Tour de France 2014 - Au revoir Yorkshire and the south, bonjour les montagnes et les côtes!!

[Panwearsjaune]

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Photo finish!!!

I can recommend Harry Hall in central Manchester.

Resuming domestique duties, timetable track side from Glasgow today:

11:01 - 11:44 Men's Sprint Qualifying
11:46 - 12:07 Women's Sprint B2 Tandem Qualifying
12:09 - 12:51 Men's 4000m Team Pursuit Qualifying
12:51 - 13:50 Women's Sprint B2 Tandem Semi-final
13:03 - 13:27 Men's Sprint First Round
16:01 - 16:28 Men's Team Sprint Qualifying
16:30 - 17:34 Women's Sprint B2 Tandem Finals
16:42 - 17:06 Women's 500m Time Trial
17:36 - 17:51 Men's 4000m Team Pursuit Finals
18:03 - 18:13 Men's Team Sprint Finals

or are we keeping this thread purely for TdF??? We have a 4 day overlap.

My trusty hybrid is a bloke's bike, but I am also tall & long of limb & women's bikes are usually too small for me. The upside is that DH, who is the same height as me, doesn't mind borrowing it although the saddle is too high for him as he has shorter legs . In fact, DH has decided to get himself a road bike through the cycle to work scheme & has found a great end of season deal in our local bike shop.

Loved yesterday's stage, so exciting.

Thanks Pan - ds and I are sat watching them from the velodrome. Wiggo is looking healthy

Sorry we on the sofa, not there. I really can't write (3hrs sleep!)

We watched SirWiddleyBraggins in the team pursuit qualifying, Pan, and I have set an alarm so I don't miss the finals.

I have no worries about Commonwealth cycling on here - the more chaps in lycra the better, frankly.

Have a friend coming round for a spot of eats. But we'll pause at 5.36pm.

and Nieve is pulling away as we speak! Could Sky actually do something today?

I am sorry but I am not buying Nibalis performance anymore, the way he shot past Nieve, still not looking as if it might be hurting looked more like Armstrong than Armstrong! (rant over).

Would he look so good next to Froome and Contador though? 'cos I wondered about that too.

I wish Nibali looked a bit more human, too.

it isn't exactly a controlled experiment is it mrsr? He maybe wouldn't look so superhuman IF he had some serious competition from the others, but....just turning on the gas at the times he has makes his other, fairly recent performances, entirely inconsistent. And was really really when Horner suddenly popped up...

I think that the rest day highlights programme and commentators comments heard within it have put a large chunk of suspicion in my mind and others. They are not normally so cynical in their remarks. I can't help but think they are fairly sure there is something to be cynical about.
It would indeed have been a different tour with Froomey and wiggo (and Cav )

Another one here who has been viewing this Tour with an increasing amount of suspicion & cynicism. Nibali's acceleration, sailing past Nieve, was indeed reminiscent of Armstrong, and the appearance of Horner shooting out of the peloton also made me raise an eyebrow. I find I am not really enjoying this TdeF much any more.

On the positive no pun intended side, it was great to see the work that Pinot & Peraud put in to push Valverde off the podium. Nice to see the French riders working together for a change.

Wiggo having to settle for silver in the CG must've been a blow to him

I admit I'm not interested in his yellow anymore - shame really. But I do love the battle going on below. Amazing. And to have the white jersey fighting for a podium place just shows that the upper tier have gone from this TdF. Would nibili look less dodgy with that top tier back in? Not sure, but valverde amd the schlecks etc couldn't keep pace with him either. I'm trying to remember but I think Froome got dusted by him day2 after a brief show of strength.

Poor Wiggo. Only for brad would a silver medal after how many yrs off the track be a disappointment

I've only jumped on the tdf bandwagon this year so don't have a real clue about what would be consistent. I just thought that if the whole group were pushing it less hard then maybe it would be reasonable to see him have extra energy reserves. His rapid acceleration from Horner was incredible, and those sky presenters come across as very cynical!

The thing with Horner is he is old, it's the last huge mountain stage, his legs shouldn't have that explosive power. Or maybe they should? Who knows

In Nibali's favour (in the MN Court of Special Sauces) it's true that he has been fantastically well guided round the stages by the Astana team - he seems to have been able to spend the vast majority of the time sat 5th or 6th wheel so almost riding in a vacuum, whereas his competitors on the climbs have been either out on their own largely, or involved in racing each other for bursts.
And wasn't Valveverde's descent just scary?

And IF the podium places are v close after the TT on Saturday, will they be 'allowed' to race into Paris, to pick up seconds ahead of the 'peloton time', or is that just not considered cricket. As it were.

And...Jensie was at the front of the roll out in Leeds, along with Froomey and Cav. So are we likely to see Jensie be allowed to lead the group into Paris, and possibly do his 'superman' stunt on his bike.

And, and....tracking today:

11:01 - 14:13 Men's Sprint Quarter-finals
11:19 - 12:25 Women's 3000m Ind. Pursuit Qualifying
12:41 - 14:05 Men's 4000m Ind. Pursuit Qualifying
16:01 - 16:53 Men's Sprint Semi-finals
16:11 - 16:31 Men's 1000m Time Trial B2 Tandem
16:48 - 16:53 Men's Keirin First Round Repechage - H5
16:55 - 17:08 Women's 3000m Individual Pursuit Finals
17:08 - 17:57 Men's Sprint Finals
17:38 - 17:53 Men's 4000m Ind. Pursuit Finals

mrsr - to fill in IF you weren't aware, Jens Voigt is an utter legend of pro bike racing, a prolific tweeter usually about what his kids are up to, and the family dog Linda. And this is DEF. another of his Last Tours!!!! He appears to have more testosterone than he sensibly knows what to do with, and is his own gold mine of quotables. It's been said that "Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas. Chuck Norris wears Jens Voigt pajamas."

:D

I should think he will lead the peloton onto the champs élysées - a one man break before being reeled in by the sprint teams. The man is a legend and should have lead in with his break away buddy Miller :(

They HAVE to let Jens lead into the CE, it would be wrong any other way. Well or he will just go off in a one man breakaway and do exactly what he likes as is right and proper .

In other news I think I'm getting a bit of a crush on lovely monsieur Prudhomme . See Spartacus, that's what happens when you wimp out to do your own thing.

Lost - speeding up from the groupetta. Well done!

Well I'm not built for the mountains, getting ready for my sprint finish in Paris I've been in my field by the beach and swimming in the sea in all this lovely sunshine and neglected the tour somewhat .

I've been gardening landscaping my mahoosive garden this week, moving earth, fighting with brambles, incinerating the big bastards, creating a herb garden etc whilst topping up my Tour de Yorkshire/Peaks suntan. Feeling ridiculously proud of it all. And more tomorrow.
Oh yes, Le Tour! Normally TTs are naff for me, but tomorrow's is different.