Tour de France (incl. Fantasy League)

DJnVa · Jul 3, 2014

A fantasy cycling league? Why not.

StupendousMan · Jul 3, 2014

There's another "fantasy cycling" contest run by velogames:

http://www.velogames.com/

It's free to enter, but there will be lots of competition for the first prize (a trip to France for next year's Tour): over 25,000 people competed in last year's event.

PaulinMyrBch · Jul 9, 2014

(Assuming this is the only TDF thread)

Brutal course day today. Cobbles and full day of rain. Froome out with a crash before the cobbles. I'm just catching the end, some riders clearly not happy with the course.

Those that follow cycling closer than I, what is your take on cobbles? On a dry day they seem antiquated, on a wet day they look brutal.

tulse_luper · Jul 9, 2014

They're horrendous to ride, but I have no problem with them appearing in the TdF every once in a while (or the sterrati in the Giro, etc). It's part of cycling's history and culture, and there's no rule that says a grand tour should only be decided by mountains or time trials. And since the vast majority of the big GC names don't go near any of the cobbled classics these days this is one of the very few chances we get to see those guys taking on this sort of terrain. I don't suppose we want to go all the way back to Henri Desgrange style Christians vs lions disregard for the riders' welfare, but it's supposed to be hard, and that was one of the best Tour stages in years.

>typoz

PaulinMyrBch · Jul 9, 2014

Just saw this, so the race organizers tried to lessen the effect of the weather.

Race organizers, sensing the dangers even before the stage began, scrapped two of the planned nine cobblestone patches that the peloton was to cover, and reduced the total length of the stage by 3 kilometers (1.8 miles), to 152.5 kilometers (94.7 miles), as a result.

Orange Julia · Jul 9, 2014

The rain is making everything exponentially worse. Several crashes were about the slick roads before ever hitting the cobbles. Sad to see Chris Froome limp to the team car and then seeing him 20 min later, still in the team car, still wearing his bike helmet like he couldn't even muster the strength to take it off.

Aren't the Schlecks supposed to be good at cobbles? I haven't seen them at all today.

tulse_luper · Jul 9, 2014

Andy survived the pave very well last time it appeared in the tour by latching onto Cancellara's wheel, but that pair are generally allergic to anything like this. Both severely deficient in grinta and bike handling skills.

Andy's already back home anyway, crashed and did his knee on stage 3.

Orange Julia · Jul 9, 2014

tulse_luper said:
Andy survived the pave very well last time it appeared in the tour by latching onto Cancellara's wheel, but that pair are generally allergic to anything like this. Both severely deficient in grinta and bike handling skills.

Andy's already back home anyway, crashed and did his knee on stage 3.

That didn't take long. I missed Stage 3. That would explain why I haven't seen him in two days.

Fred in Lynn · Jul 9, 2014

That was an exciting stage. I don't care what Teejay thinks. I'm with Roll on this one: you can't control the rain, you can't control the cobbles, and the goal should be to crown the best overall rider. Niboli is riding like he never wants to surrender yellow. Sad for Froome, but he abandoned before the cobbles. I think the wrist was too banged up to do much with the bike. Still think Contador will have a lot to say about this Tour.

StupendousMan · Jul 9, 2014

I think that the wet asphalt roads were a bigger danger to the riders today than the cobblestone sections. I watched the entire race coverage, and it seemed to me that more riders went down on the ordinary roads. For one thing, they were generally riding faster and trying to take turns (especially around roundabouts) at greater speed; for another, they weren't being as cautious as they were on the short cobbled patches. A good fraction of the riders who _did_ slip on the cobbled sections actually didn't strike the stones with their bodies, but fell onto the muddy grass off to the side.

Froome was looking slightly injured at the start, before he hit the deck the first time. He slipped and fell once, got up, continued riding, but looked tentative. The second time he fell, it was clear that he was really hurt: he was holding his right arm in an unusual position and limping badly, with a stiff right (?) leg. He's not my favorite rider, by any means, but I really felt sorry for him as he stood in the pouring rain, talking to his team car and making the decision to abandon.

Near the end of the race, the eventual winner (Lars Boom) and two Astana riders opened a small gap on a group of five riders who included Peter Sagan and Fabian Cancellara. It was curious that these two riders -- two of the best bike-handlers on the Tour, and two who one would normally favor to win a short 5-km section at the end of a stage -- couldn't manage to catch up with those three, and actually lost about 30-40 seconds over the final 5 km. Perhaps they were just exhausted and wet; but perhaps they were mutually afraid to pull the _other_ guy forward to catch the leaders, for fear that the _other_ guy would then win the sprint to the finish line. Hmmm.

Orange Julia · Jul 14, 2014

Wow. I was just posting over at TheronDC's facebook page about how this tour was all about just keeping it from Alberto Contador and not a minute later, he abandoned the tour. But here's my question, why don't they announce that to the riders over race radio? Everyone NBCSN talked to at the fin de la course had no idea that Froome had abandoned (on that stage) or that Contador had crashed out. Are team leaders the only one with race radio in their ear? Anyway, That Nibali is looking tired, but the question is who is going to challenge him on Wednesday? It looks freezing there today. All the team staff are bundled up in parkas!

and finally I really wish they would somehow announce where the podium girl dresses come from each day--some of them are really nice dresses!

Edit: Broken tibia for Contador. He actually tried to chase for a good 20 minutes before sending his team off without him. Ouch.

tulse_luper · Jul 14, 2014

The riders are on closed radios between team mates and the team car. Race Radio is the general info service that goes to all the team cars and the media, but not the riders.

That said I'm a little surprised the teams with a serious interest in GC didn't let their riders know he'd climbed off. Or that word didn't spread from those that were informed. Too much going on a hard, hectic day I guess.

From a neutral POV it pretty much sucks, anyway. Race for yellow all but over barring a disaster for Nibali. Green sewn up too. Gonna need to find some decent subplots over the next couple of weeks.

CheapSeats · Jul 14, 2014

tulse_luper said:
From a neutral POV it pretty much sucks, anyway. Race for yellow all but over barring a disaster for Nibali. Green sewn up too. Gonna need to find some decent subplots over the next couple of weeks.

Froome had it locked up. Contador v Nibali was supposed to be a thing. I'm still excited for what lies ahead, especially with all the climbing that's still to come. Hoping that Tejay rests up tomorrow and continues to push for a podium.

Still lots of racing to go.

bosoxsue · Jul 15, 2014

Orange Julia said:
Wow. I was just posting over at TheronDC's facebook page about how this tour was all about just keeping it from Alberto Contador and not a minute later, he abandoned the tour. But here's my question, why don't they announce that to the riders over race radio? Everyone NBCSN talked to at the fin de la course had no idea that Froome had abandoned (on that stage) or that Contador had crashed out. Are team leaders the only one with race radio in their ear? Anyway, That Nibali is looking tired, but the question is who is going to challenge him on Wednesday? It looks freezing there today. All the team staff are bundled up in parkas!

and finally I really wish they would somehow announce where the podium girl dresses come from each day--some of them are really nice dresses!

Edit: Broken tibia for Contador. He actually tried to chase for a good 20 minutes before sending his team off without him. Ouch.

Agreed about the podium dresses! And as for Contador, how tough is he, riding 20K (that's what I read yesterday, although I see nine miles in stories today) with a broken leg? I brought it up elsewhere yesterday, and of course someone chimed in with "He probably couldn't feel it because of the PEDs." I honestly just don't know how to respond to that.

Orange Julia · Jul 16, 2014

bosoxsue said:
Agreed about the podium dresses! And as for Contador, how tough is he, riding 20K (that's what I read yesterday, although I see nine miles in stories today) with a broken leg? I brought it up elsewhere yesterday, and of course someone chimed in with "He probably couldn't feel it because of the PEDs." I honestly just don't know how to respond to that.

Well honestly that's the first thing I thought...That he was pulling out of the race because his PED program wasn't robust enough. I don't think we can be faulted for thinking that. It is a very dopey sport.

Right now my little heart is breaking for Andrew Tolansky and I am surprised that Team Garmin didn't leave a team mate with him to try to get him to rally at least across the finish today. I'm a little behind in the coverage because I DVR it and the poor child is just crying by the side of the road and hey, he's getting back on his bike! I hope he makes it time. To not make it in time after all that--I hope there are lots of folks at the finish to give him some hugs.

PaulinMyrBch · Jul 16, 2014

Okay. I'll let that play out for you on replay. Although I'm guessing he's done again by now.

CheapSeats · Jul 16, 2014

Talansky had the guts today. Looks like there will be a similar amount of climbing. I hope he's up for that.

StupendousMan · Jul 17, 2014

Alas, Talansky did not start today's stage. His team stated

Talansky is "suffering the cumulative effects of multiple crashes during the first part of the Tour, in addition to battling an upper respiratory infection. The impact on his hip from the crash on Stage 7 has led to acute sacroiliitis, from which the pain has made it increasingly difficult for him to pedal."

Orange Julia · Jul 17, 2014

Yeah, that was too bad, but there will be plenty of TdF races for him in the future. NBCSN interviewed one of his teammates at the finish yesterday and he was definitely a jerk in his comments. I can't remember who it was but I will not be rooting for HIM. Too bad about de la Cruz. Looks like he broke his arm or collar bone. To the Alps!

therondc · Jul 23, 2014

How did no one tell me this thread existed!?!?! And that there's a fantasy league!? I'm in on Velogames, doing decent, with Ten Dam, Pinot, and Kristoff being the cheaper riders who are helping me. I also have Nibali, but so do a lot of folks. Losing Contador and Talansky basically killed any chances of doing very well though.

I'm a bit disappointed that Kwiatkowski has been so inconsistent after his great ride last year, and the general lack of suspense on the GC outcome (or at least the yellow jersey) since Contador's abandon have made this tour a bit odd.

therondc · Jul 24, 2014

Well, let the doping finger pointing begin again. Nibali basically solos up today's final climb, puts up the 27th best time ever on Hautacam. The 26 before him are entirely comprised of the '94 and '96 tours, and LA in '00. Not a great look.

Tour de France (incl. Fantasy League)

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