Tour de France 2013

Porte dropped Contador? Ahahahahaha!

Porte looked very pleased with himself.

Great stage.

Maybe it's Richie Porte's turn next year?

Where's Jens?

Great fucking tour. Can't wait for twilight Champs Elyzees

The Mrs is getting the coach over there tomorrow, I'll spend the day on the bike I reckon, containing my envy by smashing it up hills.

Whats tickled Chris?

Shame Kreuziger didn't smash it and put Contador down a further place. That would have been particularly amusing.

Perfect final stage.

Laughed so fucking hard when Contador got dropped (maybe my favourite moment of the tour so far). Great ride from Purito to get onto the podium and excellent win from Quintana.

Each to their own I suppose... As much as I admire his performance, I simply can't warm to Froome.

I know what you mean, but it seems likely that if anyone is going to win le tour clean, they're going to more head down watt-counting and less solo heroics. So if it's more boring but more believable that seems like a good tradeoff. Inspiring respect instead of warmth?

Edit: not implying anything definitely about anyone, obviously. WTF do I know. And sky have done the solo thing in this tour as we've seen.

The Mrs is getting the coach over there tomorrow, I'll spend the day on the bike I reckon, containing my envy by smashing it up hills.

I'm racing in the morning and so glad for once I'll get to see the stage live rather than watch the recording in the evening.

Best TdF in a long time I reckon.

Nairo earned me £150 as well on my cheeky flutter.

kotm, malliot blanc and top 3 finish, not bad for a first timer.

Another wheelie across the finish line from Sagan. Standard.

Another wheelie across the finish line from Sagan. Standard.

And dull now.

He did skidz too.....nearly took out his team mate

Skidz and wheelies, well good.

Skidz and wheelies, well good.

TBH a bit more entertaining than checking power meter.

Excellent tour this time. Froome is a very entertaining rider and Quintana has been phenomenal. This change of generation will no doubt benefit cycling. Next year, I'd like to see Nibali focus on the Tour (or even better: Froome focus on the Giro*).

*Isn't going to happen, I know.

Looking back on Tour de France in 20 years time, if not sooner, unfortunately Team Sky, including Wiggo and Froome, will go down in history as the ones who killed some formidable qualities such as instinct, guts, bravery and spontaneity let alone passion, heart and soul, just to mention a few forgotten elements of the sport that can't be computer calculated and listed on spreadsheets - basically everything I love and treasure about professional cycling having followed it and been part of the sport one way or another for nearly 40 years. By then undoubtedly pro teams will simply compare Watt diagrams and do a round of honours in Paris and the race will be over and done with.

Don't get me wrong; fabulous performance by Froome and Sky - you can't take that away from them - but today the Tour de France and pro cycling died a little bit, and this is just the beginning. Good day for Froome and Team Sky, not so good for cycling and Tour de France.

^That is an idiosyncratic assessment. I've heard several people remark this is one of the most exciting Tours in years. To me, there was just one boring hilly stage (yesterday's). Hell, there were even several exciting flat stages this time.

My word Lynchman, you really do come out with some utter rubbish. I guess given the amount you post it's just a lack of quality control, but do you really believe what you've just written? That Sky in 2012 and 2013 effectively killed passion in the sport and reduced it to nothing but the result of a spreadsheet?

I've not watched a huge amount of cycling in the past, but watching Bakelants stay away to win the second stage ahead of a rabid peloton was one of the best sporting moments I've seen.

Lolz armchair fans are the best. This is like the football thread but with precious little input from cliveo

Lynchman....whataloadofshite.