Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2012
We are proud to announce a change to the Velominati Super Prestige moving forward: sponsorship. We are delighted (if a little surprised) at the interest our partners showed in this endeavor, despite the short notice we gave them. Four sponsors will be gracing the sides of our team bus for this year’s race: fi’zi:k is our Super Domestique Sponsor (think Big George without the shoe covers because who’d want to cover those beauties up), while the leadout train is being rounded out by DeFeet, Pavé Cycling Classics, and Malteni Beer. As we all know, fizik gets a lot of love around here as the Contact Point Supplier, and for good reason. So we thought now is as good a time as any to announce that DeFeet has agreed to come on board as Flandrian Best Supplier, the Pavé boys, our trusted guides over the stones and bergs, and Malteni Biere which fills our bidon and keeps us making bad decisions like teaming up with the Pavé boys.
So what does Super Domestique Sponsor mean? Free shoes to the winners – that’s what it means, dillwhips. Free R3’s, yup the Aristocrats, to the three winners of the VSP: TdF GC Winner and the two Stage VSP’s. As you watch this year’s race, look for the likes of Jeremy Roy and Richie Porte riding the R3’s in complete Rule Compliance. As Leadout Sponsor, Defeet is providing a full Flandrian Best Kit including a base layer, Armskins, Kneekers, and Slipstream Belgian booties for the VSP: Tdf GC second place as well plus two pairs of D-Logo socks to each runner-up of the Stage VSP’s. The Pavé boys (also Leadout Sponsors) are putting up a limited Pavé Cycling Classics wool jersey awarded to third place. We can’t ship Malteni (also Leadout Sponsors) legally, so you’ll just have to wait until you’re in Belgium to guzzle some of that lovely nectar or join the Pavé boys for their Worlds Weekend tour with Johan Museeuw where they’ll get you stupid(er) on the stuff.
Gianni’s Ruminations
Finally, the date has arrived. We have all done our training through the winter, contested the Spring Classics, The Ardennes Races, Romandie, Oh the Giro, The Dauphine, Tour de Swiss. Not all were in the VSP schedule but I know most of you wrote down your picks for the others and tucked them under your pillows. It’s training. There has been time to taper down before Saturday’s prologue start in Liége, Belgium. A young neo-pro, The Fish, is leading in points. The hardened veterans have seen these youth come and go, the season is long. A touch of wheels, a moment of youthful idealism, Vladimir Karpets is picked to podium, The Fish goes down, he panics and by the time he is back up he will never see the front again. Or he will continue to mock us all with his astute choices and lead all the way to Lombardy.
I have staked my claim on the yellow kit ownership some time ago and still see this as an epic Cadel-Wiggo battle to the death and if not death, until one of them sits up. But this year might be the time the youth start to fill up the other three places in the top five.
The Shack’s team car has been crashing into every static object all spring and now Bruyneel has been yanked out of the driver’s seat. The ride can only get smoother but with the reluctant leader Frank Schleck staring at over 100km of prologue and time trialing, as was said in the bunker, they are going stage hunting. I could go on for hours about the 2012 TdF but we have other Keepers who need to vent.
Please check the VSP page for the rules, keep an eye on the awesome VSP countdown timer, don’t Delgado your picks. Here is the start list.
I have to give a shout out to a brave group of Velominati who are heading to the Vermont/Canadian border to draft behind a massive dump truck full of Awesome all the way to the Massachusetts state line. It’s a Cogal only deranged people would attempt and as luck would have it, we supply them here. I hope they get their picks in soon as they may be in no kind of shape on Friday to think about such important things.
Brett’s Misconceptions
It’s all about Fränk. It’s perfect. All the pressure’s off. No lil bro to hold him back. Deliberately sucking all year so far, crashing and quitting, a hint of form, Bruyneel slinks off to deflect attention (and suspicion), Fränk suddenly can time trial and a couple of Pharmy style attacks later he wins in Paris by two minutes, taking the sprint on the Champs Elysees for good measure. Maybe not the last bit. Fränk will, however, finish in lil bro’s favourite position. Or suddenly leave with a stomach bug.
Cadel will take this. It’s perfect. All the pressure’s off. No lil bro to worry about in the mountains. Deliberately almost sucking so far, but not. Hints of form, staying low, deflecting attention. Look after the time trials and command the mountains. Safe, not exciting. Or he’ll step on someone else’s dog, breaking his elbow and decapitating the dog.
Wiggo could take this. It’s perfect. A lot of form. A lot of km’s against the clock. Not too many big hills. Too tall socks. Cav left to fight alone. One bad day is waiting there though, the sort of bad day that not even winning the final TT by 2 minutes can alleviate. Or he’ll crash in the first week, breaking both elbows after getting a sideburn caught in his crazy bio pace chainrings.
Sagan will win the first twelve stages, then leave with a stomach bug. Gossy will gratefully step into the vacant green in the greatest heist since Gerro won San Remo. And the Rug Salesman will be all spotty, due to getting in a long break and not sucking as much as even he expected. That’ll help him to 5th and Zubeldia level evanescence.
None of this may actually come close to happening, but whatever does I hope it’s an exciting race. Good luck to those battling hard for three weeks in the VSP race too, it could just turn out to be the main point of interest a couple of weeks from now.
Marko’s Reckoning
The Fish loses two spots on the G.C. but manages to eek out a pair of R3s in a sub-VSP as G’phant peaks in le Grande Boucle and walks away with le Grande Bouprize. Sad thing is, G’phant is legend but nobody remembers him because he only shows for races, not group rides anymore. Fausto rides a calculated, if not boring, race to move up a spot but just misses out. Gianni gets a glimpse of the podium going into the 16th stage and the Tourmalet but drowns in a lactic acid and caffeine soaked bath in that stage’s VSP. Marko Delgados virtually the entire event while he continues building his family a house in direct violation of Rule #11, which is more than we can say for Brett and Frank who were last seen going in the opposite direction with Bruyneel in a Radiotreksanshack team car dragging a muffler through Liege on its way to a USADA hearing near Austin.
In the meantime, two dudes from the Commonwealth – one with sideburns approaching muttonchops and another with an ass on his chin – duel it out in France. There will be some Italian, Spanish, and Russian dudes there too in an epic the likes of which hasn’t been seen in years. Fuck Yeah people, Vive le Tour.
Frank’s Delusions
It happens every single time. I get all weepy-eyed about the Giro and how it’s the Velominatus’ choice for a Grand Tour. Less crazy, better terrain, a comparatively weaker field usually yielding a closer race. But come the Tour, I get all starstruck as the big names line up in the best form they could muster for the season.
I also had decided to pick Twiggo for the big win, but now I’m not so sure. I love that the guy is tall and can get over a mountain, but there is one irrefutable fact that I can’t get over. He looks much too much like Gianni’s avatar, only not as well-kept. The sardonic look on his face along with those whispy sideburns are just too much for me to take. I’m back to rolling with my heart and my questionable sensibilities to favor Grimpelder this time round, now that he’s out of the shadow of his little brother and will be able to put the swivelnecking energy into the pedals instead of looking behind him.
The good news is that the racing always winds up being awesome. And that’s what its about: panache. So long as Wiggo doesn’t pull an Indurain and take 6 minutes on an early TT, I’ll be happy.
Epilogue
Pick carefully, don’t Delgado, and think twice about those rest day swaps; they come at a heavy price and there are some nice prizes on the line which make the Velominati Shop Apron look like a Schleck’s chamois during the descent of the Peyresourde.
The Fine Print: each contestant is of course encouraged to enter all VSP events, but everyone is eligible to take the prizes on only one VSP. If a contestant takes more than one VSP event (GC or Stage) the prize for that VSP will then be awarded to the player with the next highest score. In the event of a tie we’ll do our best to find the fairest way to break the tie. If something doesn’t make sense, please ask; we’re making this up as we go along.
Get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero, and good luck. Vive le Tour.
Looks like Vincenzo is lining up to go off on one – g’wan my saan!!
Oops, Richie Porte just tripped over his musette and needs a new bicycle….
@Dr C
fingers crossed
@DerHoggz
I bet he never thought that in about 15 years time, he would be getting jiggy with a glamour model…..
Cadel is yo-yoing. VIncenzo looks strong, too bad he can’t beat a whole team…
ValGreede is strong today. He climbs well for his size…
sounds like loads of attacking going on, and they are all cracking, including Froome…..mighty stuff – where is the TV when you want one!!
Wiggins on the front now – argghhhh!
Sounds like Wiggo’s twisting the knife. Nice although I was hoping that Nibbles would be able to get into the second spot. Faster Wiggo drop Froome too.
Be nice to see Wiggo catch Valverde for the stage.
Sheer fuckin’ BALLS.
Chris: “Hey, Bradley, wanna break every body?”
Bradley: “Like rancid spotted dick, bitch. Climb fucktard, CLIMB!”
What the F%^K was that?!?!?! Man, this tour SUCKS!!! Froome stays with Wiggo and lets Valverde win the stage??? Man, soooo pissed that they let a known doper take the stage. Uhhhggggg. What a f$%king shame! They REALLY ashould have let Froomie go with 1.5 k to go. What piss poor bullshit!
@Dan_R In my best Bill McLaren voice “They’ll be slapping on the nipple lube in the Sky bus tonight“
TvG into fifth! Overall standings unaffected by the change.
Provisional Race Results
1. WIGGINS Bradley
2. FROOME Christopher
3. NIBALI Vincenzo
4. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen
5. VAN GARDEREN Tejay
Provisional VSP Standings
1. taon24 (42 points)
2. Dr C (41 points)
3. motor city (40 points)
4. xyxax (40 points)
5. Belgian Boys Club (37 points)
6. huffalotpuffalot (37 points)
7. payaso (37 points)
8. Bill (37 points)
9. G’phant (37 points)
10. DaRCrider (35 points)
11. Trobs (33 points)
12. Chuckk (33 points)
13. Buck Rogers (33 points)
14. mrhallorann (30 points)
15. Modtastic (30 points)
16. Oli (30 points)
17. Fausto (30 points)
18. Ron (30 points)
19. CanuckChuck (30 points)
20. Mason (30 points)
21. MrLowell (30 points)
22. kowala (28 points)
23. SimonH (28 points)
24. JCS4 (28 points)
25. roadslave525 (28 points)
26. VirenqueForever (27 points)
27. sar02 (26 points)
28. Bianchi Denti (26 points)
29. 936adl (26 points)
30. Chris (26 points)
31. TomC (26 points)
32. al (26 points)
33. blue (26 points)
34. Kedan (26 points)
35. Azzurri Tim (26 points)
36. McTavish (26 points)
37. Geordi (26 points)
38. Steampunk (26 points)
39. San Tonio (25 points)
40. Harry (23 points)
41. R00tdown (23 points)
42. moondance (23 points)
43. Mark1 (23 points)
44. Rev.C.Mac (23 points)
45. ramenvelo (23 points)
46. nico (23 points)
47. Ankush (23 points)
48. Eddie Bell (23 points)
49. tony macaroni (23 points)
50. Lindrop (23 points)
51. snoov (23 points)
52. simonsaunders (23 points)
53. Kyle (23 points)
54. Lepidopterist (23 points)
55. Roberto Marques (23 points)
56. Pablo Colletti (23 points)
57. ben (23 points)
58. MJ Moquin (23 points)
59. cal (23 points)
60. shep (23 points)
61. Gianni (23 points)
62. Nosyt (21 points)
63. mcsqueak (21 points)
64. The Fish (21 points)
65. graham d.m. (21 points)
66. Flying Crowbar (20 points)
67. Ruskerdu (20 points)
68. Paco (20 points)
69. tessar (20 points)
70. J-hump (20 points)
71. mrdriftless (20 points)
72. Pirata with Pasta (20 points)
73. Anais Ninja (20 points)
74. Vince (20 points)
75. pink (20 points)
76. calves (20 points)
77. Steve Swift (20 points)
78. Papageno (20 points)
79. Casey Arnold (20 points)
80. actor1 (20 points)
81. feef (20 points)
82. Blake (20 points)
83. Phil Schneider (20 points)
84. Blah (20 points)
85. Noel (20 points)
86. Nic (20 points)
87. NRMontgomery (20 points)
88. roleur510 (20 points)
89. wiscot (18 points)
90. Adrian (18 points)
91. razmaspaz (18 points)
92. el gato (18 points)
93. sprider (18 points)
94. DerHoggz (18 points)
95. Skinnyphat (16 points)
96. meursault (16 points)
97. Deakus (16 points)
98. VeloVita (16 points)
99. Tartan1749 (16 points)
100. Mikel Pearce (16 points)
101. Phil (15 points)
102. Marko (15 points)
103. Nukatpiat (13 points)
104. scaler911 (13 points)
105. VeloAU (13 points)
106. GProsser (13 points)
107. Nate (13 points)
108. dancollins (13 points)
109. RayElVis (13 points)
110. Chasquimorgan (13 points)
111. Skip (13 points)
112. Markp (13 points)
113. Mike Honcho (13 points)
114. Jeff in PetroMetro (13 points)
115. Painkiller (13 points)
116. TraJoM (13 points)
117. sgt (12 points)
118. napolinige (11 points)
119. mouse (11 points)
120. imakecircles (11 points)
121. TOM.NELS2120 (11 points)
122. brett (11 points)
123. LA Dave (11 points)
124. Jonny (11 points)
125. PRbadlegs (11 points)
126. drewPjohnson (11 points)
127. Cyclops (10 points)
128. Two Ball Billy (10 points)
129. sthilzy (9 points)
130. RMK (9 points)
131. Belgian Cobblestones (9 points)
132. Xyverz (8 points)
133. El Mateo (8 points)
134. The Oracle (8 points)
135. brianc (8 points)
136. Duende (7 points)
137. RedRanger (6 points)
138. Minion (6 points)
139. Lukas (6 points)
140. Rigid (6 points)
141. anotherdownunder (6 points)
142. Anast Demitt (6 points)
143. starclimber (6 points)
144. celestialdrive (6 points)
145. american psycho (6 points)
146. velomihottie (6 points)
147. Marcus (6 points)
148. gaswepass (6 points)
149. Don juan (6 points)
150. gino (6 points)
151. Rick (6 points)
152. Frank Ramos (6 points)
153. Alex (6 points)
154. Tomislav (6 points)
155. JC Belgium (6 points)
156. Heihachi (6 points)
157. sean (6 points)
158. elrond (6 points)
159. ifurley (6 points)
160. Benny (6 points)
161. godsight (6 points)
162. Simon (6 points)
163. Matt (6 points)
164. DR5150 (6 points)
165. Erik Olsen (6 points)
166. Enoch (6 points)
167. Mikael Liddy (4 points)
168. il ciclista medio (4 points)
169. Aidas (4 points)
170. Erik (4 points)
171. Daccordi Rider (4 points)
172. frank (3 points)
173. Kah (3 points)
174. eightzero (3 points)
175. hammermama (3 points)
176. schmiken (3 points)
177. Tobin (3 points)
178. Craig Chambers (3 points)
179. Lister (3 points)
180. Topcover (3 points)
181. ErikdR (3 points)
182. Karl (3 points)
183. Cchern (3 points)
184. Islandbike (3 points)
185. pakrat (3 points)
186. dunderleif (3 points)
187. ChrisO (2 points)
188. Chappy McPappystackings (1 points)
189. versio (1 points)
190. ten B (1 points)
191. the Engine (1 points)
192. seemunkee (1 points)
193. Sauterelle (1 points)
194. Souleur (1 points)
195. Jay (1 points)
196. mxlmax (1 points)
197. noiyce (0 points)
198. Bike Jonez (0 points)
199. itburns (0 points)
200. King Clydesdale (0 points)
201. ralph (0 points)
202. bkwentz (0 points)
203. Giles (0 points)
204. harminator (0 points)
205. Dan_R (0 points)
206. G’rilla (0 points)
207. Smithers (0 points)
208. niksch (0 points)
209. Gerard (0 points)
@Buck Rogers
Agreed! Is Wiggo that worried about his TT ability? Froome’s overall work this Tour deserves another stage, and to pad his lead over Nibali. He wasn’t going to get all 2 min back on Wiggins.
@Buck Rogers
Buck, as a soldier I’d have thought you’d understand the importance of sticking to the plan. Would you be happy to see a man from your group rush ahead and either give away your position or be shot down with no cover? I’ve enjoyed this Tour, other riders have attacked Wiggins but he’s been up to them, and that’s that.
@Buck Rogers Agreed, by that point he wasn’t going overtake Wiggo in the GC. They should have let him go (even if ruins any chance I have left in the VSP).
Great to see Nibbles have a go at last even if he failed. Good to see Wiggo and Froome twist the knife rather than conserving energy and ridding in with Nibble.
Can they now set Cav up for the win on the Champs Elysée?
@Buck Rogers However I agree with you that Froome should have been let loose, he may have made the decision personally to stay with Wiggins, according to Yates in a post stage interview he wasn’t told not to go, that’s how I interpreted it anyway.
@snoov There wasn’t any risk and taking the stage/preventing the (apparently unrepentant) doper from doing so would have been class.
I hope and pray that we are treated to the sight of the Yellow Jersey leading out the Rainbow Bands down the Champs Elysee, and Cav shooting to victory, for all he has so given up this Tour
At least the fight for the dotty jumper was som. What exciting. Other than that it was a bit of a snooz Fest. I don’t think Nibbles had a very strong team. They shoulda let Ted King ride.
Great stuff by Valverde, Wiggins and Froome, and another gutsy ride by Voeckler to secure the Maillot Pois for me. I’m enjoying this Tour immensely.
@snoov
Won’t get into actual combat versus the tdf here but here is one quote from Yates: “The plan was to stay together” and another from Froomie: “Wiggins was saying ‘Just keep on, we’re almost there.’ It was the plan to stay together; it’s great that we were able to take more time on our opposition.”
Just totally bummed, more than anything else, that they let Valverde take the win.
This just in: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/schlecks-rumoured-to-have-signed-with-astana-for-coming-year
Well at least Becca hasn’t had to pay out much in bonuses to them this year – nor is he likely to. Will they hire JB as director too?
@RedRanger
+1! Lovin’ T. King!
@wiscot
Goodbye Schleckies
@Buck Rogers
+1 here too.
Damn I can’t wait to see the train Sky put out in paris. Remember the world championship? Like that but with Syrup’o’Figgo in yellow. No rain soaked mishaps a la Menchov in the TT please. Speaking of which, I’m having my own 54k TT on Saturday morning. There will be blood, most likely from my bottom.
Then Beer, of course.
@frank
I don’t know how to dispute this but I’m pretty sure I had 28 points a couple days ago, now I have 25.
I had made a rest day swap on the first day when I had 33 pts which brought me down to 28.
Is there a glitch or something?
Not that it really matters at this point my VSP is pretty much screwed, but any little bit helps.
@San Tonio Press the arrow next to each rider’s name in your top 5. If there’s a point penalty that you don’t think is right hit the dispute button
@Trobs
My bad. I just realized that since Evans has dropped out of the top 5 I’m no longer getting those points. Duh
So Frank Schleck gets busted and the next day is said to be joining Astana. You couldn’t conjure up satire better than that.
Way to show the world you’re clean boys… join the Kazakh Khemists.
I have this mental scene of them negotiating and someone from Astana daring him to take some Vitamin ‘A’ which is what he was trying to clean out of his system.
@ChrisO
Ha! I was just going to say that them joining Astana ought to REALLY help squelch any doping rumors.
Too funny!
So much energy is lost into chasing down VSP points? Remember: in this sport, spend as little energy as possible at all times.
@Oli
What? Is Roadworks sponsoring Europcar???
@Chris
Wiggins did some pulling himself even. Nice riding, but I would have loved to see them take Piti, who rides beautifully, but I just hate him too much for dancing around Puerto all those years.
It would be a class act to see the Maillot Jaune lead out the bands for a win on the cobbles of the Champs. Mighty fine, I’d say.
@Oli
I hate agreeing with you, but I’m with you. Wiggin’s isn’t Induraining this in the sense that he’s not just staying close in the mountains – he’s making the race there. Others are attacking and when he needs to, he does the work himself. I’m a convert.
I do, however, think the Giro was a much better race overall in terms of suspense. Down to the last corner of the last ITT on the last day, it still wasn’t clear if J-Rod was going to lose or not. No such suspense here.
While I’ve watched le Tour every year since I was a teen I’ve not really watched it like I have this year and last. I have a question for the more experienced among us.
How does this “Snore de France” compare with previous years (I myself don’t agree that it has been boring)? Indurain, Armstrong, and Contador all seemed to be pretty dominant in their races – were those tours boring? Last year I only really remember there being one day where Cadel had to bury himself to keep the gap to Andy from getting too big, then he smashed him in the ITT. This year Bradley has ridden well had great form, and so has his team, mostly the BMC team hasn’t shown up and neither has the Liquigas team, so in my opinion, even though Sky have been good and deserve to go all the way (if they make it) no other team has put in the work to beat them. Discuss.
This is the first tour I have really studied, and loved it. I appreciate I have the least knowledge here, but it seems to me, Sky came to win at all costs, including entertainment costs. Being a Brit team can have nothing but good impact on Brit cycling. I have enjoyed the Voekler breaks and other stage winners too. Nibali probably has the class but not the team around him. Also enjoyed Sagans rise and antics. Will be gutted when it’s over, but will give me more time to ride my rule decimating Boardman rather than watch TV.
@snoov Every year people say it is a Snore de France. Don’t listen to them. Every year it is different and every year people say it is boring for one reason or another. I think it is because people like different riders and different styles. For example, I love Evans. I’ve always thought he was awesome. I put my VSP points on him. I don’t think it is boring that SKY has done what they said they would do. But I think some people have that somewhere in their subconscious, that it isn’t the way I want it so it is boring.
Or, maybe I just think this because my 6-year-old thinks everything is “boring” right now.
Today was really fun to watch. I’ve been having the race on in the background for the most part but today I just sat down and watched it. Always amazes me to see how talented those guys are. Very cool to see them ride into the fog. And always crazy to watch them pop one after another as the Ks tick on by.
Actually this year’s tour has been really great to follow. Break aways actually winning, drama in the mountains, cool to see the Brits looking like taking their first historic win.
I was just upset this morning with Sky not finally turning Froomie loose for the win, esp since by them not doing that, Valverde was allowed to win. Just seemed so wrong on so many levels.
I really fell in love with the tour while avidly following it in 1989 (in the newspaper daily updates–one small paragraph if lucky and the weekend 30 or 60 minute broadcasts–that’s all we had in the US). Then the Indurain years were a snooze for me. The late ’90’s were lit up by Pantani and then Lance–whom I really liked at first. Contador’s wins did not seem too exciting to me but last year was cool. Ranking them all that I have followed, this year is actually pretty good, not quite late 80’s vintage but better than mid-90’s and late 2000’s, in my opinion.
Ha, boring! Most people think the sports I avidly follow are all boring! Cycling, ice hockey, and international futbol. You couldn’t pay most Americans to sit through one half of a soccer match. Yet they’ll don a jersey every Sunday for about half the year and sit on the couch for an entire Sunday watching hours and hours more commercials than actual playing of that silly game of football.
I follow the sports I follow because I enjoy them. Always amuses me when people badmouth all of these sports for being stupid/boring/lame/wussy/etc. As if I play them or follow them because they are popular. Jeez.
I come at this from a different perspective. Been an avid Follower and viewer for only a few years, a minor length of time compared to many of you. The more I watch and learn about cycling, and the more I ride, the more I like it. Things keep on getting more and more exciting all the time. Kind of like my life!
Holy cannoli, just saw the Alfred E. Neuman & David Millar photo. Damn, that’s awesome. Love the shirt color folded down over his Reebok jumper…
@Dr C
yeah, baby… Yeah
I’m finally starting to relax, and can start to dream dreams like this… And then The Mall… Could it be? Could. It. Be?
@Roadslave525
Better believe it, then like all Olympics, the Aussies will spoil the British party. I’m predicting a really nice lead out followed by a Goss win. Of course, if Cav’s Tour really has been about preparing for London, he may just be ready to smash them all. It’ll certainly be exciting. (please please please).
Is Millar now in the TT squad for London? Would love to see him pick up something.
This last paragraph from CyclingTips’ article this morning does a pretty good job of summing up how this Tour has left me feeling.
Assuming this has been achieved cleany (and I really do hope it has), then it is a fantastic triumph for Brailsford & Wiggins. No, it may not have been inspiring or dynamic but based on the preparation & training that’s been reported, winning the thing is exactly what he deserves. I’ll never love this win, but it most certainly gets a doff of the cap & a great deal of respect.
Speaking of Rule #5, did anyone see Chris Anker Sørensen in today’s stage? blood all over his bars and still fighting. If he continues that may be a Rule #5 award nominee as he actually needs surgery.
@Nate Whoops, I was getting my virtual Tour sweepstakes mixed up!
@RedRanger
Saxo – Tinkoff report that the surgery was successful, but the decision to ride tomorrow remain with Chris and the team doktor. I can’t see him not riding with only two stages left.
@Erik This.