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Tour de France 2019

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The race for the Mailot Jaune, that's a good enough Norwich link isn't it?!

Anyone interested? A beautiful stage is underway in the Vosges mountains in eastern France today, culminating in a mountain top finish on La Planch des Belles Filles. It will be the first major battle for the GC contenders and should produce some drama. 

I fancy Pinot and Dan Martin to go well today. 

 

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Huge stage today, Team Ineos are downplaying it but this could set the tone for the Bernal/Thomas leadership battle.

Given that they refused to commit to Thomas last year when he put time into Froome early doors, you would have to say Thomas will be livid if they back Bernal if he puts a bit of time into Thomas today. Judging from how Bernal looked in Switzerland, I'd fancy him to do exactly that today.

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4 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Anyone hazard a guess when the first positive drug test will be announced ? 

A bit harsh. Cycling has really cleaned its act up in the last few years. I'd argue the scrutiny it comes under in regard to this subject is heavily unbalanced when compared to other sports, including Football. Man City broke anti-doping rules three times last year, yet there isn't much interest in that. Had that been cycling a media storm would have erupted. Doping in boxing is much more prevalent and far more dangerous. But again, less interest and more tolerated.  

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Looking forward to Bernal kicking a55 today, but it won't happen as he will be shackled by Team tactics.

You can't win the Tour today, but you can lose it.

I would also like to see Dan Martin put on a show, but i'm guessing that most of the GC big hitters will just be trying not to lose any time rather than win the race.

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3 hours ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Anyone hazard a guess when the first positive drug test will be announced ? 

I love the Tour.  It's a good thing that asthmatics are given the opportunity to win a 'sporting' competition 

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Didn't see today's stage due to the Cricket but looking at the result, it is as you were really. So close still between the GC riders. Friday week could be the one to shake it up with an individual time trial. The rest of the Tour after that is pretty mountainous so the man in Jaune may well be set up nicely. Particularly if it is Thomas as he knows Bernal is a great climber and will ride for him.

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I expected Bernal to put time into Thomas but G looked strong today. If he hasn't quite slammed the door on Bernal's ambitions (he has them, despite what he says) he's certainly closed it on him. 

Still, looooads of climbing to come, but Thomas' odds will have taken a tumble today. 

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It’s been a good start this year, Froome not being there makes it more open and interesting. I did 24 miles this morning 😁

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As a keen cyclist delighted to see this thread. I'm a couple of stages to catch up on the old Sky Plus so not much to say at the moment. 

The absence of Froome and a few of others in a downward spiral of form this could be a very interesting Tour.

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Love the TdF, and hope G can win again, but this afternoon I was revelling in a cricketing masterclass over the Aussies instead.

looking forward to seeing what Bernal does in the coming days. 

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Apart from G, l was also impressed with how strong Alaphillipe was yesterday, but disappointed with Bardet who never seems to have enough team mates for that sort of climb. 

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I'm not a car owner since turning 60 and as a keen cyclist doing around 100 miles per week and subsequently my bit for the environment, I'm all for promoting cycling and Tour de France has been one of my favourite events for the past 15 years, and especially in recently years due to our  domination with the Sky team, now Ineos. The downside to this year is the loss of Chris Froome to a devastating accident, but at least it gives the other countries more of a chance.       

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1 hour ago, NWC said:

Apart from G, l was also impressed with how strong Alaphillipe was yesterday, but disappointed with Bardet who never seems to have enough team mates for that sort of climb. 

G was good, and sent a bit of a message to his own team, and in particular Bernal. Alaphilippe is a wonderful bike rider to watch, full of panache! It will be interesting to see how he approaches the rest of the race. The GC contenders are becoming wary of him, but I do feel he'll fall away in the high mountains. 

I thought the camera shots made some stunning pictures yesterday. It was a cracking stage, and continues the exciting start to the race. Most of the GC contenders are in tact, with the exception of Bardet and Nibali who lost significant time. 

 

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55 minutes ago, FenwayFrank said:

Just out of interest, has anyone been ? I’m tempted to do Paris on the last day

Yes I've been. Watched the tour on the Galibier and Izoard in 2017. I'm riding the etape du tour in 2 weeks time, and will again watch the tour roll through the alps afterwards. It's a fantastic experience. Personally the mountains are what make it for me, and I don't think I'd get the same feeling stood in Paris. But I haven't done that so can't be sure. But I'd really recommend taking in a mountain stage. 

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1 hour ago, FenwayFrank said:

Just out of interest, has anyone been ? I’m tempted to do Paris on the last day

I did Ventoux in 2016. Climbed it the day before with a mate of mine on hire bikes loaded with camping gear and wine. Got the best spot in the race,( just before the barriers) and had Chris Froome running a meter in front of me minus his bike after his famous crash.

As it was Bastille day, the French were on pints of Pastis from about 9.30 - amazing atmosphere - the beauty of TDF, you get to watch the elite riders in beautiful locations and a carnival atmosphere for free.

I am married with kids - but that is still the best day of my life!!! - don't tell the Mrs!! 🙂

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Pah!  They don't keep to the cycle lanes, they're all over the bloody road - just like Magdalen Street. 😡

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The only thing worth watching cycling for is the scenery, when the camera ever accidentally shows it instead of the rear end of some lycra covered drug filled cyclist.  They have several "tour" races up here every year....it closes roads and stops people going about their daily business and causes annoyance to many.    "Spoilsport" they say....well that could apply to the myriad of cyclists who ride around up here who show no road sense, no common sense, no hand signals, no courtesy to other road uses, no marbles.....and the girl/woman I saw on a bike the other day who rode straight across a busy junction texting and not even looking where she was going is lucky to be alive.....if she still is. 

I could go on....ok, I will....I was in Pately Bridge in Yorkshire the other week (where cycling is a religion thaa knows) and was about to cross a busy main street only to witness a cyclist hurtling down a hill at what must have been well over 30 miles an hour and who was yelling at everyone to get out of his way....plainly out of control and making no attempt to slow down....what a t*sser.....sums up many cyclists unfortunately.  Maybe the few let the majority down, I don't know, but it is amazing how often you see a cyclist and they are doing something careless, ignorant or just plain stupid.

 

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27 minutes ago, lappinitup said:

Pah!  They don't keep to the cycle lanes, they're all over the bloody road - just like Magdalen Street. 😡

I cycled down POW Road yesterday afternoon and there was actually a group of well over 3 dozen people ringing cow bells and shouting 'Oi oi oi oi oi' at me as I cycled past them......well weird......Merckx me wonder what it was all about?......

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I've followed the TdF since the early 90

2 hours ago, FenwayFrank said:

Just out of interest, has anyone been ? I’m tempted to do Paris on the last day

I've followed the TdF since the late 80s-went to Les Gets in the French Alps in 2000 and saw Richard Virenque whizz by on his way to a stage win at Morzine. The town was buzzing with anticipation from about 7 am even though the race wasn't due to come through for 8 or 9 hours.

Then I went to the first and last stages of the 2007 race-the Prologue in London won by Fabian Cancellara and the procession in to Paris. The atmosphere in Paris was amazing, the Champs Elysees was packed about 10 deep on either side but everyone was very friendly.

Stage 5 of this year's Tour of Britain is going past my front door but unfortunately I'll be down south that week 🙄 

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Not off the little cog much down here in Cornwall. Whichever way I leave my house I have a categorised climb! And the potholes make a straight line impossible.

Did the Football to Amsterdam last year. Great event and well supported by many clubs. Only three of us Canaries which was disappointing but great to share a cabin with some Southend lads. Very sympathetic they were too when I came off in Holland and detached my collarbone! 

Electric cycles look good and clever but it is cheating and I am not getting one.

I would like to see Ineos put a sprinter into their line up. I think Cavendish and Viviani were the last real ones and I would like to see them more evident in the early part of the tour instead of Sagan.

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1 hour ago, lake district canary said:

The only thing worth watching cycling for is the scenery, when the camera ever accidentally shows it instead of the rear end of some lycra covered drug filled cyclist.  They have several "tour" races up here every year....it closes roads and stops people going about their daily business and causes annoyance to many.    "Spoilsport" they say....well that could apply to the myriad of cyclists who ride around up here who show no road sense, no common sense, no hand signals, no courtesy to other road uses, no marbles.....and the girl/woman I saw on a bike the other day who rode straight across a busy junction texting and not even looking where she was going is lucky to be alive.....if she still is. 

I could go on....ok, I will....I was in Pately Bridge in Yorkshire the other week (where cycling is a religion thaa knows) and was about to cross a busy main street only to witness a cyclist hurtling down a hill at what must have been well over 30 miles an hour and who was yelling at everyone to get out of his way....plainly out of control and making no attempt to slow down....what a t*sser.....sums up many cyclists unfortunately.  Maybe the few let the majority down, I don't know, but it is amazing how often you see a cyclist and they are doing something careless, ignorant or just plain stupid.

 

Jeremy Vine is doing a piece later on this afternoon about cyclists in the Lake District being sabotaged with tacks and wires.

 

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1 hour ago, lake district canary said:

The only thing worth watching cycling for is the scenery, when the camera ever accidentally shows it instead of the rear end of some lycra covered drug filled cyclist.  They have several "tour" races up here every year....it closes roads and stops people going about their daily business and causes annoyance to many.    "Spoilsport" they say....well that could apply to the myriad of cyclists who ride around up here who show no road sense, no common sense, no hand signals, no courtesy to other road uses, no marbles.....and the girl/woman I saw on a bike the other day who rode straight across a busy junction texting and not even looking where she was going is lucky to be alive.....if she still is. 

I could go on....ok, I will....I was in Pately Bridge in Yorkshire the other week (where cycling is a religion thaa knows) and was about to cross a busy main street only to witness a cyclist hurtling down a hill at what must have been well over 30 miles an hour and who was yelling at everyone to get out of his way....plainly out of control and making no attempt to slow down....what a t*sser.....sums up many cyclists unfortunately.  Maybe the few let the majority down, I don't know, but it is amazing how often you see a cyclist and they are doing something careless, ignorant or just plain stupid.

 

Jesus. Cognitive dissonance caused by the major inconvenience of having to cope with the occasional road closure.

"I don't know"

At least three of the words of your diatribe are reflective of reality.

It amazes me how riled people get about cyclists because they once saw one texting whilst riding or sometimes see them go on the pavement (often to the inconvenience of no one, but some motorists, which the vast majority of cyclists are too, seem to think that because they have to sit in traffic so should cyclists) yet they don't have any issue with cars and their drivers, who actually kill people on a near daily basis, text whilst in control of their vehicle far, far, far more often than cyclists and contribute to the declining quality of air that is linked with increases in all kinds of fatal illnesses.

No, best to get hot under the collar because a man on a bike told you to watch out once.

I mean, what is the mindset of a person who sees a thread titled "Tour de France" and thinks, "Yes, I'm going to click on that and type out two inane paragraphs about how I hate cycling and cyclists".

Edited by canarydan23
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18 minutes ago, Mr Angry said:

Jeremy Vine is doing a piece later on this afternoon about cyclists in the Lake District being sabotaged with tacks and wires.

 

That happened on a Sportive around my way a couple of years ago (North Wales) - should be charged with criminal damage at least!

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