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Finally, the riders can ease off a touch and take some time to catch their breath! Our objective at this point as the organisers was clear: to give the sprinters and hopefully the baroudeurs an opportunity, because it would even better if an escape could survive all the way to the finish? Plenty of teams will already be taking stock of where they stand in terms of the race as a whole. Who is in good form? Who has lost form? Who must forget about the general classification and start thinking about stage wins? I think in some eras, a Merckx or an Hinault would have come away from Corsica with an advantage of three or four minutes and the Tour would already be as good as done! In Marseille, this year, the race should still be a lot more open.
Only one video worth watching right now...
[url= http://www.steephill.tv/2013/tour-de-france/photos/stage-04/ ]Photos from Stage 4[/url]
Today - Sagan... Please??? Will be expecting Chavanel to have another go too, given the chance.
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/2013/us/live/aso/ ]Official Tour Live Feed App[/url]
[url= http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/classifications.html ]Classifications[/url]
[url= http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/withdrawals.html ]Withdrawals[/url]
[url= http://www.velogames.com/tour-de-france/2013/leaguescores.php?league=15194340 ]Fantasy League Standings[/url]
[url= http://www.velogames.com/tour-de-france/2013/leaguescores.php?league=23092808 ]Loser League Standings[/url]
The Hounds of Zaroff by Ceri remains in 1st place in the Fantasy league, with team Wait for me! by headfirst leading the loser league.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-shows-no-mercy-for-ted-king - [b]I'm guessing that won't be a popular decision[/b]
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/pro-bike-simon-gerrans-scott-plasma-3-tt
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bakelants-hoping-to-shine-again-before-the-tour-is-out
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sky-delighted-with-nice-ttt-performance-at-tour-de-france - [b]on not having to defend yellow[/b]
Sagan 2nd again in a repeat of stage 2 would be good to watch 😉
I'd really like Dan Martin to win in a breakaway. 😀
What does the second graphic show? With the 5-1 axis on the bottom?
Last 500m downhill sprint?
Looks like a stage made for an escape, perhaps Gilbert's big day?
Chavanel to have a go, non-OPQS sprint teams to pull him back resulting in a Cav/Sagan 1-2 and me to rocket up the STW fantasy standings...
I've put a few quid on Gilbert. 33-1
I don't think it's going to be the sprinters stage everyone is expecting.
Cav/Sagan 1-2 and me to rocket up the STW fantasy standings...
This would be good also 😉
those hills aren't all that I'm going CAV
in fact I'm sticking my neck out and saying Cav today AND tomorrow
What does the second graphic show? With the 5-1 axis on the bottom?
Profile for final 5k.
and the significance of the 7m and the triangle?
is that the height at the flamme rouge?
I'm going to go for Chavannel or Cav - cos they're in my team.
yes 7m is the height of the flamme rouge so that bus drivers know if they can fit under it or not 🙂
or it might be the altitude
haha!
White horizontal line indicates 25m elevation, red triangle is indicating the elevation at 1km to go, AFAIK.
After moving Gerrans out for the TTT ..... Grrrr
He's back in
Surely with Orica (trying to keep their man in yellow) and Cdale/OPQS without a stage win yet, any break will be caught.
Fingers crossed
cav and sagan in a sprint, and/or Gerrans holding on to Yellow will do wonders for my fantasy team, thanks!
Anyone notice ITV4 edited the commentary of the sagan/gerrans sprint when shown in a Corsica highlights montage last night to make it sound like Phil Liggett called it right?
"Orica bringing Gerrans up, [s]oh but Sagan is coming strong round the outside[/s] and he's there, across the line!" type thing.
Maybe just irked me as I can't stand the bloke!
at the risk of re-treading old ground, he's a blood-diamond-mine-investing Lance apologist, who talks in hoary cliche and routinely gets riders names wrong (by an entire generation). The Bruce Forsyth of the cycling commentary world.
Just my opinion, like, but if this doesnt contain enough to boil your p1ss youre a better man than I.
He seemed slower than most media figures to come round to the idea that the cyclist might be guilty of doping, last year branding USADA as a “nefarious local drugs agency.”Sherwen formerly worked as a press officer at Motorola, Armstrong’s team in the mid-1990s, and the rider and, it is thought, Liggett, invested in a gold mine run by Sherwen in Uganda.
With their voices familiar to cycling fans in the United States as a result of their Tour de France commentary, both Sherwen and Liggett have been paid to speak at fundraisers for Livestrong, the charity founded by Armstrong
Apologies, not trying to de-rail your threads, I'll start watching it on Eurosport 😉
Interesting side interest in today's stage
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/will-impey-be-the-first-african-yellow-jersey
Daryl Impey is on the same time as Simon Gerrans but 10 places behind on count back so if they finish on the same time today but Impey is 10 places ahead of Gerrans he will steal yellow from his own team mate. Not good form.
But Impey is Matt Goss's leadout man so he will naturally be up front.
he's a blood-diamond-mine-investing Lance apologist, who talks in hoary cliche and routinely gets riders names wrong (by an entire generation). The Bruce Forsyth of the cycling commentary world.
FFS dont bring Bruce into that is unfair and you were far too restrained about Ligget who is a ****er as a commentator and as a judge of character
he's a blood-diamond-mine-investing
Liggett, invested in a gold mine run by Sherwen in Uganda
Get your facts right!
FWIW I can't stand him either. Should have been ditched years ago.
Big Andre Greipel for the win today, Sagan and Cav in the other podium finishes. Flecha to make a mad dash for it on the final climb.
Interesting side interest in today's stagehttp://www.cyclingnews.com/news/will-impey-be-the-first-african-yellow-jersey
I think that the first African to wear the yellow jersey is likely to be that gangly chap in team sky no?
Big Andre Greipel for the win today
It's a decent shout, he appeared to effortlessly out-sprint everyone at the intermediate sprint on stage 1.
😀
I'm not too bothered about what channel I watch it on, I'm just glad those bloody halfords adverts aren't on this year.
those hills aren't all that I'm going CAVExcept there'll be 180 people thinking the same, and therefore trying to break him to give their finishers a fighting chance.
I'm going for a repat of the (failure of the) olympic tactics, not sure who'll break away though.
I thought that honour belonged to Hugh Porter, after his lamentable performance in the Olympic RRThe Bruce Forsyth of the cycling commentary world
HP "I don't know what's going on, we're not getting a lot of information here. But there's Fabian Cancellara in the unmistakable red and yellow colours of Australia"
Chris Boardman "(sigh) It's Samuel Sanchez of Spain"
please no he is the sprinter in my rubbish team ...please dont let him win before either cav or SaganBig Andre Greipel for the win today
I think that the first African to wear the yellow jersey is likely to be that gangly chap in team sky no?
Chuckles
"I don't know what's going on, we're not getting a lot of information here. But there's Fabian Cancellara in the unmistakable red and yellow colours of Australia"
Chris Boardman "(sigh) It's Samuel Sanchez of Spain"
😆
warton, think my facts were right (diamond mine), sadly road.cc (gold mine and in quotations as lifted from the site I linked to) was wrong.
Rusty, Junkyard, fair points. Realman, give it 3 weeks there'll be another advert thats got under our skin. Think the Wiggle ad might be tolerable though...
I think I was ready to throw the TV out the window every time the halfords advert came on by this point last year, so it can't be any worse..
I'm surprised no one seems too bothered about Ted King being kicked out?
Why should they be?
It's pretty merciless, and he's well liked.
Off we go, break already gone...
Why oh why did I not go for Simon Gerrans in my Fantasy team? My lot are still languishing in the lower half of the STW league.
Matt Goss for the win today, as the Orica Green Hedge is on fire. Goss has come a long way since his 80s pop career finished.
The bus incident has really got OGE revved up. Hopefully the Sky team bus will have an embarrasing 'Italian Job' style incident up Alpe Duez to fire the Sky riders up a bit. I can see it now, as the Pinarellos are sliding out down the bus towards the back doors.
Ted King hasn't started. pretty poor decision IMO. will they be that mercenary when all the sprinters are outside the cutoff on the alpe d'heuz stage? No, they won't.
if they want cycling to be cleaner, they have to make some compromises regarding time cut offs etc. the guy had a separated shoulder ffs, he should be applauded, not kicked out the race.
not sure how the hell he can ride with a separated shoulder.
I struggled to walk when I did mine and that was whilst on some killer pain-killers.
Hopefully the Sky team bus will have an embarrasing 'Italian Job' style incident up Alpe Duez to fire the Sky riders up a bit. I can see it now, as the Pinarellos are sliding out down the bus towards the back doors.
😀
I can see Dave B now, sporting driving gloves, saying ... "Hold on lads. I've got a plan"
I think I was ready to throw the TV out the window every time the halfords advert came on by this point last year, so it can't be any worse..
Was that the one with the annoying cockney who was saying things like 'it's such an honour to ride these roads, it's just magic!'? If so I understand your pain. Those adverts almost destroyed the entire thing.
Also the first time I hear about ex-mountain bikers being good descenders and I'm hitting the mute button (eurosport not an option in chez daz unfortunately).
I'm surprised no one seems too bothered about Ted King being kicked out?
It's shitty for him but typically the rules are only stretched/ignored when they're eliminating half the peloton. A year or two ago, Cav rolled in a long way behind the leaders with about 20-30 other riders so they docked points from people in for the green jersey and let them all in.
Seems like a nice bloke and I'm sure he's heartbroken but it's hardly worth more attention than any other rider in any other year who is booted out.
the "Tour de Frances - "smashing it up and down the river", blubbing on some col somewhere, carrying his bike over avalanchee debris (errrrrr....)
I thought he was OK really, he had a certain naive charm and at least he was enjoying his riding, it's the repetition that kills it. I'd have him back instead of "WiiU teaches your kids to be couch potatoes" any day.
I'm surprised no one seems too bothered about Ted King being kicked out?
Seems a pity, but at the same time if he's really in that much pain he's better off out, give him time to recover.
i think the main issue us that he was riding to be just in time and his device said he was so he could have made the time had he known
Very very harsh
would have kept him in if he was french
i think the main issue us that he was riding to be just in time and his device said he was so he could have made the time had he known
He is a muppet then. If he was riding to be bang on the time and he had more to give he deserves to be out. If he was riding to the time limit then he should have aimed to be 1m inside on his SRM, then the 7s error wouldn't have mattered.
I think ASO may have had more sympathy had he tried to stay with the team and then dropped back when he couldn't stand it. But riding to the minimum was making a rod for his own back.
Very different to all the sprinters being late on a mountain stage, I'm sure if Cav on his own missed the cut off because he rode to the minimum required, rather than the most he could manage then he would also be eliminated.
He is a muppet then. If he was riding to be bang on the time and he had more to give he deserves to be out
🙄
Please, oh great one, what would you recommend when riding 25KM in 32 minutes, with a separated shoulder?
a stopwatch?
thst explanation is even more heartless than the TdF refs
I am sure most of have a word to describe you both 😉
Please, oh great one, what would you recommend when riding 25KM in 32 minutes, with a separated shoulder?
Maybe ride 25km as fast as you can.
It sucks that he was 7s behind but the fact still remains that he was trying to do the minimum and got it wrong, he should suffer the consequences. He gambled and lost. Why should we bend the rules for that.
It would be different if he wasn't gambling, if he just went out and said "I'm going to ride as hard as I can", but he didn't.
It seems heartless to say "he wasn't trying his hardest" when he did something 99% of us couldn't do with 2 functioning shoulders but that is the fact and he isn't 99% of us, he is the 1%. If he had tried a little bit harder he would have made it.
well anyone could have tried a little bit harder and been faster but it is still harsh as he was doing the bare minimum as those are the rules.
the reason he faield was technical rather than personal
to make it worse plenty of other riders will try less hrad, be further outside the limit and still be competing this year ....just like evrry other year
anyone interesting in the breakaway, that could mix things up? :O
the reason he faield was technical rather than personal
How so? It was his personal/team equipment that wasn't synced to the stage clock and the means to avoid the problem were entirely with his and his teams control.
The rule to let people who miss the time limit continue is for people who suffer issues that are outside of their control. This wasn't.
Had he gone all out, missed the cut off and then argued he only missed it because of the crash on stage 1 then I would have more sympathy but he didn't.
How so? It was his personal/team equipment that wasn't synced to the stage clock and the means to avoid the problem were entirely with his and his teams control.
Indeed but it was not his fault now was it ....do you expect him to sync his own equipment now and perhaps wahs and prepare his bike?
The rule to let people who miss the time limit continue is for people who suffer issues that are outside of their control. This wasn't.
No it will be used this year again because too many riders are outside it because they are just too slow on the big mountain days....they wont all have had technical reasons that is why the time limit can be over.
Had he gone all out, missed the cut off and then argued he only missed it because of the crash on stage 1 then I would have more sympathy but he didn't.
Yes i can really see your sympathetic side now and off course Cav and others will be going all out when he fails it this year wont he 😕
As there's not much discussion about the stage at the moment quick question, will disc brakes ever become mainstream/allowed in pro racing?
No
Yes
anyone got a link for that spectator getting taken out at around 75km?
and, maybe
The breakaway will be starting to feel they can do this. 50km to go, close to 7 minutes gap. if it was flat they'd be reeled in no problem, on this parcours I'm not so sure...
that is funny
cheers rusty. that just doesn't get old
As there's not much discussion about the stage at the moment quick question, will disc brakes ever become mainstream/allowed in pro racing?
Join the dots:
Shimano just released one.
Shimano are a major sponsor of the UCI.
Watching it on the ITV live feed but oh dear God Phil Liggett's commentary is SO annoying!
My bet is out the window.
COME ON CAV!!!
Back together so bunch sprint time 😀
GET IN THERE CAV
big crash
Whoop!!!! 😀
Great stuff, but that crash looks nasty 🙁
Ooh, not so good. What happened to Sagan, no mention on the Eurosport feed?
🙂
Sagan 3rd
wah wah waaaaah!
GO CAV!
Cav 1st & Sagan 3rd will help my fantasy team no end 😀
how fast do you think an average cyclist could go in a sprint on the flat?
Cav can do 45+ mph.
I reckon I could hit 30-35, but where would you test yourself? An airfield?
but where would you test yourself
Richmond Park obviously. 50kmh here using a people carrier as my lead out man.
"I'm not even at 95%" - that's the spirit Cav, I need more points!
I reckon I could hit 30-35, but where would you test yourself? An airfield?
Lol, how long do you think you could sprint like that for? 🙂 You just need half a mile of road to find out.
Exciting stage though, Cav is one smug bastard 🙂
you would be a smug b*****d if you have beaten everyone by that distance
Enjoyed that quite a bit, I was wondering if they'd left the chase too late, and thought the Europcar rider rode fantastically, I kinda wanted him to win. Great finish by Cav though, EBH just riding his slipstream into 2nd, I think if he had come out of it to try and win he would've ended up 3rd to Sagan.




