Pre Tour de France-thread

[Valv.Piti]

Sagan clowning on stage is just so cringe.

 

[del1962]

Re:

Can't wait for the first week to start!

Day 1: 80 % of the stage on the Atlantic coast (wind is a factor)
Day 2: The big sprinters duke it out
Day 3: TTT
Day 4: First polka dots awarded and the sprinters go at it again
Day 5: Mini Amstel
Day 6: Mur de Bretagne and the first indication of the GC candidates climbing form.
Day 7: Sprinters
Day 8: Sprinters
Day 9: Mini Roubaix

Could they not have put a forth cat climb on stage 1 just to give the break something

 

[bajbar]

Sky getting boos. A lot of them.

 

[Finn84]

Re: Re:

Can't wait for the first week to start!

Day 1: 80 % of the stage on the Atlantic coast (wind is a factor)
Day 2: The big sprinters duke it out
Day 3: TTT
Day 4: First polka dots awarded and the sprinters go at it again
Day 5: Mini Amstel
Day 6: Mur de Bretagne and the first indication of the GC candidates climbing form.
Day 7: Sprinters
Day 8: Sprinters
Day 9: Mini Roubaix

Could they not have put a forth cat climb on stage 1 just to give the break something

There is one in stages 1 and 2. Some 30 k before the finish in stage 1 and early in stage 2.

 

[Singer01]

Re:

Sky getting boos. A lot of them.

There's probably 10 teams with a bigger history of doping and actual convictions. Cycling fans are so myopic sometimes.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re:

Sky getting boos. A lot of them.

The crowd seemed to be rather hostile towards Team Sky indeed. Hopefully nothing more than that on the roadside.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re: Re:

Sky getting boos. A lot of them.

There's probably 10 teams with a bigger history of doping and actual convictions. Cycling fans are so myopic sometimes.

Team Sky are winning the greatest stage races in France for years. No other team come close.

What happens here is logical.

 

[yaco]

The boos for Team Sky were deafening - Thomas seemed particularly offended and barely uttered a few words when interviewed on stage - Anyway Sky will be darlings next year after Pinot joins the team.

 

[Finn84]

I just now realized that Adam Hansen is not riding Tour this year.

 

[Summoned]

Re: Re:

Sky getting boos. A lot of them.

There's probably 10 teams with a bigger history of doping and actual convictions. Cycling fans are so myopic sometimes.

I certainly cannot speak for the people who were booing, but it is possible that the lack of convictions may be part of the reason people were booing, as they may feel that Sky is escaping the consequences that other teams have to face for the (relative) same offenses.

And I also cannot speak to whether this makes any sense or is warranted on the basis of any facts regarding whether Sky is or is not any more guilty than other teams.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Sky getting boos. A lot of them.

There's probably 10 teams with a bigger history of doping and actual convictions. Cycling fans are so myopic sometimes.

I certainly cannot speak for the people who were booing, but it is possible that the lack of convictions may be part of the reason people were booing, as they may feel that Sky is escaping the consequences that other teams have to face for the (relative) same offenses.

And I also cannot speak to whether this makes any sense or is warranted on the basis of any facts regarding whether Sky is or is not any more guilty than other teams.

I think this is more likely. Froome/Sky not getting punishment on something similar to what others have leave the perception they got off and are being given preferential treatment. That is never going to go over well with fans.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

The boos for Team Sky were deafening - Thomas seemed particularly offended and barely uttered a few words when interviewed on stage - Anyway Sky will be darlings next year after Pinot joins the team.

Please don't cite rumors as facts

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

Sky getting boos. A lot of them.

Good

 

[dacooley]

Please, stop posting as though Sky dominating gts is the biggest unfairness of all time.

 

[rick james]

Keep it classy France....

 

[Jungle Cycle]

reading the road book i see the cut off times for the stage 17 is 2h1/2m and IF my calculation are correct the 65km stage will have 33min.. did they say anything about "special" HD to this stage? with the block start and all...
I mean, Kittel and Kung's types would be in real danger...

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

I just now realized that Adam Hansen is not riding Tour this year.

The plan since the end of last season has been that the Giro was to be the GT when the streak would end, Hansen has said he wants to target different races as he heads into the final seasons of his career. In my opinion it was well and truely time for the streak to end, he was showing up less in the GTs as a rider who could compete in breakaways but he was still a solid workhorse for the team. Also with squad numbers dropping from 9 to 8 in GTs it's time for younger riders to get a spot in the lineup in place of Hansen.

 

[King Boonen]

Mod hat on:

For the last time, stop implying Froome should have been banned and that he/Sky are getting preferential treatment. If you want to do that then take it to the clinic.

Cheers,

KB.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

Can't wait for the first week to start!

Day 1: 80 % of the stage on the Atlantic coast (wind is a factor)
Day 2: The big sprinters duke it out
Day 3: TTT
Day 4: First polka dots awarded and the sprinters go at it again
Day 5: Mini Amstel
Day 6: Mur de Bretagne and the first indication of the GC candidates climbing form.
Day 7: Sprinters
Day 8: Sprinters
Day 9: Mini Roubaix

Could they not have put a forth cat climb on stage 1 just to give the break something

I think they were hoping for atlantic winds creating the drama - still might, if the weather changes

 

[Oude Geuze]

The French were booing heavily at CF last year as well, also been spat on, shouted at and threatened/harassed to the point that he needs security. This has little to do with the salbutamol case I’m afraid, and more to do with anger at British domination in a French race. Very strange behavior in 2018, I would be mortified if I was French tbh.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Is it just me, or is Cort holding a sign saying "my goal is the white jersey"?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1014929426268741632

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Is it just me, or is Cort holding a sign saying "my goal is the white jersey"?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1014929426268741632

They had similar signs last year, with some riders having fun with it. Kwaitkowski held up a sign next to Froome saying 'I'm beating this guy' or something similar, while Chavez said he was aiming for the green jersey. :lol:

 

[Parker]

Re:

The French were booing heavily at CF last year as well, also been spat on, shouted at and threatened/harassed to the point that he needs security. This has little to do with the salbutamol case I’m afraid, and more to do with anger at British domination in a French race. Very strange behavior in 2018, I would be mortified if I was French tbh.

It's standard practice for French crowds. The crowds at Rolland Garros for the French Open are notorious for their abuse. The Williams sisters have had the worst of it for no apparent reason than the obvious. They destroyed a teenage Hingis against crowd favourite Graf. Many female players have been reduced to tears playing French players.

Froome though is one of the mentally hardened riders I've seen in the sport. Like Contador when up against Armstrong in 2009.

 

[Parker]

Re:

Is it just me, or is Cort holding a sign saying "my goal is the white jersey"?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1014929426268741632

It's just a social media thing

 

[Tim Booth]

Re:

Is it just me, or is Cort holding a sign saying "my goal is the white jersey"?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1014929426268741632

not as laughable as Cav
http://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1014886564328017921