TDF Stage 15 *Spoiler*
Never started one of these before, and mainly stalk rather than contribute but...
This morning i rode a bit of todays stage (not much at all) as we are staying locally. I rode a bit of the D943 from vidouze to lahitte toupiere opposite direction to the tour and on my climb i found the road has been covered with oil. I was out early and there must have been about four or five cars since, but i could still see the outline of where the oil had been poured - proper thick black dirty oil. It had been poured right on the descent, and across the racing line where on the bike your traction and grip will be at its least. I cycled on to the next big town Maubourguet and informed the police who weren't that interested (old guy - pinning notices to trees!). Eventually one of the local council workers showed some interest, then went off and eventually had the oil covered with sand.
What i don't really know is how the tour pick this up, I think there is a car which runs / checks the route, but not sure how the riders will find out. I am assuming that they will, but would feel grim if they didn't and a few went down.
Anyway, back to topic, a wearing stage today, up and down quite a bit. If Cav can stay with the bunch then maybe another stage win? or will sky be saving their legs for Wednesday?
This morning i rode a bit of todays stage (not much at all) as we are staying locally. I rode a bit of the D943 from vidouze to lahitte toupiere opposite direction to the tour and on my climb i found the road has been covered with oil. I was out early and there must have been about four or five cars since, but i could still see the outline of where the oil had been poured - proper thick black dirty oil. It had been poured right on the descent, and across the racing line where on the bike your traction and grip will be at its least. I cycled on to the next big town Maubourguet and informed the police who weren't that interested (old guy - pinning notices to trees!). Eventually one of the local council workers showed some interest, then went off and eventually had the oil covered with sand.
What i don't really know is how the tour pick this up, I think there is a car which runs / checks the route, but not sure how the riders will find out. I am assuming that they will, but would feel grim if they didn't and a few went down.
Anyway, back to topic, a wearing stage today, up and down quite a bit. If Cav can stay with the bunch then maybe another stage win? or will sky be saving their legs for Wednesday?
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ASO's new lead car on the way to the stage start this morning
'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:
Errrr - why are his pubes hanging out?'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
Looks like Bradley's sideburns are making a bid for freedom.
Unfortunately I had a more unpleasant mental image initially
Edit - and Langerdan too.0 -
Cycle racing now has a problem - there are nutters out there who dont worry about compromising the safety of others if it publicises their own mad motives.
Very Impressed with cavendish sticking with the main bunch yesterday - maybe the Olympic road race is a possibility after all?
one for Greipel or Sagan today?http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
ILM Zero7 wrote:Very Impressed with cavendish sticking with the main bunch yesterday - maybe the Olympic road race is a possibility after all?
Difficult to read too much into this though - he still lost 15 minutes on the yellow jersey group between the start of the last climb and the finish, despite starting at the front. Anyone know how far back he was by the top of the Mur? Doubtless he was taking things easy on the second half, but the peleton wasn't exactly motoring.0 -
I think a bigger indicator of his Olympic ambitions was Saturday's stage where he was comprhensively dropped on the final climb. Shame really, I'm hoping for a Cav win.0
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Mad_Malx wrote:ILM Zero7 wrote:Very Impressed with cavendish sticking with the main bunch yesterday - maybe the Olympic road race is a possibility after all?
Difficult to read too much into this though - he still lost 15 minutes on the yellow jersey group between the start of the last climb and the finish, despite starting at the front. Anyone know how far back he was by the top of the Mur? Doubtless he was taking things easy on the second half, but the peloton wasn't exactly motoring.
I was busy faffing around the house yesterday afternoon with Eurosport on in the background and my 10 y.o shouted up the stairs to me:
"Dad - thought you said Mark Cavendish couldn't climb?"
"He can't"
"He's on the front leading the bunch up a climb"
"WHAT? :shock: "
"Yeah - and he's after dropping Thomas Voeckler out the back. It looks funny"'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
derbygrimpeur wrote:I think a bigger indicator of his Olympic ambitions was Saturday's stage where he was comprhensively dropped on the final climb. Shame really, I'm hoping for a Cav win.
I think that was more down to poor positioning. A lot of riders got caught out with their gear choice and gaps were opening at just the time Evans attacked at the front. Greipel is climbing well somehow and could be an outside bet for the Olympics (which is good as hopefully the Germans will help pull back any breaks) but even so I would expect Cav to still climb at least as well as him.0 -
Since they've resurfaced box hill its so smooth its like pedalling on the flat, its also not very long - I can't see Cav or any of the other sprinters having any problems on it at all.You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quin.0
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That climb is nothing like box hill so is totally irrelevant as is loosing 15 minutes yesterday.derbygrimpeur wrote:I think a bigger indicator of his Olympic ambitions was Saturday's stage where he was comprhensively dropped on the final climb. Shame really, I'm hoping for a Cav win.
Add to that the fact there is a long way to go to the finish and I can see Cav being ok.
Both Cav and Bernie can climb when they need to. They were not going that fast yesterday but bith were on the front for long periods, no mean feat.
As soon as they did their work they drop back so does it make any difference if they work their bollocks off and loose only 2 minutes, or relax and loose 15 minutes? There is absoulutely no point at all in pushing to minimis time loss for those two, far better to conserve energy for helping next day or going for stage wins.
This is the same on other climb days its all about conserving energy.
Totally different to classic riding, dont forget Cav won Milan san remo, he can climb when needed and he must have a pretty good power to weight ratio also.0 -
Any links to live feed online?0
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Mechanical for Wiggins.0
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Pross / Bikequin / oldwelshman > I hope you're right. Saturday's stage was a chance for a win, so Cav should've been better positioned / dug deeper. The problem with Box Hill (as Cav has said) isn't that it's a tough climb, but that it's ridden 9 times. As I say, I hope he wins it, but I really don't see any difference in his climbing ability using the TDF as evidence.
Anyway, back on topic, any breaks yet?0 -
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Thanks.
Chavanel abandons apparently
Drat! Too slow..0 -
Who chucked their bike down? Wiggins?
Sad that Chava's abandoned, one of my favourite riders. Will anyone actually still be left when we get to Paris? P*ss poor TdF.0 -
LeicesterLad wrote:Who chucked their bike down? Wiggins?
Sad that Chava's abandoned, one of my favourite riders. Will anyone actually still be left when we get to Paris? P*ss poor TdF.
Yes a fair few abandonments mostly through injury but some have just thrown the towel in. Although it is being considered a "boring" Tour by many it must be fairly tough. Perhaps this is what happens when the medicine cabinet is shut? Takes me back to Rough Ride and just how tough it was to get through each day if you weren't on "vitamin" injections. If it's a war of attrition so be it, let's see how many make it through the Pyrenees over the next couple of days.
COME ON JOHNNY!0 -
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The number of abandons has been skewed by the massive crash in week one hasn't it? I don't think it's a particularly tough parcours.You live and learn. At any rate, you live0
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Rick Chasey wrote:No more abandons than usual are there?
161 still in the race.
It's not the numbers, its the type of rider that's abandoned, along with those who didn't start. it's made for a pretty average list of 'contenders' and indeed characters. Feel a little sorry for Rolland, as one of the few riders who have tried to light up the race he's now getting sh*tloads of stick for his actions yesterday, which is kinda fair enough, but sometimes its good to rip up the rulebook...0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Tankink hanging around the back with the doctor.
Another rabo retiree? let's hope not.
Its going to be a bit quiet at the Rabo post Tour party. Luis Leon sat in the corner on his own with a bottle of champagne?0 -
smithy21 wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:Tankink hanging around the back with the doctor.
Another rabo retiree? let's hope not.
Its going to be a bit quiet at the Rabo post Tour party. Luis Leon sat in the corner on his own with a bottle of champagne?
Sounds like last year's Rabo post Tour party...0 -
Wiggins down supporting his elbow looks bad....'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'0
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sorry slow work day here...
'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'0 -
Jez mon wrote:The number of abandons has been skewed by the massive crash in week one hasn't it? I don't think it's a particularly tough parcours.
You and rick are right, it just seems more possibly due to a fair amount of higher profile riders falling victim. I think the point I'm making (rather lousily) is that it may be that the racing has become duller because there are less superhuman feats taking place.
Personally I'm enjoying it, I think there might be a bit of slugging out on the slopes of the big mountains this week but they will be short and tired bursts like heavyweight boxers punched out and leaning on in the 12th. I seriously doubt we'll ever see anything like "the look" again.
COME ON JOHNNY!0 -
de Kort, by Ramon
Contador is the Greatest0
