Off Topic Tour de France

There are a few QPR players who should be told "on yer bike"

 

Froome loses the Yellow Jersey to Fabio Aru as Bardet wins stage...

 

Aru just had the reserves on the 20% incline final 100m and Froome didn't, despite having 2 team mates carrying him

Contador and Quintana blew up as well

 

Froome retakes the Yellow Jersey with a brilliant attack inside the last kilometre to take advantage of Aru caught in the pack and lost 25 seconds...

 

Landa is a beast. Sky have some team supporting Froome.

 

This.

Always worrying watching Froome, coz he never panics when a small gap develops, but just just carries on with that awkward scurrying motion of his and slowly closes it back again. It always looks like he's blown up and can't respond, yet he does.

I wonder if Quintana regrets the decision to try for all three Grand Tours this year. His performance at the mo is not what we're used to - although I guess the final weeks mountain stages might see a recovery.

 

Col du Galibier today, highest point on the Tour 2642 metres, tough day ahead.

Also this is shows how a riders legs look after 16 stages.

 

That can't be good for you, when your veins are heavier than your body fat.

 

There's certainly something very unhealthy about that photo......

 

Today will be the day of reckoning for the leaders, Bardet is the great French hope but he'll need to take some significant time off Froome to to have a chance of winning as Froome is a good in the time trial. They'll be at approximately 8,500 feet today, virtually twice the height of Ben Nevis...

 

Couple of crashes already with Green Jersey holder Kittle apparently in a bad way.....

 

I am Groot.

 

Too many hours spent on planes enables me to get the modern movie reference at last!

 

I did these mountains 2 years ago. It was amazing but very scary. Fantastic experience.

 

Green Jersey holder Kittel abandons the race at the top of Croix de Fer, hardly surprising looking at this picture.....

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This was the early crash that did for Kittel...

 

You have to hand it to these cyclists, they are incredible athletes, the strength of mind and body to complete the TdeF is something else.

Froome extends his lead by 9 seconds with 3 proper stages to go, although the Time Trial around Marseille on Saturday should secure the win for Froome, tomorrow could be the last chance the chasing pack gets to overtake Froome at the top......

I've been watching the highlights on S4C at 10pm which is interesting, not understanding a word of Welsh, but as they say the action speaks louder than words......

 

My wife & I watch all the Grand Tours and this one is a cracker. We record the highlights programme on ITV4 at 7pm and watch it when we can.

Still can't get her to come to Loftus Road, though... :-(

 

It's an amazingly competitive race this year. Normally by this stage in the Tour the leader has a solid lead from perhaps one main rival, to have three riders within 27 seconds and a couple more within one and a half minutes is something I can't remember happening in the 50 years I've followed the race. Thursday sees a monster mountain finish up the Col d'Izoard which may be the last chance for the climbers to take time off Froome who has Mikel Landa covering his back in 5th place overall...

 

Landa's performance reminds me of when Froome was supporting Wiggins but was clearly stronger

If Froome takes it this year I can see Sky having a major dilemma on their hands a la the Richie Porte situation