There was a thread the other day about the Tour De France - a sporting event I enjoy watching but there are clearly a few on here who know a bit about it. Yellow jersey today. Is he going to win?
He's looking strong at the moment but Cadel Evans is watching him like a hawk. Awful long way to go yet...
There was a comment about the UK being 'a minor cycling nation' doing the rounds today. That may have been the case in the past but with a Brit leading the Tour and a strong possibility of our Olympic team sweeping the board again (as they did in Beijing) nothing could now be more inappropriate. I cycle most days and while our facilities are cack our passion for cycling is certainly not.
Wiggins has a good team around him. If he can avoid crashing out, I think he'll win it. Like to see Cavendish win a few more stages as well. Chris Frome was awesome today.
i've never understood why Cavendish can win as many stages as Lance Armstrong but never seems to be in contention for winning the whole thing? Why is Wiggins winning when its Cavendish crossing the line first?
Cav is a sprinter, his team work for him to get him in challenging positions to win a stage but all the riders get the same time. Whereas in a stage like today's the sprinters are left behind losing up to half an hour in total time. It's the total time that decides the winner and Wiggins total time for the seven stages is the best so far...
Our facilities are, and have been for some time, amongst the best. Our cyclists have had about ten years of intensive coaching and preparation to get where they are today and are the envy of the rest of the world, it's one sport where we are, without doubt, the best in virtually every discipline...
Another thing I don't get. How can Cavendish complete the TDF then compete in the Olympics? Won't he be totally knackered? (Obvious drug jokes aside!!)
Pete I'm not convinced wiggins has the mental strength to win it. He is notoriously grumpy and a bit flaky. He's toughened up this year but Evans and cancellara will run him close. Unfortunately frank schleck crashed badly yesterday and is down the order somewhat. The mountains will sort them out.
Wiggins has a strong team, Chris Froome looked particularly good today but the big climbs are yet to come and I won't be surprised if Wiggins slips up in one of them. Schleck lost over 2 minutes in yesterdays carnage and another minute today, he's got it all to do...
I would say individually Wiggins is not the best rider (although still very good) but he has one of if not the strongest teams around him. It is much harder for the cyclist who have to go it alone as by riding behind a team mate saves up to about 20% of their energy, reducing wind resistance etc, although this can be a bit less in the mountains where the peleton can become stringed out. Cancellara may have too much to do after the mountain stages and will rely on the long time trials to make up time so maybe the outsider of the three. I would say evans is the best cyclist but Wiggins has the best team.
I've no idea about his mental strength - he's got the side burns to win anything though. Hope you're wrong. We'll see. 20 minutes ago some bloke I'd never heard of won a title at Wimbledon. Our hoops bursting with optimism.. Olympic glory to come - I'm too old to be this optimistic but it's a good, unusual feeling! (Oh and Murray tomorrow.)
Actually Sooper I was talking about the facilities for cyclists out in the real world where most of us have to operate. Truly appalling lack of provision in my part of the world for example (St Albans). And yet there are millions of us to be seen out on the roads at every opportunity.
