2015 Tour de France Stage 6: Abbeville-Le Havre 191.5km

[Põhja Konn]

Absolutely loved how Sagan gave the middle finger to his group of leeches and sat up, effectively gifting the stage to Stybar. A clear statement to everyone who tries to wheelsuck him to victory in the future.
Most ridiculous thing was how others still waited and waited several seconds after Sagan had sat up and Stybar was still in touching distance... only to get beaten by Sagan in the sprint for second.
Its stupid to blame Sagan for anything today, he and Stybar were the only ones from the lead group who took definitive action in the finale.

QFT. How people think someone can possibly win a sprint against the fastest men in the world after leading them out for 500m is beyond me.

You are missing the point here. It wasn't a mano-a-mano situation. There were about 15-20 riders in the group with Sagan. Had they chased, they probably would have lost the stage to Sagan, but with looking to Sagan and not trying themselves, they most definitely lost it to Stybar. That's why I'm happy that Sagan didn't play along and thus helped the one who deserved it to win the stage.

 

[rainman]

We expected a crash fest and it happened, luckily the gc favorites are still there so far. What I didn't expect was the incredible boredom so early in the tour. Zeeland and cobbles final apart it has been truly awful. I Remember Giro fondly and roll on Vuelta.

 

[pikes_peak]

Re: Re:

Poor Warren Barguil had the worst impact.

?

Fortunately not as bad as Tony.

Team Giant-Alpecin ‏@GiantAlpecin
#TDF @WarrenBarguil was involved in the crash in the final kilometer. Aside from some small wounds he is OK, fortunately.

 

[Escarabajo]

No he didn't. Just watch the images.

I just did. Contador goes past the crash after Froome clicks his pedal back in. Yet Froome manages to finish behind Quintana who got caught in the crash. How??
My issue is not with Froome getting the same time (which is normal because he was affected, although barely, by the crash) but with him taking advantage of the situation.

What is wrong with what Froome did?

 

[Catwhoorg]

https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/619192732624527364

For those asking why the apology...Nibali through a bidon at Froome. A case of mistaken identity.

 

[Ataraxus]

Re: Re:

Anyway, I hope Nibali and Quintana are okay. Froome might get this handed to him 2014 Nibali style otherwise.

There's Contador as well. Don't lose hope on him just yet.
I'm not his fan but my hopes are he'll improve form wise in the third week. Your hopes as this forum's greatest ACfangirl must be ten times bigger than mine

Without Nibali and Quintana to put pressure on Froome, there's no way Contador can win, unless Froome has another classic meltdown.

And one day before Fuente De many people here thought there was no way Contador would win the Vuelta.

 

[Carols]

Can anyone explain how Froome finished behind Nibali who was lying on the ground for a long time? Terrible coverage, it's so difficult to figure out what happened. He didn't go down somewhere else did he?

 

[Punkan]

With Tony probably out, TTT should be between BMC and Movistar. I predict TJVG in yellow after stage 9!

 

[djpbaltimore]

Re:

https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/619192732624527364

For those asking why the apology...Nibali through a bidon at Froome. A case of mistaken identity.

LOL. That is a very Nascar thing to do. Except it is usually the helmet.

 

[Eagle]

Re:

With Tony probably out, TTT should be between BMC and Movistar. I predict TJVG in yellow after stage 9!

Astana

 

[Punkan]

Re:

Can anyone explain how Froome finished behind Nibali who was lying on the ground for a long time? Terrible coverage, it's so difficult to figure out what happened. He didn't go down somewhere else did he?

From Team Sky homepage

Froome stayed upright but was forced to stop metres later, eventually finishing the stage without time-loss alongside his team-mates due to the three-kilometre rule.

Could mean he had a bike problem.

Read more at http://www.teamsky.com/teamsky/home/article/57420#TLyLxiodYV5Kvek8.99

 

[No_Balls]

Re:

Valverdo COULD be reffering to the crash he had earlier in the stage, which no cameras caught. Just so everybody knows.

The bottom line is that where there is a Froome there is a problem. Nibali "mistook" the situation just so that he could remind Froome how he handles a bike and that people automatically assumes this. The same did Bala,

It is basically the will of the universe, karma, Santa Klaus, Lady fortune or whatever that have managed Froome to stay on the bike during two stages now.

 

[del1962]

How did Nibali manage to get through a bidon?

 

[damian13ster]

Re: Re:

Valverdo COULD be reffering to the crash he had earlier in the stage, which no cameras caught. Just so everybody knows.

The bottom line is that where there is a Froome there is a problem. Nibali "mistook" the situation just so that he would remind Froome how he handles a bike and that people automatically assumes this. The same did Bala,

It is basically the will of the universe, karma, Santa Klaus, Lady fortune or whatever that have managed Froome to stay on the bike during two stages now.

Or his bike skills/positionning?
It is 2nd stage in which someone actually threw themselves at Froome, yet he managed to stay upright.
What has to be done in order for people to believe that he can handle the bike just fine? Has to win a trial competition? Maybe BMX?

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Can anyone explain how Froome finished behind Nibali who was lying on the ground for a long time? Terrible coverage, it's so difficult to figure out what happened. He didn't go down somewhere else did he?

From Team Sky homepage

Froome stayed upright but was forced to stop metres later, eventually finishing the stage without time-loss alongside his team-mates due to the three-kilometre rule.

Could mean he had a bike problem.

Read more at http://www.teamsky.com/teamsky/home/article/57420#TLyLxiodYV5Kvek8.99

Thanks!

 

[Eagle]

Re:

https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/619192732624527364

For those asking why the apology...Nibali through a bidon at Froome. A case of mistaken identity.

A journalist that doesn't understand the difference between threw and through

Edit: https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/619196688251658245
And its not true

 

[carton]

You are missing the point here. It wasn't a mano-a-mano situation. There were about 15-20 riders in the group with Sagan. Had they chased, they probably would have lost the stage to Sagan, but with looking to Sagan and not trying themselves, they most definitely lost it to Stybar. That's why I'm happy that Sagan didn't play along and thus helped the one who deserved it to win the stage.

Not sure when we went past Albuquerque. I agreed with that assessment, only added that the chances of anyone but van Vlaeminck's recollection of van Vlaeminck would've won out after leading out 20 sprinters for 500m are pretty darn minuscule. So Sagan closing the gap himself wouldn't have likely helped Peter Sagan's actual stage standing out much. And everyone at least moderately familiar with road racing, including the riders that were staring at him like labradoodles, should've known that.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

So Valverde forgets Froome is no longer in yellow and blames Froome for the crash instead of Martin (who may not have caused it anyway)

Nibali hears that Froome caused the crash and throws a bidon at Froome

Froome then goes to the Astana bus with Luke Rowe and defuses the situation.

Nibali then apologizes

It seems to me that Froome handled the situation very well.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Can anyone explain how Froome finished behind Nibali who was lying on the ground for a long time? Terrible coverage, it's so difficult to figure out what happened. He didn't go down somewhere else did he?

From Team Sky homepage

Froome stayed upright but was forced to stop metres later, eventually finishing the stage without time-loss alongside his team-mates due to the three-kilometre rule.

Could mean he had a bike problem.

Read more at http://www.teamsky.com/teamsky/home/article/57420#TLyLxiodYV5Kvek8.99

That may explain it, thanks for posting

 

[harryh]

Re: Re:

Valverdo COULD be reffering to the crash he had earlier in the stage, which no cameras caught. Just so everybody knows.

The bottom line is that where there is a Froome there is a problem. Nibali "mistook" the situation just so that he would remind Froome how he handles a bike and that people automatically assumes this. The same did Bala,

It is basically the will of the universe, karma, Santa Klaus, Lady fortune or whatever that have managed Froome to stay on the bike during two stages now.

Or his bike skills/positionning?
It is 2nd stage in which someone actually threw themselves at Froome, yet he managed to stay upright.
What has to be done in order for people to believe that he can handle the bike just fine? Has to win a trial competition? Maybe BMX?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Glad to hear Nibali apologised to Froome, throwing a bidon at another rider is poor behaviour, Nibali perhaps feeling the pressure of losing time in a first week that was supposed to favour him?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Yes. To both questions Flo. Any other query?

 

[Eagle]

Re:

Glad to hear Nibali apologised to Froome, throwing a bidon at another rider is poor behaviour, Nibali perhaps feeling the pressure of losing time in a first week that was supposed to favour him?

Maybe you shouldn't believe all the *** these "Journalists" say

 

[del1962]

Re:

Glad to hear Nibali apologised to Froome, throwing a bidon at another rider is poor behaviour, Nibali perhaps feeling the pressure of losing time in a first week that was supposed to favour him?[/quote

Didn't actually throw a bidon at Froome.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Sagan 2nd again, unbelievable maybe he didn't have the legs to follow Styby, because he looked to be going very strong. Else it would make no sense at all for Sagan to let him go.

Very glad for Styby though, great stage win in his first Tour. A shame we didn't get to see his attack. Really lame job from the tv director.

You can´t follow from fifth position and drop everyone. Not even Sagan can do that.

What do you mean, drop everyone? Why would he need to do that?