Tour de France 2013- 100th Edition

[Mikkel]

Amused that not even the Tour can interfere with SNCF

 

Long may it last. I still remember when Boonen et al where held up at a critical point in the 2006 Roubaix. Wonderful stuff!

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/gallery-the-winning-career-of-alessandro-petacchi/258810

[brightspark]

Did anyone cop the number of the train?

 

Does anyone else question Contadors tactics today? It seemed to me that anyone who wanted to get an advantage downhill would have to be well clear Froome whom lets face it can go down hill quite well.

 

Tomorrow is the hilly TT. I love these as there are no obvious specialists. Testers (the proper name for time trialists) are good on the flat fast roads. Road men especially climbers are not so good at events against the clock. You have to have a special kind of mind-set for testing. Some say that the best policy is to leave your brain in a bucket at the startline.

 

Who to win the stage? I think that it will be Froome again? Contador a possibility as he is hungry. But the risk for Froome is that if he pays out a mammoth effort to put in more time at the TT then he may pay on the two climbs of the Alpe d'heuz.

 

More train spotting cheese eating and wine quaffing tomorrow then.

[The Nth Degree]

A smart man in Yellow would do only what he needed not to lose time on his competitors in this situation. I would be great to add a few seconds onto his lead but not at the expense of two days of near exhaustion up the Alps.

[Bernard Lamb]

Some very good overhead shots for any one wanting to know the variations in the colour of ballast.

A good day at the office yesterday. All nicely under control.

Froome can afford to keep a bit back in the first half of the stage today. He will be getting time checks from the people in front of him on the road.

He, or the team, can then decide if they want to loose a bit of time or go for the stage win.

Porte needs to have an easy day and be strong enough to get Froome up The Alpe for the first time.

The next day Sky should hand out some "brown envelopes" to encourage a small group of lower placed riders to attack.

Another day like yesterday will make life easier for Sky.

The big danger is the last climb on Saturday at Annecy-Samnoz.

All the contenders will be trying to isolate Froome before they get there.

It could get a bit dangerous like it was with Contador yesterday. He had no real chance or intention of getting away. It was just a continual attempt to rough Froome up a bit. It seemed to work as Froome was rattled, going by remarks made at the press conference after the stage.

The real fight is now for second place.

Bernard

[brightspark]

"Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it's mistakes", was said by Woodrow Wilson. And so it is again today although to take that stance you would need to be looking back at the race. I am thinking of the last day timetrial between Fignon and Lemond all those years ago. The Frenchman was on a traditional machine and bare headed while Lemond had embraced technology and had tri-bars and an aerohat. I guess that we might have seen the same today Froome changed to a lo-pro machine while Contador stuck with his road bike. Contador said after the race that this was his mistake. However to change bikes during the event was a gambol and the advantage was not that great. Although it may have a phsycological advantage.

 

Tomorrow is the two climbs of the Alpe d'Heuz. Thinking about it there is no difference to a normal mountain stage in the number of climbs before you hit the big one at the end. Except the road is already filled with fans, so the atmosphere will be something special and they will have to do it twice.

There is concern about the descent especially if it is wet. Roll on the Schelcks who will be first over the line with comments about dangerous wet descents.

The winner, a tentative Froome, but I really don't think that he has to win. But then he didn't have to win todays time trial.

 

Another poster from Sky.

Come on Chris.

[The Nth Degree]

I'm looking forward to the next stage more than any other. But I'll say that again for the 2 days following that!

[Pacific231G]

10800, on 16 Jul 2013 - 17:03, said: Amused that not even the Tour can interfere with SNCF (peloton held up at level crossing about 70km from finish)! Imagine if there had been top 10 GC riders in the breakaway though.

Long may it last. I still remember when Boonen et al where held up at a critical point in the 2006 Roubaix. Wonderful stuff!

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/gallery-the-winning-career-of-alessandro-petacchi/258810

Since the times the Tour passes any point are relatively predictable, plus or minus about 10 minutes, I assume they plan to avoid scheduled trains. The only train scheduled anywhere near that time was train 17404, a Marseilles-Briancon "Intervilles". The hold up was on one of the crossings near Serres and happened at 15.39 by which time that train should have been been safely past Veynes as it was due to leave Serres at 15.10. Presumably it was running late http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2013/1600/83-b.jpg

 

Ironically SNCF/TER PACA  were running extra trains today for spectators wanting to get to to Chorges and Embrun for the time trial. 

 

I didn't see in the TV coverage the line (Gap-Briancon) that appears in images 1 and 11 of today's Tour in Pictures on the official site but I have a pet theory (almost certainly false!) that some of the TV directors who cover the Tour don't like trains and cutting between the leaders and the Peleton makes it fairly easy to avoid any that might sneak in. For example, in stage 13 SABA had obviously gone to some trouble to lay on on their best preserved Verney autorail and their Corpet-Louvet 040T in steam on opposite sides of the Level Crossing at their HQ in Ecueille. The TV director succeeded in avoiding all but a two second glimpse of it from one of the motorcycles. Since there's not a lot else of interest in that immediate area I'd have had a helicopter hovering over the station.

[Mike at C&M]

Hopefully, the weather will not interfere with the race, or the TV coverage today. Forecast is for scattered thunderstorms.

 

Whilst I like to watch a good storm, I think 'Le Tour' definitely takes preference today. Allez Froome!

[Bernard Lamb]

It was a bit like Formula 1 yesterday with selection of equipment and time of pit stop playing an important part.

Throw in a the odd rain shower for excitement and all was set for a good day.

The various combinations of frames, wheels, handle bars and helmets could only be understood by a person with racing experience. The commentators did not even try to get involved in the subject. Very simply an aerodynamic time trial bike does not have an advantage below around 40 km per hour.

Thinking about it two, or even three, bike changes would have been quicker for some of the top riders, with the new machines placed in the exact location on the course rather than being carried on the following car. A bit extravagant in spare equipment and helpers.

As I wrote previously Froome could decide at the last moment about winning the stage or keeping a lid on it.

It did seem that he had a bit in reserve. He took the wet part of the last descent very gently, by his standards and then used his machine to advantage over the last few kms. Ironically without the knowledge gained by Sky from Wiggins performances in time trials, Froome would almost certainly not have won yesterday.

Bernard

[Adrian]

Thinking about it two, or even three, bike changes would have been quicker for some of the top riders, with the new machines placed in the exact location on the course rather than being carried on the following car. A bit extravagant in spare equipment and helpers.

 

 

Except I don't think that is allowed in the rules. I seem to remember reading that they were only allowed to change bikes as long as that bike was carried on the following support car.

[Metr0Land]

We only watched the very end of time trials yesterday as the Head of Household isn't interested in TT.  Surprised and pleased to see Froome increasing lead albeit only a few secs.

 

We watched the 'The Ride' prog this morning where they went up the Huez so will be interested to see how the whole tour get on.

 

Is it too early to suggest back to back winners for Brits in TdF?  Zut Alors!  Nothing for 99 occasions then two come along at once. 

[The Nth Degree]

Adrian is correct, at no time are bikes, or any equipment and support (except for food and drink), allowed to be positioned off the support vehicles in advance of the rider.

 

There are many differences between a road bike and a TT bike. Principally, TT bikes are much more aerodynamic, are often heavier and are quite difficult to handle in corners – they are designed primarily to go fast in a straight line to maximise aerodynamic performance. All of those features are a disadvantage or no advantage in climbing.

[Neil]

Regarding the bike changes; yesterday on ITV4 Chris Boardman questioned the 'legality' of the push to restart once on the new machine as it was planned rather than of necessity due to mechanical breakdown.

[Bernard Lamb]

Except I don't think that is allowed in the rules. I seem to remember reading that they were only allowed to change bikes as long as that bike was carried on the following support car.

It was allowed at one time.

Even borrowing a bike or wheel from a spectator has been done in the past.

Without reading all the small print I would imagine that this restriction came in when the UCI introduced certification for machines, control and limits of certain dimensions and the minimum weight.

Bernard

[newbryford]

There's a suggestion that Chris Froome or Richie Porte could be docked time today, as Porte went back to the team car to pick up food for Froome on the last climb. Normally this is allowed, but not in the closing kms of a stage.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23363147

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Mike at C&M]

Froome has been docked 20 seconds for his infringement of the rules. However, he is still looking good for wearing yellow to Paris.

 

My one disappointment of the day was the lack of coverage down the Col de Sarenne. If it was such a spectacle, why did't we get to see more of it.

[Bernard Lamb]

What a surprise. When push comes to shove even those who try to hold the moral high ground resort to cheating.

Good job Froome and Porte ride bikes rather than play golf.

The penalty in that game would be almost certainly be rather more severe.

Ironic that Contador found himself in a spot of bother and had to chase hard to get back to the group,when he went back for a bottle a shortly before the point at which it was no longer allowed.

The crowds could well be out in record numbers. In 2003 I was there and the total of people in the valley and on the Alpe was estimated at 1.2 million. Riding down the Alpe when the roads are open to the public with numbers like that about is absolutely frightening.

For tomorrow they start with the Glandon. Steep at first and then after a short dip a drag over open moorland. Last time I was there was I 2011. I hope they have better weather as we rode up slowly watching the fresh overnight snow on the tops and hoping that it would melt before we got there. Clear to the Glandon but we abandoned the attempt on the Croix de Fer and went into the café.

Can Rodriquez and/or Quintana overhaul Contador. My money is on the pair of them to finish on the podium, but not a clue as to what order it will be.

Bernard

 

 

On the way up.

 

looking back down.

[brightspark]

Interesting thought about Froome learning to time-trial from Widdly Braggins Bernard. It is a shame though that he didn't learn from the waterboy Mark Cavendish. In his book Cav mentions that he always carries food in pockets in case the planned feed fails. In this case Sky are claiming that their car suffered a mechanical and couldn't get to them before the bottom of the mountain.

Now I have always been advised by "professional"/ top level riders that there several pieces of kit that you should always always carry. They are a small tool kit, spare tyres and a bit of chain and chain tool (Ok this is for training rides and those who are not top riders and may have to ride to the hotel) also a gillet or rain cape and some food, normally a gel. So I wonder if in future Sky riders will be carrying some packets of gel.

 

So looking forward I am with Bernard, its going to be a race to see who can push past Contador. Except that Chris Froome weakened today and if he did that again at the right spot he could lose more than 20 seconds. He could just blow and lose minutes. Now if I was Contador, Rodriquez or Quintana what would I be planning?

 

I think tomorrow will be another breakaway but wouldn't know who to put there. If Froome blows it will be one of the above, if he doesn't ????  I can't even put a good pin in the riders list now.

Oh lets go for any Italian for the stage win.

 

 what would I do?

[Pacific231G]

Froome has been docked 20 seconds for his infringement of the rules. However, he is still looking good for wearing yellow to Paris.

 

My one disappointment of the day was the lack of coverage down the Col de Sarenne. If it was such a spectacle, why did't we get to see more of it.

If that was the section down which motorbikes weren't allowed then possibly the met. was unfavourable for the helicopters.

 

The behaviour of the spectators today was ridiculous. 

[Bernard Lamb]

The behaviour of the spectators today was ridiculous.

If you think the scenes on TV were bad you should pay a visit to Dutch Corner around 10 at night.

The party there will go on for at least a week.

Good job there was not a Dutch win.

I hope the police in Yorkshire watched and learnt and are prepared for next year.

Bernard

[The Nth Degree]

I managed to see the highlights last night for the first time since it started - I normally watch live online at work, like I'm doing right now. I was interested in the interest shown by the UCI in the bike weights and that they may have some rule infringements to contend with.

 

For as long as I remember (I was racing TT from age 14 to 20) the bike weight lower limit has been 6.8Kg and all during that time and beyond there has been talk of lowering it or scrapping it, or making it rider-weight relative. I'm quite surprised that it's still in force, to be frank.

 

When I was 17 I built a bike that was slightly underweight using pretty much standard parts and even now my mountain bike with front suspension and 105mm rotors and hydraulic disc brakes is under 6.8Kg. I would imagine with technology that exists today you could easily build a race-ready and very solid bike under 4.5Kg, which would be an absolute boon in climbing.

[Mike at C&M]

"47 seconds" - a phrase that will often be heard on the commentaries tomorrow, but these "47 seconds" should provide us with some of the most thrilling entertainment ever seen in cycling!

 

Whilst Froome should have no major problems retaining yellow, "47 seconds" separates the 2nd and 5th place riders, and it is make or break tomorrow for securing your final positions in the GC.

 

Similarly, the 'polka dot' jersey is up for grabs with any one of 5 riders being within a good ride of claiming this.

 

Looking forward to the constant attacks on the final 10.5km climb up to Semnoz.

 

The 100th Tour has been memorable in so many ways, this weekend will simply add further to this.

 

Enjoy! I certainly will!

[brightspark]

Coo weren't it wet today?

Yep 47 seconds and a last day ahead that is short and lumpy. So long as Froome hangs on and doesn't have an nasty moment he should win the race. But then we have been saying this for a couple of weeks.

The fight for the 47 seconds is going to be electric. So if you are going to follow it live get plenty of food and drink in...we don't want you bonking on the last hill.*

Anyone want to have a guess at the stage winner? Me neither but how about....Quintana.

 

 

 

 

 

*phrase stolen from the ITV.

[Mike at C&M]

Anyone want to have a guess at the stage winner? Me neither but how about....Quintana.

I'm with you on this to the extent I can see Quintana moving into 2nd, ahead of Contador, and picking up the 'polka dot' jersey. 

 

But I've been wrong before!

[Re6/6]

I find the constant questioning distasteful by the (French?) sporting press of Chris Froome's 'cleanliness' after umpteen clean tests during the Tour.

 

I recall a few days ago seeing a press picture of Froome in a similar picture to an earlier one of Armstrong entitled "Froome naturelle?". All so unpleasant. A shame really, as my favourite Tour competitor is the Frenchman Thomas Voekler. It was sad to see him dropping off the pelaton yesterday.