This time next week Le Tour will have been through Yorkshire and it's fair to say I'm so excited I could let out a little bit of wee.
Sunday is taken care of. I'm heading to Blackley Cricket Club and watching the race on television, enjoying the atmosphere of the beer festival before the caravan and the race passes.
I've got Saturday morning taken care of. Coming down with a friend from Scotland we're off for an early morning cycle covering the Sunday climbs of Oxenhope, Cragg Vale, Barkisland/Greetland and Blackley before heading off in the car to.......and this is what I'm not sure of. Can someone recommend a good place to come and watch the race go by?
I still can't quite believe the Tour is passing through my home town. How are you marking the event?
Joined: Feb 21 2002 Posts: 31779 Location: The commentary box
Thought about Holme Moss, but Mrs D doesn't fancy that, so we'll take advantage of the council putting stuff on in the town centre and see the peloton sweep by at the bottom of Chapel Hill (Cote du Chapel Hill?)
I'd bet the house on Kittel winning stage 1 barring accidents even with Cav being super determined to take the stage. Stage 2 I'm less sure of but thinking of a Valverde/Sagan/Kwiatkoski/Gerrans type rider.
I'll go for Sagan in the green jersey.
Polka I'll go for Rolland.
White Kwiatkowski although I'd love to think Simon Yates could do it.
And as for yellow.......I think it'll be Contador. Sky and Froome are not in good shape this year as a result of injuries and illness. It's like 2010 all over again.
However - what the Dauphine showed is that the other teams are willing to do their own thing and not follow their wheels. I have a sneaky suspicion we may see a good 'young un' get in a break and get enough time to make it interesting.
Joined: Feb 21 2002 Posts: 31779 Location: The commentary box
Sagan for green, fancy Purito for the polka-dots after what he was saying yesterday. White - flip a coin between Kwiatkowski and Pinot. Overall? Can't call it. Sky have been awful all year, but would it be so much of a surprise to see them pull it off again? I actually think Valverde has a great chance, but hate to admit it to myself. Interesting to see how Rui Costa takes to leading a team.
Stage 1. OPQS look to have the personnel for a good lead-out this time - Martin, Renshaw, Petacchi, Terpstra - which will help Cav. Kittel's just a beast though. Head says Kittel, everything else says Cav. Stage 2. Wide, wide open. Quite fancy Kristoff for it, but good shout on Gerrans. Too lumpy for Sagan and that haul up the Jenkin Road will break a few. Only short, but 33% ffs! It'd be great to have that stage as a Classic rather than the 2.1 Tour Of Yorkshire 3-dayer they're mooting.
Joined: Jan 15 2007 Posts: 11924 Location: Secret Hill Top Lair. V.2
Amazing day today, rode into Harrogate, never seen so many bikes in my life and also coming out as well, it was like taking over the streets.
Loved Voigts madness, thought Spartacus had pulled a genius stroke and then disaster.
Hard to look past Bertie for GC but Nibbles may have a say.
Top Yorkshire day today though and best of all, get to do it all again tomorrow on Holme Moss!
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.
I enjoyed the experience on the A65 although I thought the caravan was a waste of time. Whoever planned the route deserves a pat on the back. Yorkshire looked grand
Cibaman wrote:I enjoyed the experience on the A65 although I thought the caravan was a waste of time. Whoever planned the route deserves a pat on the back. Yorkshire looked grand
Froome and Sky are in bits this year. Too many accidents, too many illnesses and not enough results. This could be their worst year so far in the cycling world.
The fall yesterday was just one of those 'things' that happen in racing. You can't be at the front of the peloton all day every day after all.
Brailford should have had the foresight to select a plan B. Wiggins (top 10 in this years Paris Roubaix) would have provided that plan B. I'm not watching the live coverage so not sure where Porte is right now (the new Plan A) or indeed Thomas (who could have won the stage today given some freedom).
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