TDF 2014

[TrueBrit]

Bet someone on Team Sky is wishing they hadn't dropped Sir Wiggo right about now....http://www.nbcsports.com/cycling/chris-froome-abandons-2014-tour-de-france

[opinionated ow]

Yesterday was a bit dull but apart from that I don't recall a Tour de France start as good as this. It's been amazing. Yorkshire was stunning. London was great even in the rain and the cobbles today just livened it up no end. Bravo Christian Prudhomme

[Tifosi24]

Bet someone on Team Sky is wishing they hadn't dropped Sir Wiggo right about now....http://www.nbcsports.com/cycling/chris-froome-abandons-2014-tour-de-france

After Froome went down yesterday, I knew today would be tough. The irony is that he crashed out before the cobbles. The rubes on cycling websites are savaging Froome for his utter lack of bike handling skills (I won't comment because I haven't seen any highlights), but my guess is that he has a broken bone in his wrist or hand from the crash yesterday. Brailsford does look like a moron for not bringing Wiggins and telling Froome to stop being a baby and deal with some competition. Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas are quality riders, but it is unclear if they are ready to contend for a GC and, truthfully, Wiggins might be past his prime in terms of GC competition. But, that being said, if you have the last two TdF champions in your stable, and the route has a cobbled stage, you are foolish not to have backup, especially with Froome's body type. I am too lazy to look up the results from the last trek onto cobbles, but my gut tells me the time differences among the GC contenders this time around are much greater and this stage will have a much more significant impact on the overall classification come Paris.

[cameraman]

His first crash today was someone in the peloton knocking him down. After his second crash it was obvious that there was no way on earth he was getting back on a bicycle. He could barely stand or walk and he wasn't moving one arm at all.

[cameraman]

As for Andy Schleck...


Andy Schleck’s knee is severely damaged: there are partial ruptures in the collateral and cruciate ligaments, the meniscus is torn and an injury to the articular cartilage has been diagnosed during the procedure, raising further concern about Schleck’s rehab.

“Besides the ligaments and the meniscus, we can also confirm that the cartilage behind the knee cap is damaged, which is the worst and most painful part of Andy’s injury. The surgeons have removed a part of the meniscus and have arthroscopically shaved the damaged cartilage. In terms of rehab he cannot put load on his knee for at least two weeks, so crutches will be necessary.”

Physiotherapy on a daily basis will be used to reduce the formation of scar tissue and encourage healing.

“I’m feeling pretty bad, to understate it. I’m gutted. My knee looks like there’s been an explosion inside. I’ll be on crutches for at least two weeks and from there on we will see. I cannot ask for a detailed time line right now, and that is hard to deal with. There’s nothing else I can do. Acceptance is the first step of my rehab and I’m working on that now. There’s lots of work to be done before I’ll be back, but I’m used to fighting back.”

- Andy Schleck.

[TrueBrit]

As for Andy Schleck...

Bloody hell, with CavO going out as well with a separated shoulder this is starting to look like Thunderdome, not a bloody bike race!!!


And i LOVE it!!! :D

[Tifosi24]

As for Andy Schleck...

Sad news for Andy. After all the work of at least being serviceable after breaking his pelvis and now this. Given his age, I would imagine that his career is done.

Just want to reiterate, I am not savaging Froome, that is just what some internut folks are saying. After his crash yesterday, I was fully expecting him to lose significant time today, if not pull out, because if you are wearing a brace to finish a sprint stage there is no way you will get through a cobbles stage unscathed. I was just surprised that his falls happened before the cobbles, but apparently Teejay hit the deck before the cobbles as well.

[cameraman]

Good lord. Matthew Busche from Trek Factory crashed three times yesterday and twice today. Does he have any skin left at all?:eek: Also Peter Sagan lost a bunch of skin to a post-intermediate sprint pileup.:rolleyes:

[Tifosi24]

Busche must have some skin left because he was in the break early in the stage. Tejay and Talansky hit the deck with Tejay losing over a minute in the GC. I haven't seen video, but apparently Talansky has no one but himself to blame for his crash. Who looks over their shoulder during a field sprint? He is the best placed American at this point, so hopefully the crash doesn't impact his fitness too much.

[cameraman]

No one was 100% at fault in that one but ouch...

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BsSNTAgCIAAEgrO.jpg:large

[Tifosi24]

Finally got a chance to watch the sprint, and I would agree that you can't fix 100% blame; however, the lion's share needs to be on Talansky because he got himself into a situation where he didn't want to be and appeared uncomfortable. If you see the replay, you can tell for about 400 meters he wants to get out of the field sprint but there is no out. He probably should have kept his line, looked forward, and held his breath instead of looking back. Anyhow, he appears none the worse for wear, so I would expect that he will learn from this for the future.

[Tifosi24]

Tony Gallopin's wife is a smoke show :thumbup:.

[cameraman]

She's his girlfriend, her name's Marion Rousse. She's also a pro rider.

http://www.photographe-oise.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Marion-Rousse-Giordana-FFC.jpg

and French…

http://www.muddymoles.org.uk/images/2011/marion-rousse-cyclepassion-2012.jpg

[G.]

"Mind the gap!"

[G.]

So, the Tour de France starts in England?

So geographically confused...

I caught some of it a few days ago, but I am VERY ignorant of the event.


(something something) Bikes (something something) France (something something) drugs...

I finally get a channel that shows it, so Imma gonna hafta catch up.

[opinionated ow]

Thought she looked familiar...I know a lady on that team and I know of another.

On another note, Contador and Froome both out...who do we expect to win? I'm going on a limb and picking Rui Costa or Pierre Rolland. I don't think Porte has it in him nor Nibali.

And finally on cycling, Marianne Vos won third fourth Giro Rosa (Giro d'Italia Femminile) ahead of Rabo-Liv team mates Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (FRA) and Anna van der Breggen (NED). Vos won four stages and her worst finish was 6th on Stage 8! It was utter domination by Rabo with the only team able to sustain a fight being the tiny Norwegian powerhouse squad Hitec Products with Italian star Elisa Longo Borghini. But back to Rabo...6 stage wins, the GC pink jersey, the white young rider jersey, the points jersey and team GC with 4 in the top 10.
668

[Tifosi24]

She's his girlfriend, her name's Marion Rousse. She's also a pro rider.

Wife or girlfriend, regardless, she is a beauty.

[cameraman]

Ted King is out. Tiago Machado was in the top three in the overall then crashes and finishes dead last on the stage. Went from 2 minutes down to 44 minutes down.

[Tifosi24]

Ted King is out. Tiago Machado was in the top three in the overall then crashes and finishes dead last on the stage. Went from 2 minutes down to 44 minutes down.

It was a rough stage yesterday, and I think most riders are glad that today is the rest day. Talansky also had a poor day and lost another 10 minutes in the general classification, the falls came back to bite him. Tejay had a solid day and moved up I believe nine stops in the GC. Contador certainly wins the tough guy award for pedaling 10k on a broken tibia that will require surgery. I am a bit bummed that Cancellara has decided to pull out of the Tour at the rest day, but it isn't a shock considering the only TT of relevance to him isn't until the penultimate stage. That is a lot of suffering for no guarantee considering the form that Tony Martin has brought to the Tour and considering the fact that he won't have to worry about helping Cav either.

[dando]

30 for 30 @8 Tuesday on E$PN about Hinault/LeMond for you bicycle fans.

[Dvdb]

DVR set

[Dvdb]

You know, I have been following the Tour for 20(?) years or so. Lemond era to present time. And today I saw my first black cyclist in the Tour.

[Tifosi24]

You know, I have been following the Tour for 20(?) years or so. Lemond era to present time. And today I saw my first black cyclist in the Tour.

That would be Kevin Reza who rides for Europcar, he has been a solid competitor throughout the entire Tour. I believe there was another black cyclist that participated a couple years back, but his name escapes me. It is interesting that you would mention Reza, because he had a racial slur dropped on him by a Swiss rider a couple stages ago. Apparently, Albasini was mad that Reza wasn't helping in the breakaway so he decided to drop a form of the N-bomb on him. The two worked it out, but from what I read it apparently doesn't count as a racial slur if it is in both riders' second language. No clue why the Tour didn't ban Albasini.

[Dvdb]

Interesting.

Honestly, I never once thought about the lack of "non-whites" in the Tour before a few days ago.

I wonder if any other ethnicities have never done the Tour.........Asians? Indians?

[cameraman]

There have been entire Japanese teams and South America is well represented

[opinionated ow]

Don't forget before 1981 and Aussie Phil Anderson, no native English speaker had ever worn the yellow jersey. Reza is from Marseilles and has been an absolute star in this race. In terms of Asian competitors-Reza has the Japanese former champion Arashiro on his team and Giant-Shimano have a Chinese rider, the first ever from that country. There's an Argentine and three Colombians too. The Colombians were all over the Giro though

[Dvdb]

Yea, saw the Chinese rider's name pop up this morning on my TdF app.

You would think that with all the bikes in China.......................

[opinionated ow]

Wiggo took second (behind Australia) with his English team in the Teams Pursuit at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Looks like he might give up on the road all together and take Rio on the track as his final fling.

Marianne Vos was brilliant to out-sprint the magnificent Kirsten Wild in La Course. So good to see the girls finally get a decent race for good money.