Tour De France 2013

nahealai said:
It would explain his rather strange bike switch almost immediately after the organisers announced an "unannounced" bike test after the stage.
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Reason for the switch:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...aving-white-flag-contador’s-bike-switch_175062
Alberto Contador once again stopped to switch bikes ahead of a decisive summit finish. With about 50km to go, Contador slowed down, rolled behind the Saxo Bank lead car and quickly swapped frames. Saxo Bank mechanic Faustino Muñoz told VeloNews the switch was for a “slightly lighter” frame for the final climb up Zoncolan. Contador rode a 34×32 up the Zoncolan, which allowed him to keep a high cadence on the ramps as steep as 22 percent.

Contador also switched bikes in a similar situation on the Mount Etna. When asked by VeloNews why Contador switched bikes, Riis said it was for “safety reasons,” saying that Contador rode wider tires with slightly less pressure to make for a smoother, more secure ride over bumpy cobblestones through the Sicilian villages and roads made slick by volcanic ash.
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All tested bikes weighted what they should:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2013...d-for-bike-weight-checks-at-alpe-dhuez_295850
Contador made two bikes swaps during the stage, one prior to the first ascent up l’Alpe d’Huez, and one on the flat road before the second accent. The bike checks were announced between the two swaps, leading to speculation that Contador was forced to back off a long-range attack to swap back onto a UCI-legal bike for the finish climb.

That doesn’t appear to be the case. UCI technological coordinator Mottet confimed with VeloNews that both of Contador’s bikes were checked following the stage, and both came in at exactly 6.8kg.
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From BBC... JACK BAUER? Made me chuckle.

Let's hope there are no more crashes on the way down Col de la Madeleine. We have already seen Jack Bauer abandon the Tour today after he crashed while descending the Col du Glandon. He continued his journey in the back of an ambulance.
 
Disappointed that none of the big guns have done anything at all today. About 40 seconds separate 2nd to 5th so I am expecting attacks on the final climb

Great ride by Rolland. Only a single point of Froome now for the King in the Mountains. Was expecting Quintana to push for the that competition but he hasn't done anything
 
Helder-Carvalho said:
Rui Costa won again, great Tour he's having.
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I think losing so much time helping Valverede helped him. Now he can pick and choose the stages he attacks on, and he is comfortable better than mist others in the breakaways.
 
Yep. 2nd to fifth up for grabs and the King of the Mountain is very close. If he fancies it Froome could take that as well
 
Froome's ridiculous dominance aside, and assuming all is clean, I like the way this race has been run.

All the top 4 are aggressive riders who have seized all opportunities possible to win the race, win stages or places. For a yellow jersey, it's been good to see Froome hasn't just been resting on his laurels and riding defensively. He's kept trying to shape the race on the final mountains. Quintana and Rodriguez have been delights and Saxo's attack on the flat stage in the sidewind was epic.

It may have been armstrongesque dominance, but we haven't seen the US Postal total control and the favourites reduces to defensive stooges doing their best not to lose time to the ones just behind them. All the top 4 have been going at it within their means. Good stuff.
 
Congratulations to Quintana. This is his first tour, stage victory today, 2nd place in the classement, best climber of the tour and best young rider. It couldn't have happened to a better person. Well done Nairo, you have put Colombia on the map with a magnificent tour.
 
Finally clicked who Froome reminds me of (particularly his weird floppy action while riding)... and it pretty much puts to bed the drugs question...

Argos-I_can_shop_from_here9.jpg
 
B20 said:
Froome's ridiculous dominance aside, and assuming all is clean, I like the way this race has been run.
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There was no real "I'm just gonna have a fecking go here.." at all really from Contador or Valverde. Seriously unlucky for Valverde to have machine trouble when hew as in the mix. But I thought it was a bit boring last year and much of the same this year. Nobody really wanting to attack at all because htey know the sky train will ride them down.
 
ghaliboy said:
There was no real "I'm just gonna have a fecking go here.." at all really from Contador or Valverde. Seriously unlucky for Valverde to have machine trouble when hew as in the mix. But I thought it was a bit boring last year and much of the same this year. Nobody really wanting to attack at all because htey know the sky train will ride them down.
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Both Movistar and Saxo had goes. It was only the last couple of stages where they decided to concentrate on the podium places because Froome was unbreakable.

btw I find the last stage very boring. They should have a time trial or maybe not have the finish in Paris at all. Not that it makes much of a difference this time but some last stage drama is always welcome ala Le Mond and Fignon
 
ghaliboy said:
There was no real "I'm just gonna have a fecking go here.." at all really from Contador or Valverde. Seriously unlucky for Valverde to have machine trouble when hew as in the mix. But I thought it was a bit boring last year and much of the same this year. Nobody really wanting to attack at all because htey know the sky train will ride them down.
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Valverde was out of the race for podium places before they really got started.

I think Contador had a decent go - the attack on the flat stage was brilliant and ambitious. Think he just lacked the legs to get away with an attack in the mountains.

Much better than last year. not as good as the year before though.
 
I know the last day is always treated as a procession, as such, but what would happen if only, say, twenty seconds separated the yellow jersey and 2nd place? Would it still be raced in the traditional way, or would it be a proper stage like all the rest?
 
nahealai said:
I know the last day is always treated as a procession, as such, but what would happen if only, say, twenty seconds separated the yellow jersey and 2nd place? Would it still be raced in the traditional way, or would it be a proper stage like all the rest?
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Probably traditional way
 
I've always thought the last day was completely pointless. Tame way to end a great race
 
Colin129 said:
I don't think you'd be saying that if you were in the crowds on the Champs Elysees in the sunshine this evening with the riders streaming past you at regular intervals.
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I fecking would.

It's like saying "Right, we'll play football for 60mins, whoever is in the lead then, wins, we'll just pass it around for the last 30mins."

It's strange, having a sport that, at the last chance for a win/excitement, they just say "Alright lads, it's all over, just feck about now"...
 
One Night Only said:
I fecking would.

It's like saying "Right, we'll play football for 60mins, whoever is in the lead then, wins, we'll just pass it around for the last 30mins."

It's strange, having a sport that, at the last chance for a win/excitement, they just say "Alright lads, it's all over, just feck about now"...
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It's akin to a formula 1 victory lap, and then there's the massive sprint at the end which is always exciting
 
vanthaman said:
It's akin to a formula 1 victory lap, and then there's the massive sprint at the end which is always exciting
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Thing is, could they not actually just "race" today, then have a victory parade type thing tomorrow once the race is completely over? Seems weird having a victory lap before it's all over. I mean, could Froome not fall off his bike and lose anyway? :s
 
All about the sprinters today and letting the winners do a few laps of honour. Never understood the need for so many laps but will be an incredible sprint.

I think Kittel was slight favourite and now that Cav's had a flat and had to wok back he's got to be the hot favourite.

Kittle, Cav, Griepel, Sagan....
 
One Night Only said:
Thing is, could they not actually just "race" today, then have a victory parade type thing tomorrow once the race is completely over? Seems weird having a victory lap before it's all over. I mean, could Froome not fall off his bike and lose anyway? :s
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Yes, if he doesn't finish the stage then he doesn't win.
 
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