Steephill.TV is a great site to follow the tour.
Its too bad about Froome but its WIDE open now.
Its too bad about Froome but its WIDE open now.
Le Tour de France 2014
- Thread starter dougydee
- Start date
Steephill is great for those of us in North America ... although NBCSN does ok.
What a crazy day though ... sucks for Froome, but then again, the field was level for everyone going into yesterday. Astana is impressive at this point. I figured when Vino retired and Lance and company left them it would be just a low level team ... Nibali is proving to be a great leader for the first week of the tour. Will be interesting to see how he fares in the mountains.
As for the argument today, about whether cobbles should be in the TdF ... I'm on the fence. When I was younger, I was all for it. I love the unpredictability it brings to the stage. However, as I've grown and learned more about cycling, I've learned the GC riders and the Spring Classics generally don't mix well (as we saw largely yesterday). I think the rain added a degree of difficulty not expected too. Previous years of the Tour have included cobbles, but none that I recall were rainy stages like yesterday.
Nibali looks good so far, but I think Contador and the others will surpass him in the mountains.
As for the cobble sections at first IO loved the idea, but now not so much. It doesn't really do anything to distinguish the better riders. Its kind of a crap shoot and luck. I feel the same way about the longer time trials. It gives such a massive advantage to guys like Froome and Wiggins. The race should be won while RACING not time trialing or avoiding cobbles. Part of the reason I love the Giro and Vuelta are because of the amount of mountain stages and mountaintop finishes. I love watching the big guns duke it out while climbing a mountain.
Froogle, I agree with you on most counts. The winner should be the best racer. Not the one who gets lucky and makes it through cobbles unscathed. However if you look at the crashes yesterday, most occurred without the cobbles. The wet roads caused the most issues. The cobbles were actually a non event that I saw. With the exception of the couple of riders who overcooked turns on the sections of cobble.
As for the time trial, it needs to be there. The grand tours should highlight the best all around cyclist. And that includes the time trial discipline. It is part of being a good cyclist. If all you can do is climb well, why does that make you the best all around?
I respect the opinions of others, but do disagree on a few counts.
But of course who doesn't love watching the fireworks of a mountain top finish!
As for the time trial, it needs to be there. The grand tours should highlight the best all around cyclist. And that includes the time trial discipline. It is part of being a good cyclist. If all you can do is climb well, why does that make you the best all around?
I respect the opinions of others, but do disagree on a few counts.
But of course who doesn't love watching the fireworks of a mountain top finish!
I agree with Calhoun1. The cobbles were pretty much a non event andI don't have an issue with them being included. They are a road and this is road cycling.
I ride cross country MTB and sometimes I wish I had something as smooth as cobbles to ride
I think that team time trials are ok, but I'm not really in to individual time trials. You can win (or lose) so much time on them. Especially if your team has looked after you up to that point.
I think they should just return to the old days. Give the competitors a bike, a map and a tent and tell them whoever gets to Paris 1st wins! No enforced starts or rest days
I ride cross country MTB and sometimes I wish I had something as smooth as cobbles to ride
I think that team time trials are ok, but I'm not really in to individual time trials. You can win (or lose) so much time on them. Especially if your team has looked after you up to that point.
I think they should just return to the old days. Give the competitors a bike, a map and a tent and tell them whoever gets to Paris 1st wins! No enforced starts or rest days
- Thread starter
- #26
The issue regarding the cobbles is certainly divided. It appeared as though the feedback from most non GC riders was positive, some even thinking there should be more cobbles. The GC guys work hard to control everything they can. The cobbles provide an element that takes a lot of that control away from them. No matter how much they have trained or done a reconnaissance for cobbles their are still elements that can make big differences to their overall GC chance ie: mechanical issues, stuck behind crashes or taken out. Some GC riders might only realistically have 3 or 4 chances in their career to be in contention for a grand tour win and there is enough luck involved in a 3 week race without having cobbles involved.
I like the cobbles. If it didn't rain it would be even a bigger non issue. Froome crashed and abandoned before the cobbles. This year the first legs are very challenging which is good for the Tour. The 2nd Stage from York to Sheffield was awesome. Jenkins Road at the end was a butt kicker. The Tour needs that instead of several flat stages where the Sprinters reign. Boring except at the end. And I love the Freaking Beast known as Kittel.
Another crazy day in the Tour today ... I don't think many foresaw this
- Thread starter
- #29
Massive change in the race now. Last man standing has a chance to win the tour. As they say "to finish first, first you must finish".
Watching Talansky struggle to finish today was sad. He says that he will ride again tomorrow. Best of luck to him and the other riders still in the race.
Sad yes, but somewhat inspiring. He could have very easily abandoned mid stage, but he didn't, even riding in front of the sweep car the rest of the stage. To me that takes a special kind of person, to commit to finishing something when the world would understand if you quit.
- Thread starter
- #33
The race now heads to the Alps where time gaps can be larger and further changes to GC can take shape. Nibali definitely looks hard to beat and could take another stage here with stage 13. The rest of the podium could be up for grabs. From an Aussie point of view I'll be cheering on Richie Porte hoping he can have a good time in the mountains.
Stage 19 looks to be the only stage left where Sagan could take win. He's been so dominant in the green jersey that it would be great to see him get a win but its looking unlikely.
Stage 19 looks to be the only stage left where Sagan could take win. He's been so dominant in the green jersey that it would be great to see him get a win but its looking unlikely.
100% agree.
Felt so bad for Jack Bauer, leading all that way then getting caught at the end by the sprinters.
