2017 Tour de France

[Derny Driver]

As a side note, I got the obligatory TdF guide published by Ride....|

Is the review of my book 'SixDayMan' in there Michael?

[biker jk]

Not a bad TdF team announced by BMC. Good news that TvG is missing. Caruso is in good climbing form although I'm not convinced Roche will be with Richie when it matters on the mountain stages

Damiano Caruso (Ita), Alessandro De Marchi (Ita), Stefan Küng (Swi), Amaël Moinard (Fra), Richie Porte (Aus), Nicolas Roche (Irl), Michael Schär (Swi), Greg Van Avermaet (Bel), Danilo Wyss (Swi).

[MichaelB]

As a side note, I got the obligatory TdF guide published by Ride....|

Is the review of my book 'SixDayMan' in there Michael?

NI - haven't had a real good look yet. That tends to be the stuff I gloss over, but will have a look.

[Chuck]

Bardet is the token french hope.

The "token french hope" finished second last year.

[Cardy George]

It was awhile back now but a young semi-pro by the name of Arthur Vichot was championed by a group of Adelaideians. Not saying he's gonna win but IIRC he got up for a stage win last year. Hopefully he can repeat.

As for the rest, I just want a bit of passion to come back. Sport Science has it's place, but I don't make a special effort to watch The Tour to see skinny blokes staring at their handle bars........

[find_bruce]

Bardet is the token french hope.

The "token french hope" finished second last year.

Sure he did - 4 minutes back. He may be good enough for the podium again this year, but I can't see him winning

[fat and old]

Teams slowly being announced

Fatancur is listed for Movistar. Will this be the year he pays off Unzue for the lifeline extended? Incredible potential that just didn't happen. Cavendish has been thrown a bone too. I think it would be a great shame to see a sook of his calibre take the record off Merckx....but I'm probably on my lonesome there. However....seeing as how Bouhanni still hasn't managed to injure himself or punch anyone out and looks a starter, I'd rather see Cav win than him. Or even Degenkolb. Man, it's a race to the bottom with the sprinters these days Thank God for Greipel

[MichaelB]

Give Naser (sp?) a chance. A few days left ....

Re CAV and Merckx record - it may be same number of wins, but they are nowhere near comparable.

[RonK]

Cavendish has been thrown a bone too. I think it would be a great shame to see a sook of his calibre take the record off Merckx....but I'm probably on my lonesome there.

No, you are not.

Thank God for Greipel

Amen to that.

[RonK]

Adam Hansen confirmed. Seems the injury he sustained in the Giro was not serious...

Hansen's Grand Tour run continues despite crash

[MichaelB]

Adam Hansen confirmed. Seems the injury he sustained in the Giro was not serious...

Hansen's Grand Tour run continues despite crash

Great news. Hope he gets a stage win !!

[RonK]

It's like the old AFL retort - I'm barracking for whoever is beating Collingwood.

But perhaps you been under a rock while the Wiggings/Sky/British Cycling controversy has raged.

Yeah I pretty much exist under rocks these days

It's a shame the taint of drugs spoils the memories of the Armstrong/Pantani/Ulrich era, watching Lance et all attack each other up the climbs was great sporting theatre and is what got me hooked on watching the TDF. Nowadays it all seems far less exciting.

For those who have been dwelling under a rock, a reminder...

Strong and stable? Dave Brailsford's year of saying nothing

Brailsford: I'm going nowhere

[Cardy George]

Strong and stable? Dave Brailsford's year of saying nothing

Interesting read, it's not too far removed from the bad old days. Smacks of "Professional Foul" mentality. Doesn't help me like them.

[MichaelB]

Anyone know when the SBS TdF tracker updates ?

[RonK]

It just did.

[MichaelB]

It just did.

Yep, and now you need an account. Data, data, data and advertising ....

[MichaelB]

It's started !!

And then GG comes on ......

Almost as annoying as Frank Walker from National Tiles ....

[fat and old]

I waited for the Eurosport replay on YouTube rather than put up with Keenan....

What a bummer of a result.

[singlespeedscott]

I waited for the Eurosport replay on YouTube rather than put up with Keenan....

What a bummer of a result.

Love Keenan and Robbie. Can't handle Kelly (I think it's him in Eurosport).

An interesting prologue. Froome has put it out there. I guess he had to based on Richie's form. Watching poor old Valverde's crash was sickening.

[biker jk]

Well that was carnage. Several teams' chances have taken a blow thanks to crashes. Valverde, Roche, Durbridge. Apparently, Simon Clarke was almost taken out by an out of control motorcycle. Perhaps Dusseldorf (average of 15 rain days in July) was not the best location for the time trial?

[mikesbytes]

Alejandro Valverde was #2 in his team. On the telecast they were saying broken leg but I see its a broken kneecap and broken ankle

In hindsight they should of had padding on that barrier, a number of riders hit it. Not blaming the organisers

[Marx]

Hindsight is a bitch.


Durbridge's crash, not aired on the tele.
https://youtu.be/DnZXV6hbB68

[biker jk]

Alejandro Valverde was #2 in his team. On the telecast they were saying broken leg but I see its a broken kneecap and broken ankle

In hindsight they should of had padding on that barrier, a number of riders hit it. Not blaming the organisers

Izagirre and Durbridge crashed on the same corner. I did see padding at another corner.

[RonK]

Alejandro Valverde was #2 in his team. On the telecast they were saying broken leg but I see its a broken kneecap and broken ankle

In hindsight they should of had padding on that barrier, a number of riders hit it. Not blaming the organisers

Izagirre and Durbridge crashed on the same corner. I did see padding at another corner.

Groenewegen was the first to crash there.

Izagirre was #1 for his team and is out with a lumbar fracture.

The weather was predicted well in advance, so it's inexcusable that on such a technical course the corners were not better protected.

[biker jk]

Alejandro Valverde was #2 in his team. On the telecast they were saying broken leg but I see its a broken kneecap and broken ankle

In hindsight they should of had padding on that barrier, a number of riders hit it. Not blaming the organisers

Izagirre and Durbridge crashed on the same corner. I did see padding at another corner.

Groenewegen was the first to crash there.

Izagirre was #1 for his team and is out with a lumbar fracture.

The weather was predicted well in advance, so it's inexcusable that on such a technical course the corners were not better protected.

Don't disagree about the need for padding but just heard that a motor bike had crashed on that corner and dropped oil on the road.