Tour de France 2015 Thread

[Azabache]

First topic message reminder :

1st - A. Contador      fully "prepared", just too good and combative on the climbs, TT superb
2nd - C. Froome        wonderful tryer, no disgrace
3rd - N. Quintana      just found wanting
4th - V. Nibali           not quite right

But could all pass to a new generation!

Cavendish wins only a couple of stages (beaten by a couple of beasts always)

[LuvSports!]

It was a frisson of excitement!  Involuntary exaltation.

[CaledonianCraig]

It was a frisson of excitement!  Involuntary exaltation.

Steady on otherwise you may spontaneously combust if Quintana makes a break and makes it stick.

[LuvSports!]

Haha i'll get a bucket of ice at the ready.

[Lowlandbrit]

Haha, i know. I am watching.

Like I knew Quintana had gone as well for the same reason.

Wait, is everyone here already watching? Ugh, think how much time I could have saved...

Good thing it's starting to look (almost) interesting.

[CaledonianCraig]

Froome has it under control. Quintana for the stage win though but at most all he can surely gain is no more than a minute.

[Lowlandbrit]

Froome has it under control.

Sky might have it under control, but Froome looks like he's having a rough day.

[CaledonianCraig]

Froome has it under control.

Sky might have it under control, but Froome looks like he's having a rough day.

It happens. Every cyclist has their tough days - it is merely about damage limitations. Looking at GC Quintana et al must have had tough days as well.

[LuvSports!]

Just epic!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

What a valiant effort by Quintana today - the tour lost in the echelons essentially for movistar.

Well done Chris Froome - two time tour winner, should really be three times as well

[CaledonianCraig]

Certainly Quintana looks like he could be a future winner. Well done to Chris Froome on his second win.

[LuvSports!]

1.	GBRFROOME Christopher	31	TEAM SKY	81h 56' 33''
2.	COLQUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander	51	MOVISTAR TEAM	81h 57' 45''	+ 01' 12''
3.	ESPVALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro	59	MOVISTAR TEAM	82h 01' 58''	+ 05' 25''
4.	ITANIBALI Vincenzo	1	ASTANA PRO TEAM	82h 05' 09''	+ 08' 36''
5.	ESPCONTADOR Alberto	41	TINKOFF-SAXO	82h 06' 21''	+ 09' 48''
6.	NEDGESINK Robert	131	TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO	82h 07' 20''	+ 10' 47''
7.	NEDMOLLEMA Bauke	141	TREK FACTORY RACING	82h 11' 47''	+ 15' 14''
8.	SUIFRANK Mathias	181	IAM CYCLING	82h 12' 12''	+ 15' 39''
9.	FRABARDET Romain	12	AG2R LA MONDIALE	82h 12' 33''	+ 16' 00''
10.	FRAROLLAND Pierre	121	TEAM EUROPCAR	82h 14' 03''	+ 17' 30''

[Hammersmith harrier]

Well done to Froomey, ripped everyone apart when it really mattered during stage 10 and has been a case of damage limitation since, riding well within himself the past couple of days in my opinion.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Over the course of the mountains Quintana actually beat Froome on time - of course only one is doping....

Mention for Adam Yates today - only 3 odd minutes down, what a future he has ahead of him

[CaledonianCraig]

Over the course of the mountains Quintana actually beat Froome on time - of course only one is doping....

Which one? And evidence please.

[LuvSports!]

Well done to Froomey, ripped everyone apart when it really mattered during stage 10 and has been a case of damage limitation since, riding well within himself the past couple of days in my opinion.

Why?

[LuvSports!]

Craig, I think they are doping. He's being sarcastic.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Well done to Froomey, ripped everyone apart when it really mattered during stage 10 and has been a case of damage limitation since, riding well within himself the past couple of days in my opinion.

Think today he looked completely shagged tbh - obviously set his form/fitness up to peak in the Pyrenees, whereas Quintana obviously set his up to peak in the Alps. Froome the worthy winner overall, although I imagine Quintana's time at the tour will come!

[LuvSports!]

If Froome is at this level next year, I can't see it being as mountain dominated. Probably more timetrials. This may have been Nairo's best chance.

[CaledonianCraig]

Craig, I think they are doping. He's being sarcastic.

All of them you mean?

[LuvSports!]

Not all. But I think the GC contenders are. 
I don't think unrepentant dopers like Berty or Valverde are now clean (their results are v good at their age). Ergo I don't see how a clean rider can beat a doper.

[CaledonianCraig]

Not all. But I think the GC contenders are. 
I don't think unrepentant dopers like Berdy or Valverde are now clean (their results are v good at their age). Ergo I don't see how a clean rider can beat a doper.

Okayyy.

Now I don't want to seem nasty or anything but out of curiosity then why bother watching? No offence like.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Contador is still around peak age for a GC contender so that's a load of old rubbish while Valverde isn't exactly pulling up trees, what a load of old generalised rubbish.

[LuvSports!]

Clenbuterol, 2010. Known doper. The show this tour said the average winner age of the tour is 28. I don't see him in peak years.
You seem to take this personally. 

Craig:
None taken at all mate. I think doping is prevalent across lot's of sports but I still love sport! I know people find that hard to understand but at times it is ineffable but they are all phenomenal athletes and seeing these feats are a joy to watch for me. 

My big gripe about doping is the coaches, soigneurs etc who just say "take this drug" without knowledge of the physiological side effects/consequences.
Like the Salazar drug prescription for that female athlete who looks like she will take him to court.
Education has to be improved as it's v damaging health wise. I hate that. Manzano for example.

[CaledonianCraig]

Clenbuterol, 2010. Known doper. The show this tour said the average winner age of the tour is 28. I don't see him in peak years.
You seem to take this personally. 

Craig:
None taken at all mate. I think doping is prevalent across lot's of sports but I still love sport! I know people find that hard to understand but at times it is ineffable but they are all phenomenal athletes and seeing these feats are a joy to watch for me. 

My big gripe about doping is the coaches, soigneurs etc who just say "take this drug" without knowledge of the physiological side effects/consequences.
Like the Salazar drug prescription for that female athlete who looks like she will take him to court.
Education has to be improved as it's v damaging health wise. I hate that. Manzano for example.

Fair enough. I am a little more open (or naive perhaps) as in I believe in them being clean until they are proven to be doping. Clearly, doping is a big problem and it puzzles me as to why it cannot be spotted more frequently in tests.

[LuvSports!]

Cycling is the best sport for anti doping. 
Did you watch that brilliant BBC documentary by that Scottish guy who took epo and saw his vo2max rise by almost 10%? 
The biopassport didn't pick it up. This is a fit, but nothing special athlete compared to the pro's.
That is worrying. It is heralded as a breakthrough but that is not encouraging. 
Microdosing has made it possible to evade testers. I believe that is still the case.

A lot of sports also seek to increase the profitability, marketability and exposure of their respective sport, yet dont have independent testing org's, so they also govern the sport. Nothing can decimate a sport like a doping scandal.
Big conflict of interest.

Tennis testing was awful. 0 epo blood tests in 2008. Put that to Stuart Miller (itf anti doping chief) who is very evasive. Even the pro's have said they need more.

[CaledonianCraig]

Yes and also don't they use another drug as a masking agent to fool the tests?

[LuvSports!]

Yup. 
People have this holier than thou attitude towards athletes. 
Sport can be a reflection of society. Dirty, corrupt and money driven.
But it can be beautiful, fantastic and awe inspiring. I cling to the latter but am fascinated by the former.

[Hammersmith harrier]

You seem to think i'm of the opinion that cycling is clean which it is not but at the same time i'm not stupid enough to start throwing around baseless accusations, all because i've read a couple of articles and think that makes me an expert.

[LuvSports!]

The hammer is angry!

[LuvSports!]

Just heard he got spat at today or yesterday?
That is despicable. 
The vitriol he is getting has to stop.

[CaledonianCraig]

Just heard he got spat at today or yesterday?
That is despicable. 
The vitriol he is getting has to stop.

The reason? Fuelled by those in the media implicating Froome of doping.

[LuvSports!]

French media really.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yeah you can see the guy spit at him yesterday - shameful behaviour really. All whipped up by the media, who will probably not whip up the same storm around Quintana because he's not British

[CaledonianCraig]

Well the bottom line is that a body of people accusing him of doping is fuelling the hatred causing people to spit and throw urine at him - without justification on claims based on, for now, groundless accusations.

[LuvSports!]

Yeah you can see the guy spit at him yesterday - shameful behaviour really. All whipped up by the media, who will probably not whip up the same storm around Quintana because he's not British

Seems we agree on something! 

Apparently for Nibali's press conferences, he demands just 3 questions on doping, max.
If Froome did that he would be crucified.
The consistency isn't there at all. The condemnation and scrutiny isn't balanced. 
Quintana has won more time overall on the climbs from Froome than the other way around, but the questioning is world's apart.
Wiggo never got this. Froome is like the step child that is unloved. Deserves more credit than wiggo imo.

[CaledonianCraig]

Yeah you can see the guy spit at him yesterday - shameful behaviour really. All whipped up by the media, who will probably not whip up the same storm around Quintana because he's not British

Seems we agree on something! 

Apparently for Nibali's press conferences, he demands just 3 questions on doping, max.
If Froome did that he would be crucified.
The consistency isn't there at all. The condemnation and scrutiny isn't balanced. 
Quintana has won more time overall on the climbs from Froome than the other way around, but the questioning is world's apart.

Wiggo never got this. Froome is like the step child that is unloved. Deserves more credit than wiggo imo.

I think the reason for that being that Wiggins came from a background of success in time trials, road races and track cycling - Chris Froome has had more of a meteoric rise and perhaps that is where the suspicion comes from.

[LuvSports!]

It's one of a few reasons for sure.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Wiggings shouldn't even have a tour win - Froome was the better rider that year, everyone knew it but Sky hadbuilt up Wiggins to win it

[LuvSports!]

I read in his book (froome's) that when Wiggo won the 2012 tour, Froome was the only guy who wasnt invited to his post celebration party. Poor form.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I read in his book (froome's) that when Wiggo won the 2012 tour, Froome was the only guy who wasnt invited to his post celebration party. Poor form.

I'm not quite sure if I like Wiggins or not - sometimes he seems genuine, but you see/hear stories like that and he seems a bit of c0ck.

But he knows that Froome was better than him that tour, if they had been on different sides Froome would've destroyed him in the mountains to gain enough time to win overall. 

Anyways hopefully Cav can pull off the win tomorrow - not a tour for the sprinters with the lack of "sprint" stages - long gone are the days where Cav could have an off couple of days and still win 3-4 stages towards the end of the tour.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Olly, that's like saying Froome only won this year because his Sky team are more proficient at time trialling, you don't win a grand tour through luck.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Olly, that's like saying Froome only won this year because his Sky team are more proficient at time trialling, you don't win a grand tour through luck.

Oh there's no doubt Wiggins was 1 of the 2 strongest riders that year, I just think had they been allowed to "race" Froome would've won and could currently sit on 3 Tour wins. 

Anyways looking forward to the rest of the season now - the Vuelta should be tasty, would think Nibali fancies it along with Valverde and potentially a left field wildcard like Majka or Henao

[Lowlandbrit]

All whipped up by the media, who will probably not whip up the same storm around Quintana because he's not British

Oh please, like there wasn't stuff being said about Nibali last year. Like the spotlight wouldn't have been on Quintana if he'd been in yellow for the past two weeks. The spotlight follows the jersey around.

[Hammersmith harrier]

I don't think it's a guarantee that Froome makes up over 3 minutes in the mountains against Wiggins, his time trialling that year was on a different level and without doubt the tour suited him down to the ground.

I start to lose interest once the tour finishes, having never ridden in Spain it doesn't much to me and has become far too ridiculous with the endless mountain top finishes.

[Guest]

Anyways looking forward to the rest of the season now - the Vuelta should be tasty, would think Nibali fancies it along with Valverde and potentially a left field wildcard like Majka or Henao

When does the Vuelta start, have you got a start list of names as of yet?

[LuvSports!]

All whipped up by the media, who will probably not whip up the same storm around Quintana because he's not British

Oh please, like there wasn't stuff being said about Nibali last year. Like the spotlight wouldn't have been on Quintana if he'd been in yellow for the past two weeks. The spotlight follows the jersey around.

No way near as much scrutiny. 
It has intensified to levels that deffo would exceed any other current rider and maybe dating back to as bad as it was for Lance.

[LuvSports!]

Anyways looking forward to the rest of the season now - the Vuelta should be tasty, would think Nibali fancies it along with Valverde and potentially a left field wildcard like Majka or Henao

When does the Vuelta start, have you got a start list of names as of yet?

Less than a month!

For years I have thought they are too close to each other.
The double isn;'t possible anymore imo, more rest time is needed!

[SecretFly]

All whipped up by the media, who will probably not whip up the same storm around Quintana because he's not British

Oh please, like there wasn't stuff being said about Nibali last year. Like the spotlight wouldn't have been on Quintana if he'd been in yellow for the past two weeks. The spotlight follows the jersey around.

No way near as much scrutiny. 
It has intensified to levels that deffo would exceed any other current rider and maybe dating back to as bad as it was for Lance.

...and we all know how that finally turned out after years of the media and lifelong cynics being told that they were just dragging a superstar athlete and a great sport down by continuing to make unfounded accusations that couldn't be substantiated.
In many ways you are right, we're back to square one.  An assumed clean athlete is now building up a super-human reputation that will perhaps, when ended, compare with that of an athlete that has since proven to be a systematic, almost compulsive, PED taker.  Lance wasted a lot of money buying that gear when all it needed was a better training regime!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Anyways looking forward to the rest of the season now - the Vuelta should be tasty, would think Nibali fancies it along with Valverde and potentially a left field wildcard like Majka or Henao

When does the Vuelta start, have you got a start list of names as of yet?

Not yet - will pop up a thread when I see them

I like the Vuelta, although it is the Grand Tour that is the afterthought. The Giro the best race, the Tour the most prestigious, the Vuelta is just kinda there sometimes. You don't sense that any of the big GC guys target it specifically.

[LuvSports!]

Imo the Vuelta has been the most exciting in recent history.
Froome vs Cobo '11.
Purito vs Valverde vs Contador in those epic attacking stages in '12.
Froome vs Contador last year. All epic.

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