did Froome crash twice and then pull out?
The spray blocked the view of his stem and he fell off
Whys Frome still got his helmet on the team car, not expecting that to crash as well
Probably got a face like a Brazilian defender and doesn't want the camera bike all over it.
did Froome crash twice and then pull out?
Yes
Have they just skipped another section of cobbles?
just turned up, i'm following the red line on the web which seems a bit out?
What tyres for wet Belgian tarmac then?
Here we go more cobbles!!!!!
rewinds eurosportplayer. What sort of pace is that 😯 . Was there some sort of concerted effort to shake things up big time today?
edit: tx AlexSimon
I just hope Thomas gets given a change to go for GC now. I think he's a great rider and given the opportunity I think he'll do it one year.
Another factor for them to deal with apart from the cobbles is idiot fans!
gutted.
might have to cheer for Nibali.
ABC - anyone but Contador.
One of the ITV goons has just said they are still averaging 48kmh for the stage despite the conditions.
Smashing it.
Is anyone riding with mudguards!
torsoinalake - MemberOne of the ITV goons has just said they are still averaging 48kmh for the stage despite the conditions.
Smashing it.
30k tailwind apparently. Although they were really gunning it before the cobbles. It's settled a bit now I think.
I've heard Katusha are rocking ass-savers.
I'm doubtful of Geraint, Porte has a bigger chance.
Well I said at least one GC contender to be out of it after today...
I'm praying that Contador isn't in the form he's seemingly in because I really really don't want him to win. Almost anyone else in fact.
🙁
Oh and to anyone suggesting Wiggo would have been a backup, that really only demonstrates a lack of undertanding. He'd never have been competing for the win on this year's course. The only question was whether he was going to help or hinder CF in winning the race this year. Turns out it was irrelevant.
Oh and to anyone suggesting Wiggo would have been a backup, that really only demonstrates a lack of undertanding. He'd never have been competing for the win on this year's course. The only question was whether he was going to help or hinder CF in winning the race this year. Turns out it was irrelevant.
This mostly.
Astana seem to be pushing on to create gaps for Nibali, is there enough riders there to pull back the break and give Sagan the win though?
If not impossible, who was the last person to hold all jerseys (including the white jersey) at some point in the same tour?
Not sure if he was the last to hold all jerseys at some stage in a tour but i think Merckx went one better and actually won the points, mountain and general classification in 1969. The best young rider competition didn't exist in '69 but if it had he would have won that too as he was under 25 at the time.
Do you think Sagan will wheelie over the line if he wins?. Legend
We need Jamie to come up with a STW-specific ABC logo.... (hint, hint)
Here's my starter
[img] 
[/img]
Nibbles taking time from Bertie
Bertie did not look like he enjoyed that last section one bit
¡Vamos Contador!
Actually a bit disappointed, I wanted to see the man from Pinto crush Froome in the mountains 🙁
OTB moment there, I can do that too!
At least the Vuelta will be a bit more interesting this year.
We need Jamie to come up with a STW-specific ABC logo.... (hint, hint)
Sorry. Been busy.
[img] 
[/img]
Can someone summarise the groups?
I'm listening to Eurosport, but they never actually give groups and gaps.
Great time for an ad break as Nibali is on the ground!!!
As matt Rendell just tweeted, its going to be one hell of a vuelta...
Gutted to see froome out, one less GC contender to keep it exciting, which his attacking style certainly did.
Alex try Twitter - ITVCycling and Inner Ring doing regular summaries.
I dont know what all the fuss is about. I fall off this many times on a sunday morning ride!
Seeing as sky supposedly work on and through every possible detail, it is amazing how many times they have failed to protect the team leader in the first week of the tour. Other big teams just don't seem to get that one wrong as much.
Answering my own question, this is good for gaps and who's where:
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/live/aso/
Click on the riders and up pop names.
Jamie - that is brilliant.
Wohooo, I'm off to the Vuelta this year!
"I reckon I can recover this"
[img] 
[/img]
Sorry. Been busy.
Classic, gif of the year winner!
Not sure if he was the last to hold all jerseys at some stage in a tour but i think Merckx went one better and actually won the points, mountain and general classification in 1969. The best young rider competition didn't exist in '69 but if it had he would have won that too as he was under 25 at the time.
Mercx did win all jerseys, and though I'm certain no one has won ALL the jerseys since I wasn't sure if someone had held them at some point in the same tour.
Any boffins have an idea?
Nice screen grab!
Jamie wins the internet. Again. 😀
I make it nibbles has 50-60s on contador
Anybody know if Porte/Thomas/Talansky or others are in the Nibali group od the Contador group?
Nibbles with a minute on Bertie would make for some very interesting mountain stages, even more so if Porte and Talansky are close as well.
Nibali group, from letour.fr coverage:
Porsev (Katusha), Nibali, Fuglsang, Westra (Astana), Sagan (Cannondale), Kwiatkowski, Renshaw, Trentin (OPQS), Cancellara, Rast (Trek), Lemoine (Cofidis) and Keukeleire (Orica).
porte and gee are with contador
not sure of talansky
Looks like Talansky is up front with Nibali, and the Sky team mostly back with Contador.
Edit... ah no, looks like Talansky is back with Contador too.
Boom and Vanmarcke have been caught, Nibali group about to catch the remaining 4; Martin, Clarke, Hayman and Gallopin.
Talansky is back with Bertie & co.
Really strong group that up front, can see them pulling out more time.
Cancellara in the front group, this is going to be fun
Thanks guys
4 from OPQS up front. Renshaw vs Cancellara vs Sagan for the sprint?
Is Terpsra still up there?
He's in my fantasy team for this stage today.
Guardian twitter feed keeping up with the action. this is from 2 minutes ago;
[i]The Guardian ?@guardian
Chris Froome boost as Tour de France removes two cobbled sections http://gu.com/p/3qz5b/tw @Guardian_sport[/i]
Ah right, Talansky in a small group between Nibali and Contador.
No sign of Terpstra.
[quote=nemesis ]The only question was whether he was going to help or hinder CF in winning the race this year. Turns out it was irrelevant.
Given he's placed quite highly in PR and presumably quite decent at finding the right place to ride in such situations it doesn't seem all that irrelevant - not given that this stage was one where Wiggo was touted as being quite a useful man to have on your team.
Wtf am I doing sat at work when I should be watching this thunder**** of a bike race.
Going to have to watch the recorded live coverage when I get home, the highlights won't cut it
Had a feeling this stage would be epic and boy oh boy it's delivered.
Wtf am I doing sat at work when I should be watching this thunder**** of a bike race.
Going to have to watch the recorded live coverage when I get home, the highlights won't cut it
what he said
They'll be so so much criticism for having pave on a tour stage, but this is just fantastic sport.
Great to see something other than mountains and time trials making an impact. Bring on the crosswinds next!
If I were Sky, I'd be looking closely at footage from yesterday to see if the rider who took Froome out yesterday targetted him.
Eyes on Fabian and Sagan..
If I were Sky, I'd be looking closely at footage from yesterday to see if the rider who took Froome out yesterday targetted him.
🙄
News link about it in the OP.
They'll be so so much criticism for having pave on a tour stage, but this is just fantastic sport.
I'm not so sure. The riders could possibly have agreed to take it easy today but someone took advantage of the possibility to crank the pace up and see what would happen. It's brilliant (although I feel hugely sad for Froome)
What happened to Tony Martin?
So glad I set the recorder to tape the live stage!
Geraint Thomas said it would "carnage" out there today
Being Welsh it’s no surprise he understands rain 🙂
its true, some of the best 'proper' rough stuff bike racing ever, like it should be, a mans man race today and i think thats were froome failed, he didnt mentally have it following the crash yesterday.
Nice post from Tinkoff Saxo twitter feed
[url= https://twitter.com/tinkoff_saxo/status/486878992151359488/photo/1 ]Twitter link[/url]
[img] 
[/img]
So glad I set the recorder to tape the live stage!
Bit miffed I didn't 🙁
Gee attacking Bertie with Porte on his wheel
thats were froome failed, he didnt mentally have it following the crash yesterday.
blah blah blah
Thomas is a class rider!
thats were froome failed, he didnt mentally have it following the crash yesterday.
Can't believe anyone doubts Froome's mental toughness 🙄
Anyway... back to the race.... bloody hell Astana, riding away from Sagan and Cancellara with 10k to go!
In a podcast interview with Brailsford pre-tour, he was saying it was time for Geraint to work on his climbing and become a GC guy. Looking forward to that - he's always been one of my fav riders.
Nice squeeze past Spartacus by Sagan who seemed to lean in on him.
Gwan Nibbles!
In a podcast interview with Brailsford pre-tour, he was saying it was time for Geraint to work on his climbing and become a GC guy. Looking forward to that - he's always been one of my fav riders.
Interesting, yet more over emphasis on stage races and not one day classics from Sky? sad to see
Can see them giving this to Boom if he helps them to the line.
Given he's placed quite highly in PR and presumably quite decent at finding the right place to ride in such situations it doesn't seem all that irrelevant - not given that this stage was one where Wiggo was touted as being quite a useful man to have on your team.
In the wet Giro last year he was bloody awful in the wet. Descended like I do (which is slow) and crashed a lot. I don't think he'd have been any help today.
I like this from the Eurosport feed
Nibali in 2006: 'Roubaix is the race of my dreams. It fascinates me, maybe because I like mountain biking. I'd like to do & win it one day.'
Glad I put him in my team 😀
In a podcast interview with Brailsford pre-tour, he was saying it was time for Geraint to work on his climbing and become a GC guy.
Whereas my heart sank, he should keep the meat on him and do this against boonen and cancellara in a propper classic :-/
Astana have been fantastic today.
Contador is out of it at this rate. Bad day for GC favourites
Crashing twice on an already injured wrist will take anyone out, all the internet hard men calling Froome a wimp can STFU.
Anyway.. Allez Nibbles!!! seriously classy ride today, much as I feel for Froome it's been a fantastic day's racing.
Westra awarded the Combativity prize for the day. Good on 'im!
atlaz - MemberContador is out of it at this rate. Bad day for GC favourites
...except Nibali