well that's gone well
Tour de France 2014
- Thread starter Flying Fox
- Start date
You are right about that, he only creates one dimensional teams which is wrong, his teams are useless on the flat. Now that Froome is out i don't think that they will be able to won one stage.
Contador will pound everyone now. Nibali the only one who'll even get close.
Nibali ain't no slouch....with a massive early lead. Nibali going after the full collection too, insane how it's turned in his favour.
I still reckon Contador will crush him in the mountains. Everybody has to attack Nibali now, will make for an amazing race.
I simply don't understand how Astana managed to beat Cancellara and Sagan in strength though... It made no sense at all.
I simply don't understand how Astana managed to beat Cancellara and Sagan in strength though... It made no sense at all.
I'd like a vintage Contador mountain destruction tbf. Definitely has a point to prove, but I really think he wanted to prove it against Froome.
I don't really know what Nibs is like in his TT's either, Contador got the edge there?
I don't really know what Nibs is like in his TT's either, Contador got the edge there?
I still reckon Contador will crush him in the mountains. Everybody has to attack Nibali now, will make for an amazing race.
I simply don't understand how Astana managed to beat Cancellara and Sagan in strength though... It made no sense at all.
I simply don't understand how Astana managed to beat Cancellara and Sagan in strength though... It made no sense at all.
Shame for Froome but it's going to make for a very exciting and close race (hopefully)
Well, Nibali won a time trial on route to winning the Giro last year. So I don't think he's lacking much there. But I don't know how he is in comparison with Contador. Still, he's going to be attacked a lot in the mountains and Contador has been very good this year. The gap will narrow.
Contador has a weak team, that's probably why he won't win The Tour.
Contador will beat Nibali in the TT, but not by much. Maybe half a minute.
He has never really needed a strong team. Also, if Roche, Rogers and especially Majka come good in the mountains, Saxo has the strongest climbing team now that Froome is gone.
The problem is all 3 have the Giro in their legs.
I don't see how you can say that? Richie Porte is a great rider, he did all the donkey work for Froome last year and still managed to say up there until the final couple of stages. I reckon he'll win a stage, Thomas is capable too I think.
Both as good as each other I'd say! Whatever happens its gonna be a great tour I think, I can't wait to see Contador v Nibali in the mouintains. Contador is slighty better I feel but can he claw back 2.37? I think Contador will just edge it!
I'm predicting I disaster TDF. I think we'll see a few more top retirements and perhaps a couple disgraced.
2.37 won't seem like a massive margin once it gets shaken up in the mountains.
I know yea but Nibali is a great climber too.
They should put the cobbles in the Tour every year. What a great stage!
Cycling at its best. Best in years in the Tour in my opinion.
Cycling at its best. Best in years in the Tour in my opinion.
The peloton looks terrifying! 
That shot of a hundred riders, or whatever, streaming round the bends down the mountain within inches of each other, must be doing, what, 60-65Ks?
That shot of a hundred riders, or whatever, streaming round the bends down the mountain within inches of each other, must be doing, what, 60-65Ks?
Been a good race today so far. Saxo look far better than Astana who have all disappeared from the front.
Great stage! Hopefully a sign of things to come.
My picks so far
Yellow - Contador, don't necessarily want him to win but I think he's the strongest. Kind of a Messi/Ronaldo thing with him and Froome and I don't like either but since Froome is gone I think it's Contador's to lose.
Green - Sagan by a landslide. Love him
Polka dot - Hard to pick, probably Contador or Nibali, would like to see Voeckler though.
White - Would like Sagan but the mountains might hurt him, this one is hard to say for me.
Yellow - Contador, don't necessarily want him to win but I think he's the strongest. Kind of a Messi/Ronaldo thing with him and Froome and I don't like either but since Froome is gone I think it's Contador's to lose.
Green - Sagan by a landslide. Love him
Polka dot - Hard to pick, probably Contador or Nibali, would like to see Voeckler though.
White - Would like Sagan but the mountains might hurt him, this one is hard to say for me.
Good calls!
My picks:
Yellow - Contador. Nibali isn't far behind and is aiming to complete the grand tour set, but I think Saxo will do it for Contador and I think he'll out time trial Nibali. They are both hard core and nailed-on 1 and 2 for me, barring injury.
Green - Sagan. He's is so good it's is fxcking ridiculous. Top 5 in every stage before today! Legend already. He's still annoyed he hasn't got his win but surely it will come.
Polka - Contador
White- Kwiatkowski, Pinot or Bardet. I'm going to plump for the Kwiatkowski.
It will be interesting to see how Porte goes in the mountains as SKY team leader. He's my 'outsider' for the overall, and hope he gets at least a podium finish.
Contador abandoned
Contador's gone. Wow. The Vuelta is going to be a battle royale. Contador vs Quintana vs Froome.
His bike apparently just broke in half..
His bike apparently just broke in half..
gonna be an interesting podium this year
Who's the favorite for the yellow jersey now, Nibali?
So, it's basically between Nibali and Valverde now and maybe Porte
Yeah, Nibali massive favourite now. Still I hope Porte can do something. You know winning all 3 grand tours has to be as good as multiple tour wins in my book - Let's see what happens! Agree that this years podium will be interesting - maybe Kwiatowski can get on there?
Vuelta will be massive! With those ridculous climbs, Valverde and Rodriguez will be there or there abouts too. Just hope the support team can do the job for Froome as his 'A' team is here at the tour.
Nibali attack!
Brilliant from Nibali but alarming how Valverde couldn't keep up. Was hoping for a close race this year
Valverde is nowhere near Nibali's class, in grand tours, especially.
Excited to see Van Garderen back! He time trials well, as does Porte so 2nd and 3rd place battle should be good at least.
Excited to see Van Garderen back! He time trials well, as does Porte so 2nd and 3rd place battle should be good at least.
Both Contador and Froome will have shit teams for the Vuelta.. Quintana should win it easy.
Nibali just got handed a grand tour that he was going to be smashed in! Froome and Contador gone.. Unbelieveable.
Not so sure he was going to get smashed. You can't do much better than having a 2 min 20 + advantage going into the second week!! Froome and Contador were obviously favourites though. Don't think Quintana will win the Vuelta easily either. Saxo and Sky don't do 'shit' teams. Sky alone, have Ian Stannard (Winner Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2014), Boasen Hagen , Kennaugh (Tour of Austria 2014 Winner) and possibly Wiggins.
Froome and Contador would have rode away.. All 3 were peaking for the tour, and the two of them were on another level to Nibali at the Dauphane.
With regards to teams,
Saxo are in trouble. Roche, Rogers, Majka have all done the Tour + Giro.. The only strong climber they have is Kreuziger, and he is not riding because of bio passport issues.
Sky - Wiggins isn't a climber anymore, and definitely won't work for Fromme after this year's tour debacle. From the others, I believe only Kennaugh is a top domestique.
Man. The Tours always a great achievement, but Nibali's getting some insane luck. Fair play to him if he completes the jersey collection though, as I say, it's still one of the hardest things in sport.
You're probably right. Certainly, I think Kreuziger is a massive loss for Contador.
I still think it will be a cracker like 2012 with Froome (although post tour), Rodriguez, Contador and Valverde constantly attacking each other.
A fresh Quintana will be hard to beat given 10 mountain top finishes but I reckon Froome and Contador in particular have enough to track him by themselves, despite any lack of support from their respective teams. Looking at the parcours description, I'd expect him to lose time on the 34 km time trial on stage 10. He lost 2 min 40 to Uran in this years Giro alone.
Agreed. He's a tough bastard that's for sure. The way he rode those snow laden mountain stages in this years Giro was amazing to see.
Contador - fractured R tibia. Cycling - Bloody hell!
I reckon it's a matter of time before Nibali & Astana will get caught out doping. For Nibali to come 2nd in that cobble stone stage is comparable to Nibali coming 2nd in the sprint finish on the Champs-Elysees; it's just too good to be true. I wonder what Vinokourov has been feeding Nibali?