TDF 2017: Rest day 2 *spoilers*

lettingthedaysgoby

Dinyull wrote:

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

imatfaal wrote:

I also love the fact that wanty-gg have as almost as much prize money as Movistar+Orica+cofidis+bahrain combined

And they have the coolest looking bikes 8)

Have to disagree, saw Dan McLay's bike t'other day and almost fell over:

Paint it bright blue & fluro orange and it may have a chance

above_the_cows

^I don't like the top lines on that Look.

yourpaceormine

Whilst playing nicely today, I have been catching up with the ITV podcast. In yesterday's pod they suggested that Little Flower is amalgamating the various English accents (at Sky) into his own pronunciation, and that at times he is noticeably Welsh. Made me smile. Podcast finished and the previous day's podcast started. Interview with Little Flower and lo! They are right. He does at times use Welsh phrases and does have a bit of a Welsh accent. Obviously he isn't full blown Jones the Steam but it is noticeable.

First them Welshies corrupted Eddie Higgs Bosun with Welsh cakes now they are at it again with Little Flower. He'll be riding for Wales in the Commonwealth games next

Crozza

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

Dinyull wrote:

lettingthedaysgoby wrote:

imatfaal wrote:

I also love the fact that wanty-gg have as almost as much prize money as Movistar+Orica+cofidis+bahrain combined

And they have the coolest looking bikes 8)

Have to disagree, saw Dan McLay's bike t'other day and almost fell over:

Paint it bright blue & fluro orange and it may have a chance

the rear brake cable ruins it

yourpaceormine

That would be gurt lush if it didn't have the wheels from a Playmobil bike on it

above_the_cows

Zubeldia announces his retirement!

above_the_cows

yourpaceormine wrote:

Whilst playing nicely today, I have been catching up with the ITV podcast. In yesterday's pod they suggested that Little Flower is amalgamating the various English accents (at Sky) into his own pronunciation, and that at times he is noticeably Welsh. Made me smile. Podcast finished and the previous day's podcast started. Interview with Little Flower and lo! They are right. He does at times use Welsh phrases and does have a bit of a Welsh accent. Obviously he isn't full blown Jones the Steam but it is noticeable.

First them Welshies corrupted Eddie Higgs Bosun with Welsh cakes now they are at it again with Little Flower. He'll be riding for Wales in the Commonwealth games next

Did he say "I'll tell you for why?"

Pross

Rick Chasey wrote:

Pross wrote:

I reckon that so far we've seen the cliche that 'it's the riders that make the race not the route' confirmed. The days where we've had some of the best action haven't necessarily been the most obvious on paper. I think we are also seeing that riders really struggle to put together back to back hard stages.

So why were we complaining about all those flat stages then?

Because no-one wanted to race them - GC contenders were unlikely to gain anything as there were no cross winds and the sprint teams all appeared to have an alliance to lead Kittel to the line. But yes, I get your point, the riders need something to work with to make a race. I was looking more at the GC end of things and how the toughest days on paper haven't necessarily been the ones that have led to any excitement.

Richmond Racer 2

Above The Cows wrote:

Zubeldia announces his retirement!

No!!!

Richmond Racer 2

iainf72 wrote:

I can't stop laughing at Brailsford vs Cyclingnews.

Does that make me a bad person?

I'm cackling here

Mind you, Benson will be going through multi packs of Kleenex today

Richmond Racer 2

dish_dash wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

I can't stop laughing at Brailsford vs Cyclingnews.

Does that make me a bad person?

Brailsford says "You can stick it up your ars*"... is he referring to those beads? Clearly hasn't had a chance to de-stress this tour...

C R Y I N G

Richmond Racer 2

Blazing Saddles wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

I can't stop laughing at Brailsford vs Cyclingnews.

Does that make me a bad person?

Typical CN though. They weren't invited so they turn up anyway to make a fuss and then write about how important they are. In journalism, if you act like a bellend you don't get access - that's almost the first lesson on day one of journalism school.

Yesterday, their load of old bollocks began with the headline: "Landa ordered to Wait....."
Then, "Froome was cut adrift" and no mention of a puncture.
Today and it's: "Cyclingnews has always strived to cover Team Sky and Dave Brailsford fairly and accurately."

Cyclingnews's jaundiced view, as one comment aptly put it.

That made me lol

No_Ta_Doctor

Hold on, surely it's the route that's given us days when the stage doesn't look too tough but the racing has been intense? I'm fairly sure that's what it was designed for - with a nod to Bardet's strengths

No_Ta_Doctor

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Zubeldia announces his retirement!

No!!!

He should have done it at Sky's nonexistent press conference.

wombly_knees

He will be missed.... as per usual

Richmond Racer 2

wombly knees wrote:

He will be missed.... as per usual

Chapeau

rick_chasey

Pross wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Pross wrote:

I reckon that so far we've seen the cliche that 'it's the riders that make the race not the route' confirmed. The days where we've had some of the best action haven't necessarily been the most obvious on paper. I think we are also seeing that riders really struggle to put together back to back hard stages.

So why were we complaining about all those flat stages then?

Because no-one wanted to race them - GC contenders were unlikely to gain anything as there were no cross winds and the sprint teams all appeared to have an alliance to lead Kittel to the line. But yes, I get your point, the riders need something to work with to make a race. I was looking more at the GC end of things and how the toughest days on paper haven't necessarily been the ones that have led to any excitement.

Arguably we've had the least challenging 2 weeks in a Tour route wise for GC for a long time and therefore it's no coincidence the GC is so close together.

salsiccia1

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

He will be missed.... as per usual

Chapeau

Yep, a hat from me too

The_Boy

Above The Cows wrote:

Zubeldia announces his retirement!

Who?

Edit:. Womble midlegs did it better already

Richmond Racer 2

Edward Pickering:

Atmosphere at a few team hotels today:
BMC - Business seminar
Direct Energie - Family reunion
Sky - Christmas episode of Eastenders


lmao

Richmond Racer 2

Apropos of nothing, who misses Mad Oleg?

salsiccia1

Not me. Objectionable individual.

Richmond Racer 2

He'd provide a distraction for DaveB right now

bobmcstuff

PTP Update:

1st RichN95
2nd Key
3rd Omar Little
4th Cruff
5th rozzer32
6th ShockedSoShocked, dish_dash
8th NervexProf, kellar
10th Specialized_Nick

Rich and Key both have Porte for GC (as do ShockedSoShocked and kellar) so the yellow jersey on the road is Omar Little, with the podium rounded out by Cruff and rozzer32.

RichN95.

bobmcstuff wrote:

PTP Update:

1st RichN95
2nd Key
3rd Omar Little
4th Cruff
5th rozzer32
6th ShockedSoShocked, dish_dash
8th NervexProf, kellar
10th Specialized_Nick

Rich and Key both have Porte for GC (as do ShockedSoShocked and kellar) so the yellow jersey on the road is Omar Little, with the podium rounded out by Cruff and rozzer32.

Blimey, that's the shock of the Tour so far.

carbonclem

The irony of SDB taking a stand against lazy click bait journos though ...

tailwindhome

This house believes global joy would be maximised by a Contador stage win.

RichN95.

TailWindHome wrote:

This house believes global joy would be maximised by a Contador stage win.

I've never much liked him, but I second the motion. (Increased rather than maximised though)

bobmcstuff

This Brailsford Cyclingnews thing is lols.

rick_chasey

No rest day ride for Mollema - too tired.

Was wired from his win and he didn't get to sleep till around 3am.