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Le Tour 2017 - who'll be mellow in yellow?


Bud the Baker

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Starting it early with the news that Jakob Fuglsang has won this year's Critérium du Dauphiné with a stunning final stage to take him past Richie Porte with Chris Froome in fourth overall. Froome's three Tour wins have come on the back of winning this "warm up". I still think he should be considered favourite for the big one but maybe he'll be stretched more than he was last year.

Edit - I see Froome's tipping Porte for Le Tour..................

 

Critérium du Dauphiné 2017

1. FUGLSANG J. AST 29h 05' 54''
2. PORTE R. BMC 00' 10''
3. MARTIN D. QST 01' 32''
4. FROOME C. SKY 01' 33''
5. ARU F. AST 01' 37''
6. BARDET R. ALM 02' 04''
7. BUCHMANN E. BOH

02' 32''                             

Edited by Bud the Baker
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I still think Froome is the favourite , barring a clamity, but it is bound to be close between him and Richie Porte . Porte is still strong in the mountains but I think Froome would edge it against most in the ITT. .

 

Who was the last Dane to win Le Tour anyway . .oh yeh I remember , no wait , did that one get scratched . .^_^

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Guest TPAFKATS
I doubt Porte will win. His team isn't strong enough and he usually has one bad day.

 

As for Froome, it will depend on what concoction of TUE drugs he takes and also what is in the SKY jiffy bag this year. Some proper bike checks could hamper him too... ????

 

 

Oooh, controversial on sky & Froome!!!

Personally, I think it's great that so many asthmatics get to compete at the top in cycling, swimming, athletics etc. It's very inclusive.

 

I'd agree Porte doesn't appear to have a strong enough group to carry him along. Not sure many other teams have either.

I'd like to see Movistar go with two team principals (Valverde & Quintana) to keep their options open. Other than that, I'm struggling to see who will challenge over the whole 3 weeks.

Can't see the French getting better than a podium.

 

I'll go out on a limb though and predict Sagan for Green Jersey winner!

 

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5 hours ago, Irate-Pirate said:

I doubt Porte will win. His team isn't strong enough and he usually has one bad day.

As for Froome, it will depend on what concoction of TUE drugs he takes and also what is in the SKY jiffy bag this year. Some proper bike checks could hamper him too... 
 

Maybe they could get you to check Froome's bike . .

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23 hours ago, TPAFKATS said:

Oooh, controversial on sky & Froome!!!

Personally, I think it's great that so many asthmatics get to compete at the top in cycling, swimming, athletics etc. It's very inclusive.

 

I'd agree Porte doesn't appear to have a strong enough group to carry him along. Not sure many other teams have either.

I'd like to see Movistar go with two team principals (Valverde & Quintana) to keep their options open. Other than that, I'm struggling to see who will challenge over the whole 3 weeks.

Can't see the French getting better than a podium.

 

I'll go out on a limb though and predict Sagan for Green Jersey winner!

 

Yeah these days the peloton doesn't whizz by, it wheezes................ 

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Personally I couldn't give a monkeys for cycle racing... Except for the fact it takes up road space when I am trying to get from one job to another.

Emergency call out yesterday morning through in Stirling. I'm on my way there and am, along with other commuters, stuck behind the tail end of some road race on the busy A81. Feck me. I don't mind people deciding to use bikes for commuting to and from places but, as far as racing is concerned, keep it off the road!

I don't drive on the velodrome!

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Personally I couldn't give a monkeys for cycle racing... Except for the fact it takes up road space when I am trying to get from one job to another.
Emergency call out yesterday morning through in Stirling. I'm on my way there and am, along with other commuters, stuck behind the tail end of some road race on the busy A81. Feck me. I don't mind people deciding to use bikes for commuting to and from places but, as far as racing is concerned, keep it off the road!
I don't drive on the velodrome!

Hope you didn't have to go to the centre of Stirling today then or there would be smoke coming out your ears. [emoji2]
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  • 2 weeks later...

Two days to go & my opinion hasn't changed much from the opening post.

Froome - A bit off top form in Le Dauphine he should still be classed as favourite IMO with the mighty, mighty SkyTeam at his disposal although there's not as much ITT as he'd like. (Top 2)

Porte -  Despite being in better form than his ex-leader Froome I don't reckon he's got the class to do it over three weeks. (3rd - 6th)

Quintana - Can't see him being as sharp as he'd need to be having competed in the Giro & it'll also scupper his chances in La Vuelta. Gonna make a bold prediction that he'll win one of the mountains stages  (Top 10)

**********

Outsiders

Fuglsang - In form having won Le Dauphine but one Top 10 finish in a Grand Tour seems to indicate he won't go the distance. His chances could be complicated (& vice-versa) by having Aru in his team.

Contador - What's Berti's doctor got up his sleeve? I doubt it'll be enough to power him to another major but he's always worth watching and he may have a big influence on what happens. (Top 10)

Bardet - Finished 2nd last year although he was never in contention for first which probably helped him. 26-y-o now & seems to have focussed on this race - well worth a punt as a dark horse. (Top 5)

*******************

Other issues

Green Jersey - Sagan - who else?

Cavendish - Could he win a couple of the early flatstages?

Adam Hansen - Competing in his 18th Grand Tour in a row, must've cycled to the moon & back by now  - 95th! :clapping

 

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Gerraint Thomas posts a great time 16:04 - currently in the lead but with Froome still to come.

Valverde out!

Poorish time for Porte 16:51

Froome 16:16 - 5th but 30-odd seconds ahead of the other GC contenders.

**************

Once again Sky looking immensely strong (unbeatable?) with 4 in the top 10.

Edited by Bud the Baker
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12 hours ago, saintnextlifetime said:

Had another look at the crash , at that speed it was fortunate that no one got injured badly . .

Hopefully Cav' will be incontention soon. .

He got in the mix at the end yesterday, but since he was so unwell, so recently, it's hard to see him being in contention, sadly.  He was his painfully honest self as usual yesterday, after the race, saying he had to think his way into that position and that he knew he didn't have the usual "brute force" to push through to the front.

On the plus side for him, mah wummin thinks he's "remarkably cute" with " the loveliest long eyelashes" and a nice smile....

and SHE is the one who is the more serious cyclist from Oor Hoose....

 

i suggested she she was talking bollox sexist crap. :rolleyes:

Edited by antrin
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7 minutes ago, antrin said:

He got in the mix at the end yesterday, but since he was so unwell, so recently, it's hard to see him being in contention, sadly.  He was painfully honest self as usual yesterday, after the race, saying he had to think his way into that position and that he knew he didn't have the usual "brute force" to push through to the front.

On the plus side for him, mah wummin thinks he's "remarkably cute" with " the loveliest long eyelashes" and a nice smile....

and SHE is the one who is the more serious cyclist from Oor Hoose....

 

i suggested she she was talking bollox sexist crap. :rolleyes:

Wee Cav' is spoken for , tell her that .  I reckon wee Cav' will get back into contention given his resilience as he has really done well just to be in the Tour this year . .

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Couple of BIG crashes in the final Km of this, today..

Cav going for broke to be first over the line.... in the last 100m  battered himself against the side barriers - before bouncing back to crash down.

fear of a collarbone crack from the commentary...

In the seconds-earlier general crash, the Mellow Yellow Geraint went down but looked unharmed, wheeling into the finish....

 

Quite exciting - certainly dramatic.

 

The first Advert in the next break was...

"if you've been involved in an accident, for a free consultation..."

 

 

ETA

Looks like Sagan elbowed Cav out.

Sagan holding his line which was being squeezed with Breitel slipping...

 

 

hmmm

Cav's hand all bandaged up.  shoulder hurt at least... 

Also Geraint is ok  blood /bruises on upper left arm seems fine.

Edited by antrin
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Guest TPAFKATS

Sagan eliminated from the race!
Although I'm sure his team will appeal. I've not seen it properly yet, think Sagan in the wrong but a disqualification is a bit harsh?

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