Brad Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 The Tour kicks off today. I look forward to this every year. It kicks off with time trials in Düsseldorf. As in past years, I'm pulling for Nairo Quintana from Colombia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 Casualties on the first day! Valverde is out. Tough to go out on the first stage, especially in a time trial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted July 2, 2017 Report Share Posted July 2, 2017 Great for Williams to get the yellow. Froome's advantage over his main rivals is an interesting start to the Tour. Sky won't be giving that up easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2017 Peter Sagan has been tossed out of the TDF for elbowing Mark Cavendish at the finish today. Sagan said that he had been pushed and was using his elbow to brace himself. Too bad. I like Sagan's swagger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted July 5, 2017 Report Share Posted July 5, 2017 Sagan is usually one of the Tour's characters. I'm not too sure what Cav thinks of Sagan's swagger at the moment The film I saw did made it look a lot more of an offensive rather than defensive/balancing movement. Froome now back in yellow. His Sky protection team will now move into place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2017 I agree. Not thrilled about Froome being back in first; the Tour may be over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted July 10, 2017 Report Share Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) I suspect everyone's enjoyed the rest day after the hairy day on the slopes yesterday. A real shame for both Porte and Thomas and Porte's crash looked particularly nasty. Aru's move on Froome was intriguing as was the lack of response from the other GC contenders who all chose to respect the yellow jersey. When will Aru make his next move? On UK TV today Froome's talking about riding defensively and using the TT at the end to attack but then he isn't going to broadcast his real intentions to anyone. He could well try and put some distance between him and the others on one of the upcoming mountain stages Edited July 10, 2017 by mjazzg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2018 Anyone watching the 2018 Tour? Yesterday’s stage in Alpes d‘Huez was quite remarkable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted July 21, 2018 Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 Yes, just watching the highlights in the evening. Interesting race so far with Sky in a good position. Very disappointed with Froome's "medication" - it's hard to believe that it dosn't enhance performance. Nevertheless he's in the race and doesn't deserve physical attacks. I can understand the booing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted July 21, 2018 Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 I'm following the evening highlights. They're plugging the WC hole That Alpes d'Huez stage was a great watch, attack and counter-attack and Thomas winning again. I loved his interviews where he appeared genuinely surprised and overcome by his achievement - it was a nice contrast to so much scripted sports interviews. Could this be the year the baton's passed as it was from Wiggins to Froome when it became obvious Froome was stronger. It will be interesting to see how it develops. Doumoulin's looking good too. It really does intrigue me how Sky always manage to ride as a team in a manner that no other team seems to do. I don't know enough to really understand why this is but I'm guessing it's money and rider recruitment. I'm with John on Froome and a feeling of disappointment (nothing much stronger than that at the moment). I can't understand the seemingly strong correlation between professional road racers and asthma... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 Sky always seem like they have a plan that they stick to. They remind me of a well oiled business, impossible to stop. Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin, the tv announcers, were waxing poetic about Peter Sagan, not just because he’s a wonderful sprinter, but because he managed to persevere in the Alps where so many other sprinters failed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 I see that Nibali's team is threatening legal action against the Tour. I'm always amazed how spectators get so close to the riders and run next to them, exhorting or yelling at them. I'm surprised there aren't more incidents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted July 21, 2018 Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 I'm watching the live broadcasts from the' Tour. Always a pleasure to admire La Belle France and its various landscapes. As for thé actual race, I am pretty fed up with the Sky team control of the race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 A great day of racing. Peter Sagan was impressive, finishing fourth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted July 25, 2018 Report Share Posted July 25, 2018 Punishing stage today. Great to see Quintana finally show. Thomas is looking really strong reacting to everything Doumoulin and Roglic threw at him. Froome struggling, amongst all the boos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted July 25, 2018 Report Share Posted July 25, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2018 3 hours ago, mjazzg said: Punishing stage today. Great to see Quintana finally show. Thomas is looking really strong reacting to everything Doumoulin and Roglic threw at him. Froome struggling, amongst all the boos With only three stages left, I can't see Thomas being denied the victory. Quintana has waited too long to make his mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2018 Thomas ran another fine race today and well deserves his victory. You have to tip your hat to Froome in getting back on the podium, a moral victory for him I suppose. Quintana was overall disappointing. After his 2nd and 3rd places a few years ago, he hasn’t lived up to his promise. The summer of fun — World Cup and TDF — is just about over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted July 29, 2018 Report Share Posted July 29, 2018 Yes, indeed. Well ridden Thomas especially, Froome, especially Bernal on Friday. I really do have mixed feelings about Sky, anything owned by Murdoch is anathema, I don't tend to like any teams that dominate their sport like this and the Wiggins/parcel shenanigans was so disappointing. However, I have to admire a team that seems to be so tactically ahead of their rivals and so consistently able to outmanoeuvre them. I still don't understand why no other team seems to be able to replicate this approach of bossing the peloton so consistently. Summer of fun only just getting going over here...first Test Match, against the world's best, India starts wednesday. WC and TDF have just been appetisers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted July 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2018 (edited) The Murdochs may not own it much longer. Disney is acquiring their 39 percent in Sky by virtue of Disney’s acquisition of Fox broadcasting assets and Disney and Comcast are vying to bid the remaining 61 percent. I don’t think we get the cricket over here. Edited July 29, 2018 by Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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