Tour de France 2015 thread **Please use spoiler tags before midnight**

happytramp

Arequipa wrote: »

It would be fab is Dan Martin wins a stage & gets a top ten finish....

it's a tough one but given the choice i'd probably want him to win a stage. Two would be incredible ......Gilbert's absence probably won't hurt his chances either.

L'Enfer du Nord

There's often a surprise podium finish, i.e. Some you might expect to be top 10 or 15 finishing top three. There's usually at least one surprise top ten finisher, a young guy who hasn't shown before or a guy who is good in one week races who for the first time is showing well in a three week tour. There is however very seldom a surprise winner.

The only ones that spring to mind are Fignon and Contador's first tour victories.

There's also the category of rider who gains 10 or 20 minutes in a break due to a crash or bad weather and manages to hang on to a high place, no one I can think of has ever won this way.

PS Oh yeah, Pirero did.

L'Enfer du Nord

happytramp wrote: »

it's a tough one but given the choice i'd probably want him to win a stage. Two would be incredible ......Gilbert's absence probably won't hurt his chances either.

Hard to say which sponsors value more, a stage win or an anonymous top ten. Given the sport is all about exposing the jersey the only value in an anonymous top ten must be pro tour points. Every years there's a guy in the top ten that you barely see in three weeks.

Dan would definitely be better off hunting stages, he usually has a bad day or two in a three week tour and ends up outside the top ten anyway.

Pudsy33

Nairo Quintana

happytramp wrote: »

it's a tough one but given the choice i'd probably want him to win a stage. Two would be incredible ......Gilbert's absence probably won't hurt his chances either.

He will be aiming for State 3 in Huy no doubt.

Lusk_Doyle

Lets just all agree that MPFG hates the Poles cos they took all the jobs and leave it at that.




Oh, and Majka FTW!

MPFG

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Lets just all agree that MPFG hates the Poles cos they took all the jobs and leave it at that.




Oh, and Majka FTW!

Oi ...ha ha ha ...you saw through my xenophobia....I hope nobody is going to suggest Michael Kwiatkowski is going to come 2nd ...you have been warned !!

pelevin

Thibaut Pinot

Don't rule out Niemiec.

L'Enfer du Nord

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Lets just all agree that MPFG hates the Poles cos they took all the jobs and leave it at that.

He hates Wout Poels for taking a place on the Sky Tour Team from an Irish rider, how Jingoistic.

MPFG

pelevin wrote: »

Don't rule out Niemiec.

Oi...i nearly forgot about him ...good rider ...but every time I put him in my fantasy team he disappears

In all seriousness I think Majka is a very good rider and can possibly win a Vuelata or Giro in the near future ....has abit to go yet for a Tour though

In fact the climbs in the Vuelta ....the steeper medium MTF could really suit him as he can climb them fast in form..Also good at steep classics like San Seb, Lombardia and Ardennes

MPFG

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

He hates Wout Poels for taking a place on the Sky Tour Team from an Irish rider, how Jingoistic.

I love Wout Poels ...I really do

Oh I see Poels as in Poles....you would have to get up very early to catch me on that one

Kavrocks

Thibaut Pinot

AG2R announced 7 of their 9 riders for the Tour. It's a pity Pozzovivo won't be present at the Tour, always been a fan of his.

Darkglasses

Alberto Contador

Not a likely GC winner, but Adam Hansen just announced on Facebook that he's fit and ready to ride the Tour. What an animal.

MPFG

Kavrocks wrote: »

AG2R announced 7 of their 9 riders for the Tour. It's a pity Pozzovivo won't be present at the Tour, always been a fan of his.

I don't know...I think that is strange...Pozzovivo is going so well...he could stage hunt ....I mean its a big ask for Ag2R to repeat last year so they maybe happy to get as many stages as possible

Brian?

Nairo Quintana

Darkglasses wrote: »

Not a likely GC winner, but Adam Hansen just announced on Facebook that he's fit and ready to ride the Tour. What an animal.

How many grand tours in a row will that be?

Darkglasses

Alberto Contador

Brian? wrote: »

How many grand tours in a row will that be?

Number 12

happytramp

Darkglasses wrote: »

Not a likely GC winner, but Adam Hansen just announced on Facebook that he's fit and ready to ride the Tour. What an animal.

Amazing. He's already beaten the offical record with the Giro this year but for the un-official one (maybe the even more important record, dating back to the 50's) he'll need to finish the tour and the Vuelta as well. Come on Adam!!!

Arequipa

Alberto Contador

I would love to know what sorta training Contador has done & will do between now and the Tour....?!

Pudsy33

Nairo Quintana

Arequipa wrote: »

I would love to know what sorta training Contador has done & will do between now and the Tour....?!

He's riding Route de Sud atm. Nico Roche won it last year.

happytramp

Froome's chances delt a massive blow ...........http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/06/team-sky-motorhome-blocked-by-new-uci-rule-froome-must-use-hotels-during-tour/

velo.2010

Contador fairly blew Quintana away on the descent there on the Route de Sud. Training ride stuff from both up the Port des Bales.

I don't get Brian Smith's very apparent dislike of Bertie. He seems unable to compliment him on his performance - at least not without some smarky aside.

L'Enfer du Nord

Watched last few Kms of both Route du sud ant Tour of Swiss on Eurosport player with out commentary. Some thing relaxing/ more real about it. Route du Sud was especially strange since there were no spectators until the very end due to it being a fast desent. Nothing against comentators, it's not easy but half the time they are midway through some much repeated anecdote or pedestrian observation when there's a attack. They usually yap on for a few seconds before they even notice the attack.

MPFG

Carlton Kirby talks such drivel

Contador looks good especially on the descents.....that descent of Col de Allos will prove important

happytramp

velo.2010 wrote: »

I don't get Brian Smith's very apparent dislike of Bertie. He seems unable to compliment him on his performance - at least not without some smarky aside.

Got to be clinic stuff. Hard to warm to the alpha papa of cycling when you know he's got a dodgy past. I like the way he rides but i'll never really like anyone who's served a doping ban. I often wonder how i'd react if it ever happened to one of our guys... hopefully I'll never find out.

Arequipa

Alberto Contador

Glad to hear Berti is going well...
I admire him doping ban 'n all...
-the way he stood up to Armstrong in the tour when they were both with Astana..
-the way he attacks everyone & anyone with/without teammates
-how he recovered from a serious crash last year & won the Vuelta...


He's one tough mofo!

Lusk_Doyle

Arequipa wrote: »

Glad to hear Berti is going well...
I admire him doping ban 'n all...
-the way he stood up to Armstrong in the tour when they were both with Astana..
-the way he attacks everyone & anyone with/without teammates
-how he recovered from a serious crash last year & won the Vuelta...


He's one tough mofo!

Stood up to Armstrong? He was team leader and way better than him. No contest.

Arequipa

Alberto Contador

He defo stood up to Armstrong.....Johan Bruhneel & Lance were close friends & didnt outright say that Contador was the leader..Lance had a huge amount of clout & influence on the team...
Lance had a go at Contador for being naive to get dropped in a vicious crosswind when an etchelon formed...
On numerous occasions Contador was told to stop attacking and wait for Lance, but he decided to win the Tour for himself... Very ballsy performance....!

kilburn

Was super impressed with Froome last week and he will take some beating.

Bertie gave a lot in the Giro but I'm sure he will do well, but Froome all the way for me.

Possibly the most exciting TDF in a few years if we can avoid injuries and pile ups

Pudsy33

Nairo Quintana

Don't buy the Froome hype, he finished marginally better the TVG who won't be near the top of the pile in the tour.

velo.2010

happytramp wrote: »

Got to be clinic stuff. Hard to warm to the alpha papa of cycling when you know he's got a dodgy past. I like the way he rides but i'll never really like anyone who's served a doping ban. I often wonder how i'd react if it ever happened to one of our guys... hopefully I'll never find out.

But Jonathon Tiernan Locke is OK?

Brian?

Nairo Quintana

I am starting to think Contador may do it. The way he attacked on the descent yesterday was pure class. He wasn't even at the limit and he took time from Quintana.

Bardet's descending in the Dauphine was even more impressive.

If Nibali, Bardet, Contador and Valverde take turns attacking on descents it could put sky in serious trouble.

Incidentally, Roche is a class descender. He may spend a lot of time covering those attacks.