OFFICIAL - Le Tour 2017.

Dumbledore · Post by **Dumbledore** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:31 pm

Best stage so far. Bertie doesn't have the legs any more which is a shame, love that he still has a crack though

BlackMac · Post by **BlackMac** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:32 pm

GDBFC99 wrote:Contador still showing what a real champ is about, kicked it off for our enjoyment.

Shame to Aru, Bardet and the likes. Top tactical race from Sky.

Not sure what else Aru could have done.

Laurent · Post by **Laurent** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:34 pm

Great race

Barguil deserves it and is relatively safe on the mountain with 60 points on the closest chaser

guy smiley · Post by **guy smiley** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:35 pm

BlackMac wrote:
GDBFC99 wrote:Contador still showing what a real champ is about, kicked it off for our enjoyment.

Shame to Aru, Bardet and the likes. Top tactical race from Sky.
Not sure what else Aru could have done.

That MJ group actually did ok despite the annoying looking cat and mouse stuff... the gap could have got right out on them and they didn't let it.

Aru did what he had to but it must have been a gamble to leave Landa out the front like that.

guy smiley · Post by **guy smiley** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:36 pm

Dumbledore wrote:Best stage so far. Bertie doesn't have the legs any more which is a shame, love that he still has a crack though

Hey little brother, I forgot to say... Happy Birthday

Laurent · Post by **Laurent** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:38 pm

guy smiley wrote:
BlackMac wrote:
GDBFC99 wrote:Contador still showing what a real champ is about, kicked it off for our enjoyment.

Shame to Aru, Bardet and the likes. Top tactical race from Sky.
Not sure what else Aru could have done.
That MJ group actually did ok despite the annoying looking cat and mouse stuff... the gap could have got right out on them and they didn't let it.

Aru did what he had to but it must have been a gamble to leave Landa out the front like that.

Aru's team was nowhere near the group.
Ag2R is stronger but not strong enough to do what sky are doing. They had 3 in top 10.

The team score shows Sky is 19 minutes ahead of AG2R...

GDBFC99 · Post by **GDBFC99** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:39 pm

BlackMac wrote:
GDBFC99 wrote:Contador still showing what a real champ is about, kicked it off for our enjoyment.

Shame to Aru, Bardet and the likes. Top tactical race from Sky.
Not sure what else Aru could have done.

Attack Froome who was having a hard time yesterday and others. He's a crap TT rider but very good in descents, worst that could happen was to isolate a group of 3-4 along him while eliminating some other favourites. He clearly won't have any teammates around him in the mountain stages at any point later in the race, today had potential with Froome left alone.

The worst are AG2R, they were 3 at some point in the lead group but didn't take any responsibility.

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:39 pm

BlackMac wrote:
GDBFC99 wrote:Contador still showing what a real champ is about, kicked it off for our enjoyment.

Shame to Aru, Bardet and the likes. Top tactical race from Sky.
Not sure what else Aru could have done.

Yeah, Aru was isolated early, unlike Bardet.

I think he could have cooperated a bit more with Uran and Bardet after the descent. The onus was really on the top GC riders to chase the threat, instead of leaving it to Martin. If those 4 had rode together, Landa would've gained a minute at the most. Now they've allowed another Sky rider right back into the mix in the GC.

GDBFC99 · Post by **GDBFC99** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:47 pm

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:48 pm

GDBFC99 wrote:
BlackMac wrote:
GDBFC99 wrote:Contador still showing what a real champ is about, kicked it off for our enjoyment.

Shame to Aru, Bardet and the likes. Top tactical race from Sky.
Not sure what else Aru could have done.
Attack Froome who was having a hard time yesterday and others. He's a crap TT rider but very good in descents, worst that could happen was to isolate a group of 3-4 along him while eliminating some other favourites. He clearly won't have any teammates around him in the mountain stages at any point later in the race, today had potential with Froome left alone.

The worst are AG2R, they were 3 at some point in the lead group but didn't take any responsibility.

Froome was never alone. When Nieve got dropped, Kwiatkowski came back to the yellow group. And as much as he hasn't been on his best in the Pyrenees, he's covered most of the attacks. If Aru is going to put time into Froome, he has to do it in the Alps.

Dumbledore · Post by **Dumbledore** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:52 pm

guy smiley wrote:
Dumbledore wrote:Best stage so far. Bertie doesn't have the legs any more which is a shame, love that he still has a crack though

Hey little brother, I forgot to say... Happy Birthday

Cheers amigo! Got up nice and early to watch the Bombers dick the Saints, then caught Bertie wheeling back the clock a bit. Been a very solid day so far

Beaver_Shark · Post by **Beaver_Shark** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:16 pm

I'd love for Landa to go rogue!

Hawk97 · Post by **Hawk97** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:47 pm

Landa is some rider

Hawk97 · Post by **Hawk97** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:47 pm

Beaver_Shark wrote:I'd love for Landa to go rogue!

Yeah same. Next year

Vamos!

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:51 pm

Video of Dan Martin after getting off his bike in Foix;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... ge-legend/

Openside · Post by **Openside** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:57 pm

I hate cycling but the tour is the best thing since sliced bread, today's stage was utterly gripping!!

EverReady · Post by **EverReady** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:32 pm

DOB wrote:Video of Dan Martin after getting off his bike in Foix;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... ge-legend/

Only for that bollox Armstrong they could have filled poor old Dan with fizzy juice by now

Openside · Post by **Openside** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:41 pm

EverReady wrote:
DOB wrote:Video of Dan Martin after getting off his bike in Foix;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... ge-legend/
Only for that bollox Armstrong they could have filled poor old Dan with fizzy juice by now

I am like that every time I get off a bike!!

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:46 pm

EverReady wrote:
DOB wrote:Video of Dan Martin after getting off his bike in Foix;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... ge-legend/
Only for that bollox Armstrong they could have filled poor old Dan with fizzy juice by now

There's bottles of TK red lemonade on the bus there. He'll be bouncing off the walls for tomorrow's stage.

rugbot 2.0 · Post by **rugbot 2.0** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 11:40 pm

DOB wrote:Video of Dan Martin after getting off his bike in Foix;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... ge-legend/

It's a sickener, he should be heading for the podium.

Frog Flair wrote:what,s the issue between Dan Martin and his uncle ?

I ve seen it mentioned a few times and they just talked about it on the US feed I am watching.

I know he is not too friendly with Nicolas Roche too

His dad and Stephen Roche don't get on well going back to when they were both racing. Neil Martin was dropped by a French team which had just signed Stephen when they were both trying to establish themselves on the continent. Neil felt Roche could have done more to help his career as he returned to England and never really made it in Europe. That's all Roche said about it in his book, maybe there's more to it than that.

I'm not aware of any issues between Nico and Dan - they always seemed quite close to me.

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:22 am

Nico and Dan have appeared together in various meet-and-greet events in Ireland. I don't think there's any bad blood between them.

EverReady · Post by **EverReady** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:06 am

DOB wrote:
EverReady wrote:
DOB wrote:Video of Dan Martin after getting off his bike in Foix;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... ge-legend/
Only for that bollox Armstrong they could have filled poor old Dan with fizzy juice by now
There's bottles of TK red lemonade on the bus there. He'll be bouncing off the walls for tomorrow's stage.

Tbf I look like that getting off the jacks

Beaver_Shark · Post by **Beaver_Shark** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 12:04 pm

Matthews and GvA will love today's finish. An perhaps Gilbert as well.

jezzer · Post by **jezzer** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:39 pm

Question on Quickstep.

If they're one of the bigger budget teams, how is it that Kittel is winning sprint stages with no lead-out help and Martin is having to contend for GC on his tod too? WTF are the rest of the team doing?

Hawk97 · Post by **Hawk97** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:51 pm

jezzer wrote:Question on Quickstep.

If they're one of the bigger budget teams, how is it that Kittel is winning sprint stages with no lead-out help and Martin is having to contend for GC on his tod too? WTF are the rest of the team doing?

They've lost two of the lead-outs, and I think Kittel said he prefers to take other wheels sometimes.

jezzer · Post by **jezzer** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:53 pm

Hawk97 wrote:
jezzer wrote:Question on Quickstep.

If they're one of the bigger budget teams, how is it that Kittel is winning sprint stages with no lead-out help and Martin is having to contend for GC on his tod too? WTF are the rest of the team doing?
They've lost two of the lead-outs, and I think Kittel said he prefers to take other wheels sometimes.

So why not have some domèstiques who can support the GC bid if Kittel doesn't need a team full of lead out guys?

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:54 pm

QS put a lot of that budget into the classics (where they got a fair few wins) and the Giro (ditto), as opposed to Sky who throw everything at the Tour, and allow the lads go out and pick up other wins where they may.

Of the squad of 9 at the Tour, Trentin is out and would have been an important part of the leadout, probably Kittel's last man. Brambilla is presumably looking after Martin during the first few hours, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's part of Gilbert's job to keep an eye on him in the final 20km. The rest of the lads have been spending a lot of the day on the front chasing down breakaways; probabky having to use more men doing that as other teams have become less and less keen to help out the more Kittel burns their lads in every sprint.

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:03 pm

jezzer wrote:
Hawk97 wrote:
jezzer wrote:Question on Quickstep.

If they're one of the bigger budget teams, how is it that Kittel is winning sprint stages with no lead-out help and Martin is having to contend for GC on his tod too? WTF are the rest of the team doing?
They've lost two of the lead-outs, and I think Kittel said he prefers to take other wheels sometimes.
So why not have some domèstiques who can support the GC bid if Kittel doesn't need a team full of lead out guys?

They left poor oul' Bob Jungels out there on his toblerone in a lot of the mountain stages of the Giro too, and he did alright. I think it's just the way they do things. Brambilla hung on with Martin as long as he could on Thursday tbf, and Stybar did a good ride for him on I think Stage 5.

I just don't think there's anyone on their books that they didn't bring who could have made a significant difference. Maybe Alaphilippe, who's injured. They're a classics squad, and they helped Dan get to 2nd in Flèche Wallone and Liege, so they are living up to part of their bargain.

Not like Kristoff, say, who got told less that a week before Düsseldorf that his usual 2 leadout men wouldn't be going to the Tour with him.

Hawk97 · Post by **Hawk97** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:09 pm

Vermote was dragging the peloton around in the first week. Maybe he was trying to fry Greipel and co.

rugbot 2.0 · Post by **rugbot 2.0** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:18 pm

Quick Step are the Belgian Classics team. So domestiques and lead out trains are for pussies are far as they are concerned.

Hawk97 · Post by **Hawk97** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:26 pm

rugbot 2.0 wrote:Quick Step are the Belgian Classics team. So domestiques and lead out trains are for pussies are far as they are concerned.

blindcider · Post by **blindcider** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:31 pm

jezzer wrote:
Hawk97 wrote:
jezzer wrote:Question on Quickstep.

If they're one of the bigger budget teams, how is it that Kittel is winning sprint stages with no lead-out help and Martin is having to contend for GC on his tod too? WTF are the rest of the team doing?
They've lost two of the lead-outs, and I think Kittel said he prefers to take other wheels sometimes.
So why not have some domèstiques who can support the GC bid if Kittel doesn't need a team full of lead out guys?

The Lead out train is to protect him until he gets into the final km. At the tour there are too many sprint teams to form proper lead out trains currently. Also why form your own if you can muscle your way onto someone elses wheel?

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:33 pm

rugbot 2.0 wrote:Quick Step are the Belgian Classics team. So domestiques and lead out trains are for pussies are far as they are concerned.

Jungels; Leadouts are for lasses and benders.

rugbot 2.0 · Post by **rugbot 2.0** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:51 pm

DOB wrote:
rugbot 2.0 wrote:Quick Step are the Belgian Classics team. So domestiques and lead out trains are for pussies are far as they are concerned.
Jungels; Leadouts are for lasses and benders.

I get the horn looking at that to be honest.

jezzer · Post by **jezzer** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:03 pm

blindcider wrote:
jezzer wrote:
Hawk97 wrote:
jezzer wrote:Question on Quickstep.

If they're one of the bigger budget teams, how is it that Kittel is winning sprint stages with no lead-out help and Martin is having to contend for GC on his tod too? WTF are the rest of the team doing?
They've lost two of the lead-outs, and I think Kittel said he prefers to take other wheels sometimes.
So why not have some domèstiques who can support the GC bid if Kittel doesn't need a team full of lead out guys?
The Lead out train is to protect him until he gets into the final km. At the tour there are too many sprint teams to form proper lead out trains currently. Also why form your own if you can muscle your way onto someone elses wheel?

I'm not questioning the tactics. I'm just wondering why the team can't have a couple of domèstiques to assist the GC if not everyone is needed to drive Kittel to the line. Others have answered me though, team is set up for classics...

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:06 pm

rugbot 2.0 wrote:
DOB wrote:
rugbot 2.0 wrote:Quick Step are the Belgian Classics team. So domestiques and lead out trains are for pussies are far as they are concerned.
Jungels; Leadouts are for lasses and benders.
I get the horn looking at that to be honest.

A thing of beauty.

It's a bit windy today, too. BMC and Sunweb keeping the break in check. This could get dramatic in the final 40.

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:10 pm

Fabio Felline's abandoned. His ds tells NBC "he was just too tired to pedal any more." Jens Voigt on commentary; "Zat sounds like effery day on ze Tour de France for me."

DOB · Post by **DOB** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:44 pm

Kittel off the back of the bunch!

Openside · Post by **Openside** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:27 pm

What is a showpiece nature break??

Demilich · Post by **Demilich** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:32 pm

Openside wrote:
EverReady wrote:
DOB wrote:Video of Dan Martin after getting off his bike in Foix;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... ge-legend/
Only for that bollox Armstrong they could have filled poor old Dan with fizzy juice by now
I am like that every time I get off a bike!!

Yeah, but that's more down to your choice of bike...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JscQXDs ... tu.be&t=45