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Tour de France 2014

Lo Amo Speroni

Only been in match thread once.
Aug 9, 2010
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You can almost guarantee that Sky will give the ride to Froome.
Read somewhere today that there is a chance they will both go. I love Wiggins but having looked at the route this year I can't see him on the podium. The TT's are too short to make any difference for him. Would love to see them both there though taking on on the Columbian. If Contador is there as well it could be a classic. Don't be surprised if Peter Kennagh makes top ten as well.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
24,604
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The Tinkoff-Saxo manager said he was reaching for something from his pocket on a descent and went over a bump or a hole which caused his bike to be 'swept away under him'.
 

llamafarmer

Well-Known Member
May 4, 2004
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Is there any truth in the rumour about a frame failure being the cause for the crash?

His frame looked like it had snapped at the joint between cross bar, seat tube and seat stays on the TV earlier, but there wasn't any explanation as to how it happened and whether it caused the crash. His team said he crashed twice. The Tarmac does have a cool internal seat clamp system in the area where the frame failed though...
 

Ray_Evans

SC Supporter
Aug 28, 2011
1,367
1,878
Great ride today for the stage win by Tony Gallopin. I shouldn't think he'll ever have to buy a drink in France again, ever :)
 

nidge

Sand gets everywhere!!!!!
Staff
Jul 27, 2004
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11,358
So Sky's plan B cracked today what's next for them?
 

Lo Amo Speroni

Only been in match thread once.
Aug 9, 2010
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Got to go for stage wins now, surely? Give the member most likely to win the day's stage captaincy and ride for him.
I said earlier that Porte was a poor plan B, always has at least one bad day. Nieve or Thomas could get in a successful breakaway now as they are miles from GC.

Nibali was awesome today, he left a group of riders who are all in good form. Would have given Froome and Contador a beating this year (maybe).
 

vonn

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2011
875
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Would have given Froome and Contador a beating this year (maybe).

Such a shame that we couldn't witness what might have been with Froome, Contador and Nibali going at it in the mountains. Seeing the sort of form Nibali is in it might well have been epic.

Fingers crossed the three of them (plus Quintana) are ready to go and in form for 2015.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
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I said earlier that Porte was a poor plan B, always has at least one bad day. Nieve or Thomas could get in a successful breakaway now as they are miles from GC.

Nieve could win a mountain stage like he did in the Giro. Thomas' best chance of a stage win was stage five where he had to go back to look after Porte.

I don't think Porte is much more than a super domestique for a grand tour. He can do well in one week stage races, but like you say, in grand tours he always has a bad day. I suspect he'll have more than just the one this Tour. Even more damning for him after he told the media how he was suited for the longer climbs then cracked almost straight away, and how well Pinot rode considering the rumour linking him to Sky for next year.
 

ravo

SC Supporter
Jun 4, 2004
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That's pretty much the tour over then. Nibali was awesome. Didn't look too hard for him today. It's a pity that we have another week to go and unless he has a terrible day, there will be no more challenges.

Hopefully there will be attack after attack tomorrow to try and shake things a little.
 

cockjol

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2007
1,235
426
So Sky's plan B cracked today what's next for them?
Brailsford has had a mare and should have some questions to answer from the paymasters...Porte is a glorified doemstique, nowhere near good enough for a plan b...wiggins was not in 2012 form but would have been more of an asset than many of the current sky team...kennaugh should have been taken too...yes losing froome was unlucky, but sky have been anonymous in this tour and brailsford has to take some of the responsibility
 

ravo

SC Supporter
Jun 4, 2004
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Thomas or Porte should get into the break tomorrow. They're both 25+ mins down and Sky need a stage win! Been a really poor tour for them. None of their riders have performed.
 

nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
24,604
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Thomas or Porte should get into the break tomorrow. They're both 25+ mins down and Sky need a stage win! Been a really poor tour for them. None of their riders have performed.

Thomas isn't doing badly to be 16th in GC, considering he's been riding first for Froome, then Porte, and has had to drop back on several occasions to help Porte. Had he been allowed to ride for himself, or been Sky's backup once Froome abandoned he could have been threatening the top ten. He was in with a shout for stage five, but team orders scuppered that.
 

Lo Amo Speroni

Only been in match thread once.
Aug 9, 2010
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Thomas isn't doing badly to be 16th in GC, considering he's been riding first for Froome, then Porte, and has had to drop back on several occasions to help Porte. Had he been allowed to ride for himself, or been Sky's backup once Froome abandoned he could have been threatening the top ten. He was in with a shout for stage five, but team orders scuppered that.

Be interesting to see how he goes in the TT. I would like him to go to another team now, lose some weight for the climbs and go for GC.
 
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