The 100th Edition Of The Tour de France: Chirps, Opinions, News, Updates.

['Dale]

A high-speed training crash took down three riders of the Astana Tour de France squad on Sunday. Team captain Jakob Fuglsang is expected to resume training again later this week, but Andrei Grivko and Assan Bazayev are apparently injured severely enough to miss the Tour.

 

The trio, Fuglsang, Grivko and Bazayev "crashed together on a right turn during a high-speed descent," the team said. The other riders were able to stop in time.

 

From cyclingnews

['Dale]

Surprising bit of trivia

 

“I’d like to wear the yellow jersey after the first stage in Corsica. It’s the only one of the three grand tours where I haven’t worn the leader’s jersey, so I’d like to do that,”

 

Cavendish

 

['Dale]

 

OPQS for the 100th Tour de France: Mark Cavendish, Sylvain Chavanel, Michal Kwiatkowski, Tony Martin, Jerome Pineau, Gert Steegmans, Niki Terpstra, Matteo Trentin, Peter Velits.

 

. We are an example of the globalization of cycling, and have already proven that such diversity can come together as a cohesive unit. We missed the victory at the Tour in the last few years. We really want to go for it and then see on the road day-by-day what kind of opportunities we can have."

 

 

 

['Dale]

OPQS looks formidable.

Phew phew

[sarover]

I think Movistar are dark horses for the TTT. Also, Quintana thrashed Porte earlier this year at an ITT.

 

Froome will be the favorite and will probably dominate the 1St week, but at the Vuelta 2012 he panicked, attacked arrogantly and was cracked badly over three weeks by Valverde, Rodriguez and Contador... When many attack simultaneously, Sky lose.. Happened at the Vuelta and Olympic road race

['Dale]

I think Movistar are dark horses for the TTT. Also, Quintana thrashed Porte earlier this year at an ITT.

 

Froome will be the favorite and will probably dominate the 1St week, but at the Vuelta 2012 he panicked, attacked arrogantly and was cracked badly over three weeks by Valverde, Rodriguez and Contador... When many attack simultaneously, Sky lose.. Happened at the Vuelta and Olympic road race

 

I think so too.

They've come along in leaps and bounds for a relatively new team.

 

Less then 2 weeks to go!

['Dale]

“It’s clear that for the general classification, the leader is Pierre Rolland as he’s finished eighth and tenth in the last two Tours... “As for me, I’ll have a free role. I think I’ve achieved everything within my capabilities at the Tour de France. I don’t have a fixed objective but I’m not ruling anything out either.”

 

Tommi Voeckler, on team roles at Europcar

[Cippo]

Some appetisers on DSTV.

 

Friday SS5, 19:00, 100 yrs of TDF part 1, 21:30, 100 yrs of TDF part 2. Repeats on Saturday morning 9:30 and 10:30.

[rudi-h]

so why is A Schleck in the top 10? only thing i'll bet on him is if he attempts the lanterne rouge

[Wez-O]

OPQS for the 100th Tour de France: Mark Cavendish, Sylvain Chavanel, Michal Kwiatkowski, Tony Martin, Jerome Pineau, Gert Steegmans, Niki Terpstra, Matteo Trentin, Peter Velits.

 

. We are an example of the globalization of cycling, and have already proven that such diversity can come together as a cohesive unit. We missed the victory at the Tour in the last few years. We really want to go for it and then see on the road day-by-day what kind of opportunities we can have."

That looks like a TTT winning team right there... Although the Skyborgs and Movistar could throw a spanner in the Quickstep works.

[nochain]

so why is A Schleck in the top 10? only thing i'll bet on him is if he attempts the lanterne rouge

Talk about betting,odds according to procycling mag.

 

Evans 25/1

Rodriguez 14/1

Valverde 33/1

Froome 6/5

Contador 9/4

 

I would put some money on Rodriguez and Valverde if you ask me.

Especially Valverde because he has a very strong team and some amazing climbers like Costa and Quintana backing him!

 

[nochain]

I think Movistar are dark horses for the TTT. Also, Quintana thrashed Porte earlier this year at an ITT.

 

Froome will be the favorite and will probably dominate the 1St week, but at the Vuelta 2012 he panicked, attacked arrogantly and was cracked badly over three weeks by Valverde, Rodriguez and Contador... When many attack simultaneously, Sky lose.. Happened at the Vuelta and Olympic road race

 

Agree Movistar will be very strong,I also think Contador will have the strongest backing this year he has ever had.

With Rodgers and Kreuziger he has some serious backing!!

 

The only reason Froome cracked in the 3rd week is because he has been racing straight for 4 months supporting Wiggens and helping him win just about everything there was to win.He came second in the tour then did the Olympics and had to be at the start line for the Vuelta couple weeks later....no rider will be able to handle that load and then take on 3 of the best riders with fresh legs.

 

I don't see a Sky cracking the likes of Costa,Quintana,Rogers and Kreuziger and having it all their own way.It will be much different than last year with stronger GC guys and stronger support riders.

Edited June 18, 2013 by nochain

['Dale]

so why is A Schleck in the top 10? only thing i'll bet on him is if he attempts the lanterne rouge

 

 

[nochain]

 

 

 

Hehe,I would love for Andy to surprise everybody but I don't think that will happen unfortunately......

['Dale]

Thank heavens for the Giro d'Italia. Not my words, but surely what Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford was thinking to himself midway through last week, as his two team leaders continued their Cold War from two outposts which seem to symbolize the unbridgeable gulf between them: Wigan for Bradley Wiggins and Monte Carlo for Chris Froome.

READ MORE HERE

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/opinion-froome-dog-top-dog

['Dale]

Hehe,I would love for Andy to surprise everybody but I don't think that will happen unfortunately......

 

I wonder if he'll ever regain his form as a GT contender.

Wonder what is going on between his ears.