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It starts today. Something to get the oldest away from the football at last! 😀
Come on Froome let's have a winner again.
If I've missed the main thread mods please delete.
I think the start is delayed while they are all trying to decide what tyres for France...
Michelin surely?
Looking forward to the next few weeks.
Be nice to see Cav in yellow this afternoon.............
It would be nice... But l can't see it
Cav has never beaten Kittel in the TdF
Cav's had a wonderful career but the "kids" are better, the days of him being the favourite in a head to head are gone imho.
GC... Go on then, l'll say Quintana for the sake of argument
But really looking forward to seeing a, ultimately, also-ran hold yellow for half a dozen days.... A breakway win by a courageous domestique... A frenchman winning on Bastil day... And hearing ITV4's theme tune
I'd still not bet against him and I'd like to see how the team shape up for him.
http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/tv-schedule/tv-schedule-when-to-watch-le-tour-2016-live-on-itv4
coverage from 11am and highlights everyday at 7pm.
From what I've seen it looks like a lot of others teams (who weren't really in contention) would scupper Cavs chances or break off.
Anyone else find if they watch the first few days get really into it, but if you miss those few days it's a bit harder to get into? Or is that just me?
I can't see past Froome, but he's got to be stronger in week 3
Be surprised if cav gets a stage tbh, not really focused on the road this year, and he'll probably only do half the race. But you never know, he's still quality, so might be lucky.
The fact the broadcast starts about 11pm kill it for me, doubled up with the Ashes last year which has was a killer
I'm going for Quintana too.
I think the start is delayed while they are all trying to decide what tyres for France...
Never mind, it gives them more time to charge the batteries for the motors.
Has anyone compared the route with the map of Tesla superchargers?
Is there a velogames league this year? Can't find one on here
Froome to fall off and break his elbow.. G to step up and make it a Wales double
ITV4 or eurosport?
ITV4 or eurosport?
Eurosport. I'd only watch ITV4 with the sound turned off.
Sherwin and Liggot are gone arent they?
Sherwin and Liggot are gone arent they?
Yup Boulting and Millar are the new team, feels odd but refreshing.
Shame about Bouhanni. I wonder how the wind will affect todays stage. Looking at the map they'll turn into it with about 30km to go so I'm expecting Cancellara or Tony Martin to try to tear the bunch apart.
It's wrong without Phil.
Hey, where's the daily preview thread?
It's wrong without Phil.
It really isn't. He was dreadful, been getting steadily worse for a decade. Same tired old clichés and his cycling expertise was stuck in about 2003.
Millar can read a race like no-one else on earth, he was probably the best road captain in the world and although he can't quite translate to a true commentary just yet he's certainly well on the way and his insights, predictions and ability to understand the race have brought a welcome new dimension to it without resorting to suitcases of courage and a job of work!
Jebus the charity ads are killing me. Poor donkeys 🙁
Thank ****. Finally, finally, something pleasant to distract me from all the horrific and worrying shit that keeps happening.
Podium will be Froome, Quintana, Contador, unless Froome falls off, which I reckon is 50/50. Sagan in green but with Kittel winning the most stages. Prediciting polka-dots is a mugs game but I'll go for Bardet.
Cav to win today, what the hell, I reckon we're about due some good news. (Probably be Kittel, though.) 😀
Yup Boulting and Millar are the new team, feels odd but refreshing.
I like them, but I still prefer Sean Kelly making tha calculation for the live commentary (and I like Carlton personally, he's amusingly enthusiastic). Glad to see the back of Liggett, sad to say it but he was getting painful to listen to. ITV4 for the highlights and post stage analysis though, Imlach and Boardman are ace.
I agree about Millar, although Ned Boulting's correct but ostentatious pronunciation of foreign words makes him a tough listen
Carlton as commentator with Millar, Kelly and Backstedt on some sort of rotation (or a panel !) for my ideal coverage
[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/singletrackworld-fantasy-tdf-losers-league-2016 ]Here, though you're too late unless you already have a team set-up[/url]chambord - Member
Is there a velogames league this year? Can't find one on here
I wonder if you can bet on litres of p!ss thrown?
Isn't there a darts match somewhere for Ned to waffle on about? Dropping Phil and Paul for him and Millar is beyond tragic IMO...
Dropping Phil and Paul for him and Millar is beyond tragic IMO...
They just came back to my feed 🙂 just cutting between TdF and a hung parliament election 🙂
No Phil and Paul. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Miller has all the charisma of a turd. His monotone commentary on the Tour of Yorkshire was bad enough but on the Tour? Dear Lord!
Does anyone know how I can access SBS in Australia for their live coverage from here in the UK?
Sanny
Whaa ? Did I hear that right - Bouhanni out becuase he's injured his hand in a scrap !? 😯 😆
Quite a tense finish this, no-one really taking it on and only 6km to go...
Sherwin and Liggot are gone arent they?
Yup, replaced by the dullest commentary duo in the world. Their Dauphine coverage was dire. Carlton & Sean for me 🙂
GET IN!!!
well he can still sprint
What a great finish! Hope people not too battered from the crash.
Cav has never beaten Kittel in the TdF
Cav's had a wonderful career but the "kids" are better, the days of him being the favourite in a head to head are gone imho.
and who is wearing yellow in the morning 🙂
GET IN. 😀 😀 😀
Yay! go Cav 😀
Result!
Good on Cav,he's finally got the jersey!
That crash looked bad,I hope they all managed to get back up 😯
You beauty!!
My heart said Cav.
My office sweepstake draw would have preferred Kittel.
😉
Oh yea of little faith Jamba & Ro5ey. Superb finish.
oooyah, that crash looked awful 🙁
and so much more respect for him after that interview, that meant a lot to him.
Yes!!!!!! You beauty. Must admit I didn't expect it so all the more sweeter
Phil and Paul have been getting worse and worse! I think they started to believe their own press and had become a parody of themselves!! I started watching the tour in the 80's with Phil but it was definitely time for a change! David is getting better and I really enjoy the interplay between him and Ned!
I am sure the raphaistas are crying into their espresso about a change but it was needed!
Everyone kept doing down Robbie McEwan and Pettachi as they got older, but they were still pulling out stage wins in big races pretty much up until the end of their careers. Cav's experience will see him to wins even when he hasn't got the true top end speed due to track training.
Wonderful finish. Cool to see him on the podium with his daughter and very kind words from French TV for his first yellow jersey.
(Couldn't be happier with my prediction being totally wrong 🙂 )
Slightly bizare interview on tv with commentator asking questions in French which cav clearly doesn't understand !
Brilliant. I wonder if that track work has actually helped? Great for the team too.
Outstanding Cav, outstanding! However I'm watching in Canada and Paul and Phil are alive and well (-ish!).
8) love it, at last
However I'm watching in Canada and Paul and Phil are alive and well (-ish!)
You need to reach into your[b] suitcase of courage[/b] to listen to their commentary on [b]the sport of professional cycling[/b]
Which riders name are they mashing this year?
You flipping wee dancer. What an absolutely blinding result for Cavendish.
Which riders name are they mashing this year?
Jean-Christophe Peraud - they call him JC you know.
"Little" Tommy Voeckler
It says something about their level of research when all they can come up with is a nickname, their nationality (it's always "Geraint Thomas, the Welshman", never just Geraint Thomas...) an age given as "xx years of age" and sometimes the phrase "he's such a strong rider".
Well of course he is, he's riding the ****ing Tour!
Nothing about races won, a particular rider's role in the race...
They were a disaster, good riddance to them.
Was anyone dancing on the pedals?
and who is wearing yellow in the morning.
indeed I do like the not so subtle insinuation that Cav is "too" old by describing his competition as "kids", Greipel is 2 years older the only really young class sprinter is Sagan at 26 (5 yrs on Cav) but he's never as good as the others on a flat stage. Next youngest is Degenkolb at 27 with Kittel 28 (same as Kristoff), 5 years younger than Greipel who beat Kittel to the [url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/german-road-championships-2016/road-race-men/results/ ]German Title [/url]. I think the only deduction that can be made is that Mark has struggled since HTC-Highroad disbanded, for probably 3, reasons 1 theres more and better competition, 2 HTC were an awesome lead out train dedicated to delivering stage wins and lastly the french got fed up with him winning 4/5 stages every Tour 😉
Well I didn't think he would but he did, and I'm rather happy to stand corrected. I reckon now with the pressure off he's good for another.
Well done Cav. Seemed properly made up about it to.
I thought Kittel was very gracious when they interviewed him on ITV. Even though he was clearly cheesed off to have been second!
Cavendish might have had a good start to the TdF but I'm not doing so well. Currently 41,280th out of 42,166 in the Velogames fantasy league. :0.
My wife's team is some 30,000 places higher!
Anyone else spot that post-crash, Bertie Beefeater switched to his "signature paint job" bike?
Surely that would be his prime bike, so why wasn't he riding it earlier?
Hmmm....Makes you think...!
Stuck £5 on Cav this morning at 8/1 for the stage win. Had a wee feeling it was his going to be his day.
Great finish. Good first day, much better starting with a stage like this instead of a Prologue.
Surely that would be his prime bike, so why wasn't he riding it earlier?Hmmm....Makes you think...!
Motor was being charged...
Delighted, I do like MrCavendish .bravo.
Re the commentator change, I'm with crazy legs...
Fancy paintwork weighs 100g more.
A mate in America watched it on NBC where Phil & Paul still provide the commentary and he said they were awful. Missed moves, misidentified riders and told everyone at least a dozen times that Chris Froome was born in Africa.
I don't miss those two clowns in the slightest, I do miss [b]realman[/b] and his daily TdF thread though.
Surely a cycling race without Phil Ligget is like a nature documentary without David Attenborough? He might talk some shit, but his voice is synonymous to the Tour, and as such kinda adds some excitement.
Pleased for Cavendish. Long time coming that one. And did it properly, by a good bike length. Old school Cav.
It's the misidentification of riders that does my head in the most.
By the second week it becomes comical.
Fancy GVA for Stage 2. 17/2 for the betting men.
GVA's odds will be even shorter for 2nd place!
It's the misidentification of riders that does my head in the most.
By the second week it becomes comical.
Don't know what you're on about...
Currently Richie Froome is one of my favourite riders in the Peloton.
For those who haven't seen it... A very humble and poignant podium interview by Mark Cavendish. Well said.
Thanks Flipiddy.
You certainly didn't get to see that on BBC1 news this evening... FFS
Honestly, at the risk of sounding like a stereotypical STWer, what planet are the BBC Sports editorial team on?
The sports section of the main news this evening covered:
- Germany v Italy - fair enough
- Reaction to the Wales match yesterday - I'm Welsh and struggled to see the 'news' angle on this, but it's a once in 60 year story so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt
- Wimbledon - fine
- Austrian Grand Prix Qualifying - well I'm going to be less generous here as no one has won anything yet, in fact they haven't even started racing so it's a pretty low rating sports news story
- And... 'Back to you in the studio.'
So no mention of a world famous cycling race that takes place but once a year.
No mention of a British athlete beating world class competition in a thrilling finale.
No mention of a British athlete getting closer to some famous historic records.
No coverage of a surprisingly eloquent interview - see above.
I shouldn't be surprised by the lack of cycling coverage any more, but to neglect to mention the TdF entirely seems more than bizarre. And Cavendish gave them such as easy angle too.
Anyway, rant over.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling
You can personalise the BBC Sport page a bit now, certainly on mobile. It works well. They have a lot of cycling coverage and a lot of womens stuff too. It's been a real step forward. Thomas is a contributor for the 2nd or 3rd year running.
Agreed, the online coverage is the best it's been, and I also like the GT contributions. I was quite impressed with the fitness stuff too (although that may have been there for a while and I only found it today).
But the quality and effort there makes the lack of editorial coverage on broadcast news even more dismaying.
Cavendish's win on an opening stage has been years in the making, and in any event the whole TdF only happens once a year. I wish I understood the BBC's rationale for not mentioning it at all on their main news tonight.
And / or their rationale for preferring coverage of Lewis Hamilton getting a pole position when that happens every couple of weeks.*
* OK, I'm being overly simplistic. But I'm feeling bad for Cav and the lack of recognition, so not being entirely balanced in my opinion.
To be a like more fair, it was mentioned in the North West local news as Cab, being a Manxman, is regarded as local. However it was mentioned before Mrs NBT had time to avoid seeing the result so she knew who won before we sat down to watch highlights :-$
Maybe Sagan today. He can do those short punchy little climbs up to a finish line.
Should be good today, the potential for crosswinds once again but with unpredictable finish climb rather than a bunch sprint. I think Cav will probably lose yellow today but what a win yesterday to get it!
I think Cav will probably lose yellow today but what a win yesterday to get it!
Yep, though we have seen some heroic and unexpected performances by riders who have donned the yellow jersey.