Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[Pompey Wolf]

Chapeau to Nairo today. Gave it everything and clearly the strongest rider in the final week. If only he hadn't lost that time in the crosswinds we could have had the craziest finish to a Tour ever today.

 

[darlowolf64]

So, what's the story with today? Is Quintana not allowed to attack Froome to try to get the 1'12 back and win?

 

[thehistorymakers]

So, what's the story with today? Is Quintana not allowed to attack Froome to try to get the 1'12 back and win?

No, not on the last day.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

So, what's the story with today? Is Quintana not allowed to attack Froome to try to get the 1'12 back and win?

In theory he can, in the past if the last stage has been a time trial it has been known for the lead to change hands, but protocol means it would be frowned upon (to put it mildly) if he did.

Also the practicalities of it means he wont, it is a dead flat stage the sprinter teams will make sure the pelaton stays together as it is a prestige stage for them to win, add to that Quintana hasnt got the tools to launch the sort of breakaway required, so he wont.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Froome deserves great credit for his superb performance, but instead of that people are questioning the legality of his win. It seems unfair to me.

 

[thehistorymakers]

French police open fire at car that tried to break through barricades in Paris square where Tour de France ends later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33668196

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Griepel wins on the Champs Elysees.

Chapeau Chris Froome on a second yellow jersey win and also I think a first polka dot jersey for Britain since Robert Millar.

Bring on the Vuelta.

 

[thehistorymakers]

WELL DONE CHRIS FROOME.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

His speech was magnificent on the podium

"I will never disrespect this jersey" is as clear an "I am clean" moment as you can get.

Just looked at the Vuelta route. Lovely to see places I know like Mijas and Estepona. However, no Lagos de Cavodonga, no Angliru. Not really a climbers vuelta.

 

[thehistorymakers]

I hope to make my Wolves shirt seen at Cordoba. Will do a few more stages too. Will be blistering heat.

 

[thehistorymakers]

His speech was magnificent on the podium

"I will never disrespect this jersey" is as clear an "I am clean" moment as you can get.

Just looked at the Vuelta route. Lovely to see places I know like Mijas and Estepona. However, no Lagos de Cavodonga, no Angliru. Not really a climbers vuelta.

He was nearly in tears, who can blame him. He has done Britain proud.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I hope to make my Wolves shirt seen at Cordoba. Will do a few more stages too. Will be blistering heat.

Well after the week I just had in the Algarve I can confirm it is scorchio. Guaia was a furnace.

 

[thehistorymakers]

Cordoba( The city I live in ), to Cazorla on the 27th of August. Cazorla like many more parts of Spain, have had major forrest fires in the last few weeks. I can't remember any day in the last 4 weeks that hasn't reached 40 degrees. It looks like Contador is out of it. Valverde said today he is tired, but would make a decision in about a week. Froome double up for grabs?

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/raci...2015-route-leaked-featuring-new-climbs-151659

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I dont think Froome will play. I think Geraint might with that parcours.

 

[Knockout Ned]

Not sure G's a grand tour contender, definitely a classics man & maybe suited to shorter stage race.

Would be ace to see it though, Vuelta this year would surely be too soon? It's difficult to keep at peak form all season and he's been flying since (before) April.

 

[Wombat del combate]

So, now we wait for Froome to submit himself to the physiological tests he promised recently and thereon their results. I don't think he is a doper unless Sky have committed to a programme that makes Armstrong's efforts look like the equivalent of popping into Boots and grabbing a handful of Pro Plus. I appreciated Donegal's post about the marginal gains that don't seem to be being matched but I think this tour has shown that although their team is strong Sky aren't crushing everybody in sight, and perhaps it is as simple as that, they have a great deal of strength in depth and the domestiques will happily (or are contractually obliged to) bury themselves for Froome.

In my opinion if Movistar had been a bit braver or found their antidote to Sky's hegemony maybe even as little as a few days earlier I think the result would have been different; the last two days where Thomas cracked and Froome was left isolated indicated to me that there are ways to weaken him.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

And to be fair this was the first time I have seen Sky really ride strongly since Wiggins won in 2012. I seem to remember Froome was left isolated a lot of the time in 2013. Astana were ridiculously strong as a team in this years Giro (shock). I'm no Sky fanboy but they definitely seem to jumped on quicker than other teams. Was Froome even the strongest rider in the race? Because you could make a good case for saying that was Quintana. Hardly crushing all before him.

 

[thehistorymakers]

I think Froome had everything under control.He took his foot off the pedal on the last few stages, knowing that he had done enough.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

I think he would have liked to have won on Alpe de Huez in the maillot jaune if he was able to...

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Froome had a chest infection in the last week apparently.