Riding a bike is easy.
Racing one for 3 weeks straight is hard.
Pound for pound, these TDF riders are the toughest guys around.
Racing one for 3 weeks straight is hard.
Pound for pound, these TDF riders are the toughest guys around.
OT: 2017 Tour de France
- Thread starter Hungry Jack
- Start date
I have to admit I'm addicted to this event. Every year after more drug revelations come out I swear "no mas". But come July 1 I'm glued to Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett on whatever channel the Tour is shown. I tape the 2 hour condensed version and then FF through the commercials. Cannot wait for the mountain stages to begin.
Wow. Brutal crash at the sprint for Cavendish. Looked like a pretty egregious elbow by Sagan, and Cav hits the pavement at 40 mph, and then a trailing rider unavoidably rides over his face. Awful.
I love the coverage because the views of the countryside are excellent. It's kinda like touring in your living room.
I followed the tour through southern France for a couple of weeks back in '05, and it was awesome. Beautiful country with (yes) nice people. Definitely something I want to do again soon.
Having watched the replay, no way should Sagan be thrown out. He threw an elbow at I think Greipal yesterday that was no worse than the one today. Dock him some time in the Green Jersey competition or something, but let him race.
And please don't post the results tomorrow!
You clearly are some type of anarchist who sees no value in law and order. Guys like you are dangerous threats to society. This isn't Illini athletics.
In a vacuum, you are totally correct. When taken in the context of how cycling operates, maybe not. Cavendish tried to squeeze into an area where there wasn't room. When that happens, cyclists elbow each other to keep safe room. It is standard practice. The Federation should address it overall, and not after a single incident that comes after years of acceptance.
Yeah. After seeing more reviews today the situation looks different from what I initially concluded. Cav was the first aggressor in that he tried to make room on Sagan's right, and then likely bumped Cav first. Sagan's elbow looked as much a balancing move or attempt to clear his arm as anything untoward.
Again, Sagan did exactly the identical move the day before when he won. If it was OK Monday it should have been OK Tuesday. Judges bowed to the emotion of the injury and deprived the cycling hardcores like me and Hungry of a great sprinter for the few remaining sprint stages.
Great finish today by the Italian guy.
I don't really think any two sprints are identical when it comes to assessing questionable actions. It's an impossible task for the committee to be exactly consistent when there are so many variables.
In the case of stage 4, which I did not see conclude, it sounds as if the judges applied "no harm no foul."
But when a rider of Cav's stature eats pavement and breaks bones, it is impossible for them not to respond. If the outcome was that bad, then something egregious must have occurred. They pinned it on Sagan. I get it.
In the case of stage 4, which I did not see conclude, it sounds as if the judges applied "no harm no foul."
But when a rider of Cav's stature eats pavement and breaks bones, it is impossible for them not to respond. If the outcome was that bad, then something egregious must have occurred. They pinned it on Sagan. I get it.
Absolutely brutal mountain stage on tap for Sunday. If you enjoy watching men in spandex suffer, tune in on NBC Sports.
The young Frenchman who won today was impressive. He rode though a cramp with about 3 miles left where he almost stopped riding. Good show for him.
Froome wins today, and quite easily. He is by far the best rider in the Tour this year, and Sky haven't been pushed at all in week 1.
Awful day. Porte hurt badly in a horrific crash.
Thomas also out. That's #2 and 5 in the GC at the start of today's stage. Brutal.
Porte out. Thomas out. Sagan DQed. Contador dropped. Quintana dropped. Aru recovering from Giro. Not many left to challenge Froome.
Thomas also out. That's #2 and 5 in the GC at the start of today's stage. Brutal.
Porte out. Thomas out. Sagan DQed. Contador dropped. Quintana dropped. Aru recovering from Giro. Not many left to challenge Froome.
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I was wrong about Froome, he was half a second from winning. Who knows if he didn't have to swap out bikes on the last climb, he was about to attack and used a lot of energy to rejoin the group.
Hate to see crashes. Porte looked really hurt badly when he slid across the road and hit the mountain.
They need the rest day tomorrow.
I think Froome let the mountains do most of the work today. Smart ride to play defense under such tough conditions.
Ports has a fractured pelvis and clavicle but should be ok. That crash was spectacular. Poor Dan Martin had no idea what hit him.
Ports has a fractured pelvis and clavicle but should be ok. That crash was spectacular. Poor Dan Martin had no idea what hit him.
Froome lost Gerant Thomas to a fractured clavicle on one of the descents. This is a big deal as Sky are now down 1 guy. Thomas was second in the GC. Tough break for the kid.
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