ToB - stage 1 **SPOILERS**

2

Comments

  • Porter doesnt know the difference between Luke Rowe and Saville Row, lets be honest

    Reminds me of Cav's first ever tdf stage win. Phil Liggett cocking it up and thinking it was Ciolek who'd won. He re-did the commentary for the next day. :lol:
  • Porter doesnt know the difference between Luke Rowe and Saville Row, lets be honest

    Reminds me of Cav's first ever tdf stage win. Phil Liggett cocking it up and thinking it was Ciolek who'd won. He re-did the commentary for the next day. :lol:

    Ah Phil! How much time has he spent in detention over the years re-dubbing a days errors...
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  • Not the best commentary team. Boulting is back tomorrow but someone with better eyesight is needed than HP. Not a great combo with Hayles. Boardman is a better wingman. Didn't they have Yanto Barker doing some punditry last year? he's pretty good

    I would love to see Barker commentating...particularly as he's actually riding in the UKYouth squad...could add a whole new angle to on the spot commentary :)

    Boardman's been taking a break post-Olympics, but otherwise, yeah, he'd do a better job..
  • Facepalm re Barker :oops:

    OK how do we rate Rowe's chances of keeping hold of ther Jersey? TBH it would be quite nice for some of the established guard to pull for the noob in a Tour such as this.
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  • Well, wasnt clear who Sky were going to ride for this week anyway, apart from stages for Cav, so dont see why they dont pull for Rowe to hold on for as long as possible. He's not a bad climber - better than say an Alex Dowsett (not that that's saying anything). He's put in some good teams efforts over some lumpy stuff this year, but could lose some time for sure when they hit the bigger hills.

    That crash isnt going to make Cav's mood any sweeter for the 'let me go' negotiations with Dave B that are supposed to be starting tonight..
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Excellent composure by Luke to realise his man was down and readjust to take the win. Don't think we can point the finger of blame as there was a lack of camera angles but it looked like someone took Cav's back wheel out. A few odd crashes in the final kms, suspect there'll be a few moans about the road width and some of the parked cars in the villages were a bit dodgy. Great crowds though. Definitely needs a different commentary team though - if ITV are going to nick a BBC commentator you'd think they would have chosen Brotherton.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    He's not a bad climber - better than say an Alex Dowsett (not that that's saying anything).

    He's still a billion times better at climbing than you. A sense of perspective please.
  • alanjay
    alanjay Posts: 363
    He's not a bad climber - better than say an Alex Dowsett (not that that's saying anything).

    He's still a billion times better at climbing than you. A sense of perspective please.

    Very true - cleaning up on Strava round these parts as well..
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    He's not a bad climber - better than say an Alex Dowsett (not that that's saying anything).

    He's still a billion times better at climbing than you. A sense of perspective please.
    When considering a pro rider's ability to win a race, the right sense of perspective would seem to be to compare his abilities to other pro riders and not some club rider.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95 wrote:
    He's not a bad climber - better than say an Alex Dowsett (not that that's saying anything).

    He's still a billion times better at climbing than you. A sense of perspective please.
    When considering a pro rider's ability to win a race, the right sense of perspective would seem to be to compare his abilities to other pro riders and not some club rider.


    Quite. As if everyone who posted on this forum was only commenting from the position of being a current or even ex-pro...and Alex Dowsett is welcome to have a good old laugh at my Strava data any time he fancies
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    The 3 garmin riders giving Cavendish disgusted looks says it all for me....they know who's to blame...but as usual the manx moaner will try and worm his way out of it just like his texan pal.
  • Seems that Wiggins crashed the bend after the Cav crash when leading Rowe out.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Seems that Wiggins crashed the bend after the Cav crash when leading Rowe out.
    That would explain someone on Facebook comment about his hand looking a bit injured. I've watched the Cavendish crash but still can't work out what happened.
    Alex Dowset is a local rider, came past my car whilst I was in a traffic jam on Danbury hill at a fair old lick!
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Quite. As if everyone who posted on this forum was only commenting from the position of being a current or even ex-pro...and Alex Dowsett is welcome to have a good old laugh at my Strava data any time he fancies

    It just irritates me when people are so blatantly disrespectful about any aspect of a Pro's ability, be it climbing or anything else. I think it's a pretty stupid position to say that any Pro is a crap climber when the reality is anything but.

    Perhaps, as Rich has suggested, comparison with one's peers is the right way to do it, I'm not sold on that I'm afraid. Which peer? Because comparing any rider with Contador for example is going to make them look 'crap'.
  • Great finish by Luke. He saw the crash and said someone rode into Cav which is what it looked like as he did not go off the road.
    Luke is a fast finisher which is why he is the final lead out man for Cav in the tob, he is also a useful climber and can get round, dont forget the climbs are hardly alpine like. He was looking to do well in Caerphilly stage as he lives a mile from the climb and will have hundreds supporting him there, but susopect he may have to ride a bit different now as he has the jersey.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Great finish by Luke. He saw the crash and said someone rode into Cav which is what it looked like as he did not go off the road.
    Luke is a fast finisher which is why he is the final lead out man for Cav in the tob, he is also a useful climber and can get round, dont forget the climbs are hardly alpine like. He was looking to do well in Caerphilly stage as he lives a mile from the climb and will have hundreds supporting him there, but susopect he may have to ride a bit different now as he has the jersey.

    He was in really good form in Denmark last week. I was going to put some money on him to win the overall, but never got around to it. Kicking myself a bit now.
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    The 3 garmin riders giving Cavendish disgusted looks says it all for me....they know who's to blame...but as usual the manx moaner will try and worm his way out of it just like his texan pal.


    Strange how he would just fall off without any contact given he had finished the bend. None of us could see what happened so what's the point in guessing? Just a racing incident and let's face it Farrar and his mates seem to have watched too many "where there's blame there's a claim" adverts.
  • carl_p
    carl_p Posts: 989
    Pross wrote:
    Excellent composure by Luke to realise his man was down and readjust to take the win. Don't think we can point the finger of blame as there was a lack of camera angles but it looked like someone took Cav's back wheel out. A few odd crashes in the final kms, suspect there'll be a few moans about the road width and some of the parked cars in the villages were a bit dodgy. Great crowds though. Definitely needs a different commentary team though - if ITV are going to nick a BBC commentator you'd think they would have chosen Brotherton.

    Haven't seen any of the race coverage so can't comment on the crash, however, I road the stage route yesterday and I did wonder if the tight turns in the lead up to the line would cause problems. Basically its a showground with a grid like road system, all 90 degree angles.

    Did manage to catch the race at the feed area. Even big crowds there and a crash!
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  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Looked like he dipped off the side of the road into a dried puddle/pot hole. Whether that happened after being nudged I have no idea.

    Who was the half naked man picking bikes up off the ground? :lol:
  • Mr and Mrs Van Poppel could have made a little bit more of an effort in naming their son surely ?

    Hard to say what happened in the Cav crash but it would never be his fault anyway would it ? Imagine the poor journalist who has to talk to him after that stage
    The UCI are Clowns and Fools
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Squaggles wrote:
    Mr and Mrs Van Poppel could have made a little bit more of an effort in naming their son surely ?
    It's just as bad for his sister Girl and their younger brother Accident
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • carl_p
    carl_p Posts: 989
    Just seen the highlights. Looks like Cav's wheel hits some loose and flicks out. Game over, all happened in less than a second.

    Shockingly bad TV coverage.

    Wiggo seemed ultra laid back in the pre race interview :?
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  • Just watched a recording of the live coverage on ITV4. HP just stated that the Combativity prize is sponsored by Rouleur Cheese! :lol:
  • thegibdog
    thegibdog Posts: 2,106
    Carl_P wrote:
    Wiggo seemed ultra laid back in the pre race interview :?
    Quite enjoyed that. No idea who is riding, just turned up and riding, good to be back on the bike etc!
    It just irritates me when people are so blatantly disrespectful about any aspect of a Pro's ability, be it climbing or anything else.
    Don't worry, everyone knows Big George is still a great climber.
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    The 3 garmin riders giving Cavendish disgusted looks says it all for me....they know who's to blame
    Yep, I saw a spectator frowning, definitely Cav's fault...
  • God almighty I hate the mickey mouse finishes they keep having for the TOB. Always a slalom round some bollards in a car park or whatever. Bloody lottery.
  • nickel
    nickel Posts: 476
    I swear Rob Hayles has the most boring voice known to mankind! I couldn't believe there were 3 categorised 'climbs' today, I know TV cameras tend to flatten a gradient out but still, King of the Mountains in East Anglia, really? Good sprint from Rowe though.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I thought Cav had overlapped his front wheel and thats why he went down ? I've not heard his take on it though.
  • dw300
    dw300 Posts: 1,642
    All the above is just advice .. you can do whatever the f*ck you wana do!
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