Tour De France 2017

Froome will have had a massive breakfast and I think he knows the next few days are make or break.
 
Could Mathews unseat kittel blimey he is going for the intermediate sprint
 
Holy upset kittel out due to injury mathews takes green !
 
An interesting stage today. I wonder if Rigoberto Uran will sneak his way into yellow tomorrow?
 
Tough one to call but I think you could be right.
 
Kittel takes 5 stage wins away not a bad cache and he doesn't have to mash the hills
 
Another massive stage today in more ways than one.

Wonder how much time the challengers need over Froome going into the TT to have a chance (barring disasters obviously)
 
Massive finish today that's one mighty alp. I think they need at least 90 secs
 
Mr Bump said:
Massive finish today that's one mighty alp. I think they need at least 90 secs
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Reckon you are about right, I was thinking two minutes, hope it goes right down to the wire for a change
 
Well protocol is the last stage the yellow jersey doesn't get competed
 
Only the race for the line for the sprinters which mathews will be thinking after kittel withdraws
 
nog said:
So if its just a few seconds going into last day what happens?
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They'd contest it. Greg LeMond won on the last day. Recent history has shown that the race is already won by the time that they arrive in Paris, but rest assured if it's close on that last day then the maillot jaune will be raced for.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
They'd contest it. Greg LeMond won on the last day. Recent history has shown that the race is already won by the time that they arrive in Paris, but rest assured if it's close on that last day then the maillot jaune will be raced for.
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I think the Lemond finish was a time trial on the final stage. I can't remember a final stage being contested since, as has been said, it is normally decided by then. It is a lot closer this time. Today could be a decider. :)
 
I think today will be when Froome will pop a lung to maintain his lead but he will have the time trial as his back up. He is head and shoulders above the others in his time trial.
 
Tringa said:
Great stage today.

Dave
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Hmm someone arranged to go away for the weekend starting this morning so not seen any of today's and won't see the highlights unless it's on in the bar/restaurant which it won't be[emoji58]
 
good stage froome did what he need to do.
he looked like an insane man on the final sprint keeping up with the boys.
 
very long stage today 225.5kms hardly any places for a big attack lots of small spikes but that will not worry froome and landa.

I just wonder if landa might be given free reign but with him being only a minute down from bardet and uran they would have to chase him down very quickly and that would put preasure on froome.
 
Mr Bump said:
very long stage today 225.5kms hardly any places for a big attack lots of small spikes but that will not worry froome and landa.

I just wonder if landa might be given free reign but with him being only a minute down from bardet and uran they would have to chase him down very quickly and that would put preasure on froome.
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Would be good for Landa and Froome could just just follow them
 
nog said:
Would be good for Landa and Froome could just just follow them
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I would love that to happen but froome will want all his legs for the final time trial
 
I found it quite disappointing to watch this year, (I've watched every Stage except the first)

I watched each Stage with "expectation" - but yet again the boring but effective strategy and superior strength of the Sky Team have prevailed - they have won within the rules, but hopefully next year changes will be made or other Teams will be stronger so that each Stage becomes more of a battle rather than a Sky Train domination who are content never to win a Stage as long as they win overall.

I must admit I am not a fan of Froome, not sure why but I just find him bland .......... but basically The Sky Team won the TdeF without Froome winning a stage and unless changes are made, (maybe no team radio, slightly smaller teams, or other changes), the Sky dominace will continue.

The "sprint" stages .......you may as well only watch the last 5 or 10 minutes
 
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BillN_33 said:
I found it quite disappointing to watch this year.

I watched each Stage with "expectation" - but yet again the boring but effective strategy and superior strength of the Sky Team have prevailed - they have won within the rules, but hopefully next year changes will be made or other Teams will be stronger so that each Stage becomes more of a battle rather than a Sky Train domination who are content never to win a Stage as long as they win overall.

I must admit I am not a fan of Froome, not sure why but I just find him bland .......... but basically The Sky Team won the TdeF without Froome winning a stage and unless changes are made, (maybe no team radio, slightly smaller teams, or other changes), the Sky dominace will continue.

The "sprint" stages .......you may as well only watch the last 5 or 10 minutes
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I disagree very strongly, the tour has always been built around the teams, with the ability for the lone riders to go out and win the stages. The winner of the tour is the overall winner and that person cannot win all the stages or even a good bunch of them The tour is about attrition and who has the strength and the team support to get to the end. It is the ultimate team building and bonding exercise. Yes Sky have done well with science and taking the sport very seriously but its about time that happened. Yes maybe Froome is a bit bland but have you listened to his interviews? Never once does he slag anyone off, always thanking his team first, he even thanks the interviewers out of politeness. He is an absolute professional and a very nice man. Maybe you want a return to the old days more than being happy with the new generation of teams.
 
Mr Bump said:
I disagree very strongly, the tour has always been built around the teams, with the ability for the lone riders to go out and win the stages. The winner of the tour is the overall winner and that person cannot win all the stages or even a good bunch of them The tour is about attrition and who has the strength and the team support to get to the end. It is the ultimate team building and bonding exercise. Yes Sky have done well with science and taking the sport very seriously but its about time that happened. Yes maybe Froome is a bit bland but have you listened to his interviews? Never once does he slag anyone off, always thanking his team first, he even thanks the interviewers out of politeness. He is an absolute professional and a very nice man. Maybe you want a return to the old days more than being happy with the new generation of teams.
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Froome - I agree he is polite etc., etc., but lacks enthusiasm even when he does well - but my point was that he is bland and just sits in the Sky Train Stage after Stage - he could at least try to win a Stage or two and "light up" the front of the race - he tried yesterday - but did he really?

Team Sky have won the TdeF and they probably could have achieved that objective with two or three other Team Leaders - I would like to see the Tour change for the better - not back to the past or the "old days" if by using those words you are implying that anyone would like to see the "cheating" that occurred.

Will Team Sky be remembered more than the name Froome when looking back at this era of the Tour?
 
I think you need to look with different eyes and stop focusing n the tour as being the only race.
For most riders in the tour it is about coming up in cycling, winning an individual stage being king for a day.
The KOM the Sprinters, the best young person all of these are really greater than the overall winner.

If you relax more and enjoy each stage as an individual race the tour reveals its true identity.
The overall winner and team that wins are great but I actually rarely watch the last stage in Paris because that is not my bag.

For me this year the sprinters, Kittel, Mathews, Yates Landa, Aru it has been a great tussle.
 
Mr Bump said:
I think you need to look with different eyes and stop focusing n the tour as being the only race.
For most riders in the tour it is about coming up in cycling, winning an individual stage being king for a day.
The KOM the Sprinters, the best young person all of these are really greater than the overall winner.

If you relax more and enjoy each stage as an individual race the tour reveals its true identity.
The overall winner and team that wins are great but I actually rarely watch the last stage in Paris because that is not my bag.

For me this year the sprinters, Kittel, Mathews, Yates Landa, Aru it has been a great tussle.
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(because of Sky) I have seen the KOM and Simon Yates's performance plus Dan Martin and a few others to be far more interesting than watching Froome sit in the Sky procession ....... and I saw a little hope for excitement when Aru got the yellow jersey

Sport is now dominated by "big money" and some sports more than others

Sky have put far more £ into their TdeF Team than any other Teams - they have certainly "bought" their victories over the past few years................ and probably HQ will continue this cost effective spend

What I would like to see is the organisers looking at Tour to try to identify ways of making it a "fairer" race, if this can be achieved.

I am sure that with the emergence of a few strong French riders they will try to plan next years Tour to suit them ......... but that's another story
 
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And that is right I think what you say is true, but like I say the true tour is much more about the individual rides and I think that teams see that now. Sky will continue to do well, but I think next year Landa goes off to somewhere else and maybe heading up a winning team. For me anything that just keeps cycling and the tour up there is great. For me if I had to pick a sport completely wrapped in money and pointless drivel it would be FOOTBALL.
 
Mr Bump said:
And that is right I think what you say is true, but like I say the true tour is much more about the individual rides and I think that teams see that now. Sky will continue to do well, but I think next year Landa goes off to somewhere else and maybe heading up a winning team. For me anything that just keeps cycling and the tour up there is great. For me if I had to pick a sport completely wrapped in money and pointless drivel it would be FOOTBALL.
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FOOTBALL - I agree - never watch it - it is a disgrace

I love watching the Tour - I just find Froome predictably "bobbing" up and down in the middle of the Sky Train boring to watch .... versus Dan Martin "flying" around trying his best as an individual on every stage far who I find far more pleasing and someone to respect ......... I suppose the problem Froome has, and I say this only from reading media, is that he is not respected fully by a good proportion of the general public who are interested in cycling - here in France I have not heard a good word spoken about him, (but that's another story) and unfairly some, when I ask the question about his performance suggest "undisclosed packages" - which I am sure is not true
 
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The French have had a bee in their bonnet for years. Being unable to provide winner. Also the Armstrong years peeved them off as they did have a few guys then.
But just look at Warren ~Bargeil this year, what a tour he has had. He will dine out for years on those tales.

Personally I think that some of the big teams do not see the French riders as very good and committed.
 
Mr Bump said:
The French have had a bee in their bonnet for years. Being unable to provide winner. Also the Armstrong years peeved them off as they did have a few guys then.
But just look at Warren ~Bargeil this year, what a tour he has had. He will dine out for years on those tales.

Personally I think that some of the big teams do not see the French riders as very good and committed.
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Next year may be different .......... but in all these other "winners" you get the impression that they are only allowed to do what the Sky Team and it's management allow them to do ...... i.e. with comments like "if he had been higher up in the GC then Sky would have pulled him back"

I suppose all in all I see the Sky Team as having a negative influence on the TdeF and more so this year ........... and more so than any other Team could have ...........
 
Like I say and without going over old ground the tour is about the riders themselves not so much the teams.
But remember without all the team money it could all not happen nowadays.

maybe the organisers could adjust things perhaps make teams smaller.
Allow more Teams with financial support from a generic sponsor.
Things like domestics giving up their bikes at the roadside incurring a small penalty as big teams like sky seem to love that tactic.
 
Today will be a win for a rogue rider for sure I think'
Already for me the below.

P. Rolland
image
 
Today - the same inevitable Sky Team Train with Froome just "bobbing" in there - clearly Sky/Froome are going to win the TdeF - and the rest seem to accept that - why aren't we seeing at least an effort to "destroy" the Sky Team race ...... you would think that the other teams would get together and attack Sky ........... maybe they just don't have the "balls" to take the risk

It is as though Sky have the ability to mesmerise the rest ........... a few kms to go yet ........ but it already seems a forgone conclusion.

Unless Froome wins the TT tomorrow he will be one of the very few TdeF winners to win the race without winning a Stage
 
20 people in an amazing break away with 8.5mins and 63kms so that should be secure.
going to be a lovely finish, tight small sprint I hope starting to think Boeessen Haggen
 
Mr Bump said:
20 people in an amazing break away with 8.5mins and 63kms so that should be secure.
going to be a lovely finish, tight small sprint I hope starting to think Boeessen Haggen
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That's fine - but the race for the "winners" is in the YJ group
 
BillN_33 said:
That's fine - but the race for the "winners" is in the YJ group
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you need to come out of your little box Bill, all the people in the tour are winners.
You have a bee in your bonnet that is restricting your enjoyment.
 
well that was fun - great race at the front and B well deserved the win - felt a little sorry for Ben Swift that he was not at least able to contest the sprint

for the rest of them, including Froome and the other top 20 GC placed riders, they never broke sweat and may as well have caught the bus ........ but I suppose the Team Sky Train was easier just to follow
 
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Mr Bump said:
you need to come out of your little box Bill, all the people in the tour are winners.
You have a bee in your bonnet that is restricting your enjoyment.
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If you noticed I placed winners in abbreviations - "winners"

Basically my view is that The Sky Team won the TdeF and Froome was just part of that Team

The TdeF is a Team race with the winners being the Stage winners ..... in a perverse way, certain other Sky Team members seem to have put more effort in winning the Tour than Froome did, but as I said I am not a Froome fan
 
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BillN_33 said:
If you noticed I placed winners in abbreviations - "winners"

Basically my view is that The Sky Team won the TdeF and Froome was just part of that Team

The TdeF is a Team race with the winners being the Stage winners ..... in a perverse way, certain other Sky Team members seem to have put more effort in winning the Tour than Froome did, but as I said I am not a Froome fan
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round and round and round you go.

froome.......sky......froome....sky....round and round

repeat and rinse.
 
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