[Closed] TdF Stage 10 - Spectacular Fireworks [Spoilers]

Well after sitting up till the end last night hoping for some kind of fun and games on the last climb I'm giving them another go tonight. Day before a rest day, lots to play for. I'm expecting somebody to drop some serious time today and a few to make a bit up. Not sure how the breakaway guys will fair after those exploits yesterday and I wouldn't be too surprised to see Nibali back in yellow at the end of the day, it would take something spectacular for one of the others to bridge the time gaps I reckon.

I cannot say whether we will know the name of the winner in Paris, but we should have a list of those who are out of the running for good.

Today should be brilliant, i think we'll see Nibali, Contador and Porte all showing they're likely to be on the final podium.

Want to see J-Rod do something today. He's floated around at the back, shelling time to pretty much everyone. Showed some signs of his previous for yesterday but it ultimately came not too much.

Looking forward to today's stage, hoping Contador will start attacking...

Purito is supposedly targeting the polkadot jersey, so probably will be looking for an early break to mop up the mountain points.

Not bad from Gallopin. Not bad at all...

Chapeau 🙂

love the Jensie video posted above (www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcz5JDBl7Dw)

last km at 20%!

if Contador can't get time then you can count him out

love the Jensie video posted above

Yeah, it's brilliant, so sad when he retires. Hope he stays involved - commentary?

if Contador can't get time then you can count him out

Possibly not, he often holds his form towards the end of a tour much better than others.

Yeah, it's brilliant, so sad when he retires.

As much as I like Jens his line about doping (I never saw anyone do anything) does stretch belief a little.

Should be good today. Like normal i've got far too much to do to sit around watching bike races so thats me behind with work again. I wonder about Peurito. He did stretch his legs yesterday but i'd still question his form at this stage. But he's obviously feeling more comfortable.

Peirre Rolland got some time back yesterday and I think he should be up in this one. Valverde has been keeping a low profile but I think the day looks good for Contador and hopefully Porte not too far away.

he often holds his form towards the end of a tour much better than others.

Yes. He's also often fairly good after rest days.

[quote=speckledbob ]Yes. He's also often fairly good after rest days.

It's because of his healthy diet.

"Yes. He's also often fairly good after rest days."

Especially when his personal "butcher" pays him a visit.

Looks like a great stage, and can't wait to see how the GC riders get on. I expect Contador to attack, but not sure if he will gain time on Nibali. I also think Porte will stick to Nibali rather than gain any time on him...

Bastille day today. Expect the French to tear themselves inside out to win and for Gallopin to stay in yellow. Should be a good finish.

Is Paolini wearing a Giro Air Attack in that picture in the OP?

Is Paolini wearing a Giro Air Attack in that picture in the OP?

Sure is. Of the aero helmets I'm liking the Belkin Bell ones best so far, just going by aesthetics!

Sure is. Of the aero helmets I'm liking the Belkin Bell ones best so far, just going by aesthetics!

I actually thought it was a POC piss pot or something at first! Thought it would look cool in non-team colours as a 'casual' lid, then saw the price...

Tony Gallopin's girlfriend would kick our arses

[img] ?1352989238[/img]

[img] [/img]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Rousse

She won the French national road race title in 2012.

8)

France's Jason Kenny and Laura Trott. As in more stylish and better looking 😀

Take that back. No one is more stylish or better looking than Laura Trott.

😆

Take that back. No one is more stylish or better looking than Laura Trott.

Google images shows otherwise! 😮

Perhaps he can use some of his prize money to get that monobrow sorted.

Take that back. No one is more stylish or better looking than Laura Trott.

by way of evidence I offer the photos in my previous post and invite you to compare them to photos of Laura Trott. Or google image Marion Rousse. Oh, Lordy. One particular shoot stands out. Defence rests, yer honour. 😀

Back on topic (and apologies for lowering Realman's hard work into the gutter) I will be watching the entire thing from start to finish, sometimes shiftwork has its advantages.

From the letour feed...

Every year on Bastille Day, the FDJ riders listened to the French national anthem La Marseillaise in their bus prior to the start. It happened again this morning

Expect some early heroics from the French!

Marion Rousse

Wowza

Astana putting a man in the break...

edit: Westra

edit2: Looks like that's it:
WESTRA L.
VISCONTI G.
MOINARD A.
IRIZAR ARRANBURU M.
VOECKLER T.
GERARD A.
RIBLON C.

Yay Imlach/Boardman/Rendell doing ITV commentary. Intelligent, informed and low key. For now.

That Bubble Witch may well get a boot up the backside before this Tour is over....

Was going to mention the commentary, but they've just switched. Doh.

eightyeight - Member

That Bubble Witch may well get a boot up the backside before this Tour is over.

Eh?

astana planning something or keeping their options open?

Lifer - it's an advert that is on EVERY SINGLE advert break on ITV4 for some smartphone game. Tis très annoying.

Looks like Sagan is going to go for the first points of the day.

Greipel looks like he's flattening the road as he goes along!

eightyeight - Member

Lifer - it's an advert that is on EVERY SINGLE advert break on ITV4 for some smartphone game. Tis très annoying.

Ah, I see. Eurosport has awesome adverts, the Rui Costa one is my favourite.

Was going to mention the commentary, but they've just switched. Doh.

Bah. Eurosport it is then for the rest of the race.

Are you listening, @itvcycling ?

That's some seriously miserable weather. Going to be very cold on the descents today.

Weather looks grim. Descents will be tricky.

I'm watching it on the work PC (shhhhh....)

I'm in a bit of a quandry about Ligget. For me he's the voice of the Tour - has been for years - and that's part of the annual TdF experience.

Unfortunately he's increasingly become an old fool and even the Ligget-isms that I used to find funny just grate now. Not to mention that his support and more to the point defence of it for LA is a black mark that isn't going to wash.

I find myself switching to Eurosport quite often, particularly when he points out that X used to be an mtber so will be a great descender which really annoys me these days. 😕

there must be some big commercial reason why the "incumbents" get to stay in that commentary seat

Liggett & Sherwin seem to sit in a caravan and get a feed provided by ASO (maybe they have every camera not just the director's cut), must cost big bucks and limited availability so it's shared across networks.

Boardman & Imlach are in a tent (nearly a non-tent if this weather continues) and seem to only have the director's cut, same as us. Must be a lot cheaper but I bet they're not allowed by contract to commentate through the race.

If i have any choice at all I avoid ITV. One of the choices is to not watch it al all.

Luckily I have Eurosport and the ability to pause, so usually no ads

Kwiatkowski and Martin on the break... hmm interesting 🙂

Rodriguez takes the first big top of the day. Definitely looks like he intends to take the spotty jumper.

Pictures on big tv from ITV4, audio from tablet on eurosport. Waldorf and Statler make my blood boil. I think they have the English speaking commentary contract, hence all the Americanisms like "traffic circle'.

and Bertie has tumbled, big shake up

bertie's come off

Still not back on the bike 😕

Looks like a bad one. Knee, ankle maybe?

not back on the bike yet 🙁

peloton are all sat up

peloton are all sat up

changing his shoes .....

I'm no fan of AC but I hope it's not too bad - never good to see riders come off.

Losing lots of time,will they wait for him?

and he's back on the bike! Come on Bertie, it's going to be boring without you .....

He's back on... doesn't look happy. 4 mins down on Nibali group.

4 minutes, there is waiting and there is not racing off really.

[quote=mikey3 ]Losing lots of time,will they wait for him?

Not a chance. He's not a jersey holder.

lots of brake adjustment going on there .....

Where's his team? Sticky mechanic time!

They are reporting a snapped frame

I'm reckoning either an abandon or he will just be going for stage wins now. Ending the day 6-7 mins down on Nibali should put him out of contention.

Sabotage?

Peloton sat up (slightly)! FFS let's not have a race decided by crashes :-/

If he carries on I reckon he'll get back on to the peloton them but they are not going to make it easy for him to do so.

Ligget and Sherwen do the comentary for NBC Sports (the US broadcaster who shows the tour) and the comentary is sydicated by ITV and SBS (Austrailian broadcaster).

When NBC aren't boardcasting live at the start of stages Ligget and Sherwne are talking so ITV need someone to fill in. They use the presenters that are already on the tour. This is also one of the reasons for all the breaks on ITV as the comenators are taking their lead from the US comercial schedule. When ITV haven't sold enough ads for all the breaks this is when they cut back to the studio for comment from Imlach and Boardman.

Cost probably isn't reason ITV buy the NBC comenarty. 2 comentators for 2 weeks wouldn't cost that much. It's more that Ligget and Sherwen are the "voice of cycling" so people expect to hear their voice, they probably cost more that just paying say Rob Hatch and Matt Stephens even though those two would be infinitely better.

snapped frame wtf?! This is Bertie's bike, not some 15stone biffer!. Hope he gets back on for the sake of racing.

If he makes contact I reckon it will be like that annoying group who just wait until you get there and grab some food then **** off fast as they can.

Nearly 10mins down, If it was Nibali who had the off would Contador attack, trying to think of an instance. Didn't he attack Schleck when he missed a gear which is different I suppose.

Nearly 10mins down, If it was Nibali who had the off would Contador attack, trying to think of an instance. Didn't he attack Schleck when he missed a gear which is different I suppose.

He did indeed, though claims otherwise.

I reckon Astana will be slowly cranking up the watts, just enough to make it a bit hard for him 🙂

Frame snap consequence of the crash or cause of the crash?

Hmm Contador really not happy.

Astana will still need to keep Kwiatkowski in check.

It's a bit of a conundrum. As has been pointed out, he's not a jersey holder so there's no official unofficial rule to say that they should wait but clearly if they don't it will be perceived as unsporting.

I'll bet Astana are praying that one of the French teams (Roland would be a likely candidate on past form...) decides it'll live with the consequences against the benefit of a win on Bastille Day and go on the attack, 'forcing' Astana to chase...

In fact, given Vino at the helm, a man who I don't believe understands that the word 'ethics' even exists, I'd say he's probably on the phone to the French teams offering to pay them to attack...

Forgotten about Kwiatkowski, be a great excuse for Astana to press on.

[quote=flippinheckler ]Nearly 10mins down, If it was Nibali who had the off would Contador attack, trying to think of an instance. Didn't he attack Schleck when he missed a gear which is different I suppose.

Dropped chain but yeah, he said he didn't notice despite the 2010 Schleck go backwards more like the 2014 Schleck. I didn't believe that and I don't see why they don't push on as I'm sure Alberto would.

If that big red patch in the middle of his back isn't an undershirt sticking through then he's a mess.

Schleck dropped a chain whilst launching an attack from behind on contador, completely different scenario.
Anyway, losing an attacking GC contender would be to the detriment of the race whether you like Bertie or not.

whoa.

keep the updates coming - this place is my only link

FFS let's not have a race decided by crashes :-/

... pretty much the whole race so far has been dictated by crashes 😕

Contador seems to be going well now.

Martin is digging in and pushing for the Jersey for his team mate so Astana are going to have to do something.

Astana have to chase as Kwaitkowski is up the road. It's nothing to do with the Contador crash.

@jfletch thx

It's more that Ligget and Sherwen are the "voice of cycling" so people expect to hear their voice

I guess there's a chance for ITV to break that cycle. They have better alternatives lined up, regular viewers seem to mostly dislike L&S (at least going by opinions here), casual viewers probably don't really care.

Nibali should attack now he could regret it otherwise as Contador has already made back a couple of minutes.