Tour de France Stage 4 Le Touquet-Lille *Spoilers*

1…7891012

Comments

  • goonz
    goonz Posts: 3,106
    Canc will take it tomorrow.
    Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
    Specialized Hardrock MTB for Lumps
    Specialized Langster SS for Ease
    Cinelli Mash Bolt Fixed for Pain
    n+1 is well and truly on track
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/1608875
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,643
    goonz wrote:
    Nibbles got a kiss this time, looked a little nervous after yesterdays rejection!

    Day before yesterday. He got kisses in London...
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Next time you see the overhead watch how Sagan slips in and out. Superb handling.
    Video here
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Weather forecast is wet, light tailwinds (from the north) and cloudy with a chance of rain. Even if it doesn't rain the cobbled sections will be slippery and it will be humid so a bit of a lottery. LeMond on Tour is hilarious!
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Ooo, it's gone midnight!

    Night night, all!
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Scott O'Raw ‏@velocast · 2m
    Sky reporting that Chris Froome is to be sent for an X-Ray on his wrist.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Scott O'Raw ‏@velocast · 2m
    Sky reporting that Chris Froome is to be sent for an X-Ray on his wrist.

    Not ideal the night before cobble mayhem.
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    What the hell happened to Renshaw? Looked like he was in the perfect place but just didn't bother? Just thinks he can't win so doesn't bother?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    pottssteve wrote:
    Weather forecast is wet, light tailwinds (from the north) and cloudy with a chance of rain. Even if it doesn't rain the cobbled sections will be slippery and it will be humid so a bit of a lottery. LeMond on Tour is hilarious!

    Those "light" tailwinds in Roubaix. :wink:
    http://france.lachainemeteo.com/meteo-f ... 4481-1.php

    Frankly, it could hardly look worse.
    (I know it's beddy byes time in HK)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,390
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Kittel really looked cooked...he couldnt even celebrate.

    Maybe OPQS thought it worth a punt to wind things up from 5k out to try and blunt Kittel's sprint. Even the best sprint can be negated by a long enough run for home. Shame for OPQS that they don't have anyone to take advantage of Kittel's potential weakness at the end of such a long run.

    Or maybe OPQS just c*cked things up again!
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    When was the last time somebody beat Kittel in a heads up sprint stage where he was actually trying? Must be coming up on a year?
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    mulletmaster wrote:
    When was the last time somebody beat Kittel in a heads up sprint stage where he was actually trying? Must be coming up on a year?

    To be fair though the big three haven't raced against each since the last Tour.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • antsmithmk
    antsmithmk Posts: 717
    The big 3 are rapidly becoming the big 1.

    Griepel looks out of form... In fact Sagan looks to have his number at the minute.

    Kittel looks in a league of his own.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    One of the big 3 isn't here though. I'm not sure we can judge Cav's ability when he isn't actually in the race.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • antsmithmk
    antsmithmk Posts: 717
    No you are right, bit early for writing him off.....but! Based on what you have seen in the last 12 months, who would you have your mortgage on if pushed?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Wouldn't write Greipel off yet.

    Kittel is particularly rubbish up mountains.
    _
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    But you have to be in it to win in. Ducking out early season, mysterious "illnesses" and self inflicted crashes don't scare anybody or improve the palmares.
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    That wasn't too bad a sprint stage. That sprint would have suited Cavendish and it would have been the ultimate contest to answer the question of who is the best sprinter in the peloton at the moment. Kittel seems to have the ability to adapt to any situation and his sprints in Dublin and Lille have been very impressive.

    Have there been any repercussions yet from the bout of fisticuffs between Europcar and Garmin? Hopefully they will shake hands and move on.

    I hope Froome is OK and in good shape for tomorrow. Those 60kmh winds will need everyone at 100%. If Froome departs now, the Tour as competition is over. It is doubtful Nibali has the form to challenge Contador.

    DD.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    mulletmaster wrote:
    But you have to be in it to win in. Ducking out early season, mysterious "illnesses" and self inflicted crashes don't scare anybody or improve the palmares.

    Well obviously you have to be in it to win it but you can't make categorical claims about one element being better than other elements if those elements haven't really been tested together.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    Coquard is looking very very consistent (and good)... would love to see him take a stage at some point.
  • goonz
    goonz Posts: 3,106
    ddraver wrote:
    What the hell happened to Renshaw? Looked like he was in the perfect place but just didn't bother? Just thinks he can't win so doesn't bother?

    Looks like he thought he was lead out, sat up then forgot there was no one for the sprint and started sprinting himself!
    Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
    Specialized Hardrock MTB for Lumps
    Specialized Langster SS for Ease
    Cinelli Mash Bolt Fixed for Pain
    n+1 is well and truly on track
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/1608875
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    goonz wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    What the hell happened to Renshaw? Looked like he was in the perfect place but just didn't bother? Just thinks he can't win so doesn't bother?

    Looks like he thought he was lead out, sat up then forgot there was no one for the sprint and started sprinting himself!

    Yep that's what it looked like to me too.

    Anyway who's seen this on Kwiatkowski. From RR on the twitter...

    http://www.ridemedia.com.au/tour-de-france/kwiatkowski-hoping-to-inspire-polish-talent/

    "Although he tends to animate the action, Kwiat says he relies on his power meter to judge his efforts rather than emotion, and that this is just part of what modern cycling has become. “I really like numbers,” he says about the propensity of riders to stare at data while racing. “I’m following my power during training and in the races. Honestly, it helps me a lot and that’s my style of riding as well.”"
    Correlation is not causation.
  • goonz
    goonz Posts: 3,106
    Dolan Driver wrote:
    Have there been any repercussions yet from the bout of fisticuffs between Europcar and Garmin? Hopefully they will shake hands and move on.
    DD.

    Eh what happened then?
    Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
    Specialized Hardrock MTB for Lumps
    Specialized Langster SS for Ease
    Cinelli Mash Bolt Fixed for Pain
    n+1 is well and truly on track
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/1608875
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    goonz wrote:
    Dolan Driver wrote:
    Have there been any repercussions yet from the bout of fisticuffs between Europcar and Garmin? Hopefully they will shake hands and move on.
    DD.

    Eh what happened then?

    I'm not really sure but it looked like Kevin Rezza and possibly Johan Van Summeren were pushing or even hitting each other at one point in the run-in as the sprint trains jostled for position. There may be very little in it but I think the commissaires frown on that sort of thing. :)

    DD.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    201407081044386946087
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Froome needing over 3mins of medical treatment during the race:
    http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/nbc ... q4&yr=2014

    Here you can see Henderson's crash. Also note the complete idiot I referred to earlier:
    http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/nbc ... rI&yr=2014
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Sagan's handling in the sprint is unreal. We need a camera on his bike at all times.

    Bricking it about Froome's wrist. But if he's merely winged I hope they attack him on the cobbles. Given the forecast, anything could happen, including nothing.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    Above The Cows wrote:
    mulletmaster wrote:
    But you have to be in it to win in. Ducking out early season, mysterious "illnesses" and self inflicted crashes don't scare anybody or improve the palmares.

    Well obviously you have to be in it to win it but you can't make categorical claims about one element being better than other elements if those elements haven't really been tested together.
    I'm sure that's what the Schlecks have been saying for a few years now too...
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    goonz wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    What the hell happened to Renshaw? Looked like he was in the perfect place but just didn't bother? Just thinks he can't win so doesn't bother?

    Looks like he thought he was lead out, sat up then forgot there was no one for the sprint and started sprinting himself!

    The whole of OPQS seemed to be pre-programmed and forgot they were missing their sprinter. Either that or they were just keen to ruin everyone else's trains. Good effort from Kristoff, thought he'd just held on at first.
  • GentlemanBear
    GentlemanBear Posts: 280
    Bizarre interview with race doctor on the ITV highlights, basically saying that Froome has no fracture to his wrist, but couldn't rule out a fracture that didn't appear on the x-ray... obviously everyone bigging it up as "maybe a very small fracture"... :?

Categories