Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Off Topic => Sports Arena => Topic started by: Jon Crofts on May 30, 2012, 01:40:01 PM
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Starts June 30 in Liege.
Ends July 22 in Paris.
20 stages covering 3749 kms.
Wiggins & Cavendish finish the most grueling sporting event on the planet 6 days before the Olympics start.
Could 2012 be Wiggins' year, what about the Schlecks & Basso?
No Contador the dope cheat, he's suspended until August.
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I expect Cav will back out before the mountains to prep for the Olympics as he's won the maillot vert but no Olympic Gold. this will give team Sky the opportunity to assist Wiggo in a course which is favourable (he has the Olympic golds but not the Tour podium). I suspect the lack of mountains and focus on time trials will make Evans the favourite. The Schleks seem to have fallen out with their team manager Johan Bruyneel so not expecting much from them I'm afraid.
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I expect Cav will back out before the mountains to prep for the Olympics as he's won the maillot vert but no Olympic Gold. this will give team Sky the opportunity to assist Wiggo in a course which is favourable (he has the Olympic golds but not the Tour podium). I suspect the lack of mountains and focus on time trials will make Evans the favourite. The Schleks seem to have fallen out with their team manager Johan Bruyneel so not expecting much from them I'm afraid.
Agree about the Andy Schlek - the course doesn't suit him at all and his form has abysmal. Evans and Wiggins have to be the favourites, in that order, purely because of the amount of time-trialling and they have strong teams - but both could be vulnerable on the toughest mountain stages. I really hope Wiggins stears clear of the crashes early on and gives himself a chance - it would be amazing to have a tour winner and world champion at the same time.
Obviously the Olympics coming just after isn't going to be easy - but all the best riders are at the tour, and they ride thousands of miles all season anyway. I think Cavendish would be a bit unwise to throw in the Tour cause he should win the Green Jersey, and the road race will be difficult to win anyway. In any case he is a legend and the fastest sprinter - I hope he goes for both.
I hope a few younger riders come through, and Cav smashes all the sprints.
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Cav has said he wants green jersey and Olympic gold so don't think he'll drop out. I'll believe it when I see it with Wiggins. I don't think he's good enough in the mountains to win the whole thing. I notice Andy Schleck at least won the 2010 tour this week, although his quote "it's not the same" sums it up really.
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Cav has said he wants green jersey and Olympic gold so don't think he'll drop out. I'll believe it when I see it with Wiggins. I don't think he's good enough in the mountains to win the whole thing. I notice Andy Schleck at least won the 2010 tour this week, although his quote "it's not the same" sums it up really.
I'm sure that before he has said he recognises Contador as the winner of '10 and supports him against the ban.
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I have a friend who's a mad TDF fan so I'm going with her to Paris for the final day.
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I think Cav completed the Giro d'Italia in order to improve his "climbing legs" and will be looking to complete the Tour and win the green jersey. I hope so, he is, as Sean the V says, a legend.
The Olympic course is not ideal for him, 8 circuits of Box Hill is pretty stiff. If Paris had won the Olympic bid and Cav was French then I'm sure the course would have been pan flat and guaranteed a bunch sprint finish.
Wiggins looks to be in great shape, Evans not so good, Wiggins has to be in with a real shout. I think Sky have enough about them to support both Cav & Wiggins.
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I wouldn't read too much in to poor pre Tour form. A lot of riders focussing on the Tour will forgoe all other races a la Armstrong.
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I can't see someone who's carrying the Rainbow Jersey and contender for the Maillot Verte disrespecting the tour and pulling out. But I do think Sky should concentrate on Wiggins' podium push.
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I think we'll have to see a very different approach from Cav this year. The HTC train was a sight to see but I don't think the Sky one is as good especially with Geraint missing the TDF, so Cav may have to pick the wheel of someone like Matt Goss and go from there at times.
Did he not have to do something similar when Renshaw was kicked off the tour in 2010 though?
Be good to see how Wiggins does at the Dauphine. His Gran Canaria training seems to be working for him this year. Hope he does well.
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Cav has said he wants green jersey and Olympic gold so don't think he'll drop out. I'll believe it when I see it with Wiggins. I don't think he's good enough in the mountains to win the whole thing. I notice Andy Schleck at least won the 2010 tour this week, although his quote "it's not the same" sums it up really.
I'm sure that before he has said he recognises Contador as the winner of '10 and supports him against the ban.
They do tend to stick together on these issues. Wasn't 2010 the year when Contador attacked after Schelck's chain fell off? That alone should have seen him stripped of the title!
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Quite right, Armstrong & Ullrich managed to honour the code.
Incidentally Armstrong is in training for Ironman in Kona Hawaii, he's been doing pretty well so far on the Ironman 70.3 race circuit this year, first time full Iron distance & first time Kona though, he's not going to pull up any trees.
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I know they swim, cycle and run but they have to pull up trees as well?
Blimey, tough sport.
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Quite right, Armstrong & Ullrich managed to honour the code.
Bit different though - I thought it was fair enough that Contador raced on, Schleck messed up a gear change.
Did he not have to do something similar when Renshaw was kicked off the tour in 2010 though?
Yeah he did, and sure he was fine - basically if there is a bunch sprint and he's in anything like a good position there is a good chance he'll win. I think the bookies had him at evens for all the sprint stages last year.
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Quite right, Armstrong & Ullrich managed to honour the code.
Bit different though - I thought it was fair enough that Contador raced on, Schleck messed up a gear change.
He broke an unwritten rule of the Peleton.
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And I broke the quotes.
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Schleck suffered a mechanical failure, his chain came off.
The thing that pisses people off about the Contador incident is the fact that an hour earlier the Peleton all slowed & bowed their heads to the Italian rider, can't remember his name, who was killed on a descent in 95 on the Tour as they passed the site of his crash, so there's the code & respect in action, only for Contador to ignore it for his personal gain an hour later.
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Hmm maybe, I think that the peleton were pretty split about the whole thing - and I seem to remember Schleck's Dad saying he didn't think anything was wrong after the race.
Good day for Wiggins today.
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Fantastic day for Wiggins, he's hitting form at the right time.
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Can't wait. Love Cycling. Look out for Peter Sagan winning loads of sprints for Liquigas. Cav to take a few and drop out early. Wiggins to win following todays news about Andy Schlek dropping out.
Cav wants the Olympics Gold which is why he did the whole Giro.
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Not so sure about Cav droping out. He talked the other day of the Tour being his job and seemed to be suggesting that he would be in Paris as he wanted the green jersey. He's not ideally suited to the Olympic course.
Not many stages in this year's tour for sprinters, Sagan & Greipel will be dangerous rivals and Greipal will presumably be the team leader with the lead out that will bring, but I'd always back Cav. The man is a legend.
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Agree about Sagan to an extent, but not so much if its a bunch sprint. I think he could nick a stage or two by breaking off the front like Gilbert does - the first proper stage ends with a slight climb so I'd make him favourite there.
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Well Sagan is winning everything in bunch sprints this season. Won every stage in the Tour of California except the TT and has won 3 on the Tour of Switzerland this week so far so I think he'll take some stopping.
Cav has so far lost 4 Kgs since the Giro and said its for the Olympic road race. I think he is focusing on that more than he has let on.
After the 'mare season BMC have had Cadel and Gilbert need to do something in the Tour so pressure is on them.
Going to the first stage proper in Liege, looking forward to it!
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Do we want a fantasy league for the Tour? Mr Cooper and others are keen Tour fans and Halfords run a nice fantasy league system. Anyone keen?
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Do we want a fantasy league for the Tour? Mr Cooper and others are keen Tour fans and Halfords run a nice fantasy league system. Anyone keen?
Worth a go I reckon.
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Cav has so far lost 4 Kgs since the Giro and said its for the Olympic road race. I think he is focusing on that more than he has let on.
Cav has come out now and said that he does not expect to wipe everyone out in a bunch sprint as he will have lost some power becasuse of the weight loss, but he will still be competative.
Sky will concentrate on the GC unless it all goes wrong for Wiggins (or Froome) so Cav won't get the support he has had in the past from HTC, but don't bet against him finishing first accross the line in Paris, even if he does not have the green jersey.
I think Sky realise there has never been a better chance to have a Brit winning the tour.
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Does this work? Anyway here is the league:
http://www.halfordstdfgame.co.uk/league.aspx?page=league&id=11190 (http://www.halfordstdfgame.co.uk/league.aspx?page=league&id=11190)
League name is Aston Wiggins
Password is london2012
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Schleck suffered a mechanical failure, his chain came off.
The thing that pisses people off about the Contador incident is the fact that an hour earlier the Peleton all slowed & bowed their heads to the Italian rider , can't remember his name, who was killed on a descent in 95 on the Tour as they passed the site of his crash, so there's the code & respect in action, only for Contador to ignore it for his personal gain an hour later.
Fabio Casartelli.
I'm looking for a value bet on the Tour, I am already laying Wiggins as I just dont think he's strong enough in the mountains for Cadel. Anyone know about the form of Van den Broeck or Gesink?
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Cant see either of them doing much to be honest. I'd take a look at Vanendert if you fancy a low country punt.
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Does this work? Anyway here is the league:
http://www.halfordstdfgame.co.uk/league.aspx?page=league&id=11190 (http://www.halfordstdfgame.co.uk/league.aspx?page=league&id=11190)
League name is Aston Wiggins
Password is london2012
Sent you a request for my team 'Pork Pie Skin Suit' don't ask.
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Cool. You are in!
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I think I've managed to send a request for Haliborange Overdose to join the league.
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Hopefully N's Strugglers have now joined.
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Yep. Got you all.
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Right then, who's winning the prologue?
I'm going Wiggins with Cancellara a close second.
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I am going for DerPanzerWagen aka Tony Martin. Fabian 2nd. Wiggins 3rd. Sky won't want the yellow so early.
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So here we go...my favourite annual sporting event. Pity the news about Lance Armstrong and allegations about the Europcar Team are making the headlines. If Armstrong is found guilty of doping I'll be so disappointed - one of my all time sporting heros.
Bradley Wiggins is in with a chance as victories in Paris-Nice and the Dauphene show. If, unlike last year, he avoids crashing out, I think he might be the first Briton to stand on the GC podium in Paris - especially as Andy Schleck won't be racing. However, I don't think he'll be in yellow.
For me it is between Cadal Evans and Ryder Hesydal, with the Aussie probably my favourite as the Giro-Tour double is a big ask.
Cav hasn't got the lead-out train he has had in the past and if Sky's focus is on the GC then he might have to find his own way in the sprints. I'm sure he'll win at least a couple of stages, but will it be enough for green in Paris? My hunch is that he is bloody-minded enough to do it.
Sammy Sanchez for KOM and Peter Sagan for best young rider.
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Armstrong was doped up to the eyeballs. Mind you so was everyone else, he hardly gained much of an advantage from it!
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Does this work? Anyway here is the league:
http://www.halfordstdfgame.co.uk/league.aspx?page=league&id=11190 (http://www.halfordstdfgame.co.uk/league.aspx?page=league&id=11190)
League name is Aston Wiggins
Password is london2012
another one joined - too late for the first stage tho :-)
Bring on le tour!!
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Right, I've asked before but forgotten. How does it work then?
I understand there are some sprint sections, some mountainy sections and some prologues. Whoever wins the most sprints gets a green jersey, whoever wins the most mountainy ones gets a polka-dot jersey. The overrall winner gets a yellow jersey. I think they have some team races too but not really sure how this contributes to the overrall winner?
Do they just add up all the times and whoever is quickest overrall wins, or are some stages weighted better than others? How does the "team trial" work? Oh, and what's a prologue?
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Right, I've asked before but forgotten. How does it work then?
I understand there are some sprint sections, some mountainy sections and some prologues. Whoever wins the most sprints gets a green jersey, whoever wins the most mountainy ones gets a polka-dot jersey. The overrall winner gets a yellow jersey. I think they have some team races too but not really sure how this contributes to the overrall winner?
Do they just add up all the times and whoever is quickest overrall wins, or are some stages weighted better than others? How does the "team trial" work? Oh, and what's a prologue?
Right, yes the times are added up and the winner is the one who was quickest, no stages are weighted. Some stage races give time bonuses for winning stages, intermediate sprints and climbs but not The Tour.
The prologue is just a short time trial held at the start of the race, it's just a way of introducing the riders to the crowds really.
The jerseys:
Yellow- overall leader on time, Cancellara wears it today as he won the prologue.
Green - Points leader. Points are awarded for where a rider finishes in the stage (25 for the winner of the stage). Points are also given for intermediate sprints which are at set places on the stage. If you are watching and they seem to be sedately rolling along and all of a sudden a couple of teams seem to take up the pace, it's probably because there's an intermediate sprint coming up and they are trying to get their sprinter to the front of the peleton.
Polka-dot - King of the mountains. Points are given for getting up big hills. Hills are rated by their severity, a category 4 is a fairly gentle hill, only 1 point is given for these. Catergory 1 climbs are a bastard, you get 10 points for being first up these. And just to be an extra bastard to the riders, there are even harder climbs called Hors Categorie (literally Unclassified) which are so hard that they can't have a normal number. 20 points for winning up one of these.
White - Best young rider (under 23) on overall time.
This year there are 9 flat stages (the ones Cavendish will target), 9 mountain stages, 5 of which are classified as 'high mountains' in the Alps and Pyrenees, and 2 individual time trials (Wiggins is very good at these, watch also for fellow Brit Chris Froome he's improving all the time).
There is no team time-trial this year so don't worry about it.
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Yellow- overall leader on time, Cancellara wears it today as he won the prologue.
And he nearly won again today.
A great attack up one of the few hills in Belgium on the streets of Seraing. However, Peter Sagan just sat on Cancellara's wheel rather than helping with the break (despite Cancellara waving Sagan by to share the work) leaving him in perfect position to nip round and take the win.
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I read that Sagan is not popular in the peleton. Today you saw why that might be.
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Textbook way to win a race. He won't be popular for it mind. Shame Eddy wasn't a bit closer to them as he might have had a chance. I think this is the start of the Sagan show though. Cav or Griepel or Kittel tomorrow and then Sagan again tuesday.
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I read that Sagan is not popular in the peleton. Today you saw why that might be.
Bloody talented though. He'll need a decent team around him to win Grand Tours though, so he might want to learn the etiquette of the peleton sharpish.
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Missed a couple of stages, but I've tried to join the league as well..
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Cavendish takes it on the line.Superb.
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Cav does it again, and he didn't even need the Sky train.
Marvellous.
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Cav - The man is a true legend.
Not only does he win without a train, he does it in the first week of the tour when he is not always at his best. Brilliant!
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Just watched it. Great finish. His interview afterwards with Boulting wasn't that of a super happy man though. I think he has had some issues with the team line up. Hope he doent have a strop...
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Just watched it. Great finish. His interview afterwards with Boulting wasn't that of a super happy man though. I think he has had some issues with the team line up. Hope he doent have a strop...
Nah, I think he's just trying to get his head around not having a team working specifically for him on the sprint stages, something he's had on every previous tour. But Brailsford has said from the start that this year is all about the Yellow Jersey, he'll be fine now he has proved to himself that he can do a "Cadel Evans" and win a sprint by attaching himslf to other teams' back wheels.
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Just watched it. Great finish. His interview afterwards with Boulting wasn't that of a super happy man though. I think he has had some issues with the team line up. Hope he doent have a strop...
Nah, I think he's just trying to get his head around not having a team working specifically for him on the sprint stages, something he's had on every previous tour. But Brailsford has said from the start that this year is all about the Yellow Jersey, he'll be fine now he has proved to himself that he can do a "Cadel Evans" and win a sprint by attaching himslf to other teams' back wheels.
I agree, also Brailsford mentioned casually something along the lines of what a kick in the teeth this was for Lotto and Griepel. A team set up for one purpose seeing their man beaten by a one man army.
Watching it on the You Tube it was amazing to see how far back Cav was with so little time to make that up. Great commentary on Eurosport "Cavendish has been hiding" "It's a drag race". It is the attention to detail what makes him so good, he knows who is likely to do what and when in the bunch sprints so follows the right wheel.
Difficult for the other teams to manage when on his own he's so unpredicatable as far as they are concerned.
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The only problem Cav might have is if the specialist sprint teams like Lotto decide to block him off as they come up towards the finish, he'll be more vulnerable without his Sky minders, but if he's there or thereabouts with 500 metres to go he's virtually unbeatable.
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Hope you lot are betting on my tips. Told you it was Sagan today. Cav or Kittel tomorrow. My money is on the King (Cav).
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Sagan had a decent fall today. Let's see how he gets on after that. Tyler looked pretty bad at the finsh so let's see how he does too. Cav messed the sprint up today totally as he later admitted on Twitter. Cav tomorrow and then its into some big hills.
Wiggins looking totally in control, in fact looking like the 'patron' of the peleton. Hope he wins.
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Too uphill for Cav today especially without a lead out train. I can see him getting frustrated not being the centre of attention for the team, but he knew the gig when he signed. Wiggins has a shot at yellow and that has to be the key aim.
Bring on the hills these flat stages are dull until the last 5k. Cannot believe they almost stayed away today - 100m from the line ffs.
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Cav will be fine. His big HTC train has been broken up anyway. Sky have the budget and the riders to have a go at all the Grand Tours, and if they can deliver Wiggins to the yellow this year maybe they will build a team to suit Cav next year?
Sky seem to have gone heavy on mountain domestiques this year to get Wiggins up the mountains, and I'm not sure he really needs all of them, he just needs to stick in there knowing he can make up minutes on most specialist climbers in the two time trials that are coming up.
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All well and good but Cavendish just doesn't look happy. If he can find a team that is built around him he'll be off.
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All well and good but Cavendish just doesn't look happy. If he can find a team that is built around him he'll be off.
Cavendish never looks happy!
As far as I am aware (I'm no historian on this) no team has ever delivered both the Yellow and Green jersey in the same year, Cav must have known when he signed that Sky were going for the Yellow this Tour.
Besides, on this stage his team worked bloody hard for him, they delivered him to the 500m point and it was just that the uphill finish suited the power of Griepel more than the flat out speed of Cavendish.
Perhaps after the first lot of mountains, if Wiggins is right up there in the GC, his team will stop worrying so much about him and concentrate on getting Cav another couple of stage wins?
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Wiggins takes the yellow jersey.
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Wiggins takes the yellow jersey.
Good on him. Another Brit to get behind with the added bonus of him not being a complete bellend.
Just back from Normandy and a bit of Tour watching - a hill on the way to Boulogne on Tuesday and Abbeville for the start on Wednesday.
I was a Tour virgin, not at all knowledgeable and only a bit interested, but it's impossible not to get enthused. I knew it was a big event, but the scale of it all is impressive.
I couldn't help thinking that it would be far better if they cut out 95% of the support teams and other official vehicles.
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Told you Chris Froome was good didn't I.
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Froom should have won the Vuelta last year but Sky gave Wiggins the team support in a tactical blunder.
Cant believe the coverage was of the winner trundling beyond the line whilst the two favourites were attacking each other further down the road.
Wiggins will take time in the TT tomorrow but I fear Cadel will be stronger in the Alps.
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Evans hasn't shown anything to make me think he's stronger than Wiggins, and tellingly, Evans is usually completely isolated on the steepest climbs while Wiggins always has Froome alongside him.
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Fantastic rant by Wiggins. (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-delivers-caustic-assessment-of-his-critics)
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Blimey some nasty crashes over the weekend.
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Wow.
That was an ass kicking and a half.
Allez Wiggo.
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Allez Wiggo indeed, and also Allez Froomey.
Sky are now in a position that even if something untoward happens with Wiggins they can support Froome for the yellow jersey.
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Well, not only Wiggins but Chris Froome as well have just blasted Evans away in the time trial.
Could be a British 1-2 at this rate.
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Well if that performance doesn't silence accusations of being a drugs cheat, nothing will...
Seriously, an amazing performance.
As before I'm a Tour novice. I've heard a lot about Cavendish but seen nothing to justify it. Is he having a mare, or have we just not had his kind of stage yet?
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As before I'm a Tour novice. I've heard a lot about Cavendish but seen nothing to justify it. Is he having a mare, or have we just not had his kind of stage yet?
He's won one stage already and was unlucky in another where he crashed before the end. He will win another one or two before it's over. The mountains certainly are not his speciality.
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As before I'm a Tour novice. I've heard a lot about Cavendish but seen nothing to justify it. Is he having a mare, or have we just not had his kind of stage yet?
His one stage win so far was superb, with no support from his team he picked his way through the sprinters and powered his way to the win.
Cav's problem this year is that he has no "ride-out train", which is when the rest of your team get into a line at the front of the peleton and basically carry you to the final 500metres or so. This year Team Sky are riding for Wiggins and not Cavendish, in fact Cavendish is spending a lot of his time carrying food and water bottles from the team car to the rest of the team.
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Sky have the option now of doing the old 1-2 by sending froome away with any breaks knowing if it stays away they wont need to chase and if it doesnt the other teams will be tired from chasing it down. Wiggins just needs to mark Evans. Easier said than done. There are still many twists and turns left in this one.
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Thank you usav and PC. I'm just showing my ignorance, when a bit of research would've told me he'd won 21 stages, the 6th highest ever.
So he's a sprinter, whereas Wiggins and Froome are more allrounders, capable of winning the whole thing? Which is why they get the team support?
I know it's never going to happen, but I think it would be more compelling if they had riders working for themselves and making individual decisions, rather than following team orders. It would have the added bonus of getting rid of some of the vehicles on the road. I knew there'd be some support and sponsor vehicles around but the numbers are mad.
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Isn't froome more of a climber? I seem to remember reading something that he's targeting the mountain stages.
Would be nice to see wiggins in yellow, cavendish in green and froome in white and red spots, especially in an olympic year.
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I know it's never going to happen, but I think it would be more compelling if they had riders working for themselves and making individual decisions, rather than following team orders.
The tactics of road cycling are fascinating and it's the team ethic which I love to see. The sight of the world champion acting as a domestique and Froome, a potential GC contender himself, working for Wiggins sums up the way these guys work for each other.
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Great stuff from Wiggins yesterday. I've seen or read several comments about the "un-British" nature of such a dominant performance with minimal fuss and no real drama so expect lots of fun and games in the mountains. What would it take for Sky to switch attention to Froome do people think?
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Isn't froome more of a climber? I seem to remember reading something that he's targeting the mountain stages.
Froome proved yesterday that he's also a time-trialist, anyone who can beat Chavenal and Cancellara so comprehensively is prett damn good. Only Tony Martin (injured hand) might have got near that time.
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Great stuff from Wiggins yesterday. I've seen or read several comments about the "un-British" nature of such a dominant performance with minimal fuss and no real drama so expect lots of fun and games in the mountains. What would it take for Sky to switch attention to Froome do people think?
Wiggins falling off or having a bad day and losing over five minutes to Evans.
Next time trial is longer than the last one so even if Wiggins is a couple of minutes behind on General Classification he would fancy himself to pull it back over 53Km.
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Isn't froome more of a climber? I seem to remember reading something that he's targeting the mountain stages.
Froome proved yesterday that he's also a time-trialist, anyone who can beat Chavenal and Cancellara so comprehensively is prett damn good. Only Tony Martin (injured hand) might have got near that time.
I don't disagree, he's clearly a very good rider, I just think his strength appears to be on the climbs (whereas Wiggins is a superb time-trialist), I guess we'll see soon.
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Great stuff from Wiggins yesterday. I've seen or read several comments about the "un-British" nature of such a dominant performance with minimal fuss and no real drama so expect lots of fun and games in the mountains. What would it take for Sky to switch attention to Froome do people think?
Wiggins falling off or having a bad day and losing over five minutes to Evans.
Next time trial is longer than the last one so even if Wiggins is a couple of minutes behind on General Classification he would fancy himself to pull it back over 53Km.
Hope Wiggins rides imperiously to a crushing victory of course but isn't it great to have options!
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Thought Froome had ballsed it up there, but fortunately not.
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Well its all out that Wiggins have to win this year... Evans is not that good as last year. Froome strange man, first makes the pace then get behind and then attacks.
Oh well, VDB top six, other riders will be stay the same also, just another TT before Paris so its done. There is just one other mountainstage with finish uphill, i hope to see some action one more time.
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I know it's never going to happen, but I think it would be more compelling if they had riders working for themselves and making individual decisions, rather than following team orders.
The tactics of road cycling are fascinating and it's the team ethic which I love to see. The sight of the world champion acting as a domestique and Froome, a potential GC contender himself, working for Wiggins sums up the way these guys work for each other.
Fair enough, and I suppose it's something you can appreciate if you've done more than scratch the surface like me.
But still, today I'd have liked to see what Froome could do if he'd been allowed to make that break. It seemed a shame he was called back to help drag BW up the mountain.
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But still, today I'd have liked to see what Froome could do if he'd been allowed to make that break. It seemed a shame he was called back to help drag BW up the mountain.
Froome might have been able to win yesterday but he might then have had very little support from the team for the rest of the tour and possibly have been out of a job at the end of it.
It would be different if Wiggins had been really struggling and Evans had overtaken, but Wiggins is the team's main man for the GC so Froome has to do what he's told.
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Great day yesterday. I never thought I'd see a British winner of the tour, never mind a one-two. I know there's a long way to go but can't help getting excited. I don't think I've ever seen a mountain stage where the team element has been so noticable, with Evans and Wiggins both essentially clipping their team-mate's wings to help them. My recollection of tours past is that while the team leader will be carried for so long there come's a point where he has to do it on his own. This only happened for the briefest of moments yesterday when it looked like Froome had cracked, only to come roaring back.
What I would say about the "he should have been allowed to go himself" argument is that Wiggins is team no 1 for a reason, namely that he can destroy the rest of the field in a time trial like he did the other day. He also lasted the pace yesterday, even if Froome might have been able to hack a quicker one. The tour winner is always on merit no matter how much help he might get.
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Its also possible that BW & CF had agreed that, once they'd caught the group, they were going to fire on past and try to break Nibali as they'd done to Evans.
Therefore, maybe CF didn't know that BW wasn't with him until the got the blast in his ear and turned round to see that BW wasn't there.
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It's brilliant viewing and great to see the Sky team dominate. Fingers crossed for Wiggins to stay in yellow.
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Its also possible that BW & CF had agreed that, once they'd caught the group, they were going to fire on past and try to break Nibali as they'd done to Evans.
Therefore, maybe CF didn't know that BW wasn't with him until the got the blast in his ear and turned round to see that BW wasn't there.
I think that's exactly what happened. Incredible to see how much energy he had when he looked out of it not long before.
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good lead but still all up for grabs whilst they're still in the mountains. Any sort of half decent leade - a minute or so - on the road into Paris (thinking the last 4 or 5 days) and i think Wiggins will win it. froome has put himself into contention as a future winner.
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Even if Wiggins wins and Froome comes second, it'll all be forgotten in the media when someone wins a bronze at the Olympics in some non-sport.
Especially if Zara wins the gold for "rich people on horses".
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Not sure. I mentioned this to the missus when she was moaning about me trying to watch the highlights the other night. The Tour De France is huge. She said it wasn't. I asked if she had heard of it before, she said yes, I asked her to name one other bike race that she had heard of. Point proven i think.
Although there are many on this thread who are into bike racing wider than the Tour De France, winning it is a big achievement. And I think that if Wiggins were to win it a big deal would be made of more than Zara Ra RA ponce winning some posh horsey event, or Ainslie winning the the yachting as he does every Olympics.
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In the commentary yesterday there were quite a few comments about Sky being unpopular with the rest of the tour. Is this just sour grapes (like Nibali's disrespect comment the other day) or is there more to it? Have Sky done something dodgy?
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We love the TDF in our house, been watching it ever since I can remember. I have always said it is the number one summer sporting event, sod Wimbledon, Ascot and the like - though of course that doesn't necessarily take account of World Cup or Olympic years. It's always highly evocative too for us as we tend to holiday in France and so it gets us excited about our summer hols - Aix-en-Provence this year. I never thought I would ever see two english riders one and two in my lifetime. They have both been brilliant and it definitely brings an extra interest to watching it. I think the antipathy towards Sky is partly the English connection, partly because they are the new kids on the block and partly because money has bought them success - probably the equivalent of our feelings towards Chelsea
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What a nice man Cadel Evans seems too - he does, however, have the weirdest of voices! Seems a real gentleman. I almost wanted to give him a little man hug yesterday as I felt really quite sorry for him finishing so far back behind BW and CF
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Have no idea but Sky may be unpopular because of the amount of money they have? the Man city of the cycling world perhaps?
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Have no idea but Sky may be unpopular because of the amount of money they have? the Man city of the cycling world perhaps?
Maybe. Most of the teams are using the 'official car' Skodas, whereas Sky have a fleet of Jagwars.
Rumours of Sky changing horses mid race. Something in it or miischief making by their rivals? Given the current situation I'd guess the latter.
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Thought it might be a money thing. I don't imagine putting that sort of team together can be done on the cheap. Not to mention someone like Gerraint Thomas not even there. By the standards of what other cycling teams have got up to it seems pretty tame really.
No chance they'll switch from Wiggins barring a disaster today. Nor should they.
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Money, and a far more scientific appraoch to road racing than seen before.
Other teams had certain practices that hadn't moved on in years, Sky's marginal gains etc. and emphasis on using the numbers the riders produced in training was seen to be too clever by half at first. Now a lot of teams are copying their methods.
I don't think there is an issue in the peleton with the Sky riders, on the whole all of the peleton get along fine if you believe what you read - I don't know any of them personally.
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Great win for David Millar today.
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Thought it might be a money thing. I don't imagine putting that sort of team together can be done on the cheap. Not to mention someone like Gerraint Thomas not even there. By the standards of what other cycling teams have got up to it seems pretty tame really.
No chance they'll switch from Wiggins barring a disaster today. Nor should they.
I think Thomas not being there is more to do with him concentrating on the Olympics, much like Wiggo did in 2008.
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Its also possible that BW & CF had agreed that, once they'd caught the group, they were going to fire on past and try to break Nibali as they'd done to Evans.
Therefore, maybe CF didn't know that BW wasn't with him until the got the blast in his ear and turned round to see that BW wasn't there.
That's how I saw it as well. Froome looked quite surprised when he got the radio call and glanced around to see Wiggins back down the hill.
Great win for our very own British drug cheat today.
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Not sure. I mentioned this to the missus when she was moaning about me trying to watch the highlights the other night. The Tour De France is huge. She said it wasn't. I asked if she had heard of it before, she said yes, I asked her to name one other bike race that she had heard of. Point proven i think.
Although there are many on this thread who are into bike racing wider than the Tour De France, winning it is a big achievement. And I think that if Wiggins were to win it a big deal would be made of more than Zara Ra RA ponce winning some posh horsey event, or Ainslie winning the the yachting as he does every Olympics.
Exactly Peter, if Wiggins wins the Tour it will be the biggest achievement by a British sports person for many years. The tour is a massive and truly world wide event. That's without talking abot how gruelling it is.
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They are unpopular in the press because they are so good and the other teams worry because they do things differently to the old traditions. Brad and Thomas warmed down last year after a TT on rollers and there was mass pisstaking. Now they are all doing it. Brad has been at altitude most of this year (either in tenerife or in a tent at home) and again mass pisstiaking from the teams. They will all be doing it next year. They have challenged a lot of norms and people fear that.
Cav will be gone at the end of the year though. He had no-one with him today they were all at the front. As the World Champion he will be expecting more.
As for the budget, BMC, Radio Shack, Omega Pharma, Astana, they spend more. Sky are more Aston Villa than Man City.
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I'm really enjoying the tour this year, not sure why but it is great.
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One reason it's great is because three of the cleanest, anti-doping teams are winning the stages, Garmin (Millar, now!), Sky and Europcar, credibility is finally being restored. Or at least I hope so anyway.
I've always loved the TDF, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd see a British winner.
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They've found tacks on the road to account for all the punctures, hope they find whoever did that and make him ride down the mountain on flat tyres see how funny it is then.
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Tour etiquette in full force today. Wiggins made sure no one rode away from the guys who punctured and even when Rolland went away on a break his team told him to ease up.
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Officially 48 punctures in that stage, crazy!
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Admiration for anybody who does the TDF. If i do 50 k on my bike over here i am bloody knackered.
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Admiration for anybody who does the TDF. If i do 50 k on my bike over here i am bloody knackered.
I particularly admire the sprinters, who cycle hunderds and hundreds of kilometres, purely to be in position to ride like a maniac for a couple of hundred yards every now and then. Crazy, crazy people.
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Admiration for anybody who does the TDF. If i do 50 k on my bike over here i am bloody knackered.
I particularly admire the sprinters, who cycle hunderds and hundreds of kilometres, purely to be in position to ride like a maniac for a couple of hundred yards every now and then. Crazy, crazy people.
Especially when it can end like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nt4x3nuzfQ) (1:20 in)
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They are unpopular in the press because they are so good and the other teams worry because they do things differently to the old traditions. Brad and Thomas warmed down last year after a TT on rollers and there was mass pisstaking. Now they are all doing it. Brad has been at altitude most of this year (either in tenerife or in a tent at home) and again mass pisstiaking from the teams. They will all be doing it next year. They have challenged a lot of norms and people fear that.
Cav will be gone at the end of the year though. He had no-one with him today they were all at the front. As the World Champion he will be expecting more.
As for the budget, BMC, Radio Shack, Omega Pharma, Astana, they spend more. Sky are more Aston Villa than Man City.
Spot on with everything here, I think. The unpopularity seems to stem from the French press rather than anywhere else.
As for Cavendish - if he gets gold in return he will see it as being worthwhile, for me the crash in the first week combined with Sky defending the yellow jersey early on have cost him breaking the sprinters stage record and Armstrong's stage win record in Paris. On form he wouldn't even be favourite there, though I wouldn't bet against him and stand by what I posted earlier on here.
Thing is, it could all go wrong in London and it will be interesting to see what happens in the grand tours next year regarding Cav.
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Pierre Rolland tells us his team radio wasn't working when he rode off, in other news he told the world about his father being a French war hero, no mention who's side he was on though.
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Schlek done for drugs.
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Wiggins has a granny ring, maybe I dont feel so bad about my hill climbing ability now with an 11:28 cassette.
http://bicycling.com/blogs/thisjustin/2012/07/16/tour-tech-wiggos-di2-derailleur-hack/ (http://bicycling.com/blogs/thisjustin/2012/07/16/tour-tech-wiggos-di2-derailleur-hack/)
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Another great shift by Sky today. Keep tabs on Niabli tomorrow and barring accidents it's looking good for yellow for Wiggins in Paris.
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Another great shift by Sky today. Keep tabs on Niabli tomorrow and barring accidents it's looking good for yellow for Wiggins in Paris.
Got my Wiggins in paris, and he's going gorillas.
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I'm so excited about Sunday. I only hope that we get a good spot and I see the finish and the presentations.
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I'm so excited about Sunday. I only hope that we get a good spot and I see the finish and the presentations.
In an ideal world you will see the yellow jersey and the second in the tour as part of a lead out for the world champion who wins for the 4th successive time in Paris.
It could happen and who would have thought that 6 years or so ago?
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Whiney arsed Australians piss me off, fisrt of all Casey Stoner goes a bit shit & he's lactose intolerant, Cadel Evans gets owned & he's got a poorly tummy, fuck off you whiney arsed convicts.
Sky & GB 1 - 2 Sunday I wonder what the odds on that were 3 weeks ago?
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All over bar the shouting now. Wiggins has got it in the bag. Class ride and an amazing team effort. There hasn't been much great racing or competition from the other big teams though. Nibali rumored to be signing for Sky for next year and Cav apparently off. I had two good days in france watching it, it was ace.
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And how fresh did Froome look today?
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All over bar the shouting now. Wiggins has got it in the bag. Class ride and an amazing team effort. There hasn't been much great racing or competition from the other big teams though. Nibali rumored to be signing for Sky for next year and Cav apparently off. I had two good days in france watching it, it was ace.
Any rumours as to where Cav might be going?
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Allez le Brad!
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All over bar the shouting now. Wiggins has got it in the bag. Class ride and an amazing team effort. There hasn't been much great racing or competition from the other big teams though. Nibali rumored to be signing for Sky for next year and Cav apparently off. I had two good days in france watching it, it was ace.
Any rumours as to where Cav might be going?
GreenEdge or BMC are probably the only two who could afford him.
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All over bar the shouting now. Wiggins has got it in the bag. Class ride and an amazing team effort. There hasn't been much great racing or competition from the other big teams though. Nibali rumored to be signing for Sky for next year and Cav apparently off. I had two good days in france watching it, it was ace.
Any rumours as to where Cav might be going?
GreenEdge or BMC are probably the only two who could afford him.
I thought GreenEdge, but can't see BMC as a viable option as he would be in the same position as he is with Sky. The major tours would be built around a genuine GC contender.
GreenEdge are at the point where they are looking for stage wins at major tours as their priority. Taking Cav on, bringing in Renshaw who is not setting the world alight at Rabobank, reunite them both with Goss and you are recreating the sharp end of the HTC train.
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The bloke who owns Saxobank is talking about spending some cash on the team, maybe if he tells Cavendish he'll build a team around him he might be tempted.
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What a finish from Cav.
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Looking forward to watching the highlights this evening.
Wiggins or Froome to win tomorrow, then Cav again in Paris.
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Allez Cav!
The man is a legend, voted by L'Equipe as the Tour's greatest sprinter earler in the week, overlooked in the understandable excitement of Wiggin's achievment.
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It's a bit of a procession isn't it? I don't want anything to go wrong, but a bit of late drama wouldn't go amiss.
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Going back to an earlier debate, this from the beeb:
"Anglo-Saxon teams like Sky are more organised. They are more pro," says Yves Blanc, editor of Le Cycle magazine.
"Every member has a clear job to do, serving the leader, and there's no room for poetry.
"So, yes we have lost something of the romance of the Tour. For the French the history of the Tour is about people who attack, who fail, who overcome disaster to win in the fog or the rain.
"It's not like that any more - but that's not Wiggins's fault. It's the times we live in."
James Startt agrees that "what might be brilliant for Team Sky is not necessarily brilliant for spectators". But on the other hand, he adds, "you have to hand it to Team Sky for dominating the race so effectively".
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Just been chatting to my sister - she's on her way to Paris (currently 100km away) and will spend tomorrow seeing the sights before the final of the race on Sunday.
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How many millions worth of motor homes follow the Tour ? That would be one fantastic holiday to do. If my Euromillions numbers come in tonight that will be my holiday next year, in one big mother of a Winebago motor home. Class.
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The overhead shot of the finish show a great view of just how incredible Cav's acceleration was.
In his interview, Roche was in complete awe of how Cav finished.
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The best shot was the head-on one when the bloke who was leading (Goss?) turned his head as if to say "What the fuck was that?" as Cav shot past him.
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How many millions worth of motor homes follow the Tour ? That would be one fantastic holiday to do. If my Euromillions numbers come in tonight that will be my holiday next year, in one big mother of a Winebago motor home. Class.
The first summer after I retire that's what I'm doing: hire a motor home and follow the Tour.
And on the subject of the Lottery, perhaps I could suggest that the funding of British Cycling is one of its greatest legacies.
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For someone who has been enamored by the Tour since Channel 4 first started showing highlights in the 80s, for me tomorrow stands to be one of the greatest days in the history of British sport.
Cav for 4 in a row on the Champs-Élysées and Wiggo on the top step of the podium. Sports Personality of the Year done and dusted a week before the Olympics start.
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Can one of you explain to me the appeal of cycling as a spectator sport? I understand how much of a test of strength and endurance this event is and the historic nature of this potential victory but I can't fathom what draws people in to sit and watch it. This isn't meant as an attempt to knock it, I type this as I'm watching the Test Match and I've had to explain my love of this game countless times over the years, it's genuine puzzlement as to why people are so enthusiastic about it.
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Cav for 4 in a row on the Champs-Élysées and Wiggo on the top step of the podium. Sports Personality of the Year done and dusted a week before the Olympics start.
I doubt it. If someone wins a bronze in Olympic "Posh People Pratting around on a horse", the BBC will the hyping them for SPOTY.
I doubt that the Beeb will want someone winning from a sport that they don't really cover.
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Cav for 4 in a row on the Champs-Élysées and Wiggo on the top step of the podium. Sports Personality of the Year done and dusted a week before the Olympics start.
I doubt it. If someone wins a bronze in Olympic "Posh People Pratting around on a horse", the BBC will the hyping them for SPOTY.
I doubt that the Beeb will want someone winning from a sport that they don't really cover.
Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
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Unlikely I know but I wonder what would happen tomorrow if Froome ended up with a one-second lead overall from Wiggins after today's time-trial?
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Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
Yes, but not in an Olympic year. Which was my (badly made) point
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Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
Yes, but not in an Olympic year. Which was my (badly made) point
If Wiggins wins this and an Olympic gold medal he will win SPOTY
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Wiggins is just a bloody machine when it comes to these time trials. What a performance.
Roll on tomorrow.
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I really don't like the city, but I'd love to be in Paris tomorrow
"Get Wiggy with it"
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Our own Damon Green has just provided the report on ITN from Chartres. Not only does he get to see Wiggins' magnificence in person, but Chartres cathedral is also the home of Christ's foreskin. Apparently.
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great from Wiggins.
Most impressive work from Froome. my overall rider of the tour.
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Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
Yes, but not in an Olympic year. Which was my (badly made) point
If Wiggins wins this and an Olympic gold medal he will win SPOTY
I shall be waiting for a quiet moment during the Olympics and then lumping twenty quid on Andy Murray. That crying will get him the trophy I reckon. Many's the time the gallant loser takes the prize ahead of the sporting legend.
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A better quality vid of Cav's sprint yesterday is now up on Youtube
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Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
Yes, but not in an Olympic year. Which was my (badly made) point
If Wiggins wins this and an Olympic gold medal he will win SPOTY
I shall be waiting for a quiet moment during the Olympics and then lumping twenty quid on Andy Murray. That crying will get him the trophy I reckon. Many's the time the gallant loser takes the prize ahead of the sporting legend.
In any other year than an Olympic year you may be right but with potential golds from Ennis, Farah, Adlington, Hoy, Cavendish, etc the sweaty sock will be lucky to make the shortlist unless he wins the US Open
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Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
Yes, but not in an Olympic year. Which was my (badly made) point
If Wiggins wins this and an Olympic gold medal he will win SPOTY
I shall be waiting for a quiet moment during the Olympics and then lumping twenty quid on Andy Murray. That crying will get him the trophy I reckon. Many's the time the gallant loser takes the prize ahead of the sporting legend.
In any other year than an Olympic year you may be right but with potential golds from Ennis, Farah, Adlington, Hoy, Cavendish, etc the sweaty sock will be lucky to make the shortlist unless he wins the US Open
That's exactly why I fancy Murray for it - the others will probably make it impossible to choose between them!
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Fantastic ride. He smashed it. I predict gold for Cav in the road race next saturday and then another gold for wiggins in the TT. As someone who has cycled for years this is a strange day. We have never been any good and now we are the best. I don't know what to do with myself!
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Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
Yes, but not in an Olympic year. Which was my (badly made) point
A cyclist won it last year.
A cyclist won it last time it was a Summer Olympic year too.
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Didn't a cyclist win it last time?
Yes, but not in an Olympic year. Which was my (badly made) point
A cyclist won it last year.
A cyclist won it last time it was a Summer Olympic year too.
Its at times like this that I wish that there was some kind of world wide computer system that held all kinds of information where I could have looked this up before I blathered on and made myself look even more of an idiot than normal.
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I expect Jess Ennis to win SPOTY, and why not?
But Wiggins and those of us in the know know exactly what he has just achieved, he won't care about some celebrity bumfest.
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SOTC has sent me a text telling me exactly where she is standing (and what she's wearing!) just in case I can catch a glipmse of her on the tele (her mate will be waving a union jack so I'm sure they'll be easy to spot!).
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Perfect lead out by Sky to set up Cav
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Arise "Sir Bradley"
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I expect Jess Ennis to win SPOTY, and why not?
But Wiggins and those of us in the know know exactly what he has just achieved, he won't care about some celebrity bumfest.
Surely when Wiggins wins gold in the timetrial, they'll only be one winner if SPOTY.
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Well done Bradley,Cav and Froome.Great day for Britain.
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Ennis will be too busy doing photo shoots and adverts to be bothered about SPOTY or the Olympics at this rate.
Our cyclists are just class.
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Bradley Wiggins is more proof that Mods rule
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Wiggo and Froome first and second for the Olympic time trial and Cav for road race gold!
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(http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2012/2000/64-b.jpg)
(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61737000/jpg/_61737790_bradley_wiggins_new.jpg)
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My only regret is I've developed an interest in the Tour the year a British bloke first wins it. It's a coincidence, honest.
Well done Bradley
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British Cycling and, by extension, Team Sky have shown every other sport that not only can we compete, but with the single-minded application of coaching, sports science and bloody hard work, we can kick the arse of every other country in the world.
The fact that we we haven't had a Wimbledon Champion for decades, the national football team's par performance in a major championship is a quarter final exit on penalties and in a fortnight our 4x100m relay team will no doubt manage to drop the baton should no longer be deemed acceptable. We have the talent pool, the resources and the public love of sport. If British cycling can in the two decades from Chris Boardman's "unexpected" gold at the Barcelona Olympics go from being miles behind the rest of Europe and America to now being the predominant nation on the track and both winning the most prestigious road race and having it's most successful ever sprinter, every other sport is just making excuses.
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A vaild point. For those listening to TMS on R4 today. At teatime Aggers was speaking to Roy Hodgeson. He essentially implied that his players were on 'loan' from the clubs when playing for England.
Aggers commented that the English Cricket Team are where they are today because the coach controls the selection process. Ian Bell has to ask permission to play for Warwickshire.
The FA created a monster of which the owners of the FA (premier league chairmen) care more about money than the national team. William McGregor was right.
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22nd July 2012: the day Bradley Wiggins becomes the 1st Brit to win the Tour de France
It has taken 109 years of the Tour de France for a Brit to win this extraordinary competition of endurance. Bradley Wiggins has displayed the commitment, strategy and intelligence, dilligence and determination it takes to pursue a dream as difficult as this one. He stepped into a completely different world from the velodrome. It had been his dream since he was a child. Dreams can come true.
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Finished off today in some style.
This has been the finest British team performance in any sport in many a year.
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I wonder what would happen if Sky applied the same thing to a football club or an F1 team? Be an interesting experiment.
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I wonder what would happen if Sky applied the same thing to a football club or an F1 team? Be an interesting experiment.
Someone on the radio was saying that they wouldn't be surprised if another sport came looking for Brailsford after the Olympics.
I hope not, he looks to be dedicated to road cycling and next year's 100th Tour will be something special to aim at. But...money talks.
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A bit disappointed in the likes of Radio Beeb 5 and the Telegraph this morning.
In their headlines, they seemed more concerned about what the achievements of Wiggins et al means in terms of the Olympics rather than recognising the Tour as a stand-alone event.
Having said that, inside the Telegraph's sport section, the coverage is excellent.
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Sorry to put a damper on it, but I just don't get the Bradley Wiggins hype. As far as I understand it, the Tour is a team event. The team were riding under team orders and he was being protected most of the way.
Yes, great achievement, but as part of a team, not as an individual. A few seconds over a couple of thousand miles is as much down to the team as the individual.
I know Wiggins has alluded to this.
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Sorry to put a damper on it, but I just don't get the Bradley Wiggins hype. As far as I understand it, the Tour is a team event. The team were riding under team orders and he was being protected most of the way.
Yes, great achievement, but as part of a team, not as an individual. A few seconds over a couple of thousand miles is as much down to the team as the individual.
I know Wiggins has alluded to this.
I'll disagree. Did you see him in the Time Trial on Sunday? Did you see him pretty much stay with the climbers all the way on Stage 17/18 in the Pyrenees, did you see the way he led out Cav yesterday which he didn't need to do. Yes I'll admit its a team sport but I won't take away one iota of praise from the man who led them all around France to sporting success. Sometimes you need a leader, a figurehead in sports team and Bradley Wiggins has been all that and more IMO.
Oh and we'll brush his 6 Olympic medals including 3 Golds under the carpet as well.
Allez Wiggo.
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Someone on the radio was saying that they wouldn't be surprised if another sport came looking for Brailsford after the Olympics.
I hope not, he looks to be dedicated to road cycling and next year's 100th Tour will be something special to aim at. But...money talks.
Or maybe he'll look at Sir Clive Woodward and realise that perhaps he's better served staying in the sport he knows back to front and upside down.
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Someone on the radio was saying that they wouldn't be surprised if another sport came looking for Brailsford after the Olympics.
I hope not, he looks to be dedicated to road cycling and next year's 100th Tour will be something special to aim at. But...money talks.
Or maybe he'll look at Sir Clive Woodward and realise that perhaps he's better served staying in the sport he knows back to front and upside down.
I'd agree with that, though after his somewhat disappointing time in Football, at least Woodward has put his skills to good use at the highest levels of sport with the BOA. I'm pleased that people like him and Brailsford are at the top levels of sport as they put so much emphasis on coaching, science and professional preparation and try to keep the traditional "British sports administrator blazer brigade" away from front line decision making. Unfortunately we haven't got our Woodward or Brailsford in Football yet but I'm sure one will arrive sooner or later.
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Sorry to put a damper on it, but I just don't get the Bradley Wiggins hype. As far as I understand it, the Tour is a team event. The team were riding under team orders and he was being protected most of the way.
Yes, great achievement, but as part of a team, not as an individual. A few seconds over a couple of thousand miles is as much down to the team as the individual.
I know Wiggins has alluded to this.
His team certainly rode superbly for him, but they didn't blow away the opposition in both time trials and they couldn't actually ride up those mountains for him, Wiggins had to do that himself.
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Someone on the radio was saying that they wouldn't be surprised if another sport came looking for Brailsford after the Olympics.
I hope not, he looks to be dedicated to road cycling and next year's 100th Tour will be something special to aim at. But...money talks.
Or maybe he'll look at Sir Clive Woodward and realise that perhaps he's better served staying in the sport he knows back to front and upside down.
I'd agree with that, though after his somewhat disappointing time in Football, at least Woodward has put his skills to good use at the highest levels of sport with the BOA. I'm pleased that people like him and Brailsford are at the top levels of sport as they put so much emphasis on coaching, science and professional preparation and try to keep the traditional "British sports administrator blazer brigade" away from front line decision making. Unfortunately we haven't got our Woodward or Brailsford in Football yet but I'm sure one will arrive sooner or later.
Football in this country is so far behind when it comes to the cutting edge science side of things.
This, in my opinion, is partly due to the old boys network (look how Redknapp treated Woodward at Southampton) and also because of the fragmented nature of how football is organised. By this I mean the clubs hold all the power and therefore dictate the training etc whereas in cycling (Team Sky) and cricket (central contract) there is joined up thinking in everything that they do.
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His team certainly rode superbly for him, but they didn't blow away the opposition in both time trials and they couldn't actually ride up those mountains for him, Wiggins had to do that himself.
Saturday’s individual time trial was immense. You had about 50 riders within seconds of each other and then Wiggins rides and is quicker by over a minute.
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The crux of it really is that had Team Sky won and their lead rider been Belgian, French or whatever would we have the hype - probably not.
So when you analyse it, the hype is because of his nationalality, not because of the achievement.
And that is not to take anything away from the achievement.
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The crux of it really is that had Team Sky won and their lead rider been Belgian, French or whatever would we have the hype - probably not.
So when you analyse it, the hype is because of his nationalality, not because of the achievement.
And that is not to take anything away from the achievement.
I think you would find that the hype would be equal to or possibly greater in the country of the team leader. Road racing is incredibly more popular in a lot of European countries than here. Back in 2009/2010 Cavendish's achievments were far better recognised abroad than here and Wiggins is already acknowledged abroad as a formidable cyclist.
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Sky's lead rider is from Belgium isn't he?
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Sky's lead rider is from Belgium isn't he?
From Ghent no less.
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As a matter of interest, does anyone know if the Aussies have laid a claim to him yet?
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Well it was a very long day but worth every minute. We were on the Champs Elysee at 9.30am and there were already a fair few people there. We stayed at the Arc de Triomphe end so didn't see the sprint finish but got an excellent view of the riders both going up the Champs Elysee and then back down again. The atmosphere was incredible.
(http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/P1000783.jpg)
(http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/P1000821.jpg)
(http://[URL=http://s1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/?action-view¤t=P1000771.mp4])
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Well it was a very long day but worth every minute. We were on the Champs Elysee at 9.30am and there were already a fair few people there. We stayed at the Arc de Triomphe end so didn't see the sprint finish but got an excellent view of the riders both going up the Champs Elysee and then back down again. The atmosphere was incredible.
(http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/P1000783.jpg)
(http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/P1000821.jpg)
(http://[URL=http://s1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/?action-view¤t=P1000771.mp4])
That last photo shows one of the greatest moments in British sport. The winner of the Tour de France leading out the World Champion to win an iconic sprint on the Champs Elysee (the sprinters' cup final) for the 4th consecutive time.
Yellow & Rainbow jerseys - brilliant!
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That last photo shows one of the greatest moments in British sport. The winner of the Tour de France leading out the World Champion to win an iconic sprint on the Champs Elysee (the sprinters' cup final) for the 4th consecutive time.
Yellow & Rainbow jerseys - brilliant!
Actually that was on the third circuit - we didn't see the sprint from where we were standing.
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I tried to post this video yesterday but it didn't work. Let's see if this does(http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/th_P1000771.jpg) (http://s1175.photobucket.com/albums/r640/SisterofTopCat/?action=view¤t=P1000771.mp4)
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That last photo shows one of the greatest moments in British sport. The winner of the Tour de France leading out the World Champion to win an iconic sprint on the Champs Elysee (the sprinters' cup final) for the 4th consecutive time.
Yellow & Rainbow jerseys - brilliant!
Actually that was on the third circuit - we didn't see the sprint from where we were standing.
I know, I should have said "image" rather than refer to your photo, which by the way is a great picture. Watching it again the other day, when Wiggins did lead them out he was going at such a pace that other teams' fast men acting as lead out were struggling to keep up with him.
I envy you being there, I imagine the atmosphere was tremendous.
One day N, one day. In my dreams I would follow it up with a Mylene Farmer concert.
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So look out on saturday. If Stannard and Cav make it in one piece over the 9 laps of Box Hill (where I'll be watching) then Stannard will pull any break back once it flattens out.h He is a beast. Brad will lead out and Cav will win. I am not totally confident that they'll make it around Box Hill though. The Italians and Spanish will push it like hell around there to try and drop them.
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So look out on saturday. If Stannard and Cav make it in one piece over the 9 laps of Box Hill (where I'll be watching) then Stannard will pull any break back once it flattens out.h He is a beast. Brad will lead out and Cav will win. I am not totally confident that they'll make it around Box Hill though. The Italians and Spanish will push it like hell around there to try and drop them.
50/50 for me, I would love it to go as you hope but as usual everyone will be trying their best to drop Cav. Belgium with Boonen and Gilbert look good and Sagan on his own could be a danger.
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If Cav is in the mix with half a mile to go he'll win. If le tour showed anything about the sprinters, sagan is a better all-rounder (and rightly won the green on that back of it) but cav is much quicker in a flat out race, I can't think of a stage where cav was involved in a sprint he didn't win.
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In case you are interested. Cav is off to Omega Pharma (bad name for a cycling team). Specialzed are paying a load of money for him to ride thier bikes so I gather and it'll be Boonen for the Classics (which if you like the Tour then please watch them) and then Cav as sprint king for the Tour.
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In case you are interested. Cav is off to Omega Pharma (bad name for a cycling team). Specialzed are paying a load of money for him to ride thier bikes so I gather and it'll be Boonen for the Classics (which if you like the Tour then please watch them) and then Cav as sprint king for the Tour.
Is that for definite? Makes sense, a lot of the HTC Team went there and Holm is a personal friend of Cav I believe.
Good news for Cav, Omega don't have a genuine GC contender so Cav should be team leader in the Tour. Will Bernie be going with him do you know?
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I thought that was still just speculation.
Chris Froome is handily placed just one second behind the leader in the Vuelta (Tour of Spain - one of the three big tours along with TDF and Giro d'Italia), with plenty of mountains to go. Probably between him and Alberto Contador for the overall winner.
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I am pretty certain that the Omega Pharma move is sorted.
And in other news Lance gives up defending himself against drugs charges.
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I am pretty certain that the Omega Pharma move is sorted.
Fair one. I thought he'd go to either Green Edge or Saxo Bank.
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Saxo are a GC team now steak eater is back (Contador for Ad@m), Green Edge are aussie and they can't have their best rider being a POM (their words not mine).
Oh and they are shit. They fluked Gerrans at San Remo and the rest has been rubbish this season.
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Not liking the vuelta with Contador and Valverde doing so well it leaves a bad taste and that's not just the contaminated steak.
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Bloody hell, how tough at the end have these last three stages been in the Vuelta? Clearly designed to produce a Spanish winner, I'd struggle to walk up let alone cycle.
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Today in the world of awkward photos ........................
(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02329/wiggins-liam-award_2329473b.jpg)
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Bradley, the mod, must love having Britain’s best designers throwing suits in his direction.
He must be saving himself a fortune.
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Route for the 100th Tour (http://www.letour.fr/us/) announced. Ironic, in the wake of the Armstrong fiasco, that it is tailor made for a drugs cheat like Contador... >:(
I'd expect Sky to be shifting their efforts from Wiggins to Froome for this one.
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Well last years was fairly flat. Also the French have some good climbers too Pinot and Rolland so the hills are no shock.
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Twice up Alpe d'Huez in one day !
Wow, that'll be one hell of a stage
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-18.html
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I saw that, too. The Dutch will be paralytic by the end of the day.
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Me too! I'll have to get to the Dutch Corner for that, it'll be mental. Froome vs Contador I think.
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Sir Bradley Wiggins.
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Sir Brad. He must go to bed pissing himself every night. Deserved mind, but he'll just think its funny.
Kudos to Boyle for turning his down.
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In anticipation of Le Tour 2013, 4 straight wins for Cav and overall winner in Qatar.
Early days but his ability to win sprints either with a lead out or simply getting behind the right wheel where he sees the chance must absolutely piss off his rivals.