See you [le Tour] OP Updated as of stage 17

msh1283

If Boonen isn't relegated for the intermediate sprint today, I will lose all faith in the impartiality of the judges.

LTM

Boonen and points leader Rojas were both disqualified for the bonus points

Also:

@SC_Cycling wrote:

Best tactics so far this #TdF goes to race committee's skilled defense of Gilbert's green jersey.

It'll be interesting to see if Boonen starts tomorrow, sounds like he went down hard.

facetious

I only caught the latter part of today's stage, what happened in the intermediate sprints?

msh1283

facetious wrote: »

I only caught the latter part of today's stage, what happened in the intermediate sprints?

Boonen and Rojas were sprinting like a pair of cat V's. Hilariously weaving all over the road, cut off Cav and a few others.

LTM

Hey hey hey...hey HEY hey hey, as the lower end of the cat 5 spectrum, I take offense to that.

Turambar

More like Thor de France 8-)

Another great day for the norwegians

LTM

That joke is already for sale

LTM

Absolutely brutal day, spoiled just because:

Boonen withdraws, Horner injures himself out, Wiggins injures himself out, Levi loses MORE time

Sadly, I probably won't watch it until Sunday, along with Super-Besse...

Vann Diras

LTM wrote: »

I just saw a single speed on craigslist the other day, pretty tricked out old track bike turned townie, for $300.

That's probably on the low end of what it would cost to find something new that is pleasant to look at and ride in the city.

dang

that is a lot

facetious

Fucking BARBED WIRE FENCE. Jesus. That was brutal.

But Thomas Voeckler! God I love that guy. He's just so damned gutsy.

Cos

Damn, I go to Nashville for the weekend and shit goes nuts in the Tour. Maybe I should've sprung for the Versus mobile app.

I love working in the bicycle industry, but I do hate the fact that my ability to watch all the stages has been severely limited.

LTM

Johny Hoogerland is the spiritual successor to Jens Voigt as cycling's Chuck Norris.

Also, if you're thinking of riding 202mi in a day, remember to chamois your butthole, not just your taint.

That's my only sagelike advice for Monday morning...

LTM

Jens Voigt has joined Twitter.

He's the only person with a 280 character limit.

facetious

^ that is outstanding.

Today's stage was fun toward the end. All those attacks and counter-attacks, for once I felt like one might have the chance of succeeding. Didn't pan out, but ah well.

LTM

Voeckler in yellow is the equivalent of a breakaway succeeding every day.

Sort of sad it happened the way it did (like Chavanel last year), but pretty awesome nonetheless.

facetious

Indeed.

LTM

Once I find a good TTT pic, my sig is gonna be so swank...

edit: wooooooooooooo

facetious

Thor Hushovd? Really?!

Did not expect that. Props to the guy.

facetious

Look, I've been trying to hold this in but

I'M IN LOVE WITH THOMAS VOECKLER.

2004 he became my first cycling crush. And all these years later, those feelings have matured.

LTM

I won't lie, I'm now pulling for him to win, simply because I'm pretty sure he can keep playing patty cake with the contenders this year.

Alberto needs another imported steak or this is gonna be really boring.

facetious

I don't know, it seems like Contador's modus operandi is to look mediocre in the Pyrenees and then own everybody in the Alps. Though granted he's looked a little worse than mediocre at times, I don't think it's out of the question that he's waiting to launch his one big attack and if he gets away even once, suddenly everything becomes more interesting.

facetious

Seriously though: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43786212/ns/sports-cycling/

How can you not love that guy?

LTM

We'll see on Alberto. He is still the best TT of the contenders, but he's also going into the Alps 2min behind the rest of them. He's gonna have to be Giro Alberto to get himself back into position next week.

Turambar

More like Tour de Norvège B-)

LTM

Holy crap, there's buttons on my reply window now...

Also, I guess Alberto's rest day birthday crack worked:

@albertocontador wrote:

Now celebrate 28 birthday of Dani Navarro = Crack

facetious

Called it. And suddenly the race becomes more interesting.

Although today also proved something I'd been thinking but hadn't stated in the thread: Cadel looks the strongest man of the tour to me.

LTM

I'll hold off on judgement until I watch the stage, but if all he did was follow Alberto around, I will be in disagreement.

LTM

Yeah, Cadel looked good. It still seemed like Alberto did most of the heavy lifting going up the climb, though.

I'm not entirely sure that we sorted out much today, actually. I have to say, Leopard should probably focus on Frank, though. Andy is in good position for a podium, but I don't think he's gonna make it to yellow.

I still hold out hope for Voeckler...

facetious

God, can you imagine though?

France would officially become a Party State.

Turambar

More like... etc
You get the gist :-D

LTM

People hate them some Schlecks this year. Twitter is blowing up with hate.

I really don't get why. LeOpard seems like a chill group of dudes, and Riis is a known jackass.

facetious

Aaaaah Voeckler lost time on the descent. I really thought he'd if anything gain time, but he was trying too damn hard. Shit.

Also I just realised I fucked up my math and/or understanding of the rules when talking about the young rider competition in the OP. Funnily enough, the day before the tour I edited it out, then edited it back in. Then forgot about it. But yeah, I guess last year was Andy's last year qualifying for it.

Snicketysnick

Probably lost time due to that Cyclist trap that someone had set up in their front yard I was expecting a net to land on them it was so perfectly placed.

facetious

Yeah that was kinda hilarious.

facetious

Interesting day today.

I literally cheered aloud when Voeckler came in under the time and retained yellow.

It's going to make me exhausted at work tomorrow night, but I think I'm going to somehow wake up to watch l'Alpe d'Huez live and then nap afterward before work.

LTM

Yeah, that was pretty amazing. I'll eat my words from the 19th now, thanks.

I just hope Andy didn't put himself in too much deficit for Huez and the TT. He looked absolutely cataclismic at the end. The good news is that, save Frank, it looked like everyone else was in trouble as well.

facetious

I still feel like Cadel's in a good position, because you have to think he's going to beat Andy handily in the time trial on Saturday. I think Andy knows he'll need to gain time again tomorrow, but will he have the legs?

Farthing

Devastated Cadel's now in fourth. In the past he's been expected to pull back time in the time trial and then pulled back not a lot. see: 2009 tour.

facetious

I guess I'm taking it for granted that the obviously exhausted state of Schleck's legs at the end of today's stage will carry over. I probably shouldn't expect the Schlecks to ever get tired, though.

Farthing

so, is anybody watching this right now?

I was heartbroken when cadel's bike broke but i guess it's to andy schleck's favour. Given what happened last tour, I can't be too angry about it.

addendum: tommy voeckler noooooo