Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[Johnny75]

Fuglsang wins the final stage and the Dauphinee.

Froome a bit off the pace today.

Very exciting finish and glad to see a winner win a couple of stages. Felt a little bit for Porte today as his team just isn't strong enough which I think will do his Tour chances in. Froome looks to be on the wane, as good as he is I think others are going to overtake him but then again Team Sky look very strong compared to everybody else. Going to be a very good tour in a few weeks.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

To be fair Froome has done a lot less racing this year and stuck mainly to training camps. Sure he would have liked to win this week but he's building nicely for the Tour. He's still the man to beat for me.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

All about to start with the Individual Time Trial in Dusseldorf. I fancy Tony Martin to take the first yellow. My main hope is that none of the favourites come a cropper in what are expected to be pretty foul conditions. Three weeks of televisual feast ahead. Cannot wait.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Amazing stage win for Geraint. Such a shame to lose Valverde so early.

 

[Johnny75]

Amazing stage win for Geraint. Such a shame to lose Valverde so early.

It is a shame about Valverde and could well have broken Quintana's chances too. Great win for Thomas and Sky looked imperious today.

 

[machin05]

Great effort by Froome to finish too. Puts him in a great position going into the tour, proper.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Froome and Thomas together at the front over the early stages then

 

[Johnny75]

Froome and Thomas together at the front over the early stages then

Kwiatkowski too. They have a brilliant team this year. Porte, Contador and Quintana already looking at him with problems of their own.

 

[SSB]

God. Matt Smith ain't half boring to listen to.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Try Sean Kelly when he gets going on Eurosport. Agony.

Juan Antonio Flecha at the moment, and he is very listenable though

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Big crash has seen Froome kiss the tarmac. Looks like he is okay but playing catch up rugby to rejoin the peloton before the finish

 

[Wombat del combate]

I'm listening to ITV4 which I find rather pleasant. Hopeful that Cav might snatch a stage or two after his showing yesterday; not sure how the GC will pan out following Quintana's loss of his lieutenant (a huge shame, considering Valverde's form up to that point) and the nature of the stages, plus the fact that Froome has a handy advantage over everyone already.

BTW, Luke Rowe went for a brain scan(!) after the crash yesterday. Thankfully no damage found.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Huge accident for Cav.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

Fucking hell losing Cav and Sagan in one moment. Bollocks.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Sagan probably rightly disqualified. He left Cav with no alternative but to hit the barriers. A great shame as I really like Sagan and I am sure there was no real intent. But that is sprinting.

Is Cav definitely done as well or will the doctors make a call in the morning?

 

[Tony Towner]

He's gone to hospital, but thinks he's snapped a tendon in his elbow - I think that's what he said in his 5live interview anyway

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

That would be him done. I think it will be anyway. Tomorrow is okay but he isn't getting up the Planche the day after with a serious knock and making it before the broom wagon

 

[Pompey Wolf]

He has a fake ligament in his shoulder from snapping it in the crash 3 years ago that he thinks he's snapped. Looked like a collarbone to me. I'd be stunned if he lines up tomorrow. Love Sagan, real shame for the tour but hard to defend from the pictures

 

[Pompey Wolf]

Planche is tomorrow Pad.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Is it? I thought they had one more sprinter stage. My bad. In that case he DEFINITELY won't line up. Planche is a really tough climb for Cav even fully fit.