Second time in three months that he's done that, is a shame cos would have been good to have seen him on the cobbles.
In the same vein though, that crash has to be one of the worst I've seen for a good few years now (i.e. Might have been Cancellara himself but you see one rider in yellow, flip twice through the air after coming off his bike etc...), hopefully means that after the bad luck of the Brits last year (with Cavendish / Froome / Thomas all failing to finish), its good to see that all of them managed to avoid it
Yep, it was fortunate nobody actually wrapped their bodies round that lamp-post or we may have had a fatality.
Second time in three months that he's done that, is a shame cos would have been good to have seen him on the cobbles.
In the same vein though, that crash has to be one of the worst I've seen for a good few years now (i.e. Might have been Cancellara himself but you see one rider in yellow, flip twice through the air after coming off his bike etc...), hopefully means that after the bad luck of the Brits last year (with Cavendish / Froome / Thomas all failing to finish), its good to see that all of them managed to avoid it
Yep, it was fortunate nobody actually wrapped their bodies round that lamp-post or we may have had a fatality.
Trouble is... Like with the Froome crash last year, everyone is so nervous in the first week these crashes are always going to happen and with so many miles of road its impossible to push crash barriers along every part of the route... Doesnt help this year that they've made the first week so challenging, as Contador said, you stand more chance of gaining time on your rivals this week than in the actual mountains
Fair play to them all when they hit the cobbles. I've had minimal experience with the little riding I've done in France and Belgium but they are truly horrific when you ride over them. My belly is turning over at the thought. Yuk.
I rode the Tour of Flanders sportive a couple of years back and the cobbles (on the flat) are without doubt the worst surface I have ever encountered...you try to go fast and you get shaken off, you slow down and every pedal stroke is painful...never again (for me)... Going up the climbs on cobbles (as long as it is dry) isn't so bad as I was going fairly slowly...you just need to pick your route and hang on for dear life... I would go nowhere near them in the wet - bloody lethal...
Saw this today as it passed through Le Quesnoy where I was guiding a couple of Kiwis around the 1918 battles, had no idea how big the whole thing was! Couldn't pick out our blokes though
Saw this today as it passed through Le Quesnoy where I was guiding a couple of Kiwis around the 1918 battles, had no idea how big the whole thing was! Couldn't pick out our blokes though
Your not wrong Nick we got turfed out of the Hotel Beatus for some Contadour geezer and have had to take a billet in Ypres, I am back in Cambrai Thursday when they have all moved on.
We should remember Fransior Faber who won the race in 1909? And was killed in 1915 at Carency, Notre Dame de Lorette with the Foriegn Legion
Just got back from 4 days out there. Been doing this since 2009.
Did first two stages in Utrecht, day/night in Amsterdam and then down to the cobbles yesterday near Cambrai.
Every year I go I immediately want to go back out.
Met Geoff Thomas and his team doing his charity ride in Cambrai on Monday night. Gave him a Barrelload of stick but he's a top bloke and gave some back.
I cannot believe what is going on at the Eurotunnel. Calais is over run with migrants and it appears they can't control them at night.
Also, 'Operation Stack' looked just as bad! Lorries parked from Folkestone all the way back to Maidstone.
Have never seen anything like it in my life.
Cracking 3 nights away and will be back next year.
Might shut a few people up saying he's finished. His train has been shit this year - Renshaw looks cooked and can't give him anything inside the last 600 metres, and there's no way he can win sprints from that far out.
Was a great sprint from Cav today... Am surprised though that he didnt employ that tactic earlier (i.e. using Griepel as his final lead out man rather than the other way around).
Shame he can only get two more stages this year now but if he gets those that would tie him with 2nd in the overall Tour history and only four behind Merckx
In terms of pure excitement no form of racing compares with the last 10 km of a Grand Tour stage when all the sprint teams are fighting to deliver their man to the line.
Just got back from 4 days out there. Been doing this since 2009.
Did first two stages in Utrecht, day/night in Amsterdam and then down to the cobbles yesterday near Cambrai.
Every year I go I immediately want to go back out.
Met Geoff Thomas and his team doing his charity ride in Cambrai on Monday night. Gave him a Barrelload of stick but he's a top bloke and gave some back.
I cannot believe what is going on at the Eurotunnel. Calais is over run with migrants and it appears they can't control them at night.
Also, 'Operation Stack' looked just as bad! Lorries parked from Folkestone all the way back to Maidstone.
Have never seen anything like it in my life.
Cracking 3 nights away and will be back next year.
Absolute chaos over there we came back via Dunkirk (2nd July) 2 days latter then scheduled (but the weather was excellent 33/35c so spent the extra couple of days on the beach at Berck....went to Cambrai last year...nice town).
Absolute chaos over there we came back via Dunkirk (2nd July) 2 days latter then scheduled (but the weather was excellent 33/35c so spent the extra couple of days on the beach at Berck....went to Cambrai last year...nice town).
It is very odd the way the media are hardly reporting on it. I wouldn't stay anywhere near Calais if possible.
I had a large bet on BMC yesterday and was bricking it when Sky went to the line......
Think this will be Cav's last hurrah at the TdF as there are young and better sprinters coming through next year, but what a career he's had.
Absolute chaos over there we came back via Dunkirk (2nd July) 2 days latter then scheduled (but the weather was excellent 33/35c so spent the extra couple of days on the beach at Berck....went to Cambrai last year...nice town).
It is very odd the way the media are hardly reporting on it. I wouldn't stay anywhere near Calais if possible.
I had a large bet on BMC yesterday and was bricking it when Sky went to the line......
Think this will be Cav's last hurrah at the TdF as there are young and better sprinters coming through next year, but what a career he's had.
Still think that Cav has a couple of years left in him for the Tour de France... He's only 30 years old whilst Griepel who has won two stages this year is two years older.
If he continues to go for Sprints like his stage win this year then he is still extremely dangerous, he could have had more except for poor judgement early in the race
Let the party commence! Three brutal days in the Pyrenees, getting harder each day with Thursday including a cat 2, two cat 1's and the finish at the top of Plateau de Beille (HC).
A minute ahead of 2nd place in the stage and well ahead overall.
Very impressive.
Am sure the usual accusations will come out but I reckon that ride was a statement after Team Sky have accused someone of hacking their data to try and prove that Froome is taking drugs.
Cant see any of his rivals coming back from that, the fact that he had so many teammates around him (Even when Contador was dropping off) says that its over this year
Wow! Froome was amazing but even more impressive were his teammates. To carry him up there and still have two of them finish in the top six, was the best team performance I have seen.
Icing on the cake was Porte taking the time bonus off of Quintana.
Comments
We should remember Fransior Faber who won the race in 1909? And was killed in 1915 at Carency, Notre Dame de Lorette with the Foriegn Legion
Looking forward to our trip on the 17th
Did first two stages in Utrecht, day/night in Amsterdam and then down to the cobbles yesterday near Cambrai.
Every year I go I immediately want to go back out.
Met Geoff Thomas and his team doing his charity ride in Cambrai on Monday night. Gave him a Barrelload of stick but he's a top bloke and gave some back.
I cannot believe what is going on at the Eurotunnel. Calais is over run with migrants and it appears they can't control them at night.
Also, 'Operation Stack' looked just as bad! Lorries parked from Folkestone all the way back to Maidstone.
Have never seen anything like it in my life.
Cracking 3 nights away and will be back next year.
Looked good today following someone else
Shame he can only get two more stages this year now but if he gets those that would tie him with 2nd in the overall Tour history and only four behind Merckx
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/tour-de-france/luca-paolini-tests-positive-for-cocaine-at-the-tour-de-france-181863
Absolute chaos over there we came back via Dunkirk (2nd July) 2 days latter then scheduled (but the weather was excellent 33/35c so spent the extra couple of days on the beach at Berck....went to Cambrai last year...nice town).
It is very odd the way the media are hardly reporting on it. I wouldn't stay anywhere near Calais if possible.
I had a large bet on BMC yesterday and was bricking it when Sky went to the line......
Think this will be Cav's last hurrah at the TdF as there are young and better sprinters coming through next year, but what a career he's had.
If he continues to go for Sprints like his stage win this year then he is still extremely dangerous, he could have had more except for poor judgement early in the race
Three brutal days in the Pyrenees, getting harder each day with Thursday including a cat 2, two cat 1's and the finish at the top of Plateau de Beille (HC).
A minute ahead of 2nd place in the stage and well ahead overall.
Very impressive.
Cant see any of his rivals coming back from that, the fact that he had so many teammates around him (Even when Contador was dropping off) says that its over this year
Like with Athletics.
Icing on the cake was Porte taking the time bonus off of Quintana.