TDF
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From: riding the crest of a wave ...
Hope Cav doesn't over do it in wet this afternoon and come off worse again ..
No lead outs left , which seems to be an advantage to him !
Just follow the one with the upside down smile....
I still think all the sprints would have gone to Kittel if he was racing
No lead outs left , which seems to be an advantage to him !
Just follow the one with the upside down smile....
I still think all the sprints would have gone to Kittel if he was racing
Last edited by dpb; Jul 26, 2015 at 03:56 PM.
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From: Api 500+bhp MD321T @91dB Probably SN's longest owner of an Impreza Turbo
Swings and roundabouts, Froome has greater power, beneficial on the flats. Quintana super lightweight, much easy to climb. The race would of taken on a different strategy if Quintana had the lead, Movistar would have to work to protect Quintana
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From: Rugby League the greatest game in the world
Im not a Sky fan as its a breading ground for choppers riding around in full kit, but well done to them & Froome for winning and putting up with all the abuse & sh*t from fans & media.
Even so, you can undertand a certain amount of scepticism, given the sport's history.
The journolist that outed Armstrong has come out in defence of Froome/Sky, so either they are clean or they are better liars. I'd like to think he's clean though just because it makes him a more awesome athlete.
With the introduction of the cyclists Biological Passport, it makes the EPO micro dosing which Armstrong et al undertook almost impossible.
As has been said above already, cyclists in the peleton (Chavanel, Rodriguez and Basso) are on record as saying they think SKY are clean, plus Walsh spent time with SKY during the TDF and has also come out and said he believes they're a clean team.
But until we have 10 years of clean racing, the winner will always be burdened with the doping issues of the past.
Oh and why does nobody question Quintana's performance during the Tour? After all, he only finished 72 seconds behind Froome after nearly 3500km of riding?
I wonder in light of the punching and spitting allegations if the French authorities might consider in the future limiting the access spectators have to the riders? That final climb up Alpe D'Huez was scary, with many spectators behaving in an extremely stupid and dangerous way. Any one of them could have pulled or knocked Froome off his bike, deliberately or otherwise. What would have happened if he had been held back in any way? Would the result stand?
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From: riding the crest of a wave ...
I wonder in light of the punching and spitting allegations if the French authorities might consider in the future limiting the access spectators have to the riders? That final climb up Alpe D'Huez was scary, with many spectators behaving in an extremely stupid and dangerous way. Any one of them could have pulled or knocked Froome off his bike, deliberately or otherwise. What would have happened if he had been held back in any way? Would the result stand?
jalabert should be ashamed
This happened to Eddy Merckx in 1975 got punched in the kidneys and fell off and cracked his cheek bone and had to retire.
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If he IS forced to retire, my guess is as good as yours but I'd imagine the teams would pull out over rider safety fears, and they'd have to re-run it, or abandon it.
Last edited by ReallyReallyGoodMeat; Jul 28, 2015 at 08:07 AM.
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From: Rugby League the greatest game in the world
At least cycling is cleaning its act up, did anyone see the Panorama programme other year regarding football. Clubs claiming players were out injured for 4 month when in fact they had tested positive.
Because he's not English! Froome had one very strong day, which essentially won him the race, and is subsequently the subject of global media criticism and cowardly, disgusting acts by scumbags on the side of the roads. Quintana had two very good days towards the end of the race, but nobody accuses him of doping. Both Contador and Valverde have previously received bans regarding doping, but nobody throws urine or spits at them as they climb. Nibali clearly saw Froome had a mechanical problem and then instantly attacked him, but there isn't international uproar over his poor sportsmanship. 
Yet again, it seems most of the world hates the English. Jalabert, along with all of France, is probably particularly bitter because he never won the Tour and the French have been perennial underachievers in cycling for decades. There hasn't been a French Tour winner since Bernard Hinault in the 80s.
As a separate point, did anybody else think it was a little ironic and distasteful that David Millar was part of ITV4's commentary panel, being asked questions about doping allegations made towards Froome?
Yet again, it seems most of the world hates the English. Jalabert, along with all of France, is probably particularly bitter because he never won the Tour and the French have been perennial underachievers in cycling for decades. There hasn't been a French Tour winner since Bernard Hinault in the 80s.
As a separate point, did anybody else think it was a little ironic and distasteful that David Millar was part of ITV4's commentary panel, being asked questions about doping allegations made towards Froome?
And of course, when he was clean, he went on to win stages at the Tour, Giro and Vuelta. As an aside, his book 'Riding through the dark' is an excellent read.
It may be for the next few years that the only way to win the Tour and avoid accusations will be to win from behind as Quintana so nearly did. The worst thing to do will be to make a large and unexpected gain early in the Tour - then the leader will get the Froome treatment for the remainder of the race. New tactics required from Team Sky!
It may be for the next few years that the only way to win the Tour and avoid accusations will be to win from behind as Quintana so nearly did. The worst thing to do will be to make a large and unexpected gain early in the Tour - then the leader will get the Froome treatment for the remainder of the race. New tactics required from Team Sky!
