TdF 2014 - End of Year Report

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'm just happy 'my' team AG2R have actually done quite well this time. Any further success next year might just force me to find a new 'almost' team (hopefully without brown shorts)!

Considering their sponsors, FDJ are always worth a bet.

 

[The Couch]

The cobbles were horrible but a spectators' dream.... but the weather conspired to make it too decisive too early.

It might/could have been too decisive for the yellow ... could Contador have taken back those 2 and a half minutes from Nibali the way he rode the rest (but we'll never know)
But it wasn't really in this instance:

• Nibali took about 2 minutes (and a bit more) from all other GC contenders, he won in the end by about 8 minutes
• Kwiatkowski took about 1 minute, but lost lots more in the mountains
• Bardet, Valverde, Tejay, Pinot all had the same time in that stage
• Peraud lost about a minute and a half to the group above, but in the end took enough back in the mountains and TT
• Konig had the same time loss as Peraud, but in the end is 3 minutes behind a better GC ranking (Bardet)
• Ten Dam and Zubeldia lost about another half a minute extra, but again this wouldn't make any difference in the final GC

If you really want to look for a significant impact it's Schleck loosing 1 place.... to Rolland (since Frank lost about 4 minutes to the worst other GC rider)
but then we're talking 11th and 12th place.

My opinion is that a stage like this can be put in the Tour (Paris Roubaix is the 2nd most important race in France, so why discard it).
I didn't wish the riders bad weather (since I realize of course that GC riders just want to survive stages like that), however the organizers could hardly predict that in june it would be that bad weather. (Although I once more want to say: Nibali in this stage --- WOW)


In general, of course a shame that 1st place GC wasn't more exciting, but let's face it... last year it wasn't really either with Froome
Maybe if Kristoff would also have a go at it, if Degenkolb would be in a Tour team without Kittel and/or if Matthews becomes a bit stronger, they could give Sagan a better run for his Green money

Again (like last year) I really liked the stages a lot, the 2nd Britain stage was great, the Vosges were sweet and the 2 short stages in the Pyrenees were also a good thing

 

[KennaughKickIt]

'Peter Sagan has recorded top 5 finishes in the first seven stages of the tour, and that Paul, has never been done before'. Adam Yates is two years older than his twin brother, Simon. 'Peter Sagan has recorded top 5 finishes in the first seven stages of the tour, and that Paul, has never been done before'. Leopald Konig and Tommy Voeckler are German compatriots. Tony Gallopin's girlfriend Marion Rousse is a popular french journalist. Oh and 'Peter Sagan has recorded top 5 finishes in the first seven stages of the tour, and that Paul, has never been done before'.

As much as they piss me off, Liggett and Sherwen are that necessary evil, and watching the tour wouldn't be the same without them. I kind of hope they're doing it long past their impending senility. Still, I'm getting eurosport.

On another note, I'm not sure I like the time trial as the penultimate stage, should it have been an earlier stage then we may have seen more attacks from guys trying to make up for lost time. Granted it may have been more exciting should Froome and Contador have still been in, but it still felt a little wrong. Maybe I'm just being a nobber*

I also propose that Tony Martin rides a lead bicycle in all future time trials.


*Is nobber the only curse word that gets past the forum filter or something? It's the only one I ever see used on here.

 

[HF2300]

... I kind of hope they're doing it long past their impending senility...

They already are, aren't they?

 

[KennaughKickIt]

They already are, aren't they?

Liggett certainly is, the amount of times he repeated what Sherwen said as if Sherwen hadn't just said it was dumbfounding.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Did anyone notice that Liggett kept repeating what Sherwen said as if Sherwen hadn't just said it?

 

[Wafer]

Which has never happened before, for a very long time.

 

[montage]

A curate's egg of a GT for me.
The promise of a 3 way maillot jaune battle between Contador, Froome and Nibali was cruelly dashed by crashes. Quintana should have been there too if ValPiti, the pantomime villain, hadn't pulled rank (this may or may not be true)
The battle for the minor places was interesting but not as gripping with Nibali being streets ahead and uncatchable.
The green jersey is rewards consistency and Sagan had that sewn up pretty early on too. It's sometimes called the sprint jersey but Kittel winning 4 stages only got half as many points. I'm pretty sure who'll be the happier.
Is an attritional stage on the wet cobbles really part of the Tour? Should it be left to the Classics for that particular challenge - I think, on balance, it should.
Even the red spotty shirt comp. was seemingly only seriously contested by 2 riders although I thought Maijka and his antics were fun.
Just a few of my opinions with which I'm sure many will disagree.
FWIW, I hope the French riders who did well use this as a platform to improve next year and can lose the label of show ponies. Rolland and Voeckler won't though.
<edit> Cav missing detracted from my personal enjoyment greatly too

Sums it up really, I'd give the tour a 6/10, being generous (The giro gets a 3/10, maybe 4/10). Primarily for the excitement of a few of the stages being dramatic, Tony Martin's win, Garmin's close call then success etc. The fight for the podium was interesting as well but with no real vested interest it was more a case of hoping Valvpiti was beaten off the podium with a big french bread stick. Of course the Grand Depart was fantastic - easily the highlight of the tour. By Cav and Froome crashing out a real opportunity was cruelly snatched away for the Tour de France to remain in the headlines among the British public, an absolute disaster really.

Doping wise - seemed clean, with Maijka's dodgy motorbike grabbing being the most worrying thing.
I'm glad Rolland and Voeckler came away empty handed and new french talent came to the fore (though Rolland does seem unafraid to animate a race, in my eyes he helped ruin the Giro on the Stevio)

The Vuelta is now looking fantastic! Froome, Quintana, Purito, Horner (if doped up) to name a few names that will be well in the mix.

edit: one more point - did anyone even notice that Bretagne were in the race? Possibly one of the biggest wastes ( ) of a wildcard that I can recall

 

[Crackle]

Millar as usual sums it up quite well (Robert not David)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/robert-millar-coming-up-short-at-the-tour-de-france

Calling Garmin the peloton Dandies

Interesting contrast between Majka and Rolland who both did the Giro. Rolland was knackered. I had him down for KoM but he preformed like an old nag.

 

[KennaughKickIt]

Did anyone notice that Liggett kept repeating what Sherwen said as if Sherwen hadn't just said it?

fark off and watch some birds Phil.

 

[Crackle]

I'm pretty sure I read an article in which Liggett said he'd told his wife to tell him it was time to stop when he started talking rubbish. Something's gone wrong somewhere.

 

[HF2300]

I'm pretty sure I read an article in which Liggett said he'd told his wife to tell him it was time to stop when he started talking rubbish. Something's gone wrong somewhere.

Maybe she's deaf.

 

[The Couch]

Interesting contrast between Majka and Rolland who both did the Giro. Rolland was knackered. I had him down for KoM but he preformed like an old nag.

I am not much of a Rolland-fan... but you cut the corner a bit short here

Rolland - surprisingly - did very good in the Giro (and better than Majka) and pretty much already had the result that sealed his season.
He nevertheless ended in a decent 11th place in the Tour by - pretty boringly - trying to stay as long as possible with the rest of the GC-guys.

Majka had "the advantage" not to be in contest for a decent GC, so he could pick his stages (and let himself "recover" during some stages within the bus).
Of course, he surprised having still have so much strength left nonetheless

 

[MisterStan]

Maybe she's deaf.

For her own sake, I hope so.

 

[Crackle]

I am not much of a Rolland-fan... but you cut the corner a bit short here

Maybe. I was only accounting that I had him for KOM and he blew it for me, the rotter.