Rate the Tour de France 2014.

[MBotero]

I give it an 8 just because of Nibali,he really provided a great show in all the key stages.
Biggest Disappointment? Froome DNF and Valverde fail to get to the podium.
Biggest Surprise? French riders getting on the podium and Porte complete collapse.
Best Stage win? Nibali in Sheffield/Martin in Mulhouse
Positives? Great route/Fantastic English crowds
Negatives? Crashes everywhere and many sick riders this Tour looked like a sanatorium.
Funniest moment? Nibali elbow vs iphone
Looking forward to the next tour? Not yet.
During the tour were you counting down the days until the Vuelta starts? Only in the last 2 days.

 

[Eshnar]

I'll add standard questions you can answer if you want to.

Biggest Disappointment? CF and AC crashing
Biggest Surprise? Majka storming the mountains
Best Stage win? Nibs in Hautacam
Positives? cobbles stage
Negatives? non existent gc fight
Funniest moment? Iphone girl
Looking forward to the next tour? looking forward to the next Giro
During the tour were you counting down the days until the vuelta starts? nope

6/10 for me.

 

[42x16ss]

Biggest Disappointment No fight for Yellow or Green
Biggest Surprise Nibali and Fuglsang on the cobbles
Best Stage Win Tough choice, there were some good ones - Tony Martin's First, Gallopin, Nibali on stage 2, Rogers, Navardauskas and Majka's second.
Positives A proper fight for youth and climbers classifications - watching Majka and Purito scrap for points was cool. Sky sucking. Peraud making the podium. Sky and Frailsfraud's bulldirt. Bardet, Pinot, Majka, Konig and Van Garderen having good Tours. Sky having a crud Tour. Adam Hansen making it 9 consecutive GT finishes!
Negatives Nibali taking pi$$. Sagan's domination of the points classification, Durbridge getting taken out by that Movistar soigneur and his overreaction to it. Albasini. Orica contributing 3/5's of f@#$ all apart from the Talansky crash.
Funniest Moments Whenever a rider showed the fans why they shouldn't be taking "selfies" next to the riders. Whenever Frailsfraud opened his mouth.
Looking forward to the next Tour? More than usual I guess
During the tour were you counting down the days until the Vuelta starts? Yep. If Froome and Contador are good to go, it's gonna be on like Donkey Kong!

 

[Rollthedice]

Biggest Disappointment?

Not being able to see Froome ride the cobbles

Biggest Surprise?

Contador crashing out

Best Stage win?

Nibali, Sheffield

Positives?

French guys on the podium

Negatives?

After stage 10 everything became obvious.

Funniest moment?

Richie Porte attacking on Champs Elysees

Looking forward to the next tour?

Yes

During the tour were you counting down the days until the vuelta starts?

No

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I rated it 5.

Elimination of both Froome and Contador was huge, huge disapointment. Alien vs Predator battle was over before it even began. After cobbles and Froome elimination I still hoped Alberto would make a show and multiply attack Nibali in the mountains but his crash actually ended race for GC.

Interesting first week (hilly stages in England + epic cobble stage) was the biggest positive of this race. For me personally Majka's unexpected success also made this race much better

 

[Pantani_lives]

7/10 because Nibali is a worthy winner. In spite of the lack of suspense for yellow there was an exciting battle for second place and the mountain jersey.

Biggest Disappointment? Crashes by Contador and Froome.
Biggest Surprise? Two French riders on the podium.
Best Stage win? Nibali on Hautacam.
Positives? Good young climbers like Pinot, Bardet, Majka. Good variation in the course. Public interest in England. Kate Middleton in green.
Negatives? French tv missing Contador's crash.
Funniest moment? Valverde attacking Pinot after pretending he was too tired to work.

 

[Arredondo]

Better than 2009, 2012 & 2013.

Worse than 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 & (partly) 2011.

So 4(½).

Edit: Okay this year is probably better than 2011. So it gets 5 from me.

Why is this edition better then 2013? Just curious.

 

[Netserk]

Why is this edition better then 2013? Just curious.

Better stages.

 

[Cimber]

Froome and Contador crashing out and no-one being able to challenge Nibali kinda ruined it for me (despite the fact I am happy that Nibali won). The frenchies' performance was a positive element though.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

7/10
Biggest Disappointment? losing the 2 big favourites
Biggest Surprise? Two French riders on the podium.
Best Stage win? Tony Martin solo for the win
Positives? Seeing the next generation of french riders emerge. Jack Bauer's fantastic effort.
Negatives? all the whinging about the cobblesones
Funniest moment? Contador photo bombing that girl's selfie in Yorkshire

 

[Arredondo]

Better stages.

Could be. Stages to Arenberg, Bergerac and Oyonnox were good. Most of the mountain stages were quite crap to my humble opinion. Which stages outside of that three were good according to you?

 

[inthepink]

5

Without Froome & Contador the race for yellow didn't exist...It is possible Nibali would have still won but it would have been a cracker ...So disappointed for that reason..It may have been a classic Tour with all in great shape

Also the Green Jersey race was a non event and sown up very early just like yellow


Some young riders came thru and looked good and the results should add to their confidence ....like Pinot, Bardet , Konig, Majka
And great for the elder rider like Peraud ...nice to see that ...but for the Tour overall I am disappointed with the lack of fireworks

Also the crashes decide the race for too many like Talansky, Cavendish , etc who could have lit it up more

So to recap ...too many crashes and not enough top level competition for the main jerseys

 

[cineteq]

Graded 8

Biggest Disappointment?
Contador's DNFing.

Biggest Surprise?
Pinot and Peraud in the podium

Best Stage win?
Hard to choose among Rogers, Majka, Martin and Nibali's

Positives?
Nibali showing who's the best GC rider in the world
Valverde and Froome out of the podium

Negatives?
Competition for yellow fininished too soon

Funniest moment?
Richie Porte attacking on Champs Elysees

Looking forward to the next Tour?
Yes

During the Tour were you counting down the days until the vuelta starts?
No

 

[oronet commander]

Biggest Disappointment? Contador's crash
Biggest Surprise? Nibali's superiority
Best Stage win? Boom's in the cobbles
Positives? Fun in all stages
Negatives? Too many favourites crashed
Funniest moment? None
Looking forward to the next tour? Always
During the tour were you counting down the days until the vuelta starts? No

 

[Dedelou]

rate the tour

I rated this tour at 7 because with the loss of a number of great competitors the race for green and yellow
Biggest Disappointment? Contador's crash, the loss of Chris Froome before the cobbles.
Biggest Surprise? The french in the podium
Best Stage win? Boom's in the cobbles along with Majka stage wins
Positives? with so many contenders out we got to see a whole new crop of young riders fighting for places. The way the tour was designed with one time trial at the end and many challenging transition stages was fun.
Negatives? Too many favorites crashed. Nibali did not have a challenger
Funniest moment? Horner leading out Nibali on Hautacam
Looking forward to the next tour? Yes , of course, but enjoying every races between now and then
During the tour were you counting down the days until the vuelta starts? No. to be honest i did not check some of the other races going on at the same time
__________________
Some cycling photographies

 

[Dutchsmurf]

dude- do you realize that neither Froome nor Contador were exactly "eliminated" by the Cobbles?

I understand your point, but I think if the sport wants to survive, it should provide much more variety in challenges, as far as terrain & conditions go, so the Tour winner will be undoubted crown as the best of them all.

If the sport wants to survive, it needs an actual fight for the yellow jersey and more attacking in the mountains. For years the best ITT was mostly the best climber too (Armstrong, Ullrich, Indurain, Froome), which makes for boring watching. For real spectacle you need someone who has a decent ITT, but is the best climber. However we will never get that if they keep adding cobbles, because said cobbles will mean that the climbers are already 5+ minutes behind (if you include the ITT already).
Pantani made for exciting Tours. Quintana has the promise of being able to do so. But Quintana will never be able to cause any excitement when he has to ride a cobble stage, especially not when it rains that day.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Biggest Disappointment?

No GC battle at the top after the retirees. Green Jersey also no competition. Sagan to dominate this for several more years

Biggest Surprise?

Nibali on the cobbles

Best Stage win?

Stage 19

Positives?

The medium mountain stages actually were raced. Often those make for great stages.

Negatives?
Funniest moment?

Being roadside during Stage 1. Awesome atmosphere.

Looking forward to the next tour?

Yes

Overall a tour that was more of a snooze fest. 3/10

 

[Escarabajo]

dude- do you realize that neither Froome nor Contador were exactly "eliminated" by the Cobbles?

I understand your point, but I think if the sport wants to survive, it should provide much more variety in challenges, as far as terrain & conditions go, so the Tour winner will be undoubted crown as the best of them all.

I never said that it caused the crashes directly.

Having said that, if they keep putting it every year it would kill the hopes of some of the best climbers such as Quintana. Even if people think he could fare well. He could have lost 5 minutes and be weakened by it at the same time.

You can make the argument that in this year the pressure of the pave itself helps in one of those Froome's crashes that day. Even Contador could have been weakened by it. We don't know. Even if people don't think so. There is a possibility that he was reaching the mountains already a bit tired from it. For as much as I love the pave epic stages, I think they have its place in cycling and is not in the Tour.

The two best cobbles cyclists in the pave said that it has no place in the Tour. I guess they know something that we, fans, don't know.

 

[Escarabajo]

If the sport wants to survive, it needs an actual fight for the yellow jersey and more attacking in the mountains. For years the best ITT was mostly the best climber too (Armstrong, Ullrich, Indurain, Froome), which makes for boring watching. For real spectacle you need someone who has a decent ITT, but is the best climber. However we will never get that if they keep adding cobbles, because said cobbles will mean that the climbers are already 5+ minutes behind (if you include the ITT already).
Pantani made for exciting Tours. Quintana has the promise of being able to do so. But Quintana will never be able to cause any excitement when he has to ride a cobble stage, especially not when it rains that day.

+1.

I saw this post after I wrote my answer. Very well said.

 

[damian13ster]

I never said that it caused the crashes directly.

Having said that, if they keep putting it every year it would kill the hopes of some of the best climbers such as Quintana. Even if people think he could fare well. He could have lost 5 minutes and be weakened by it at the same time.

You can make the argument that in this year the pressure of the pave itself helps in one of those Froome's crashes that day. Even Contador could have been weakened by it. We don't know. Even if people don't think so. There is a possibility that he was reaching the mountains already a bit tired from it. For as much as I love the pave epic stages, I think they have its place in cycling and is not in the Tour.

The two best cobbles cyclists in the pave said that it has no place in the Tour. I guess they know something that we, fans, don't know.

And whats wrong with having best all-around rider and bike handler win instead of pure climber? nibali proved that if you have skills you can do great on cobbles even if you are a climber.
Also, losing time (purely due to lack of skills in riding on such terrain) will force others to attack, and attack early if gaps are big.

For me:

Tour 7/10

Biggest Disappointment?

Contador's crash, Kwiatkowski's flat on cobbles (his only real chance to win a stage)

Biggest Surprise?

Fuglsang on the cobbles, Tony Martin being superhuman, Majka deciding to go head to head with GC contenders without having secured KOM. Ballsy

Best Stage win?

Tony Martin, Majka's 2nd, Nibali on Hautacam

Positives?

Great design, multiple exciting stages (even transition ones provided entertainment, cobbles!) Nibali not riding defensive

Negatives

Crashes, mostly Talansky, Peraud>Pinot in GC

Funniest moment?

Horner attacking on stage 19, Majka winking to the camera

Looking forward to the next tour?

Yes

 

[cineteq]

The two best cobbles cyclists in the pave said that it has no place in the Tour. I guess they know something that we, fans, don't know.

Sometimes you make me chuckle It's like how's this relevant to a GC rider?

 

[Escarabajo]

Sometimes you make me chuckle It's like how's this relevant to a GC rider?

????????

I am not sure what is your point.

 

[hfer07]

If the sport wants to survive, it needs an actual fight for the yellow jersey and more attacking in the mountains. For years the best ITT was mostly the best climber too (Armstrong, Ullrich, Indurain, Froome), which makes for boring watching. For real spectacle you need someone who has a decent ITT, but is the best climber. However we will never get that if they keep adding cobbles, because said cobbles will mean that the climbers are already 5+ minutes behind (if you include the ITT already).
Pantani made for exciting Tours. Quintana has the promise of being able to do so. But Quintana will never be able to cause any excitement when he has to ride a cobble stage, especially not when it rains that day.

Actually - The Tour is currently boring because of riders like Froome killing the competition early in the mountains & the ITT all together. The very reason for having different kinds of terrain-for instance cobbles-is to counterbalance that weight for more complete riders-not entirely pure climbers or ITT'ers, so when those stages appear, the gaps are still short & therefore it forces more attacks. If you take the stage in Sheffield for instance- It created a massive entertaining & gaps among the riders - yet it wasn't a "mountain stage"

I never said that it caused the crashes directly.

Having said that, if they keep putting it every year it would kill the hopes of some of the best climbers such as Quintana. Even if people think he could fare well. He could have lost 5 minutes and be weakened by it at the same time.

You can make the argument that in this year the pressure of the pave itself helps in one of those Froome's crashes that day. Even Contador could have been weakened by it. We don't know. Even if people don't think so. There is a possibility that he was reaching the mountains already a bit tired from it. For as much as I love the pave epic stages, I think they have its place in cycling and is not in the Tour.

The two best cobbles cyclists in the pave said that it has no place in the Tour. I guess they know something that we, fans, don't know.

Perhaps the concept of putting cobbles for some is interpreted as "screwing some GC riders up intentionally" whereas for some of us is a part of cycling that a rider should be prepared to handle & deal with on all kind of terrains and conditions, otherwise the Grand Tours will be only suited for the SKY crew & the Schelck Brothers- all them who hate adverse conditions because they can't handle descends, cold weather, rain, rough terrain, etc.

as far as the two cobble specialists you mention- that's "double standard on their behalf" - Cancellara never complained back in 2010 when he cruised them through with Andy & everything went well. He's mad because he realized he isn't as good as he thought he was with the rain added & the crash he experimented. The other rider was frustrated because he was working for his Leader & not able to ride the same way he did in April, because of the other riders not being as skillful to deal with the terrain as the specialist are- but that's the very point of the argument here, isn't it? Because of that, I truly respect Contador & Nibali in that view, since they see those conditions as a challenge, not as an obstacle like the others do-therefore they "prepare" in advance for them, and learn the skill.

 

[Escarabajo]

...

I understand your points.
There is just too much risk and too much at stake. A lot more risk than in regular stages.

 

[barmaher]

Biggest Disappointment? AC and CF abandoning. Cavendish crashing. Gilbert, Quintana and Boonen missing. Cancellara being subpar. This was a Tour course for everyone, so disappointed we haven't seen the best riders at their peak.
Biggest Surprise? I have always been a fan of JC Peraud, since he switched to the road. But I never dreamed he could come 2nd in Le Tour. Also very nice races by Majka, Martin, Bardet, Pinot.
Best Stage win? I thought there were some fantastic stages. I liked Stages 2, 5 through 11, 14, 16 through 20. But my favourite was the stage to Pla d'Adet, which had almost all you could look for in a mountain stage.

Positives? Great stage design, nice KoM competition, French performances.
Negatives? See above, too many key riders didn't contest.
Funniest moment? Greg Lemond's co-presenter's yellow trousers.
Looking forward to the next tour? Very much indeed
During the tour were you counting down the days until the vuelta starts? No.

Overall it's 8/10 for me, thanks to several good stages with great action. Really, I enjoyed the cycling nearly every day. The GC stages that usually have 20 minutes of action near the end had 30-60 minute. Even the "boring" flat stages had more than the 2 minutes of action near the end. Significantly more, in some cases. Time trial was great.

I felt sorry for Foometador, but that is sport.