Tour de France Stage 5 Ypres-Arenberg *Spoiler*

type:epyt

tom3 wrote:

For someone who called their team leader mentally weak, Froome does seem to have had headloss since the dauphine in more ways than one. Right now, the next 3 hours are the biggest test of his career.

Let's not start that. That same 'leader' went to pieces in bad conditions in a GT. It happens.

pottssteve

Above The Cows wrote:

pottssteve wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Is it too early to have a drankje?

I'm waaaaay ahead of you!

Yes but it is dark where you are Steve.

Shut your eyes....

above_the_cows

tom3 wrote:

For someone who called their team leader mentally weak, Froome does seem to have had headloss since the dauphine in more ways than one. Right now, the next 3 hours are the biggest test of his career.

Is there a link between crashing and headloss? I mean what if someone else crashes in front of you and takes you out did you cause that through your own headloss? Is bad luck a sign of headloss?

Crashes happen, its how you deal with them that counts.

tom3

type:epyt wrote:

tom3 wrote:

For someone who called their team leader mentally weak, Froome does seem to have had headloss since the dauphine in more ways than one. Right now, the next 3 hours are the biggest test of his career.

Let's not start that. That same 'leader' went to pieces in bad conditions in a GT. It happens.

Thats actually the point I am trying to make.

type:epyt

Coach H wrote:

Wiggins has just sent Sir Dave a text that reads 'Hi Dave. Its a bit hot in the Velodrome today but I should be OK as they have carrot cake in the cafe. Hope the Zandio decision work out for you guys, he'll be a real asset in the conditions today. Laters Brad'

Obviously this is a complete fabrication but is meant as a parody on what Brailsford should be thinking right about now

Wet weather Wiggins? He's proven he's no use in the wet.

adr82

Eurosport recorded interview with "Sky leaving nothing to chance", lol...

The_Boy

Do we have to do this Wiggins thing again? He isn't in the team for very good reason. The notion that he would make any marked difference to Froome staying upright, or be an unquestioning domestique to a man he clearly dislikes, or be a viable plan B is all a little bit silly, isn't it?

type:epyt

tom3 wrote:

type:epyt wrote:

tom3 wrote:

For someone who called their team leader mentally weak, Froome does seem to have had headloss since the dauphine in more ways than one. Right now, the next 3 hours are the biggest test of his career.

Let's not start that. That same 'leader' went to pieces in bad conditions in a GT. It happens.

Thats actually the point I am trying to make.

No. The leader I am referring to is BW who fell to pieces pretending to win the Giro. As I said, it happens.

adr82

The_Boy wrote:

Do we have to do this Wiggins thing again? He isn't in the team for very good reason. The notion that he would make any marked difference to Froome staying upright, or be an unquestioning domestique to a man he clearly dislikes, or be a viable plan B is all a little bit silly, isn't it?

Yes.

mooro

Any ideas what happened to tony Martin? Pretty sure he was with the breakaway earlier

frenchfighter

pottssteve wrote:

kleinstroker wrote:

adr82 wrote:

From letour ticker, might need that plan B Dave:

Four Team Sky riders are trying to bring Froome back to the peloton. Dave Brailsford said before the start that Richie Porte would also be a protected rider today as they envisage the necessity of changing leadership, shall Froome be too injured to defend his title in the coming days.

Nice plan Dave! If only you had another option?

I don't know where Sir Bradley is, but he may well be laughing like a drain.....

frenchfighter

Mooro wrote:

Any ideas what happened to tony Martin? Pretty sure he was with the breakaway earlier

Crashed. Back in the front group.

r0bh

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Pross wrote:

I really don't get this attitude that the cobbles don't belong in a GT. They are as much a part of being an all round cyclist as being able to climb or TT, arguably more as the race probably went over cobbles before someone introduced the 'circus act' of sending bike riders over huge mountains. The big difference seems to be that in the last 20 years riders have decided to specialise rather than ride what gets thrown at them so virtually no GT contender has ridden cobbles. That's their choice and as a result they are less complete bike riders than in a previous era where cyclists won P-R or RVV as well as GTs. Who decided that GTs should be all about the person who can climb best whilst minimising their losses in a TT?

That said, the decision to remove sectors looks sensible if they are flooded. It's one thing to have the skills to spot hazards and negotiate them but sending riders over cobbles they can't see would be a step too far.

I agree with this to some extent, but I also don't think it necessary to see riders crashing and getting hurt in order to be entertained. You can say that riders should be able to ride everything but the reality is these days that they are specialists. To then make these specialists do things they are not prepared for and run the risk of injury in order to increase the entertainment factor and advertising revenue is a little perverse.

And yes I know professional sport is all about advertising revenue but there is a fine line. The Giro has crossed it on many occasions recently, I don't want to see the Tour do the same thing.

THAT I agree with 100%. It's the unnecessary risk to riders I'm most concerned about, as well as the artificial distortion of results.

If every GT included cobbles then there's a case for saying it should be part of a GT riders repertoire. But that isn't the case and hasn't been for many years.

But every GC rider has a choice; if they don't feel confident in their abilities to ride the pave full gas they can choose to go at their own pace and loose time. Or ride a different GT.

Did anyone who thinks the pave shouldn't be in the Tour agree with the Schlecks in 2011 (? I think) about not including descents that influence the GC I wonder?

Paul 8v

TMR wrote:

Pross wrote:

There's likelihood of riders crashing and seriously injuring themselves on wet, mountain descents at far higher speeds and yet no-one argues mountains should be taken out. It's unfortunate that it is wet, I'd rather they were battling it out on dry pave but the organisers would have reasonably expected it to be dry at this time of year. It's ironic that it has been 12 years since they had a wet version of P-R in rainy April but they get this weather in July.

Post of the thread. HTFU.

I am sick of the TdF being decided almost entirely by whomever is best at climbing. It's nice to have a real shake up for a change.

This is true, as much as I like watching a great climber, a cobbles specialist deserves to have a parcours that suits them occasionally. Also this year there is only one TT...

adr82

Mooro wrote:

Any ideas what happened to tony Martin? Pretty sure he was with the breakaway earlier

Crashed with Acevedo and they both eventually gave up on getting back to the break.

Coach H

type:epyt wrote:

Coach H wrote:

Wiggins has just sent Sir Dave a text that reads 'Hi Dave. Its a bit hot in the Velodrome today but I should be OK as they have carrot cake in the cafe. Hope the Zandio decision work out for you guys, he'll be a real asset in the conditions today. Laters Brad'

Obviously this is a complete fabrication but is meant as a parody on what Brailsford should be thinking right about now

Wet weather Wiggins? He's proven he's no use in the wet.

No, he has had one bad ride in the wet, in the mountains, and one were he obviously had a monk on. You are aware of where he lives, right? If you cant ride in the rain you don't get much training done around Wigan.

Pross

type:epyt wrote:

Coach H wrote:

Wiggins has just sent Sir Dave a text that reads 'Hi Dave. Its a bit hot in the Velodrome today but I should be OK as they have carrot cake in the cafe. Hope the Zandio decision work out for you guys, he'll be a real asset in the conditions today. Laters Brad'

Obviously this is a complete fabrication but is meant as a parody on what Brailsford should be thinking right about now

Wet weather Wiggins? He's proven he's no use in the wet.

Yep, he looked useless when averaging nearly 29 mph on a wet, technical and hilly circuit on a TT bike with disc wheel in the recent National TT champs.

One bad race in the wet and suddenly he's 'no use'. By that rationale Froome is equally useless based on T-A 2013.

The_Boy

Mooro wrote:

Any ideas what happened to tony Martin? Pretty sure he was with the breakaway earlier

Faller. Chasing back on with Dumoulin who punctured.

curium

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Pross wrote:

I really don't get this attitude that the cobbles don't belong in a GT. They are as much a part of being an all round cyclist as being able to climb or TT, arguably more as the race probably went over cobbles before someone introduced the 'circus act' of sending bike riders over huge mountains. The big difference seems to be that in the last 20 years riders have decided to specialise rather than ride what gets thrown at them so virtually no GT contender has ridden cobbles. That's their choice and as a result they are less complete bike riders than in a previous era where cyclists won P-R or RVV as well as GTs. Who decided that GTs should be all about the person who can climb best whilst minimising their losses in a TT?

That said, the decision to remove sectors looks sensible if they are flooded. It's one thing to have the skills to spot hazards and negotiate them but sending riders over cobbles they can't see would be a step too far.

I agree with this to some extent, but I also don't think it necessary to see riders crashing and getting hurt in order to be entertained. You can say that riders should be able to ride everything but the reality is these days that they are specialists. To then make these specialists do things they are not prepared for and run the risk of injury in order to increase the entertainment factor and advertising revenue is a little perverse.

And yes I know professional sport is all about advertising revenue but there is a fine line. The Giro has crossed it on many occasions recently, I don't want to see the Tour do the same thing.

THAT I agree with 100%. It's the unnecessary risk to riders I'm most concerned about, as well as the artificial distortion of results.

If every GT included cobbles then there's a case for saying it should be part of a GT riders repertoire. But that isn't the case and hasn't been for many years.

I'd like to see more GT stages that militate against specialists. Bring back the days of a rider capable of placing well in Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and a GT. It would make for a more exciting season over all!

Paul 8v

frenchfighter wrote:

Mooro wrote:

Any ideas what happened to tony Martin? Pretty sure he was with the breakaway earlier

Crashed. Back in the front group.

He's quite unlucky with crashes unfortunatey

rick_chasey

Just tuned in.

What's the situation? Is a sky favourite behind? Lots of work by Astana & tinkof?

adr82

Pross wrote:

One bad race in the wet and suddenly he's 'no use'. By that rationale Froome is equally useless based on T-A 2013.

Actually that's what a lot of people seem to think (about both of them).

tom3

I just wish G would have been allowed to chip off the front. Obviously team tactics would dictate he is guiding froome.

dsoutar

frenchfighter wrote:

So Froome would be out the race had it not been for his team car dragging him all the way back. Now I don't mind this at all but it is odd that it is allowed (or not stopped) when doing things like taking a bottle or feed with less than 20km to go is penalised.

It's happens all he time after mechanicals / crashes. You of all people should appreciate that. Whether it's right or not is another matter but just the other day there was an FDJ rider that must have about a 5 km tow behind his car. In fact it's not uncommon to see people getting tows behind other team's cars

adr82

Rick Chasey wrote:

Just tuned in.

What's the situation? Is a sky favourite behind? Lots of work by Astana & tinkof?

Froome fell off again, was a minute down after a bike change, but is back on now. Porte is plan B for Sky apparently.

iainf72

I'd say crashes so far are just poor luck rather than anything else

frenchfighter

10 KM TO CARREFOUR DE L'ARBRE

The_Boy

Just been doing the dishes so apolgies for silly question, but has there been a loo break recently? Peloton looking a little thin.

pottssteve

Poetry time....
Eurosport is doing Siegfried Sassoon but here's an alternative:

There are holes in the sky where the rain gets in
That's why the rain is small and thin.

-Spike Milligan

frenchfighter

dsoutar wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

So Froome would be out the race had it not been for his team car dragging him all the way back. Now I don't mind this at all but it is odd that it is allowed (or not stopped) when doing things like taking a bottle or feed with less than 20km to go is penalised.

It's happens all he time after mechanicals / crashes. You of all people should appreciate that. Whether it's right or not is another matter but just the other day there was an FDJ rider that must have about a 5 km tow behind his car. In fact it's not uncommon to see people getting tows behind other team's cars

frenchfighter wrote:

I don't mind this at all