Tour De France 2011

[Paul Lake's Left Knee]

I didn't fancy Wiggins for it this year, but he had a good chance of a podium finish. I thought the Sky team fucked it up totally though by telling the team to wait to see how Wiggins would be after the crash. They should have gone on, and if they found Wiggins to be OK then they could have got the team back to help him. They've now fucked Garaint over. Shit team management.

Nice to see Cav bagging a couple already. I hope that 10 point deduction won't cost him the Green.

Harsh to say it was a bad call, most teams would do the same for their leader, after all the team didnt know at impact he had bust his collarbone... also there isnt a GC contender in team Sky other than Wiggo, Thomas is the closest probably, and he wont be able to keep up when they get to the real mountains, he may do in time but at the moment he is still too young and too far away from that... As soon as Wiggo is out, then its all out for stage wins for Boss Hog or maybe even Swift, and not thrashing themselves up the big hills by staying in the bus and staying fresh to work for the sprinters...

Agreed about Cav though, although i think he will do very well to win it this year, too many uphill finishes on the 'sprint' stages, only maybe 6 pure sprints this year, Paris will be his no doubt in my mind...

I love the tour - but recently (probably due to team Sky) i have been watching others as well and following it all a bit more - Eurosport all the way

 

[Bluebee2]

Eurosports coverage is fantastic with knowledgeable guests.

 

[leighton]

Eurosports coverage is top class. Love it the whole team know there stuff. I am a bit surprised Stephen Roche hasnt been on it yet this tour. His son Nicolas is doing ok only 1.12 behind in the GC in 14th place. Seems like he might have a decent chance to break into the top 10 this term. Has been getting better in the mountains in the last few years. Cant wait for the mountains stages in the next few days. My brother is in France on holiday and on Friday they got to see the peleton going by were they are staying in there holiday home they went down to the village and the speed they went by he said at the corner were they were standing they were using every inch of the road it was stunning to see it.

 

[Shands]

Is there going to be anyone left to make it to Paris!! These boys like falling off their bikes this year.

Contador seems to have been fairly isolated thus far. Not sure he's going to get the on road support from Saxo Bank that he enjoyed with Astana last year.

 

[standytogilvy]

Van Den Broeck out injured when he had a serious chance of hitting the podium this year

 

[MCFC1993]

Is there going to be anyone left to make it to Paris!! These boys like falling off their bikes this year.

Contador seems to have been fairly isolated thus far. Not sure he's going to get the on road support from Saxo Bank that he enjoyed with Astana last year.

Hes took a few tumbles at the start of the tour, we'll see this week if hes up to it.

 

[Rodney Marsh's Hair]

Jesus!

Bloody TV car. What an idiot driver. Very lucky one of the 2 riders brought down wasn't killed!

 

[Paul Lake's Left Knee]

Eurosports coverage is top class. Love it the whole team know there stuff. I am a bit surprised Stephen Roche hasnt been on it yet this tour. His son Nicolas is doing ok only 1.12 behind in the GC in 14th place. Seems like he might have a decent chance to break into the top 10 this term. Has been getting better in the mountains in the last few years. Cant wait for the mountains stages in the next few days. My brother is in France on holiday and on Friday they got to see the peleton going by were they are staying in there holiday home they went down to the village and the speed they went by he said at the corner were they were standing they were using every inch of the road it was stunning to see it.

Big fan of Roche and Kelly on Eurosport, I think Stephen has been in the cars following closely on some of the stages, I am sure Dave Harmon said one day he was stood behind him at the finish one of the days... he is usually in the studio in Paris a bit more, always good to hear what someone who has actually won the thing has to say, and Sean is excellent for the sprint insight... unlike ITV with Boardman who in comparrison has little tour experience

Jealous of your brother - would love to experience a stage in France, in the mountains or Brittany where they seem to all go a bit mental

As for today - Vino out is a shame - prob not to be seen again in the TdF, the car taking out 2 in the breakaway WTF!!! After that motorcyclist took out Sorenson the other day - i think its outrageous swerving to avoid a tree, well he should have crashed into the tree not the fucking cyclists!!!! Still a great first week for me... drama all the way

 

[leighton]

Eurosports coverage is top class. Love it the whole team know there stuff. I am a bit surprised Stephen Roche hasnt been on it yet this tour. His son Nicolas is doing ok only 1.12 behind in the GC in 14th place. Seems like he might have a decent chance to break into the top 10 this term. Has been getting better in the mountains in the last few years. Cant wait for the mountains stages in the next few days. My brother is in France on holiday and on Friday they got to see the peleton going by were they are staying in there holiday home they went down to the village and the speed they went by he said at the corner were they were standing they were using every inch of the road it was stunning to see it.

Big fan of Roche and Kelly on Eurosport, I think Stephen has been in the cars following closely on some of the stages, I am sure Dave Harmon said one day he was stood behind him at the finish one of the days... he is usually in the studio in Paris a bit more, always good to hear what someone who has actually won the thing has to say, and Sean is excellent for the sprint insight... unlike ITV with Boardman who in comparrison has little tour experience

Jealous of your brother - would love to experience a stage in France, in the mountains or Brittany where they seem to all go a bit mental

As for today - Vino out is a shame - prob not to be seen again in the TdF, the car taking out 2 in the breakaway WTF!!! After that motorcyclist took out Sorenson the other day - i think its outrageous swerving to avoid a tree, well he should have crashed into the tree not the fucking cyclists!!!! Still a great first week for me... drama all the way

Sean Kelly was more than a sprinter just looking at his results in the Tour he finished in the top 5 two years running in 84 and 85. Also he had 2 other top 10 finishes. Also he won the Tour of Spain 1 year. Just goes to show he was a good all rounder and not just a sprinter.

 

[kennycar]

Eurosports coverage is top class. Love it the whole team know there stuff. I am a bit surprised Stephen Roche hasnt been on it yet this tour. His son Nicolas is doing ok only 1.12 behind in the GC in 14th place. Seems like he might have a decent chance to break into the top 10 this term. Has been getting better in the mountains in the last few years. Cant wait for the mountains stages in the next few days. My brother is in France on holiday and on Friday they got to see the peleton going by were they are staying in there holiday home they went down to the village and the speed they went by he said at the corner were they were standing they were using every inch of the road it was stunning to see it.

Big fan of Roche and Kelly on Eurosport, I think Stephen has been in the cars following closely on some of the stages, I am sure Dave Harmon said one day he was stood behind him at the finish one of the days... he is usually in the studio in Paris a bit more, always good to hear what someone who has actually won the thing has to say, and Sean is excellent for the sprint insight... unlike ITV with Boardman who in comparrison has little tour experience

Jealous of your brother - would love to experience a stage in France, in the mountains or Brittany where they seem to all go a bit mental

As for today - Vino out is a shame - prob not to be seen again in the TdF, the car taking out 2 in the breakaway WTF!!! After that motorcyclist took out Sorenson the other day - i think its outrageous swerving to avoid a tree, well he should have crashed into the tree not the fucking cyclists!!!! Still a great first week for me... drama all the way

She, actually. You see the car coming in at the finish line on itv4 coverage and it's a woman. Not trying to make a comment about women drivers, it just is. Although I bet she still thinks it was the cyclists fault, not hers. She needs to be named and shamed and banned permanently, fucking idiot. The bloke was well forgiving about it though, just said that these things happen and it was an accident. Incredibly understanding after 30 stitches.