Le Tour 2011

[RoyBee]

Starts tomorrow - fantastic!

Can't see anyone getting anywhere near Contador for the GC I'm afraid, but loads of British interest - Cav, Wiggins, Thomas, Swift.

Will be very interesting to see what sort of reception Contador gets. There was a hysterical moment in the recent Giro D'Italia where a roadside spectator had a steak danging on string from a long stick and was swinging it in front of him.

Good luck to the Brits. Hope Wiggins can get on the Podium and especially hope Cav gets the Green Jersey he so richly deserves.

Vive Le Tour!

 

[The Joker]

Controversy already with French police seizing the Quick Step team bus.

 

[Alan D]

Controversy already with French police seizing the Quick Step team bus.

Probably the first of many. There are sure to be a few drug related incidents during and after the event.

 

[wibs]

Starts tomorrow - fantastic!

Can't see anyone getting anywhere near Contador for the GC I'm afraid, but loads of British interest - Cav, Wiggins, Thomas, Swift.

Will be very interesting to see what sort of reception Contador gets. There was a hysterical moment in the recent Giro D'Italia where a roadside spectator had a steak danging on string from a long stick and was swinging it in front of him.

Good luck to the Brits. Hope Wiggins can get on the Podium and especially hope Cav gets the Green Jersey he so richly deserves.

Vive Le Tour!

Brilliant!
Can anyone help me with fantasy competition. I simply need 10 riders, you get points on how well they do each stage. Deadline at midnight.

So far cav contador and schleck a.

 

[RoyBee]

Brilliant!
Can anyone help me with fantasy competition. I simply need 10 riders, you get points on how well they do each stage. Deadline at midnight.

So far cav contador and schleck a.

Give some of these a go:

Phillipe Gilbert
Thomas Voeckler
Alexander Vinokourov
Fabian Cancellara
Robert Gesink
Thor Hushovd
Allesandro Petacchi
Andreas Klodden
Levi Leipheimer
Pieter Wiening
Oscar Freire
Tyler Farrar

 

[wibs]

Cheers went for Gilbert voec gesin Thor peta tyler

 

[Idaho Bee]

Starts tomorrow - fantastic!

Can't see anyone getting anywhere near Contador for the GC I'm afraid, but loads of British interest - Cav, Wiggins, Thomas, Swift.


Vive Le Tour!

Hopefully this is the year for Andy Schleck. (sp).

 

[Simon W]

Good first stage yesterday, couple of good pile ups near the end!

I am supporting Team Europcar this year

 

[Boscombe Bee]

Good first stage yesterday, couple of good pile ups near the end!

I am supporting Team Europcar this year

Included a stunning pile up after a rider hit a spectator who was standing in the road with a yellow tshirt on. The spectator went flying! Wander what happened to them? Could have easily have been killed.

 

[RoyBee]

Gutted for Cav and HTC today - Eisel falling so early will have cost them a few seconds.

I do think that Contador will sort them all out in the mountains, but it does make it interesting and he will have to attack.

 

[wibs]

Heartbreak for Wiggo....

 

[Simon T]

Looks like a bad day for Team Sky as not only has Wiggins retired but it looks like they've got a lot of riders behind the main peloton including Thomas who I assume takes on the mantle of leader in Wiggins absense. With just 15km to go they are almost 2 minutes back

 

[wibs]

Imlach is a legend. " At least Brad is happy - until the morphine wears off and it all sinks in"

 

[RoyBee]

Cavendish is a legend - 2 fantastic stage wins. Unbelievable lead out train from HTC today - Greipel looked absolutely gutted.

Really gutted for Wiggins who looked to be in great shape. Form in the Criterium Dauphine usually translates to the TDF - we'll never know. Also gutted for Geraint Thomas who fell back by more than 3 mins and lost the white jersey waiting for Wiggins if he could have continued.

Fantastic 1st week though.

 

[davebee]

Gutted for Wiggins, as others have said he has been in great shape this year.

Really hope Contador doesn't win it. A positive test is just that and he should be serving a 2 year suspension rather than racing. He also won the Giro which means unless he really is gassed up to go, he shouldn't come close to the GC for the Tour simply because the training regimes don't mesh.

Cav could win the green jersey, he is clearly the fastest guy in the pack but seems to be a bit unlucky with blocking decisions etc. Bunch sprinting is a contact sport and unless it gets really dangerous they should be left to sort it out themselves. He doesn't seem to be the most popular guy in the peloton which may be part of the reason why he doesn't get shown much respect (others cutting into his lead out train etc).

The only thing that is for sure is that Thor won't be in yellow this time next week once they get into the mountains.

 

[wibs]

I still can't believe Thor stayed with the climbers at the end of the stage a few back. Truly courageous.

 

[wibs]

The driver of that car must be in big trouble...

 

[SQUELCH]

The driver of that car must be in big trouble...

Just seen the crash!!!

 

[nocoat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWT8yeHGA0U go straight to a minute in.

 

[WarrenBee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWT8yeHGA0U go straight to a minute in.

Bloody hell!!

 

[Simon W]

Finally got round to watching Sundays highlights last night, OMG the way the Dutch rider landed into the barbed wire fence

It was like something out of WWE!! and he finished the stage and picked up the polka dot jersey

Thomas Voeckler fully deserves the Yellow after some great efforts in the first week .. Go Team Europcar!!

 

[Simon W]

Rest day today .. but it's going to be an exciting last week.

So hope Voeckler manages to hang on to the Yellow jersey through to Paris, but it will be asking a lot with Alps in the next few days to over come, but he was so so brave in the Pyrenees

If it's not Voeckler, then it's going to be Cadel Evans or one the Schlek brothers to win I guess?

 

[ApolloBeachTone]

Voeckler surprised the heck out of me, but I don't think he can keep it up through to Paris, although the longer the big names just ride along looking at each other rather than trying to actually win the damn race, the closer he'll get.

If it goes down to the last time trial then Evans will be rubbing his hands together - Contador too far back and neither Schleck are great trialists. Shame for Wiggins - the longer this race goes on like thus the higher he could have finished, especially as he's a great time trialist.

 

[wibs]

Wow - just read that in the whole of the last 20 years, only Indurain Armstrong and Cancellara have worn the yellow jersey for more days than Voeckler!

 

[Porgey]

What a classic day of racing today. The 1-2 strategy employed all tour by the Schlecks finally paid off big-style and what a fighter Voeckler is. It all sets up a cracking, shortish, stage across the Galiber and up Alpe d'Huez tomorrow that will be fast from the off.

This Tour could be as close as the Lemond/Fignon one in 89. :bound:

Wibs, what Fantasy game are you playing?

 

[RoyBee]

Yep, great day of racing yesterday. Well, I honestly thought Contador was gonna cruise this Tour, based on his performance in the Giro. The Giro was particularly tough this year so maybe he's still recovering from it - or maybe he just needs a good steak!

Chapeau to Schleck, that was one hell of a ballsy move yesterday and what can you say about Voeckler - astonishing.

Fingers crossed for Cav in Paris on Sunday - that 20 points deduction yesterday has made it a bit more interesting.

Best Tour for years!

 

[Simon W]

To think that Team Europcar were a wild card entry for this race, they have virtually dominated it barring the first few days .. and now they have the White Jersey too

Going to be very interesting today, can Voeckler ride the race of his life today and keep on the back wheel of Schlek ? ... I don't think he will sadly

 

[SH]

Truly epic day yesterday. Will be glued to it this afternoon. So many interesting sub-plots... Voeckler, the Schlecks and Evans were so gutsy yesterday in vastly different ways, now they have to do the mountains again today and a time trial tomorrow.. Can Evans hang in today and make tomorrow count?. As our American friends would say "too close to call". And of course, Allez Cav.

 

[RoyBee]

Truly epic day yesterday. Will be glued to it this afternoon. So many interesting sub-plots... Voeckler, the Schlecks and Evans were so gutsy yesterday in vastly different ways, now they have to do the mountains again today and a time trial tomorrow.. Can Evans hang in today and make tomorrow count?. As our American friends would say "too close to call". And of course, Allez Cav.

I'm working from home today!

 

[RoyBee]

Evans it is then! Painful as it is to see an Aussie win, he does deserve it.

 

[ApolloBeachTone]

If it goes down to the last time trial then Evans will be rubbing his hands together - Contador too far back and neither Schleck are great trialists. Shame for Wiggins - the longer this race goes on like thus the higher he could have finished, especially as he's a great time trialist.

And so it came to pass !!!

 

[Idaho Bee]

And so it came to pass !!!

Crikey!!!!

 

[SH]

Completely engrossing viewing for the whole three weeks. Fantastic effort from Evans and Cav (and all of their respective teams). Here's to next year, when hopefully we'll be looking forward to Championship footie as well

 

[RoyBee]

The Green Jersey and a 20th stage win for Cavendish. The bloke is a legend already - does not get the plaudits he deserves in the UK.

The best Tour since '89, in my opinion.

 

[The Joker]

Thinking about going over to France to watch some of the mountain stages in next year's race.

Anyone got any tips? How early to book accommodation? Is driving round in a hire car best etc? Any top tips for where to watch the mountain stages? Or links to any forums that discuss this would be v useful.

 

[Porgey]

Thinking about going over to France to watch some of the mountain stages in next year's race.

Anyone got any tips? How early to book accommodation? Is driving round in a hire car best etc? Any top tips for where to watch the mountain stages? Or links to any forums that discuss this would be v useful.

The full itinary will be announced in mid October but some rumours will emerge before then.

One rumour is that there will be a mountain time trial up Alpe d'Huez next summer :bound:

I went to exactly that stage in 2004 and well recommend you make a trip to the mountains.

We booked a ski apartment in Alpe d'Huez village. There'll be plenty available from Holiday Rentals site - lots of sites will put you in touch with the owner direct.

Obviously staying at the top of the mountain has its disadvantages as you can only really see the race once, but you are right there and can grab a good spot early and drink all day if thats your thing. We actually stayed a week - the first and last 2 were pretty quiet but the middle 3 days hectic. The finishing resorts host tour events etc and hotels are often taken over by sponsors so lots of entertainment.

If you want to see the race on several days it might be better to stay in the valleys. Remember that many of the roads the Tour uses are the main valley roads so traffic jams are inevitable in the surrounding roads - in both the Alpes and especially in the Pyrenees.

Quite a few cycling forums. Try cyclingnews.com forum for more ideas.