Le Tour 2021

[hipkiss92]

Tour left Céret (15 km down the road from us) for Andorra today. Couldn't be arsed going down though.

Cycling is a sport best watched on TV

A few years ago I did wander five minutes from the 'Nam office to watch the ToB riders turn a corner and head up a hill.
All done in a few seconds, so not much point really.

Time trials are always the best, as you get 2-3 hours of action with someone going past every couple of minutes. 2012 Olympic time trial and the Tour team time trial near Vannes were both good to watch from the road.

[Ad@m]

Tour left Céret (15 km down the road from us) for Andorra today. Couldn't be arsed going down though.

Cycling is a sport best watched on TV

A few years ago I did wander five minutes from the 'Nam office to watch the ToB riders turn a corner and head up a hill.
All done in a few seconds, so not much point really.

The bit you don't get from the TV is an appreciation of just how fast they're going.  I went to see the ToB a few years back when it came through Warwickshire.  They went up Burton Dassett which I've attempted to cycle up a few times and nearly had a heart attack every time.  The guys in the ToB absolutely flew up it (although the sprinters were at the back, satisfyingly struggling in comparison).  There's also a party atmosphere around races like that - even though it was "only" the ToB, there were thousands of spectators and the atmosphere was great.

[UK Redsox]

[Ad@m]

I can't help but think Pogacar is cheating. I just can't understand how he can be so dominant so young. The last time I had doubts about a performance in the tour was Armstrong's first win

[Somniloquism]

Bahrain Victorious was raided today by the French Police. Not his team but shows the concerns are there.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Tour left Céret (15 km down the road from us) for Andorra today. Couldn't be arsed going down though.

Cycling is a sport best watched on TV

A few years ago I did wander five minutes from the 'Nam office to watch the ToB riders turn a corner and head up a hill.
All done in a few seconds, so not much point really.

The bit you don't get from the TV is an appreciation of just how fast they're going.  I went to see the ToB a few years back when it came through Warwickshire.  They went up Burton Dassett which I've attempted to cycle up a few times and nearly had a heart attack every time.  The guys in the ToB absolutely flew up it (although the sprinters were at the back, satisfyingly struggling in comparison).  There's also a party atmosphere around races like that - even though it was "only" the ToB, there were thousands of spectators and the atmosphere was great.

ToB Time Trial in Pershore a couple of years ago.....one of the best days for the town - and me....loads of spectators all spending their hard earned in my local shops/pubs. Harry from Newlands Chippy (three doors away) said to me "WTF's going on?" as all the team buses came down our road at 9am to park up in the Abbey Park at the bottom of our road. I explained to him what was going on and advised him to stay open during the afternoon. He made a bomb! And I had a great day watching the riders tackle Pensham Hill (the only "climb" on the course), staring open-mouthed at the bikes and having a chat with Cav and Dylan van Baarle as they queued to check in.
And all of this 400 yards from my front door.
If Carlsberg did perfect days......

[SteveN]

Cav will not be breaking the record today.  He did hint yesterday that the QuickStep team would not be trying to control the pelaton today after two hard mountain days  Paris it is then on Sunday.

[UK Redsox]

Cav will not be breaking the record today.  He did hint yesterday that the QuickStep team would not be trying to control the pelaton today after two hard mountain days  Paris it is then on Sunday.

Yep, taking it easily today and then a glorified training ride tomorrow, will hopefully set Cav up nicely for Paris.

[TopDeck113]

Perhaps Sunday is destined to be the most glorious moment that British cycling has ever had on the Champs-Elysees - and I didn't think when in 2012 Wiggins in yellow paced Cav in the world champion's jersey would ever be topped. 

[UK Redsox]

Cav finishes ahead of Matthews in the intermediate sprint to all but seal the Green jersey

[Somniloquism]

Shame they now don't treat the Green Jersey like they treat the yellow for today only with no competition in the last 100m but I expect the glory of winning a stage, especially the last one is too much of a pull.

[UK Redsox]

Close…..but not quite for Cav

[SteveN]

Next year?  Still a great tour for Cav, no proper preperation but still 4 stage wins, green jersey winner and equaled the total stage wins record.

To be fair he was beaten today by somone who could dominate over the next few years, one of the new generation "beasts".

[TopDeck113]

The fairy-tale end wan't to be - but four stage wins is magnificent.  Even if that is now it, to be tied first with Merckx  for most career stages makes Cav a legend of the sport. 

[Jon Crofts]

BBC SPOTY unless something special happens in Tokyo you’d think.