**Stage One** - Dusseldorf > Dusseldorf - Tour de France 2017 *SPOILERS*

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Comments

  • Bo Duke
    Bo Duke Posts: 1,058
    Pross wrote:
    So first ever Welsh yellow jersey, is it the first Welsh leader of any GT or has G worn pink in the past?
    Well done GEE !!! Onwards and upwards!
    'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    RichN95 wrote:
    Great day for Whitchurch High School old boys. Captain a British Lions win in the morning, lead the Tour in the evening

    I've noticed that Thomas always has a great day when his rugby team has won in the morning

    Watching Avondetappe, recorded last night.
    The Dutch had heard that he'd watched the match that morning and asked the question.
    Geraint said he loved his rugby and knew some of the lads. He certainly does!
    No mention of the school connection though.
    I think the interviewers eyes had glazed over when Geraint briefly thought to explain the Lion's concept...
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Durbridge crash

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnZXV6hbB68&sns=tw
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    RichN95 wrote:
    Patrick Bevin at Valverde corner - biggest hit a New Zealander took today

    https://www.twitter.com/AshConing/statu ... 60/video/1

    Amateur footage always seems to catch crashes better than TV cameras, I think it's the sound. Disc wheels make a fair old noise when they hit the deck too!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    RichN95 wrote:
    Durbridge crash

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnZXV6hbB68&sns=tw

    Very like Valverde's. The wet roads seemed to leave them all pretty free of road rash or ripped clothing but that was a heavy impact with the barriers.
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,116
    The_Boy wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Patrick Bevin at Valverde corner - biggest hit a New Zealander took today

    https://www.twitter.com/AshConing/statu ... 60/video/1

    The real news there is that canondale have fitted motors to both wheels.

    Should be better in the wet.
    Crazy they put no padding on that corner when the rain hit.
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    ITV podcast now available reviewing the stage: https://soundcloud.com/user-379492923/itv-sport-tour-de-france-podcast-stage-1
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    I would love to have been a fly on the wall when the doctor asked valverde, pre-op, whether he was taking any other drugs...
    Half man, Half bike
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,122
    Pross wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Patrick Bevin at Valverde corner - biggest hit a New Zealander took today

    https://www.twitter.com/AshConing/statu ... 60/video/1

    Amateur footage always seems to catch crashes better than TV cameras, I think it's the sound. Disc wheels make a fair old noise when they hit the deck too!

    Agreed. Most coverage is from moving cameras tracking the rider at the same speed. When you have a static camera held by someone on the roadside you get a true feeling for the speed.

    Also, I note no nonsense from the 'Geraint Thomas is the worst/most dangerous bike handler' brigade. :roll: :D
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Dutch journos seem to think the Sky dimples sleeves should be banned.

    DDqM-awWAAAgaeu?format=jpg&name=large
    _
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Dutch journos seem to think the Sky dimples sleeves should be banned.

    Of course they do. :roll:
    Correlation is not causation.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Above The Cows wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Dutch journos seem to think the Sky dimples sleeves should be banned.

    Of course they do. :roll:

    In fairness, they already designed those sleeves for skating and had them banned.
    _
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Dutch journos seem to think the Sky dimples sleeves should be banned.

    Of course they do. :roll:

    In fairness, they already designed those sleeves for skating and had them banned.

    I haven't seen much media today, but that is good cause. Still the Dutch have to give some other countries a chance sometimes in skating. :D
    Correlation is not causation.
  • cq20
    cq20 Posts: 207
    It might depend on what is claimed to be the primary purpose of the dimples. If they claimed if was for example to provide cushioning in the event of a fall, then the other benefits may be seen as incidental. F1 had the same issue with the "sucker car" way back when it was claimed that the primary function was to keep the engine cool (ish) - before the banned it.
  • onyourright
    onyourright Posts: 509
    Speaking of suckers, I suspect the primary purpose of these dimples is to sell overpriced clothing to them. That’s allowed, right?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Looking at that rule they have a point but then pretty much all modern kit would breach it on the basis of trying to improve aerodynamics.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    FDJ has filed a complaint about the kit.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Movistar also used similar skinsuits. Both teams used them in the Giro.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Yes exactly Rich. No one had a problem with them in May or with Movistar.

    http://inrng.com/2017/07/team-sky-new-skinsuit/
    Correlation is not causation.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    bettiniphoto_0210141_1_full_670.jpg

    Can't see it in this pic.

    But I'm on my phone.
    _
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    tumblr_osh2yzd2Sy1ropreyo1_1280.jpg
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    I like Fred Grappe but I think this is chucking his toys out of the pram because he didnt go through with it for EffDeeJay, geed up with it being the Tour when everything is magnified and the pressure gets to the teams more

    He had no such concern at the Giro or Dolphin
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    I can't help but suspect that there's a strong element of PR in FDJ complaining now, especially as it seems to be Sky specifically they're complaining about. Or have they also whinged about Movistar?
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • ben@31
    ben@31 Posts: 2,327
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Dutch journos seem to think the Sky dimples sleeves should be banned.

    Of course they do. :roll:

    In fairness, they already designed those sleeves for skating and had them banned.

    Wasn't the Australian Olympian Ian Thorpe so good at swimming, they banned his swimming costume?
    "The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Richmond Racer 2 wrote:
    I like Fred Grappe but I think this is chucking his toys out of the pram because he didnt go through with it for EffDeeJay, geed up with it being the Tour when everything is magnified and the pressure gets to the teams more

    He had no such concern at the Giro or Dolphin
    Grappe is making big claims as to the about of time gains from it 1-2 seconds per kilometre. And the two best stage racing teams have been using it for two months now. So why aren't FdJ copying them? Could it be that they hadn't been paying attention and are a little embarrassed about it?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • onyourright
    onyourright Posts: 509
    More likely, it makes vastly less difference than he says, but he’d like people to think it (unfairly!) makes that kind of difference.
  • Richmond Racer 2
    Richmond Racer 2 Posts: 4,698
    OnYourRight wrote:
    More likely, it makes vastly less difference than he says, but he’d like people to think it (unfairly!) makes that kind of difference.



    No doubt that if it hadnt been for those pesky skinsuits, Peanut would be wearing yellow right this moment
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    OnYourRight wrote:
    More likely, it makes vastly less difference than he says, but he’d like people to think it (unfairly!) makes that kind of difference.

    Exactly - 1-2 seconds a km - split the difference and we get a time saving of a minute in a 25 over a world tour so top level skin suit.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    OnYourRight wrote:
    More likely, it makes vastly less difference than he says, but he’d like people to think it (unfairly!) makes that kind of difference.
    Definitely. These sort of claims are always very suspect.
    Still everyone's going to want a Castelli skinsuit now, even though Endura were doing this two years ago. L'Equipe's front page is like one of those fake front page style adverts you see on free newspapers.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    RichN95 wrote:
    Richmond Racer 2 wrote:
    I like Fred Grappe but I think this is chucking his toys out of the pram because he didnt go through with it for EffDeeJay, geed up with it being the Tour when everything is magnified and the pressure gets to the teams more

    He had no such concern at the Giro or Dolphin
    Grappe is making big claims as to the about of time gains from it 1-2 seconds per kilometre. And the two best stage racing teams have been using it for two months now. So why aren't FdJ copying them? Could it be that they hadn't been paying attention and are a little embarrassed about it?

    Or they've been holding back in the hope of getting Sky thrown out of the biggest race of the year.

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