2013 Tour de France

[biker jk]

The flying piss is completely a step too far. You can be sure that whatever emotions are present in the peleton, they will be amplified and regurgitated by some of the spectators. Pretty unfortunate at the amount of clowns on the road but I guess that's always been the Tour. The naked guys, booing and the mooning is fine, but they shouldn't interfere with the riders because it's a race they're trying to win, not a social calender. This is sort of why I like watching the Giro more.

I agree that throwing urine is a step too far but booing is fine and syringes painted on the road are a fair way to protest. The Giro is famous for the Tifosi pushing Italian riders up the climbs although it's not so blatant these days. It's interfering with the riders, albeit in a positive way.

[warthog1]

They need to step on idiots like this. The riders should not be interfered with.
It is a great part of our sport that spectators can get so close to the action. Shouldn't be jeopardised.

[Shpox]

[Purt]

I think I missed something. What did he do?

Thumped one of the Argos Shimano riders with his shoulder and knocked him off his bike. Totally unnecessary.

From what I saw they both rode into each other. Argos guy veered right, cav went left. Both were at fault.

[jcjordan]

I think I missed something. What did he do?

Thumped one of the Argos Shimano riders with his shoulder and knocked him off his bike. Totally unnecessary.

From what I saw they both rode into each other. Argos guy veered right, cav went left. Both were at fault.

What most don't see as the repeats of the crash are a bit short is that the corner was going left which is why Cavendish was moving in that direction. The Argos rider drifting right was actually not lye line of the sprint.

That being said think that the nudge was intentional but most likely a bit harder than expected.

At the end of the day the Commissary have called no foul and therefore all the internet discussion while interesting does not mean squat.

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[roller]

Well I'm Lyon.

if you happen to be in lyon for a few days and you get an opportunity:

http://www.bocuse.fr/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

do not hesitate!

have a fantastic trip, very jealous. good luck on the climbs, i'm sure you'll be fine.

[ohexploitable]

who here believes that froome is clean?

[bigfriendlyvegan]

who here believes that froome is clean?

Well, he'd be a bit dirty and sweaty at the end of the rides each day, but I believe there are showers on the bus, and they're not that far from their hotels. It's important to maintain good hygiene during these tours. Saddle sores can really affect you. Staying clean is therefore very important.

[ozdavo]

OGE sprint train always seems to go way early!?!


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[AUbicycles]

Yeah Kittel - got him on the line.

Hope everyone in the crashes are ok.

[Shpox]

OGE sprint train always seems to go way early!?!

Yeah don't get this. 3-4km is way too early unless there's an early crash. Omega timed it really well, almost perfectly for the leadout and they only came to the front when OGE faded. I honestly don't see anything coming from Goss anytime soon. I don't think its bad luck at all. They need to listen to Robbie for a strong lead-out instead of trying to strategically deliver him to another wheel of another team (LB) perfectly.

Cav's ego is definitely hurting now.

[ozdavo]

Perfect lead out and Cav shows he's human.

Now flick back to the cricket and England are 2/15 still 50 behind

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[toolonglegs]

Well I'm Lyon. Hopefully in a couple of days I can start posting some photos from le Tour. On the taxi in from the airport we saw where they are setting up for the finish of stage 14. It's just across the river Rhone not far from our hotel.

Having never travelled before this is a new experience. No way would I attempt to drive in France. It's hard enough getting used to everyone driving on the right side of the road, but it appears that indicating to change lanes is optional, the lanes are much narrower, and cyclists don't appear to follow many rules (more likely I'm just on aware of them). Helmets are optional, my guess are those not wearing helmets are locals and those wearing helmets are tourists.

We had one interesting encounter on the drive in from the airport to Lyon. The airport is situated about 25 miles outside of Lyon, and the route in to Lyon passes through some agricultural areas. Our taxi was fast approaching a slow moving tractor and plough heading in the same direction when the oncoming traffic all moved over to the right without slowing down allowing us the overtake the machinery on the wrong side of the road without slowing down.

Hope you didn't pay too much for the taxi ... Because you were taken the scenic route ... Funnily I was sitting on the train yesterday from Lyon to Milan and got taking to an old couple across the isle, they turned out to be from my town in NZ, they asked if I thought they had been ripped off in Paris, they payed 120€ from gate de Lyon to Montparnesse...should of cost 15-20€

[briztoon]

55 Euros to the Sofitel Bellecour. Seeing as the airport is so far out town we wondered how much it was going to cost.

Unfortunately we're on a planned tour group where restaurants have been chosen for the group.

Day one contains more hill climbing than I've down in my entire (brief as it is) cycling career to date. And it's the easy day. They only get higher and steeper after that. Mount Ventoux, Mount Ventoux again, the village of Gap and Col de Manse, Col du Galibier, Alp d"Huez, Col du Glandon, then the Champs Elysees.

So the only flat day is over the the pave stones of Paris. And of course it will be just be on town bikes, and not our road bikes.

A few of the tour group have arrived early. So good to find some fellow Aussies.

[RonK]

No doubt the OPQ team would have gotten yet another bollicking in the team bus.

[Zynster]

Has Cav lost his edge? I wouldn't have thought anyone could have beaten him from that position in the past.
And it was Impey in the final. He got 6th. What has happened to Goss?

[MichaelB]

Another win by Kittel.

He has now single handedly (with the help of team mates), more than doubled the Argos teams UCI points haul with his three wins !!!!

Who gets the UCI WT licences next year will be interesting !!!

[biker jk]

who here believes that froome is clean?

Well, he'd be a bit dirty and sweaty at the end of the rides each day, but I believe there are showers on the bus, and they're not that far from their hotels. It's important to maintain good hygiene during these tours. Saddle sores can really affect you. Staying clean is therefore very important.

I guess that's why Sky hired known doping doctor Leinders - for the saddle sores (well that's what they claimed).

[sogood]

OGE sprint train always seems to go way early!?!

When they don't have the same fire power, they can only go early. Once the high end teams cranks up, no one can stop them.

[MarkG]

Has Cav lost his edge? I wouldn't have thought anyone could have beaten him from that position in the past.
And it was Impey in the final. He got 6th. What has happened to Goss?

Nothing has happened to Goss .. he's a great sprinter, but suited as part of a lead out like Renshaw and nothing more.

He's not in the same tier as Cav, Greipel and Kittel and its only the Aussie OGE fans who seem to think otherwise and seem intent on saying he's just had bad luck.. what, for two years?

[MichaelB]

And now Sky have lost EBH as well !!

Thats two key teammates gone, will hurt Froome this weekend !!!

[sogood]

And now Sky have lost EBH as well !!
Thats two key teammates gone, will hurt Froome this weekend !!!

I hope this year's Tour will be more exciting than last year's and not a foregone conclusion. Prove Froome being human will also clear all the doping speculations out there.

[im_no_pro]

Has Cav lost his edge? I wouldn't have thought anyone could have beaten him from that position in the past.
And it was Impey in the final. He got 6th. What has happened to Goss?

Was held up by the crash from what I read this morning, havent seen the stage yet. Agree that he's a little short of kittel/cav/gorilla

[philip]

Prove Froome being human will also clear all the doping speculations out there.

I don't think so.. still won't change the fact that he had a magical transformation in 2011 and has already performed the way he has.

Also the peleton seem to be making some noises, not sure much can be read into it but in the past couple of days there's been Valverde saying "there's Froome and then there's everyone else", Contador saying "All the riders were very surprised that Chris Froome got so close to Tony Martin in the ITT". And also Rasmussen saying "It's crazy. And I'll just repeat - Chris Froome has had a remarkably short career at the highest level. So I do not quite know what to think about this. It looks ugly"

[sogood]

I don't think so.. still won't change the fact that he had a magical transformation in 2011 and has already performed the way he has.

Probably not totally. But without taking the crown, people will be less likely to make a big deal out of it.