Racing

Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2016

A lot has happened in the last ten years of le Tour, and a lot of it stemmed from the race that took place in 2006. At the time it seemed like yet another “Tour of Redemption” as the organisers liked to claim every few years after something had happened to tarnish the race’s image, yet again. In 06, we were coming off the back of a seven year reign of very little in the way of competition, with most of those races decided in the Prologue and followed by a three week procession. 06 was anticipated as the start of a new era, we just didn’t know at the time how significant it would become many years further down the track.

The pre-Tour build-up had fans frothing with anticipation of an Ullrich vs Basso battle, but that was scuppered at the 11th hour by Operacion Puerto, just what incoming Director Christian Prudhomme didn’t need. Also ditched were Fransisco Mancebo, a young Alberto Contador (yet to be considered a GC contender), and one Alexandre Vinokourov (while not one of the Puerto accused, still unable to start as most of his Astana teammates were pulled, leaving him without a sufficient team). With the two favourites out, the race was anyone’s for the taking. Of course, there was more drama to come.

A crazy break was let go and produced a surprise leader in Oscar Pereiro, who then conceded the yellow to Floyd Landis, who then blew to bits and handed it back to Pereiro, before making the biggest comeback since Lazarus the next day and riding away from the race in a solo effort that still ranks as one of the best ever, no matter how juiced he was. I remember watching the stage live and talking to a mate on the phone, and his incredulity at what we were witnessing. As Landis drank with the fervour of an alcoholic and manically poured water over his head during his escapade, my friend (an ex-road racer at a high level himself) professed that Landis was “cooking” from some sort of drug cocktail and was doing his best to dilute whatever concoction he’d taken, and not blow a positive or do a Tommy Simpson on live tv. How prophetic his words proved.

Of course, that was just the beginning, and the resulting fallout became one of the biggest sporting stories of all time. Landis just about brought down the entire sport with his revelations, and no Tour since has been without some form of scuttlebutt, yet not on that scale. The last few years, while tame by comparison to those preceding them, have been pretty well dominated by each winner and not offering too much in the way of exciting competition; although last year’s end result was closer on paper than the actual race was… which once again leaves us in the same state of anticipation that grips us every year in the month leading up to the start, and then promptly lets us down about two weeks after that, and wondering when the Vuelta starts.

This Tour has all the hallmarks of potentially being a great one, with three guys who have to be considered genuine contenders, yet just one who is most likely to win. We really do need a positive test to liven this one up, or someone to juice themselves so comprehensively that the motor in their seat-tube can’t handle the power from their legs and melts the carbon around the bottom bracket and drops onto the road at the summit of Mont Ventoux. Maybe try and blame it on a chimera twin that drank too many whiskeys the night before and left their bike in the team truck with a bag of someone else’s piss strapped to it. That would bring the crowds back. But seriously, if each of the contenders is on form, we could have one of the best races of the last ten years with some real proper drama played out on the roads, not in the labs or courts and not two, three or seven years from now.

We’re giving you plenty of time to ponder the possibilities, and maybe come up with your own hare-brained scenarios as to what may unfold, or what will most likely bring you those precious VSP points and the honour of wearing the Maillot Jaune for the next year. Will you be daring and go out on a limb that doesn’t resemble that of an anorexic spider? Will you take short odds on a short-ass? Will you stake your claims on claims of a steak? Or will you tear yourself apart with internal conflict like a couple of bitchy Italians?

Whatever you do, there is absolutely no excuse to Delgado this one, we’re giving you plenty of time and it’s not like you can claim you didn’t realise that the race was this week… and don’t whinge if this Start List changes before the racing gets underway, it is provisional after all. Good luck and may the best, or second best, man win.

[vsp_results id=”49193″/]

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585 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2016”

  1. @Pali65

    I’ve heard two versions of the event (tongue in cheek):

    1) Trying to hold back the moto by hand and shouting – “Stop, stop! Froomie is in trouble, we need to help him!”

    2) Moto stood in his way thus he was pushing it not to lose a second.

    :D

    Gov, I was just trying to get a wheel to throw to Richie……..

  2. @Teocalli

    @Pali65

    I’ve heard two versions of the event (tongue in cheek):

    1) Trying to hold back the moto by hand and shouting – “Stop, stop! Froomie is in trouble, we need to help him!”

    2) Moto stood in his way thus he was pushing it not to lose a second.

    :D

    Gov, I was just trying to get a wheel to throw to Richie……..

    My understanding is that if rules were applied as the letter of the law Froome could be DQ’d for running. So DQing Quintana would also have to DQ Froome. If they applied the splits to the time of the crash then technically, Quintana gained no advantage by being towed.

    If it is fair to give Froome the benefit of the doubt, then it has to be applied to Quintana. I think they threw Movistar a bone by giving Nairo the same time as Yates (I believe it was Yates) to keep them from bitching about the adjustment for the leader.

    As a cycling fan, I don’t like to see the tow. But the judges have to use discretion in the application of rules. In other words they can completely ignore Rule #1

    PS. IMO Movistar has shown themselves to be tactically inept and total d*ckheads during this tour.

  3. @chris

    @Teocalli

    Dave Millar rightly pointed out that the adjustment was a pretty fair result for Froome and Porte it didn’t do Mollema or Yates any favours; Mollema probably losing 15 seconds to Yates as a result of the crash and Yates losing the gap he’d opened up on Qunitana and Bardet.

     

    Splitting hairs…but didn’t Bardet cross the line with Yates, Aru and AN other who I can’t remember, with Valverde and Quintana maybe 5 seconds back?

  4. @Rick

    The clarification I heard today was that running was OK BUT you had to have a bike when you cross the finish line.  Wouldn’t be surprised if it was something no one had thought of before.

  5. @Rick

    @Teocalli

    @Pali65

    I’ve heard two versions of the event (tongue in cheek):

    1) Trying to hold back the moto by hand and shouting – “Stop, stop! Froomie is in trouble, we need to help him!”

    2) Moto stood in his way thus he was pushing it not to lose a second.

    :D

    Gov, I was just trying to get a wheel to throw to Richie……..

    My understanding is that if rules were applied as the letter of the law Froome could be DQ’d for running. So DQing Quintana would also have to DQ Froome. If they applied the splits to the time of the crash then technically, Quintana gained no advantage by being towed.

    If it is fair to give Froome the benefit of the doubt, then it has to be applied to Quintana. I think they threw Movistar a bone by giving Nairo the same time as Yates (I believe it was Yates) to keep them from bitching about the adjustment for the leader.

    As a cycling fan, I don’t like to see the tow. But the judges have to use discretion in the application of rules. In other words they can completely ignore Rule #1

    PS. IMO Movistar has shown themselves to be tactically inept and total d*ckheads during this tour.

    The explanation of the rules put forward by Chris “Mr Secret Squirrel” Boardman last night (as well as others) was that the requirement was that a rider is required to cross the line with a bike. No mention has been made of not having a bike for a short period between the start and finish lines.

    You might also want to look at intent. At the time Quintana had no idea that he wouldn’t benefit from the tow when they adjusted the times. The tow may even have brought him back up to Yates hence having his time awarded as the same time as Yates.

  6. @Teocalli

    @Rick

    The clarification I heard today was that running was OK BUT you had to have a bike when you cross the finish line. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was something no one had thought of before.

    Ah, that was not my understanding but the truth is that I have no idea about running. I was pretty sure that a racer could cross the finish line on foot but had to have a bike. I am not sure if running sans bike is ok, but again, no real clue.

    Thanks for the clarification.

  7. @chris

    @Rick

    @Teocalli

    @Pali65

    I’ve heard two versions of the event (tongue in cheek):

    1) Trying to hold back the moto by hand and shouting – “Stop, stop! Froomie is in trouble, we need to help him!”

    2) Moto stood in his way thus he was pushing it not to lose a second.

    :D

    Gov, I was just trying to get a wheel to throw to Richie……..

    My understanding is that if rules were applied as the letter of the law Froome could be DQ’d for running. So DQing Quintana would also have to DQ Froome. If they applied the splits to the time of the crash then technically, Quintana gained no advantage by being towed.

    If it is fair to give Froome the benefit of the doubt, then it has to be applied to Quintana. I think they threw Movistar a bone by giving Nairo the same time as Yates (I believe it was Yates) to keep them from bitching about the adjustment for the leader.

    As a cycling fan, I don’t like to see the tow. But the judges have to use discretion in the application of rules. In other words they can completely ignore Rule #1

    PS. IMO Movistar has shown themselves to be tactically inept and total d*ckheads during this tour.

    The explanation of the rules put forward by Chris “Mr Secret Squirrel” Boardman last night (as well as others) was that the requirement was that a rider is required to cross the line with a bike. No mention has been made of not having a bike for a short period between the start and finish lines.

    You might also want to look at intent. At the time Quintana had no idea that he wouldn’t benefit from the tow when they adjusted the times. The tow may even have brought him back up to Yates hence having his time awarded as the same time as Yates.

    I agree regarding intent, and as a bike fan I don’t like to see a tow like that. I also agree about the adjusted time. I was simply trying to put myself in the position of being a judge in this mess and trying to treat everyone fairly.

    Personally, I think the tow was an egregious and wanton abuse of the rule against towing and should be penalized. However, I think the judges simply wanted the whole thing to go away.

    Penalizing Quintana would have set off  a firestorm of controversy. I think the commissars through Movistar a bone to avoid such a situation. Movistar were already pissed that Froome pissed  and neutralized the peloton so his team mates could get back. Although not a fan of theirs, I cannot say that I disagree with them on this.

    It would be a shame if Quintana made the podium by the seven seconds that were gained in this mess.

  8. @Rick

     

    It would be a shame if Quintana made the podium by the seven seconds that were gained in this mess.

    100% with you there.  Though that could be because I have him at 4 in my picks………

  9. @Teocalli

    @Rick

    It would be a shame if Quintana made the podium by the seven seconds that were gained in this mess.

    100% with you there. Though that could be because I have him at 4 in my picks………

    #4? Good for you! I have him in the #1 spot. What was I thinking? Mind you, I say that after every VSP race . . .

  10. @Rick

    There was a bit more than 7 seconds when you take into account the gap between Yates and Sticky Moto and the time Mollema lost picking himself off the ground and getting back up to speed after the crash. And that’s not taking into account any time Froome might have put into Qunitana in subsequent attacks.

    Froome stopping the peloton for Stannard is a completely different thing. It might not have been in the spirit of things and it might well have been an abuse of the yellow jersey but at the end of the day it wasn’t a rule infraction and no one else was actually forced to stop.

  11. @chris

    @Rick

    There was a bit more than 7 seconds when you take into account the gap between Yates and Sticky Moto and the time Mollema lost picking himself off the ground and getting back up to speed after the crash. And that’s not taking into account any time Froome might have put into Qunitana in subsequent attacks.

    Froome stopping the peloton for Stannard is a completely different thing. It might not have been in the spirit of things and it might well have been an abuse of the yellow jersey but at the end of the day it wasn’t a rule infraction and no one else was actually forced to stop.

    I am doing back of the envelope math to get the seven seconds. If I am not mistaken the first results with Froome back in yellow showed Nairo 1:01 back. He started today only 54 seconds back.

    I agree that Froome stopping violated no rules. Cancellara helped neutralize the group but Movistar was not obligated by any racing rule to obey Spartacus. However, given the end results, I think Movistar has nothing to complain about.

  13. @Rick

    You’re starting in the wrong place. You need a fag packet and a short carpenter’s pencil for this sort of calculation.

    At the point where it all went wrong Froome, Mollema and Porte were together.

    Froome and Porte were subsequently given the same time as Mollema. Which would have been fine if Mollema had been unimpeded. He wasn’t he fell off, had to gather up his bike, remount and get back up to speed. David Millar put that about 15 seconds. In effect Froome has lost 15 seconds on where he should have been if he’d continued to the finish without any impediment.

    At the time of the incident, Quintana had been dropped by Yates, lets say 15 seconds for symmetry.

    If the crowd hadn’t disrupted the race and nothing else had happened, the Undisrupted Froome would have crossed the line 15 seconds ahead of the Actual Mollema, the Actual Yates was 19 seconds behind him and Sticky Moto would have been a further 15 seconds behind. Using a calculator because its Friday, I make that a 49 second time loss for Nairo. In the GC, though, he only lost the 19 seconds between Mollema and Yates.

    On that basis you’re totally correct saying that Moviestar have nothing to complain about. They’ve just benefited by 30 seconds. More if you were inclined to consider what he might have lost had Froome been unimpeded and been free to continue attacking. But that’s a what if.

  14. @chris

    @Rick

    You’re starting in the wrong place. You need a fag packet and a short carpenter’s pencil for this sort of calculation.

    At the point where it all went wrong Froome, Mollema and Porte were together.

    Froome and Porte were subsequently given the same time as Mollema. Which would have been fine if Mollema had been unimpeded. He wasn’t he fell off, had to gather up his bike, remount and get back up to speed. David Millar put that about 15 seconds. In effect Froome has lost 15 seconds on where he should have been if he’d continued to the finish without any impediment.

    At the time of the incident, Quintana had been dropped by Yates, lets say 15 seconds for symmetry.

    If the crowd hadn’t disrupted the race and nothing else had happened, the Undisrupted Froome would have crossed the line 15 seconds ahead of the Actual Mollema, the Actual Yates was 19 seconds behind him and Sticky Moto would have been a further 15 seconds behind. Using a calculator because its Friday, I make that a 49 second time loss for Nairo. In the GC, though, he only lost the 19 seconds between Mollema and Yates.

    On that basis you’re totally correct saying that Moviestar have nothing to complain about. They’ve just benefited by 30 seconds. More if you were inclined to consider what he might have lost had Froome been unimpeded and been free to continue attacking. But that’s a what if.

    Thanks for the mathematics, even on a Friday. I don’t disagree with any of that calculation, it seems about right. I would point out that Porte was really drilling it when he hit the moto and likely would have put more time into those behind him as well.

  15. @Rick

    @chris

    @Rick

    You’re starting in the wrong place. You need a fag packet and a short carpenter’s pencil for this sort of calculation.

    At the point where it all went wrong Froome, Mollema and Porte were together.

    Froome and Porte were subsequently given the same time as Mollema. Which would have been fine if Mollema had been unimpeded. He wasn’t he fell off, had to gather up his bike, remount and get back up to speed. David Millar put that about 15 seconds. In effect Froome has lost 15 seconds on where he should have been if he’d continued to the finish without any impediment.

    At the time of the incident, Quintana had been dropped by Yates, lets say 15 seconds for symmetry.

    If the crowd hadn’t disrupted the race and nothing else had happened, the Undisrupted Froome would have crossed the line 15 seconds ahead of the Actual Mollema, the Actual Yates was 19 seconds behind him and Sticky Moto would have been a further 15 seconds behind. Using a calculator because its Friday, I make that a 49 second time loss for Nairo. In the GC, though, he only lost the 19 seconds between Mollema and Yates.

    On that basis you’re totally correct saying that Moviestar have nothing to complain about. They’ve just benefited by 30 seconds. More if you were inclined to consider what he might have lost had Froome been unimpeded and been free to continue attacking. But that’s a what if.

    Thanks for the mathematics, even on a Friday. I don’t disagree with any of that calculation, it seems about right. I would point out that Porte was really drilling it when he hit the moto and likely would have put more time into those behind him as well.

    That also explains why Trek were so unhappy, the incident clearly cost Mollema a podium spot on GC. Movistar need to zip it for a few days methinks.

  17. Well, Quintana has a lot of “getting stronger in the last week” to do now.

  18. @Steve Trice

    Well, Quintana has a lot of “getting stronger in the last week” to do now.

    Makes any gripes they might have over yesterday a bit academic.

  19. @Steve Trice

    @Rick

    @chris

    That also explains why Trek were so unhappy, the incident clearly cost Mollema a podium spot on GC. Movistar need to zip it for a few days methinks.

    Mollema came out of that much worse than anyone else. Sucks. But he’s put time into everyone today. Apart from CF. Well done him.

  20. Well, Mollema is now 2nd in GC so Trek should be fine and Tooooooooom D did what he was supposed to do. Let’s see him repeat that in Rio. And again, Froome continues to impress me.

  21. @Teocalli

    @Steve Trice

    Well, Quintana has a lot of “getting stronger in the last week” to do now.

    Makes any gripes they might have over yesterday a bit academic.

    Yup, I think Froome, in addition to being a great TT man, was riding with the proverbial “stomach full of anger” today. That’s what’s great about the TT – no place to hide. It was mano-a-mano and Quintana was found wanting. Big Tommy D was taking it easy for the last few stages and he’s bagged his second stage win, proving that he’s not some Vuelta flash in the pan. To be honest, I think Froome has more to fear from the crowds than his competitors now.

  22. This is not at all reflective of my VSP. Froomes going to take some beating but there’s a lot to play for podium spots.

    1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 58:02:51

    2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek – Segafredo 00:01:47

    3 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE 00:02:45

    4 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 00:02:59

    5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:03:17

    6 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 00:03:19

    7 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 00:04:04

    8 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 00:04:27

    9 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx – Quick Step 00:05:03

    10 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 00:05:16

  23. @chris

    This is not at all reflective of my VSP. Froomes going to take some beating but there’s a lot to play for podium spots.

    1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 58:02:51

    2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek – Segafredo 00:01:47

    3 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE 00:02:45

    4 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 00:02:59

    5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:03:17

    6 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 00:03:19

    7 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 00:04:04

    8 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 00:04:27

    9 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx – Quick Step 00:05:03

    10 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 00:05:16

    Agreed. If anyone in that top 10 has a super day or a bad day, the rankings could change dramatically. I think Froome’s going to win it, but I’d be delighted to see Yates stay on the podium. Frankly, the riders in spots 2-10 are going to have to take it to Froome. This waiting for him to have a bad day pish isn’t, I think, going to work, and, as he’s shown, he’s in feisty form.

  24. Anybody know the story behind this crash – https://www.instagram.com/p/BH5KtTtAnSA/? One hell of a crash in a TT, can only think it’s wind related.

  26. @Steve Trice

    Anybody know the story behind this crash – https://www.instagram.com/p/BH5KtTtAnSA/? One hell of a crash in a TT, can only think it’s wind related.

    After a bit of searching Alaphilippe was going at 51.7km/h, with a crosswind of 42km/h, when he crashed 15km from the finish 2016 TdF. Ended up with a few bruises on his hands and back is all.

     

  27. @Teocalli

    @Steve Trice

    Anybody know the story behind this crash – https://www.instagram.com/p/BH5KtTtAnSA/? One hell of a crash in a TT, can only think it’s wind related.

    After a bit of searching Alaphilippe was going at 51.7km/h, with a crosswind of 42km/h, when he crashed 15km from the finish 2016 TdF. Ended up with a few bruises on his hands and back is all.

    Blimey, he’s a lucky boy by the looks of the photo.

  28. Presumably his situation was in some way caused by, or at least exacerbated by, the rear disc wheel. I’m amazed that, with 40kph crosswinds, or even just gusts, the benefits of discs still accrue and aren’t outweighed by the drawbacks.

  29. @wiscot

    @chris

    This is not at all reflective of my VSP. Froomes going to take some beating but there’s a lot to play for podium spots.

    1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 58:02:51

    2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek – Segafredo 00:01:47

    3 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE 00:02:45

    4 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 00:02:59

    5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:03:17

    6 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 00:03:19

    7 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 00:04:04

    8 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 00:04:27

    9 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx – Quick Step 00:05:03

    10 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 00:05:16

    Agreed. If anyone in that top 10 has a super day or a bad day, the rankings could change dramatically. I think Froome’s going to win it, but I’d be delighted to see Yates stay on the podium. Frankly, the riders in spots 2-10 are going to have to take it to Froome. This waiting for him to have a bad day pish isn’t, I think, going to work, and, as he’s shown, he’s in feisty form.

    Maybe Feisty should be in the Lexicon as a Froome nickname.

  30. Hmmm, between his Giro winning escape down a “neutralised” descent & hitching a ride on the Mavic moto, maybe Nairo isn’t quite the quiet, innocent fighter his media presence (or lack thereof) would suggest. Probably no coincidence he shares a team with perhaps the biggest COTHO in the current peloton.

  31. Unlikely to happen given how close Quintana is, but if Yates does hold on to a podium spot, that’s a bloody good year for the “non-GC” team of Orica Bike Exchange! Even if he’s top 5/10 & best young rider they’d be pretty stoked.

  33. @Mikael Liddy

    Hmmm, between his Giro winning escape down a “neutralised” descent & hitching a ride on the Mavic moto, maybe Nairo isn’t quite the quiet, innocent fighter his media presence (or lack thereof) would suggest. Probably no coincidence he shares a team with perhaps the biggest COTHO in the current peloton.

    Well the pedalwan has learnt the ways of the dark side from his sensei.

  34. Am watching Eurosport and see Degenkolb with a baby blue wristband whazzat?

    Also noted he should use Alpecin shampoo a bit more or go Pirata.

  35. @KogaLover

    Am watching Eurosport and see Degenkolb with a baby blue wristband whazzat?

    Bike Pure wristbands are light blue – https://www.bikepurestore.org/bike-pure-wristbands/official-bike-pure-wristbands.html

  36. @kixsand

    @brett

    @kixsand

    @brett

    What the fuck is this? May as well stop the race now, as it seems if you are in yellow then nothing that happens can affect your position.

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/07/tour-de-france/froomes-abuse-of-yellow-was-movistars-missed-opportunity_414736

    Nonsense. Don’t be so daft ya prick. The correct decision was taken. Let the race be decided by the racers involved not a chaotic throng of fucks determined to get their ugly mugs on television. This nonsense cannot continue. Something has to change.

    Fuck you, I was referring to him slowing the race after his teammates crashed, so they could get back on.

    Oh – I suppose I did miss the point of the conversation. Brett, you have my sincerest apologies.

    I suppose that makes me the daft prick – fair enough. On the actual point of the conversation….Froome abusing the Yellow Jersey….I am in full accord with your comments.

    Carry on gentlemen. I have some hill repeats to attend to…

    No worries mate, thanks… I don’t know why I expected anyone to read or click on a link!

  37. Awesome sprint from Cav today! (OK, Marcel K might disagree, but the Manxman had him bang to rights anyway). Let’s just pause here. Mark Cavendish just won his THIRTIETH Tour stage. Three- fucking-zero stages. Most pros are thrilled with one or two. Cav has 30. A legend in our time gentlemen.

    And I’ll just throw this out there. Froome the Feisty is eyeing not just his third, but five. Who’s around that’s seriously going to stop him? He seems to be growing in confidence and stature with each Tour. Like him or not, he’s gonna be the new Patron.

  38. What I consider hard to accept was a member of Lotto train member (I think) who stopped pedaling without deviating to the left or right. Then many sprinters including Sagan had to jump on their brakes and avoid him in a dangerous situation. Maybe the poor guy was out of breath and legs at that moment but to stay in the middle of the road is kinda reckless riding.

    Helping own rider to win is one thing but impeding others in the critical moment is not the best sportsmanship, me thinks.

  39. @Pali65

    What I consider hard to accept was a member of Lotto train member (I think) who stopped pedaling without deviating to the left or right. Then many sprinters including Sagan had to jump on their brakes and avoid him in a dangerous situation. Maybe the poor guy was out of breath and legs at that moment but to stay in the middle of the road is kinda reckless riding.

    Helping own rider to win is one thing but impeding others in the critical moment is not the best sportsmanship, me thinks.

    Cav frequently mentions this as one of the most dangerous parts of sprinting, although that’s usually in reference to GC teams being up there at the finish and them not knowing what they’re doing in a sprint environment. To be fair Lotto are up there in the sprints most days and should know better.

  41. Photofinish: and Pinchy does it again. Well done. Pity for Fabs 6th place only.

  44. VSP PICKS (2nd Rest Day Swaps):

    1. Quintana
    2. Froome
    3. Pinot
    4. Yates
    5. Valverde

  46. @Teocalli

    VSP PICKS (2nd Rest Day Swaps):

    1. Froome
    2. mollema
    3. Porte
    4. Quintana
    5. Contador

    You remember that Bertie climbed off a week ago, right?

    VSP PICKS (2nd Rest Day Swaps):

    1. Nairo Quintana
    2. Fabio Aru
    3. Chris Froome
    4. Romain Bardet
    5. Daniel Martin

  47. @wiscot

    Ha Ha !  Yes, I had Bertie there from the start but swapping out 5th is a net loss even if you get the right person.  So no point in swapping.  I only changed my position 2 to remove Aru.

  49. Is it just me and Delgado or did the rest day swaps close early? It is still the 19th, I was just out scouting the training rides of the teams getting ready to change my picks and its closed… ?

  50. @1860

    Is it just me and Delgado or did the rest day swaps close early? It is still the 19th, I was just out scouting the training rides of the teams getting ready to change my picks and its closed… ?

    I was just about to do the same… is only 2.12pm CET on July 19th, so we should still have at least 10 hours.

     

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