[Closed] The 100th Tour de France

that time already?
wow.
let battle commence (in a couple of weeks).
is excited.

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So who do we want to win.I would like another win for Evans before he retires

As long as its not a sky fest like last year I don't care who wins. I just love the spectacle

Im just reading Nicolas Roche`s book .I would like to see him do well

I'd like to see a breakaway win from a lesser known Brit, like Steve Cummings in the Vuelta last year.

Funny thing is le tour having a stage to start in the most anti-cyclist town on earth...

I'd like the winner to be someone who attacks in the mountains.

I'd like the winner to be someone that isn't DQ'ed ten years from now. Other than that may the best man win.

[edit]
... and REALMAN; I expect you to keep on top of the daily tour preview posts, no slacking.

I'd like to see a breakaway win from a lesser known Brit, like Steve Cummings in the Vuelta last year.

Ian Stannard?

... and REALMAN; I expect you to keep on top of the daily tour preview posts, no slacking.

I'll do my best..

Winner? The best overall rider with a decent team and work ethic.
The also rans? Those making suicidal attacks in the mountains because they haven't done the work to get a lead before they get there.

As long as its not a sky fest like last year I don't care who wins. I just love the spectacle

It should be Contador vs Froome but there are so many other good riders who will make it a very entertaining tour without really having a chance of ousting those two.

Thibault Pinot is in cracking form so he'll be one to watch on the mountains, being French and all that 100th edition thing he will be chased by Voeckler who will also want the mountain stages, especially the Bastille Day summit finish on Ventoux!, Jeremy Roy, Monfort, Ciolek appears to be riding well too, Van Garderen will probably lead BMC when Evans burns out at the start of the 3rd week and could be a top 5 finisher, Roche should finish in the top 15.

Throw in the likes of Sagan, Mollema, Fugslang (who was very impressive in the Dauphine), Dan Martin, Millar, Hushovd et al and its going to be fireworks right from the off with loads of possible stage winners.

Personally I'm glad Wiggo isnt riding, Froome should win it, Porte and Uran have been awesome this year and I think Sky have a stronger team than Saxo Bank so Contador will be reliant on Rogers and Sosrenson who just arent as strong. When it comes to one to one on the summit finishes, Froome can take Contador with those final km attacks.

Ian stannard?

don't think he'll be allowed

I'm firmly in the Anyone But Contador camp. Not overly fussed about GC - Froomey doesn't fill me with enthusiasm. Three things I'd love to see:
Cavendish in green
Millar win a solo breakaway, perhaps in atrocious weather somewhere hilly
Richie Porte establish himself as a team leader for 2014, probably at another team

Roche is riding for Contador this year so that may compromise his own finishing position this year.As for the Brits Cav in green would be good I really dont care about Froome or Millar

Richie Porte establish himself as a team leader for 2014, probably at another team

Going for a froome porte 1 2

With a bit of Manx and martin

And Jens is always in with a shout for a stage

Any knowledge of TV coverage please? Please say BBC. 🙂

Its on ITV4 again, they have the rights for next few years.

Rapha hve produced some 100th tdf tops, not a fan of the jersey but i have ordered one of the t-shirts.

http://www.rapha.cc/la-centime-jersey/?cm_re=Homepage-_-MainCarousel-_-LaCentièmeJersey

OK thanks. Darn ads to contend with. 😐

UCI World ranking (16th June):
1. Fabian Cancellara (Swiss./RadioShack) 351
2. Peter SAGAN (SLOVAKIA/Cannondale) 329
3. Vincenzo Nibali (/Astana) 322
4. Chris Froome (Brit./Sky) 311
5. Richie Porte (Austrian./Sky) 305
6. Daniel Martin (./Garmin) 266
7. Carlos Betancur (al./AG2R) 255
8. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spanish/Katyusha) 247
9. Michele Scarponi (/Lampre) 215
10. Rui Costa (Portug./Movistar) 199

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I shall start by supporting Froome.

I just hope he can keep his elbows in check.

My biggest worry is Sagan or Cav for my team. Head says Sagan as I think he'll cope better in the mountains but I can't leave Cav out...arrggghhh 😆

As long as Tommy Voeckler has a week in yellow I'm not bothered who wins.

Much more interested in the Green jersey.

IMO this is the harder win as the sprinters have a nightmare getting over the mountains and have to really compete the flat stages whereas the GC contenders have it relatively easy on the flat stages - they don't need to push and can just be sheltered by their teams and find the climbing much easier (even if they push harder I still reckon they don't suffer in the mountains like the sprinters do).

Plus, the sprinters are clearly mad...

Cavendish FTW!

Cheers

Danny B

Be nice for a French rider to win as it's the 100th and they haven't won it for so long but unlikely to happen.

IMO this is the harder win as the sprinters have a nightmare getting over the mountains and have to really compete the flat stages

Hmmmm - I don't agree with you danny - the sprinters get over the mountains in the 'bus'/grupetto and the likes of Cav will have a rider dedicated to helping him through (it used to be Eisel, not sure who it is now at OPQS). If they don't make it in the time limit the organisers usually ignore that rule! And they are protected on the flat stages and pulled to within less than 500 metres of the line before they do their 'thing'. It is a mighty impressive and spectacular thing that they do, but I still think GC is where it's at.

Be nice for a French rider to win as it's the 100th and they haven't won it for so long but unlikely to happen.

Which will come first - A British Men's Wimbledon champion or a French winner of Le Tour?

Reigning champ is in. Managed to get Sagan and Cav in.

LMT - Member
... but i have ordered one of the t-shirts.

Really?!?

Cheers,
Jamie

swavis + 1 I've never been a major fan of sprinting before this year but the battle for Green looks more interesting than either the Yellow or Polka Dot.

I'd prefer a proper battle for the Polka Dot in the mountains.
I also hope for a good showing (and preferably a win) from Evans

I've got Froome, Sagan and Cav with a lot of fillers...

Looking forward to the RealMan daily threads already, Bring it on.

Is there a Fantasy 'Sagan Stage win Celebration'? I'm going for the 360 with tail whip, whilst pinching a few pretty spectator girly bits on the way round.

I think the whole spectacle should be interesting. Sagan is a genuine contender for the green jersey so it won't just be Cav's to lose. I think the big mountain battle between Froome and Contador as well as "wildcards" like Betancur will be fascinating. RSNT have confirmed Andy Schleck on the team so if he's on form, he should also be interesting to throw into the mix in the big mountains with the Europcar duo of Rolland and Voeckler.

I still think Froome will probably win given the form of Sky this season and the fact that Saxo-Tinkoff have less support to give to Contador.

This seems to be the offical RealMan thread, so.. Are we all behind Froome then, as Brits?

I'll be very keen to read what David Walsh writes after his few weeks with Sky - IIRC it's going to be in the Sunday Times this weekend.

Despite him being the Steve 'interesting' Davis of cycling I am fully behind Froome for the win. unless Richie Porte gets a sniff at which point my allegiance will shift rapidly.

Most interesting battle looks like Cavendish and Sagan for the green jersey. I expect Cav will have to win at every opportunity that he gets as I can see Sagan not winning many stages but potentially picking up points on all but the mountain top finishes.

Would it be greedy to expect Cav to win yet again in paris?

[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jun/20/tour-de-france-team-sky ]Team Sky line-up[/url]

Chris Froome
Geraint Thomas
Peter Kennaugh
Ian Stannard
Richie Porte
David Lopez
Vasil Kiryienka
Kanstantin Siutsou
Edvald Boasson Hagen

Lots of locos in that train!

I am stunned Uran is not in the Sky lineup, I had it in my head they could go 1st & 2nd maybe even 3rd too but I dont think Porte is quite that good.

I'm hoping for a Froome GC win and Cav in green, I think it'll be really close between Cav and Sagan though. Some breakaway stage wins for Voeckler would add to the fun too.

Shame no Uran, that would be a killer line-out in the mountains. Guardian article says he is leaving Sky shortly 🙁

As long as its not a sky fest like last year I don't care who wins. I just love the spectacle

Anyone but Sky. Contador, Evans...

Anyone but Sky. Contador, Evans...

You'd rather support an unrepentant drugs cheat than Sky?

40mpg - Member
Shame no Uran, that would be a killer line-out in the mountains. Guardian article says he is leaving Sky shortly

I presume they're keeping Uran back to support Henao in the Veulta if he is leaving or to have a crack at it himself if he isn't.

You'd rather support an unrepentant drugs cheat than Sky?

God yeah. I watch it for the spectacle, not for any moral lesson. (And if it morals were involved, I'm not sure an organisation funded by Murdoch would be a great place to start...)

Before this descends into another drugs bicker-fest can we just all agree that every team at the tour de france has either got riders who've been doping cheats or have/had staff on their payroll who've been linked to it (yes including Sky)

The Froome / Contador / Evans battle will be interesting as old scrotum face Evans looked like he could be building into good form for the tour and might sneak second if contador doesn't get the form he's been trying to get all season.
Quintana is fast becoming one of my favourite riders (alongside Betancur) and i would much rather he got given the nod ahead of valverde by movistar, but the lad is only 23 so he's got time yet

As stated above the Sagan vs Cav fight for green should be epic. Don't discount Gripel for a few stage wins as well as the spoiler

Flying the flag, Froome for the win.

Purito as an outsider for the podium.

BBC doing their best with gutter journo misquoting Froome to keep thing stirred up.
Froome's first sentence is ' it's not a relief'. Headline from BBC ' Froome says its a relief.
Idiots
Anyway, here is a link to the interview:
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22957697 ]Froome interview[/url]

Only interested in one thing really

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Classy
[IMG] [/IMG]

Do you think the podium girl was annoyed because he could pinch more than a inch?

I know it's old but it appears tongue-in-cheek to me. Or should that be hand-on-cheek?

Looking forward to playing the fantasy leagues.

Trying to get the best result everyday.

But for the real thing...

Hope to see a Sagan wheelie, Cav launching, Jens off the front, Roche to attack too early, lots of suffering, a crash... but for no one to be really hurt... and they all get on thier bikes and get on with it.... successful break aways... some french lovies by the road side... mad hollandish/norg fans... Gary Imlachs excellent anchoring, Boardman intelligent insight and finally that nice achordion music in the credits.

Just realsied we are staying where Stage 10 ends, and close by to stage 11.

Happy days.. 8)

Oh I forgot one...

Realman's excellent daily preview posts 😀

Sky will be dominant, if not all conquering so you might as well just accept it.

Glad Ian Stannard is in, you would have to pick him just in case there is a bar fight at night.

I usually only watch Le Tour, last year the tour then Vuelta, this year I have watched every race I can, just can’t get enough.

I don’t even have a road bike, unless you count a Raleigh Pursuit on permanent loan to my nephew (I think he has actually lost it but afraid to tell me)

Having a nightmare of a time trying to make my team selection, pretty much changing my team every two days or so, and afaik the start sheet hasn't even been officially released yet..

OK team done but messing with the squad as there seems no way to include both sagan and Cav without sacrificing everything else

@jamie yep the dark navy one, its really nice in reality the picture doesn't do it justice tbh.

Starting a bit of a rapha collection for biking, there urban stuff is great for mtb'ing, might even splash out and get a proper roadie top as some point.

I'm looking forward to being road side for stages 19 and 20. Hopefully I will be cheering Froome in yellow and Cav in green up to Semonz.

As this years race starts with a road stage and not the usual prologue I hope Cav wins and gets the first yellow jersey plus wins the final stage in Paris to make it 5 in a row and with this year it being run under floodlights should be great to watch .
Sagan will win the green jersey as he is just to good a all rounder and will win points on to many stages for Cav to beat him.

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/stw-loser-league

Just a few days left to get your teams in.

I'm in (with both Sagan and Cav), but what's with Garmin not declaring it's line up yet?

I'm in, with Purito FTW. And no bloody Froome.

I'm in, with Purito FTW. And no bloody Froome.

I've actually got purito in my loser team...

K'ford Velo signing in...

The patriotic part of me wants Sky to do very well. But the cycling fan part of me sort of fears it could be a dull Tour if Froome does totally dominate. Hard to see just now where any real opposition will come from unless Bertie is holding something back. One possible thing I can see happening is a Spanish alliance with Bertie, Purito and Valverde pooling their resources to match Sky in the mountains.

I was surprised too at Uran not being in the squad, but have been hearing rumours for a while that he is on the way out.

Been a while since I've seen this man on form.

Good advert.

Look out for Dan Martin, he has real possibilities to do something.

He is as Irish as Froome is British.

I've actually got purito in my loser team...

Don't actually expect him to win, but still it would be nice to see the underdog have his day.

We're in and Froome will be breathing a huge sigh of relief. 😯

Not long to go now...

+1 for Realman's daily Stage threads, a top effort last year and they became "official" enough that all those interested posted in one place which kept the debates and enthusiasm going. What forums are for IMHO.

Really looking forward to it this year, glad Wiggo is out and hoping Froome shows the attacking style he's promised, and other team's have risen to the challenge of tackling the Sky machine.

I hope Cav wins and gets the first yellow jersey

just as last years course seemed tailor-made for Wiggins, I think starting this years with a sprinter-friendly stage rather than a prologue TT was deliberately planned with the idea of seeing Cav in yellow.

just as last years course seemed tailor-made for Wiggins, I think starting this years with a sprinter-friendly stage rather than a prologue TT was deliberately planned with the idea of seeing [s]Cav[/s] https://vine.co/v/hz0HKhQuWxX in yellow.

And finally the start sheet is out...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/start-list

Interesting team from Garmin - leaving out their sprinter to bring along climbers.

After what Martin and Hesjedal did at Liége I'm hoping for more excitement from them (Pandas would be a bonus).

[url= http://www.paddypower.com/bet/cycling/tour-de-france ]BETTING[/url]

Rather than start another thread...who's your money on?

I'm less interested in the outright win / first stage win and similar, because the odds are predictably short, currently at 4/5 and 10/11 for Froome & Cavendish respectively.

Where are the tempting bets with reasonable odds...who do you like?

I'm getting a 403 error on the velogames site. Anything I can do to fix that? Needs to be quick, too! 😉