Le Tour

B

braymarina

Well-known member
Ok, so the sun flowers are gone and its only 29c but the Tour rides on and a Lancashire lad from Bury still wears yellow after today's great stage into Lavour, where my mother in law and brother in law watched the finish. Its a race which really should not be going on, lots of people in France think so, but if you are a cycling fan or just enjoy seeing France en fete ITV4 is worth turning to if you have the chance.

The mountains tomorrow, where Yates usually soars.
 
I like the Lycra, the little padded shorts and those funny clogs they wear. It’s good to see it’s caught on in the coffee shops around the country.
Middle aged men with matchstick arms and legs Clip clopping to the counter to order a latte and a muffin. Very cool 👍
 
Chunkylad said:
I like the Lycra, the little padded shorts and those funny clogs they wear. It’s good to see it’s caught on in the coffee shops around the country.
Middle aged men with matchstick arms and legs Clip clopping to the counter to order a latte and a muffin. Very cool 👍
Click to expand...
I do all that, minus the matchstick legs and the clogs. Love it!
 
Great stage today with action from start to finish. The first day in the mountains tomorrow where Yates should hold onto the yellow jersey. If nothing else it is a great way to see the fantastic scenery.
 
Seainsea said:
Great stage today with action from start to finish. The first day in the mountains tomorrow where Yates should hold onto the yellow jersey. If nothing else it is a great way to see the fantastic scenery.
Click to expand...
My mum used to watch the tour from start to finish every year, and wasn't interested in the cycling at all. Had no idea what was happening. She loved it!
 
Does Yates have a chance of winning?

Maybe but it would be a better chance if there were more mountain top finishes, his team was stronger and he can get his head around the pressures of being in yellow. He road a clever stage yesterday, working with the stronger teams, staying close to the front and seems to be growing in to the job.

Will he win, very possibly not but its great to have yet another Brit to support. He joins Ineos next year so everything will change.
 
Yates finished fourth in 2016. Which means he hasn't really pushed on. But it also means he's capable of a top end finish. He just doesn't really have a team around him that's been built for overall race winning. It would be a hell of an achievement. The two strong favourites are Roglic and Bernal. Bernal doesn't look as strong as last year, Roglic is the form rider but he did get an injury in the penultimate day of the Criterium a couple of weeks ago, which we don't know enough about. It doesn't seem to be affecting him so far.

Boardman was suggesting last night that someone needs to have a word with Yates, that he is underestimating his own ability/form/chances.
 
Can't remember which year, but it must have 2009/10 when Le Tour went by on the main(ish) road 3 miles from our village.
Coming North on the D674 going towards Angouleme. This was a crossroad and was normally very quiet, no houses very near.
We decided to go, so drove up towards the Xroads about an hour before the race was due to pass.
When we got there it was bedlam, cars, camper vans, burger vans etc. We had to park back down our road about half a mile.
The race came and went, fortunately it was a hill towards the Xroads so they were not going fast. Dozens of vehicles following the race, spares etc.
Bit of a damp squib really, but glad we saw it.
 
Davepick said:
Can't remember which year, but it must have 2009/10 when Le Tour went by on the main(ish) road 3 miles from our village.
Coming North on the D674 going towards Angouleme. This was a crossroad and was normally very quiet, no houses very near.
We decided to go, so drove up towards the Xroads about an hour before the race was due to pass.
When we got there it was bedlam, cars, camper vans, burger vans etc. We had to park back down our road about half a mile.
The race came and went, fortunately it was a hill towards the Xroads so they were not going fast. Dozens of vehicles following the race, spares etc.
Bit of a damp squib really, but glad we saw it.
Click to expand...
I saw it in Yorkshire! I was stood on Buttertubs, a hill/pass near Hawes. The French called it Côtes de Buttertubs. Had a great day out, including beers brewed especially for the event etc. Cycled up the Côtes de Buttertubs in the morning, just about. I'd handle it a bit better now I reckon.
 
voyeur said:
I saw it in Yorkshire! I was stood on Buttertubs, a hill/pass near Hawes. The French called it Côtes de Buttertubs. Had a great day out, including beers brewed especially for the event etc. Cycled up the Côtes de Buttertubs in the morning, just about. I'd handle it a bit better now I reckon.
Click to expand...

I cycled that route for charity. Buttertubs was murderous!
 
Macseasider said:
I cycled that route for charity. Buttertubs was murderous!
Click to expand...
Hawes to Buttertubs (south to North)
  • length: 4.4km
  • Avg grade: 6.5%
  • Max grade: 20% (this is the problem!)
  • Elev gain: 287 m
  • During the Tour, according to Strava Laurens ten Dam climbed in 11.20 with an average power of 365 watts. Simon Yates climbed in 11.25, with just 262 watts!
 
voyeur said:
Hawes to Buttertubs (south to North)
  • length: 4.4km
  • Avg grade: 6.5%
  • Max grade: 20% (this is the problem!)
  • Elev gain: 287 m
  • During the Tour, according to Strava Laurens ten Dam climbed in 11.20 with an average power of 365 watts. Simon Yates climbed in 11.25, with just 262 watts!
Click to expand...

We did the route including Buttertubs in reverse so ended at Hawes and then on to Ingleton.

I don't know the % gradient of the start of that climb but it was the steepest section I've ever ridden.
 
voyeur said:
I saw it in Yorkshire! I was stood on Buttertubs, a hill/pass near Hawes. The French called it Côtes de Buttertubs. Had a great day out, including beers brewed especially for the event etc. Cycled up the Côtes de Buttertubs in the morning, just about. I'd handle it a bit better now I reckon.
Click to expand...
In 2014 (I think), I watched them going up Holme Moss in beautiful sunshine. Big crowds. Great atmosphere. Was staying at a mate's house in Holmfirth but had to drive home later so no beer for me... Well worth seeing for the spectacle - -but would be less fun waiting for hours in advance if the weather was crap.
 
@braymarina and @voyeur - mens Worlds on Sunday. They have waived the age groups due to Covid.

Now I'm not saying he will win - actually I am massively speculating - but I think young Tom Pidcock has every chance of a top 10 finish. In fact after his performance in the U23's Giro I really like this course for him and think we could see something very special. He is BANG on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top