Tour de France - This Friday!

[Pan2]

Okay, time to clip in, or out...fill those bidons, and get our merde together.....we roll out from Wonderful Copenhagen for the biggest push bike competition on the planet.
Not sure where velogames are actually up to, but nevertheless we go on Friday. Will set up the league later today. Time to consider options........and who we will curse with selections...will post the link shortly..

I was disappointed to see that I'd dropped again to 12th - but then noticed I was actually joint 11th

I'm suffering because my (automated) replacement for Daryl Impey hasn't delivered - but then Boivin would only have "cost" me 6 points, whereas Impey, iirc, was 24 points!

and let's not mention Lemoine's lack of contribution

I felt really sorry for Soler - must have been soul destroying I hope he hasn't damaged his health by persevering beyond all reasonable hope when he was obviously really ill

So exciting today.. so far... wont spoil it for those that will watch it tonight but its a classic.

What a finish!

Day 18 - another, and the last brutal stage, coming out of the beautiful town of Lourdes and taking in 3 very lump bits, incl a ramp up to what looks like a summit finish. Survival day for the sprinters as they have tomorrow and Sunday left, and some of them will convince themselves they can see the Eiffel Tower from there.
IF Pogacar is going to make a bid.....today is The Day!
Curious to see Lizzie and Pete getting on well, as Pete did make some undermining remarks about La Tour, albeit some years ago - so maybe he has adjusted his position...

To be fair, La Tour was a joke, Lizzie was explaining the other day how she was offered a SheWee as the organisers "forgot" to install female toilets....

But this years Tour de Femme will be brilliant, can't wait, female sport is often very exciting (e.g last nights footie) and cycling is no different.

Today will be massive for Pogacar, i think he has a real chance to pull back a min which means he could take it in the ITT.... maybe Pog will attack on the Col de Spandelles.... a never before used climb!

Got the afternoon off and its on GCN Live, so no ads :)

Yes I saw that from Lizzie re the really poor prep. Sounds archaic.

Footie, yes! Womens footie has gone on so much even in the last 3-4 years. That screamer goal was almost a carbon copy of Bobby Charlton v Mexico in 1966. Picked it up deep, defense backing off and shot unleashed right foot from edge of penalty area to the goalie's right side.

It was a thing of beauty @Pan2 though I thought Spain were just a little unlucky. I followed yesterday's stage via text updates on the Grauniad website and was knackered just reading that. Serious Chapeau to Vingegaard for keeping his loss down to just a few seconds. Just today really for Pogacar to try to hit the front early and break away, which is not looking likely. So it could be a win for Vingegaard and a ceremonial ride in on Sunday.

Would love to see someone from my favourite team (AG2R) win today but that's as likely as me driving one of the team cars.

Sad to see Froomey out. He's not in my team and I have never been a particular fan but I've been incredibly impressed by his resilience since his accident and really wanted him to finish well.

Greetings Dr, hoping you are well.

Froomey out? I wasn't a cheerleader but as you say he was showing great fortitude to get back on a bike at elite level.

Just seen Jack Bauer's crash. As a bike rider I could see that situation develop and in that micro-second assumed the moto would slow, not actually compete with Bauer for the available space. You experience that on roads, but has no place on a tour FGS. What's also annoying is that he is in my team! He seemed rattled but okay.

Yes that crash was crazy, why did the team car stop though? the fallen rider ahead was after the pinch point and at least 50m further on.....
It looked to me like Bauer wasn't expecting the car to slow and neither was the moto.

Speeds are mad again today, most stages raced as if they were one day classics.

Yes, Froome is Covid positive. What a shame.
Its another good stage today isn't it? Unfortunately I am going to miss the finish as I'm running a bike race tonight and need to leave to go and set up shortly.

Some amazing sportsmanship being shown today! awesome stuff.

Good luck with your race tonight.

Well that was fabulous, n'est-ce pas? And love the irony of all jerseys being represented by stage podium, excepting the KoM - on a mountain stage!

Wout nearly won polka dot as well as green. I suppose technically someone could win all four?

PS I noticed that Velogames Femmes is open to pick teams, deadline Sunday 13.30. We going to have a league?

www.velogames.com/velogame-femmes/2022/

Just got in, nice stage so far?

I'm up for the Femme Plasmodesmata, thank you.

My sunflowers have come out just in time for Paris...

Meet Jean-Pierre!

Lovely sunflower!
Interesting stage, too. Time trial tomorrow then? Might not be as dull as they usually are.

Ok, I've put together a Femmes team. Does the league code for the TdF work or do we need a new one?

@prettybird I just went to try the code only to find that I'm already signed up for Mumsnet Mayhem league, I presume because I currently have a team (doing really badly) in the mens tour.
The League code for Mumsnet Mayhem as posted by Felicity back at the beginning of this thread is 259811415 in case anyone wants to join a Femmes league and isn't already in the other one.

Marianne Vos still taking part- I remember her victory at the 2012 London Olympics.

Just noticed that too - it wasn't immediately obvious when you created the team as it then asked you if you wanted to join a league and didn't show that you were already in one

"Time trial tomorrow then? Might not be as dull as they usually are."

I'm not taking any risks.

My Maillot Jaune position is looking slightly precarious. With a TT and final stage it ain't over til the skinny cyclist sings.

Joined the Femme league too.

Just tried to join but the Velogames site is blocked by the administrators for being a game. Fuxache, I know it's a game, that's why I'm trying to get on it. Twats. I'm a bit mardy this morning, 2nd breakfast was late.

My keyboard is playing up, has been for a few days, any missing 'w's are not my fault this time. Needs a clean probably.

Team Jumbo Visma's Nathan van Hooydonk had withdrawn due to family circumstances.

You wonder how long ago they occurred and whether he was delaying until he knew he wasn't needed any more.