Tour de France - 2023 edition

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 5:49 pm

So first blood to Vingegaard but a long way to go yet. A big day tomorrow again.

IrkthePurists · Post by **IrkthePurists** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 6:15 pm

Awesome day today. We’ve been to 4 of the first 5 stages and will be on the Tourmalet tomorrow… brilliant scenes and so many sound people from all over the world… happy days

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 7:55 pm

Fabulous stage.

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tally · Post by **tally** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 8:15 pm

I'm only missing WVA. Thought he maybe could just have scraped in the top 10.

Eyesofblue2 · Post by **Eyesofblue2** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 9:10 pm

Never seen anything like that before, a top 10 rider and winner of last year's Giro aliowed to go four minutes up the road. They limited the damage in the end but that could have been a total disaster. Good viewing though, especially afterTuesday's leisurely trundle through La France profond.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 2:16 pm

Looks like Jumbo/Vingegaard are going for the jugular today - strap yourselves in it is going to be a wild ride

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 4:22 pm

This is going to be Tour for the ages - just wow

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 5:32 pm

Whilst we were all gob-smacked at Pog & Vingegaard, young Jame Shaw had a magnificent day.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 9:04 pm

Magic stage…

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Eyesofblue2 · Post by **Eyesofblue2** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:02 pm

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 06, 2023 5:32 pm
Whilst we were all gob-smacked at Pog & Vingegaard, young Jame Shaw had a magnificent day.

Indeed, to finish less than two minutes down on Vingegaard on a stage like that was incredible.

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 4:18 pm

Bloody hell, thought he had it then!

Firthy · Post by **Firthy** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:56 pm

Winstonswhite wrote: ↑
Fri Jul 07, 2023 4:18 pm
Bloody hell, thought he had it then!

So did he until his gears started jumping.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:05 pm

Gutted for Cav.

Eyesofblue2 · Post by **Eyesofblue2** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 9:05 am

Shame he lost it that way, if you're beaten by a faster finisher then fair enough, but for his gears to start slipping at that point is just cruel.

chekhov · Post by **chekhov** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 11:56 am

Well I never, today, or last night to be more accurate I’ve only gone and stumbled on the Tour de France! Parked up in my camper van last night in a town called Brantôme en Périgord. The tour’s passing through this afternoon. Roads are obviously closed off so I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to. Only 2 hours or so before the riders come down the road and already the locals have their chairs out on the pavement. Looking forward to the spectacle!

frankinwales · Post by **frankinwales** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:33 pm

Brantome is just lovely with the river winding through it.

What a great place to see la tour.

Up the Clarets.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:46 pm

Cav out of the race - awful way to leave his final Tour

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:48 pm

Oh no what’s happened?!

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:52 pm

Sad to see the Manx Missile crash out but if you have to share any cycling record there can be none better than Eddie Merckx to share with.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:53 pm

Winstonswhite wrote: ↑
Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:48 pm
Oh no what’s happened?!

a touch of wheels near the front of peleton caused a wave of breaking back through it and Cav near the back crashed down and did his right shoulder (the one he has done before) - had no chance, awful way to go

Winstonswhite · Post by **Winstonswhite** » Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:55 pm

Chester Perry wrote: ↑
Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:53 pm
a touch of wheels near the front of peleton caused a wave of breaking back through it and Cav near the back crashed down and did his right shoulder (the one he has done before) - had no chance, awful way to go

Cheers, would have just “liked” the reply but doesn’t seem apt. What a sh!t way to finish your Tour de France career

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 10:42 am

WHAT A CAREER in this event alone…

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Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 4:36 pm

Possibly not all over for Cav. Although he has announced a season end retirement. Astana have said, today, they would like him to sign up for a further year.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:23 pm

What an incredible climb

Cooclaret · Post by **Cooclaret** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:26 pm

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 09, 2023 4:36 pm
Possibly not all over for Cav. Although he has announced a season end retirement. Astana have said, today, they would like him to sign up for a further year.

I think he will take up a years deal with Ineos. Sounds strange but I can’t wait for the off season and to see who moves where!

Just spent today watching and riding Zwift, really glad I wasn’t climbing those last 4km.

Eyesofblue2 · Post by **Eyesofblue2** » Sun Jul 09, 2023 8:18 pm

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 09, 2023 4:36 pm
Possibly not all over for Cav. Although he has announced a season end retirement. Astana have said, today, they would like him to sign up for a further year.

I think Cav is a man of his word, he said this was his last season and I think it will be. But we'll see.

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 3:55 pm

What an arsehole. They live amongst us.

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jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 4:04 pm

I had to turn my wife’s head away from that crack shot

tally · Post by **tally** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:31 pm

This behaviour at a football match would result in a stadium ban!

Stevie2112 · Post by **Stevie2112** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:32 pm

Annemasse tomorrow,a beautiful place to visit.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 5:45 pm

We’re waiting for Saint Gervais in stage 17 (Wednesday I think?)…we camped there a year or so ago. Great place!

As for the race, Pog is doing what he does best with his explosive bursts but I can’t help but think, Vingegard, is going to go from deep, quite a way from the finish, in one of these upcoming stages, to pull away. Two awesome cyclists. What a Tour so far

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 6:27 pm

Only a short TT this year. I’d have made Pog favourite between the two.

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Fri Jul 14, 2023 6:35 pm

4 Brits(English) in top 10 on a mountain top finish.
Shame none of them are on a par with the two greats atop the leaderboard but Pidcock has a grand tour victory in him, to go with his Olympic gold on mountain bike and world title at cycloX.

Stevie2112 · Post by **Stevie2112** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 12:42 pm

Huge crash this afternoon,race stopped for now,will restart shortly.

Lancasterclaret · Post by **Lancasterclaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 12:44 pm

Bad crash that

Amazed there is only one rider who has withdrawn

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 1:12 pm

Lancasterclaret wrote: ↑
Sat Jul 15, 2023 12:44 pm
Bad crash that

Amazed there is only one rider who has withdrawn

And Meintjes(abandonned) wasn’t the guy they fetched an ambulance too and got the trolley off for him.

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 4:42 pm

That Press bike blocking an attack from Pog is an outrage

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 5:33 pm

Todays withdrawals. I’d expect to see more missing from the departure tomorrow, following todays spills.

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jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 6:05 pm

That was outrageously brilliant. I’m still all in on the Jumbo train and Jonas although Pog is just a machine!!

Lancasterclaret · Post by **Lancasterclaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2023 6:10 pm

In a race as tight as this, that press bike could have cost him the Tour though

Certainly contributed to him switching off so he lost the bonus points

Fantastic stage though

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 1:54 am

The race motor bikes when Rodriguez and Yates were fighting their way back to Pog and Vingo were a disgrace. The commissars have to sort this out.

Cooclaret · Post by **Cooclaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:53 am

I think the bikes (removed for todays stage) are carrying the blame unduly. Tight paths through crowds on a high % gradient is LE TOUR!

Bikes in the way because they don’t plough through the spectators who left no space for them. Well done them.

Pog wouldn’t have dropped Vingo regardless. Yates and Rod got on and even got a free pull.

Viewers are not going to get decent pictures today of an epic stage because of the reaction.

Either barrier it off, or accept, that’s racing.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 8:57 am

Wholeheartedly agree with this. I can’t see anything other than a jumbo win. I don’t think yesterday’s stage would have made any difference at all, as epic as it was to watch. Ultimately, I think it will come down to whether Jonas goes from deep on a particular stage, and of course the time trial.

Cooclaret · Post by **Cooclaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:07 am

jdrobbo wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 16, 2023 8:57 am
Wholeheartedly agree with this. I can’t see anything other than a jumbo win. I don’t think yesterday stage would have made any difference at all, as epic as it was to watch. Ultimately, I think it will come down to whether Jonas goes from deep on a particular stage, and of course the time trial.

Pog takes seconds on the TT, Vingo is holding on there. They have to attack the day after, that’s Vingos bread and butter…

Today, well I genuinely don’t know. Ineos are messing up my plans for the second day running. I’ve been on Pidcock the last two days and they’ve sent the beast (watch what he did yesterday as a domestique after his win) and Rod. They’ve got to get Pidcock a stage after those two wining.

Wout, well he always wants to win a stage, but he’s on a leash.

Can’t see A.Yates being allowed another one, but I would send him in a breakaway today to break the Jumbo engine chasing all day.

Hindley, he has to come out today and defend by attacking, so I think he will be in the breakaway or he’s going to lose his position on GC.

Finally, I think Bernal has been sandbagging and he’s got at least one day in him.

jdrobbo · Post by **jdrobbo** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:11 am

I put that down to his injury but I really hope he does have a stage in him.

Tricky Trevor · Post by **Tricky Trevor** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:21 am

Cooclaret wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:07 am
Today, well I genuinely don’t know. Ineos are messing up my plans for the second day running. I’ve been on Pidcock the last two days and they’ve sent the beast (watch what he did yesterday as a domestique after his win) and Rod. They’ve got to get Pidcock a stage after those two wining.

I had a thought, last night, did Pidcock ease back, after he was dropped, and save something for today?
Now he is over 10minutes back he will be allowed to go in a break and that’s how he won last year.
Ineos now have two stages wins and a guy on the GC podium. All in all that’s a good tour.

Pidcock COULD be given free rein. On the otherside they might ride him for Rodrigues to defend that 3rd place. Also if he is up the road he can be called to wait for Rodriguez.

Tactics eh! It’s more complicated than football.

Cooclaret · Post by **Cooclaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:47 am

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:21 am
I had a thought, last night, did Pidcock ease back, after he was dropped, and save something for today?
Now he is over 10minutes back he will be allowed to go in a break and that’s how he won last year.
Ineos now have two stages wins and a guy on the GC podium. All in all that’s a good tour.

Pidcock COULD be given free rein. On the otherside they might ride him for Rodrigues to defend that 3rd place. Also if he is up the road he can be called to wait for Rodriguez.

Tactics eh! It’s more complicated than football.

That’s what I love about cycling. It’s so much more than ride fast, strongest wins.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 10:06 am

Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 16, 2023 9:21 am
I had a thought, last night, did Pidcock ease back, after he was dropped, and save something for today?
Now he is over 10minutes back he will be allowed to go in a break and that’s how he won last year.
Ineos now have two stages wins and a guy on the GC podium. All in all that’s a good tour.

Pidcock COULD be given free rein. On the otherside they might ride him for Rodrigues to defend that 3rd place. Also if he is up the road he can be called to wait for Rodriguez.

Tactics eh! It’s more complicated than football.

Interesting re Pidcock. If he places higher value on a stage win than a GC top ten (or better) then he may have held back. Having said that, if he does win a stage from a break, he will move back up the GC.

Cooclaret · Post by **Cooclaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2023 10:16 am

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 16, 2023 10:06 am
Interesting re Pidcock. If he places higher value on a stage win than a GC top ten (or better) then he may have held back. Having said that, if he does win a stage from a break, he will move back up the GC.

Strange one, as yesterdays descent was made for him…