Tour de France 2015 - may contain nuts and SPOILERS

[Hont]

He's been mentioned, just not in this thread.

I think every cyclist in the world has probably been mentioned outside of this thread ;-)

 

[The Couch]

I am going (or sticking for the people who read my earlier comments in another thread) with Nibali,

The reasons I stick with him:

• I'll start with an obvious one: Astana has been looking magnificent so far, so ... together with Froome... he shouldn't have to worry anything about support - if ever needed - in dire situations
• He has proven already many times (especially in most recent years) he doesn't do bad GTs: A bit ago... 2010: 3rd in Giro, 1st in Vuelta; 2011: 3rd in Tour; 2012: 3rd in Tour, More recent... 2013: 1st in Giro, 2nd in Vuelta; 2014: 1st in Tour
• He didn't had to withdraw out of any of the GTs he did (OK...which is luck, but also partly because he is an excellent "steersman", which makes him the real stand-out to take advantage of cold/rainy weather)
• Last year in his build-up to the Tour he didn't really show signs that he would be in great/magnificent form either
• He absolutely dominated the '13 Giro and '14 Tour... you can argue the level of competition, however if you can pretty much do whatever you want against the "2nd-tier" competition, you could/would have done good against the "top-contenders" as well

Granted if Contador, Froome and Quintana (maybe even Pinot?) are all in top-form, each of them can win it.. and I hope it's going to be a spectacle to watch

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

 

[raindog]

and here's the full programme as a pdf file
https://www.wetransfer.com/download...19d24677455e098da8a5a2c420150614180120/f819d9

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

and here's the full programme as a pdf file
https://www.wetransfer.com/download...19d24677455e098da8a5a2c420150614180120/f819d9

Are you a Nigerian prince with riches to pass on to me?

 

[Hont]

... and I hope it's going to be a spectacle to watch

You know what, I kind of hope it isn't that spectacular because that tends to mean it's dirty (see the Giro). I'd rather have some completely shagged out riders struggle across the line in small groups of suffering.

 

[The Couch]

You know what, I kind of hope it isn't that spectacular because that tends to mean it's dirty (see the Giro). I'd rather have some completely shagged out riders struggle across the line in small groups of suffering.

I wasn't necessarily referring that they should ride up the mountains like the are just humps in the road.
I was more referring to the fact I hope it's going to be close together, so that it's an interesting fight for the GC

(And on a side-note: I you think the Giro was dirty, why would you expect anything else in the Tour? )

 

[Hont]

I was more referring to the fact I hope it's going to be close together, so that it's an interesting fight for the GC.

Understood. Amen to that

...you think the Giro was dirty, why would you expect anything else in the Tour? )

Call it blind optimism ;-) Although the Tour has a better record at catching people than the other two GTs, so maybe riders will be a bit more wary. I'd certainly rather see riders being caught than a repeat of the Giro.

 

[sleaver]

As it is easy to get to as I live in the South East, I've been thinking about going to watch the final stage in Paris and making a bit of a weekend of it. Maybe go early Saturday and then come back home after the stage finish. So while it would be a weekend away, it would be a weekend away due to going to watch the finish if that makes sense.

So apart from the cost, do you think it would be a viable thing to do. Obviously getting there and back for a weekend is, so I mean from the point of being able to watch the end of the stage in a way that would be worthwhile?

 

[smutchin]

Put it this way: you won't be the only one with that plan...

Everyone I know who has done similar has had a great time. Go for it!

 

[raindog]

haha
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-puts-kibosh-on-team-sky-motorhome-ahead-of-tour-de-france

 

[RobNewcastle]

What's great about the tour this year is that pretty much all the mountain stages are decisive. The Pyrenees has two summit finishes and the middle mountain stage ends with a cat 3 climb right after the Tourmalet. While in the Alps you've got the finish to Pra Loup, the next day there's a great opportunity for an attack up the Lacet de Montvernier right after the Col du Glandon then the finishes at La Toussuire and Alp D'uez. Should make for some awesome stages. There's also "that" descent into Gap from the Col de Mense before the big Alps Mountain stages begin.

 

[jarlrmai]

Wtf is inside that motorhome, Chris Froome's Fortress of Solitude?

 

[roadrash]

Wtf is inside that motorhome, Chris Froome's Fortress of Solitude?

dirty washing that ritchie porte left behind

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

dirty washing that ritchie porte left behind

I wonder how Porte is adjusting to his new accommodation though...