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

[Panwearsjaune]

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Photo finish!!!

And the 'Best Young/Newcomer' jersey goes to MirandaWest! For having the interest and stamina to remain bicycle-curious since we left Yorkshire, when other have dropped off the back.
Congrats to all!

Are you predicting a Sagan win in Paris? I suspect you're not riding pan y agua. :o

Congratulations to this week's jersey winners.

Before we get to today's racing here are a few links for anyone interested in the issue of doping.
Current bans under UK doping www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule-violations/current-violations/search/P20
Interesting post which just summarises the issue in an easy to read way
forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3646073&pagenumber=1

And a round up from the BBC www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/28194582
You will note there was one positive in Bridge! Although to be fair I improve my bridge playing by refusing the chemical assistance of the third glass of wine.
www.usada.org/u-s-boccia-athlete-anwar-accepts-public-warning-for-anti-doping-rule-violation/

www.german-times.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1834&Itemid=74

There's a lot of conspiracy and misinformation on the net and plenty of people with their own agendas, but I don't think there's a sport without dopers. But having said that I'm with pan on the whole beauty/drama/spectacle of cycling and in a way even if Nibali was found to have doped I wouldn't regret a minute spent watching this Tour with all its ups and downs.
Hope this doesn't derail the thread, maybe there should be a separate thread to discuss doping in all sports.

Ooh I have a jersey

Congratulations, jersey winners!

My kids have insisted to put kids tv on and NOT the TdF. Can I exchange them?! (We've been out climbing hills all am hence sofa slouching mid afternoon :D )

Where does that put me in the GC?

I have just got back from my first proper Giant-fest since the concussion - 77km at just over 21kph average. Proper job. Going for my ice-bath now.....

I have tried to name change but the technology is beyond me....

I shall stick to my

Aha!

Congrats new jersey wearers!

Weather looking rough at the finish line today!

How I can't read your full name on the app! Boohoooo

On catch up tv. Resonances of T Martin? Just really cruel. Hoping TM goes round to his hotel tonight and has a word with him.

Children and I went out swimming so have seen none of tdf this afternoon. Plus I left my phone at home deliberately so I couldn't fiddle with it . Will be watching highlights at 7pm :)

Today is why I love watching cycling. All that drama and tension. Is it too soon for a 24 hours joke?

What a bloody heartbreaking finish!

I felt so sorry for the two front runners to get taken out at the last minute like that!

The Armstrong Lie is on On Demand by the way, interesting film.

Dr - well, I've a theory about Sagan and Paris. Based on not a lot, but his saving himself for it.....and being ahead of Kittel before they take those turns across La Concorde. The longer run in suits him rather than anyone else..he'll be on full gas as they leave the avenue prior to there.

How, your GC placement is entirely up to you - it's magical!

Am watching the highlights. Even though I know what's going to happen I still wished it could be different :(

So gutted for JB - in his interview when he said he was normally just a domestique ... My heart broke!!

I know, just saw that. It was his one bid to stand out..and that peloton snatched it off him. Poss now my favourite rider.

The interview afterwards was heartbreaking :(

I am getting too attached to these riders...what will I do when it finishes (ah yes there's the Commonwealth Games :))

ariadne my DP made a 24 hour joke within the first 5 minutes of the finish!

I feel gutted for them too. Working so hard all day out at the front then being caught right in the last few hundred meters. What a shitter.

What's a 24 hour joke? I can't even guess.

MW - oh no. You have the Tour of Spain, the Vuelta, to endure. Glasgow velodrome will be a picnic compared.