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

['Dale]

I want Froome to remain in yellow in Paris but I would really love to see Saxo and Movistar break Sky today

 

 

.........................and Froome to move to other team next year

 

Ek laaik jou pos

[Christie]

Perhaps best for Sky to let a big break of 20 or so crazy Frenchmen like Voeckler go (he is about 1h30 behind), give them 40 min or so, and let the othe gc contenders chase if they want the win. Froome can afford to let Valverde and Schleck go on the climb, has to focus on the Belkin and Saxo duos. I think he is going to put them to the sword today, though. Attack may be the best form of defence in this case. Froome is the strongest climber in the race, I think he has not played all his cards.

['Dale]

Whatever attacking move that Froome Dawg will make will be at great risk WITHOUT his team.

 

Probable 5 kays out only will we witness his praying mantis dance on the pedals, depending on the race scenario.

 

GO FROOME

GO NAIRO

Edited July 14, 2013 by ' Dale

[tombeej]

Going to be hot today...

 

PHILIPPE GILBERT ‏@PhilippeGilbert15h

Tomorrow 242 km . With mont ventoux, and 32 to 34 degrés! Just that after 2 weeks.

[tombeej]

Huge crowds expected on the Giant...

 

Andrew Hood ‏@EuroHoody17h

Media reports that 1 million fans are converging on Mont Ventoux ... Bastille Day on Ventoux should be bonkers @nealrogers

[Brian Fantana]

If I had to come up with a nickname for Froome, it will be TinTin:

 

 

But jokes aside, what a rider. Really hope he delivers the goods today and keep that yellow all the way to Paris!

[tombeej]

David Millar: "Ventoux is always scary. It's going to be horrible for everyone."

 

Chris Froome: "A lot of people have reason to attack now. A lot of people spent energy in the last couple of days so it will be an interesting one."

 

Alberto Contador: "The first time I climbed it, my heart almost came out of my mouth. The first part is a steep slope. The second part is exposed to a lot of wind, mainly blowing toward you. If you have a bad day on this climb you can lose a lot of minutes."

 

Michal Kwiatkowski: "It's such a legendary mountain. I'm a little bit scared about it."

[Vetseun]

David Millar: "Ventoux is always scary. It's going to be horrible for everyone."

 

Chris Froome: "A lot of people have reason to attack now. A lot of people spent energy in the last couple of days so it will be an interesting one."

 

Alberto Contador: "The first time I climbed it, my heart almost came out of my mouth. The first part is a steep slope. The second part is exposed to a lot of wind, mainly blowing toward you. If you have a bad day on this climb you can lose a lot of minutes."

 

Michal Kwiatkowski: "It's such a legendary mountain. I'm a little bit scared about it."

So they are human after all.

[Vetseun]

Hope Andy will be one of the contenders today

Cmon Andy!!! Make your critics eat humble pie.

[jamiecanter]

David Millar: "Ventoux is always scary. It's going to be horrible for everyone."

 

Chris Froome: "A lot of people have reason to attack now. A lot of people spent energy in the last couple of days so it will be an interesting one."

 

Alberto Contador: "The first time I climbed it, my heart almost came out of my mouth. The first part is a steep slope. The second part is exposed to a lot of wind, mainly blowing toward you. If you have a bad day on this climb you can lose a lot of minutes."

 

Michal Kwiatkowski: "It's such a legendary mountain. I'm a little bit scared about it."

 

Sounds like they are talking about Vissershok when the south easter is blowing

 

Daryl is in the breakaway

Edited July 14, 2013 by jamiecanter

[Chro Mo]

is any site streaming now?

 

everything on cyclingfans seems to start at 2pm.

 

want to watch now!!!

[Chro Mo]

Cmon Andy!!! Make your critics eat humble pie.

he was in the second group on friday. so definitely some form.

 

he can dance up that mountain - but i think he will do better next year.

[tombeej]

So they are human after all.

 

Ja, unlike the bad old days where the top guys never had a bad day, these riders are more 'human' again. A rider might have a stormer today, but if they burnt too many matches, tomorrow the wheels could fall off.

 

So whose legs are going to fail them today? Nowhere to hide on that mountain. If you're slightly off you'll lose lots of time.

Edited July 14, 2013 by tombeej

[Hilton.]

What time does the DSTV coverage start?

 

I'm in a place that I don't have access to the remote to check the info.

[udxcob]

1:30 or so

[tombeej]

The curse of the second-placed cyclist

 

By Richie Porte

13 July 2013

 

I'm starting to think second place on the Tour de France general classification this year might be cursed.

 

Three riders who have held that position since the Tour began in Corsica last Saturday week have since been put out of the race.

 

One of them, my Norwegian teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), who was placed second overall through stages 6 and 7 before I took over the position on stage 8 to Ax 3 Domaines, has been literally put out of the race due to injuries from his crash late in Thursday's 13th stage.

 

I fell from second at 51 seconds to my teammate and race leader Chris Froome to 33rd place on stage 9 to Bagneres de Bigorre when Movistar and Saxo-Tinkoff drove the pace after I was dropped following an attack on the first major climb by Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

 

Then on Friday, Valverde dropped from second place at 3mins 25secs to 16th at 12mins 10secs, after he had a mechanical problem and was never able to rejoin the key group of overall contenders that had been split courtesy of some quick thinking and hard riding by several teams.

 

It may be worth keeping an eye on Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Belkin) who is now sitting second.

 

This Tour is really producing some surprises though and, with the third and hardest week still to come, I reckon we're in store for more.

 

Obviously, Friday was not a great day for us with 'Froomey' losing some time, but hats off to Saxo-Tinkoff for their move with about 32km to go in the cross winds. They were really well organised, had strength in numbers and made best use of the conditions and opportunity that arose.

 

And yes, we didn't have the numbers. I lost contact with about 40km to go and obviously, in hindsight, I was needed by my team; but in the back of my mind I was thinking my job is next week in the mountains. To be honest, I also didn't expect what happened in the end to happen.

 

It was a little disappointing because I made that first split and that is the hardest one to make. But from there it just never really stopped racing.

 

And yes ... we are lucky once more that Chris is Chris and he didn't lose too much time to his rivals when it could have been disastrous.

 

Typically, he was still in good spirits when he got back to the hotel – long after us from all his post stage podium protocols and media commitments.

 

He is as fit as a fiddle, feels fresh and is looking forward to getting into the big mountains, the first of which is Mont Ventoux on Sunday.

 

Sunday, stage 15, will be a big day. We are up for it. We will have to be. And with it being Bastille Day, I'm sure every Frenchman will be up for it too.

 

Maybe Saxo-Tinkoff will be pretty tired after their efforts on Friday? I know you can't bank on that, but you can hope. We will find out soon enough.

 

Either way, by Sunday night, the challenge for every rider and team in the last week that includes the Alps and another time trial will be much clearer.