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Original poster

Tour de France 2013

455 replies

Panonabike · 29/06/2013 13:43

Are we having a spin on Le Tour this year? They are half way across Corsica already, and Cav and Froome are settled in. Cav's looking for a stage win.

OP posts:

prettybird · 10/07/2013 18:52

My mum died as a direct result of a fall off her bike in India in which she got a head injury (even though she was wearing a helmet) - and also broke her pelvis Took 5 years for her to die (2 years looking like she was recovering, 3 years declining again; she died a year ago)

Hasn't put me off cycling though.

On a brighter note, here are two pictures of ds, taken two days apart: the first sheltering from the sun, the second in cold wind and rain. He was in tears at the end from the cold - but it's amazing how quickly they bounce back.

Interesting day today. They keep saying how much more interesting it is this year than last year, because Sky had it sewn up last yeat, but iirc, Sky only took the yellow jersey in the middle of the 2nd week

DuckworthLewis · 10/07/2013 19:09

Hello, do you mind if I join you?

I'm an unashamed armchair cycling fan, but DH is a lot more serious (i.e. actually gets on a bike )

Saddos that we are, The Tour is the highlight of our year - we've been to Paris to watch the final stage on the Champs Elysees for the past few years which has been amazing!

pretty I think this year is more interesting, because (and I hope I don't get booed off the thread for saying this) I think Chris Froome has a much wider skillset than Wiggo; he's able to keep up a punishing pace, as Wiggo was, but also is much more able to adapt to attacks, as he did on Monday (?) when Garmin just ripped into the peloton...

I was quite surprised by general consensus re the incident in yesterday's sprint; it really looked to me like Cav pushed him off, but apparently not .

DuckworthLewis · 10/07/2013 19:09

forgot to say pretty Sorry for your loss

prettybird · 10/07/2013 19:16

Of course you can join us Duckworth :)

I'd agree with you re Froome if that's what they were implying (which BTW I agree with you) - but it seems to be the opposite: that Sky don't have it sewn up, so Froome is vulnerable

Re the Cavenish incident, initially ds and I thought Cavendish was at fault but when we looked at it in slow mo, we changed our minds. Two reasons: the way that Veelers peeled off (and the white line showed that he didn't maintain the racing line) and secondly, the fact that the road was bearing to the left combined with Cavendish's "Manx Missile" acceleration leaning him over to the left at the same time that Veelers leaned to the right was just bad luck. The commissaires have said it was just a racing incident. I think that is probably a fair assessment - but if anything, I think it was Veelers' responsibility.

EmilyAlice · 10/07/2013 19:19

The Tour came past the end of our road here in Normandy two years ago. Brilliant day. OH got hit on the head by a Madeleine (cake) from one of the publicity vans, but didn't remember anything about his past life.
Thought Mont St Michel looked wonderful today. OH flips between ITV4 and French tele to avoid the adverts, it gets me very confused.

DramaAlpaca · 10/07/2013 21:18

Hi everyone. Cav seems to be maintaining a dignified silence over the crowd incident today.

I think the commissaires got it right about the Veelers crash being just a racing incident. I think Cav would've had some choice words with his own team about the lack of lead out for him. If Mark Renshaw is joining the team next season that should improve things.

Froome was awesome today. He has a good cushion now, but will need his team to perform better in the Alps & protect him better if he's to hold the lead - which I hope he does.

DuckworthLewis I think you may be right about Froome's skillset compared to Wiggins. Are you also a cricket fan, by the way ?

ivykaty44 · 10/07/2013 22:20

Yay pretty - look at the red white and blue behind you ds!! on the first photo whoop whoop and I don't know who it is but will ask dd to ID him as he is from her club...

dd was here on Saturday in the tarmac melting heat

frostyfingers · 10/07/2013 22:32

He's kept his sense of humour, at least, bless him. From Twitter: Well i think the apple juice looks far from appetising for me tonight... And I'm not taking the piss. Did that once already today.

prettybird · 10/07/2013 22:35

ivykate - when I'm back on a pc, I'll PM you with links to my facebook North West International Youth Tour photo albums (173 photos) and to dh's Picassa albums (a gazillion photos - he was the one with the SLR and telephoto lens). There are some really good photos and I'm sure your ds will see some of her friends.

prettybird · 10/07/2013 22:36

I thought I'd corrected that - dD not ds

prettybird · 10/07/2013 22:41

Saw the winner of Saturday's Youth A race today at the velodrome. He's still gobsmacked that he won. Ds was impressed at being so close to a National Champion jersey - he'd been asked to bring it along even though he couldn't wear it as it was track training.

ivykaty44 · 10/07/2013 22:45

dd took great delight in telling me on the way home from cycling today that she had sat with all the boys talking about the tour her friends were mildly jealous as there were apparently a couple of fit boys that dd's friends fancy... and of course dd knows all the technical stuff as well like the lead outs for the sprints, staying on someones wheel etc etc

ivykaty44 · 10/07/2013 22:49

dd has only done a little on the track, she has some stuff planned for the summer hols in Manchester (pkus a 2km TT). One of the girls in her club is in your area this summer in the world juniors, if you go watch out for her she is awesome. Next years it will be easier as derby will open which will be under and hour from us

prettybird · 10/07/2013 22:50

Great way to gain kudos!

prettybird · 10/07/2013 22:55

Cross-posted. We have three season tickets for the Junior World Champs. Ds and other Glaswegian young accredited riders are going to be involved in the Opening Ceremony.

ivykaty44 · 10/07/2013 23:15

Look out for Dannielle Khan

prettybird · 11/07/2013 13:12

Will do!

LostInWales · 11/07/2013 13:42

Right, catching up on the time trial, then into the day's racing. Our Cav looked remarkably calm and lovely after his eventful ride.

LostInWales · 11/07/2013 20:35

Documentary on Cav on ITV 4 now. Peta is really nice, I feel like his best auntie feeling really happy for him. I got so old. .

Original poster

Panonabike · 12/07/2013 08:59

It was like watching Usain Bolt being outsprinted. Or finding that your dad isn't the world heavyweight champion.
At least Mark Renshaw is joining the boy at OPQ next year. ?That should calm things down a bit.

OP posts:

LostInWales · 12/07/2013 09:30

I hope so, I hate it when he loses , I think people should let him win because he's Cav. If that Kittel wins on the Champs Elyses I shall have to have a quiet word with his mum about sharing nicely. How old is he now? Sprinting must be a young mans game surely.

LostInWales · 12/07/2013 09:35

Quick google, Kittel is three years younger. Cav is 28 now I can remember clearly when he was 18!

Quite a flat one today as well. Don't know if I can bare to watch!

HowGoodIsThat · 12/07/2013 13:37

Its getting pretty hairy in the sprint run ups now that there are three or more trains going for it. Back in the day when it was just HTC going for it, it was much less manic, I think.

Surely they have to think about regulating the way the lead-out men peel away - although I don't have a scoobie about how that would work.

Did you see L Ten Dam's kerazee saliva-beard at the end of the TT? Poor guy.

Gigondas · 12/07/2013 14:49

Interesting peloton action- not sure it's entirely sporting of belkin tho.

prettybird · 12/07/2013 15:35

We've just had an interesting discussion about that: dh thinks it was fair game, ds thinks it's along the lines of the Schleck incident, capitalising on a mechanical. Contrast with Sky last year slowing the peloton down when Cadell was puncturing.

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