Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[Paddingtonwolf]

Good day for Froome again and Nibali and Contador have lost quite a bit today.

 

[Knockout Ned]

Would have been nice for the team to get the win, but GC picture looks real good.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Ivan Basso out of the tour after diagnosis of testicular cancer. Poor bloke.

 

[Knockout Ned]

Always liked Basso, stylish rider.

Hope he makes a speedy recovery...

 

[Johnny75]

Not sure where to put this but it does seem appropriate on such a day. Geoff Thomas is doing the tour 2 days ahead and Lance Armstrong is joining him. All to raise money for cancer research.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

There has been monumental fuss made about Lance joining that ride. Seems OTT. It isn't competitive, and even though he had to leave Livestrong for obvious reasons, Lance is a cancer survivor and I can see his place helping Geoff out. Also Lance isn't doing the whole ride and has only joined for standard stages rather than the big mountains (or at least that was the case last time I checked).

If it helps raise money for Geoff's cause, and Lance isn't being paid in any way I have no problem with it.

 

[Johnny75]

Bang on Paddy. If it means more money is raised then good for everybody concerned.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Just watching the Eurosport build-up and they sent Juan Antonio Flecha up the climb today. It is an absolute horror.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Ar. 15km with a middle section at a whiff over 10%. ITV are also reckoning it's nearer 20km with 5km of false flat prior to the start of the climb proper.

In other news, Sky believe Froome has had his performance data hacked by people trying to prove he's on a chemically-supplemented training programme.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Some nob of a french blogger trying to prove something, by the sound of it.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Just about to hit the final climb then. Time to see who has the stones for GC.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Romain Bardet in trouble already. And Talansky and Dan Martin. Blimey.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Pinot has also gone pop. Bloody hell - Peraud too. This is going to be a very elite group at the top.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Fuck - Nibali has gone as well. 10k to go so he could lose a massive amount of time.

 

[Wombat del combate]

I think Sky are going to try and smash Nibali today. Quintana in there still though.

Re: Froome: I think it was another team or someone closely affiliated to one as Brailsford made a reference to (a) cheat(s) rather than someone going solo.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Big attack by Valverde. Sky pulling him back in but it has destroyed a lot of the group.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Contador slipped out the back!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Contador has gone. Bloody hell - this is Froome v Quintana v Van Garderen.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Van Garderen gone now! Fucking hell.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

And Froome attacks!