Tour de France 2017

[Andronicus]

Can see some riders coming off on the sharp corners in these greasy conditions.

Hoping Durbo goes well.

Seeing that fall shows how slippery the surface is

Innocuous fall and he slid for a long time.

 

[Phone]

we're blessed to be getting Keenan for the entire tour

 

[Wally Walpamur]

Seeing that fall shows how slippery the surface is

Innocuous fall and he slid for a long time.

Didn't even take the corner agrresive or at speed. I think it's meant to dry up for the riders at the end but stil...

 

[imadodgyumpire]

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about this. I'm glad Robbie McEwen has replaced Paul Sherwin. A guy who got in my nerves.

 

[Vader]

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about this. I'm glad Robbie McEwen has replaced Paul Sherwin. A guy who got in my nerves.

Keenan is definitely better than McEwen. They're better than Phil & Paul, as a team.

I don't think Phil & Paul even listened to each other. The number of times one of them would say something, only to have the other repeat it (as if it were a new thought) 2 minutes later, was astounding.

 

[chargers 09]

Mathews is a chance to post a good time on a course like this.

 

[Andronicus]

Still just the one spill?

 

[Donakebab]

Keenan is definitely better than McEwen. They're better than Phil & Paul, as a team.

I don't think Phil & Paul even listened to each other. The number of times one of them would say something, only to have the other repeat it (as if it were a new thought) 2 minutes later, was astounding.

No doubt Keenan is better, but adding McEwan really helped him come to life.

 

[Donakebab]

Wow Valverde looks in a real bad way. The way he's hit it and not moving off his side it's a possible break. Not good.

 

[Ok Boomer]

He drilled that fence. If he isn't out, he is going to be a sore man and a long way behind.

Looks like an abandon. Pretty big scalp for the first abandon. Sad :/

 

[royboy2]

That was a big fall from Valverde, apparently on his way to hospital with a suspected broken leg

 

[Andronicus]

I know they are good, but Sky make things so boring.

 

[royboy2]

Glad to see Thomas get the stage win, always behind Sky's big boys

 

[toxic]

I know sweet fa about cycling but is 35 seconds too much for Porte to give up to Froome on stage 1?

 

[Andronicus]

I know sweet fa about cycling but is 35 seconds too much for Porte to give up to Froome on stage 1?

I'd say BMC would already be looking at changing race plans based on playing catch up far more than they would've hoped from day 1.

Strangely I think it may help. Porte now has to go all out and can't play it safe. Froome is too good from out in front and if they don't try something different, we will see the same old boring sky style race from stage 2.

 

[Speakeasy]

I had to watch with Spanish commentators tonight and was surprised how little they actually contribute. I like Paul Sherwin and one of the guys from Eurosport best, can't stand whichever Aussie commentator that just reels of uninteresting facts about whoever is on screen at the time.

Thank satan for Facebook live, it's the only way I can see the race in the country I live in atm.

Feel for Valverde, Froome looked good but Porte can do it!

 

[Orange Agent]

I know sweet fa about cycling but is 35 seconds too much for Porte to give up to Froome on stage 1?

Of the other main contenders other than Yates everybody else is further back again, Majka, Pinot, Bardet, Aru, Fuglsang, Contador. Looks like the weather and valverde crash spooked a lot of them. Chaves already at 1 minute will be interesting, I think Sky are gonna be getting attacked by a lot of teams as soon as the race hits the hills, the teams with two options like Astana and Orica have a lot of tactics to use now. I dont think Froome would have wanted 1 minute gaps after stage 1.

 

[newblueo]

astana is the only chance to make the race good or if froome falls off which i kinda hope.

sly i mean sky are the ukposta of this gen its so funny to watch. thomas was on par with gerrans 5 years ago an now he is a legit legend lol

 

[Wally Walpamur]

I know sweet fa about cycling but is 35 seconds too much for Porte to give up to Froome on stage 1?

There's over 3,000 km more to go to the finish and Sky will be forced to ride at the front and chase down any breakaways. Having the yellow this early isn't necessarily great as it's a massive target on your back. With the way Richie's been climbing this year, expect as early as stage 5 all the other GC riders take it in turns attacking team Sky and Froome.

Last year's Vuelta showed they can be got. Shame about. Valverde, he's probably the most exciting rider on the peloton in a grand tour.

 

[BobbyMorri]

I have seen this all before. A team from the UK do nothing in the pre-match races but once the big event comes around, they all find a extra 20%.

UK track cycling and Sky racing has nothing in common right?

 

[Vader]

I wouldn't want Porte in yellow after the first stage, but it would have been nice if he hadn't lost 35 seconds to Froome.

35 seconds is not insurmountable, far from it. He took more than that in the mountain stages in the Dauphine. Still, it would be better to be within 10 seconds. Leading Froome by a few seconds would have been even better.

Things may have been different if not for the rain. UK Postal riders showed a bit more bravery in the conditions, and unlike Valverde they got away with it. Porte rode cautiously, and paid the price on the clock.

It is what it is, and now UK Postal will have the lead, at least until the race hits the mountains.

Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk

 

[Sasquatch]

There's over 3,000 km more to go to the finish and Sky will be forced to ride at the front and chase down any breakaways. Having the yellow this early isn't necessarily great as it's a massive target on your back. With the way Richie's been climbing this year, expect as early as stage 5 all the other GC riders take it in turns attacking team Sky and Froome.

Last year's Vuelta showed they can be got. Shame about. Valverde, he's probably the most exciting rider on the peloton in a grand tour.

No they don't. They can let breakaways go and lose yellow. I wouldn't be chasing on stage 5 if I were them. I'd leave it up to other teams. Likewise stage 3 and stage 2. Leave it to the sprinters teams to control.

 

[Wally Walpamur]

No they don't. They can let breakaways go and lose yellow. I wouldn't be chasing on stage 5 if I were them. I'd leave it up to other teams. Likewise stage 3 and stage 2. Leave it to the sprinters teams to control.

So you reckon they'd let a Simon Yates or a Fuglsang get away on a stage 5 type stage? Teams with a couple 'plan B's' will be putting all the pressure on Sky. Agree sprinters teams will take control for a third of the race but with lumpy shorter stages IMO this year will be a lot more aggressive and guys like Dan Martin, Contador, Majka, Rolland et al will be able to take big time while Froome focuses more on defending Porte and Quintana.

 

[Sasquatch]

So you reckon they'd let a Simon Yates or a Fuglsang get away on a stage 5 type stage? Teams with a couple 'plan B's' will be putting all the pressure on Sky. Agree sprinters teams will take control for a third of the race but with lumpy shorter stages IMO this year will be a lot more aggressive and guys like Dan Martin, Contador, Majka, Rolland et al will be able to take big time while Froome focuses more on defending Porte and Quintana.

Riders like Yates or Fuglsang won't be in the break on stage 5. It will be shut down straight away. If there's no threats in the break they won't be chasing. And there won't be becuase the threats won't be allowed to get in there. Rolland is a non factor. He's going for stages. Not GC. I'd say Rolland could be a good chance to win stage 5 and maybe take yellow.

 

[Wally Walpamur]

Riders like Yates or Fuglsang won't be in the break on stage 5. It will be shut down straight away. If there's no threats in the break they won't be chasing. And there won't be becuase the threats won't be allowed to get in there. Rolland is a non factor. He's going for stages. Not GC. I'd say Rolland could be a good chance to win stage 5 and maybe take yellow.

I just want the peloton to break the Skybots. I'm sick of them winning year after year. Oh well, I guess we'll find out over the next three weeks.