Le Tour 2017

[usav]

Why was Frome getting booed yesterday?  Do the French think he is a cheat or is it just because he is good?

[peter w]

Didn't he get it last year, too?

i think it's more of an antis-Sky thing and by association because of their success at the Tour De France, Froome too.

[usav]

Didn't he get it last year, too?

Yeah on Mont Ventoux.  Seems to be more in the south, from what I can make out.

[Jon Crofts]

Superhuman effort from Froome, You have to wonder.

Froome has been tested possibly more than any other cyclist over the past four years.  He is set up to peak for a specific three weeks in the year and also has the support of very strong team mates. Just a very very good athlete.

There's still questions un-answered that put the doubt in peoples minds though, not helped by the mysterious package delivered to Sky, so guilty by association is an easy one.

[Meanwood Villa]

They're all as likely to be cheating as each other so I just try to enjoy it regardless.

[peter w]

I doubt anybody could ride as hard and fast up and down treacherous terrain around France for 3 weeks on a pedal bike with some assistance. however, I'm not certain that it is purely illegal drugs doing the assisting but I'm not sure talent alone would be enough.

[SteveN]

Cross winds expected todsy, could be fun.  Quick-Step are the experts so might be good for Dan Martin.

[UK Redsox]

Cross winds expected todsy, could be fun.  Quick-Step are the experts so might be good for Dan Martin.

I only found out yesterday that Dan Martin is a Brummie and also Stephen Roche's nephew

[SteveN]

Cross winds expected todsy, could be fun.  Quick-Step are the experts so might be good for Dan Martin.

Well, what do I know?  I was surprised Quick-Step gave most of their support to Kittel for today's stage.  It was pretty obvious Sunweb would ride to get him dropped on the first slope, should have left him to find a place in the grupetto and give Martin the support.
If Kittel gets over the Alps he is more than likely to beat Matthews, and probably everyone else in Paris and get enough points to win the green jersey.

[thick_mike]

Martin was saying that most of his team had been ill on the rest day. Probably explains the off day

[Jon Crofts]

Still no stage win for Froome but mountains to come, you'd expect him to win a stage.

[shaw thing]

Fascinating game of chess going on now.Great stuff. And stunning  backdrop scenery. Love the tour.

[SteveN]

Two od the things I like about the tour are the tactics and the races within the race.  Opponents become team mates and then back to being opponents.
For me it is the greatest sporting event.

[usav]

I'll just leave this here............

[UK Redsox]

Tough on Kittel today. All that hard work and he's taken down in a crash on the flat