Rest day 1 *spoiler*

mike6

On the "Proper" long climbs, watch Richie go, thats his forte. Cant wait for the rest of the Tour, its still anyones.

mulletmaster

1st rest day and no doping scandals....happy days!
If the best thing that Sky can pull from the wreckage of this season is the ToC (from a subsequently unwanted rider), Austria and a TdF podium from their backup, can Dave even pretend it hasn't been an unmitigated disaster of a season?

Anonymous

mulletmaster wrote:

1st rest day and no doping scandals....happy days!
If the best thing that Sky can pull from the wreckage of this season is the ToC (from a subsequently unwanted rider), Austria and a TdF podium from their backup, can Dave even pretend it hasn't been an unmitigated disaster of a season?

Just think, if you were any other team winning a WT GC (Romandie), 2 non GC's and a tour podium, would be classed as a superb year.

philbar72

mulletmaster wrote:

1st rest day and no doping scandals....happy days!
If the best thing that Sky can pull from the wreckage of this season is the ToC (from a subsequently unwanted rider), Austria and a TdF podium from their backup, can Dave even pretend it hasn't been an unmitigated disaster of a season?

the Vuelta may still be ripe for Froome to take. if fit he should podium at the very least.

mike6

mulletmaster wrote:

1st rest day and no doping scandals....happy days!
If the best thing that Sky can pull from the wreckage of this season is the ToC (from a subsequently unwanted rider), Austria and a TdF podium from their backup, can Dave even pretend it hasn't been an unmitigated disaster of a season?

Yes he can, quite easily. Tour favorit crashes and has to abandon, no one can legislate for that. Two weeks still to go in this Tour, a Sky rider in second place and plenty of the season left to win races. Not a bad season results wise, plenty of other teams would settle for it.

What about Saxo? I dont see you taking a pop at Riis because Bertie is out of the Tour. Sky have two riders in the top 14, where is Saxo's best placed rider?

dish_dash

Bloody good read from Ted King: http://www.iamtedking.com/2014/07/6337/

ad_snow

frenchfighter wrote:

5 year deal! Team Bora. Cool name.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-ne ... -team-bora

Team NetApp-Endura will be known as Team BORA for the next five years. The manufacturer of cooking surfaces and cooking extractor systems will be the title sponsor through the 2019 season, starting in 2015. It will mark the return of a German title- sponsored German team to the pro peloton for the first time since 2019.

Coriander

My twitter timeline is telling me that Cancellara has withdrawn.

iainf72

Chinny not starting tomorrow

The_Boy

German main title sponsor is great news. That they've committed for five years is even better.

Anonymous

Fabian has withdrawn on the race, wants to focus on other season objectives. Translation, I was only in it for yellow on stage 2, or the cobbles and failed. F-off if you think I'm doing the mountains.

milton50

There is still a lot of racing to do and Nibali could easily have one off day. If Porte is getting back to something close to his 2013 form then he could take a decent chunk of time out of Nibali in the TT.

I think Nibali will probably win this race 8 out of 10 times but you never know.

salsiccia1

sjmclean wrote:

Fabian has withdrawn on the race, wants to focus on other season objectives. Translation, I was only in it for yellow on stage 2, or the cobbles and failed. F-off if you think I'm doing the mountains.

Anyone else think this is a bit poor? I mean Schleck and Zubeldia are still in with a shout of top 10.

rick_chasey

Salsiccia1 wrote:

sjmclean wrote:

Fabian has withdrawn on the race, wants to focus on other season objectives. Translation, I was only in it for yellow on stage 2, or the cobbles and failed. F-off if you think I'm doing the mountains.

Anyone else think this is a bit poor? I mean Schleck and Zubeldia are still in with a shout of top 10.

Was always planned.

ugo.santalucia

Reportedly Quintana beaten up by some locals for wearing a pink top in the suburbs of Medellin... :shock:

salsiccia1

Rick Chasey wrote:

Salsiccia1 wrote:

sjmclean wrote:

Fabian has withdrawn on the race, wants to focus on other season objectives. Translation, I was only in it for yellow on stage 2, or the cobbles and failed. F-off if you think I'm doing the mountains.

Anyone else think this is a bit poor? I mean Schleck and Zubeldia are still in with a shout of top 10.

Was always planned.

Mmmm...

I suppose it's a bit of a juxtaposition to someone like Ted King who's gutted to have to pull out after giving and still wanting to give everything to his team. It doesn't sit that easily with me, I'm afraid.

andyrr

sjmclean wrote:

Fabian has withdrawn on the race, wants to focus on other season objectives. Translation, I was only in it for yellow on stage 2, or the cobbles and failed. F-off if you think I'm doing the mountains.

Does that then remove his Heavyweight certification ?

lawrences

More likely it was the pink shorts, glasses, helmet, and entire bike almost down to the tyres.

I'd be tempted to take a swing at him. Just wear the jersey ffs.

Anonymous

andyrr wrote:

sjmclean wrote:

Fabian has withdrawn on the race, wants to focus on other season objectives. Translation, I was only in it for yellow on stage 2, or the cobbles and failed. F-off if you think I'm doing the mountains.

Does that then remove his Heavyweight certification ?

Yes, I would say so. He's done nothing for the True fans (tm)

ugo.santalucia

sjmclean wrote:

andyrr wrote:

sjmclean wrote:

Fabian has withdrawn on the race, wants to focus on other season objectives. Translation, I was only in it for yellow on stage 2, or the cobbles and failed. F-off if you think I'm doing the mountains.

Does that then remove his Heavyweight certification ?

Yes, I would say so. He's done nothing for the True fans (tm)

Shame on him... 4 years ago I paid 700 quid to ride 5 days in the Pyrenees... :?

No_Ta_Doctor

The main issue with the GC is that only one team has two riders in the top ten, and neither look to be anything like a genuine threat to Nibali. It doesn't even look like there's much scope for some cross team pact to try and take him down.

Everyone is going to be marking each other out of the race in the hunt for a podium place, waiting for Porte or Valverde to slip up. Hopefully one of the French riders will take the chance to put a Frenchman on the podium for the first time in yonks (God knows - stattos?) and Porte can go with him. But the French have settled for mediocrity for far too long for that to be much of a hope.

salsiccia1

No tA Doctor wrote:

The main issue with the GC is that only one team has two riders in the top ten, and neither look to be anything like a genuine threat to Nibali. It doesn't even look like there's much scope for some cross team pact to try and take him down.

Everyone is going to be marking each other out of the race in the hunt for a podium place, waiting for Porte or Valverde to slip up. Hopefully one of the French riders will take the chance to put a Frenchman on the podium for the first time in yonks (God knows - stattos?) and Porte can go with him. But the French have settled for mediocrity for far too long for that to be much of a hope.

Virenque? 1998?

dsoutar

Collective pat on the back for those of us who made the effort:

"Thanks for all your support in Yorkshire and the stage from Cambridge to London - it gave me a massive buzz seeing all the British and Welsh flags."

"It was an unbelievable three days and something I'll remember for the rest of my life. The crowds were brilliant and it was like riding up L'Alpe d'Huez for 200km on each day."

No_Ta_Doctor

Salsiccia1 wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

The main issue with the GC is that only one team has two riders in the top ten, and neither look to be anything like a genuine threat to Nibali. It doesn't even look like there's much scope for some cross team pact to try and take him down.

Everyone is going to be marking each other out of the race in the hunt for a podium place, waiting for Porte or Valverde to slip up. Hopefully one of the French riders will take the chance to put a Frenchman on the podium for the first time in yonks (God knows - stattos?) and Porte can go with him. But the French have settled for mediocrity for far too long for that to be much of a hope.

Virenque? 1998?

Virenque was unable to complete the Tour in 1998, due to unforseen Police raids....

iainf72

Bert told that he can't ride for c 6 weeks

No Vuelta, will be doing the late season in Ibiza with Wiggins instead

The_Boy

No tA Doctor wrote:

Salsiccia1 wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

The main issue with the GC is that only one team has two riders in the top ten, and neither look to be anything like a genuine threat to Nibali. It doesn't even look like there's much scope for some cross team pact to try and take him down.

Everyone is going to be marking each other out of the race in the hunt for a podium place, waiting for Porte or Valverde to slip up. Hopefully one of the French riders will take the chance to put a Frenchman on the podium for the first time in yonks (God knows - stattos?) and Porte can go with him. But the French have settled for mediocrity for far too long for that to be much of a hope.

Virenque? 1998?

Virenque was unable to complete the Tour in 1998, due to unforseen Police raids....

3rd '96, 2nd '97.

Just took those placings from wiki so not sure if they are affected by DQs post event.

Dippydog2

What does the thread title mean?

How can you spoil a rest day?

symo

philbar72 wrote:

Nailed on for a top 3, if they don't have any more casualties. expect Nieve to be his wingman, and G to provide as much support as he can up the mountains.

why did they not bring Kennaugh.... with those 4 supporting Froom and now Porte, they'd have had an enviable mountain train.

If they had brought Wiggin and Kennaugh, they could have done a clean sweep this year even with Froome out.

Anonymous

Drugs raid?

The_Boy

No tA Doctor wrote:

But the French have settled for mediocrity for far too long for that to be much of a hope.

Different generation, with the possible exception of JCP. Pinot and Bardet are no more used to mediocrity than any other riders, and they're not young guys who've been hyped as tour winners simply for winning a stage one time off the back of a breakaway.

They also have the advantage of their being several of them as well a group of promising young sprinters so the hype is shared out a lot more than for some riders in the bad old days. Plus AG2R have two cards to play.

Or I'm an optimist.