*WARNING, if your looking at this thread it may contain the results before the highlights programme*
Hopefully that saves the moaning we get every year....
Sooooooo is it in the bag for Froome?
I'm going for Froome/Evans/Porte as the top three, with Sagan just beating Cav for the green and Voeckler for the KOM.
Comments
Im off to the bookies. What odds can i get for liking all that? thanks for the tip.
I don't know - look how the expectations on Wiggo for the Giro turned out!
The British have a knack of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, especially when expectations are high.
I haven't a clue who else might do it, though!
Good point Wilkie, but remember Froome isn't 'British' per sea!! Born in Kenya and brought up in South Africa so should have more about him, if you know what I mean. Plus the 'team' around him is pretty bloody good and not too many Brits in it either!!
Contador not racing then Mr Foo
I want Froome to win and think he's on redhot form, but with Fuentes getting out of jail free and Contador "under the weather" at the Dauphine, I reckon Bertie is going to the Tour with more refrigerated blood than a thirsty vampire.
I can't believe all the arguements about Froome not being British. So what if he was born in Kenya, grew up in South Africa and lives in Monaco. He's as British as Leanda Cave. He's as British as Andy Murray is until he gets knocked out of Wimbledon.
As TG says above, the BS on Froome not being British is an unnecessary distraction which seems to have passed the likes of Wiggins (born in Belgium) and Millar (born in Malta) by.
Back on Topic. I'm thinking Froome for the win with Cav taking the Green. As for the KOM jumper - probably Voeckler?
What about the key stages?
There's no prologue this year, so Cav has the chance of yellow on Stage 1.
Team Time Trial round Nice is on the 2nd July, Ventoux is on the 14th July (Voeckler will be trying for the win on Bastille Day) and the Double Alpe D'Huez stage is on 18th July.
There is a mountainous TT on 17th July, but no Saturday before Paris TT - it's a pretty hilly stage with a climb to finish.
Not relevant now, but a Tour aimed at Wiggins not winning. Suits Froome and Contador rather than Evans too.
Contador has already been caught in Operation Puerto, but Spain conveniently lost the evidence...
He is but I just don't see him getting top three...plus what TT I have seen from him has been poor and think the others knows his game of loads of attacks and the Sky way of clawing it back seems to counter it well.
I think Bertie is keeping his powder dry for the tour
Whatever happens its going to be exiciting
Sagan looks a good bet for the Green as he should pick up more points for intermediate sprints than Cav, still expect Cav to win a couple of stages and know they are targeting the first stage for him
No more TdF for Sir Brad? I sincerely hope not. Fingers crossed for Froome-dog but it's by no means a shoo-in, unless there's time to replace his skeleton with one of adamantium.
He's 33, always been a difficult character who needs telling he's the best all the time, isn't the best in the high mountains and needs a whole team around him.
He said himself after the Tour and Olympic double, it would be hard to top and get the motivation again.
I think he will target the world TT and then with Froome looking set for years as the Sky number 1, I can see Wiggins leaving Sky and having one more crack at the tour with (if they can get over there differences) Garmin.
Jens Voight... "Right now, I think it will be Froome, Contador and Van Garderen. I might end up looking like a prophet, or I may end up looking like a fool - but that is my podium."
So says a man who has been on 16 Tours. One of the hardest men in the Peleton. Hard to argue against him, I think!
Where is the Fantasy link/deets then?
Over in the Clubhouse thread Dan, Bet you have worked out some calculation to win this years fantasy league as well haven't you.
Sad times, no Renshaw, Eisel or Thor in this years teams.
League code for Velogames.... 15203047
There you go
froom to win despite contador trying to kick him in the hills, but froom dog surviving.....
sagan to kick cav on points, but more stage wins to cav.
KOM is a lottery.....
way more interesting to the velogamers are the top 10 GCs and trying to pick out the climbers who will get a stage win or so....
loving it and its still 2 weeks out!
oh and loving velocast.cc premium shows....
top podcasting
1. Voekler
2. Froom
3. Contador
This. Is. Difficult.
Well, that was fun, looks like Martin has a busted collar bone but Thomas and Stannard are clear to start day two
I *knew* it! Bliddy Stannard was my 'domestique'! Just as well he'll be there tomorrow!
Wiggins might have been born in Belgium, but his Australian father left when he was two and his English mother brought him up in London. I think there's no doubt he's English! But a distraction, as you say.
And Dave Millars parents are both Brits He was only born in Malta cos his dad was serving there in the RAF
Well the dog almost took out the peleton.
Gutsy move to win that stage today, so close for Millar too.
Sagan for tomorrows win
Hope so FF
2 years in a row for a dog incident. Caught the highlights today.
What was with Froom attacking yesterday? Porte was setting a great pace and would have caught the break.
Winced when I saw the dog
I think...Froome was sending out a message that he feels good and he did say it was a tricky descent and wanted clear road...as he nearly got a corner wrong seemed like a good plan