Tour de France 2012

Bruyneel tweeting in support of Brad. Oh great.

outbursts show your human, the digs and whispers have probably been going on for a while and I assume Wiggins has tried to ignore it, but now he's in yellow and looking much improved on the vertical stuff, the whispers grow louder, what should be a proud but tense moment - he hasn't actually won the thing yet - is being besmirched by those who want to say he's doping, without proof to back it up.

I'm all for someone having a dig at those who want to sully your good name, every once in a while, you've got to turn round and give them a good slap.

Anyway Pinot was amazing, and so was the team manager, got to love how passionate he was for his rider to get FDJ's first stage win since 2003 I think. Especially since it was in and around the area where he grew up, makes it even more special. Getting a tear just thinking about it...

These stories, the little moments, which are bound in the big moments, are what make the tour special for me. Biggest win of Pinot's racing life so far, in his backyard for a French team, makes the tour a beautiful thing, especially after the destruction of so many dreams on previous days.

I'm supporting Cadel from here on in. I hope he and Nibali attack every time the road goes downhill.

Who were you supporting before?

I'm supporting Cadel from here on in. I hope he and Nibali attack every time the road goes downhill.

Alfonsina Strada

The truth ruth is that you can't ride well without being suspected of doping. What resonated with me was the effort and sacrifice you have to put, and that he's been putting in, is dismissed so readily. That would fuck me off no end.

so aside from doping chat .....predictions tomorrow?

looks like it might rain maybe

Cancellara, martin or wiggins? will wiggins take time out of cadel?

Martin for the win (I hope). Wiggins to make another marginal gain on Evans but nothing decisive.

Martin for the win (I hope). Wiggins to make another marginal gain on Evans but nothing decisive.

sounds about right. Martin looked strong in the prologue until he had a mishap.Runs on a silly gear!

Not quite true. There wasn't the same level of suspicion with Evans last year. The team wide strength of Sky, the emergence of some riders (Froome) and the resurrection of others (Rogers) is bound to provoke questions. Either Sky riders train harder and better than the majority of the peloton or they have found an edge. If they want people to believe it is the former they need to substantiate it with reams of data. Calling them lazy cunts isn't very constructive.

Which they do, frequently. You answer your own suspicions: they train harder and better, and they are very well funded. Just lazier to call them cheats. I think he got it spot on

Wout Poels is still in a bad way.

I don't suppose there were any cameras who caught Wiggins press conference?

Just back from holiday where I've barely managed to watch anything. Some observations from an epic day of watching recorded highlights.

1) Sagan - wow.
2) Evans is going to put himself through absolute hell to keep with pace with Wiggins. Some of his expressions at full gas are priceless. This will be an epic battle unless Wiggins puts a minute into him tomorrow (unlikely).
3) Cavendish is going to struggle without his train. Yes - he got round Greipel for one win but it's looking harder to time every race. Very surprised to see him get beaten by Goss in the intermediate. Losing weight has slowed him.
4) Johan van Summeren is this year's Hoogerland.

J
3) Cavendish is going to struggle without his train. Yes - he got round Greipel for one win but it's looking harder to time every race. Very surprised to see him get beaten by Goss in the intermediate. Losing weight has slowed him.

Fuck off. Has Greipel gotten faster because he's eaten more pies?

Cavendish has been involved in one flat sprint finish so far in this Tour, he won it.

Out of interest, if it's not fat he has lost, how has he lost 4 kilos? How do you lose muscle in a relatively short space of time?

drill holes in your bones. dead weight

Course he's lost power. That weight will be muscle as well as fat. He's acknowledged it himself.

Fairly sure I've read that Greipel has lost some weight too.

Yeah - I know that article.
I think the only response is to patiently and repeatedly explain why your performance is credible supported by biological data. Sky have tried to do that, so sticking to that approach would serve him and the team best. Outbursts give the impression of something to hide unfortunately.

Do they do that? Publish their bio data, I mean.

5) That guy doing the Tour de Francis on the ITV4 idents is a helmet.

Which they do, frequently. You answer your own suspicions: they train harder and better, and they are very well funded. Just lazier to call them cheats. I think he got it spot on

Where?

http://i49.tinypic.com/334oj9u.jpg

Not quite true. There wasn't the same level of suspicion with Evans last year. The team wide strength of Sky, the emergence of some riders (Froome) and the resurrection of others (Rogers) is bound to provoke questions. Either Sky riders train harder and better than the majority of the peloton or they have found an edge. If they want people to believe it is the former they need to substantiate it with reams of data. Calling them lazy cunts isn't very constructive.

http://www.lfgss.com/post2941686-1495.html

http://www.lfgss.com/post2941703-1500.html

Why are you now so suspicious of Sky?

Probably been listening to that trouble-maker wiganwil...

http://i49.tinypic.com/334oj9u.jpg

Nice. Where are you going to be waving it? Eurosport are going back to LMNH again.

I might do a "please don't fall off or drop a chain or get a p*ncture" one.

"Go Bradley" is another option.