Tour de France 2018 - General Thread

bazermc

Anybody got a link to the official road book?

CrowdedHouse

bazermc wrote: »

Anybody got a link to the official road book?

Strangely under Sporting Stakes (thought it was a gambling link!)

EDIT : seems to be just the rules - no route details, probably have to buy it

https://www.letour.fr/en/the-race/sporting-stakes

ednwireland

bazermc wrote: »

Anybody got a link to the official road book?

you used to be able to download the route book as a pdf several years ago havent see it for years. suppose the APP and website has all the timing and map info on it now but not as easy to read.

De Bhál

retalivity wrote: »

Any velogames boards league setup yet?

League Code: 17734056

the trending team name so far by Boardsies seems to be Sky/Froome/Salbutamol/Brailsford related

velo.2010

Well, I went back on my word and renewed my Eurosport subscription. I somehow managed to get the cheaper renewal without having to change accounts.

velo.2010

velo.2010 wrote: »

Well, I went back on my word and renewed my Eurosport subscription. I somehow managed to get the cheaper renewal without having to change accounts.

Had you cancelled it to stop it auto renewing? I had and it wouldn't let me renew it at the cheaper price during the Giro so was going to renew with a different account but once the account lapsed it let me renew at 29.99. So happy out. It's good value in spite of Carlton Kirby.

f1000

Just renewed for €29.99. Had cancelled my subscription over the weekend. Same account

elchupanebrey

I see Eurosport have Contador at 9/2 for the overall on their race guide in the app. Either lazy copy and pasting from last year or someone wasting a lot of money...

velo.2010

Deleted User wrote: »

Had you cancelled it to stop it auto renewing? I had and it wouldn't let me renew it at the cheaper price during the Giro so was going to renew with a different account but once the account lapsed it let me renew at 29.99. So happy out. It's good value in spite of Carlton Kirby.

f1000 wrote: »

Just renewed for €29.99. Had cancelled my subscription over the weekend. Same account

Yeah, it let me renew after the subscription period had elapsed. Unsubscribed about a month before the sub ended. Just needed to re-submit the address details.

I'd be surprised if they don't get round to closing that loophole eventually.

velo.2010

elchupanebrey wrote: »

I see Eurosport have Contador at 9/2 for the overall on their race guide in the app. Either lazy copy and pasting from last year or someone wasting a lot of money...

Apparently, he'll be doing some of the recon rides with JA Flecha and post race analysis (for ES Spain I guess). He'll murder Flecha on some of those climbs:D

Lenny1234

elchupanebrey wrote: »

I see Eurosport have Contador at 9/2 for the overall on their race guide in the app. Either lazy copy and pasting from last year or someone wasting a lot of money...

The Mirror tipped him for some reason

Melodeon

Team SKY didn't get a great reception at the Team Presentation earlier, doesn't bode well for what might happen when they encounter the drunk nutters out on the open roads.

selwyn froggitt

Melodeon wrote: »

Team SKY didn't get a great reception at the Team Presentation earlier, doesn't bode well for what might happen when they encounter the drunk nutters out on the open roads.

I can understand the booing,but I fear there will be a (sky) rider physically attacked on this years tour and this cannot be condoned

letape

I’ll be in Cholet for the stage on Monday. First time at a Tour de France TTT. Considered not bothering going as very disappointed that Froome is in.

Will post a few pics that evening.

jimbobaloobob

selwyn froggitt wrote: »

I can understand the booing,but I fear there will be a (sky) rider physically attacked on this years tour and this cannot be condoned

I very much doubt that.
There's enough tools on the side of the roads but more people with respect for the laws of society. The gendarmes would come down very heavy on the fool that would try something.

selwyn froggitt

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

I very much doubt that.
There's enough tools on the side of the roads but more people with respect for the laws of society. The gendarmes would come down very heavy on the fool that would try something.

We will wait and see

Grassey

This is the last straw SKY!!!

1bryan

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

I very much doubt that.
There's enough tools on the side of the roads but more people with respect for the laws of society. The gendarmes would come down very heavy on the fool that would try something.

there aren't enough gendarmes to watch everyone. And in my experience of attending tours de france over the years, most don't give a damn if anything happens.

Melodeon

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

I very much doubt that.
There's enough tools on the side of the roads but more people with respect for the laws of society. The gendarmes would come down very heavy on the fool that would try something.

I don't doubt that the Gendarmerie and other security personnel will be very vigilant and any attempt to take liberties will be dealt with summarily at the side of the road, but even they can't police every meter of every stage, and it'll only take one fruitcake getting through to cause mayhem.

I fully expect to see plenty of anti-SKY/anti-Froome road paint and banners, and every seamstress in the country is probably curently full employed making inhaler costumes.

neris

Tour de France riders ready to fuel up on ketones – the mysterious energy drink developed at Oxford University

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2018/07/05/tour-de-france-riders-ready-fuel-ketones-mysterious-energy/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Brian?

neris wrote: »

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2018/07/05/tour-de-france-riders-ready-fuel-ketones-mysterious-energy/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Nothing to see here really. Simply an alernative fuel to sugar/carbs.

Doc07

Brian? wrote: »

Nothing to see here really. Simply an alernative fuel to sugar/carbs.

They just need to put ‘intralipid’ into pocket sized bottles and they’ll be flying

Eamonnator

Times and stations of T.V. coverage:

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-live-tv-guide-233516

Eamonnator

Eamonnator wrote: »

Times and stations of T.V. coverage:

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-live-tv-guide-233516

TG4 has it live and highlights in evening

Lusk_Doyle

Poor old Sam ain't the cream of the crop yet according to cyclingnews:

"This year's Tour de France has attracted the crème de la crème of the sprinters, with only Elia Viviani (Quick-Step floors), Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) and Sacha Modolo (EF Education Frist-Drapac) absent."

God was just thinking today it's 20 years since the tour started here. Prior to that I'd have seen Roche and Kelly win the bike races as a young lad and that was all I knew about cycling. I rode a bike every day to school college etc and to get around but seeing Marco Pantani that year on TV inspired me to get my first road bike and actually do some real cycling. Joined a club a year later and quickly realised that wasn't for me and that I really just liked riding my bike alone. Even last year having fallen out of love with cycling for a few years got back on the bike and 2 sportives and while I enjoyed the challenge wasn't mad about the company.

I still have a vivid memory of Pantani in the pissing rain riding alone on one of the stages and at the time knew little about the man or the shadows that hung over him. A sad story in the end

jimbobaloobob

Today s stage was an enjoyable one. I enjoy seeing the lone leaders try in vain to hold off the bunch, was good to see also Chavanel talking to one of the quick step lads at the back of the bunch after he had been reeled in. For all the journalists and opinionated band wagoners that want to cut their teeth and choose cycling to do so, its great to see such camaraderie between bike riders and praise of each others efforts and team duties.

Richie Porte signs for Trek. I'd imagine the rumours linking others to Bahrain could be true too.

CrowdedHouse

This leapt out at me - must still be a kitty

The Australian had a number of options on the table, with Aqua Blue also showing interest. However, he has chosen Trek

letape

A few pics from before the stage start today: