Tour de France 2023: starts 1 July - this Saturday

[prettybird]

I thought we should start a new thread for this year's TdF, rather than recycling () last year's thread.

If nothing else, it irritates me by saying that it starts on Friday

The MN league is called Mumsnet Marauders. 113428518 works to get your Velogames team into it.

Snap

I have to concede, that was worth watching.

Hoping Pogacar has got something left to give in the mountains today. An all or nothing long range attack would be phenomenal - but I suspect Vingegaard is just stronger.

I think Jonas V can gain another few minutes before Paris, i don't think Pogacar has anything left now... love to be wrong though.

i missed the TT last night - please would someone explain why some changed bikes but other didn't? Surely the time it took to switch bikes before the climb would negate any time gained from doing so? Or is it just down to each rider preference and what they know they are strongest at?

Yes - it's as simple as rider preference. They'll have tested it out and worked out if they cycled c15 seconds faster on a standard road bike up the climb (in which case it was worth the bike change) or if they were ok staying on the TT bike.

Great explanation but perhaps in Pogacar's case, it was also his wrist and the angle it would be pulling on the tt aerobar as opposed to the normal road bike.

*Pogacar badly broke his in the spring and only competed just before the TdF

Thank you both of you! I’ve never watched the tour before and it’s nice to be able to ask these questions!!😎

Neilson Powless did the whole thing on the road bike!!! As only interested in the KoM points.

Another incredible day today...

I have absolutely loved watching the Tour this year, this is my 3rd year and I'm only just starting to understand it!

I only got into it because DH and Ds were obsessed, DS was at the stage on Saturday, he said it was incredible but had no idea what was happening until the cyclists appeared over the hill as there was no internet up there. Amazing experience to tick off your bucket list.

All the crazy spectators getting in front of the cyclists give me the rage, DS was saying there are beer tents all along the route, people are there from about 10 in the morning to get a space so by the time the cyclists appear, especially towards the end of the stage, lots of them are drunk hence the reckless behaviour I guess.

I was rooting for Pog today, but Vin is just too strong. They are all so young though, they'll be back and forth with the titles for at least the next decade.

Looking forward to tomorrow, rooting for Van Art to win a stage, DS thinks tomorrow is his best chance but Philippsen has been incredible at the sprint finishes.

I will really miss in next week, but will get a lot more work done.

I found it quite emotional today, in spite of supporting Vingegaard. When Marc Soler put his arm around Pogacar I nearly cried.
Also really rooting for van Aert tomorrow! I'm rather a big fan

Yes very moving wasn't it.

I 'd like to see Pogacar quit the TdF today, i think he is going to ship even more time as i doubt he will recover from yesterdays efforts.
He needs to fix that wrist, its affecting his entire racing at the moment, may well take the rest of the season.

Wout is finally going home to his wife

I suppose the calculation is also that Vingegaard no longer needs him

I thought today might be quite dull. However, it was not.

It was great! A team pursuit followed by a peloton

I'm glad that Campenaerts got the combatif award.

Big Quickstep fan, very pleased, super exciting!

Didn't think they'd do it though, 8 seconds with around 1k to go? the sprinter teams (whats left) threw that one away!

@Alexandra2001 I went to the Ypres stage in 2014, have a lovely photo of Geraint Thomas. You'd have loved the cafe I went into, with many QuickStep supporters including children with their jerseys.

Look who I bumped into earlier this morning … Luis Leon Sanchez, former Spanish National Road champ and a previous tour stage winner, back on his bike training just 2 weeks after crashing out of the tour with a broken collar bone. He showed me the pin 🤢✊🏻

Wout made it home just in time

That's lovely news

@EvlisPersley Wow. Great photo. Lucky you.

It's been a terrific few days. Mohiric's win yesterday was so emotional. What a lovely guy.

I miss the Tour so much when it's over 😭

My only visit to the tour was in 2018 when DH and I were in Quimper for the end of a stage. We stood all afternoon in the baking sun right at the finish line to see them flash by in seconds. Sagan won the stage and GVA was in yellow. Was a great experience.

Anyone going to anything at the Worlds? We're going to Glasgow for the finish of the men's Road Race and also have tickets for an evening session at the track. Was just pondering going to Stirling for the time trial too as I'm not working that day.

Here's hoping the last 2 days bring some more great racing and drama. Would love to see someone other than philpsen win in Paris. I've taken against him for no good reason 😂

I've completely gone off Philipsen these last few days. His behaviour has been unsportsmanlike. Hoping someone else wins on the Champs-Elysees.

Ditto.

He seems to have a sense of entitlement

Anyway, I have Pedersen in my team as well as Cav so I want him to win should have been Cav on the Champs Elysées

I fear Philipsen's success may have turned him into a bit of an arse, which is a shame. He did get some karma for that behaviour the other day, am convinced the reason that the break stayed away was just to piss him off.

I am lucky enough to live in North Yorkshire - we got the Tour here for 2 days and then the Worlds too (in absolute pissing rain for the men's race).

I would like to see it in France one day. But I wouldn't join the mad crowds at the top of a mountain and run alongside in only my pants though.

Philipsen has turned into a right smacked arse - anyone but him to win it 😏