General Tour de France Thread 2016 - use spoiler tags until midnight

Trojan

cunavalos wrote: »

The organisers have released a list of the prizemoney won so far on the Tour.
Unsurprising to see Tinkoff and Dimension Data lead the way but Cannondale's return so far is dismal.

The two Etixx lads picked up the equivalent of Cannondale's entire prize in one intermediate sprint they rolled through yesterday.

Darkglasses

cunavalos wrote: »

The organisers have released a list of the prizemoney won so far on the Tour.
Unsurprising to see Tinkoff and Dimension Data lead the way but Cannondale's return so far is dismal.
http://image.prntscr.com/image/c9a7b549d3294d2a9b20a758de9c8b6f.png[/IMG]

Rolland's a poor enough team leader really. Been a few years since a good result. Think Talansky would have been a better choice. I know he had his issues early this year but he looked solid enough in the Tour of Switzerland

Shedite27

Basically looks like you need a sprinter to make money.

ednwireland

and cav goes home
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mark-cavendish-leaves-tour-de-france-to-focus-on-olympic-games/

ThisRegard

Brian? wrote: »

You've ruined the Tour for me. I enjoyed the mystery.

I never knew what most did either! Interesting to see their background all the same.

dastardly00

cunavalos wrote: »

The organisers have released a list of the prizemoney won so far on the Tour.
Unsurprising to see Tinkoff and Dimension Data lead the way but Cannondale's return so far is dismal.

Given Astana's expectations, their return so far has been awful.

Weepsie

For such a massive sporting event, that money is derisory. I know it's hard to monetise it in anyway as how can you charge people on to public roads etc and teams make everything in sponsorship but it's so little.

Phil Mickelson got nearly that twice that amount for coming second in the ball striking thing at the weekend. Third place got roughly what the teams got there and 3 guys in fifth place got not much less than that total.

neris

brianomc wrote: »

Some of those companies need to take out ads on eurosport. I hadn't a clue what Orica, Soudal or Etixx amongst others did.

Whereas we all know about Bora and Alpecin. That Bora extraction unit from last years ad was class.

Or perhaps israel need to sponsor a cycling team

C3PO

ednwireland wrote: »

and cav goes home
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mark-cavendish-leaves-tour-de-france-to-focus-on-olympic-games/

I'm a bit surprised .. I thought he would have fancied a go at another big win on the Champ Elysees!

godtabh

C3PO wrote: »

I'm a bit surprised .. I thought he would have fancied a go at another big win on the Champ Elysees!

Too many hard days beforehand

C3PO

In relation to Cav (and I know it's not an issue this year!) but I've often wondered whether someone could win the Green (or Polka Dot) jersey without completing the race?

ednwireland

C3PO wrote: »

In relation to Cav (and I know it's not an issue this year!) but I've often wondered whether someone could win the Green (or Polka Dot) jersey without completing the race?

You have to finish the race to collect the jersey.

Brian?

C3PO wrote: »

In relation to Cav (and I know it's not an issue this year!) but I've often wondered whether someone could win the Green (or Polka Dot) jersey without completing the race?

Nope. You have to finish the race.

I'm actually quite surprised Cav has gone home. Winning on the Champs-Élysées is probably the most prestigious win a sprinter can take, I thought it would be worth riding the Auto Bus for.

68 lost souls

Brian? wrote: »

Nope. You have to finish the race.

I'm actually quite surprised Cav has gone home. Winning on the Champs-Élysées is probably the most prestigious win a sprinter can take, I thought it would be worth riding the Auto Bus for.

I'd see he wanted to but the British Olympic council would have had other ideas

cunavalos

68 lost souls wrote: »

I'd see he wanted to but the British Olympic council would have had other ideas

That may be the case if Cavendish was dependent on Olympic funding but I think he has always said that Rio and a first olympic gold medal was a major personal goal for him this year, so i think this is entirely his own decision.

The only possibility that would have seen him continue to the Champs Elysee was if he was still involved in a battle for the green jersey.

Shedite27

Which medal is he targeting at Rio? Omnium? Or one of the team ones?

godtabh

He's had a fantastic tour. A win in Paris would have topped it off but I dont think he needs it and is happy with his lot so far

Beasty

Shedite27 wrote: »

Which medal is he targeting at Rio? Omnium? Or one of the team ones?

Omnium but he's also reserve for the Team Pursuit

dastardly00

Random request......

I haven't seen today's stage and don't know what happened. My options for highlights are the 30 minute show on TG4 at 8.45pm or the 90 minute show on Eurosport at 8.30pm.

Based on how good/exciting the stage was today, which should I watch?? Answer either TG4 or Eurosport in SPOILER tags please :P

pelevin

dastardly00 wrote: »

Random request......

I haven't seen today's stage and don't know what happened. My options for highlights are the 30 minute show on TG4 at 8.45pm or the 90 minute show on Eurosport at 8.30pm.

Based on how good/exciting the stage was today, which should I watch?? Answer either TG4 or Eurosport in SPOILER tags please :P

Whichever is shorter

Sorry that as presumably a bit late for you!

dastardly00

^^^^
Thanks anyway. I ended up going with Eurosport. I had never seen ads for C-Date before.... :pac:

neris

The cycling podcast will have a Kilometre zero on Sam Bennett out some time this morning

dastardly00

neris wrote: »

The cycling podcast will have a Kilometre zero on Sam Bennett out some time this morning

I just logged on to post about this.

Definitely worth a listen. Linky.

The lanterne rouge (or red light) is the last man in the general classification at the Tour de France.This year, Ireland's Sam Bennett looks on course to take that position but, as we hear in this episode of Kilometre 0, making it this far has been a significant achievement considering the injuries he sustained in a crash on day one.
What does it take to battle on for day after day, and will he make it through the Alps to Paris and complete his first Tour de France?

Sam's reaction to seeing Shane Archbold's wrecked bike was kind of unnerving.

Mint Sauce

Kinda excited about todays stage, unfortunately wont get to see it until Saturday evening or Sunday morning. However, being mountain TT, would I be wrong in saying would be very surprised to see them on TT bikes.

Brian?

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Kinda excited about todays stage, unfortunately wont get to see it until Saturday evening or Sunday morning. However, being mountain TT, would I be wrong in saying would be very surprised to see them on TT bikes.

They won't be on TT bikes. It'll be a snoozefest and the final nail in the coffin of this tour, IMO.

dastardly00

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Kinda excited about todays stage, unfortunately wont get to see it until Saturday evening or Sunday morning. However, being mountain TT, would I be wrong in saying would be very surprised to see them on TT bikes.

The first 10 or so riders have started, and they are all on road bikes according to Cyclingnews.

Brian?

I'm wondering what Greg really thinks or marginal gains. He's a bit ambiguous here:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/greg-lemond-miracles-in-cycling-still-dont-exist/

pelevin

Brian? wrote: »

I'm wondering what Greg really thinks or marginal gains. He's a bit ambiguous here:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/greg-lemond-miracles-in-cycling-still-dont-exist/

Bit surprised how hard he's gone on them there. He sounds more on the damning side of ambiguous than the believing side - calling their marginal gains "a load of bollocks" for instance & seriously questioning Froome's crazy cadence attacks.

godtabh

pelevin wrote: »

Bit surprised how hard he's gone on them there. He sounds more on the damning side of ambiguous than the believing side - calling their marginal gains "a load of bollocks" for instance & seriously questioning Froome's crazy cadence attacks.

He was burnt by Lance. I dont think he wants to be burnt again.

neris

Sam bennett and the flying mullet talking about the crash on wednesday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_cP83fifMg