Tour de France - Stage 1 Brussels › Brussels (194.5k)

Quick thread before this kicks off in a few minutes.

MPFGLB

The Belgians are all straining at the bit on this stage

Could be a a nervous one with maybe some late attacking

Is there no ad free feed on Eurosport?, the others seem to be just the feeds from the various motorbikes. Of course it would be handy if they actually labelled them.

retalivity

Gva was in the break, got the kom points to get the first polka dot jersey, now dropped back, 3 in the lead

MPFGLB

Nico's Diary

https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicolas-roches-tour-de-france-diary-with-florians-strength-i-might-finally-fulfil-my-destiny-38287116.html

Darkglasses

This Ion Gottlich stuff is a bit crap

robyntmorton

Darkglasses wrote: »

This Ion Gottlich stuff is a bit crap

What the hell did they just subject us to? Are they taking the piss now?!

That said, he's better than Kirby.

MPFGLB

Splits

retalivity

I know dan was caught behind but why the hell have the peloton neutralised it themselves???

dermabrasion

Darkglasses wrote: »

This Ion Gottlich stuff is a bit crap

cringe

dermabrasion

WTF is Dan always caught in random splits? Similar to Dauphine

J Madone

Did Kelly drop the F Bomb in his commentary, he was talking about altitude training at the time

Lusk_Doyle

Listening to Brian Smith earlier talking about the Cav omission decision and who was involved and the potential fall out with Aldag was interesting. He also mentioned about how he was forced out seemingly at the behest of one individual and, if I heard him correctly, that said individual was now experiencing the same treatment that he received.

MPFGLB

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Listening to Brian Smith earlier talking about the Cav omission decision and who was involved and the potential fall out with Aldag was interesting. He also mentioned about how he was forced out seemingly at the behest of one individual and, if I heard him correctly, that said individual was now experiencing the same treatment that he received.

Doug Ryder forced Smith out

Now Aldag and Ryder are at loggerheads

Ryder will probably force Aldag out as he is the owner of the team

Smith & Aldag are mates

Lusk_Doyle

MPFGLB wrote: »

Doug Ryder forced Smith out

Now Aldag and Ryder are at loggerheads

Ryder will probably force Aldag out as he is the owner of the team

Smith & Aldag are mates

Ah, that's what he meant. Thanks.

retalivity

Jesus, fuglsang is in rough shape

Angliru

Birdsong's Tour over already it looks like. No luck ever.

Eamonnator

Angliru wrote: »

Birdsong's Tour over already it looks like. No luck ever.

Nah, he'll be grand

Which of the ineos lads hit the barrier in the crash?

Doc07

I’m grateful to TG4 for covering the Tour Live but Jesus Christ! They show sprint finish, call out that they think Sagan might have won then cut straight to adds, no reply no display or confirmation of results. Adds over....straight to Women’s World Cup.

Angliru

Eamonnator wrote: »

Nah, he'll be grand

I'd be worried about that knee. Looked like he was in pain.

Sagan second, normality is restored in the cycling world.

Panrich

Angliru wrote: »

I'd be worried about that knee. Looked like he was in pain.

Sagan second, normality is restored in the cycling world.

I saw that Fuglsang went down about 20k out and was trying to get back on. Was he involved in the later crash too? I missed the end of the stage but something Wiggins was saying seemed to indicate he might.

MPFGLB

Panrich wrote: »

I saw that Fuglsang went down about 20k out and was trying to get back on. Was he involved in the later crash too? I missed the end of the stage but something Wiggins was saying seemed to indicate he might.

NO...just held up I thing

But Geraint Thomas was down in the final crash

jimbobaloobob

Doc07 wrote: »

I’m grateful to TG4 for covering the Tour Live but Jesus Christ! They show sprint finish, call out that they think Sagan might have won then cut straight to adds, no reply no display or confirmation of results. Adds over....straight to Women’s World Cup.

They warned that they had to do that today because of the schedule contract to show the 3/4th place play off in women's World Cup
They were continuing coverage through their online website

Inquitus

MPFGLB wrote: »

NO...just held up I thing

But Geraint Thomas was down in the final crash

He's fine by all accounts. And ofc gets the ST as the winner due to 3km rule.

Melodeon

Darkglasses wrote: »

This Ion Gottlich stuff is a bit crap

It's utterly ridiculous! :mad:

It needs to be taken out the back, knocked on the head, and never spoken of again.

jimbobaloobob

Melodeon wrote: »

It's utterly ridiculous! :mad:

It needs to be taken out the back, knocked on the head, and never spoken of again.

What's this all about?

Melodeon

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

What's this all about?

"Ion Göttlich is a fictional Italian cyclist created by Claudio Pavan...":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_G%C3%B6ttlich

This kind of sh1te is getting shown DURING the race, while REAL racing is relegated to a little window in the corner of the screen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd6lXLMNl3Y

We're also being treated to little pieces of the Eurosport presenting team greeting him and expressing their delight to have him along for the Tour.

It's embarrassing.

Not a fan of Wiggo reporting from the motorbike sticking a mic in the window of a team car.

jimbobaloobob

I reckon this could be a tour for Nibali, depending how well hes recovered from the giro, i think hes a good outside chance, very little pressure on him also.

MPFGLB

letape wrote: »

Great you two have made up

Never !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D