Mike at C&M Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 If it is nearly July, it is nearly time to do about 3,500 kilometres around France on a bicycle. With France's iconic race starting in Germany on Saturday, how about we set the wheels rolling by having a 'plump' at who might be in the maillot jaune in Paris in just over 3 weeks time. I don't feel that Froome is as invincible as he was, despite a very strong Sky team around him. With other previous winners also seeming to be on the downward slope (Contador and Nibali, for two), could we be at the start of a new era? I am sticking my sixpence up the nose of Richie Porte. (Sorry, Richie, if this proves to be the kiss of death to your chances!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted June 29, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 29, 2017 I imagine Froome will get it, but agree he's not in the form he has been previously, whilst Porte is clearly riding well. Cavendish to get a token stage win, Sagan to ride with more flare and panache than the other 197 riders combined and take green by a country mile. Hoping for a strong showing from Geraint Thomas, he's always good value and has been rather down on his luck this year. Expecting some "do or die" breakaways with top quality gurning from Thomas Voeckler on his farewell tour. Can't wait! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike Posted June 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 30, 2017 I'd be surprised if Quintana wasn't in the mix. I guess the issue for Nibbles, Quintana and Porte is always whether they can be consistent enough to not have a bad day. Froome doesn't look in peak form but he doesn't often have a stinker of a day which the others quite often do. I'll plump for Quintana with less TT km IIRC this year. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted June 30, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 30, 2017 Will Quintana look even more weathered this year?! He looks about 65 already. I want to like him, but just can't get behind him. Nor Nibbles actually. Some friends are off doing the "Tour de Force" riding the entire route a week ahead of the pros. Sod that. Gives me a good preview of all the stages though with detailed topography! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 I hope it doesn't happen, but given the spectator stupidity on some of the climbs in previous years, it wouldn't surprise me if the whole GC order is upset by an "incident". I don't think Quintana has the oomph to lead with the yellow jersey over several stages - but I think his team-mate Valverde could be the surprise overall winner if he comes out from under Quintan'a shadow and given the right team support to riding his own race. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Bit of railway interest: stage 2, they're in Belgium, passing near the huge Moresnet/Montzen (sp.) viaduct. I got a puncture beside it last week, and then noticed some signs relating to the race. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waveydavey Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 I'll also give Richie Porte the kiss of death by saying I think he's got a good chance this year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold john new Posted June 30, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 30, 2017 (edited) Has anyone got the 2017 race iPhone/iPad app to download? All I can get following the link from the TDF site to the I-store is a reload of the 2016 version. Updated. - have finally got the 2017 version downloaded! Edited June 30, 2017 by john new Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 There we are, I've already put the kiss of death on Valverde by tipping him earlier. No more predictions from me, then. Well done Geraint Thomas! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 A shame about Valverde, as he regularly proves to be a catalyst for things to happen. I suspect that Quintana is now worried about his chances of overall victory. A great display by Geraint Thomas. The delight on his face when he realised he had won was priceless. After many years of sterling service, he now gets a richly deserved reward. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 (edited) I have a tenner on Quintana for the overall at 7/1, so I know where my allegiances will lie. Actually, I might have got better odds now given that Valverde is out, but hey-ho. Froome's odds were far too short for me to bother with. Edited July 1, 2017 by jonny777 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 I have watched the replay about 20 times, and IMO Sagan has no excuse. He sould be disqualified from the race. All this nonense about Greipel making him move right is rubbish, it happened about 100m earlier. Sagan is too arrogant for words, and can't just barge other riders out of the race. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Shades of Vettel in Vittel! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Eurosport are showing the whole of each stage this year and as most of the PNs (level crossings) tend to be in the first half of many stages we may get to see more of railway interest. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Well Sagan has been DISQUALIFIED! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted July 4, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 4, 2017 Too harsh I think. Sagan did deviate from his line a bit, but it was already a chaotic sprint. He was slightly unlucky in finding Cav in the space he wanted to occupy, but I saw no malicious intent. I personally thought the 80 points was a little harsh in itself, a racing incident which had some rather nasty consequences I thought. I've seen far worse in most bunch sprints I've contested! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted July 5, 2017 Author Share Posted July 5, 2017 Unfortunately, overnight, it has been confirmed that Mark Cavendish is out of the the Tour as well with a broken scapula. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted July 5, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 5, 2017 Shame for him, he was showing some good form given his terrible early season. Shame for the race to have lost two of the most exciting riders. Still, blows the green jersey competition wide open, probably fall to a 'proper' sprinter for the first time in a few years. Wouldn't be surprised to see Kittel hanging onto it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Could it be that the officials wanted to make a point? Harsh certainly but somebody was going to be the scapegoat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted July 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 5, 2017 A bit harsh in my view. Some pertinent views here from those who would know what they're talking about: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-riders-past-and-present-shocked-by-peter-sagans-disqualification/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted July 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 5, 2017 Looking at the replay, I don't think there is any doubt that Sagan sticks out an elbow rather than go shoulder-to-shoulder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted July 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 5, 2017 Looking at the replay, I don't think there is any doubt that Sagan sticks out an elbow rather than go shoulder-to-shoulder. I think Cavendish himself accepted everything as just part of racing, apart from that elbow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted July 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 5, 2017 (edited) It comes a surprise that in this day and age the UCI doesn't have any ex racers involved with the commissars in the 'rules interpretation' (or so it has been reported) . F1 seems to have got it right with their 'ex-racer' involved with rules decisions on the day. Edited July 5, 2017 by Re6/6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Looking at the replay, I don't think there is any doubt that Sagan sticks out an elbow rather than go shoulder-to-shoulder. Here's why I'm inclined to agree - see photo on this page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/40506450 Only Sagan himself can know if it was intentional or merely trying to make himself wide so that he could be the one of the wheel of the rider in front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 (edited) Slow mo replay of the film taken by the helicopter on ITV4 clearly showed Cavendish hitting the barriers / falling before Sagans elbow ; the latter was a reaction to his bike being knocked off balance and seeking to correct it. Nearly everyone seemed to be moving to the right up to Cavendishs fall and therafter Demare moved sharply to the left to find space and only missed colliding with Bouhanni due to Bouhanni being aware of the danger, stopping peddling (and presumably hit the brakes) If Sagan was guilty of changing his line so was Demare, in fact more so - so whatever punishment Sagan got Demare should have got as well. No way should Sagan have been expelled. [Conspiracy Theory] Hang on, Demare is French and has just won the stage so lets overlook that, and lets expel Sagan so neither Sagan nor Cavendish can win the Green jersey and pave the way for a French winner [/Conspiracy Theory] Edited July 5, 2017 by Butler Henderson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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