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The course of this awesome stage looks like a carbon copy of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. This is not your run-of-the-mill start to the Tour, but it is set to be thrilling because the overall favourites will have to avoid being caught napping. I think they will all be in the mix, especially Froome, Contador, Nibali and Valverde. On this terrain, I would rather put my money on them than on Sagan, as the climbs may well be a bit too tough for his taste. All this is to stay that we should expect to see one hell of a fight during the Yorkshire chapter, at least if the best riders are willing to light the fireworks...
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While that was a spectacular stage yesterday, I think we all knew there was going to be a big crash at some point. I feel terrible for Cavendish, that looked proper painful. He will not be starting today. Feeling really gutted for him, hope he heals up soon.
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I feel like the crash might get discussed in detail over and over again, so here you go - you can watch it over and over again too!
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I will say that racing accidents do happen, there's not always a clear cut person to lay 100% (or even any) of the blame on. I'll also say that it's very hard to understand all aspects of incidents such as this if you've never sprinted from a bunch.
But enough of the negatives - who's the RealHero™ of the day?
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What a champ. Also huge rides from Froome (to place 6th - nuts), the owner of [url= 
]these custom bad boys[/url] for a great finish, and of course, the demon sprinter himself, Kittel. That guy just keeps delivering, and I'm feeling like a complete muppet for not putting him on my fantasy team. I'm also wondering if he had one of those shimano cameras on his bike - could be a good video. Final note - brilliant move by Cancellara, would have been amazing if he'd pulled that one off, and at one point I thought he was going to. To quote him:
There's no point in just sitting in the bunch. You don't win or gets results doing that.
Damn right.
[url= http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x20w6yh_en-summary-stage-1-leeds-harrogate_sport ]Highlights here[/url].
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As always, fantastic [url= http://www.steephill.tv/2014/tour-de-france/photos/stage-01/ ]photos from stage 1[/url] by steephill.
Today's stage? Super tough one to call. Kittel will want to keep yellow obviously, but there's some tough hills. Could Contador want to throw it down straight away? Why wait? It can be his style. Maybe Cancellara to go, or Sagan, or maybe a decent sized break could get away on one of the climbs. I think it should be exciting, no matter what. Yellow is still very much up for grabs for a lot of riders...
A few useful links
[url= http://live.cyclingnews.com/ ]Live Cycling News Text Updates[/url]
[url= http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/ ]Steephill[/url]
[url= http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/live/aso/ ]Official Tour Live Feed App[/url]
[url= http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/classifications.html ]Classifications[/url]
[url= http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/withdrawals.html ]Withdrawals[/url]
[url=www.velogames.com/tour-de-france/2014/leaguescores.php?league=28182017]Fantasy League Standings[/url]
[url= http://www.velogames.com/tour-de-france/2014/leaguescores.php?league=29121638 ]Loser League Standings[/url]
The Shirt Stains by Martin are at the top of the fantasy league, but it's early early days.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-mark-cavendish-crashes-in-stage-1-sprint
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voigt-and-cancellara-go-on-the-attack-at-tour-de-france
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/cookson-on-his-sons-role-at-team-sky-zorzoli-and-froomes-tue
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/robert-millar-blog-froome-and-the-tour-de-france-gunfight - [b]Robert Millar does know what he's talking about[/b]
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-puts-on-a-show
Also this
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Great summary as ever...I'm sat here, possibly about to miss the whole bloody show trying to decide which way to head and scream my lungs out!
Reckon the climb into Oughtibridge is going to offer a vacant spot of verge...here goes!
Aleez, allez...;)
Mark Cvndsh will not partake any further in the tour so will be concentrating on his new clothing line instead.
Just making the sarnies before nipping over the hill to bradfield. Can't wait!
Sat at the turn at the top of Cragg Vale, first few official vehicles passing through, looking forward to seeing who will come up the climb first. I have a feeling that one way out another it'll be a lone rider.
Watching at home today
Buttertubs was just amazing yesterday, Just like the Olympics, us Brits sure know how to make a great sporting event, the people and enthusiasm on Buttertubs was like nothing I have witnessed before
and I got sunburned 🙁
Truly Brill
TDF in Yorkshire,
[b]BLOODY GRAND !!!!!![/b]
Break with 200km to go? Hell why not
Good work RealMan. Excellent summary and forward look.
http://www.strava.com/activities/162049337
Yesterdays but a KOM/Strava check. Keep an eye on Laurens ten Dam's Strava over the course of the race 🙂
Oh and no idea who's going to win today but I reckon I'm going to try and stay awake until Hebden hopefully. It's a little harsh seeing dry England and lots of nice shots of crags, hills and pubs!
Eurosport ragging on Kittel's teeth.
Seemed a bit harsh.
Eurosport ragging on Kittel's teeth.Seemed a bit harsh.
Thought that was just a reference to Cav who well known to have had work done on his teeth.
OIC.
what's an estimate time for the finish please? I have to nip out.
95.5 to go 2-2.5hrs they reckon (Phil & Paul)
Good effort battering phones out of people's hands there 🙂
Some right idiots on the side of the road
It also looks like 1st week at race school and everyone is getting very nervous and managing to cock up by themselves. Hopefully the guy who got shoulder charged at the sprint learnt something. Also I'd be lobbing all those ipads into the fields!
i have to wonder how many of those rubbish pics/videos will actually ever be looked at again? live sport is exciting to watch yet people like to experience the action staring at a 4.5in diagonal screen? 😯
Any idea what happened at the back? Saw Porte in trouble
Crashed. Porte on spare bike.
Good catch up stuff on The Guardian:
cheers saw the swap, was hoping he would get a stage win this year (was joking about his press conf if he did 🙂 )
MrSmith - Member
i have to wonder how many of those rubbish pics/videos will actually ever be looked at again? live sport is exciting to watch yet people like to experience the action staring at a 4.5in diagonal screen?
Probably because most of them don't really give a toss about cycling and the tdf cyclists, they're just there for the whole experience. most couldn't name more than one or two let alone spot them. What do you care how they chose to record it.
this stage is a great advert for weight watchers™, so much corpulance on display by the roadside as the low fat peloton glides between the kerbside fatness.
What do you care how they chose to record it.
When they are staring at their 10" tablet thing and miss the fact there is a rider about to hit them. Thank and obscuring the view for everyone else.
MrSmith
You're trying waaaay too hard to troll today. This is a happy thread; please post elsewhere, if not about the cycling.
Yours
Mr Necessities.
merely commenting on the yorkshire scenery. 😉
What do you care how they chose to record it.
i couldn’t give a toss, just surprised they choose a tiny phone to stare at rather than the real thing? especially when they could have saved themselves hours of waiting/travelling and watched it on a 40in from the comfort of their sofa.
I've been out riding all day (someone has to) - anyone able to give me a summary of what I've missed?
MrSmith is misbehaving.
My onions are doing very well.
Hamilton won the GP.
Edit: Sorry, didn't realise it was you OP. Not sure, I'm on tennis this afternoon
seriously looking at the live pics through sheffield the rest of the world must think the U.K. is populated by fat bald men in shorts and polo shirts??
This is amazing...
that was a bit of a treat for day 2 🙂
Sagan shot his bolt.
8) what a finish!
is it ok to report MrSmith as a T**T?
Nest days racing in a long time! Well done yorkshire for putting on a proper bike race stage.
Well, Nibbles caught them all napping! 😀
Wow. That was great. Brilliant to see the big guns having to race on day 2.
Loving it.
great finish from Nibs and the rest of the GC’ers
is it ok to report MrSmith as a T**T?
i was merely sating facts, watch the last 10 and tell me i’m wrong.
I did, most of Sheffield was packed with loads of people, mostly not
fat bald men in shorts and polo shirts
Great example of the UK putting on world class events again.
Really excellent stage today
I wonder how Chris Boardman feels, having to stand next to that whiny drug cheat?
great finish, he's obviously quick and versatile ol' Sagan but he doesn't surprise them these days like he did on his first tour.
that was a brilliant proper stage of the tour...!! 😀
crazy seeing the Tour big boys battling on their way up Jenkin hill like a proper Alpine Climb..
I did, most of Sheffield was packed with loads of people, mostly notfat bald men in shorts and polo shirts
Huddersfield (where my mate flew a large Cuba flag) seemed to have a large number of asian looking people, some in Muslim style dress. My mate is bald though, and was wearing shorts.
Great example of the UK putting on world class events again.
The Spanish commentators (including one Pedro Delgado) were very complimentary about the crowds lining the route - very impressive turnout!
A tremendous race day. I really enjoyed watching that but I have a couple of queries. How the hell do enter the itv competition from their website. Is entering the actual test? And why can't I sub my sprinter in my fantasy team (I'm new to this, can you tell?).
Can't help but think how good winnats pass would be as part of the tour..
My tuppence worth. Firstly Yorkshire must be delighted. Apart from Cav it's hard to see how that could have gone better for them. If anyone had said a few years ago that the main problem with crowds at a bike race in Britain would be there being too many rather than too few they would have been laughed at. I was down for some of stage one and watched stage two on telly. Fantastic stuff.
As for Nibali, great win for him but I think he should be slightly worried by the fact Froome and Bertie didn't look in the least bit bothered when he attacked. I suspect they don't see him as a major threat and in fact are quite happy for Astana to have the yellow jersey with all the responsibilities that brings.
Overall though a great start to the race.
As for Nibali, great win for him but I think he should be slightly worried by the fact Froome and Bertie didn't look in the least bit bothered when he attacked.
eh ? froome was desperately looking around for help/someone else to bridge the gap when Nibali went up the road.
Cote de Buttertubs! 😆
eh ? froome was desperately looking around for help/someone else to bridge the gap when Nibali went up the road
Not how I saw it. Everyone looked at Sargen saying you want the stage you chase him. Froome wouldnt want to be in yellow anyway.
And why can't I sub my sprinter in my fantasy team
Same reason OPQS can't - that's just not how it works! 😉
all Froome needed was to be given the same time as Contador and to finish reasonably high up so the team car is not stuck at the back tomorrow as the order is decided by the previous stages finish position.
sky had 2 others in the group with the same time saxo-tinkof had none, he didn’t need help he just needed to finish in that lead group of 20 riders.
eh ? froome was desperately looking around for help/someone else to bridge the gap when Nibali went up the road
Not how I saw it. Everyone looked at Sargen saying you want the stage you chase him. Froome wouldnt want to be in yellow anyway.
Bit if both I reckon. No one really wanting to spend a lot of energy chasing and pulling Sagan up for the win at the same time they wouldn't mind Nibali taking a small amount of time as both Berti and Froome would expect to be better than him in both the TT's and the big mountains.
How the hell do enter the itv competition from their website. Is entering the actual test? And why can't I sub my sprinter in my fantasy team (I'm new to this, can you tell?).
Bit of mission to find the right bit on the website, I found my adblocker was hiding forms too. Try this link though: [url= http://www.itv.com/onlineentry/tourdefrance/tdf-prize-draw1?oid=1123&type=campaign&origin_type=show&origin_oid=TourDeFr ]itv comp[/url]
The Velogames game tries to mimic the real tour, so no swapping in and out riders once the tour has started!
Did anyone else watch the post race program on Eurosport with Greg Lemond? They had Degenkolb on and he was commenting on the spectators watching the race through their cameras and phones. It's dangerous and silly idea. THey also showed a great clip of Navardauskas slapping someones phone from his hand 😀
[b]On the attack in the finale like most other favourites, Tour de France champion Chris Froome admitted he was a bit worn out by two tough days of racing in Yorkshire.[/b]
Even if I attacked in the finale, my goal was to stay in the front and reach the finish line without a problem. It was a tough day but the support of the crowd was massive. I can tell you I'm tired and I hope everybody else is tired as well.
[b]Alberto Contador attacked sharply in the finale before Vincenzo Nibali's victorious move and he said he felt in good shape in this satrting Tour de France.[/b]
Today was a stage in which you needed to be careful, to control your rivals and also test yourself a little bit. I'm well. I'm glad. I feel in shape and I think I will progress as days go by. Today the most important thing was to stay in a good position. There were thousands of people, it's great but it's also dangerous when you go downhill at 90 kph or across villages with stray dogs. I'm glad I didn't crash because I was not so lucky in recent years.
this stage is a great advert for weight watchers™, so much corpulance on display by the roadside as the low fat peloton glides between the kerbside fatness.
I wonder if they took that into account when they were ordering hay bales? Gotta be a factor if you get a few bloaters around a signpost.
so much corpulence on display
Presumably Welcome to Yorkshire were a bit worried by this and they were the ones who told ITV to go to a break as the race went through Keighley. 🙂
Great stage though.
Is there anywhere you can watch the whole thing? Not highlights
I was up on the hill above Silsden, peloton mostly together as they all shot through. Loads of people out, cyclists *everywhere* riding out to the event, riding home afterwards, just occupying the whole road. Amazing atmosphere.
Pay the fiver for eurosportplayer for the month. Well worth it and saves a load of hassle running around trying to find free streamingIs there anywhere you can watch the whole thing? Not highlights
if was wondering if would be like that because it looked as though everyone had a bike with them. I'm jealouscyclists *everywhere* riding out to the event, riding home afterwards, just occupying the whole road. Amazing atmosphere.
@b.a.nana
Try steephill.tv or if you have sky, you can watch Eurosport through skygo.
Itv player will have itv 4 afternoon coverage life streaming too
if you have sky
I'm not a TV watcher, just got free view and a computer. I could only find high lights on ITV player, but didn't look very hard
Rode out to the climb before Bradfield via the Strines pub, watched the racing then followed the route back in to Shef. It a was bloody brilliant, such an amazing atmosphere. Went to Leeds and Harrogate yesterday, was also ace. Yorkshire should be proud, put on a hell of a show.
Was out at the tour last two days with junior JY's
Awesome couple of days
I forgot about my veloteam and picked something with the money and was going to go back and do it proper
i will be less of a contender that is usual this year
http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/#live
One of the Eurosport links will usually work. Making it full screen seems to dodge the ads on top of the action
As for Nibali, great win for him but I think he should be slightly worried by the fact Froome and Bertie didn't look in the least bit bothered when he attacked.
All the other stuff aside, I would have thought if you fancied yourself and wanted to put time into the competition, you'd be absolutely delighted if people didn't think you were a threat and let you go.
Well, it was great stuff from Sagan. Mixing it with the big boys, although he's only 24yrs and hopefully has a lot of great racing ahead of him. Seeing the big guns all watching him, inevitably, someone was going to get the drop on him. But to see them all watching him and no one wanting to assist in delivering him to the line. Great stuff too, just seeing him hold on, through that last climb.
And yes, besides some fans narrowing the road, too much at certain points. The first two stages in Yorkshire have been fantastic to see on TV. I hope all involved in organising and facilitating the Yorkshire stages are happy with the result. They, should be.
Enjoyed Froome's little dig on Jenkin Road, and Nibali's launch was awesome.
I hope all involved in organising and facilitating the Yorkshire stages are happy with the result. They, should be.
Gary Verity looked like the cat who'd got the cream on the highlights tonight. Justifiably proud I'd say!
Nibali had a team mate to do the fake attack to draw out the legs of the bunch, Froome had lost Porte so will be happy that the gap was just 2s. Amazing climb up Jenkin Road, safe to say that the Froome turbo spin is up and running again this year. Great atmosphere on the route...we waved to Dave Brailsford...
I_did_dab - Member
Froome had lost Porte
Nieve and Porte finished with Froome
What a stage! And five of my team are up there fighting for the GC honors 😉
Great weekend. Spent the day up Cragg Vale. Really good atmosphere, loads of people a good weather. Somebody managed to get a Mexican wave going. A couple of beers and some good food. Then a bike race went passed as well.
Managed to miss thr results all day and watched the race late evening with more beer.
Nibali's attack was strong and well timed. Good ride by Sagan but didn't really see the point of Froomes attack so close to the top of that climb.
Looking forward to tour of yorkshire.