Tour de France 2013

[Panonabike]

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.

[ChairmanWow]

I'm missing Twitter now! Had to leave as I was following too many interesting folks and I couldn't keep up. Loved Mrs Wiggo too, not least because she's a cyclist too and not just a whiny WAG. Froomie's girlfriend came out the spat badly.

So, are we allowed to discuss the result yet...? Sod it, I'm going in. One word - CAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVV! Yes! Yes! Yes! Also pleased to see Boasson-Hagen in there.

Didn't realise Ned has written a book. Another one for the list, darn it!

[LostInWales]

She is rather lovely but I think she might be a tad high maintenance. I don't think any help in the world can teach her how to dance either. My boys met Becky James now she is the prettiest cyclist I've ever seen and really lovely with it, although I wouldn't want to fight her boyfriend much. Mmm, Hincapie too and Cancellara, the current crop are getting a bit young for me though.

[mummytime]

Ned Boulting's book is great, I bought it for DH for Christmas. I even enjoyed his skirting around Lance (before it all became official and he stopped suing people/wrecking their careers). David Millar is also interesting on Lance.

[LostInWales]

Sorry, I spent so long thinking about good looking cyclists I lost the point of the thread.

Caaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvv He is just sounding so grown up now in post race interviews too and those glasses really suit him no one was close really were they and his lead-out team nailed it. I was surprised that Sagan didn't have more of a kick watching the over head shots. I love Boassen-Hagen too, he has such a cheeky grin as well.

I would recommend Ned's book, I read it every year now and it really gets me in tour head-space.

[Panonabike]

Wes Cav!! He was led out perfectly wasn't he. But the boy did the biz where it mattered. And it was so nice to see his 'challengers' sweating in his wake.

[Panonabike]

Wes?

[LostInWales]

Wes Cav, his little brother just starting out in cycling

[LostInWales]

His 'challengers' didn't even look like they were in the same bike race

[LostInWales]

That Jens Voigt app is epic, and also free. This makes me very happy.

[Panonabike]

thanks!
VP being hi-maintenance. Like the boy riders would be nothing like 'it's all about me-me-me, my glory, change your plans, fly to Granada now, do you love me? Because I don't think my cycle team mates do, some of them are really bad' sort of thing?
Except Jens.

[LostInWales]

Except Jens of course.

[Panonabike]

But back to the actual cycling....I'm increasingly admiring Chavenel - he digs in and motivates the team, surely. Takes responsibility and leads, often, from the front. And is a jolly good egg and all-rounder.

[LostInWales]

He's been right at the front of the team a lot hasn't he, been around a while now though, the experienced rider in the team? pointedly ignores the fact that he is actually younger than me I must remember to download the Wegelius book tonight, be interesting to hear about the tour from a workhorse position rather than one of the glory boys.

[LostInWales]

Quick last post before bed and reading about cycling instead of watching it and talking about it, I love this photo from today.

I hope you can see it as I found it on facebook somewhere.

[gindrinker]

Am I allowed to say 'phwoar Cav' or are we having a serious cycling discussion?

I love the tactics of getting you sprinter to the front right at the end to throw him at the line.
I'm going to watch a stage next week...I am totally over excited about it.

[ChairmanWow]

Okay, re-igniting the fit riders discussion: Thor Hushovd, who sadly hasn't been around in the last couple. He deserves the name of a god. What a man! I've also had a soft spot for Johnny Hoogerland (sp?) ever since he rode so heroically after having barbed wire embedded in his bot 2 years ago.

I also have a non-fancying soft spot for Tommy Voeckler. He seems like such a character and has a brilliant look of concentration when he's trying to break, like a little kid.

lostinwales I'm so sorry about your bil's accident and hope that he comes back to you. Also hope that this thread provides you with some Tour company. I laughed at your Cadel comment because I used to think he was an arse until I saw him interviewed the day he got into the yellow jersey 2 years ago and he was so surprisingly geeky I couldn't help but like him. We even stopped calling him Bum Chin, such was our new-found respect.

Still can't decide who I want for yellow. I need to root for someone. Who?

[YellowJersey]

Yay Cav!!!!

Enjoyed watching the perfect lead out & Cav beating Greipel & Sagan, who were just nowhere near him. Good to see Eddy Boasson-Hagen getting second. I'm quite fond of him too.

All very exciting at the finish. Hope not too many injuries from those crashes. Saw a couple of interviews with Geraint Thomas - he's a tough cookie & determined to hang in there.

Yes, Froome is a bit hard to love, isn't he? We might change our minds if it all starts going to plan in the mountains.

Great photo LostInWales!

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

When they do the "front-on" camera angle it's hard to see who's winning, but from the above shot you could see that Cav was miles ahead, the others just had no chance.

I had successfully managed to avoid this thread all evening so was a nice surprise!

[BearPear]

Hi, just dropping in from my lurker's perch. You can all just step away from Cav, you're too late. DH and I are off to week 3 in the Alps and I have a cunning plan to snatch him from the grupetto on Alpe d'Huez - he'll be too knackered to resist!

We are extremely excited to be going to Le Tour for the first time, it's a bit of a bucket-list thing for DH. He will be riding Alpe d'Huez a couple of days before the race arrives and is watching YouTube videos every evening and pointing out the switchbacks and gradients with a wild smile on his face!

[DuchessOfAvon]

"Howgoodisthat?" is my ABSOLUTE favourite Jens quote on that app. Its worth having the tablet in the kitchen just to be able to press that at every possible opportunity.

Cav did do so well - he's creeping up that all time stage winners list. And I do like Eddie-Bo so it was good to see him getting close - he certainly dogged Cav on the way in and clung to the back wheel as hard as he could.

Those two late crashes were pretty nasty.

As for ker-ushes, I will admit to having a thing for Thor - and for Jens. Tommy V has a special place in my heart too. Team-wise, I have a penchant for Garmin and Orica-Green Edge.

Still no-one to root for here either - its quite different to be watching the Tour so dispassionately this year compared to previous years.

[LostInWales]

Of course you can say 'phowoar Cav', I like to think this thread is a fine mix of admiring the grit and courage of the riders whilst also being able to enjoy the appeal of a fine thigh (of any gender) clad in lycra.

I nearly grabbed Cav at the top of the Alpe d'Huez two years ago BearPear, he got to the top at the back of the grupetto stood on his pedals and just whizzed up the side of it to stay out of trouble at the finish, sadly his speed was to great to grab him but I did scream his name like a teen watching a boy band and he turned his head and grinned at me. This so far has been the higlight of my adult life. Sod having the children. I called his name on Caerphilly mountain from about 1m away last year and he grinned at me then too. See it's destiny, one day we will be together. .

YYY to Thor as well, and Jonny Hoogerland. There is something fabulous about Voekler too, not attractive but he just has quality I think.

I accidentally bought two cycling books last night , got them in proper copy too not downloads to they can join the pile by my bed looking cool.

For some reason I said I would help with a school trip today, I couldn't have been thinking straight at all. So I will have to wait for the highlights, boo. I leave you with Cav and Bernie from last years Tour of Britain (photo by my son!) and this one which we affectionately call Voekler's cock although in the opposite of MN norms is actually a perfectly fine photo to look at. It's a lovely bit of road painting from the 2011 tour on the Alpe d'Huez and that's my lovely bil which will out me a bit but I don't mind.

Bil and his friends rode the Galibier and Ventoux that year but didn't even contemplate Huez BearPear, your DH is mad!

[LostInWales]

Actually, thinking about it, maybe only click on the second link if a young child isn't going to magically appear over your shoulder and say 'what's that?' although my three watched it being drawn and I think it was one of the best things they have seen (three boys between 4 and 11 at the time, mental ages probably similar to the, remarkably practiced, men who drew it). Sadly about an hour before the tour comes through there are gangs of other men with white paint who make the pictures into flowers etc so they don't get broadcast on tv!

[frostyfingers]

Result - I'm happy now he's got his first win on the board. Here's to at least four more!

[ariadneoliver]

Just delurking to recommend more twitter accounts to follow
@teamskychef and @Knollselleri you can see what Sky and Saxo Tinkoff are eating for breakfast and dinner.

[Panonabike]

now following @orica_greenedge ( a new video is out in 4 days ) and their chef, as well as @gracieelvin who rides for orica currently on the giro rosa, and is providing competition for VP in my affections..