The Tour de France Thread

[pErvinalia]

I assume none of you give a toss, but this is my favourite annual sporting event by a long shot. The only events that come close for me are the Football and Rugby World Cups, and perhaps the Olympics. And they only come around every four years! So you can imagine my excitement each time July comes around.

Starts right now!

(although just saw that Phil Ligget and Paul Sherman won't be commentating it live this year for some reason... )

[Brian Peacock]

I like a bit of cycling. My brother has always been a big fan, and has cycled as a competitive amateur from his early teens up to the 'veteran' status he currently enjoys - so it's kind of in the family. Personally I like to follow the worlds greatest multi-stage team road race to see which team are the most successful at doping their riders while dodging the drugs tests each year.

[pErvinalia]

Yeah, drugs are a big problem. But there haven't been any high profile busts for a while, I think. So perhaps that's promising.

[Hermit]

Yeah, drugs are a big problem. But there haven't been any high profile busts for a while, I think. So perhaps that's promising.

Optimist.

[JimC]

You assumed right, in my case...

[Scott1328]

I am rooting for Lance Armstrong's eighth win

[Brian Peacock]

[pErvinalia]

That's not funny.

[Svartalf]

You assumed right, in my case...

Unless there's a real one to get, I could not give a fuck either.

[pErvinalia]

Alejandro Valverde, one of the top riders, and nominally a domestique for top contender Nairo Quintana, crashed out yesterday on the first stage. Broke his knee cap.

[Brian Peacock]

Lightweight. An Ozzie wouldn't let that stop him.

[pErvinalia]

I really feel a sort of electric jolt every time I see one of these guys fall on hard bitumen. God, it looks so painful. The most common injury is a broken collarbone as they fall off the bike and land fully on the point of the shoulder without any break of the fall. Horrible to watch.

[Strontium Dog]

They should wear shoulder pads, like American Football players.

[Brian Peacock]

Talking of which...

Vortex suits explained: Team Sky’s latest rule-pushing marginal gain



Team Sky are no strangers to controversy but the turbulence around their use of the Vortex skin suit, with its panels that enhance airflow past the arms and shoulders, is something they should embrace. There should be no hesitation in criticising Sky when it comes to jiffy bags and triamcinolone but in this particular area, they appear to be in the right and they are doing precisely what they – and all teams that have the resources and backing to so do – should be doing: pushing the boundaries of what is permitted within the rules. If that prompts debate, so much the better....

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... ginal-gain

[pErvinalia]

Peter Sagan won yet another stage today. He's on track to be the greatest ever Tour de France cyclist, even while being a sprinter as opposed to a GC contender. I so hope he's not on drugs.