Polka dots in Paris for Tommy V then. Can't see Kessy getting away from the MJ group now they've caught him in the final climb.
Chapeau Tommy.
My money is on Valverde staying away for the win.
yeh tommy has done the work over the last two days eh? hero. points in the bag, now a chance to sit in and collect his spotty shirt.
Sorenson's hand looks a bit grim. If he had a white jersey he could make his own polka dots.
Sad to see Evans going backwards again.
That white skin suit is just making me feel generally a bit sick.
Would love to see Wiggins attack on the final 4km to the summit.
how's Valverde looking?
If Froome goes to the front, will his earpiece fall out?
I was just about to post:
he won't chance an attack
and wiggo starts dishing the pain!
From Eurosport
Pinot now has Wiggins and Froome in his wheel. The Team Sky pair are talking as if they're deciding who will go for the win today...
😀
Nibbles dropped!
Edit: everybody dropped
pop goes the nibbles!
Go on!
I wonder if Nibali is impressed by Wiggins yet?
Why doesn't Froome go? Wiggo doesn't need him now.
Awesome riding.
because he's not allowed
Impressive loyalty from Froome, think Valverde is only 20 seconds or so in front.
theres no reason to keep him back now though thats just ridiculous...
i'm getting quite emotional! Wiggins can't be stopped now!
I think it's more that Froome wants to help Brad.
Froome could have won - if they were telling him to wait they shouldn't have. If he felt he needed to wait for Wiggo he's a fool.
theres no reason to keep him back now though thats just ridiculous...
Spare bike if wiggo punctures?
Good photo op on the line?
No advantage to Froom going it alone, may as well work together to catch Valverde?
Who said it was boring? I'm knackered...
froome could have won that
coulda woulda should BUT he didnt.
should shut the press up a bit - wont shut the all knowing STW forumites up though - although even if it was a froome , wiggo 1 - 2 they would moan .
just thrown away a stage win..
Froome should have gone for it, even if there was a hint of sentimentality in the team of "we've got wiggins this far we may as well let him win rather than change plan" Wiggins would still likely be 1:40 up on Froome and likely to take that upto about 3:00 in the TT.
Sky were always going to put down a marker on the last mountain stage, brilliant absolutely brilliant.
i think i need to go to Paris on sunday
Froome could have won,but he's a team player.........
That & he was probably told to wait by the people who pay his wages 8)
I think wiggo said to him go for it, but froome held back of his own volition
So what are the chances of Wiggins crashing during the TT?
Seriously though, Sagan is going to have pull off something magic if he's still going to get into yellow. But I can't help thinking that leaving it this late is proper stylish.
yeah like installing a sagan only back in time portal on the start ramp of the TT ?
Sagan to beat fastest, longest wheelie record in the TT.
You heard it here first!
Sagan is going to have pull off something magic if he's still going to get into yellow
love is blind...
screw the olympics, a brit wins the TDF!!! Never thought I would see it!
yes I know not there yet blah blah blah but its going to take a dnf for both of the top 2 riders at this point
yes I know not there yet blah blah blah but its going to take a dnf for both of the top 2 riders at this point
Froome tired, Wiggo catches him, they collide, Sagan rides the whole stage with so much power it looks like Guy Martin at the TT power wheeleing off every little rise and backing it into turns.
Thing everyone has forgotten is because Sagan is currently down in the classifications, he's going to be on the road before the rest of the favourites. So once he's torn the tarmac to pieces clocking out 100MW, the rest of the field are buggered. In the bag I'd say.
I also have it on good authority that he's planning on lapping the peloton on the Champs-Élysées. Twice.
no the real issue is everyones forgotten sagan because he did his wonder boy routine at the start then drifted into obscurity !
Sounds like Sagan might have a promising career as an IT Contractor when he retires.
no the real issue is everyones forgotten sagan because he did his wonder boy routine at the start then drifted into obscurity !
No the real issue is we've gone an entire tour without a propper dopeing incident*. This can only mean they're all at it and the winner will eventualy be announced in 2022 as some unknown rider who finished slightly ahead of Cav on a mountain stage, but they won't be quite sure as the file format they saved the race data in is obsolete.
*a publicity stunt judge reporting their findings now and a diuretic don't count, we need Charlie Sheen levels of 'tiger blood' or Tom Simpson levels of ampetimine abuse, or at the very least Contador's special sausage.
wasn't expecting Wiggo to say that in the press conference
wasn't expecting Wiggo to say that in the press conference
Missed the press conference what did he say? ta.
he started daydreaming with about 2km to go, well not those words exactly... but that was the general gist of it 🙂
oxygen deprivation?
oxygen deprivation?
At 1700m? 😆
not from altitude dumb simon, from not breathing enough in
not from altitude dumb simon, from not breathing enough in
That's cleared that one up then unable to explain oneself clearly brakes.
My apologies for not being able to decipher you childlike sentences... 🙄
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who's the smug ****** in the yellow 🙂
Froome could have won,but he's a team player.........
Everyone knows he could have won, he didn't need to prove it.
He's only 22, he has 15+ years of career ahead of him.
He let the Spanish guy take the win on near home turf, so he's owed a favour big time there.
And he showed to any prospective future employer he's not a wild card, he'll play for the team if that's what's needed.
Every finish line pic of Wiggo has him a half wheel ahead.
Very very shrewd, he'll never be unemployed.
[i]i think i need to go to Paris on sunday [/i]
I'm going 😀 I might even get to see the result of my work in helping to design this.
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EDIT:
Really looking forward to Sunday, while nervously keeping fingers crossed for Team Sky. Its history in the making.
he's 27
He's 27, 2 years younger than Contador so not that big a window
Mark Cavendish ?@MarkCavendishThanks to the dickhead who crashed me at 3km to go today by waving his flag so it wrapped round my handlebars. Bike's broke. Leg's swollen.
😐
ohhh ****
O dear - he must have had a bad day after falling earlier too!
Let's hope he can keep out of trouble for Paris.
Not sure if this has been asked but why do some riders take newspapers at the top of climbs is it as simple as just stopping the wind on the way down?
Yep
Yes. I still do it at the start of winter rides.
They've published the press conference audio here:
http://soundcloud.com/cycling-central/tour-de-france-stage-17
Absolutely classic Brad in the press conference today. A bloody well done from me.
Wrong its to read because apparently the tour is boring 😉
makes a very good point at the end about the fact that there's always negativity around what he's doing, whether he's peaking too early or whether he's winning because Contador and Mandy aren't here...
if I ever meet him, I'm going to give him a pat on the back and say bloody well done mate.
good interview ...
he is right - he has had an awesome year and he is still not given any credit.
Looking forward to bumping into him at Cedar Farm. 😀
I'd love to see some video of that conference focused on the press... I'd hope to see some downcast eyes etc and awkward shuffling of feet 😀