2014 TdF

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  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Garmin: Talansky, Howes, King, Langeveld, Navardauskas, Slagter, Vansummeren, Acevedo, Bauer

    Shame millar isn't in it.

    Real shame. Je suis a big fan of his.

    Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere - but have you listened to the Millar one of these?
    http://audioboo.fm/channel/thecyclingpodcast

    His comments about Cyrille Guimard, EPO/doping and "marginal gains" are interesting... As well as nominating Ryder H as the best team mate and Cav as the best leader he's ever ridden for...

    Yeah it is pretty good. Worth a listen.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    eh wrote:
    Thomas could maybe win the cobble stage.

    This is Team Froome I mean Sky we are talking about, no chance of anyone going for a cobbled stage win, unless Froome crashes out in Yorkshire.

    We shall see! The last time they visited cobbles with Wiggo as leader Thomas was allowed to go for the stage win. And who knows how well Froome will go over them? Nobody expected Andy Schleck to be in the front group last time.
  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    Mr Millar needs to learn never to tweet in anger, disappointment or heartbreak.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Coriander wrote:
    Mr Millar needs to learn never to tweet in anger, disappointment or heartbreak.

    More fun for us, no?
    _
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    I think his "accidental" disclosure last week (ahead of official annoucement by the team) that he'd been selected for the Tour was an attempt to cement his place, as it seems it was actually conditional on the performances at the Nationals. I reckon he calculated that going public meant the team wouldn't dare drop him.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    I think his "accidental" disclosure last week (ahead of official annoucement by the team) that he'd been selected for the Tour was an attempt to cement his place, as it seems it was actually conditional on the performances at the Nationals. I reckon he calculated that going public meant the team wouldn't dare drop him.

    Good point. Probably correct.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    edited June 2014
    Well the Tour coming to Yorkshire is becoming a complete washout when it comes to home riders to cheer.

    Are we now down ot just 3 then? Cav, G and Froome? Bloody hell. :evil:

    Anyone got the stats for how bad (or good!) a year that is when it comes to Tour history (recent or otherwise)?
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    I remember the days when Max Sciandri was "the Brit" even when he was riding for Italy!

    (Might be misremembering this for effect, but you get the point)
  • eh
    eh Posts: 4,854
    He was born in Derby :-)

    I remember him winning one of the few medals GB got at the Atlanta Olympics. Mainland Brits just didn't do enough drugs to compete in those days.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    BrY1guVIUAAZ9Ry.jpg
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Above The Cows wrote:
    If Horner wins this Tour I might die laughing.
    Horner could take advantage if Contador and Froome get distracted marking each other. Just needs the right moment. Not to win the tour, but maybe take the yellow jersey for a bit.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,718
    It's like the old days, having a dearth of GB riders in the race :(
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Coriander wrote:
    Mr Millar needs to learn never to tweet in anger, disappointment or heartbreak.

    I'm wondering if he's updated his facebook relationship status to 'It's Complicated'.
    TailWindHome wrote:
    BrY1guVIUAAZ9Ry.jpg

    Was Thor ever really a contender? With his form and Mono? And Boonen? Hardly having a stellar year. The Tour is Cav's baby, Tommeke has the Cobbles.

    Honestly this is all getting a bit silly. Every year riders are not selected and not taken to the Tour, suddenly there seems to be an outbreak of collective outrage. It's professional sport not occupational therapy.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Dowsett I understand but Millar is a poor decision especially if it was based on his form in the Nationals where he was 1 man against 5 Sky and 2 OGE. He was working hard initially to limit the break but he couldn't do it alone. There aren't many more experienced road captains out there. At least they didn't rub salt in by taking Farrar though!

    Aren't there rumours that one of the Sky Tour team is ill and maybe getting replaced? If so Kennaugh would presumably go instead. I remember the days (post Millar / Elliot / Yates) where a British rider was a novelty but this must be least British starters since???, have to feel a bit sorry for the Yorkshire organisers.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    r0bh wrote:
    ... pro cycling teams essentially exist to generate a return on their investment for their sponsors. Winning is of course one way of doing that, but it is not the only way.

    That cycling can be reduced to such mercenary terms is awful - but even the die-hard romantic in me couldn't agree more. It's on that basis that both Brailsford and Vaughters have dropped a massive boll@ck each- and some might argue that they haven't got that many left between them.

    Ironically, it's exploiting the romantic tendencies in "the masses" that would garner them the most substantial return on this Tour (and for the future - in Britain and France, anyway, with regard to Wiggins and Millar).
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Gosh it's a very weird feeling being the most mercenary, unsympathetic person in a discussion.

    I wonder how much James Murdoch cycling fan that he is and son of evil heartless b*stard cares about 'Sky's' image and how much he cares about winning? Maybe he wants to win more than he cares about a few people cancelling their Sky subscription until the football season starts again and they realise they can't watch any games.

    I wonder how much Vaughters thinks Millar's happy-go-lucky-plucky-little-reformed-doper-schtick is worth when weighted against him physically deteriorating and needing a TUE and the tsunami of holier than thou posturing from the pseudo-Kimmages and the permanently outraged. Maybe Garmin and/or Sharp would rather have a Tour minus Millar and the ensuing controversy rather than potential 'doping' chat?

    I also think we are running the risk of thinking that because we care about/like these riders (e.g. Wiggins and Millar) that other people in other places do too.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    2008 only saw three Brits in the tour - Millar, Cavendish and a promising young rider by the name of Froome (had he become brit by then though?).
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Cumulonimbus wrote:
    2008 only saw three Brits in the tour - Millar, Cavendish and a promising young rider by the name of Froome (had he become brit by then though?).

    He's always been British but he took up racing under a British license in late 2008, so in 2008 Tour he was racing under Kenyan license, so only two licensed Brits. Cav and Millar.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Vaughters comments ring totally hollow.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • type:epyt
    type:epyt Posts: 766
    In fairness to Garmin, their team doesn't have the spectre of doping hanging around which must be a first for one of their TdF teams.

    Vaughters has likely worked out that he needs a new/better sponsor to compete with the Sky/BMC/OPQS/Astana/Tinkoff juggernauts. If his selling point is anti-doping then for the first time in likely forever he has succeeded in producing a team to match. Shame Martin misses out as he is also deserving of a place on the team.
    Life is unfair, kill yourself or get over it.
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,611
    Above The Cows wrote:
    there's a woman with boobs

    Something of a tautology here? Size 0 models notwithstanding?
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,611
    frenchfighter wrote:
    @millarmind · 2m
    Garmin and Sharp, I love you. This is between me & @wegelius & @Vaughters & @dellisny. I just wanted you to know.

    Wegelius was a bit miffed in his book that Millar got a shorter ban from the national squad for doping than he did for taking a backhander to do a bit of work for the Italians in the World RR a few years ago. Maybe this is a bit of payback.
  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    Above The Cows wrote:
    Gosh it's a very weird feeling being the most mercenary, unsympathetic person in a discussion.

    I wonder how much James Murdoch cycling fan that he is and son of evil heartless b*stard cares about 'Sky's' image and how much he cares about winning? Maybe he wants to win more than he cares about a few people cancelling their Sky subscription until the football season starts again and they realise they can't watch any games.

    I wonder how much Vaughters thinks Millar's happy-go-lucky-plucky-little-reformed-doper-schtick is worth when weighted against him physically deteriorating and needing a TUE and the tsunami of holier than thou posturing from the pseudo-Kimmages and the permanently outraged. Maybe Garmin and/or Sharp would rather have a Tour minus Millar and the ensuing controversy rather than potential 'doping' chat?

    I also think we are running the risk of thinking that because we care about/like these riders (e.g. Wiggins and Millar) that other people in other places do too.

    This is a large part of what I wanted to say, but was too lazy to type out.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:
    Wegelius was a bit miffed in his book that Millar got a shorter ban from the national squad for doping than he did for taking a backhander to do a bit of work for the Italians in the World RR a few years ago. Maybe this is a bit of payback.

    If that's true then it's pathetic and he needs to grow up.

    Why can't people just fight to resolve differences any more? All this underhand crap does my nut.
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    TMR wrote:
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:
    Wegelius was a bit miffed in his book that Millar got a shorter ban from the national squad for doping than he did for taking a backhander to do a bit of work for the Italians in the World RR a few years ago. Maybe this is a bit of payback.
    If that's true then it's pathetic and he needs to grow up.
    Why can't people just fight to resolve differences any more? All this underhand crap does my nut.
    They often do, but then what would a forum be without endless speculation
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,611
    TMR wrote:
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:
    Wegelius was a bit miffed in his book that Millar got a shorter ban from the national squad for doping than he did for taking a backhander to do a bit of work for the Italians in the World RR a few years ago. Maybe this is a bit of payback.

    If that's true then it's pathetic and he needs to grow up.

    Why can't people just fight to resolve differences any more? All this underhand crap does my nut.

    That was just me wondering. If cyclists are going to fight each other, I think Griepel vs Kittel would be a good bout on which to start.

    It is interesting though the relative length of bans from riding for the national squad that were involved. (Millar = 2 years; Wegelius = until hell freezes over).
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:

    That was just me wondering. If cyclists are going to fight each other, I think Griepel vs Kittel would be a good bout on which to start.
    Bouhanni v Demare. Might not last long though.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    RichN95 wrote:
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:

    That was just me wondering. If cyclists are going to fight each other, I think Griepel vs Kittel would be a good bout on which to start.
    Bouhanni v Demare. Might not last long though.

    Bouhanni is an ex-Boxer isn't he?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    TMR wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:

    That was just me wondering. If cyclists are going to fight each other, I think Griepel vs Kittel would be a good bout on which to start.
    Bouhanni v Demare. Might not last long though.

    Bouhanni is an ex-Boxer isn't he?
    He still does it as training - hence why it wouldn't last long.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Wallace and Gromit wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    @millarmind · 2m
    Garmin and Sharp, I love you. This is between me & @wegelius & @Vaughters & @dellisny. I just wanted you to know.

    Wegelius was a bit miffed in his book that Millar got a shorter ban from the national squad for doping than he did for taking a backhander to do a bit of work for the Italians in the World RR a few years ago. Maybe this is a bit of payback.
    I don't think so. Reliable domestique that he was, Wegelius wants to be certain the riders selected can last the whole 3 weeks.
    Un uomo solo al commando

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