TdF 2016 Stage 7 **Spoilers**

rick_chasey

Rubbish first week.

Dimension quebeka the only highlight.

Not even a bad crash to rouse yourself from the drowsy snooze.

bobmcstuff

Above The Cows wrote:

Bo Duke wrote:

Thinking about it, if it hadn't been for Stevo that would've been a bl**dy boring stage.

Oh I don't know I took some pleasure in watching Nibbles over cook his spaghetti.

And Pinot getting spat out, good ride from GVA etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes it was no Paris-Roubaix but it was a decent GT stage to watch.

fenix

Fantastic result from Steve - pure quality riding there.

He should go to Rio - and he sjould have been in the team from the word go. Its not a course for Stannard is it ?

rick_chasey

Even the non climbing Belgians are saying they feel pretty fresh a week in on the line. :roll:.

Too much talk about being intimidated by week 3.

above_the_cows

Nice shots of the Pic du Midi Observatory there.

above_the_cows

Bo Duke wrote:

Thing is Nibbles has been on a club run so far this Tour so he should have been fresh....... he's crackered.

The prawn crackers to Pinot's satay skewers.

Bo Duke

The GC riders are clones of each other, no character, no attacks just to needle each other, no Machiavelli at all.

above_the_cows

GVA has an annoying face.

blazing_saddles

Rick Chasey wrote:

Rubbish first week.

Dimension quebeka the only highlight.

Not even a bad crash to rouse yourself from the drowsy snooze.

A rubbish first week means Tour traditions are being upheld.

above_the_cows

We've been spoiled in recent years with crazy pas normal first weeks.

This is a return to normal.

rick_chasey

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Rubbish first week.

Dimension quebeka the only highlight.

Not even a bad crash to rouse yourself from the drowsy snooze.

A rubbish first week means Tour traditions are being upheld.

I remember why I got a rep for saying GTs were overrated.

I mean come on. Yellow jersey in the break with s former Tour winner and a former podium placing out the back can't even rouse the peloton to do anything.

above_the_cows

Nibbles wins something! The combativity prize.

On a stage where he lost 1'09" to Impey and Navarro.

Bwahahahahahahahaha.

The Tour organisers have a deliciously cruel sense of humour.

Crozza

Bo Duke wrote:

Thing is Nibbles has been on a club run so far this Tour so he should have been fresh....... he's crackered.

he won the giro a few weeks ago - there is a consistent history of riders competing for the GC at the Giro turning up less than fresh for the TdF

rick_chasey

Nor is the fact they used to be dull in the 90s & early 00s any excuse.


In a week of racing their ought to be more to be discussed other than how everyone is still in the race, Cav's leg speed, Sagan's haircut and how dull it's been.

Even the cycling podcast sounds like they're running out of things to chat.

blazing_saddles

Rick Chasey wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Rubbish first week.

Dimension quebeka the only highlight.

Not even a bad crash to rouse yourself from the drowsy snooze.

A rubbish first week means Tour traditions are being upheld.

I remember why I got a rep for saying GTs were overrated.

I mean come on. Yellow jersey in the break with s former Tour winner and a former podium placing out the back can't even rouse the peloton to do anything.

Oh, I agree with you.
It's been a dreadful first week and definitely week 3 is at least partly to blame.
Seems roles have recently been reversed with the Tour copying the Giro format, first with shorter, steeper finishes and now with the stacked rear end.
The Giro was also a lousy race this year.

Crozza

Rick Chasey wrote:

Nor is the fact they used to be dull in the 90s & early 00s any excuse.


In a week of racing their ought to be more to be discussed other than how everyone is still in the race, Cav's leg speed, Sagan's haircut and how dull it's been.

Even the cycling podcast sounds like they're running out of things to chat.

if there had been 4 Dutch stage winners would you be singing a different tune?

rick_chasey

Not really.

Though perhaps the novelty of a rider who hasn't won a stage winning one would have lifted me for all of 5 mins.

Every stage winner has previously won a tour stage before. So there isn't even that!

above_the_cows

TheBigBean

Anyone else think that Impey could have worked a bit more there?

Best way to make fun of selectors is to prove them wrong.

DeadCalm

Rick Chasey wrote:

Not really.

Though perhaps the novelty of a rider who hasn't won a stage winning one would have lifted me for all of 5 mins.

Every stage winner has previously won a tour stage before. So there isn't even that!

It's a test match, not T20.

The downside of having too much action in the first week is that the GC is generally all but done and dusted and the final week is an anti-climax. With so many riders still theoretically in contention, this year has the potential to be a classic.

bobmcstuff

DeadCalm wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Not really.

Though perhaps the novelty of a rider who hasn't won a stage winning one would have lifted me for all of 5 mins.

Every stage winner has previously won a tour stage before. So there isn't even that!

It's a test match, not T20.

The downside of having too much action in the first week is that the GC is generally all but done and dusted and the final week is an anti-climax. With so many riders still theoretically in contention, this year has the potential to be a classic.

The other thing is when the first week is really difficult everyone starts whingeing about GC contenders crashing/being ruled out too soon - you can't have it both ways.

fenix

Every race is different.

SO far this Tour we've had the resurgence of Cav - who thought that ?
A Belgian leading by some way - thats unusual.
One of the smallest teams dominating the race with 4 wins.
Some favourites falling away.
No Tour ending crashes - which is nice.
An arch falling down.
A bit of sunshine and scenery.
A British Yellow Jersey.
4 British Stage wins.
Sagan and his lovely hair in yellow.
Cav in Green.
A new British Hope for the Sprints ?

All in all I'd say its been a fantastic first week.

I'm not sure what people want ?

rick_chasey

Certainly from the GTs I've watched since '98 I see no correlation between a boring 1st week and a great week 2 & 3.

Comes a point where you need to call a spade a spade and stop hoping it'll turn out ok.

It's like that moment on a holiday which you don't really like. You sit there with your other half both pretending it's fun because you've held out so much hope on it.

Comes a point you gotta admit it's not the greatest holiday and instead bond over it not being great.

above_the_cows

Fenix wrote:

I'm not sure what people want ?

DRAMA!

Racing for the ADHD generation.

salsiccia1

Fenix wrote:

Every race is different.

SO far this Tour we've had the resurgence of Cav - who thought that ?
A Belgian leading by some way - thats unusual.
One of the smallest teams dominating the race with 4 wins.
Some favourites falling away.
No Tour ending crashes - which is nice.
An arch falling down.
A bit of sunshine and scenery.
A British Yellow Jersey.
4 British Stage wins.
Sagan and his lovely hair in yellow.
Cav in Green.
A new British Hope for the Sprints ?

All in all I'd say its been a fantastic first week.

I'm not sure what people want ?

+1

squired

I'm with the boring first week club at the moment. Seeing Cannondale riders at the front of the main group on the climb today said it all for me!

The whole week seems to have been done at half speed. It slightly makes me wonder whether the talk (unless I'm mistaken) of a new test for EPO microdosing being used at the tour, along with testing during the night and also a significant amount of testing for motors has affected the riders.

It might not be unusual, but it certainly feels somewhat unsual to have already have two stages won by breakaways in the first week. Almost like half of the teams aren't bothered about trying to get a win.

DeadCalm

2015 - Leader after stage 7: Froome. Eventual winner: Froome
2014 - Leader after stage 7: Nibali. Eventual winner: Nibali
2013 - Leader after stage 7: Impey. Eventual winner: Froome (Froome took yellow on stage 8 )
2012 - Leader after stage 7 : Wiggins. Eventual winner: Wiggins

blazing_saddles

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Fenix wrote:

Every race is different.

SO far this Tour we've had the resurgence of Cav - who thought that ?
A Belgian leading by some way - thats unusual.
One of the smallest teams dominating the race with 4 wins.
Some favourites falling away.
No Tour ending crashes - which is nice.
An arch falling down.
A bit of sunshine and scenery.
A British Yellow Jersey.
4 British Stage wins.
Sagan and his lovely hair in yellow.
Cav in Green.
A new British Hope for the Sprints ?

All in all I'd say its been a fantastic first week.

I'm not sure what people want ?

+1

A hugely successful week for British riders doesn't makes the racing exciting.
The racing has been deadly dull, results have been great.

Several stages have been little more than club runs with a flurry of activity towards the end.
Stage 1 had the bunch riding across the road until the 5km mark.
Stage 4 was an unofficial rest day.
Stage 5 was going the same way until Movistar woke up.
Today, understandably, the GC boys opted to have a chat, rather than race.

Pinot on French tv.
Says he isn't ill, just that he had no legs and has screwed up his timing.
Feels just like the Dauphine.
So, too good to early in the season, no good in July.

The_Boy

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Pinot on French tv.
Says he isn't ill, just that he had no legs and has screwed up his timing.
Feels just like the Dauphine.
So, too good to early in the season, no good in July.

Should be red hot fr the Giro next year then....

andyp

DeadCalm wrote:

2015 - Leader after stage 7: Froome. Eventual winner: Froome
2014 - Leader after stage 7: Nibali. Eventual winner: Nibali
2013 - Leader after stage 7: Impey. Eventual winner: Froome (Froome took yellow on stage 8 )
2012 - Leader after stage 7 : Wiggins. Eventual winner: Wiggins

So what you're saying is GVA is nailed on to be on the top step of the podium in Paris.