Simulation thread. Only for crazy people.

[Jason_Mercier]

YES! I had £20 on Chaves to win the stage.

Bet for Rujano for the Polsa stage.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Bet for Rujano for the Polsa stage.

This is starting to look like match fixing!!

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Hi guys. Here we are in Gante (Belgium) Today is the second of July of 2016 and will begin the 103° edition of the Tour de France. Here are the 21 stages of the Grand Boucle:

1st Stage: Gante - Gante (Prologue) 15 kms.
2nd Stage: Brusells - Brugge - Brusells. (Plain) 210 kms.
3rd Stage: Wanze - Arenberg. 220 kms.
4th Stage: Liège - Bastogne - Liège. 257 kms.
-----------
5th Stage: Lanester - Lorient (TTT) 52 kms.
6th Stage: Lorient - Mur de Bretâgne. 175 kms.
7th Stage: Jonzac - Futuroscope. (Plain) 190 kms.
8th Stage: Futuroscope - Futuroscope. (ITT) 55 kms.
9th Stage: Aigurande - Super Besse. (Medium mountain) 189 kms.
10th Stage: Limoges - Puy de Dome. (High mountain) 188 kms.
* Mountain passes: Puy de Dome (HC)
------------
11th Stage: Carpentras - Mont Ventoux. (MT ITT) 40 kms.
*Mountain passes: Mont Ventoux (HC)
12th Stage: Saint André de la Roche - Pra Loup. (High mountain) 211 kms.
*Mountain passes: Col St Martin (HC) Col Couillole (HC) Col Champs (1°) Col D'Allos (HC)
13th Stage: Sestrieres - Granon (High Mountain) 202 kms.
*Mountain passes: Mont Cenis (1°) Telegraphe (1°) Galibier (HC) Granon (HC)
14th Stage: Gap - Pinerolo (Medium mountain) 179 kms.
-------------
15th Stage: Bourdeaux - Pau (Plain) 205 kms.
16th Stage: Pau - Toulouse (Plain) 197 kms.
17th Stage: Toulouse - Pamiers (ITT) 69 kms.
18th Stage: Bagnéres de Luchon - Arcalís (High mountain) 244 kms.
*Mountain passes: Col Ares (3°) Col de Port (2°) Envalira (1°) Ordino (2°) Arcalís (HC)
19th Stage: Orthez - Gourette Col D'Aubisque (High mountain) 218 kms.
*Mountain passes: Larrau (HC) Pierre St Martin (1°) Marie Blanque (1°)
Col D'Aubisque (HC)
20th Stage: Saint Girons - Loudenvielle (High mountain) 190 kms.
* Mountain passes: Col de Latrape (2°) Col de Core (1°) Portet de Aspet (2°) Col Menté (1°) Col de Portillón (1°) Col de Peyresourde (1°)
21th Stage: París - Champs Élysées. 120 kms.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Instead of Contador retirement and the absence of Froome due to a two years ban the race will be so exciting. For the experts these are the favourites to win the general classification:
*** Van Garderen, Talansky.
** Pinot, Quintana, Dombrowski, Chaves, Kelderman
* Elissonde, Aru, Bardet, Betancur, Dennis.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Van Garderen arrives in France with two podiums in the Grand Boucle and with the Dauphiné Liberé in his pocket. Talansky has won the Tour of Suisse and he wants to improve the 4° position of the last year. The route suits him and he is confidence about his possibilities of victory. Thibaut Pinot has made an incredible first part of season dominating Paris Nice and Volta a Catalunya. He is the wheel to follow in the mountains. Nairo Quintana was the past year the first rider since Pantani which takes the win in two Grand Tours in the same season after achieve the double Giro D'Italia and Vuelta a España. At the moment these are the main favourites. But for sure the race will bring us many surprises.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

The prologue and the race will begin in a few hours. The riders are now preparing for the countdown. We'll be back in a couple of hours for the beginning of the 2016 Tour de France.

 

[Cyivel]

What happened to Froome, brother?

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Froome tested positive for Bilharzia in the last TDF and was suspended for two years. But tjis is a topic for the clinic.

 

[Cyivel]

Ah I see, thanks.

Just seen on the news than van Garderen has been attacked by a knife wielding maniac and has had to pull out of the race, sad news

 

[Jason_Mercier]

The guy is very ambitious. He will ride with the knife stuck in his skin

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Lets remember the route of this edition.

1st Stage: Gante - Gante (Prologue) 15 kms.
2nd Stage: Brusells - Brugge - Brusells. (Plain) 210 kms.
3rd Stage: Wanze - Arenberg. 220 kms.*
4th Stage: Liège - Bastogne - Liège. 257 kms.
-----------
5th Stage: Lanester - Lorient (TTT) 52 kms.
6th Stage: Lorient - Mur de Bretâgne. 175 kms.
7th Stage: Jonzac - Futuroscope. (Plain) 190 kms.
8th Stage: Futuroscope - Futuroscope. (ITT) 55 kms.*
9th Stage: Aigurande - Super Besse. (Medium mountain) 189 kms.
10th Stage: Limoges - Puy de Dome. (High mountain) 188 kms.
* Mountain passes: Puy de Dome (HC)*
------------
11th Stage: Carpentras - Mont Ventoux. (MT ITT) 40 kms.
*Mountain passes: Mont Ventoux (HC)
12th Stage: Saint André de la Roche - Pra Loup. (High mountain) 211 kms.
*Mountain passes: Col St Martin (HC) Col Couillole (HC) Col Champs (1°) Col D'Allos (HC)*
13th Stage: Sestrieres - Granon (High Mountain) 202 kms.
*Mountain passes: Mont Cenis (1°) Telegraphe (1°) Galibier (HC) Granon (HC)
14th Stage: Gap - Pinerolo (Medium mountain) 179 kms.
-------------
15th Stage: Bourdeaux - Pau (Plain) 205 kms.
16th Stage: Pau - Toulouse (Plain) 197 kms.
17th Stage: Toulouse - Pamiers (ITT) 69 kms.
18th Stage: Bagnéres de Luchon - Arcalís (High mountain) 244 kms.*
*Mountain passes: Col Ares (3°) Col de Port (2°) Envalira (1°) Ordino (2°) Arcalís (HC)
19th Stage: Orthez - Gourette Col D'Aubisque (High mountain) 218 kms.
*Mountain passes: Larrau (HC) Pierre St Martin (1°) Marie Blanque (1°)*
Col D'Aubisque (HC)*
20th Stage: Saint Girons - Loudenvielle (High mountain) 190 kms.
* Mountain passes: Col de Latrape (2°) Col de Core (1°) Portet de Aspet (2°) Col Menté (1°) Col de Portillón (1°) Col de Peyresourde (1°)*
21th Stage: París - Champs Élysées. 120 kms.

And the favourites:
*** Van Garderen, Talansky.
** Pinot, Quintana, Dombrowski, Chaves, Kelderman
* Elissonde, Aru, Bardet, Betancur, Dennis.


Plus other stars like Cavendish, Nibali, Hagen, Martin, Boom, Sagan, Moser, Phinney, Gallopin, Vichot, Ulissi, Landa, Majka, Meyer, Coquard, Jungels, Van Asbroeck, Matthews, Degenkolb, Kittel, Guardini, Durbridge or Henao.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Hello people, we are in Gante, Belgium, in the start of the 103° edition of the Tour de France. The race will begin with a prologue of 10 kilometres around the streets of the flemish city. The race par excellence have already started. So let's go with the live.
The camera is now on the time triallist of Radioshack, Jesse Sergent, he's maintaning a good cadence and seems so strong in this first part of the stage. The best time in the finish line is for the Garmin guy Ramunas Navardauskas, with 12'40".

 

[Cyivel]

A night time prologue? Cool

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Still for take the start:
In order, Taylor Phinney, Luke Durbridge, Tony Martin, Peter Sagan, Lars Boom, Dennis, Talansky and Van Garderen.
¡Attention! Alex Dowsett has reduced the Navardauskas time in 3 seconds! He's now the
reference. And this is Sergent finishing...... 12'45" Not enough. The first favourite for the stage is just getting to start the countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... GO!! GOLD MEDAL OF THE LAST WC IN THE SPECIALITY TAYLOR PHINNEY IS GOING FOR THE VICTORY. 23 wins in ITTS are enough arguments for believe in Taylor in this prologue.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

And the next is Martin. The german has lost the last five face to face against Phinney. This should affect him psychologically. Here is Martin for the take off. "Pop" GO!!
Phinney is literally flying in the first partial, he seems so convinced about his opportunities, the american is confirming the words he put in his mouth this morning "Nobody can beat me in this type of stages, the only which could achieve it would be God riding a bicycle"

 

[Jason_Mercier]

ATTENTION. ¡¡¡PHINNEY HAS CRASHED!!! AND WHAT THE **** IS THIS. ¡¡LUKE DURBRIDGE HAS REDUCED THE BEST TIME IN THE FINISH LINE IN 15 SECONDS!! OMG. New best time: 12'22" . The french tv havent showed us him riding. It seems that were busy with Johan Le Bon

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Wow. And this is the image of Phinney. Seems that the crash has made him a lot of damage and he is arriving at the finish line walking. He looks devastated. Tony Martin is finishing too but he can't with Durbridge. There are only 4 guys left for the countdown.
This is Peter Sagan, 40 wins in 2015 emulating Freddy Maertens. In this kind of stage he has recognized is behind the best time triallists.
¡¡THIS IS PETER'S TIME: 12'27" WOW Nice for him, he's now second.
¡¡ATTENTION WITH LARS BOOM BECAUSE IS IN TIME FOR BEAT DURBRIDGE!!
Last 200 metres. 12'14, 15, 16, 17, 18 ...... 21, 22 .......
¡¡¡12'23"!!! HE CANT REDUCE THE TIME ONLY BY ONE SECOND. AMAZING.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

NOW VAN GARDEREN START THE TIME TRIAL, THE LAST RIDER. And this is one of the favourites for the General Classification, Rohan Dennis, the new signing of Orica Green Edge, a powerfull TT'er which has improved a lot in the mountain like he showed in the last Vuelta a España finishing 4th. He's in the last metres, his time wont be the best...
¡¡12'32"!!
The next is Andrew Talansky, NICE TIME FOR HIM... 200 METRES, 100 METRES.... 12'26". The best GC guy at the moment. IF VAN GARDEREN DOESNT AVOID IT THE PROLOGUE IS FOR DURBRIDGE.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Attention because the leader of bmc and favourite number one for win the race is doing a brilliant tt. He's near durbridge and all will decide in the last centimeter.
12'18, 19, 20 ... 21, 22...... ¡no! ¡¡he can't!! And his final time is 12'26.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

VG has made a bad final part and the stage win is for LUKE DURBRIDGE (ORICA)

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Stage classification:

1) luke durbridge. 12'22" (orica green edge)
2) lars boom. 12'23" (blanco pro ciclyng)
3) tejay van garderen. 12'26" (bmc team)
4) andrew talansky. 12'26" (garmin sharp)
5) peter sagan. 12'27" (cannondale)
6) tony martin. 12'28" (omega pharma)
7) rohan dennis. 12'32" (orica green edge)
8) alex dowsett. 12'37" (movistar team)
9) ramunas navardauskas. 12'40" (garmin sharp)
10) bob jungels. 12'41" (radioshack)
..............................
17) wilco kelderman. 12'50
37) joseph dombrowski. 13'15
40) thibaut pinot. 13'17"
45) nairo quintana. 13'21"
78) johan chaves. 13'59"

 

[Jason_Mercier]

General classification:

1) Luke Durbridge. 00:12'22" (Orica Green Edge)
2) Lars Boom. á 1" (Blanco Pro Cycling)
3) Tejay Van Garderen. á 4" (Bmc team)
4) Andrew Talansky. á 4" (Garmin Sharp)
5) Peter Sagan. á 5" (Cannondale)

 

[Jason_Mercier]

Nice win for Orica . Luke Durbridge : "This is one of the more important victories of my career. The yellow jersey is a dream come true. Of course i'll try to maintain it in the 3rd stage of cobblestone with the finish line in Arenberg. The same of 2010. Will be a difficult challenge, but i have a great team with guys like Rohan, Cam Meyer, Jens (Keukeleire) or Matthews. This is my first time in the top of the GC of a Grand Tour. But im not afraid"
A nice day too for Van Garderen and Talansky which have put distance into the climbers. An important distance in some cases.
That's all. See you tomorrow in the second stage with final in Bruselles. A day for the sprinters. But dont miss it, any thing can happen. This is the Tour de France.

2nd of July of 2016.

 

[Jason_Mercier]

So guys, seeing the route and reading the information i have written... Who do you think will win this TDF? Who will win more stages? Who will win the maillot jeune? Place your bets.

PD: Remember we are in 2016

 

[Cyivel]

TVG lost a lot of blood in the stabbing incident so him winning is a ridiculous thought, Imma go with Pinot.