Stage 20 *BECQUETS*............... that's spoilers in french

alan_a

It's all about this




from Scott Mitchell's gallery http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401, ... ml#photo=0

But the excitement is anticipation of another moment like this

alan_a

From Inrng.com

No profile needed for today as this is essentially a victory parade with a criterium added to the end so we have a song instead.

The last time the yellow jersey changed shoulders on the final stage was in 1989 and that was a time trial. But the racing is no formality, the most prestigious sprint finish in the world awaits.


The Route: with the start in Rambouillet the race borrows many roads know to Parisian club cyclists before heading to Versailles and then into Paris and the usual eight laps of the Champs Elysées and the Place de la Concorde. The Champs Elysées are cobbled and the riders bounce but these are urban pavé polished by the passage of thousands of vehicles every day.

The Race: a sprint finish is the most common scenario, we have to go back to 2005 to find the last time it didn’t come down to a bunch sprint. We can expect Sky, Lotto-Belisol and Orica-Greenedge to chase this time, all have a reason to work. Sky want to thank Cavendish for his sacrifice, Lotto can be confident in André Greipel and Orica-Greenedge don’t have a choice as it’s their last chance at a stage win with Matthew Goss.

Expect some valiant attacks but these should be swept up and we could see Wiggins in lead out mode for Cavendish… but as telegenic as this might be I wonder if it would be a risk too far and the yellow jersey is allowed to sit back away from the hustle.

Weather: sunshine and a pleasant 24°C (73°F).

tremayne

Been a quite sensational season and TDF for Wiggins.

So much so that he seems to have set an inordinate number of records and firsts. Can anyone help me out - in terms of every 'first' and record he's achieved in 2012?

Obvious ones;

First brit to win TDF
First Brit to hold yellow jersey for (is it fourteen?) days
Is he the first cyclist to win Paris-nice, romandie, dauphine, TDF in a single year?
Most sprint lead outs by a yellow jersey!!??

Yellow Peril

Great day for Wiggins and British cycling let's hope Cav can add the icing on the cake.

I really want to see him "putting the hammer down" (TM Paul Sherwen) on the Champs today.

I think it has been a great Tour, we've chatted a lot about the parcours, sky's domination/boring tactics, poor opposition and whether he is the best man on the team but for Wiggo to win the TdF must make him Britain's greatest cyclist of all time.

Mad_Malx

tremayne wrote:

So much so that he seems to have set an inordinate number of records and firsts. Can anyone help me out - in terms of every 'first' and record he's achieved in 2012?

First pair of sideburns to win the Tour?

FF to help us out with historical evidence against this?

alan_a

Mad_Malx wrote:

tremayne wrote:

So much so that he seems to have set an inordinate number of records and firsts. Can anyone help me out - in terms of every 'first' and record he's achieved in 2012?

First pair of sideburns to win the Tour?

FF to help us out with historical evidence against this?

Nope



Although my favourites belonged to Bernard Thévenet

iainf72

If Cavendish does win today, can someone be sure to post one of those martyr type responses where you say "take that doubters" or "that's silenced all the critics" or "Ha, Greipel and Sagan aren't that big with their 3 stages wins each now, are they?"

Mad_Malx

Alan A wrote:

Mad_Malx wrote:

tremayne wrote:

So much so that he seems to have set an inordinate number of records and firsts. Can anyone help me out - in terms of every 'first' and record he's achieved in 2012?

First pair of sideburns to win the Tour?

FF to help us out with historical evidence against this?

Nope


Although my favourites belonged to Bernard Thévenet

:oops: I'll pretend I meant to ask 'since Merckx', so at least I'm only ignorant of the latter.

nweststeyn

So...

Who thinks Jan Ghyselinck will go for 'a long one' and try and get the stage win and make up his time deficit (of 3hrs 57mins 4secs) to win the yellow jersey?

shockedsoshocked

What time are they expected in Paris?

alan_a

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

What time are they expected in Paris?

1st lap of Champs expected at 14.53 uk time

PBo

That's all very well...

...but what is french for *SPOLIERS*??

iainf72

Interesting stats via Irishpeloton on twitter

Liquigas are finishing their 11'th grand tour in a row with all 9 riders. Even more amazing when no other team has finished all 3 GT's in a year with all their riders.

yourpaceormine

Really hope Team Sky roll out all wearing comedy fake fur sideburns. Would also be good is Brad trimmed his to match the L'Equipe cartoon of him from the other day.

Will this tour be known as the British Tour?
Podium 1 - 2 stage, wins 5 (hopefully 6)

shockedsoshocked

Alan A wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

What time are they expected in Paris?

1st lap of Champs expected at 14.53 uk time

Accurate!

alan_a

My big pal Pete recently getting into the spirit of things on the Paris equivalent to a Boris Bike.



Who are this year's tallest and smallest riders. I'm assuming Johan Van Summeren is tallest... smallest?

I've been trying to google one of the obligatory final stage bike swap photos but can't find any.

alan_a

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

Alan A wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

What time are they expected in Paris?

1st lap of Champs expected at 14.53 uk time

Accurate!

I'm not the geek who worked it out. http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/stage-20.html

RichN95.

Alan A wrote:

Who are this year's tallest and smallest riders. I'm assuming Johan Van Summeren is tallest... smallest?

It's probably Samuel Dumoulin again

rubertoe

alan_a

rubertoe - that is brilliant. I'm stealing it.

No_Ta_Doctor

Appropriate Spotify playlist for the afternoon

http://open.spotify.com/user/115643064/playlist/6IhUIxjSrcP37bprzllZKI

MrTapir

Here's a classic clip: Alan Partridge doing his bit for Anglo-French relations in preparations for today's stage

ilm_zero7

a shame Wiggins didnt top Spartacus in the time trial - or if he had, and it not been for the seven seconds that Wiggins lost to Cancellara in Liège, he would have been the race winner and worn the yellow jersey from start to finish!

blazing_saddles

Eurosport open with 10 minutes of cringing embarrassment. Maurice Green trying to interview various riders, some of whom don't recognise him.
I'm glad Vince Nibs rides a bike better than he speaks English!

Nice shot of all the jersey wearers in line abreast, spoiled by that awful, red dalmatian look of Voeckler's.
Truly vomit educing.

roypsb

MrTapir wrote:

Here's a classic clip: Alan Partridge doing his bit for Anglo-French relations in preparations for today's stage

Classic Partridge! Nice one - first time I've seen that for ages. Jackanackanory!

luckao

ILM Zero7 wrote:

a shame Wiggins didnt top Spartacus in the time trial - or if he had, and it not been for the seven seconds that Wiggins lost to Cancellara in Liège, he would have been the race winner and worn the yellow jersey from start to finish!

Does anybody have any (serious) thoughts on what Cancellara would have got yesterday?

Le Commentateur

Alan A wrote:

rubertoe - that is brilliant. I'm stealing it.

Indeed, although I didn't realise Vicious Velo team were riding the le Tour.

ilm_zero7

this is so boring - even 6 riders with daylight ahead of the peloton is barely a stimulus.....maybe i should go out on my bike , even i would be quicker than this pace.

No_Ta_Doctor

Anyone know what that tattoo on Wiggins' left shoulder is?

luckao

Looks a bit like Sorensen when he's climbing.

inkyfingers

ILM Zero7 wrote:

this is so boring - even 6 riders with daylight ahead of the peloton is barely a stimulus.....maybe i should go out on my bike , even i would be quicker than this pace.

First time you've watched the final stage of the Tour? It's always like that.