Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2014

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• @Teocalli

  @Geraint

  Wigan Athletic. Sorry, I mean Sharp-Cannondale.

  Thing is though if he is going to train for the Olympics track it's not really compatible with the requirements for a stage race.

  True enough, indeed he said some time ago that his appetite for the sort of training required for Grand Tours was waning somewhat. This whole episode does sort of fit with his strategy, although maybe it came a year or so earlier than he intended.

  He has shown more interest in the classics lately though, so he'll need a team to support him in that, unless he switches completely back to the track. He did say after the national TT the other week that it would be the last time he'd ride it, and it was nice to go out with a win, so maybe that is his plan.

• What an amazing stage. Sat glued to our TV exhorting Haussler to stick to the front group. Down once, back up and got back on only to floor it in a roundabout and lose 13 minutes in the last 18k. Massive respect and chapeau to all the riders. 47k average in those conditions says so much about the riders, shite conditions didn't slow them down, amazing.

• @Mike_P

  @Teocalli

  The thing that struck me most about what state Froome was in was that having got in the car he was unable to close the door himself. He clearly wanted it closed to shut out the cameras but was unable to grip or pull it himself and had to ask for it to be closed.

  He almost looked to be in a state of shock. Or maybe he was expecting a minion to do it for him (no offence @minion).

  I've stated before, Froome's not my fave rider. However, a couple of points to make. In just about ANY other sport, given his Dauphine injuries, he'd be on the DL for months. We're all armchair Directeur sportifs here and yell out "Rule 5, Rule 5!" but CF has shown massive mental and physical strength. You see these guys of the bike and they are frail. Light, thin, freaky fit, but they just don't have the bulk that would help in a crash or three. CF just reached the end of the line yesterday and had he continued, it would have required the attentions of a Sky team car and likely teammates to do what? Finish 25 minutes down? No, he made the right call for his team and teammates: that car was needed - especially on a stage like yesterday, to help the guys who were racing, jnot just riding to the finish.

  Is the tour diminished by his absence? Yes. Will it be less thrilling with an undeserving winner (I'm looking at you Oscar Pereiro), no.

• @wiscot

  @Mike_P

  @Teocalli

  The thing that struck me most about what state Froome was in was that having got in the car he was unable to close the door himself. He clearly wanted it closed to shut out the cameras but was unable to grip or pull it himself and had to ask for it to be closed.

  He almost looked to be in a state of shock. Or maybe he was expecting a minion to do it for him (no offence @minion).

  I've stated before, Froome's not my fave rider. However, a couple of points to make. In just about ANY other sport, given his Dauphine injuries, he'd be on the DL for months. We're all armchair Directeur sportifs here and yell out "Rule 5, Rule #5!" but CF has shown massive mental and physical strength. You see these guys of the bike and they are frail. Light, thin, freaky fit, but they just don't have the bulk that would help in a crash or three. CF just reached the end of the line yesterday and had he continued, it would have required the attentions of a Sky team car and likely teammates to do what? Finish 25 minutes down? No, he made the right call for his team and teammates: that car was needed - especially on a stage like yesterday, to help the guys who were racing, jnot just riding to the finish.

  Is the tour diminished by his absence? Yes. Will it be less thrilling with an undeserving winner (I'm looking at you Oscar Pereiro), no.

  I haven't said the car wasn't needed.  I haven't invoked Rule #5 at all.  I'm saying he looked shocked at where he'd ended up so early in the race. That's a very different state for him.  Regarding my minion comment, that's called humour.

• Bang. I'm loving this race, it's now in the hands of the guys (Nibali, Contador, J Rod) who are gonna blow the doors off the rest of the race. Tonight's stage is 200 odd ks on the flat, and I'm flashing back to Saxo destroying the peloton after Valverde crashed on a similar stage from last year's (or the year before?) tour

• @frank

  @wiscot

  Dammit! Missed the last 10k but it sure was epic what I saw. Sad for Froome, but you know, I think there's a big difference between training on cobbles and racing on them. Most of the guys who did well today have raced on the stones. Not surprised at Nibali at all. Good all rounder in GTs and one day races. Known to be a great bike handler. He's also shown himself to be an aggressive and proactive racer - see stage 2 for evidence.

  I hate to bring up COTHO, but if he showed one thing in ALL his tours (and I'm including comeback ones) is that you need luck. Some you make, some you don't. Nibali had luck, Froome didn't.

  Agreed on Sky - now they're stage hunting - along with many other teams. All their eggs were in the GC basket.

  Should cobbles be in the Tour? Yes. Just as mountains, TTs, flat stages, lumpy stages should be. I want an all rounder to win, not some billy goat who limits his losses on the flat. Nibali is an all-rounder. Froome is not.

  Fabian's point was perfect yesterday; if you can't have cobbles, then why have climbs? Any one of those riders (cough! TJ cough!) who complains about it is dangerously close to emulating the Grimplette.

  Agreed!  I'm really pulling for the American kids, and TJ let me down with those comments.  Andrew however, I'm happy as can be to see up in the GC after yesterday

• @Teocalli

  The thing that struck me most about what state Froome was in was that having got in the car he was unable to close the door himself. He clearly wanted it closed to shut out the cameras but was unable to grip or pull it himself and had to ask for it to be closed.

  I saw that too.  The guy must have been half out it after that crash.  It looked like he didn't know which part of his body to hold.  When they got a new bike for him, he almost looked at it like he thought it was going to bite his good hand off.

  The guy had to be sitting in the car just devastated, confused and in dismay.  How long did he sit in the back seat in the warm comfort of that Jaguar with his helmet still atop his dome?

  I was completely rooting against Team Sky and Froome, but to see the top contender withdraw is disappointing.  A victory seems somewhat diminished when the defending champion isn't there to compete against.....

• @frank

  @Chris

  There were a lot of strong performances out there but Nibali was in a different league today. To ride away from Sagan and Spartacus towards the end was amazing.

  As much as I'm not a fan of Froome it was horrible watching him stand at the side of the road. He looked like he didn't really know which bit of his hurt more and needed holding. He looked in a proper shit state.

  I felt the same way and I wanted him to lose but I didn't want him to quite without putting up a fight.

  As the day has passed and I'm now also embittered by a cheap Dutch loss in the World Cup, I have realized that Merckx would have finished the stage at least. He stayed in the '75 Tour despite several physical ailments just to lend credibility to Thevenet's victory. That's class.

  I totally get Froome quitting, he was fucked, but part of me wishes he'd at least have finished. I could see part of him just was tired of crashing and couldn't face going on and losing heaps of time. Lets remember, he's the only one who DNF'd today. It would have been class to let himself be beaten properly. But obviously if he couldn't go on, he couldn't go on.

  And don't start me on TJ. Fucking bitching about the cobbles is one thing if you can ride them. If you can't, then you're just being a bitch. Hinault fucking bitched about them but he fucking won Roubaix, too. And he knew he had to win it to lend credibility to his bitching. And TJ fucking blaming his crash on not being used to riding low pressure tires? COME THE FUCK ON! Try training for what you know you will face in the race!! You've known since the Fall!!

  JAYSUS. Doctor, where are my pills?

  Frank - Do you need me to mail you some Chill Pills? I'd have gotten (more) worked up, but 2 hours of futbol in 35*C yesterday took a bit of wind out o' me sails.

  That stage was incredible. I fuckin' loved the decals on the Shark's wheels spinning as he cruised over the cobbles. So damn awesome.

  And yeah, not at all happy with lads saying they shouldn't ride that in those conditions. They cut two secteurs. And if you are worried about crashing, slow down and deal with the time losses. Definitely a great addition to a blossoming 101st edition!

• Just a point on this Wiggo thing.

  1. He has had no real form since winning TdF in 2012, British time trial champ and winning Tour of California (with all due respect) are not going to get Bertie and Nibbles shitting themselves.

  2. Wiggo is great when he gives a shit, average when he doesn't. Riding for Froome? I think I know which mood that would have put him in.

  3. Wiggo would have excelled in stage 5 because of his good showing in Paris Roubaix? Think back to last years Giro, he wasn't exactly flying over wet tarmac.

  Still the right choice for me not to take him, mainly because of point 2. There is no way he would have emptied himself for Froomey.

  That's my bit said.

  Anyway, isn't this a muvva-lickin' great photo?

• @VeloSix

  @Teocalli

  The thing that struck me most about what state Froome was in was that having got in the car he was unable to close the door himself. He clearly wanted it closed to shut out the cameras but was unable to grip or pull it himself and had to ask for it to be closed.

  I saw that too. The guy must have been half out it after that crash. It looked like he didn't know which part of his body to hold. When they got a new bike for him, he almost looked at it like he thought it was going to bite his good hand off.

  The guy had to be sitting in the car just devastated, confused and in dismay. How long did he sit in the back seat in the warm comfort of that Jaguar with his helmet still atop his dome?

  I was completely rooting against Team Sky and Froome, but to see the top contender withdraw is disappointing. A victory seems somewhat diminished when the defending champion isn't there to compete against.....

  Umm, didn't he go to grab it with his left hand, then realized, "Holy fuck, my wrist is killing me, I'm not pulling on the door frame with it"?