2017 Tour de France thread

If Froome doesn't crash out I say he gets the win.

moanswers wrote:

So, will Froome get number 4? I'm thinking his ex teammate Porte may have a shot to take him down.

If the UCI was at all interested in enforcing some sort of justice then Froome and all of Team Sky should not be allowed to compete in cycling period. Has anyone forgotten that practically the whole of Team Sky was busted ealier this year for cortisone abuse and testosteone patches? The only thing that saved them was that their team doctor "lost" all of the team's medical records on a Greek island. You could not even make it up.

Seriously mate? wrote:

If Froome doesn't crash out I say he gets the win.

Probably spoken from a true Englishman..."Fee-fi-fo-fum."

medical abuse wrote:

If the UCI was at all interested in enforcing some sort of justice then Froome and all of Team Sky should not be allowed to compete in cycling period. Has anyone forgotten that practically the whole of Team Sky was busted ealier this year for cortisone abuse and testosteone patches? The only thing that saved them was that their team doctor "lost" all of the team's medical records on a Greek island. You could not even make it up.

Cortisone? Testosterone patches?...Involving pro cyclists? No way...who would have thought? 😅

it will be fun to watch.. it almost always is

it's my favorite sporting event of the year.. my TV viewing goes up considerably during the month of July

years ago i would connect cable just for a month to watch the Tour

kinda weird route this year.. .

wonder if it will come down to the TT on the next to last day (really the last day of racing for all but the sprinters)

Ah, yes, the TDF. I used to watch it religiously when I was young & dumb. This video pretty much sums up what a joke this race has become: http://videos.marca.com/v/0_jg1lkpx2-el-video-del-ascenso-de-froome-al-mont-ventoux-del-que-habla-todo-el-tour?count=0

gotta love phil gaimon.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/phil-gaimon-critical-of-cardosos-epo-positive-defence/

How does that video show that it's a joke?

Two or three reasons why:

NOBODY can just ride away from "climbers" like that.

Power data from Froome shows that when he was riding up to, and away from climbers to that win, the demand on his body was about equal to sitting on the couch and watching TV. Doesn't seem right, that.

You need to be subtle, son. That wasn't subtle.

oh please wrote:

Valverde has long been a favorite of mine (I even have a Spanish Champions Caisse d'Epargne jersey from 2007), but the fact is he has been around so long and has never delivered at the tour, that it is silly to think in his mid 30s he will finally manage it.

If you study the Tour, you will see that multiple winners are the norm, not the exception. There are so many intangibles that make a Tour winner, much more than just drugs and horsepower. Chances are Froome will win again, which is too bad because I'd like to see someone else take over. A true darkhorse win is so unlikely. The last time that happened was probably Armstrong him self in 1999 and then maybe Riis before that in 95 or 96.

I felt Floyd Landis was the ultimate dark horse winner.....until it was ruined by him getting busted right away....

true!

Rayo. wrote:

moanswers wrote:

On bust before the tour even starts. André Cardoso from Trek busted for EPO.

i actually think the skinniest guy wins. in tyler hamilton's book, he said he'd trade EPO for a 10 pound weight loss. the weight loss was more valuable.

Ok then Tyler, have to remember that nougat when I see reruns of Lance who was built as a time trial guy at best smashing it up mountains against true mountain goats.

medical abuse wrote:

moanswers wrote:

So, will Froome get number 4? I'm thinking his ex teammate Porte may have a shot to take him down.

If the UCI was at all interested in enforcing some sort of justice then Froome and all of Team Sky should not be allowed to compete in cycling period. Has anyone forgotten that practically the whole of Team Sky was busted ealier this year for cortisone abuse and testosteone patches? The only thing that saved them was that their team doctor "lost" all of the team's medical records on a Greek island. You could not even make it up.

No they weren't.

I though they released the data for this and it actually showed his burst was very momentary and his power after the burst was less than before? Please correct me as I may be misremembering...

medical abuse wrote: If the UCI was at all interested in enforcing some sort of justice then Froome and all of Team Sky should not be allowed to compete in cycling period.

This ^

I'm one of those head-in-the-sand types who tries to believe that not EVERYONE in cycling is doping, but Froome's Bunch is as dirty as an infant's diaper.

When did we become LetsCycle?

About the same time it became LetsTalkPolitics 😁

Haven't followed the tour in a while. Aren't electric motors in the crank a thing now?

No Alpe's du Huez ?

agdsfadsf wrote:

This year is a total crap shoot. Less time trialing than any other edition of the Tour. Very few climbs, very few mountaintop finishes. The time gaps are going to be small and small mistakes costly.

agdsfadsf wrote:

This year is a total crap shoot. Less time trialing than any other edition of the Tour. Very few climbs, very few mountaintop finishes. The time gaps are going to be small and small mistakes costly.

This is why i think time bonuses are bogus. Time is objective. It should not be given or any reason.