I have just read the Simon Maltby thread. Glad to hear yor on the mend after your own incident. Chill out and enjoy the tour.
Guys fall from their bikes, or get knocked off at 60+ kph.....AND GET ON AGAIN AND CARRY ON! None of your 'slight taps' and falling down like some of the Prima Donnas in football.
They don't all get up and crack on though, a couple have headed off in ambulances. I don't think we've seen the last crash yet. Carnage in the last 15k? We shall see, a full on sprinters finish in the offing.
Love to ride my bike around Brantingham Dales in a summer, go past the Church or rest up in a field for a while and take in the view. The Humber is easily seen, best time I've found it just after the harvest has been gathered. No fancy racing bike just a Raleigh tourer but has 18 gears, shame its now made in China instead of Nottingham
Have you seen the SRM stats site? I'm not sure why the selcted riders are on, perhaps they're just the ones tagged? Better when the race is on, of course. http://data.srmlive.de/TDF/
Cheers Dutch! They gave out the info during the race, but I didn't get chance to find the site. Thanks again.
Stages 18 and 19 look like beasts! They'll certainly separate the men from the boys (the climbers from the sprinters)
what excellent racing yesterday. cavendish just came from nowhere... not sure on today, there will be an abundance of breaks and, after such a long stage, i wonder if one of them might just succeed.
Sean Kelly has it down as another sprint finish........fast pace; sprinters and GC riders having to stay up front; crashes quite likely.
Rain capes, tail winds, skinny roads, erratic motorbike riders. All the ingredients are in place for a breakaway to give the peleton something to think about.
I agree Impy - 18 and 19 are both beasts, both having an HC finish. But I feel we won't have to wait till them for the sifting and sorting to occur. Stage 12: 1 x Cat 1; 2 x HC Stage 13: 1 x HC Stage 14: 2 x Cat 2; 2 x Cat 1; HC finish Stage 17: 2 x Cat 3; 2 x Cat 2; 1 x Cat 1 Stage 18: 2 x HC; HC finish (Galibier) Stage 19: 1 x Cat 1; 1 x HC; HC finish (l'Alpe d'Huez) Big stuff a-coming!