Tour De France 2011

There's a German version, too:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Ochsenfurt,+Germany&hl=en&sll=39.785386,-75.978835&sspn=0.029482,0.055189&z=11

Ha! Never thought about that.

What Will said...

It was the unwritten rule that no-one attacked while a favourite was taking a piss, but one time when Greg LeMond was taking a 'comfort break' at the side of the road the hostile peloton gave it full gas and he had to chase on for fucking miles before he caught the bunch.

After that, any time he wanted a piss he would get a team mate to push as he freewheeled along, pissing into the wind.

As a side note, Greg also shat himself very badly once on a climb. He was sick as a dog and had bad guts, a let rip right in the middle of the race. Other riders reported that he stank something terrible, and that it was running out of his shorts and coating his bike.

He finished the stage.

Like a boss.

There is nothing boss-like about shitting yourself.

yeah but being so ill you shit yourself AND finishing a stage of one of the toughest races there is.

THAT is boss-like.

Being that ill but holding it in, that's boss-like.

Anally retentive ≠ Boss-like

Did'nt he get the worst case of nappy rash ever?

I'm starting to understand why Hippy recommends Sudacream for use as chamois cream now.

Scatological debates aside, what are the expectations for today?

I would love to see a dark horse launch a stinging attack on the Tourmalet. Could Sanchez and Euskaltel try something? Gain time on the descent and hold it for the final climb?

I appreciate this won't happen.

By the by - just got back from going over the stage 18 route (by motorbike alas)
Col Agnel is an utter beast...it goes on for such a long way and has several long ramps up to 14% once you're out of the treeline. It's going to put a powerful hurt in before izoard and galibier. More ideal for bertie than schleckles I'd wager.

Still think Basso finishes 3rd.

Any takers for viewing today's glorious stage at a London hostelry?

where?

Jonny was talking about Bar Italia, I can see that getting rammed out tho'... Any ideas? Somewhere central-ish with a decent sized TV... Bar Kick on Whoreditch High Street?

Is anywhere in Clerkenwell playing this shit? Getting bored of watching highlights and can easily skip out today. LMNH is prob a bit far in case I need to be back in an emergency.

<reminisces of the days when the Nice-But-Pricey pop-up shop was next door to my office.

Anally retentive ≠ Boss-like

It's like a good number of my bloody bosses.

Back to scatalogical matters; the best story I heard was from the Tour in the early 1990s when Breukink was riding for ONCE. He had a case of the squitters and had to go in his shorts. Neil Stephens was sent back to the team car for a towel and a clean pair of shorts which he delivered to Breukink. He got changed whilst on the move and cleaned himself up with a towel, rolled the soiled shorts into the towel and threw it onto the verge, where it landed right in front of a schoolkid who thought he'd hit the jackpot in getting some cool pro cyclist kit. One can only imagine his surprise, shock and disgust when he realised what his bounty actually was.

Cool story, bro.

^ how the fuck do you change shorts on the move?!

With the assistance of your ever faithful domestiques.

Apparently when LeMond had the shits he told one of his domestiques to give him his cap and then put it down his shorts as a sort of crap-catcher. Another souvenir you wouldn't want to pick up from the road side.

If Contador is not bluffing today I think he will win.

^ how the fuck do you change shorts on the move?!

Scissors help.

Retreat to the team cars. Cameras out of sight.

Snip through the bibs parts.

Cut through shorts. Uncleat one shoe. Remove one leg. Discard. Pull on one leg of new shorts. Cleat shoe and uncleat other shoe. Remove other leg. Put on second leg of new shorts. Recleat. Remove jersey. Pull up bibs. Replace jersey.

Drop back behind car and spring forward back to peleton.

Should all be done within 90 seconds.

Teams run through this procedure repeatedly in training*

[*bollocks]

Apparently when LeMond had the shits he told one of his domestiques to give him his cap and then put it down his shorts as a sort of crap-catcher. Another souvenir you wouldn't want to pick up from the road side.

It is said that Simpson did this. LeMond was only copying.

bib shorts too! ha!

Is anywhere in Clerkenwell playing this shit? Getting bored of watching highlights and can easily skip out today. LMNH is prob a bit far in case I need to be back in an emergency.

<reminisces of the days when the Nice-But-Pricey pop-up shop was next door to my office.

You're in Clerkenwell and LMNH is too far?

You, my friend, need a Eurosport Player subscription for the remainder of the tour.

[edit]Bespoke Cycling near Exmouth Market might be showing it.

I will be sat at my desk workingwatching the tour.

Joyeux Le Quatorze Juillet!

You're in Clerkenwell and LMNH is too far?

You, my friend, need a Eurosport Player subscription for the remainder of the tour.

[edit]Bespoke Cycling near Exmouth Market might be showing it.

Opposite the top of Leather Lane. It's not really 'too far' but I'm anticipating that if I do sack off work today then I'll get some emergency call and need to be back in 2 minutes - I don't have a bike lock with me so wouldn't want to cycle to LMNH so it's about a ten/maybe fifteen minute walk.

Eurosport player subscription it is I think (though I'll check out that BC place, ta)