishing 2nd to last.

1987 and the ANC Halfords tour was my first experience of watching, and even 10 years ago I would have bet a lot of money I would never see a British winner. It just seemed so impossible, it just would never, ever happen.

The bigger picture illustrated

ITV 1 is showing the Paris finishing stage live 2-5pm

I might even cry a little bit on Sunday.

Reckon SKY will make Froome-dog drop back a bit today to ensure he can't accidently win the Tour, should Wiggo have a mechnical or worse in the TT tomorrow?