Is there a Tour de France thread?

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

Because it starts tonight!

Much more exciting than football, or yet more tennis.

cappucino I loved Gary IMlach dry comment about him being happy both for win and for sponsorship opportunity

One word. Wow!

I know

I'm waiting for DH to get home to watch the time trial, hope Fab did well. Agree Gigondas will be lost tomorrow, roll on Weds!

Have you seen it yet? It was an impressive effort not wanting to give anything away

That was impressive. Chris Froome is doing well isn't he, can't believe he beat Fab's time.

Fab timetrial. Can see Wiggins holding Yellow to Paris now bar disasters. Think he will have to blow up on the mountains for Evans to get that much time back and there is still a 50k time trial to go. Wonder if the Tour organisers have designed the Tour for Wiggins to win?

Unbelievable riding yesterday - from several of them, but esp Wiggins and Froome (such skinny arms!). I hope that all goes well and they can hang on, it worries me that so many see it as a done deal when there are some huge mountain days to get through yet, although hopefully the worst of the crashes are over.

I'm feeling a bit bereft today too, I know they need a rest but I need my fix!

Anyone else wondering about team orders and the possibility of Froome in yellow not Wiggins?

Hoping no more big crashes, poor Sam Sanchez, I was upset for him. Sky, BMC and Liquigas are the top three I think. I do like the Francais de Jeux team though! Chris Froome doing brilliantly, agreed one to watch?

Chris Froome is indeed very cute talented.

Frosty I know some people think its a done deal but wiggins seemed cautious when interviewed. And not sure there were team orders as froome seemed pretty flat out.

Sigh I wish it was on today.

Anyone else reckon cav will pull out pre paris? Tony Martin has withdrawn today.

RadioShack still in there surprisingly given all their issues - aren't they top of teams? And whatever their problems I still luff jens voight.

Anyone else excited that we're back on today and a good mountain climb? I have turned into a TdeF anorak! I have to be patient and record it though so can watch with DH tonight.

Gigondas if I was a Twitter user I would follow Jens, he is really funny on there.

I think Sky will ride for Wiggins unless it becomes clear he can't win. I don't think there is any scope for divided loyalties in that team (see Cavendish). Brailsford is too good a manager to allow it.

Do wonder if this may be Wiggins' only Tour (assuming he wins) and whether they will re-think their strategy for next year.

Think (hope) Cavendish will be long gone by then, but suspect it will be too late and his glory days will have gone.

Cav is still young, he wants another win on Champs' for this year; as long as he can tag onto the Autobus I think he'll get it, too.

Well, that was an exciting finish!

We were all shouting for name deleted for those watching the highlights show as he put heart and soul into the finish.

5 Live coverage was good, too, they are covering it tomorrow as well. I love name deleted as long as he doesn't threaten Wiggo's lead :).

We love name deleted too! :) That was a really gutsy performance.

Have you seen the profile for today's stage? How the heck do they manage to get up those "hills" - they make me feel faint just looking at them. Another afternoon of fingers crossed for Sky.....

I love Thomas Voeckler! How fab and exciting was that to watch! Actually DH reckons if I was a pro-cyclist (in a weird, alternate universe) that I would be TV! DH reasons that like me TV is small, feisty, tells the maniac fans to get out of his face (I would get cross too and so think he's right) and also has a go at his breakaway companions for not pulling their weight (would also do that) although it is in the nature of competitive cycling, but then he uses that annoyance of 'I've just carried you guys up the mountain, when are you going to bloody take a turn' into a fantastic 'I'm not having that, I will win'. Loved it! Wouldn't it be great, if Wiggo didn't win, to have a French winner, prob won't happen this year though.

Weren't we good not revealing the winner but giving a sense of the excitement?!

Today's stage looks tough! Going to watch it this afternoon and DH is going to watch the highlights show tonight so better remember not to blab when he gets in! Last year we drove round the Rhone-Alps and it is hairy in a car let alone a bike. Will be interesting to see who, if anyone, forms a breakaway. They must be exhausted after yesterday.

Yes, you were very good, especially after such a heroic and exciting performance!

We once drove to Italy over the pass that goes up and over Val d'Isere. Sca-ree!

Meribel is bidding to host a stage - not sure which year (2015 or 16?). Dh and I are trying to think of which of the roads we never see in winter (which are green slopes/paths in the skiing season) would be used to make it particularly vicious!