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Tour de France 2013

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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
Who else watches cycling obsessively?

I hope Hesjedal can podium in GC but he has a cracked rib now so I don't know. Wouldn't mind if Froomey did well either...Basically as long as Contador doesn't do well I'll be happy.

Cav had a great lead out yesterday, Lotto killed it today for Greipel. Nice to see Orica sharing the yellow between teammates too.



Jul 4 2013 2:18PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
I only watch the last day of the Tour de doping.

And when it's incidentally on in the background but then I only pay really attention to the lovely French countryside, castles and quaint towns they pass.
Jul 4 2013 2:30PM
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sammyk
Posts: 436 - Karma: 131
^screw this guy huh. 

yeah i love the tour. record it everyday and come home from work and watch it. 

i like the sprints, they are exciting, but I just can't wait until the mountains where all the big boys come out. 

froome vs contador should be fun.  I wonder what schleck still has and also how cadel can do and whoever else out there who has any shot.  
Jul 4 2013 3:10PM
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Iraq_Lobster
Posts: 1866 - Karma: 4,904
i watch it every morning i hope cav can take the green jersey this year
Jul 4 2013 3:18PM
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Stepchild
Posts: 249 - Karma: 75
I will be happy if anyone but Froomey/Porte/Skyborgs does well, I can't stand the Sky mentality of throwing money into having the best team and steamrolling everyone else. Hopefully Contador/Valverde/Quintana/Rodriguez can liven it up and put Sky out of their comfort zone a little
Jul 4 2013 7:37PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
Yeah but Contador is a snake.

#teamhesjedal
Jul 4 2013 8:02PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
You guys see the major cock-up with the bus the other day? getting stuck and forcing them to end the race early.
Jul 4 2013 8:07PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
That's what Orica GreenEdge gets for having a bigger bus then Sky.

Click for larger image
Jul 4 2013 8:22PM
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Stepchild
Posts: 249 - Karma: 75
Greenedge is killing it right now on publicity and in the tour haha. I agree, Contador is not the most moral rider but he does liven up every race he`s in, unlike watching wiggo and the sky train power meter themselves back onto every attack. Hesjedal is by far my favourite rider (being Canadian) but with a fractured rib I don`t think his GC chances are good. It looks like the whole Garmin team (minus Talansky) are killing time so they can go stage hunting.
Jul 4 2013 9:30PM
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lineskier10
Posts: 11339 - Karma: 796
fuck the tour de france it a bunch of euro fruitcakes riding around all hopped up on performance enhancing drugs, and its the fourth of july, 'merica bitches
Jul 4 2013 10:03PM
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Dingo69
Posts: 1330 - Karma: -171
Contador!
Jul 4 2013 10:06PM
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50in07
Posts: 3070 - Karma: 1,471
I really hope Lance Armstrong wins.
Jul 4 2013 10:45PM
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Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
I highly doubt it, Sagan is too fast in the sprints and too good on the climbs. He'll be getting a fair number of points when Cav and the other sprinters are getting none because they can't keep up over the hills.
Jul 4 2013 11:40PM
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Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
And suddenly Sagan is almost 100 points up. Big day tomorrow...I expect Schleck and Contador to do well. The other GC guys will go better in the alps than the Pyrenees. Which isn't to say that Froome, Evans, etc. won't keep up, but if Schleck and Contador have the some form as they have in past tours, I don't see anyone getting time on them.
Jul 5 2013 1:02PM
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YouAllSuck
Posts: 632 - Karma: 1,177
Stoked to see Sagan finally get a win today.
I am hoping to see Schleck come back strong after being out last year.
Jul 5 2013 11:32PM
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Dingo69
Posts: 1330 - Karma: -171
Contador!
Jul 5 2013 11:48PM
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Chompo.
Posts: 4952 - Karma: 88
I am hoping for Schleck to come through... But really I would be happy with anyone but Contador
Jul 6 2013 12:11AM
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lorida
Posts: 2833 - Karma: 46
As someone else mentioned, I love watching it for the sprints and strategy.

Unfortunately, I don't know the riders nor the teams very well. I just started road biking this year, and have yet to immerse myself into the races and competitions.

Back to the sprints, those guys are such beasts. They ride for 4-5 hours at basically my top maintainable speed on the flats, then they hop out of the saddle and push what...1000+ watts? Insane.

I'll definitely make an effort to watch some more when they get into the mountains.
Jul 6 2013 11:29AM
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sammyk
Posts: 436 - Karma: 131
interesting day today.  Froome is on another level.  same with porte.

dissapointing to see contador lose that much time, i would have liked to see a closer race for the next two weeks.

that quintana kid looks like a stud and is definitely a contender. 

we'll see what happens tomorrow, with 4 stage 1 mountains.  Are you kidding me?!  either the race is over tomorrow, or maybe someone makes a move to make it a little exciting. 

what a stage
Jul 6 2013 8:30PM
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YoungJ
Posts: 447 - Karma: 883
I love watching the tour i just wish i could get into cycling
Jul 6 2013 8:32PM
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Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
Yeah it seems clear that Schleck isn't fully recovered from his injury and Contador just doesn't have the form (drugs?) he has had in previous years. I'm glad Valverde finally seems able to hang with the big boys, though. Regardless, phenomenal riding from team Sky, looks like they'll be tough to beat.

With the downhill finish tomorrow I don't see more time being taken by anyone than there was today. I don't think anyone is strong enough to attack on the first climb or two and then stay away for the other 2 or 3. I don't see any time being put between the GC guys until the last climb of the stage.
Jul 6 2013 11:03PM
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sammyk
Posts: 436 - Karma: 131
good call on the downhill finish.  seems like people wanted to attack early, but it just didnt materialize. 

so much for schleck and contador though.   They looked significantly better than yesterday.  i saw an interview michael rogers said contador wanted to attack but he had to hold him back, due to the 30km downhill like you said. 

so much for porte also, damn...

so now we got a week of sprints and time trials, then we got the alps.  hopefully schleck, contador, valverde, quintana, ect. can bring it up a closer in the mountains, which after today seems possible.

i would say a good two days in the mountains was pretty entertaining
Jul 7 2013 9:33PM
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YouAllSuck
Posts: 632 - Karma: 1,177
I am hoping that these guys can attack and make this tour a lot more interesting than last year when the sky train was unbeatable.
After today Dan Martin looks good, and I am excited to see what he has for the Alps.
Jul 7 2013 10:57PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
Garmin killed it today, very interesting stage with Porte getting dropped and Froome going without his typical Sky train. Good weekend in the Pyrenees in my books...
Jul 8 2013 2:18AM
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450out.
Posts: 596 - Karma: 517
Man, as well as Hesjedal and Froome do well, and Cuntador does poorly then I'll be happy. And fuck Orica GreenEDGE, trying to spend more money than Sky... No one spends more money than Sky...
Jul 8 2013 2:33AM
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katie.
Posts: 2833 - Karma: 874
Bump because I love the Tour and today was just silly on Mont Ventoux. How can Froome be clean with superhuman efforts like that? He dropped Contador like it was barely any effort.

I'm excited about Quintana. The guy's got a good future ahead of him.

AND NEXT WEEK - the double Alp d'Huez day is going to be killer. This is an exciting race but I'm a bit sad about Cadel Evans losing time (I've always been a fan) and about Hesjedal's poor performance thus far
Jul 14 2013 12:16PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
He must have eaten Spanish beef.
Jul 14 2013 12:54PM
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bappelabb
Posts: 282 - Karma: 131
Froome is a beast, no one can dispute that after today that is for sure. However, there are still important stages to go, so hopefully we will see some of the other contenders (if any) come up with something good.

Supposedly, Quintana's father was a notorious drug mule in the Colombian mountains, riding his bike on crazy paths that no one knew about. Quintana would then follow his father, who had no intentions of waiting since he constantly had to be on the move. Rumors have it, that it is the reason why he has developed such stamina when riding uphill!

These are riders I believe have something to display against Froome and Sky:

Alberto Contador
Roman Kreuziger
Nairo Quintana
Jakob Fuglsang
Michael Rogers
Alejandro Valverde (maybe)

People who have fallen through, despite being destined to do big things, and probably wont make any big appearances in the rest of the tour

Andy Schleck
Cadel Evans
Robert Gesink
Thomas Voeckler

On top of everything, Froome is looking dangerously strong in the mountains and also on the time trials. The chances of the others or dwindling every km they get closer to Paris.
Jul 14 2013 4:06PM
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450out.
Posts: 596 - Karma: 517
Froome's a beast for sure, but as we get in to flatter stages I think Quintana's really gonna give him a run for his money. I really dislike Cuntador. Convinced he's doping...
Jul 15 2013 12:29AM
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Stepchild
Posts: 249 - Karma: 75
Contador - Possibly, he got dropped by Nieve today in the last few kms
Kreuziger - Honestly looking better than Contador at the moment, just needs to be let off his chain
Quintana - Absolute monster, real bright future for this guy
Fuglsang - Total darkhorse coming out of Brakovic's crash, looks promising
Rogers - Same as Kreuziger
Valverde - On his way out. Fought well in the first 2 weeks but he's dying
Nieve - Stayed off the front all the way up Ventoux...insane.
Kwiatkowski - Amazing young guy, definitely one to watch in the future

Biggest disappointments:

Pinot
Van Garderen
Voeckler
French cycling in general
Jul 15 2013 1:28AM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
Wut? Why would Quintana have a chance against Froome on the flats?

Jul 15 2013 1:37AM
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katie.
Posts: 2833 - Karma: 874
Lol I was thinking the same thing. I have a feeling Quintana is going to have something to say on this stage:

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Jul 15 2013 6:47AM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
It's all really all up to Froomestrong, does he want to grant young Quintana that stage win or not.
Jul 15 2013 7:05AM
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katie.
Posts: 2833 - Karma: 874
he did't give him ventoux because he wanted the glory - he probably likes the glory too much to give him alps d'huez as well.

also i enjoy lance chirping froome:

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Jul 15 2013 7:52PM
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YouAllSuck
Posts: 632 - Karma: 1,177
If Quintana waits for the second ascent and attacks at the right time he could get the stage win, but it will be difficult with the sky train dragging Froom along for the entire stage until that final ascent.
Jul 15 2013 9:33PM
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