Race Thread: Stage 1, London - Canterbury
I really hope this break keeps away! Right now it's well over 5 minutes with 80+ minutes to go. Would love to see Millar grab the win, especially now that Hamilton is having it tough in the British Grand Prix!!
Discuss...
Discuss...
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If you're going to broadcast spoilers about the Grand Prix please do it in another thread. I'm recording it to watch after the stage.<hr>
<h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>0 -
Apologies.. Being a cycling forum didn't realise there would be a problem.. Still, that was only after the first section of the race, there was a long race still to run!
Anyway... On the topic of the bike race.. Looks like the lead is falling, 2'28 with 51kms to go...0 -
<happy bounce>
Now I *really* enjoyed watching that stage!0 -
Brilliant, where did Robbie come from? Wow great watching the whole stage, got to feel for Cavendish, what happened? Just saw him dismount for a mechanical, then get back on , change of wheels, then a new bike, set in the wrong gear... Just great , amazing, fantastic the Tour de France stage one London the Canterbury.
Fan(bloody)tastic The contributor formerly known as - 2191flint0 -
Great results for Chavanel and especially Feillu, last year's podium finisher at the under-23 worlds. He's definitely a French talent to watch out for.0
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Only McEwen could do that. Flippin' amazing.
Shame about Cavendish, you could see how gutted he was. I guess T-Mobile decided to go with Eisel instead of trying to get him back to the bunch.
And I don't understand why Millar went on the attack. Fair enough, it was in England, and he gets to wear the polka dots for two days, but surely it would have been better to wait for one of the lumpier transitional stages later on, where he may have a chance of actually winning.0 -
afx237vi wrote:Only McEwen could do that. Flippin' amazing.
Shame about Cavendish, you could see how gutted he was. I guess T-Mobile decided to go with Eisel instead of trying to get him back to the bunch.
And I don't understand why Millar went on the attack. Fair enough, it was in England, and he gets to wear the polka dots for two days, but surely it would have been better for one of the lumpier transitional stages later on, where he may have a chance of actually winning.
There's still three weeks to go!0 -
Superb sprint by McEwan, he came from nowhere. I thought Boonen was the cert to win when McEwen was out the back ith 4ks to go!
Millar I thought it was good to see him have a go and give the fans something to cheer about. It was never likely to work out but glad to see him give it a shot.0 -
I know, so why go all out on day 1? Better to save your energy and target a stage where you have a better chance of staying away.0
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Millar picked up quite a lot of time bonuses and the polka dot - I reckon he was just trying to get himself seen, and I am sure he will pick up a stage victory later on.
The crowds, once again, seemed to be out in force - well done and maybe a few more people will be encouraged to give cycling a try
(edit for rubbish spelling)0 -
Reckon the crowd lifted him and he wanted to keep the polka dot jersey while he was on home turf - mission accomplished!0
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Cavendish finished @ 2:45, but Zabriskie also lost 2:27. Was he in a crash too? Surprising otherwise.0
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A ton of publicity for the team and something for the British fans to cheer about - job done by Millar, surely? And, yeah, it's easy for someone to win the polka dot jersey at this stage, but hard to actually go do it, so chapeau from me anyway.
And, McEwan, amazing. Even after all those times where he just appeared I didn't think he'd do it this time. With a few K to go and Quickstep all over the front of the peloton I thought it had to be Boonen.0 -
I think Millar went away on his on to try and get the British public on his side after the drugs/ban fiasco!
He didn`t do himself any favours afterwards though when he walked away from Gary from ITV4 who was trying to interview him !
Personally I do not rate him at all !
Drugs, ban for life end of !PETE0 -
he was exhausted and could barely stand, and made some articulate comments.
which is more than you've done in your "ban all cheats" sign-off.0 -
So peejay78 you think taking drugs and cheating is ok????? :shock:
I think Millar was out of order the way he walked away from the interview...primadonna!PETE0 -
Millar was a joy to watch, he pedals as if he is making no effort whatsoever, which clearly is not the case, lets just hope he learnt his lesson and he's clean.The contributor formerly known as - 2191flint0
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Just got back from Tenterden with: -
Sun tan
T-Mobile inflatable jersey/glove
Australian neck band
Confidis purse
Pizza fan
Etap pen
Haribo sweets
Aquarel water bottle
Brilliant day
Good old Millar, always the showman!Half man, Half bike0 -
Ban for life? Don't rate him at all?! Pfffft. You've got to be joking! Millar did a great job today. I'm proud of him. A brit on the front for most of the day, something for the fans to enjoy, something for the public to sit up and notice and Millar doing exactly what he should of. If you can't go for a long breakaway on your home (as near as it gets) turf then when can you!? What would you have done? Wait til your on some random flat stage in France?! fck that....I'd be doing it infront of my home fans on a glorius sunny day.
He walked away from gary because he was stoked and exhausted after giving it his all. It was good to see him so happy after busting his ars for the british public, I don't think you could blame him for not sticking around to answer the usual questions.
Cavo crashed, Thomas, Wiggins and Wegelius in the bunch. If it wasn't for Millar what kind of day would it have been for us today? Still good, but brilliant to see someone give it a shot.
Goddamn...theres no pleasing some people. Your attitude is a joke.0 -
errrr.....
drugs are bad, cheating is bad, yes.
reductive statements suck though.
millar is doing more good as a reformed rider, attempting to change the culture of the tour, than we would do if banned for life. his salutary tale suggests that there is the possibility of both redemption and rehabilitation, and of change.
the way i saw it millar spoke about riding himself into the ground and repaying the faith of the british public. his hand was really unsteady and he was helped away by a team official.
i do rate him, and i rate his candour, which might sound like a paradox, but there you go.0 -
Well said HeavyMental...............Millar could sit in for the first 10 stages until a nice lumpy transitional stage comes along that favours a break actually staying away...............but why conserve his energy when he can spend the next 9 days recovering (as far as is possible in Le Tour). This ain't no 3rd cat road race where everyone waits for the gallop.
No, fair play to him today having a dig and showing his face.............we all new it would end in a sprint, but at least we got to see a home boy having a go.0 -
He's a rider on a fairly minor team, grabbing the publicity however they can is what they do. The KOTM jersey on early cat-4s, mad breakaways for 100km that'll get hauled back in, maybe the stage win on a stage that nobody in the GC can be bothered with, whatever they can. Miller did just that, on the biggest stage available to him. I'd bet the team are very pleased with him. He'll be all over the papers tomorrow.0
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I dont think he did anything wrong at all! When you interview someone right after they have just busted their balls for 5 hours you have to accept that they might not be in the mood or position to stand there and chat in an interview. I'm sure if you waited 15minutes he would have talked more. Besides he had to go to the podium presentation.
Great ride from him today. He may have taken drugs once, but he served his punishment, took it on the chin and deserves his second shot.0 -
peejay78 wrote:he was exhausted and could barely stand, and made some articulate comments.
which is more than you've done in your "ban all cheats" sign-off.
Yes, you could see he was in a right state. It was pretty obvious he needed a few minutes to collect himself before being interviewed.
Neil--
"Because the cycling is pain. The cycling is soul crushing pain."0 -
Millar's always been an emotional rider, which in my eyes makes him more human and more of an interesting rider to watch. Not many of us could cope psychologically with his experiences, never mind physically. What a riding style!<hr>
<h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>0 -
So I've read Cavendish collided with a spectator and ended up 'half-fighting' him. No wonder he was so pissed off 0
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What a fantastic couple of days. Good organisation, lucky with the weather and about time. I was amazed and thrilled to see so many people lining the course...maybe there is hope for us in the (current) minority. I too like Millar's style, so fluid and effortless. And as for Robbie....wow! What an end to a really fascinating stage. I think UK showcased itself extremely well today, and hopefully convinced the Europeans that we also know how to "do" cycling. Now complete road closures for the ToB and maybe the message will get through.....0
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Having sat and watched the highlights on ITV4 it seems that David Millar was led away to prepare for the presentation of his jersey.
Was actually stood about 170m from the finish line and the finale was absolutely amazing. Never saw McEwen coming.
Can we fix it?
Yes we can!0 -
I wasent really going to watch the stage today but i woke up at 11am, turn on the TV whilst eating my Crunchy Nut and with Millar at the front watched the whole stage.
Hats off to him, a really entertaining days cycling, good to see a brit going for it. Who was it who just sadi on here Saunier Duval are a minor team??? Do you watch anything but the tour de france?? Seem to remember at last months Giro... Simoni, Rico, Piepoli and Mayo being amoung the top stars. Top team, top riders, always at the forefront of equipment advantages
I cant stand this time of the year when people who only watch the tour come out with such cr*ap! ....Id personally say at this time Saunier Duval are a much better team than the likes of Discovery!0 -
And Cavendish looked extremely hacked off as he came past us.
Over the Prologue and Stage 1 I acquired:-
2 hats
2 pens
1 fan
1 puncture repair kit
1 Laughing cow fridge magnet
1 wheel spoke reflector
2 periscopes
4 bottles of water
20 bags of Haribo's and
2 badly burnt calves.
Can we fix it?
Yes we can!0
