Tour de France 2015

It'll be interesting to see who Sky pick. Lots of options and the likes of Poels have ridden themselves right into contention.

Who are the absolute nailed on definites? Only Froome and Thomas really. They threw a lot of resources at the Giro and got nothing from it. You wonder what sort of state Kiriyenka and Konig will be in.

They need some beef to keep Froome safe in the first week and to make sure they don't lose time in the TTT or get bullied in the crosswinds.

Good mix of parcours to give teams a bit of thinking.

Did Richie save a bit from the Giro, after his bout of bad Luck, to make selection?

I assumed he'd be Froome right hand man.

Poels and Roche are sure to be picked.

Roche's form suggests he won't.

I'd pick Deignan over Roche (based on current form).

https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/612223302220783618/photo/1

Roche looks like he's shitting in his bibs there. Don't think I'd want to be on his wheel up an alpe.

I think he probably did once he knew he was out of contention.

He's pretty nailed on to go.

sky long list:

Chris Froome (GBR)
Geraint Thomas (GBR)
Leopold Konig (CZE)
Mikel Nieve (ESP)
Richie Porte (AUS)
Peter Kennaugh (GBR)
Ian Stannard (GBR)
Danny Pate (USA)
Sergio Henao (COL)
Luke Rowe (GBR)
Wout Poels (NED)

@dubtap will be delighted to hear that Tyler Farrar has made the MTN-Qhubeka line up.

£5 on Tyler wearing green in Paris!

Sky saying that long list shouldn't have gone out, final 9 will be confirmed in due course.

Hope that Sky send a strong British contingent this year

Too right, #whereswiggo

He's hardly been on form this year. One top 10 in 2015?

That is form for Tyler. Look forward to the inevitable crash sprinting for 8th and then a massive televised tantrum outside somebody's team bus.

No Kiri or Siutsou on the long list? Hmmmmm.

Suspect Stannard and Rowe will go. Pate as road captain?

How do you accidentally leak something on to a website? Did someone just come up with a random list of names and it somehow turned up in the site? I work in publishing and I've never accidentally brushed past a button that made me publish something really close to the truth but was definitely not the case.

Has anyone got a download link for the roadbook in English please?

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2015/us/linkExtranetFiles/us/tdf15-lr-uk-bd_1433865678.pdf

Login details?

I didn't need any.

It's in my dropbox too now, so try:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/69r9ckgbmab5360/TDF%20roadbook%202015.pdf?dl=0

Thanks. I like to pretend I'm a DS and the roadbook is a good prop.

I'll steal a lanyard from work and I'm good to go.

Do you have a regrettable history of doping to confess too?

'It's best for young riders to learn from someone who's already made the mistakes I have.'

I pace round the lounge saying this sort of shit.

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