Tour de France 2015 – It's over and it's time to look back thread.

After all the fun of the last 3 weeks I felt it only reasonable we spent some time discussing what as been, what it means and where it leads us.

So your thoughts on the strongest riders
The hero’s of the tour.
The disappointments.
The key stages.
And generally whatever else you want to talk about.

A few thoughts from Cycling Weekly to start us off:

An enthralling 2015 Tour de France ended with Chris Froome (Team Sky) claiming his second win in three years.

It was a dominant performance by Froome and his team-mates, with its roots in two crucial stages. On stage two in the Netherlands, cross-winds shredded the peloton and gave Froome an early advantage of over many of his principal rivals, including Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and last year’s winner, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).

Froome was in the yellow jersey by the end of stage three, after a huge crash forced leader Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) out of the race. And although Sky’s leader surrendered yellow the following day to Tony Martin (Etixx-QuickStep), he was back in the lead by stage seven after Martin too was forced to withdraw.

The Tour de France was really won, however, as the race entered the Pyrenees. Stage 10 into La Pierre-Saint-Martin saw the first mountain-top finish, and a breathtaking performance from Froome. Almost all of his rivals, including Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Nibali, were blown away, and the man in the yellow jersey emerged with a lead of almost three minutes in the general classification. Only Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) and Quintana remained as possible challengers.

From then on it was a case of defending his lead, and with support from Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte in particular, Froome never looked like losing it. Quintana pulled 30 seconds back on stage 19 into La Toussuire and attacked to force a nail-biting finish on Alpe d’Huez — but in the end Froome was just too strong. The eventual winning margin was 1-12 minutes over the Colombian climber.

Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) was the race’s outstanding sprinter, winning his fourth stage of this year’s edition with a typically powerful effort on the Champs-Elysees, but the green jersey went to Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo). Sagan failed to win a stage but bagged an astonishing five second-place finishes.

The polka dot jersey was won by Froome, who became the first rider since Eddy Merckx to claim victory in both the general classification and the mountains competitions.

For me at least:
So your thoughts on the strongest riders – Froome, obviously but Griepel deserves a mention, great to see the Gorilla smashing out the victories
The hero’s of the tour – GT, so strong, Adam Hansen, still riding those tours, Steve Cummings/ MTN-Qhubeka in general for the general feel good they gave
The disappointments – The French riders, somewhat inevitably, the crowd for their treatment of Sky/Froome
The key stages – Zeeland, the first week in general was awesome but Seeland stood out.
And generally whatever else you want to talk about – Sky were tactically awesome, rare to say that but they were, I also think they dealt with the questioning well.

I’ll add more when I’ve had coffee.

Despite it being the tour where the first African wore polka dot, no one has mentioned it being the first tour an African has won it, Froome only being British for convenience sake after all

rOcKeTdOg – Member
Despite it being the tour where the first African wore polka dot, no one has mentioned it being the first tour an African has won it, Froome only being British for convenience sake after all

Do keep up.

No-ones mentioned it as a first win, cos he won it in 2013…

And he’s British….

Great TDF, Congrats to froome. GT was awesome, gutted for/about Cav.

Quintana for the win next year, if he gets his tactics right from the start.

So it wasn’t the first wear in this tour then?
born in Kenya, educated in S.A. has British racing licence, I didn’t realise he’d taken British citizenship too?
edit: in 2008 it seems, fair enough, next he’ll be playing cricket for Yorkshire 😉

This year I have been mostly descending like/as Roman Bardet.
He’s my fave. 😀

A good tour. I never thought I’d say this but I think it lacked a couple of sprint stages in the last 2 weeks to vary things up a bit. The revised points for the polka dot jersey didn’t work well either IMO.

Good to see the Yates brothers continuing to make progress. Glad for Gesink as well, he’s had a hard few years.

I though the French did okay, started badly but got some great stage wins to salvage things by the end.

So it wasn’t the first wear in this tour then?

Is that even English?

Despite all the muttering about Froome’s ‘Britishness’ (which I go along with) he has had a British passport from birth.

For me it wasn’t the best tour ever. I like a good grand tour to have a mix of individual time trial and mountain top finishes in the key last week in the race to truly allow a variety of rider styles to battle it out. The stage 1 TT/prologue wasn’t ‘pure’ enough to make a difference and neither was the TTT. A time trial between the Pyrenees and the Alps to allow a tester specialist to catchup or build a lead then watch them hang on up an alp as they are attacked by a pure climber as their advantage leaks away is always superb.

Highlights:
– Nairo’s attack on the Alp. Would love the little columbian to win the whole thing at some point.
– Froome smacking everyone round the head on the first mountain stage. Yes Nairo was quicker overall in the mountains, but Froome put himself in a great tactical position that day
– Winning the STW fantasy TDF again for the 3rd time
– Gee
– The way Tony Martin finally got a well deserved yellow jersey…however …

Lowlights:
– Tony Martin and Spartacus both pulling out whilst in Yellow.
– The sections of the crowd and the media flinging piss around (actual and metaphorical). Incredibly disappointing
– Sagan getting thwarted into Gap after riding so well

Most of the above are highlights for me but two extra ones:

– Steve Cummings blasting past Pinot and Bardet whilst they squabbled over who was going to ride first on a flat bit of road
– Sagan riding like a demon to thwart the ASO’s attempts to thwart yet another green jersey win for him

Some incredible moments, I think I’ll remember this Tour for the horrible images and absolute double hard man barsteward attitudes shown by Cancellara, Martin and Péraud, Péraud picking up bottles after losing a babies worth of skin was something else!!

Let’s not forget the two young French hopes took decisive stage victories despite throwing one away arguing 😛

Highlight for me was the race into Gap- what an exciting day of racing. Sagan is proving to be a really exciting rider to watch on a variety of stages which is nice, you have a popular ride to look for on all sorts of stages rather than waiting to see Cav perform on a sprint stage, the GC guys to perform on a climbing day etc.

Disappointed that Quintana didn’t win, and sad we didn’t see more of Voeckler buggering around.

sad we didn’t see more of Voeckler buggering around.

Given what’s happening to Team Europcar it might be the last TdF he starts. He’s 36 so unless FDJ or Cofidis want to give him a couple of victory laps, it might be retirement for Tommy

I think that if Movistar hadn’t cocked up in the first week we would now be looking at a different winner

Highlights

– Froome winning – I’m desperately hoping he’s clean along with the rest of Sky. Time will tell. I thought Sky got it spot on with their tactics and team

– Froome and Quintana’s respectful rivalry – no need for bitching, personal attacks, etc, just knocking seven shade of shit out of eachother every day.

– AC and Nibali not winning – different reasons (beef, Astana) but I certainly would be have been putting them down as lows if they had won

– Cummings wins – not because he’s a Brit but because the two riders who should have been on for the win deserved to be beaten for their on bike handbags

– Tony Martin winning on someone else’s bike – a lesson in focussing on the goal and not bitching when things go wrong unlike some others…

Downers

– So many riders being injured, getting ill – it may not be worse than previous tours but it certainly seemed on a par with any of the tours I can recall

– Valverde being on the podium. He seems like a great personality and he’s a brilliantly stylish racer but he’s part of cycling’s dark history and I’ll be happier when he retires

– the media (mainly French) making what amounts to bitchy comments about Froome, Sky and then acting shy when confronted about it or denying that they meant what they clearly did. Paul Kimmage asked much the same questions and put a lot of noses out of joint (mainly on twitter) but I respect him for putting it out there and not hiding from it when questioned.

I think that if Movistar hadn’t cocked up in the first week we would now be looking at a different winner

Impossible to tell. Sky may well have raced differently if they hadn’t come into the last week with over 3 minutes lead

+1 on that – this kind of conjecture always comes up if it’s remotely close and tactics and the pressure of defending yellow (and dealing with all the media obligations) mean it’s impossible to say. Pretty sure most teams would race very differently depending on the circumstances.

Woohoo! great thread Sir.

Me? oh I’ve a few comments to add tot his 😀
So your thoughts on the strongest riders:
Bardet for being just brilliant in the mountains. It’s been a good number of years that a French bloke has been able to stick it to the CG climbers of old and he’s a stand out classy rider of some great pedigree. Only see him getting better and better and yes one day he will become the great French Climber.
Bargil, another great rider, warrant of a better placing and always stuck it out there to be chased down or blow up, another heart on the sleeve type that I so admire.
Sagan, pretty much in a class of his own, whilst in most of the breaks and out front hoovering up points, he has this licked and licked good. Try as they all might Sagan is a super class rider with a superb sense of humour and tactical brain to leave some experienced CG riders at a loss.
Thomas, what can I write that hasn’t already been written. A man of super strong will and determination, tactically superb, worthy of yet more praise and showered with compliments yet humble. A man many French would love to have had in their squad.
Pierre Luc – Perichon, not one you’d expect to be out there in the breaks. And yes we all know, some of us know, that a break is pretty much doomed to failure in a blaze of whimper and good camera angles. But hey, this bloke, well this Team, have lightened up what it means to be French and out there fighting. I’m such an admirer of the Corinthian spirit of cycling that of all the Teams, these guys and this rider above all has it for me. Skill, determination, ability, will and no bother to him being pushed and bawled around in the bunch when it comes to Tour riding. I sincerely hope these guys get called back next year.

The hero’s of the tour. DunDatUpDer^
The disappointments. Europcar, never quite made the break, never really made the pace and never quite had it. Was it the overhanging sponsorship demise, the general feeling of being outclassed? I dunno. Saving grace was Rolland, super classy and always up there at the pointy bit. I do hope he goes on to bigger Teams where his skills can be enhanced and catered for.

The key stages. None. I love the meandering nature of this event. They all offer so much for us and the riders that to pull out one would be, to me, disappointing. Each stage has it’s own flavour, colour and emotions to contend with, each has it’s own AmDram drama within a Grand Performance.

And generally whatever else you want to talk about. Ok, the French Press. Bunch of snidely pointy finger, baby crying whaaa whaa’s who ever lived. Gotta love em’, gotta loathe em’. Without them the world would be so much nicer and quieter and more respectful. But hey, this is the Tour and without a sour faced grumbling gallic shrug we’d all be here now just “hummming and ahhhhh’ing” to ourselves. What I particularly dislike about them however is their total lack of honour. Too many times have we seen and heard about Honour within this sport yet they have none. Even ex Pro’s who should know better and keep their big gobs shut should stand back once in a while and take stock. Take stock of their own misdemeanours and che’ che’s before launching and insighting hatred within a bike race. Sadly we can not do without them and most have overnight changed their stance and attitudes towards Chris and Sky and yet I expected they would. Another year, another pointy finger pushed back inside the riding mitt, until next year perhaps.

Michael Rassmusen, quielty and unannounced he stepped into the frey once more, this time with a microphone under his skinny elbow. Of all the dopers and ex dopers and continuous dopers he, for me, is the most blatent and most obnoxious rider to have ever graced the Tour. Ok Ricco is up there too, but he’s just too stupid a personality to mention, but I have so I’ve given him more air time 🙄 For some reason and I really don’t know why Rasmussen just winds me right up. I still can not forget the day back then when he rode over the top of a mountain at such speed and at such a rate that I sat watching the TV thinking “awe shit, this boys on something” true enough he was. An yet now he’s representing Dutch media. Ok, so by default he has insight to the ear of sophisticated drugs and has the knowledge of how and why, but who on earth will own up and talk openly to this guy now? Expecting candid interviews with questions set out by this guy surely leads to tight lipped answers, one way questions and singular verbs.

Bikes. Ok, some nice looking things with wheels on but nothing sparked my interest either in tech nor look. Ok, I love the Look 795 with some 40mm rims and tan walls on in Mondrian flavour but who doesn’t? That specialised venge is so ugly even an ugly duckling would shit on it.

Can’t think of anymore, if I do sure I’ll be back to add more waffle.

Cheers lads, great support for the Tour on here this year, thanks to those that took the time to create the threads and thanks to those that supported with comments. As to those who tied to derail the threads with talk of drugs I thank CFH for creating a happy bin for them to play in. Hope the coloured balls amused you lot.

Ta ta

8)

I thought it was the best Tour for years, especially after last year’s flop.
Sagan was awesome – he tried SO hard day after day for a stage win, I was willing him along on that descent. (I did think on a couple of occasions earlier on though, he spent too much time worrying about those on his wheel and threw away any chance of victory, but I guess he’s realistic about his chances in that situation.)
Steve Cummings bouncing back to take the stage was unexpected and a real treat.
Pinot, Bardet & Geschke’s wins were outstanding.
G is a top dude and destined for greatness & I was impressed with Richie Porte’s efforts on the last couple of mountain stages, burying himself for Froome, when he’s off to pastures new soon.
Quintana and Valverde working together to stick it to Sky. I was worried for a while, but by the time Sky had re-grouped a bit at the foot of the Alp, I reckoned Froome was just about safe as long as he didn’t blow up massively.
I almost wanted Quintana to win, but I’ll be happy for him to take next years!
The only thing that spoiled it for me was the behaviour of some of the crowds – booing, spitting at and hitting competitors is disgusting behaviour and not something you’d expect at a cycle race, regardless of what you think of an individual or team.
I honestly don’t know why some people dislike Froome so much – he seems a decent guy and has worked hard to get to the top from pretty modest beginnings! I think he fully deserves his win.
The evidence of defending the lead against endless attacks was obvious in the last couple of mountain stages and Chris & G looked knackered. I would have thought that was enough to silence some of the doping allegations.

Looking forward to the Vuelta, again. 8)

My favourite moment has to be an old guy from the Wirral mugging two of France’s finest within 1 km of the finish at Mende. Well done Cummings. I was almost in tears with him.

I don’t follow the roadie press, does anyone know if any French authorities are trying to identify the guys that spat and threw piss on Froome, or are they not bothering? I’d have thought it would be pretty easy to identify both the spitters from the clear facial shots from the cameras. They need to be caught and named and shamed or everyone will be at it next year.

OK, I’ve now had coffee adn feel better able to think and drop a few random thoughts.

The route was cracking, it held interest until the last proper stage and also allowed teamwork to come into thereby adding an additional level of intrigue. A longer TT would have been good but it may have killed the last week so overall I think it was spot on, the first week was epic.

Sagan was awesome but never quite got the win, I feel for him and wonder if he/his team needs to re-evaluate what they use him for and how to get he best from him.

Valverde and Quintana showed how a joint leadership can work, both rode well and supported the other in a way, particularly on the last stage.

Cav did not have a good time, I’m sure he wasn’t overly chuffed to drag himself over the mountains only to finish 5th in Paris. Is it time for him to start to rethink his role in the team?

Riders had bad days and I think this is good, Froome, Quintana, Bertie and Nibbles all had day(s) when they struggled, no longer do you have everyone at 100% every stage, I can only see this as a good thing.

Do you think that Ryder Hesjedal would LOVE a 4 week tour? Every time he gets stronger the longer the racing goes on, maybe he needs to be racing every day for the 2 weeks leading up to the next GT?

And finally, The Vuelta looks tasty doesn’t it?

I hadn’t realised Quintana was only 25 years of age. Reckon he’ll be one to watch in future tours.

Has a Columbian won the tour yet?

does anyone know if any French authorities are trying to identify the guys that spat and threw piss on Froome, or are they not bothering?

Well it could be a pretty much impossible task given they don’t have any clear photo of the person’s face (although some side on ones I think), they could be from any country and indeed could already have left France. I think given how hard it’d be to find them and then, subsequently prosecute them, I’d imagine they’re trying to deprive them of any attention. Could be wrong tho.

Cav did not have a good time, I’m sure he wasn’t overly chuffed to drag himself over the mountains only to finish 5th in Paris. Is it time for him to start to rethink his role in the team?

TBH I think he must be seeing a hard negotiation with whatever team hires him next. He’s had a fairly low-key tour and early season. Without smashing some races towards the end of the year, his stock will be quite low I’d imagine. Can’t see Lefevre wanting to spank out 3M euros a year for a repeat of 2015.

Has a Columbian won the tour yet?

Nope but it’s only a matter of time before he does. Whilst I wanted Froome to win, i would not have been too disappointed if Qunitana had.

My favourite moment has to be an old guy from the Wirral mugging two of France’s finest within 1 km of the finish at Mende. Well done Cummings.

Ditto – the only time I was shouting at the telly

Lots of kudos to Sky for executing a well-worked plan, smart riding in the first half, brave defence in the second. It’s just a pity that so many people jumped to wrong conclusions after the first stage in the pyrenees – that the tour was over and that sky were so dominant it had to be suspicious. Mind you, I sure some people will be convinced Sky’s problems on the last two days were stage managed!

You always feels slightly bereft when the tour finishes, but ITV has lined up the perfect replacement in BBQ chimp 😕

Mind you, I sure some people will be convinced Sky’s problems on the last two days were stage managed!

[cynic]Or with all the attention they were getting they were unable to get their blood bags through to the team hotel and the other teams were?[/cynic]

That’s not cynical, that’s just being a tit.

that’s just being a tit.

In what way? Only a fool would not have at least a bit of cynicism about the sport for at least a generation. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it – but I see it for what it is.

Bardet’s descending.

He just seemed to be in another league.

Great thread. For me, one of the real highlights was that the first week didn’t feel like a parade. The cobbles, zealand, the Mur de Huy and Brittany enhanced the racing without overshadowing the sprinters.

Agree with BikeBouy’s comments on the press. For me this is going to be a big battle over the next few years to prevent the last generation dragging the sport down with invective and innuendo.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the daily threads, thanks particularly to Mike and Lunge who did most of the work. Thanks also to RealMan for introducing this most excellent of STW traditions.

FWiW, I believe TS are “clean” but there’s already a “doping” thread on this forum.
😉

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the daily threads, thanks particularly to Mike and Lunge who did most of the work. Thanks also to RealMan for introducing this most excellent of STW traditions.

+1 Great reading

but there’s already a “doping” thread on this forum.

Just the one 😉

I know, it’s been done to death a million times already so there’s is little point in doing it again. Having said that I’ve still fond memories of watching the ‘dirty’ era tours – irrespective of what they were on as a spectator event they were still good watching.

Sorry to say but it has all just got a bit dull for me. Since Sky came along gone are the days of the leader changing everyday. Sky’s tactics are just to good at controlling the race and the other teams just haven’t worked out how to change yet. It’s is getting to much like formula 1 where who ever has the pole ends up winning. With TDF if Sky have the yellow at the end of the first week then the race is almost over.

I have always thought it stupid that they don’t challenge the Yellow jersey on the last day and it showed perfectly yesterday. With Froome having to stop and change his bike when the bag got caught in his rear wheel, this could have been a perfect to produce a really chase and thrilling end stage.

I really don’t understand why the other teams are struggling with Sky so much. Its not like they have a whole team packed with the best riders

Brilliant tour – so much happened and so many twists. From the yellow jersey poison chalice for both Martin and Cancellara, at the start, to Froomes attack in the pyrenees, Cummings win and the epic battles in the Alps. And not forgetting the Sagen will he, wont he win a stage Saga!

Good to see the etiquette in the sport yesterday with all of the jerseys surrounding the race organisers car to agree to neutralize after all the crashes in the womens race (and I personally dont agree with Nibali’s attack when Froome had that mechanical).

Mind you, I sure some people will be convinced Sky’s problems on the last two days were stage managed!

Yeah the Tour De France facebook page was full of similar suggestions in French 🙄 🙁

Feel a bit of a come down now. Especially given the news is starting to fill with Wendyball stories 🙁 Bring on the Vuelta 🙂

Watching Sagans descending was pretty entertaining in a heart-in-mouth way. Cobblers like watermelons 😯

I have always thought it stupid that they don’t challenge the Yellow jersey on the last day and it showed perfectly yesterday.

I’ve always thought that even if they could challenge it, the result would be unchanged. Think of it as a flat, sprinters stage, you’d get a breakaway up the road featuring someone from Europcar, they’d get about 5 minutes then the sprint teams guys would real them in with around 2km to go and we’d get a sprint finish. No way would a GC rider get away in the break or would be able to get any kind of time even if they wanted to. All it would do is give the same outcome for the day but with a pile of added stress for all concerned.

Even yesterday with Froome’s bike change, he’d have been paced back into the group and lost no time at all.