Tour de France - The Banninging

[Jimmy Higgins]

So, 2017 Tour de France is here. And regardless if they dope or not, it is incredible to watch. The scenery of... wait... where are they... fucking Germany? They get lost or something?!

Regardless, a huge day in Day Four. The last sprint for now, with a mountain finish today. The sprinters did their best to sprint. Cavendish lost his team's wheel, but was in good position and I thought was going to grind it out. However, Peter Sagan shift to his right.. more right, more right. All of a sudden Cavendish has a tiny bit of space to pass on the right. Maybe not enough, but possibly enough.

Something happens, an elbow is out, and Cavendish slams into a barrier pylon (what the fuck are those there for again?!), breaks a shoulder, Sagan finishes second in the stage... and is second in the Tour. Sagan gets booted from the top 10 initially and then is booted from the Tour altogether. If you go online, you'll see people supporting both sides. Some people hate Sagan, some hate Cavendish. Sagan isn't particularly known for being so physical. And Cavendish did seem to be sewing a needle with maybe no eye to begin with.

Regardless, both men are out now, which means a new green jersey winner for the first time in seven tours.

1st Category climb finish today, which to me means Chris Froome is about to win the Tour de France again today.

 

[Sarpedon]

I can't tell if this is a serious post or not.

 

[ronburgundy]

I can't tell if this is a serious post or not.

It seems about as serious as one should be about a bike race.


Didn't watch it, but this pic sure looks like an intentional attempt to block him out with the elbow and not a movement natural to riding.

 

[Speakpigeon]

What? This is unfair? Really?

I think this elbow is an apt metaphor of the history of mankind.

If you're here at all it's probably because one of your ancestors elbowed his way to survival at a critical juncture.

You should worship Saint Peter's elbow.

This elbow will be discussed long after this 2017 Tour de France runs out of... legs, on the Champs-Elysées.
EB

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well, Froome is in yellow, but it was Fabio Aru who launched himself off of what appeared to be a catapult. The finish was so strong I am half expecting him to be caught doping. He blew he field away in the last 2 km. Froome and Martin and Porte held it together, but next time Aru won't be given a pass. Quintana was dropped, I think he isn't doping as much. Professional underachiever and not doping as mucher Alberto Contador was dropped as well. The race today became a four man race.

A bit bumpy tomorrow, but don't expect a GC change as it'll be a finish for the sprinters. If you have Kittel in your fantasy team, and I mean who doesn't, things should go well.

I can't tell if this is a serious post or not.

It seems about as serious as one should be about a bike race.


Didn't watch it, but this pic sure looks like an intentional attempt to block him out with the elbow and not a movement natural to riding.

When I watch the video freshly, it isn't the elbow, he shifts his whole body over.

 

[bilby]

I saw a headline about a conflict between supporters of Sagan and supporters of Cavendish, and was disappointed to learn that the story had nothing to do with the study of science.

 

[horhangi]

Watching video of the finish it looks like Cavendish made contact trying to squeeze through the gap and the elbow was a response by Sagan. Hard to tell for sure but that is what it looks like to me,
.

 

[Shake]

Well, Froome is in yellow, but it was Fabio Aru who launched himself off of what appeared to be a catapult. The finish was so strong I am half expecting him to be caught doping. He blew he field away in the last 2 km. Froome and Martin and Porte held it together, but next time Aru won't be given a pass. Quintana was dropped, I think he isn't doping as much. Professional underachiever and not doping as mucher Alberto Contador was dropped as well. The race today became a four man race.

A bit bumpy tomorrow, but don't expect a GC change as it'll be a finish for the sprinters. If you have Kittel in your fantasy team, and I mean who doesn't, things should go well.

It seems about as serious as one should be about a bike race.


Didn't watch it, but this pic sure looks like an intentional attempt to block him out with the elbow and not a movement natural to riding.

When I watch the video freshly, it isn't the elbow, he shifts his whole body over.

^^Yes, this. For as much as some were making the excuse that he put out his elbow to help steady himself or it was for balance or something, when you see the whole shift, it seems much more intentional.

Also, they showed where he walked over to "check on Cavendish" and apologize, but he wasn't going on his own. There's someone with him, presumably some team rep, talking to him the whole walk over. I can't help but think this guy was telling him to act all sorry and concerned because it will be noticed by the cameras and could help his case.

 

[ronburgundy]

Now that I've seen the slow mo video, I think Sagan's being out of the whole Tour is too harsh. If anything, the guy who won should be out. He is to Sagan's right, then cuts to his left right in front of Sagan and 2 other cyclists, causing them all to react.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Nothing big today. Breakaway got chomped once the roads opened up. Kittel won the stage. A couple bumps tomorrow with. 1 Cat 4 climb. Maybe time for Greipel to win a stage. Sprinters will look to win. May see someone try to break away before the Cat 4 and try to take the stage. Don't see it working. Waiting for Chavanel to get in a breakaway.


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[blastula]

Would be more fun if they raced in traffic.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Would be more fun if they raced in traffic.

In 92 they tried that and it worked well until the last stage and it took 13 days to finish on the Champs Elysese (sp).

I'd like to introduce turtle shells.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

Would be more fun if they raced in traffic.

Or if they had the chariot wheels from Ben Hur.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Today's stage had about everything. Some really big highs and a depressing low.

The winner of the stage did so finishing the last 10k with just two gears, the largest (more torque required). He beat to the line the guy who summited the last HC first by his lonesome. He was passed but then hooked a ride onto a group of four riders, the best in the tour. He barely
lost, about 1 cm. Incredible.

Fabio Aru got on everyone's bad side when he decided to attack right after Froome indicated a mechanical issue. He was caught by the field who refused to push on. Froome got back up and all was well.

The depressing moment occurred when Richie Porte on the major final descent ran off of the road going into a turn, had a wheel dig into the ground, flung him across the turn and then run into by Dan Martin. No word on his condition, other than he is still alive.

Froome didn't extend a lead on the top racers however, he led them to the finish. Rest day tomorrow.


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[Jimmy Higgins]

Huge result yesterday! A massive hill day, which finished on a bizarrely labeled Cat 2 climb, which to most humans would be considered HC (or uncatergorized). There is a hill in the grounds that I would cycle sometimes. It is a bitch, 16+% grade. It isn't very long, probably 300 meters or so, but it is steep!!! It will cut your legs off in the beginning of cycle.

That was how the finished this hill stage, up a short 2 km climb, which the final 300 to 500 meters was an absurd grade. And when finally someone decided to make a break (Dan Martin) with 400 meters left... he was caught, but then Fabio Aru made a break... and it stuck. Then Roman Bardett went and passed Aru... and at this point Chris Froome's legs were toast. Such toast, his teammate launched passed him, likely to try and steal time bonuses from Aru, but just came up short.

The result, Fabio Aru wears yellow now. Bardett, Aru, and Uran who is clearly showing the pedigree of future Tour winner may be battling it out for 1st to 4th. Froome, who hasn't won a stage yet, has failed in winning a mountain stage. His only saving grace at this moment is the Time Trial to precedes the march to the Champs Elysee's. Froome may be done. He hasn't been able to match up with Aru yet when Aru makes a move.

And what a relief! The Tour this year is now a four man race, instead of the Chris Froome show.

 

[Shake]

Pretty sure this is not from the Tour, but it gets at an issue I've heard some complaints about:

http://i.imgur.com/o47Dp8M.gifv

They usually seem to do a decent job of keeping out of the way, but I've seen times where the motorcycles with the cameras did seem to be getting in the way a bit of the riders. The guy in the clip above deserves some punishment for sure.

Thoughts about motorized vehicles going along with the riders? Other than the obvious support and medical staff.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Pretty sure this is not from the Tour, but it gets at an issue I've heard some complaints about:

http://i.imgur.com/o47Dp8M.gifv

They usually seem to do a decent job of keeping out of the way, but I've seen times where the motorcycles with the cameras did seem to be getting in the way a bit of the riders. The guy in the clip above deserves some punishment for sure.

Thoughts about motorized vehicles going along with the riders? Other than the obvious support and medical staff.

A car driver plowed a rider off the road, into a barbed wire fence and out of the tour a few years ago. It can be very hairy with all of the motorcycles and cars.

Finally caught up. Tour of many became tour of few, Froome, Bardet, Uran. Aru just couldn't hold all of the sprints. Once again a tour for Froome to lose.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Here is the incident from 2011. The driver was banned from the event.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd_wWuMBysc[/YOUTUBE]

The incident Shake posted was surreal. I'm assuming the motorcycle broke down or something.

I had wondered recently how hard it must be to drive the motorcycle up a hill stage, where riders are going 12 mph for long periods of time. The stages last hours, and you have to keep sharp. It can't be easy. Easier than riding, but not much.

 

[Derec]

Forget elbows, what about the legs.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Aru is toast. Baguil is toast of the town. Froome butters up in yellow again. Uran something something bread pun.