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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to watch every moment of the Tour de France

190 replies

stubbornhubby · 03/07/2010 18:07

No, Wait!

...with the man Cavendish in real contention for Green, a British team for the first time in yonks, and Bradley Wiggins capable of getting on the podium, and a route that takes the peleton up the tourmalet not once but twice..

IASNBU

Lance Armstrong starts in 25mins...

OP posts:
iMum · 06/07/2010 16:02

You are so not bu!!! its on in our house wither eurosport itv or that odd french channel!!!

abdnhiker · 06/07/2010 20:10

disaster for Frank but otherwise a fascinating day. I'd have loved it if Ryder had managed to stay away (I'm canadian and we've been following him for years, back in his mountain biking days) but overall it was wonderfully exciting.

queribus · 06/07/2010 20:40

Nooo, not Frank!!! I'm gutted.

Cavendish needs to seriously up his game. And I knew that Vino would make a move - there's no way he's going to work for Contador.

I LOVE the Tour!!!

Original poster
stubbornhubby · 06/07/2010 22:49

Just watched the highlights (having dropped out of the web coverage at 2pm )
What a great stage !
Saxo bank are awesome
Lance is looking quietly strong

Stubbornhubby's prediction de jour - cavendish will abandon next week when they hit the mountains

OP posts:
cktwo · 06/07/2010 22:53

Nah. He's done the champs elysses now and will want to finish

abdnhiker · 07/07/2010 08:23

i disagree that Lance is looking strong - he's looking his age! I don't expect him to finish on the podium unless others fall apart.

Fingers crossed for Cav that his tour turns around. If he's not had any success when they hit the mountains I could see him quitting and I hate that - I think it sends such a bad message to my kids.

MmeLindt · 07/07/2010 08:39

Not watched it yet, but we are intending to go into the mountains on Sunday to watch them arrive in Morzine. DH not so keen, he wants to watch the sprint in Viuz-en-Sallaz but that is going to boring in comparison, isn't it?

What do you reckon? Do I need to do some persuasion and get him to go to Morzine?

Original poster
stubbornhubby · 07/07/2010 08:41

the next three stages are make or break for Cav. with zero points so far, I reckon he needs to win two stages too keep in contention for the green jersey, but he's looked a little out of sorts, causing two crashes in the last three weeks.

(in case you haven't seen it - here's the disaster that struck in the Tour de Suisse last month)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RNAYR3KPIg

OP posts:
Earlybird · 07/07/2010 13:51

So am I right in thinking that a mechanical malfunction close to the finish line (like Contador's flat tyre) gives him an adjusted time (close to the pace he was on)?

But a malfunction further back (like Chavanel or Armstrong) means simply that that time is lost?

How is that determined? Not sure it seems entirely fair...

Earlybird · 07/07/2010 13:55

abdnhiker - who is your favourite? Who do you think is looking strong (if you think Lance is looking his age)?

MmeLindt - personally, don't think I'd watch the sprint because you'd wait ages and get only the barest glimpse as they flashed by. I'd go to a more leisurely paced section so I could see the riders properly.....but that is just me. Let us know how it is so we can live vicariously through you!

Original poster
stubbornhubby · 07/07/2010 14:36

Article 20 > Finishes
...
In the event that a rider or riders suffer a
fall, puncture or mechanical incident in
the last 3 kilometres and such an incident
is duly recognised, the rider or riders involved
are credited with the same finishing
time of the rider or riders they were with at
the time of the incident. They are attributed
this ranking only upon crossing the finish
line. If after a fall, it is impossible for a rider
to cross the finish line, he is given the ranking
of last in the stage.

www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/COURSE/docs/reglement.pdf

OP posts:
abdnhiker · 07/07/2010 16:12

earlybird - I'd put my money on Contador with Andy and Cadel on the podium with him but my heart would choose Wiggins...

stubbornhubby - thanks for that video - I'd not seen that finish. Either Cav was taking too many risks or he's not got the headsense this season he's had previously...

MmeLindt · 07/07/2010 17:02

Gah, wanted to watch today but had a guy here fixing the telephone line so no TV.

Good point about the sprint. Will see if I can persuade DH to go up to Morzine. Will take photos for you all.

abdnhiker · 07/07/2010 20:16

boo on Cav today for giving up when he realized he couldn't win. I'm not a fan of that kind of attitude and it's dangerous to slow down that close to the finish...

queribus · 07/07/2010 20:32

abdhiker - agree about Cav. I'm a big Cav fan, but he sometimes seems a bit petulant - wonder if he threw his helmet off the bus or it was an accident? Needs to think a bit more before acting or speaking ...

Looking forward to the mountains, though, especially the Pyrenees.

Original poster
stubbornhubby · 07/07/2010 22:14

Great to see a proper sprint today. Petacchi showed what a pro he is. Great race . Cav will abandon on Saturday, I predict now. He is out of sorts I think, he had had a bad six months now since his teeth op went bad,

OP posts:
Original poster
stubbornhubby · 09/07/2010 11:15

cavendish is back!!

OP posts:
Cosmosis · 09/07/2010 13:04

I'm just gutted that I didn't get pg a month earlier, cos if I had I would have started mat leave at end of june, with 3 weeks off perfectly timed to watch the whole tour live! instead i am now 34 wks and too knackered to keep awake during the highlights

Earlybird · 09/07/2010 14:19

Congratulations to Cavendish! Was also very impressed by the performance of Tyler Farrar (sp?) - especially considering he's injured.

Which of the 'big name' riders are known as sprinters, and which are known for their climbing abilities?

Also which teams are thought to be powerhouses? Am a little surprised we haven't heard more from/about Astana or Radio Shack.

Original poster
stubbornhubby · 09/07/2010 15:54

round up of sprinters...
uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/30062010/58/tour-de-france-green-jersey-contenders.html

OP posts:
Tillyscoutsmum · 09/07/2010 16:00

Only just found this thread. I have to say that DH is a more obsessive committed TDF watcher than me, but obviously a bit of it filters through (it has to, otherwise we would have no conversation for 3 weeks

I am so chuffed for Cav. I shed a little tear with him on the podium. We gave DS Cavendish as a middle name and were beginning to think we'd jinxed him

Hope Wiggins does well. Team Sky don't quite seem to be living up to expectations so far.......

Original poster
stubbornhubby · 09/07/2010 16:37

I bet your DS is glad you're not fans of wiggins :-)

OP posts:
ShowOfHands · 09/07/2010 16:41

Goooooooo Cav!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TSM, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em eh?

Tillyscoutsmum · 09/07/2010 18:33

Yay ! Cav is back

stubbornhubby - Bradley was seriously suggested

I think little Geraint Thomas is doing brilliantly. DH reckons he could possibly be in yellow after tomorrow's stage. He has a man crush - a cyclist and a fellow Cardaffian

SOH - absolutely

poppy34 · 09/07/2010 18:43

Yanbu- I need to catch up and re cav