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Original poster

Tour de France 2023: starts 1 July - this Saturday

189 replies

prettybird · 29/06/2023 18:21

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

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

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

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Alexandra2001 · 22/07/2023 20:59

I don't warm to "Jasper the disaster" but he is by far and away the strongest sprinter left, hard to believe he wont win the final stage tomo.

Plasmodesmata · 22/07/2023 22:25

There's only me in the league at the moment. I might actually stand a chance, for once!

Original poster
prettybird · 22/07/2023 22:43

I've joined the league - but it's a totally random selection of names, with a mixture of names of recognise and "stick a pin in/they're worth the right number of points" names Blush

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Plasmodesmata · 22/07/2023 23:01

Prettybird that's how I did it.

lljkk · 23/07/2023 07:00

What is Mini league code for MN Velogames femmes? I know a lot of the names but not well enough to be sure, so many old guard, so many new talents.

LlynTegid · 23/07/2023 07:31

In case you were unaware, 2024 Tour ends in Nice not Paris, because of Olympics preparations.

HeyJackKerouac · 23/07/2023 07:43

I've joined the league for TdFF. To my shame I don't know much about women's cycling so just picked names I'm familiar with. I think this is Lizzie Deignan's first race back after maternity leave so I've got her. (I might be wrong about that)

Hoping for a good, safe sprint today. Come on ABP (Anyone But Philipsen). I lost Cav like many of us so my only sprinter is Laporte and I'm not holding out much hope for him.

HeyJackKerouac · 23/07/2023 07:44

lljkk · 23/07/2023 07:00

What is Mini league code for MN Velogames femmes? I know a lot of the names but not well enough to be sure, so many old guard, so many new talents.

I used the same code as before 113428518 and it worked

Original poster
prettybird · 23/07/2023 09:25

I've got Pedersen - but not sure he could beat Philipsen. Would love to see Gimay win, after Philipsen squeezed him out should have been relegated , beating Cav in the process Angry

Cav's old sports director said his chain was mangled, so the fact that he still came 2nd shows how much power he still has.

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Plasmodesmata · 23/07/2023 11:06

My Femmes team got automatically entered into the Mumsnet league. I think if you've been in before for a different team it just adds you.

I have Girmay. I was hoping he'd get a stage and be careful with the champagne this time.

Callmecordelia · 23/07/2023 14:06

Missed the deadline for the femmes, that closed quickly.

Alexandra2001 · 23/07/2023 19:58

Well anyone who doesn't like Jasper got their wish but what a finish and a very surprising winner considering the previous sprint stages.

I was surprised at the crowds... there weren't any or not on the GCN app i was watching on.

Plasmodesmata · 23/07/2023 22:00

Should have been Cav.

Original poster
prettybird · 23/07/2023 22:05

Dh and I have had a fun conversation imagining who would've supported Cav in his lead out if he'd made it to Paris Grin

Kwiatowski, Wright, Bol, Boassen Hagen.... maybe even Pinot (a joint last hurrah!)

Who else? Wink

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Alexandra2001 · 23/07/2023 22:08

Once in the top 8 with 500m to go, i think Cav would have won this one, JP obviously has suffered over the last 3 weeks and has got a lot slower, hence the tempers... something Cav seems to be able to deal with.

Hope he comes back next year, not so much to win but to finish an amazing career on his terms... like Pinot has.

lljkk · 26/07/2023 21:51

My femmes team is doing alright, <smuggery>.

Alexandra2001 · 29/07/2023 22:54

What a race today! Vollering showed that womens racing can and does provide as much excitement as the mens event.

shame on MSM BBC Sky etc for not reporting it in the UK.

Original poster
prettybird · 31/07/2023 23:18

I ended up with the lanterne rouge Hmm

In positive news, Pog is coming to Glasgow. Smile

Dh and I will probably end up watching it just north of Glasgow as they whoosh cycle past my dad's place. I'd actually prefer to watch it in the city centre, as I know from past experience (British Championships and Commonwealth Games in 2014) that we can dot around the city on our own bikes and see it in multiple places as they do the loops.

And knowing the city and its drumlins, I know where there are good sight lines.

But I'll be a good daughter and keep my dad company Halo

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HeyJackKerouac · 02/08/2023 12:49

@prettybird
I'm going to Glasgow on Sunday. Can you give me some tips on good places to watch?

We live in Edinburgh so are going down to see the start and then will nip up to Waverley to get the train through to Glasgow. Staying overnight and then going to the velodrome on Monday eve. Really looking forward to it but hoping the weather perks up!

Plasmodesmata · 02/08/2023 17:04

I hope the weather improves for you. 2019 in Harrogate for the men's race it was really wet, we gave up in the end along with most of the riders!

MrsAvocet · 02/08/2023 17:28

Sorry, I missed the League this year, just too busy in real life. Perhaps as well though as I would have picked Cav and then blamed myself eternally for his demise.
Hope everyone who is going to the Worlds has a good time. We have a friend who is riding for the GB Masters in the Gran Fondo and DS and I are volunteering all next week at the paracycling in Dumfries. Really hoping the weather turns out better than forecast!

Alexandra2001 · 02/08/2023 17:49

City streets and wet roads don't go well together, going to be cold too.

Scotland wouldn't be my choice for a world road cycling champs

Original poster
prettybird · 02/08/2023 18:17

@HeyJackKerouac - arriving in at Queen Street, the circuit is pretty much your oyster, especially with 10 circuits of the city centre. You can go along to Montrose Street and watch some of the "mountain climb". Apparently after a few circuits, the steep gradient really wears out the legs.

You can then walk along West George Street to watch them come round again and then down Blythswood St to St Vincent Street to see them coming up the street. You can dot between those two locations to see them on different loops before making your way back to George Square for the finish.

Or you could make your way along to Kelvingrove Park and see them on various on either side of the park.

Phone is refusing to add photos but here's a link which shows the circuit route. https://www.glasgowworld.com/sport/uci-cycling-world-championships-all-the-lowdown-including-list-of-road-closures-race-routes-and-star-attractions-disruption-glasgow-city-centre-west-end-events-42321700*

I'll now be watching in the city centre as my dad died yesterday, suddenly and unexpectedly. Sad

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