this has to be among the best ever [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QebN0zH3U-A[/video] awesome 😀

In recent times I reckon last years stage 18(?) with Schleck on the attack for 60k and Cuddles and Voeckler turning themselves inside out to catch him.

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RxTnLaH3gVA[/video]

Eros Poli on the Ventoux, 90kg lad breaking away and holding on.

While tainted Tyler Hamiltons breakaway to Bayonne was still awesome.

If we’re including tainted performances then Landis on stage 17. Quite a few of Pantanis rides would be up there too. Toxic now but pretty awsome at the time.

The 2011 stage 18 finish on the Galibier must be up there. Incredible to watch. (same one njee20 is talking about).

Final TT into Paris, ’89, Lemond retakes yellow on the final stage.

So much happened on that tour

Millar’s win last year was pretty special for lots of reasons

The greatest ever stage is quite an accolade though as there are loads of worthy contenders, the final ITT between Lemond vs Fignon, Pantani vs Armstrong, those big mountain stages where Virenque would sprint away etc but i guess it has to be a big mountain stage.

The 2010 Contador vs Schelck fight over a misty Tourmaulet was quite enjoyable even if Shcelck was a big girl about it all and blew his chances. Recently, Hushovd on stage 13 of the 2011 TdF was my favourite though. Climbing with the likes of Moncoutie and Roy, then dropping them on the descent!

All that will change in 2013 however as Voeckler turns himself inside out to win the summit finish on Ventoux on Bastille day, get your money down whilst the odds are long…

This still makes me throb slightly – just the thought of when I watched it unfold live sends shivers…

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXqQqAc2pA[/video]

Ah for me it’d be Stephen Roche dragging himself back up to finish the mountain top finish at La Plagne only a couple of seconds behind Pefro Delgado to save the yellow jersey. I think even Phil Liggett excelled himself that day too!

I know this is about The Tour but it is strange that when I think of great stage races from the last few years I think of 2 or 3 stages from the Giro and Vuelta before anything from The Tour….

The one when Armstrong crashed twice, and then attacked. love him or hate him the drama that day was incredible.

Armstrong v Pantani

Roche, and Liggetts commentary when he buried himself (very nearly literally) to stay close to Delgado.

My favourite – although obviously a bit biased – was Robert Millar’s stage win in a straight head-to-head with Delgado in ’89.
The context may now be forgotten, but Delgado was the young Spanish rider who took the Vuelta from Millar in the infamous “Spanish stitch-up” and you could see how much it meant to him to take out Delgado on that uphill sprint finish.

I’m going to say… if memory serves…

That stage where Lance got clipped by the kid with the bag and down he went, you know the one, the one with Ulrich in when he backed off for a few moments..

Then theres loads with Valverde and Kiryienka making breaks, and Voeckler and Chavanel and Millars failed attempts at making a break for it…

I love Poncheurs me.

Some people thought last years TDF was boring ,but watching Wiggins lead Cav out on stage 18 and then in Paris ,was shouting at the tellytastic 🙂

How many times have you seen the yellow jersey ditching the safety net for a team mate like that ? 🙂

I think the battle between LeMond and Hinault in 1986 on the alps sticks in my mind the most.
Partly because it was just at the point in time when my love of cycling was starting, but mostly because it was awesome.

+1 for Eros Poli on Mount Ventoux. An awesome ride, he was in tears in the final straight. The next day he pulled his bouquet apart and handed the flowers with kisses to all the women in the crowd. Hero.

Laiseka riding solo up Luz Ardiden with about a million screaming Basques on the mountain. Real emotion.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkCUa-xdSS8[/video]

That last bend on the way to the summit of Ventoux is an absolute swine. Compare how Poli took it with how Armstrong and Pantani did it in 2000 and see the difference EPO makes!
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXPXHK7I1iQ[/video]

Some people thought last years TDF was boring ,but watching Wiggins lead Cav out on stage 18 and then in Paris ,was shouting at the tellytastic

How many times have you seen the yellow jersey ditching the safety net for a team mate like that ?

That was the yellow jersey leading out the Rainbow jersey no less, I cant see that happening again for a long time!

2012 was a good tour, loads of battles going on through the order and the emergence of some very strong new riders such as Van Gaarderen and Pinot, some great rides from the elder statesmen and Big George leading them on to the Champs Elyesee was great to see. People think it was boring because Wiggo didnt have the strongest of opposition but with Contador out and Schleck’s dodgy collarbone (yeah right!) it was a case of “you can only beat the people in the race”… and even then he had the odd scare.

Yorkshire in 18 months time! 😉

Schleck’s dodgy collarbone

Or fractured pelvis as it really was. Still not really recovered neither in form nor physically.

what about one with all the plonkers running alongside the riders?

Schleck’s dodgy collarbone

Or fractured pelvis as it really was. Still not really recovered neither in form nor physically.

Ah yes, the collarbone break was Cancellara, but the location of the injury isnt the issue. The rumours are that the injury isnt as bad as they claim and he is on an enforced break to reduce the suspicion caused by Franck’s use of Xipamide and the fact that Andy too may have tested positive for the same thing if he had been competing.

Ah for me it’d be Stephen Roche dragging himself back up to finish the mountain top finish at La Plagne only a couple of seconds behind Pefro Delgado to save the yellow jersey. I think even Phil Liggett excelled himself that day too!

THIS

My favourite – although obviously a bit biased – was Robert Millar’s stage win in a straight head-to-head with Delgado in ’89.
The context may now be forgotten, but Delgado was the young Spanish rider who took the Vuelta from Millar in the infamous “Spanish stitch-up” and you could see how much it meant to him to take out Delgado on that uphill sprint finish.

THIS

Pantani – just liked him for some reason.

Some of LA wins were impressive as well

Best TDF stage…
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOur8qXvpnk[/video]

Ah for me it’d be Stephen Roche dragging himself back up to finish the mountain top finish at La Plagne only a couple of seconds behind Pefro Delgado to save the yellow jersey. I think even Phil Liggett excelled himself that day too!

Maybe this is the moment I am thinking of. Either / or the reception and weather was bad, and for ages we were just watching an empty road when finally a rider (or riders?) come into view with Liggett nearly having a heart attack – ” It’s Roche! It’s STEPHEN ROCHE!!”
I think it was earlier in the stage that I am thinking of when Delgado attacked Roche and then feigned tiredness, let Roche go by only to blow Roche’s legs off a few seconds later.

For me its the Roche one (as above)

with Phil Ligget commentary

then collapse and onto oxygen

Not really a classic stage in the strictest sense, but I just love the panning camera shot with Cav exploding on the outside to claim victory.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFkjPgccHto[/video]

Show me a TDF stage like this… Only 89 comes close.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl6gVBJGaKU[/video]