Tour de France 2016

Are we allowed to spoil your enjoyment, by telling you the result?

I think 'spoilers' are the responsibility of the readers. That said, I'm pretty happy to see Cav in yellow  (emoticon intended to resemble Stage 1's winner).

I rather like a short time trial as the first one, rather then a sprint...

Cav is a happy man!!!

Watching it live on itv4 

A good 1st stage start yesterday, from Mont-Saint-Michel to Utah Beach

Fabulous helicopter shots of the beautiful scenery, and great close up shots from the moto cameras.

I really winced seeing Alberto Contador's shoulder damage after a heavy fall, that looked very raw. Plus, in a separate crash another guy fell even more heavily with a hospital trip for collar-bone x-ray.

Strange how you often get a one or two opportunists hang on out in front with just a 30 second lead, it was inedible they would get caught - makes one wonder why they burn up so much strength so early in the 3 week race - unless it's good sponsorship advertising, Howes and Delaplace will be two very tired riders during todays stage 2.

Typical sprinters finish, a few [following] riders crashing down heavily, very nasty to look at, but not to affect the stage race result. Fortunately everyone involved in yesterdays sprint finish crash was declared fit to start for todays race. 

Well done Mark Cavendish for a fine win. Great to see a Brit in Yellow : )

And the coverage is so much better without Paul Sherwen!

Bert Schurink posted:

I rather like a short time trial as the first one, rather then a sprint...

The Prologue: i agree, it was a good close up and individual way to see who was riding, and to award the first maillot jaune. 

But i also miss the Team Time Trial set in the few week, the spectacle, space age aerodynamic equipment and clothing, team work and usually drama : )

Debs

Nick from Suffolk posted:

And the coverage is so much better without Paul Sherwen!

My favourite cycling commentator was David Duffield, who sadly passed away in February this year, age 84 : (

naim_nymph posted:

Strange how you often get a one or two opportunists hang on out in front with just a 30 second lead, it was inedible they would get caught - makes one wonder why they burn up so much strength so early in the 3 week race - unless it's good sponsorship advertising, Howes and Delaplace will be two very tired riders during todays stage 2.

Howes and Delaplace will be a little richer today. (or their team will)

2,000 Euro for the most combative rider, awarded each day and 1,500/1000/500 Euro for 1/2/3 in the intermediate sprints.

naim_nymph posted:

Nick from Suffolk posted:

And the coverage is so much better without Paul Sherwen!

My favourite cycling commentator was David Duffield, who sadly passed away in February this year, age 84 : (

+1

David Duffield was the king of commentating, the Murray Walker of cycling.

Often politically incorect, but very entertaing, even more so when he got things completely wrong.

Nick from Suffolk posted:

And the coverage is so much better without Paul Sherwen!

Eurosports the way to go, Expertise from Sean Kelly and entertainment from Carlton Kirby.

Anyone here supporting any teams?

and if so which team and why?

I'm favouring  team Cannondale but only because i ride one [since last November] and i like the colour green 

The list:

Ag2r - La Mondiale : Focus 

Astana : Specialized 

BMC Racing : BMC

Cannondale : Cannondale 

Dimension Data : Cervelo 

Etixx-Quick Step : Specialized 

FDJ : Lapierre

Giant-Alpecin : Giant 

IAM Cycling : Scott

Katusha : Canyon 

Lamer-Merida : Merida 

Lotto-Souldal  : Ridley 

Lotto-NL Jumbo : Bianchi 

Movistar : Canyon 

Orica-GreenEdge : Scott 

Team Sky : Pinarello 

Tinkoff : Specialized 

Trek-Segafredo : Trek 

Bora-Argon 18 : Argon 18

Cofidis : Orbea 

Direct Energy : BH

Fortuneo Vital Concept : Look 

I will support Team Sky - I think I'm paying for most of it 

I am going AG 2R as I have a Focus cross bike.

But being British,. routing for team Sky and hoping Froome can get his 3rd tour.

Good to see Sagan win today and his explosive sprint to the line and the yellow jersey

Cav hands the jersey to Sagan. Not many complaints to have those two debuting in yellow at the start of a Tour. Did Sagan really not know that he was sprinting for the win?

As for teams, I will follow Sky because I think Froome and Geraint Thomas in particular are two fine riders who I hope will light up the latter parts of the race. Froome is an ugly bugger on a bike but clearly hard as nails. G just seems a bit mad.

I was a bit sad to see Porte lose time yesterday, I would have liked to see him involved in the GC shake up. His comments on leaving Sky were interesting-few sportsman generally leave a team with so little rancour and so much mutual respect.

I have a feeling Quintana may actually win the GC. Will one of Pinot/Bardet make the podium? Contador looks a bit beaten up already.

Bruce

naim_nymph posted:

I'm favouring  team Cannondale but only because i ride one [since last November] and i like the colour green 

My wife and I each have a Specialized MTB and a Specialized road bike. Always liked them, but in the past few years I've bought Treks for my son and daughter. Never rode a BMC but I'll root for the American team - Tejay born just 20 miles from where I live - and with Porte's plights Tejay now seems the presumptive team leader. Long way to go though and I'm hoping Tejay can make it through to the finish and grab a podium. That said, don't count out Richie at this stage.

 July 4

Stage 3 is about to start:
From: Granville to Angers
Length: 223.5km
Category: Flat
Start 11.55 CET
Finish 17.22 CET

Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk...#8o9aHz8MqJtMQXlL.99

Very few difficulties on the roads today, fairly flat, or fairly gentle rolling hills should ensure another sprint finish at Angers.

Lots of beautiful French scenery and architecture on today's route to admire from the helicopter shots today, probably be more interesting than the race, but we'll see : )

Debs

And the route passes through Fougeres, with its own small version of the Carcassonne castle.

I would like to see a Frenchman winning the GC this year. I cannot support Froome and the tiresome Sky team; their links to the evil Murdoch are just too big to stomach.

Nick from Suffolk posted:

And the route passes through Fougeres, with its own small version of the Carcassonne castle.

I would like to see a Frenchman winning the GC this year. I cannot support Froome and the tiresome Sky team; their links to the evil Murdoch are just too big to stomach.

 

Some of the other teams have pretty dodgy folk involved in their backgrounds too, but point taken. For me team Sky put Wiggins on the top step of the podium-all can therefore be forgiven.

I think it would be great for the race to have a Frenchman right up there. Voeckler gurned his way around the Tour de Yorkshire this spring, to much delight from the crowds here.

2yrs ago we were out in our hundreds of thousands to watch the Tour in my beautiful part of the world. The legacy has been clear and shown in all sorts of ways on the area and on cycling particularly.

Bruce

It's going through my parents village of Magalas next week, with its whopping 110m climb! They're not excited. But the rest of the place are jumping!!!

joerand posted:

naim_nymph posted:

I'm favouring  team Cannondale but only because i ride one [since last November] and i like the colour green 

My wife and I each have a Specialized MTB and a Specialized road bike. Always liked them, but in the past few years I've bought Treks for my son and daughter. Never rode a BMC but I'll root for the American team - Tejay born just 20 miles from where I live - and with Porte's plights Tejay now seems the presumptive team leader. Long way to go though and I'm hoping Tejay can make it through to the finish and grab a podium. That said, don't count out Richie at this stage.

Tejay won't finish.

My "support" is for the gutsy and classy riders. I like Cav, because he's proven to be the best sprinter in the TdF of all time. He's matured over the years and seems genuinely gracious nowadays.

I like Sagan because there are few races that he doesn't race to win. His finishing record in the TdF is phenomenal. I can't find the stat, but it's something like he's been top 10 in 75% of stages he's raced. There's no-one else who would even come close. He can be hanging onto climbers over Cat 1 climbs one day, and within a wheel of pure printers the next. Unique.

Laurens Ten Dam is also a gutsy and classy rider (if a bit "snotty"). His chance at the really big time a few years back was derailed by dopers.

There aren't many (any?) of the GC guys I have any time for, and I find the race for GC to be pretty boring most of the time. My respect for Froome is increasing as he continues to ride with class. He's pretty ugly on a bike, but rarely puts a foot wrong and says the right things. Seems a nice guy. Quintana doesn't seem exciting to me. He's doing what it takes, but I'm not sure I like his style of racing.

I have my villains, too. I can't stand Gerrans' or Matthews' style of wheel-sucking opportunistic racing, never making anything happen and yet rarely winning. I'm not sure why they are there. They can go a whole season without ever seeing clear road in front of them. Invisible riders whose reputation is way overblown.

The country from which a rider happens to originate generally makes zero difference to me. It's irrelevant, although it's good to see Daniel Teklehaimanot doing well from a difficult circumstance. Having spent time in Eritrea, I have a soft-spot for the people there. 

winkyincanada posted:

My "support" is for the gutsy and classy riders. I like Cav, because he's proven to be the best sprinter in the TdF of all time. He's matured over the years and seems genuinely gracious nowadays.

I like Sagan because there are few races that he doesn't race to win. His finishing record in the TdF is phenomenal. I can't find the stat, but it's something like he's been top 10 in 75% of stages he's raced. There's no-one else who would even come close. He can be hanging onto climbers over Cat 1 climbs one day, and within a wheel of pure printers the next. Unique.

 

 

Agree about Cav I used to think he was a bit cocky but he was winning 4 - 5 stages every tour and if you talk the talk he did back it up and some.He comes over as a really nice guy these days and with his 2 kids hes in a nice place in his life.

Agree about Sagan.As you say so consistent and strong a awesome classic specialist and tour rider.Loving the hair style....rock n roll !

I think if Cav gets a medal at Rio he will retire a very happy man. He seems to be slated for the Omnium and maybe also the team pursuit. The latter is potentially going to be some race vs the Aussies.

I think an indication of the respect he had at Sky (and also how Wiggo is a top bloke) was watching the yellow jersey in the leadout train on the Champs Elysee so he could get a stage win in 2012 having carried water bottles all Tour. He then nailed the sprint. I was quite emotional!

I don't expect him to make it to Paris this year because of Olympic commitments but then I did not really expect him to win any stages this year either.

Bruce