[Kabouter]

Froome in trouble :o! Haven't seen that yet this tour. Wiggins having to do things himself outside of an ITT, unusual :P.

[Kraftwerk]

Here comes Wiggins!

Getting really exciting.

[GimMick]

The real deal starts now ! About time someone threatened Wiggins.

[Cuddler]

Go Nibali!

[Kraftwerk]

Major props to Rolland. Crashing, got up and caught up, then passing everyone. Well done mate.

[bjaelke]

So much for Evans challenging Wiggins. Finally managed to get Wiggins isolated and then he got nothing to show.

Hahahahah Froome dropped his captain!

[Hanmik]

Froom going for the win..?

no they called him back..

[GimMick]

Lol @ Froome leaving Wiggins. What the hell is happening.

[Kabouter]

Damn Wiggins for calling Froome back, could've gotten a stage win out of it. How much help is a teammate even during a climb?

[Hanmik]

kom nu Chris... ehhh... come one Chris ..

[Silverskiold]

What the hell was Froome thinking? Seemed like he had no idea that Wiggins was totally exhausted.

[bjaelke]

Evans currently 1 minute down on Wiggins.

[GimMick]

2nd consecutive French win 8)

[TheGoldenGunman]

Today's stage confirms for me that Wiggins will win this tour. Great effort from Nibali, but he's still too young and inexperienced to take the Maillot Jaune. Chris Froome today showed that he is a definite contender in the future, if he was not ordered to stay back, he would have made good time on Wiggins.

I'm still not totally sure on the overall quality of this year's tour though. The losses of Contador and Andy Schleck from the tour have impacted the race and I'm not really sure that Brad Wiggins would be in the lead had those two been involved.

Exciting stage though, great watch.

[LayLa]

nah, Andy Schleck would have been murdered in the long time trials
most excited about the crop of young riders coming to the fore this year - Sagan, Van Garderen, Pinot etc

[Joni]

nah, Andy Schleck would have been murdered in the long time trials

Indeed, but with this Radioshack and his skills he is the only one that could have caused troubles for Sky. Radioshack could have exhausted Sky on the second to last hill so Schleck could try and escape at the foot of the last hill. He would probably have gained two minutes on Wiggins.

[bjaelke]

nah, Andy Schleck would have been murdered in the long time trials

Next year's route will fit him more with only one ITT. I assume the German based team will have the finances to challenge Sky and built a solid squad around Andy. Radioshack looked great on paper this year but there were rumors of internal problems.

[-MB-]

Rollandf proving you can still be relevant in the tour even if u we're fell and injured yourself.

[FStop7]

The autobus nearly missed the time cut. They just barely made it.

Sounds like Petacchi fell off the back and missed the cut, though.

Would have been hilarious if all the sprinters had failed to make it. The ASO said there'd be no exceptions this year.

edit - sounds like Renshaw is out, too.

[-MB-]

Damn harsh fall by Moncoutie, both legs completely road rashed.
That's gotta hurt. ;/

[bjaelke]

Wiggins responding to his critics?

[LayLa]

this is Wiggins responding to his critics, no grey areas here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog...ins-dope-drugs

[bjaelke]

Millar gets a much needed victory for Garmin.

this is Wiggins responding to his critics, no grey areas here http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog...ins-dope-drugs

That's 95% SKY pr. Not a chance he wrote that after yesterday's stage.

[LayLa]

or he could have written most of it days ago. who knows.
anyway <3 Millar, glad he won today.

[Kurtofan]

Nasty move against Sagan by Goss, good thing he got declassified.

[Kurtofan]

Nobody watched today?:p

[Kraftwerk]

Nobody watched today?:p

I did. Fun stage.

I really Frome to win, but i.know it won't happen this year. Career suicide as my buddy says. He.could easily crush Wiggins.

[Kabouter]

Nobody watched today?:p

I did, but aside from the intermediate sprint, and before that climb, it was boring as shit sadly. Loved the final bit though. Wiggins shouldn't have let Hagen take the lead so soon, Hagen was out of juice by the time he got to the line.

[bjaelke]

It wasn't very exciting although the Danish commentators tried to hype it with Mørkøv's breakaway.

Oh well, tomorrow has an interested profile. Surely Nibali will try something on the (first?) descent. Sky has spend a lot of unnecessary energy chasing down small groups of riders. Second climb looks rather interesting in profile:

[kottila]

Clinbs are too far from the finish(again) for anything interesting to happen. Hoping i'm wrobg, but this edition has been a little boring.

Edit: i saw some watt numbers for climbs and they are much lower than in armstrog/pantinis days, so they are definately cleaner than they used to be

[bjaelke]

September 1st will be interesting.

Clinbs are too far from the finish(again) for anything interesting to happen.

They'll need to make something happen. Even if it's a bit far out. It's been done before. Evans has said that he wont try anything...

[kottila]

Sky is too dominant for anything really interesting too happen. They would have to beat both wiggins and froome by 5 minutes to get the excitement back

[bjaelke]

I'm probably just being too optimistic. You're absolutely right about the excitement or lack thereof. Sky's dominance is partly due to the other teams. A Radioshack Nissan with Andy and Fabian would be able to challenge them imo.

[Reno7728]

An interview with Froome in L'equipe today:


Some choice quotes:

Froome: "If I feel we might lose the Tour in the Pyrenees, I'll follow the best riders. To save Sky's colours."
About next year's chances. "If there are mountains I hope SKY will be honest and have the team ride for me. And be as loyal as me."
Froome tells L'Equipe he's capable of winning this Tour but not with SKY. "But I won't lie to you. It's difficult but it's my job."

[Kraftwerk]

An interview with Froome in L'equipe today: Some choice quotes: Froome: "If I feel we might lose the Tour in the Pyrenees, I'll follow the best riders. To save Sky's colours." About next year's chances. "If there are mountains I hope SKY will be honest and have the team ride for me. And be as loyal as me." Froome tells L'Equipe he's capable of winning this Tour but not with SKY. "But I won't lie to you. It's difficult but it's my job."

Awesome. Im liking this guy more and more everyday.

[ElyrionX]

It's kind of strange that Froome is apparently being held back fron winning due to team orders and nobody really is making a big deal out of it whereas in F1, the exact opposite would have happened.

[Reno7728]

It's kind of strange that Froome is apparently being held back fron winning due to team orders and nobody really is making a big deal out of it whereas in F1, the exact opposite would have happened.

I would say its because the idea of team-work and a domestique are vital in tour cycling, whereas F1 its not needed to be succesful, so Froome essentially knew what he was signing up for

[Igo]

It's kind of strange that Froome is apparently being held back fron winning due to team orders and nobody really is making a big deal out of it whereas in F1, the exact opposite would have happened.

They're completely different sports.

I don't know if the money was too tempting, or whether he was hoping that he'd be repaid down the line like he's talking about now, but he knew exactly what he was signing up to do.

[ElyrionX]

I would say its because the idea of team-work and a domestique are vital in tour cycling, whereas F1 its not needed to be succesful, so Froome essentially knew what he was signing up for

They're completely different sports. I don't know if the money was too tempting, or whether he was hoping that he'd be repaid down the line like he's talking about now, but he knew exactly what he was signing up to do.

Please correct me if I'm wrong because I don't know very much about cycling but this sounds like complete horseshit to me. Aren't both sports ultimately about finding out who can get from point A to point B the fastest? Take away all that teamwork bullshit and make it a free-for-all and the strongest rider will still be the one who sits atop the podium in Paris. How is it any different? If teamwork is so important, why is the emphasis being placed on crowning a single rider, and not a team, as champion of the tour?

Between the incessant doping allegations and now this crap, this sport is slowly becoming a huge farce in my eyes.

[drPepper]

I would say its because the idea of team-work and a domestique are vital in tour cycling, whereas F1 its not needed to be succesful, so Froome essentially knew what he was signing up for

This.
It is almost the same situation as it was in 1996 between Bjarne Riis and Jan Ullrich.
Ullrich had the chance to win the tour but had to hold back because of Riis being the captain at Team Deutsche Telekom.
Thats how it works in cycling especially in one of the grand tours. Froome will get his shot at a tour win next year when the stages are more hilly and more mountain stages. This year is just perfect for Wiggins and sky would look like fools if they not play the wiggins card. He is one of the best TT specialists and with 2 long ITT in this years tour he is definitely the one to ride for.

[kottila]

Please correct me if I'm wrong because I don't know very much about cycling but this sounds like complete horseshit to me. Aren't both sports ultimately about finding out who can get from point A to point B the fastest? Take away all that teamwork bullshit and make it a free-for-all and the strongest rider will still be the one who sits atop the podium in Paris. How is it any different? If teamwork is so important, why is the emphasis being placed on crowning a single rider, and not a team, as champion of the tour? Between the incessant doping allegations and now this crap, this sport is slowly becoming a huge farce in my eyes.

1. Cycling is as clean as it has never been.
2. It is a team sport full of tactics, which makes it more interesting, not lesd

[drPepper]

Please correct me if I'm wrong because I don't know very much about cycling but this sounds like complete horseshit to me. Aren't both sports ultimately about finding out who can get from point A to point B the fastest? Take away all that teamwork bullshit and make it a free-for-all and the strongest rider will still be the one who sits atop the podium in Paris. How is it any different? If teamwork is so important, why is the emphasis being placed on crowning a single rider, and not a team, as champion of the tour? Between the incessant doping allegations and now this crap, this sport is slowly becoming a huge farce in my eyes.

Its because winning a tour does require a lot of team effort. it might look like a huge farce in your eyes but thats how pro cycling works. Team captains do appreciate the work of the team a lot and they know that without a strong team they wont win a grand tour.
Lance is the best example for this. He always had a hell of a great team, where some could have competed with him for a tour victory.

[bjaelke]

It is almost the same situation as it was in 1996 between Bjarne Riis and Jan Ullrich.

And again in 2008 with Carlos Sastre and Andy Schleck. The only difference, however, is that they rode with 2 co-captains and Riis publicly announced that early on. That created a lot of internal conflicts and eventually forced Sastre out of the team.

[drPepper]

And again in 2008 with Carlos Sastre and Andy Schleck. The only difference, however, is that they rode with 2 co-captains and Riis publicly announced that early on. That created a lot of internal conflicts and eventually forced Sastre out of the team.

True.
How could i forget about that year. Like you said its a different thing when you announce 2 captains going for a tour victory.
Froomes time is coming soon. Next years tour will be his year if he stays at Team Sky. Wiggins isnt that much of a good climber and from what i have heard about next years tour its gonna be way more mountain stages than this years.

[ElyrionX]

1. Cycling is as clean as it has never been. 2. It is a team sport full of tactics, which makes it more interesting, not lesd

As a spectator, I don't see how watching a presumably stronger rider challenging the current leader of the tour can possibly be less interesting than what we are getting now.

Its because winning a tour does require a lot of team effort. it might look like a huge farce in your eyes but thats how pro cycling works. Team captains do appreciate the work of the team a lot and they know that without a strong team they wont win a grand tour. Lance is the best example for this. He always had a hell of a great team, where some could have competed with him for a tour victory.

It doesn't matter whether winning a tour requires a lot of team effort or not and it doesn't matter how pro cycling "works". And it matters even less whether a team captain "appreciates" his damn team or not. At the end of it all, it's a competitive sport. If F1 wanted to, they could easily change the rules to make it such that winning a race would require a lot of team effort (simply making team orders legal would quite easily change the complexion of the entire sport). But they don't, because that would go against the spirit of competitive sports which is all about finding out who is the best athlete/team.

If Wiggins wins this tour without his team explicitly allowing Froome to challenge him, how can he stand on the podium and shamelessly think that he was the best rider on the tour as the title of champion would imply?

[bjaelke]

If Wiggins wins this tour without his team explicitly allowing Froome to challenge him, how can he stand on the podium and shamelessly think that he was the best rider on the tour as the title of champion would imply?

He'll reward his team afterwards. They get all his prize money from the tour.

[kottila]

As a spectator, I don't see how watching a presumably stronger rider challenging the current leader of the tour can possibly be less interesting than what we are getting now. It doesn't matter whether winning a tour requires a lot of team effort or not and it doesn't matter how pro cycling "works". And it matters even less whether a team captain "appreciates" his damn team or not. At the end of it all, it's a competitive sport. If F1 wanted to, they could easily change the rules to make it such that winning a race would require a lot of team effort (simply making team orders legal would quite easily change the complexion of the entire sport). But they don't, because that would go against the spirit of competitive sports which is all about finding out who is the best athlete/team.

The sport is so different from F1 that comparisons are meaningless.

i find this years edition boring as well, due to injuries in the main contenders and the course, but having teammates fighting against eachother is not the way to fix that.

[drPepper]

As a spectator, I don't see how watching a presumably stronger rider challenging the current leader of the tour can possibly be less interesting than what we are getting now. It doesn't matter whether winning a tour requires a lot of team effort or not and it doesn't matter how pro cycling "works". And it matters even less whether a team captain "appreciates" his damn team or not. At the end of it all, it's a competitive sport. If F1 wanted to, they could easily change the rules to make it such that winning a race would require a lot of team effort (simply making team orders legal would quite easily change the complexion of the entire sport). But they don't, because that would go against the spirit of competitive sports which is all about finding out who is the best athlete/team. If Wiggins wins this tour without his team explicitly allowing Froome to challenge him, how can he stand on the podium and shamelessly think that he was the best rider on the tour as the title of champion would imply?

Cycling is a team sport as much as soccer, football, etc.
If you think that winning a grand tour is just about being the fastest then you are wrong.
There are some different type of cyclists riding the tour. Sprinters, Punchers wont ever win a tour but they still ride it for a stage victory, to help their team or just to get some time on television for their team/sponsors.
In Skys case with Wiggins/Froome, he signed up for that deal. He knows what he has to do and expect at this years tour because its what he gets paid for. Helping Wiggins to win the tour. Next year is a different story. Either Sky agrees on making him the captain for next years tour or he might look for a different team that wants him to ride the tour as a captain.

[bjaelke]

Domestic riders often gets to take on the leader role in either the Giro or the Vuelta and ride their own chance. This is a very common method to secure their loyalty at the Tour de France.

[ElyrionX]

Cycling is a team sport as much as soccer, football, etc. If you think that winning a grand tour is just about being the fastest then you are wrong. There are some different type of cyclists riding the tour. Sprinters, Punchers wont ever win a tour but they still ride it for a stage victory, to help their team or just to get some time on television for their team/sponsors. In Skys case with Wiggins/Froome, he signed up for that deal. He knows what he has to do and expect at this years tour because its what he gets paid for. Helping Wiggins to win the tour. Next year is a different story. Either Sky agrees on making him the captain for next years tour or he might look for a different team that wants him to ride the tour as a captain.

Well, if this sport is as much as team as football, then why is it not a team that gets crowned a champion at the end of it all, but an individual?

Winner of this year's English Premier League: Manchester City
Winner of this year's Champions League: Chelsea
Winner of last year's Tour de France: Cadel Evans

Can you spot the difference? The wiki for Tour de France winners doesn't even state the team of the riders that won, FFS. How can anyone with a shred of intelligence even claim that this is a team sport?