[Closed] TdF Stage 7 - This Is Going To Hurt [Spoilers]

hopefully they can stay on their bikes, more crashes than the DH at the weekend

that last climb is tasty, hopefully they're going to race today, rather than wait for 1 big stage, I think Wiggins strength in the TT and yesterdays gaps mean they're going to have to...

hopefully they can stay on their bikes, more crashes than the DH at the weekend

I don't think it's actually been that bad, I can remember worse.

hopefully they're going to race today

I can see it getting smashed to pieces, think that's what happened last year on the first hilly stage which was meant to be an easy intro to the mountains, and everyone just destroyed each other.

I don't see Sagan doing anything today, I think it will be a climber who probably isn't in with a shout for the GC going for one day glory. Could be some time gaps opening up over that last 30km.

Too early for Wiggins. Even though he said there was a risk of "detraining" sitting in the peleton 😯 . Ryder, come on my team needs you. Being thrashed in our works league too!

If Sagan wins, it's epoch making...

Ryder's out isn't he?
Tom Voeckler - is he in one piece?
An Italian to win today I say.

So he is 🙁 . Voeckler is probably nursing his knee, another justgofaster man who isn't delivering! Nibali anyone?

If Sagan wins, it's epoch making...

If Sagan wins I expect he'll be getting very familiar with the drugs testers!

Can't see the main contenders being split much today, it'll be a bit cagey on the 1st hilly day. Europcar have been very quiet, maybe Rolland to have a go.

if segan wins on the hills he'll have to have tap fitted so make giving samples easier!

Sagan pretending to be a domestique so Wiggins and Evans won't be expecting a massive attack from him I see.

No idea on this one.
Probably not one of the GC favourites.
Maybe one of the climbers will go for it on the last climb as it's a steep one.
Rolland's in my team so I'm hoping he'll have go, but he'll probably do it later in the race.
One of the guys who lost time yesterday > Scarponi?

has wiggins gained the power (or decent chain rings) to ride steeps now, unlike the Vuelta last year?

Mmmmm, Denis Menchov is looking a bit handy this year - I think he's quietly come on form and he's a decent climber (though he doesn't seem the best technically on the descents). I reckon he's doing a good job of hovering in the background. If he's genuinely looking at GC then today may be a bit early, but if not it could be his kind of stage.

[i]has wiggins gained the power (or decent chain rings) to ride steeps now, unlike the Vuelta last year?[/i]

I don't think he was on form at the Vuelta, and I think he fluked it initially then tried to build on his surprise placing. Watching him, he looked knackered every day trying to affirm his leadership, when he should really have given up earlier and supported an on-form Froome.

has wiggins gained the power (or decent chain rings) to ride steeps now, unlike the Vuelta last year?

I expect someone to test the big boys today ? Schleck? or cuddles and wiggo to actually trade blows and it be a score draw..or he punctures and wiggo etc

or he punctures and wiggo etc

😀

Sagan dropped 🙁

Impressive performance from Sky all of a sudden, looks like a proper team and they've put a lot of people in difficulty with that injection of pace.

I love the TdF.

Lots of legs going zub zub, and we've hardly got to the climb.

Looks like there's going to be some time gaps if this keeps going. Pacy!

Cancellara flies out the back door.

Barring disaster for Wiggins, looks like he'll be in yellow tonight. Cancellara and Chavanel out the back means Wiggins is yellow on the road so unless Evans goes for a long one, Wiggins should be in yellow...

Go Sky...

Franks Schleck looks to have no chance now long term. Lost too much time already and now out the back along with Kloden.

Frandy Shrek in trouble as well!

CL, I reckon Wiggo in yellow too. Could be an advantage if he can keep it until the ITT, as starting last would allow him to pace himself against the others.

Drop Nibali please 🙂

CFH: all he needs to do now is keep his chain on those daft oval rings...

Having said that, look at Cancellara! That's proper fighting spirit to hang in like that.

He's faster than all of us on those [s]square[/s] oval rings, so they must do something! 🙂

Shrek's getting no help from his team. They've blown it.

Sky are playing a blinder here.

This is very impressive from Sky.

they did this in the Dauphine and pulled it off.
watch out for Evans though...

Menchov gone...

Call the stage win - I reckon Evans to go for it to try and make a point - him for the win, Wiggins for yellow.

that speed!

Holy shit!! OK, I didn't expect that...

Frrrrroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmee!

Didn't see that coming 😯

Yay Froome!

That was awesome, didn't see that coming at all.

Epic!

Froome stays as the "peloton has to chase me" man, allowing Wiggo some space.

Was it just me, or did Wiggo stay in the saddle all the way up that? Wonder why.... Seemed odd.

Ha ha!! Left Cadel & Wiggins standing 😯

That was bloody brilliant.

Edit. BRILLIANT!

That is why those two are favourites.

Very rarely seen Wiggins out of the saddle tbh...

Can Fabian make up around 1:30 in the TT on Wiggins? Surely not..

Froome stays as the "peloton has to chase me" man, allowing Wiggo some space.

Well deserved reward for Froome as well given all the work he'll do for Brad in the next 2 weeks.

No time gap between Wiggo and Cuddles. Nice.

Re Cancellara on the TT, even if he could make up 1:30, he's going to lose some more time tomorrow, IMO.

Well deserved reward for Froome as well given all the work he'll do for Brad in the next 2 weeks.

Agreed. I still believe that Sky will use him as a tactical foil. With climbing like that, he's a genuine GC threat. Other teams will just have to chase him down. Sky can coat-tail on to that chase and use it.

Oh yeah, had forgotten we've got some more hills tomorrow.

Tomorrow - This has breakaway written all over it!
[img] [/img]

Eddie B-H would be my tip...! 😉

Sky still have the opportunity to throw it all away again, just like in the Vuelta last year - win in the bag, oh we seem to have buggered it all up and ended up with 2nd and 3rd overall. Idiots.

Fantastic stage!
Watching sky rip the peleton to bits was superb.

Sweet.

great race this year, today the real Tour started, how strong was Froome, can't wait for the next battle!

Wiggo in yellow - first time a Brit has been there for 12 years...
the Tour starts here...

Cuddles was surprisingly honest in his interview.
Interesting point about not having support on flat sections of climbs to recoup, would it be a different story on consistent climbs? - clutching at straws?
He is such a cartoon though...

While wanting Wiggins to win I do like Evans. He's a battler but I think his team getting dropped like that is a big worry for him.

" i promised my son i'd take the yellow jersey today"

😀

Team Sky dishing out the pain. That hurt!

He is such a cartoon though...

[img] [/img]

Cuddles on his new invisi-tech BMC

I feel as Evans should be disliked, as he's the main opposition to wiggo, but after hearing that interview with him it's hard to knock the fella

He come across as a bloody nice bloke, who knows he's got his work cut out.

EDIT ... Funny voice mind!

Awesome ride by Froome. To pace Wiggins up that climb then launch at the end. Shame he punctured as it might be the Vuelta all over again.

Evans is always good value, even when threatening to kill people!

[url=

n't stand on my dog, or I cut your head off![/url]

[url=

n't touch me![/url]

Was it just me, or did Wiggo stay in the saddle all the way up that? Wonder why.... Seemed odd.

He's said in the past that his strategy on climbs is to go up at his own pace efficiently and never attack or respond to them. A TTers approach I suppose.

Its also a show of strength from Wiggo that he doesn't stand up, he just maintains a tempo he's comfortable with but fast hence destroying the field like he did today with his teammates.

it was a great team attack, just love watching the peleton melt away under the strain, I think they were just trying to break Cancellara and get yellow, trying to take the sting out of his legs before he even got to the climb, they really chased down the break in the 5k before the climb proper. All the other casualties were a bonus.

Well my prediction of not too many splits was very wrong but Rolland stepped up to the mark and Froome & Wiggo were looking ominous for the peloton, let's just hope Sky can use them properly this time.

Awesome stage and it is great to see the big boys finally lock horns
Pretty sure wiggo was digging deep when Cadel attacked still lots to come.

Honours evens i would say but sky looked much much stronger than BMC which must be a worry this early on for cuddles though he is mentally one tough fella
CFH did he not have a shoulder injury re the dont touch me?

Think Froome will win it one day tbh.

Oh tomorrow and the day after I reckon Brad just defends the jersey/sits in and awaits the TT. Would be nice if they tried two more days of this then took some time on the TT as well
Still what ever happens he has worn the hallowed maillot jaune AWESOME

anyone see this? (WARNING: contains swears)

Not seen it before but all it does is make me view him in higher regard. He's absolutely correct and clearly just a normal human.

Seemed like the pro cyclists version of being cut up by an inattentive car and his reaction was as you would expect ....annoyed

Should have done an Evans.

Having seen the Evans video above and the others on page 2....

Is he's just a little bit mental or what ??

CFH did he not have a shoulder injury re the dont touch me?

Yep, he did.

The dog one, though.....! 🙂

He is a bit mental, obviously, he's a pro cyclist! Beyond that? No, just a normal man getting rightfully annoyed at prats in the press.