TdF

[tenacious1]

I retract my endorsement of steephilltv. I got a virus from one of the European TV links Saturday morning.

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[tenacious1]

Stage 16 - What is wrong with these people? Mondays are supposed to be rest days!

[ctjim]

Gerraint Thomas.

OUCH !!

[wherestheportojohn]

 
Sharp corners, steep descent, wicked speed, other bikers on the road.

...he's up and back racing....yay!

[InflatableLawnTurkey]

Wow, I thought G Thomas was out after that.
I would be staying far far away from Barguil if I were riding. If he doesn't cause a crash, he still right there.

[ctjim]

REST DAY !!!!

[ctjim]

a few good Sagan nuggets in here:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fifth-near-win-for-sagan-at-tour-de-france

An attack on the descent of the Col de Manse in pursuit of Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida) proved futile in the search for stage 16 victory but the aggressive tactics of Sagan saw the 25-year-old claim 45 more points in the green jersey competition and win the day's most aggressive rider award for a second straight day.

"I knew the descent from two years ago and from seeing it on television with the Beloki crash," Sagan said of the incident in 2003 that saw Lance Armstrong forced off the road and into a field before re-join the road. "I was again very close. I'm glad because I was going for second place... No, I'm joking. I really don't know what I should do better. I tried everything. I knew I had to try as hard as I could in the descent, even if it meant dying."

As Sagan approached the line, 30 seconds down on Plaza, he took his hands off the bars and thumped his chest, explaining that he and his teammates had watched The Wolf of Wall Street and he was recreating a scene from the film to demonstrate his pride in performance during the 201km stage.


"I am proud for what I have, everybody watching me, everybody looking at what I do. Maybe unlucky, but for me, I am proud because I think everybody is scared of me and nobody wants to work with me, they want to be with me in the break, after no one wants to work with me," he said. "They are thinking I do everything but I don't know, it's cycling...

"I have very good friends in the group. [If] Everybody stay with me then it's very hard to beat everybody, but it's ok," he added on another runner's up position.

In the mix zone after the podium protocols, an ebullient Sagan called out 'Hello Froomey', while the riders in the green and yellow jerseys enjoyed a brief moment of banter in between interviews, with Sagan telling Froome to flip his cap down before the duo went their separate ways.

After the exchange, Sagan was asked why he went into the breakaway for a third straight day, replying because "I have big balls" leaving the interviewer stunned before letting out a nervous laugh and continuing on.

Sagan may have been enjoying the questions from the media, explaining that the result "is motivation" to continue trying, but Tinkov wasn't as chipper in his post-stage comments.

"I think I am more disappointed than Peter because Peter looks happy," Tinkov said in Gap. "I look disappointed for him. I think Peter is the strongest rider of this Tour de France, for me he is stronger than Chris Froome, and he deserves at least one win."

With a fourth green jersey all but assured in Paris, and possibly the most aggressive rider prize as well, Sagan expects the efforts of his breakaway adventures to catch up with him. The Slovakian will inevitably take a back seat to overall contender Alberto Contador as the race heads into the Alps. The focus will be to try and wrestle the yellow jersey off of Froome's shoulders.

"It will be a very hard next four days. I think the invoice from these three stages will come in the next four days," Sagan said. "I have to pay for what I did."

[Mrtambourineman]

I love Sagan!  He gives the best interviews.  Man, I'd like to buy him a beer. 

[tenacious1]

Stage 17 -- Digne-les Bains to Pra Loup. This is a little northeast of Nice, headed into the Alps.

[tenacious1]

They're on the category 2 climb.

5:04
Van Garderen is dropped again

Tejay van Garderen is again in difficulty with 73km to go

  Maybe he's just struggling a little after the rest day?

[tenacious1]

Tinkoff went on a rant at the UCI and mentioned Velon which I'd never heard of. So I googled it.

http://www.velon.cc/about/ It looks like an team/owners group maybe?

[tenacious1]

Darn. 

He had been sitting in third place overall, 3:32 behind race leader Chris Froome (Sky) and just 22 seconds behind Movistar's Nairo Quintana. On the first climb of the day, however, it became clear that something was wrong as van Garderen slipped behind on the category 3 Col des Lèques.

The American was seen back at the medical car as he trailed some two minutes behind the maillot jaune group.

A slowing in the main peloton and a descent from the Col de Touts Aures allowed van Garderen to rejoin the group of race favourites, but an attack by Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) sent him out the back once more.

The category 2 Col de la Colle proved to be the end of the road for van Garderen, and he signaled to his team car to stop.


It is the first time in his career that he abandoned a Grand Tour.

The third place spot now goes to Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-garderen-drops-out-of-tour-de-france

[ctjim]

 

[tenacious1]

Talansky took a second!

Sagan will be all upset.

[tenacious1]

Kwiatkowski abandoned, too. I noticed at least three other abandons in the live feed. It must have been a brutal stage.

[Mrtambourineman]

Oh no!   

[ihop]

 

[wherestheportojohn]

  tee jay

[tenacious1]

Stage 18

[tenacious1]

Talansky and Hesjedal both made the break. Maybe Garmin will get a win.