Tour De France - What a load of B******s
20 July 2012, 09:55 PM
#1
Pontificating
Thread Starter
Tour De France - What a load of B******s
I've been following this quite closely this year after about 20 years of not watching it.
It's really put me off watching again, just like the Eurovision song contest on bikes with all the politics
.
For the past week I'd wondered why no one was getting close to Wiggins and how the gap had remained at 2 minutes and 5 seconds for so many days.
I feel for Chris Froome, we'll never know if he could have beaten Wiggins because of team orders, what a joke. It should be about about man and machine and not team and slowing because your captain doesn't want to make a race of it, I guess the clue is in the title, it's been a tour not a race.
Media relations also handled very poorly by Sky, considering the size of that media organisation they've made a pigs ear of this.
Good luck to Wiggins and great to see a Brit win it, but I cant be bothered with the last 2 days.
Pulls on flame proofed lycra cycling shorts and awaits the SN peloton
It's really put me off watching again, just like the Eurovision song contest on bikes with all the politics
.For the past week I'd wondered why no one was getting close to Wiggins and how the gap had remained at 2 minutes and 5 seconds for so many days.
I feel for Chris Froome, we'll never know if he could have beaten Wiggins because of team orders, what a joke. It should be about about man and machine and not team and slowing because your captain doesn't want to make a race of it, I guess the clue is in the title, it's been a tour not a race.
Media relations also handled very poorly by Sky, considering the size of that media organisation they've made a pigs ear of this.
Good luck to Wiggins and great to see a Brit win it, but I cant be bothered with the last 2 days.
Pulls on flame proofed lycra cycling shorts and awaits the SN peloton
20 July 2012, 10:14 PM
#3
Pontificating
Thread Starter
So no longer a race then ?
I understand that team orders exist but just like F1, it's not in the spirit of the sport imo, Froome has clearly been eager to break away but he's not allowed to, tainted yellow jersey imo.
I understand that team orders exist but just like F1, it's not in the spirit of the sport imo, Froome has clearly been eager to break away but he's not allowed to, tainted yellow jersey imo.
20 July 2012, 10:25 PM
#4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18899902
Good read here, even L'equipe have endorsed Wiggo rather than the subtle suggestions of wrongdoing they normally make. Agreed it's been pretty boring this year, we've seen a masterclass by Sky of how to establish a lead and then kill the race.
IMHO Froome had the legs to takeon Wiggo on the hills but in the time trials, who knows?
Good read here, even L'equipe have endorsed Wiggo rather than the subtle suggestions of wrongdoing they normally make. Agreed it's been pretty boring this year, we've seen a masterclass by Sky of how to establish a lead and then kill the race.
IMHO Froome had the legs to takeon Wiggo on the hills but in the time trials, who knows?
20 July 2012, 10:28 PM
#5
Not the point I was making at all. The simple truth is that these days it's not a contest anyone can win without the support of a well-organized team, so Wiggins is absolutely no different in that respect than any other strong contender. So far as Froome's chances are concerned, you also have to remember that if the team wasn't riding as it has been for the purposes of maximizing Wiggins's chances, Froome would be nowhere near the front in overall standings either.
Trending Topics
20 July 2012, 10:52 PM
#9
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Class record holder at Pembrey Llandow Goodwood MIRA Hethel Blyton Curborough Lydden and Snetterton
Posts: 8,626
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cav overtaking those 2 wasn't that spectacular, but what was spectacular was the fact that the other sprinters in the peleton were blasted away. So much for saving himself for the Olympics, oh and wiggins is well deserved. Froome may have wanted to pull away in the odd climb but Bradley basically told him to wind his neck in, they didn't need to turn on the taps given the other rivals positions at those times.
20 July 2012, 11:08 PM
#10
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 748
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OP missing the point; road racing is about team tactics and the basic premise that a large group of riders can move faster than a smaller number.
Man vs man with equal machinery is time trials and pursuit.
Man vs man with equal machinery is time trials and pursuit.
20 July 2012, 11:12 PM
#11
Pontificating
Thread Starter
Fair do's I stand corrected then, I clearly dont understand the Tour well enough.
What chance Froome's missus jumping out of the crowd and pushing wiggins off his bike LOL her "banter" with Mrs Wiggins has been interesting to say the least.
What chance Froome's missus jumping out of the crowd and pushing wiggins off his bike LOL her "banter" with Mrs Wiggins has been interesting to say the least.
21 July 2012, 12:19 AM
#14
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Deepest Darkest Kernow
Posts: 4,404
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Sky's dominance is clear to see, and, they went there with the GC in mind and chose who they thought to be the most likely winner given the route this year. The other teams and team leaders were not as well prepared as Sky/Wiggo/Froome/Cav. Oh and doping has been and still is rife in the sport - just look at Armstrong, great as he is, he too is highly likely a doper sadly. Then we have Frank Schleck..........
Still a great event - largest annual spectator sporting event in the world and great to see live, especially in the Alps or Pyrenees.
Still a great event - largest annual spectator sporting event in the world and great to see live, especially in the Alps or Pyrenees.
21 July 2012, 12:56 PM
#15
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 458
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't feel sorry for Froome at all. He signed a more lucrative contract (3yrs) to ride for Sky, knowing that his role this year would be to guide Wiggins to the yellow jersey. He knew what was expected of him when he signed the contract.
Think that Sky's race tactics have been genius and I have really enjoyed the race. Wiggins showed class when he held the peleton back when he found out that Cadel had been a victim of "tackgate".
It has been a sad episode all the tweeting row between the WAGS-not needed to be played out in public IMHO.
Think that Sky's race tactics have been genius and I have really enjoyed the race. Wiggins showed class when he held the peleton back when he found out that Cadel had been a victim of "tackgate".
It has been a sad episode all the tweeting row between the WAGS-not needed to be played out in public IMHO.
22 July 2012, 04:41 PM
#16
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 39,877
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've been following this quite closely this year after about 20 years of not watching it.
It's really put me off watching again, just like the Eurovision song contest on bikes with all the politics.
For the past week I'd wondered why no one was getting close to Wiggins and how the gap had remained at 2 minutes and 5 seconds for so many days.
I feel for Chris Froome, we'll never know if he could have beaten Wiggins because of team orders, what a joke. It should be about about man and machine and not team and slowing because your captain doesn't want to make a race of it, I guess the clue is in the title, it's been a tour not a race.
Media relations also handled very poorly by Sky, considering the size of that media organisation they've made a pigs ear of this.
Good luck to Wiggins and great to see a Brit win it, but I cant be bothered with the last 2 days.
Pulls on flame proofed lycra cycling shorts and awaits the SN peloton
It's really put me off watching again, just like the Eurovision song contest on bikes with all the politics
.For the past week I'd wondered why no one was getting close to Wiggins and how the gap had remained at 2 minutes and 5 seconds for so many days.
I feel for Chris Froome, we'll never know if he could have beaten Wiggins because of team orders, what a joke. It should be about about man and machine and not team and slowing because your captain doesn't want to make a race of it, I guess the clue is in the title, it's been a tour not a race.
Media relations also handled very poorly by Sky, considering the size of that media organisation they've made a pigs ear of this.
Good luck to Wiggins and great to see a Brit win it, but I cant be bothered with the last 2 days.
Pulls on flame proofed lycra cycling shorts and awaits the SN peloton
Les
22 July 2012, 06:45 PM
#17
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: North Wales.
Posts: 4,636
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
He joked once that he`d had an extra lung put in during his cancer treatment....the thick French tw@ts actually believed him! **** the French and their witch hunt.
22 July 2012, 07:16 PM
#18
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Where`s your proof? Even the Frogs can`t prove it. He was one of the most tested athletes on the planet. They used to go to his home at any time of the day and perform random drug tests.....he passed every time. Even now, the b@stards are testing samples they still have from the eighties using technology which wasn`t available back then, determined to besmirch his good name. What have they come up with?
He joked once that he`d had an extra lung put in during his cancer treatment....the thick French tw@ts actually believed him! **** the French and their witch hunt.
He joked once that he`d had an extra lung put in during his cancer treatment....the thick French tw@ts actually believed him! **** the French and their witch hunt.
23 July 2012, 11:16 PM
#20
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Deepest Darkest Kernow
Posts: 4,404
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Where`s your proof? Even the Frogs can`t prove it. He was one of the most tested athletes on the planet. They used to go to his home at any time of the day and perform random drug tests.....he passed every time. Even now, the b@stards are testing samples they still have from the eighties using technology which wasn`t available back then, determined to besmirch his good name. What have they come up with?
He joked once that he`d had an extra lung put in during his cancer treatment....the thick French tw@ts actually believed him! **** the French and their witch hunt.
He joked once that he`d had an extra lung put in during his cancer treatment....the thick French tw@ts actually believed him! **** the French and their witch hunt.
, just travelled around France in a car camping for two weeks. I saw him several times at the team bus and almost managed to get his autograph, like I said I'm a huge fan.
23 July 2012, 11:39 PM
#21
Where`s your proof? Even the Frogs can`t prove it. He was one of the most tested athletes on the planet. They used to go to his home at any time of the day and perform random drug tests.....he passed every time. Even now, the b@stards are testing samples they still have from the eighties using technology which wasn`t available back then, determined to besmirch his good name. What have they come up with?
He joked once that he`d had an extra lung put in during his cancer treatment....the thick French tw@ts actually believed him! **** the French and their witch hunt.
He joked once that he`d had an extra lung put in during his cancer treatment....the thick French tw@ts actually believed him! **** the French and their witch hunt.
24 July 2012, 01:35 PM
#23
Scooby Regular
As above, its a team event, always has been. Just because Sky pro cycling supported Bradley Wiggins to the overall win, didn't stop a couple of hundered other guys pushing for the win.
As for Lance Armstrong, I hope he's innocent too, but sadly it looks like that may not be the case. And yes, its the American's who are after him, not the French - much to do with his being part of the US Postal Service team (and hence US tax dollars funded) as anything I suspect. There's no doubt that many in the team at that time were doping in a highly structured and organised manner. Ok, that doesn't prove Lance was, but its a difficult one to accept.
Oh, and wasn't it testicular cancer that he had (albeit later in his lungs and brain). That's a known side effect of testosterone doping
As for Lance Armstrong, I hope he's innocent too, but sadly it looks like that may not be the case. And yes, its the American's who are after him, not the French - much to do with his being part of the US Postal Service team (and hence US tax dollars funded) as anything I suspect. There's no doubt that many in the team at that time were doping in a highly structured and organised manner. Ok, that doesn't prove Lance was, but its a difficult one to accept.
Oh, and wasn't it testicular cancer that he had (albeit later in his lungs and brain). That's a known side effect of testosterone doping
24 July 2012, 11:14 PM
#24
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: here, there, everywhere
Posts: 3,111
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
imo and its just that ped's are used widley at top level sport, cycling has been particulalry heavily involved.
but many sports are affected, what happened to the ped use scandal in golf where one voice nearly confessed all, then suddenly never mentioned again?
but many sports are affected, what happened to the ped use scandal in golf where one voice nearly confessed all, then suddenly never mentioned again?
24 July 2012, 11:36 PM
#25
I've been following this quite closely this year after about 20 years of not watching it.
It's really put me off watching again, just like the Eurovision song contest on bikes with all the politics.
For the past week I'd wondered why no one was getting close to Wiggins and how the gap had remained at 2 minutes and 5 seconds for so many days.
I feel for Chris Froome, we'll never know if he could have beaten Wiggins because of team orders, what a joke. It should be about about man and machine and not team and slowing because your captain doesn't want to make a race of it, I guess the clue is in the title, it's been a tour not a race.
Media relations also handled very poorly by Sky, considering the size of that media organisation they've made a pigs ear of this.
Good luck to Wiggins and great to see a Brit win it, but I cant be bothered with the last 2 days.
Pulls on flame proofed lycra cycling shorts and awaits the SN peloton
It's really put me off watching again, just like the Eurovision song contest on bikes with all the politics
.For the past week I'd wondered why no one was getting close to Wiggins and how the gap had remained at 2 minutes and 5 seconds for so many days.
I feel for Chris Froome, we'll never know if he could have beaten Wiggins because of team orders, what a joke. It should be about about man and machine and not team and slowing because your captain doesn't want to make a race of it, I guess the clue is in the title, it's been a tour not a race.
Media relations also handled very poorly by Sky, considering the size of that media organisation they've made a pigs ear of this.
Good luck to Wiggins and great to see a Brit win it, but I cant be bothered with the last 2 days.
Pulls on flame proofed lycra cycling shorts and awaits the SN peloton
froome is still very young by tour standards and will get his go at the gc in good time, and had he taken the first time trials and gone into yellow before wiggins the team would of rode for him im sure.
chris broadman said 2 years ago he wouldnt see an brit win the tour in his life time, well team sky have produced a 1 2 for the brits and cav will win back the green jersery next year im sure,
this is a fantastic good news story, bringing back clean winning for all to enjoy
nobody would batter an eye if chris atkinson pulled over for petter to win an championship, its just the same in pro cycling bud.
25 July 2012, 06:10 PM
#26
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: nr leeds
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i thought it was an awesome showing by all of the sky team, some of those guys did an awful lot of work to keep wiggo in the right positions. i dont think froome would have won it tbh even if he was allowed, i have a feeling wiggo wasnt going all out some of the time and was thinking of the long game as in reserving energy.
froome is defo one to watch though in the future, it`ll be interesting to see if someone buys him out of his contract for next year though
froome is defo one to watch though in the future, it`ll be interesting to see if someone buys him out of his contract for next year though
25 July 2012, 07:26 PM
#27
Pontificating
Thread Starter
fella its a TEAM sport always has been, wiggins winnings and cav's stage winnings etc etc go into one pot then are shared out to the whole team, wheel tec's ,chefs and drivers etc etc
froome is still very young by tour standards and will get his go at the gc in good time, and had he taken the first time trials and gone into yellow before wiggins the team would of rode for him im sure.
chris broadman said 2 years ago he wouldnt see an brit win the tour in his life time, well team sky have produced a 1 2 for the brits and cav will win back the green jersery next year im sure,
this is a fantastic good news story, bringing back clean winning for all to enjoy
nobody would batter an eye if chris atkinson pulled over for petter to win an championship, its just the same in pro cycling bud.
froome is still very young by tour standards and will get his go at the gc in good time, and had he taken the first time trials and gone into yellow before wiggins the team would of rode for him im sure.
chris broadman said 2 years ago he wouldnt see an brit win the tour in his life time, well team sky have produced a 1 2 for the brits and cav will win back the green jersery next year im sure,
this is a fantastic good news story, bringing back clean winning for all to enjoy
nobody would batter an eye if chris atkinson pulled over for petter to win an championship, its just the same in pro cycling bud.
I stood corrected a looooong time ago
25 July 2012, 10:53 PM
#28
26 July 2012, 02:49 PM
#29
Pontificating
Thread Starter
26 July 2012, 03:30 PM
#30
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Northampton, Xbox GamerTag - Neanderthal1976
Posts: 6,850
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We'll find out at the Olympics how good Wiggins is as an individual.
Can't see why he's being singled out for a knighthood if it was down to team management for him winning the Tour.
Looks great in the news though, prior to the farce that'll be the 2012 Olympics white elephant, a British rider winning the TdF etc.
Can't see why he's being singled out for a knighthood if it was down to team management for him winning the Tour.
Looks great in the news though, prior to the farce that'll be the 2012 Olympics white elephant, a British rider winning the TdF etc.