The Lanterne Rouge Thread 2017 **Spoilers**

pinno

Is Le Gac saving all his energy to just get in 1 second inside the elimination time on Friday given the date's national importance or will is he going to have a melt down and try things at the other end of the Peloton?
Is this his tactic and he's just lulling us into a false sense of security in a secret pact with Luke Rowe now Luke's odds have lengthened?
Do you think there will be any action today?
Is the race on or not?
Why is there only 1 monopolies commission?
Why do you stub your toe in the morning?

So many questions, so much time.

Lanterne_Rogue

To Pau!



Meanwhile, whilst everyone else is busy whinging about the sheer tedium of today's stage (so dull that Cataldo apparently first fell asleep, then fell off), it's all kicking off in the Lanterne Rouge. Contenders might have been hoping for echelons and an easy way to lose time, but instead they had to do it the hard way. After yesterday's neutralisation Luke Rowe again went on the attack, and Dishy Le Gac was insufficiently awake to notice the move go - meaning that Rowe has now taken over the lead in the Lanterne Rouge. Sure, there'll be the usual Sky haters complaining about a lack of panache, but Le Gac pushed too far - his dreams are china in his hands, you don't know what Luke Rowe has set upon himself (woah woah) etc.

Elsewhere down the field, Leezy-Squeezy Lemon-Peazy also gained a bit of time, and Windy Jacobite has climbed to fourth, leapfrogging Magnum's Tom Selig and David 'E' Cimolai. Albert Timber was another climber, logging another good finish. Bozo Borut drops out the top ten, replaced by Little Bobby Wagner. Join us tomorrow to answer today's hot social media question - WILL GERAINT THOMAS RECOVER IN TIME TO CRASH OUT OF THE VUELTA?

Pop Pickers:

170 VENTER JACOBUS 99 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 04H 36' 47'' - - + 02' 20''
171 VAN BAARLE DYLAN 189 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 04H 36' 47'' - - + 02' 20''
172 TEUNISSEN MIKE 148 TEAM SUNWEB 04H 36' 47'' - - + 02' 20''
173 TIMMER ALBERT 149 TEAM SUNWEB 04H 36' 47'' - - + 02' 20''
174 BETTIOL ALBERTO 182 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 04H 36' 47'' - - + 02' 20''
175 CLARKE SIMON 185 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 04H 36' 47'' - - + 02' 20''
176 TEN DAM LAURENS 147 TEAM SUNWEB 04H 36' 47'' - - + 02' 20''
177 VERMOTE JULIEN 109 QUICK - STEP FLOORS 04H 38' 11'' - - + 03' 44''
178 GOGL MICHAEL 35 TREK - SEGAFREDO 04H 38' 43'' - - + 04' 16''
179 WELLENS TIM 139 LOTTO SOUDAL 04H 40' 31'' - - + 06' 04''

Nose Pickers:

170 WAGNER ROBERT 169 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 48H 39' 54'' + 01H 37' 59''
171 CLAEYS DIMITRI 152 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 48H 42' 21'' + 01H 40' 26''
172 HOLLENSTEIN RETO 123 TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 48H 42' 24'' + 01H 40' 29''
173 TIMMER ALBERT 149 TEAM SUNWEB 48H 42' 37'' + 01H 40' 42''
174 CIMOLAI DAVIDE 72 FDJ 48H 42' 46'' + 01H 40' 51''
175 SELIG RÜDIGER 119 BORA - HANSGROHE 48H 43' 38'' + 01H 41' 43''
176 VENTER JACOBUS 99 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 48H 45' 25'' + 01H 43' 30''
177 LEEZER TOM 164 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 48H 55' 25'' + 01H 53' 30''
178 LE GAC OLIVIER 76 FDJ 48H 58' 50'' + 01H 56' 55''
179 ROWE LUKE 8 TEAM SKY 48H 59' 21'' + 01H 57' 26''

pinno

underlayunderlay wrote:

WILL GERAINT THOMAS RECOVER IN TIME TO CRASH OUT OF THE VUELTA?

It took a lot of courage to not click on this thread before I watched the highlights but don't worry, the 60 seconds isn't too much of a waste of time.

Pross

Yes, my man Luke managed to make a break and gain an impressive 81 seconds and take the lead on an unpromising stage that everyone was convinced wouldn't generate time gaps. True quality there, as far as I'm aware he isn't injury doping either (I think he landed on his head but that doesn't count as a problem if you're from Cardiff). Hopefully he can back it up and will be released to go for a long one tomorrow when we at last have a chance for big time gains.

Lanterne_Rogue

Pross wrote:

I think he landed on his head but that doesn't count as a problem if you're from Cardiff).

Rumour has it Dave Brailsford immediately radioed through with instructions to put him back on his bike and tell him he's Wim Vansevenant.

pinno

Oh yes, dear old Wim. I don't think it was on the Wim scale nor the Wilfried Nelissen scale or indeed, the Djamolidine Mirgarifanovich Abdoujaparov scale.
To this day, there is an unpaid bill for the repair of some cobble stones on the Champs Elysée.

Lanterne_Rogue

Dramatic scenes in the tour today, as someone who came into the tour with high prospects suddenly found themselves losing time on their rivals in the most embarrassing fashion. No, not Chris Froome - Steve O'Cummings, what were you thinking? Despite losing an impressive 11 minutes on the final climb, O'Cummings has totally blown his chances - although seasoned Lanterne watchers will applaud the panache with which O'Cummings managed to somehow to lounge around at the back of a one-man breakaway. Rumours that O'Cummings was poisoned via a bottle marked "Frenchie's Secret Bottle of Panache*" are currently unfounded.

With it being a boring, boring mountain stage there was obviously an autobus, although Hair Gel's Marc El Kitten accidentally forgot which group he was aiming for and ended up having to spend forty minutes waiting for it. Other notable names on the stage honours board were legend Bernie Eisel (who presumably looked round onthe line and wondered where the hell O'Cummings was) and GBRMC Lay, who took the stage win in impressive style for team Fortune Cookie.

On LR overall Luke Rowe rescued Sky's day and proved they were concentrating on the biggest prize by taking another ten seconds off Tom L'Ebenezer Goode whilst Froome suffered. Dishy Le Gac has continued his sad decline and is standing third on LR as FDJ's disastrous second week continues. The WIndy Jacobite also suffered, whereas Davide Chim-Chimolai** took another step forward.

Any hopes the riders had of a quick flight out were dashed when it turned out that some idiot had put the finish line on the runway. Ah well, join me tomorrow to discover IS CHRIS FROOME'S STEM HAUNTED?

Last exit to Brooklyn:
170 KITTEL MARCEL 101 QUICK - STEP FLOORS 06H 24' 24'' - - + 34' 46''
171 BODNAR MACIEJ 112 BORA - HANSGROHE 06H 24' 24'' - - + 34' 46''
172 STYBAR ZDENEK 107 QUICK - STEP FLOORS 06H 24' 24'' - - + 34' 46''
173 GROENEWEGEN DYLAN 163 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 06H 24' 24'' - - + 34' 46''
174 HALLER MARCO 122 TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN 06H 24' 24'' - - + 34' 46''
175 SIEBERG MARCEL 138 LOTTO SOUDAL 06H 24' 31'' - - + 34' 53''
176 CIMOLAI DAVIDE 72 FDJ 06H 25' 07'' - - + 35' 29''
177 VICHOT ARTHUR 79 FDJ 06H 25' 37'' - - + 35' 59''
178 EISEL BERNHARD 94 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 06H 26' 33'' - - + 36' 55''
179 MC LAY DANIEL 211 TEAM FORTUNEO - OSCARO 06H 27' 35'' - - + 37' 57'

No exit from Ikea:
170 BOZIC BORUT 194 BAHRAIN - MERIDA 55H 02' 44'' + 02H 10' 55''
171 VENTER JACOBUS 99 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 55H 03' 33'' + 02H 11' 44''
172 WAGNER ROBERT 169 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 55H 04' 11'' + 02H 12' 22''
173 CLAEYS DIMITRI 152 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 55H 06' 26'' + 02H 14' 37''
174 TIMMER ALBERT 149 TEAM SUNWEB 55H 06' 33'' + 02H 14' 44''
175 SELIG RÜDIGER 119 BORA - HANSGROHE 55H 07' 34'' + 02H 15' 45''
176 CIMOLAI DAVIDE 72 FDJ 55H 07' 53'' + 02H 16' 04''
177 LE GAC OLIVIER 76 FDJ 55H 12' 33'' + 02H 20' 44''
178 LEEZER TOM 164 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 55H 19' 35'' + 02H 27' 46''
179 ROWE LUKE 8 TEAM SKY 55H 23' 45'' + 02H 31' 56''

*Caution: May contain beef products of highly secret, non-bovine origin.
**Chim-Chim Cheree

above_the_cows

underlayunderlay wrote:

177 VICHOT ARTHUR 79 FDJ 06H 25' 37'' - - + 35' 59''
178 EISEL BERNHARD 94 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 06H 26' 33'' - - + 36' 55''

What's Arthur seen? Well it's Meester Bernie Bus Drive Eisel and his Magic Autobus extraordinaire of course.

specialgueststar

My man beginning to show some form at last.....I liked his attitude at the presentations ...I thought he might start to come good at this stage of the race

165(162)SIEBERGMarcelLotto Soudal

salsiccia1

Above The Cows wrote:

underlayunderlay wrote:

177 VICHOT ARTHUR 79 FDJ 06H 25' 37'' - - + 35' 59''
178 EISEL BERNHARD 94 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 06H 26' 33'' - - + 36' 55''

What's Arthur seen? Well it's Meester Bernie Bus Drive Eisel and his Magic Autobus extraordinaire of course.

Lanterne_Rogue

Top Cat!

Yup, the fabulous feline romped home to a six minute breakaway victory today to break French hearts of a win on Bastille Day. They'll have to console themselves with Warren's Bar'n'Grill and his poxy jersey instead. Steve O'Cummings threatened to do something for a while but ultimately failed - and he's dead to us after yesterday anyway.

Elsewhere FDJ failed to ignite the promised fireworks, despite Marc Madiot playing the Marseillaise over team radio for the whole stage in an attempt to sap their will to live. There may be some criticism of Sky's tactics - Rowe appeared to be working for someone else entirely and mostly marked L'Ebeneezer Goode and ChimChimolai rather than trying to force the split, so a stage that promised much in the early stages fizzled out a bit towards the end. Little Bobby Wagner and the Windy Jacobite took some time though, pushing themselves up on LR at the expense of Rentaghost's Dimitri Claypole, and Bernie Eisel has also climbed into the top 10 via his magic bus.

Join us tomorrow to discover SHOCKING NEWS: SCIENTISTS PROVE MULLER FRUIT CORNERS BETTER THAN MIKEL NIEVE.

Rolling on:

168 WAGNER ROBERT 169 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
169 CUMMINGS STEPHEN 93 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
170 BAUER JACK 102 QUICK - STEP FLOORS 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
171 PHINNEY TAYLOR 186 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
172 ROELANDTS JURGEN 137 LOTTO SOUDAL 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
173 MC LAY DANIEL 211 TEAM FORTUNEO - OSCARO 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
174 GRIVKO ANDRIY 54 ASTANA PRO TEAM 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
175 SENECHAL FLORIAN 158 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
176 GROENEWEGEN DYLAN 163 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 02H 57' 34'' - - + 21' 05''
177 FELLINE FABIO 34 TREK - SEGAFREDO 03H 03' 39'' - - + 27' 10''

Rolling over:

168 EISEL BERNHARD 94 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 57H 58' 19'' + 02H 28' 13''
169 CLAEYS DIMITRI 152 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 57H 58' 51'' + 02H 28' 45''
170 TIMMER ALBERT 149 TEAM SUNWEB 57H 58' 58'' + 02H 28' 52''
171 VENTER JACOBUS 99 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 57H 59' 26'' + 02H 29' 20''
172 WAGNER ROBERT 169 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 58H 01' 45'' + 02H 31' 39''
173 SELIG RÜDIGER 119 BORA - HANSGROHE 58H 03' 27'' + 02H 33' 21''
174 CIMOLAI DAVIDE 72 FDJ 58H 03' 46'' + 02H 33' 40''
175 LE GAC OLIVIER 76 FDJ 58H 08' 26'' + 02H 38' 20''
176 LEEZER TOM 164 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 58H 15' 28'' + 02H 45' 22''
177 ROWE LUKE 8 TEAM SKY 58H 19' 38'' + 02H 49' 32''

pinno

underlayunderlay wrote:

...seasoned Lanterne watchers will applaud the panache with which O'Cummings managed to somehow to lounge around at the back of a one-man breakaway...

...Hair Gel's Marc El Kitten accidentally forgot which group he was aiming for and ended up having to spend forty minutes waiting for it...

No one mentioned the sheer carelessness and lack of ambition of Betancur finishing in 13th position! Yes, you don't need to go to Specsavers - that is because you have a condition unique to cyclists but no, it's true. I'll say it again Betancur finished in 13th position.
I really need to have a word with his nanny.

...as for Golly Martine, i'm going to have to put a spanner in his front wheel. If he could only be stationary at the bidon zone for 10 seconds to have a piddle, i'll shoot the b4stard.

RichN95.

@LukeRowe1990
100km fulllll gasss

@LukeRowe1990
Well 25km fulllll gassss then 75km spend defending my lantern rouge

Lanterne_Rogue

Well played to Luke Rowe. I always feel a bit guilty about celebrating the Lanterne, as I'm not sure all the riders embrace it.

Also, this quote - -

RichN95 wrote:

w00dster wrote:

Rich, don't you class the 2014 Tour as a race where Nibali beat Froome?

No. No more than I consider Luke Rowe to be beating Jacob Fuglsang in this race.

reminded me how much writing these updates is messing with my head. I read that and my immediate thought was "Naah, Rowe's mashing this one". It's the same when people slip off the back of the lead group - I can't help but think "Yeah, smart move - go whilst they're busy pretending to race..."

andyp

Luke Rowe just re-tweeted this;

https://twitter.com/ukcyclingexpert/sta ... 4576612352

He's clearly enjoying himself.

Pross

RichN95 wrote:

@LukeRowe1990
100km fulllll gasss

@LukeRowe1990
Well 25km fulllll gassss then 75km spend defending my lantern rouge

It's good to see someone tactically astute at Sky. No wonder he's road captain.

wombly_knees

It's the 2012 tour de France all over again with the upstart McLay now in second for a British 1-2.

Lanterne_Rogue

It sometimes happens on the Tour. Your team make the wrong tactical calls, the DS forgets something incredibly obvious, and you suddenly find yourself entering the final climb completely out of position and with your rivals ready to cause all sorts of trouble. That kind of silliness is what separates champions from mere hopefuls.

Who is this 'Aru' you're all shouting about?

At the proper end of the race, Sky decided to take the LR easy for a day and gave Luke Rowe some time resting in the bunch rather than toiling out back for LR seconds. FDJ, faced with an open goal, no opposition and the opportunity to put Le Gac firmly back into contention, picked up their heaviest artillery and shot themselves in the foot.

Yup, they decided to try and pointlessly win a stage.

Still fuelled by a 24-hour Marseillaise and pastis bender, Marc Madiot woke with his head pounding and the burning desire to mark France's Annual Hangover with some sort of futile gesture. Chim-Chimolai was promptly lined up against the bus, offered a last Gauloises, and sent forth to do his best for somebody else's country. Worse still, Dishy Le Gac ambled out of the hotel shortly afterwards and made the mistake of asking if everything was okay, which was a bit embarrassing for everyone as up until that point Madiot had thought he was down to just three riders. Chim-Chimolai promptly achieved the dizzying heights of 12th on the stage (separated from the winners by daylight, twilight, and the last of Aru's dignity), and both he and Le Gac have comprehensively had their Lanterne hopes quashed.

All this excitement has diverted attention from the rides of the day. GBRMC Lay has returned to his rightful place in the standings after an audacious 24 minute time gain. Slipping off the back on the final categorised climb, Lay worked hard to shake everyone in front of him - although sadly he left it a little too late and was unable to catch Wellens, who gained an additional four and a half minutes and a re-rentry to the rankings and the prix non-combatif for the day*. Little Bobby Wagner has also managed to gain some time, and this means that Lotto NL Jumbo** now have two cards to play - they can send one man up the road and hope that Rowe takes the bait, then have the other hide behind a bush so that they cycle past him...

Join us tomorrow to discover that YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT ALBERTO CONTADOR KEEPS IN HIS CUT DOWN BIDON

B Side:

167 ROLLAND PIERRE 181 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
168 HAYMAN MATHEW 84 ORICA - SCOTT 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
169 CUMMINGS STEPHEN 93 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
170 KITTEL MARCEL 101 QUICK - STEP FLOORS 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
171 GRUZDEV DMITRIY 55 ASTANA PRO TEAM 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
172 VANSPEYBROUCK PIETER 209 WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
173 BOZIC BORUT 194 BAHRAIN - MERIDA 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
174 PHINNEY TAYLOR 186 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 04H 35' 13'' - - + 13' 17''
175 MC LAY DANIEL 211 TEAM FORTUNEO - OSCARO 04H 46' 09'' - - + 24' 13''
176 WELLENS TIM 139 LOTTO SOUDAL 04H 50' 50'' - - + 28' 54''

Seaside:

167 PHINNEY TAYLOR 186 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 62H 32' 13'' + 02H 40' 04''
168 EISEL BERNHARD 94 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 62H 33' 32'' + 02H 41' 23''
169 WELLENS TIM 139 LOTTO SOUDAL 62H 33' 36'' + 02H 41' 27''
170 CLAEYS DIMITRI 152 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 62H 34' 04'' + 02H 41' 55''
171 TIMMER ALBERT 149 TEAM SUNWEB 62H 34' 11'' + 02H 42' 02''
172 WAGNER ROBERT 169 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 62H 36' 58'' + 02H 44' 49''
173 SELIG RÜDIGER 119 BORA - HANSGROHE 62H 38' 40'' + 02H 46' 31''
174 LEEZER TOM 164 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 62H 43' 52'' + 02H 51' 43''
175 MC LAY DANIEL 211 TEAM FORTUNEO - OSCARO 62H 44' 17'' + 02H 52' 08''
176 ROWE LUKE 8 TEAM SKY 62H 48' 02'' + 02H 55' 53''

*I believe the rider awarded this on the previous day's stage is allowed to clamp a little white flag to one of his seat stays
**The Dutch dub of Jimbo and the Jetset

timoid.

This thread is great. Keep up the good work.

Lanterne_Rogue

If you can keep your head when all around are rushing off
And chasing stages without you.
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
And chase you with broom wagons too,
If you disaster triumph name
And treat those two imposters just the same
And if you can find ten minutes off the back of the bunch,
You'll be a Lanterne Rouge, my son.

From If, by Marcel Kittling.

Oh frabjous day! Callou! McLay! For gorgeous Dan is back in his rightful place at last! Right at this moment there's no classier rider in the field, and the 'Contador of Dawdling' took every minute he could today to steal the top spot on LR. A fascinating tactical battle is now emerging, because Luke Rowe again managed to reappear at the end of the peloton, hoping to take advantage of any splits, only to find McLay had already fallen off into the distance with only a broom wagon to keep him company.

The tactics are therefore clear - Rowe needs to send Froome up the road to finish the stages as quickly as possible to try and eliminate McLay, and McLay is hoovering up minutes whilst trying to avoid being Oars Delay (which is when he gets kicked out for not having enough nautical equipment). It's noticeable that when Froome tried to drop off the Bardet group today, he was ordered back up to the front as quickly as possible to try and keep the pace up for Rowe's LR challenge. Sky are supposed to be a well drilled team so must have been horrified to see Froome forget his vital tactical role.

Elsehere there was a slightly surreal moment when the abandoned Wellens appeared to be chasing McLay down at 60mph, but that subsequently turned out to be because Wellen's transponder was still broadcasting despite being strapped to the top of the voiture balai*. Brambilla of Quickstep Flaws picked up a very clever 20 second bonus by introducing unnecessary elements of the Charleston, and in the overall the loss of Wellens meant a few riders shoved up a place**.

Join us tomorrow to discover REST DAY HORROR - VINO'S SPEEDO SHAME

Falling angels:

166 PHINNEY TAYLOR 186 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 05H 08' 19'' - - + 26' 32''
167 LAPORTE CHRISTOPHE 154 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 05H 08' 19'' - - + 26' 32''
168 CLAEYS DIMITRI 152 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 05H 08' 19'' - - + 26' 32''
169 KWIATKOWSKI MICHAL 5 TEAM SKY 05H 08' 19'' - - + 26' 32''
170 BODNAR MACIEJ 112 BORA - HANSGROHE 05H 08' 19'' - - + 26' 32''
171 GENE YOHANN 175 DIRECT ENERGIE 05H 08' 19'' - - + 26' 32''
172 BRAMBILLA GIANLUCA 103 QUICK - STEP FLOORS 05H 08' 19'' - P : 20'' + 26' 32''
173 BOUDAT THOMAS 172 DIRECT ENERGIE 05H 08' 32'' - - + 26' 45''
174 VANSPEYBROUCK PIETER 209 WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT 05H 08' 32'' - - + 26' 45''
175 MC LAY DANIEL 211 TEAM FORTUNEO - OSCARO 05H 20' 23'' - - + 38' 36''

Rising apes:

166 SIEBERG MARCEL 138 LOTTO SOUDAL 67H 39' 20'' + 02H 58' 59''
167 PHINNEY TAYLOR 186 CANNONDALE DRAPAC PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM 67H 40' 32'' + 03H 00' 11''
168 EISEL BERNHARD 94 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 67H 41' 51'' + 03H 01' 30''
169 CLAEYS DIMITRI 152 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 67H 42' 23'' + 03H 02' 02''
170 TIMMER ALBERT 149 TEAM SUNWEB 67H 42' 30'' + 03H 02' 09''
171 WAGNER ROBERT 169 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 67H 45' 17'' + 03H 04' 56''
172 SELIG RÜDIGER 119 BORA - HANSGROHE 67H 46' 59'' + 03H 06' 38''
173 LEEZER TOM 164 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 67H 49' 15'' + 03H 08' 54''
174 ROWE LUKE 8 TEAM SKY 67H 56' 21'' + 03H 16' 00''
175 MC LAY DANIEL 211 TEAM FORTUNEO - OSCARO 68H 04' 40'' + 03H 24' 19''

*Voiture balai is French for broom wagon. It's exactly the same as a broom wagon, except the person holding the broom wears a sexier uniform.
**Wellens refused a TUE that was offered to treat his allergy to hard work. That's how hard these guys focus on their Lanterne challenge.

Pross

Nooooo! Disaster.

specialgueststar

Not much others can do with riding of that calibre Some might say McClay got assistance feeling the front bumper of the wagon tugging him into the abyss but fair play he kept his head and did not feel the need to get into a double figure cadence

pinno

Underlayunderlay has not asked the really important questions of the day: Is Taylor Phonics on skunk or Tamazepam? and... At some point, will he slip off the back of the saddle into a deep sleep at some random point?. Last: Does he fill his musette with cornflakes?

With more twists and turns than a Curly Wurly with a stomach ulcer, today's stage offered so many opportunities to slip off the back, thus making it so hard for Rowe to know exactly where the broom wagon was. I think they should paint it in some 90's fluoro Serotta colour.

RichN95.

Lanterne_Rogue

I'll be honest - i have a little crush on both of them.

pinno

That McLay bloke is so humble.

orraloon

Taylor Phonics IS Boulder Dude.

c. Lance on Stages podcast

pinno

orraloon wrote:

Taylor Phonics IS Boulder Dude.

Aaah. Is that what they are like in Boulder ?

No_Ta_Doctor

Chapeau to GBRMC Lay. That was a serious solo attack on the Lanterne. True heavyweight champion. None of this grabbing a minute or two here and there, but a full-on do-or-miss-the-cut breakaway go-slow, right from the gun. If that was the attack that wins the Lanterne then it was a worthy one.

Bo Duke

I hear McLay didn't need to wash his jersey after the last stage...

In fairness folks are in awe of Froome finishing a stage looking fresh but if you look closely at McLay (as it's usually going dark when he powers over the line) you can still see the iron's creases in his shirt and there's a rumour that his shirt doesn't have the back pockets usually associated with carrying gels.