disjointed Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Eagerly awaiting the start of the tour this Saturday, 10 Brits taking part this year. Obviously Froome is not without a chance of taking his 2nd TDF, but Contrador looks the man to beat and some experts think this could be Quintana's year. Took a punt on Contrador to win at generous odds of 4/1 today even though Team Sky looks strong in attempt to support Froome's bid. Both the Yates twins are riding for Orica Green Edge this time, and it would not be a great surprise to see one of them pick up a stage win on one of the more lumpy days. Cav should pick up a stage or 2, but this could be more by him riding on instinct rather than great team work. All in all a treat awaits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_ragg1984 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I don't think Contador will win, think the Giro will take its toll on him to be honest. Froome has a great chance if he can actually stay on his bike. I hope Quintana wins it, out of the 4 favourites. Cav will smash it this year. He's got Renshaw leading him out and Kittel is injured, and Cav has been doing well this season. Can see him winning 4 or 5, including Paris yet again. I'm going over for the last week. Staying in the Alps. Going to ride l'Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and Glandon. And then I get to watch 3 days worth as the race is in the area. Finishing with spending a day on Dutch corner as the race is (potentially) decided on l'Alpe d'Huez... so yeah, I'm pretty excited for the Tour this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 I don't think Contador will win, think the Giro will take its toll on him to be honest. Froome has a great chance if he can actually stay on his bike. I hope Quintana wins it, out of the 4 favourites. Cav will smash it this year. He's got Renshaw leading him out and Kittel is injured, and Cav has been doing well this season. Can see him winning 4 or 5, including Paris yet again. I'm going over for the last week. Staying in the Alps. Going to ride l'Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and Glandon. And then I get to watch 3 days worth as the race is in the area. Finishing with spending a day on Dutch corner as the race is (potentially) decided on l'Alpe d'Huez... so yeah, I'm pretty excited for the Tour this year. Enjoy the Alps, Dutch corner looks like a fantastic place to watch the tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I don't think Contador will win, think the Giro will take its toll on him to be honest. Froome has a great chance if he can actually stay on his bike. I hope Quintana wins it, out of the 4 favourites. Cav will smash it this year. He's got Renshaw leading him out and Kittel is injured, and Cav has been doing well this season. Can see him winning 4 or 5, including Paris yet again. I'm going over for the last week. Staying in the Alps. Going to ride l'Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and Glandon. And then I get to watch 3 days worth as the race is in the area. Finishing with spending a day on Dutch corner as the race is (potentially) decided on l'Alpe d'Huez... so yeah, I'm pretty excited for the Tour this year. #jealous- watching the tour on Alpe d'Huez is definitely on my bucket list, especially after last year on Holme Moss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_ragg1984 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 #jealous- watching the tour on Alpe d'Huez is definitely on my bucket list, especially after last year on Holme Moss. It's always been somewhere I've wanted to watch the race, but as we walked away from Holme Moss last year, after having a taste of it, I said to my brother next time it's on Alpe d Huez we are definitely going. Holme Moss last year... What a day that was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 It's always been somewhere I've wanted to watch the race, but as we walked away from Holme Moss last year, after having a taste of it, I said to my brother next time it's on Alpe d Huez we are definitely going. Holme Moss last year... What a day that was. Once you get to know what it is like to watch on a packed hilly stage, it just gives you the taste to watch more, the atmosphere and the anticipation makes it a must see event. Will you be taking a flag with you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 Fantastic days racing albeit punctuated with a race neutralisation and halt. What looked like a horrific crash resulted in only broken collarbones and arms. The final climb on Huy certainly found out one or two and Froome put them to the sword, this race has a lot more twists and turns to come and tomorrow on the pave could be equally as exciting as today. Stannard and Thomas will look to protect Froome tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised to see one the favourites trying to take back a bit of time from Froome. Also what a great ride from the Yates's twins today, Simon finishing a fantastic 8th on the stage, now that Orica have lost their race leader I would expect Matt White to let them go for it and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_ragg1984 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Once you get to know what it is like to watch on a packed hilly stage, it just gives you the taste to watch more, the atmosphere and the anticipation makes it a must see event. Will you be taking a flag with you? No flag... i can't be arsed carrying it all day. It will be a long walk from the campsite to the hill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_ragg1984 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Fantastic days racing albeit punctuated with a race neutralisation and halt. What looked like a horrific crash resulted in only broken collarbones and arms. And 2 broken vertebrae in Spartacus' back. That he rode for 50 km with a broken back, and finished by climbing Mur Du Huy is incredible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldhamSheridan Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Still shouldn't have stopped it. It's cycling not F1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Still shouldn't have stopped it. It's cycling not F1. Sorry but I think it was the right decision, it left the rest of the peleton with no medical support, at the end of the day it is sport, I think Prudhomme called it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 No flag... i can't be arsed carrying it all day. It will be a long walk from the campsite to the hill! What about a flagon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 I'm on Kristoff at 8-1 today. He said he was saving his energy after trailing in yesterday apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astottie Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 another god almighty pile up - at the end today. There will be no bugger left it carries on like this. I wouldn't want Tony Martin to be doing my lottery numbers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Sorry but I think it was the right decision, it left the rest of the peleton with no medical support, at the end of the day it is sport, I think Prudhomme called it right. Indeed, whilst there weren't any dangerous descents, let's not forget a cyclist in an active race has been killed more recently than an F1 driver in a Grand Prix, Prudhomme knew that he wouldn't be neutralising the stage for long and it wasn't a very important section, to carry on racing with no medical support is very risky and the risk is not worth it. He may have set a dangerous precedent though and I could see some riders and teams having a few tactical crashes in the future. That crash was a particularly spectacular one, and in terms of the abandonments one of the costliest for some time, what with Henderson also going, as a result. It happens half a yard further up the road and the outcome could have been worse or even fatal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Well at this stage of the race it looks like any one of two could win, been impressed with Valverde and he could soften Froome up in the Alps to allow Quintana to drag some time back. This is only going to happen if they can get rid of Porte and the fantastic Thomas. It already looks like Porte is off to BMC next year although with Van Garderen there he could end up riding a supporting role again next year. Thomas must surely be given his chance as a GC contender in one of the major tours next year if he stays with Sky, and of the three I would say he is better suited to the TDF rather than the Giro or Vuelta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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