| Tour de France match thread 10:44 - Jul 2 with 6975 views | hopphoops |
Froome cleared. But will he still have the gas after the Giro? | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 10:55 - Jul 2 with 5568 views | Fearless |
I’m Off to Carcassone for a few days of the tour - a first for me (except when it started in London)
Looking forward to it | | | |
| Tour de France match thread on 11:10 - Jul 2 with 5555 views | TheChef |
Why don't they just let them take as many drugs as they want and have done with it - instead of trying to pretend that cycling is a clean sport? | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 11:37 - Jul 2 with 5527 views | hopphoops |
Sounds good! The scale of the whole thing is what's impressive. When it comes my way the roads for miles around are lined for days in advance with thousands of Belgian and Breton camper vans, with Monsieur sitting on the roadside all day reading L'Equipe and following the race on the radio. That's their annual holiday. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 11:43 - Jul 2 with 5520 views | Fearless |
My mate Tom J (fellow hoop) is a bit of a tour expert and also speaks French - so I’m literally going along in his slipstream | | | |
| Tour de France match thread on 11:54 - Jul 2 with 5500 views | PlanetHonneywood |
Carcassonne is where Mrs PH and have our base. But having been back in April, we are unable to get back for Le Tour - otherwise we could have got on it! (There is another Hoop in Carcassonne and Derby Hoop is just up the road as well!!)
We were back in 2016 for a stage start and luckily for me, a friend got me a ticket for the start village. Mrs PH was out on the course, and I/we saw as much biking as QPR in the 4th round . To be fair, having positioned myself next to a wine tent and on it all morning, I wouldn't have known a bike from an elephant!
If you're after a touch of home, then there are two 'Irish' pubs in town: OSheridans or the Celt - the former is where we pop in for a cidre. This is because the owner is a nice lad and the Celt is where the expats go...so one avoids! However, as French ale is essential phish and you're a sophisticated chap, you will probably prefer something from the vine. Try Le Verre D'un or for some old school stuff French resistance stuff, Cafe Saillan - that said, expect crowds. Much around Place Carnot in the Bastide in terms of cafes, bars and eateries.
Across the river Aude, is Le Cite a.k.a the bloody big castle - plenty on up there, but a bit touristy this time of year. But the road from Pont Vieux up to the Castle has bars/eateries.
Bags of history around there as well.
Enjoy mon ami. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 12:07 - Jul 2 with 5497 views | hopphoops |
I'm jealous! I can't get out of work.
They went through my village in 2016:
I have a lot of respect for the drivers in the caravan - they go down the hairpin descents at 50 or 60 to stay ahead of the race, in things like this.
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| Tour de France match thread on 12:30 - Jul 2 with 5473 views | Fearless |
Many thanks PH & HH- all tips and advice gratefully received [Post edited 2 Jul 2018 12:54]
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| Tour de France match thread on 12:46 - Jul 2 with 5449 views | derbyhoop |
Some of the older French said "of course they are on drugs. How else are they going to cycle 3,350 km in 23 days without them?".
Not coming anywhere near us this year but 2 years ago we went to the stage from Saumur to Droux. Saw it from Lathus where the road comes down a hill, with 30km/h speed bumps, and then there is a sharp left turn by a church. We were on the outside of the bend hoping to see a few pile ups but it was only stage 5 and all very sedate. Great day out, though. Between us, we got loads of freebies from the caravan and some good photos, including one of then leader, Peter Sagan surrounded by about 8 of his teammates.
All of France will be interested and the highlights on C5 are well worth watching. | |
| Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one’s lifetime. (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop |
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| Tour de France match thread on 15:07 - Jul 2 with 5358 views | Boston |
Gentlemen...on yer bikes. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 16:27 - Jul 2 with 5309 views | dolcelatte |
Cycling is far cleaner than Football, Rugby, Tennis, Baseball, Basketball, American Football, Weightlifting, Cross Country Skiing - shall I go on... You just hear more about cycling ones because of the past. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 16:32 - Jul 2 with 5306 views | hopphoops |
This - and because they have been fighting the doping head on. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 16:39 - Jul 2 with 5301 views | hopphoops |
Impress your mate by taking a pot of white paint and a roller. We'll look out for the anti John Terry messages on the road. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 02:05 - Jul 3 with 5183 views | PlanetHonneywood |
I asked a French friend of mine who is reasonably well connected in French cycling circles, for his take on the allegations against Froome. His words were that he thought Froome was as clean as every other rider in the Tour, if not cleaner!!
Read in or out of that as you see fit. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 07:47 - Jul 3 with 5135 views | hubble |
Always get a pang when the Tour comes around because my old man used to be the TV commentator on it for World of Sport. For me it's become too obsessively technical and much of the romance has gone, but it's still an incredible spectacle.
Talking of doping again always makes me think of the great Tom Simpson who died tragically in the searing heat on Mt Ventoux, his veins full of amphetamines and brandy. At least that's something that has improved vastly, the knowledge of how to look after the body. IIRC they actually thought you shouldn't drink too much water at that time.
Will have one eye out for the race. Have never warmed to Froome though. I think it was all that stuff his girlfriend tweeted when Wiggins became the first Brit to win the Tour in 2012. Always been a fan of the great Cav though! Have to admit I don't really know who the contenders are this year, can anyone enlighten me? | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 10:29 - Jul 3 with 5081 views | hopphoops |
Hubble I do think it's as clean as it has been for a long time - all the salbutamol in the world gives you the same advantage as a gentle shirt tug at a corner - and this and the shorter mountain stages make for exciting racing. Froome is the strongest - someone has to be, but he has won in the past by smart racing (including downhill and in crosswinds) rather than physical dominance uphill and in TTs.
The criticism of Sky is that they pay their super-domestiques more than some of the teams pay their leaders, so it can give the impression of a procession in the hills. but that's not their problem to solve. Quickstep do the same in the classics, that's their priority as the 'national team' of Belgium.
Anyway, Nibali will be the greatest threat after skipping the Giro; but he doesn't have the team behind him; the Movistars will be strong if they can decide who their leader is - ex Froome wingman Mikel Landa is my dark horse tip. And Bardet, Porte, Yates, Miguel Angel Lopez and Dumoulin will all play a part.
The green jersey race will be wide open too - Peter Sagan will be favourite but all the top sprinters and punchers will be there. Watch out for Fernando Gaviria. And Cavendish, still the greatest British sportsman of the last decade for me.
A lot will be thrown at Froome (real and figurative); but if there was one year i could take the month off to follow the race it would be this one.
[Post edited 3 Jul 2018 17:19]
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| Tour de France match thread on 12:44 - Jul 3 with 5022 views | loftboy |
Allegedly footballers develop mysterious injuries as they get tested by their clubs before the official testers get a chance | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 13:28 - Jul 3 with 4990 views | R_from_afar |
The Tom Simpson memorial on Mont Ventoux is so poignant and moving. I cycled that climb many moons ago and stopped at the memorial. It really makes you think.
On a lighter note, the panorama at the top is supposed to be the best in Europe. You can see about 50 miles on a clear day.
RFA | |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Tour de France match thread on 14:40 - Jul 3 with 4962 views | MrSheen |
Cycling fans might be interested to listen to a recent episode of The Dollop, an American history podcast, about Major Taylor. He was Jack Johnson on two wheels, the first black bike racing champion, when he was allowed to compete. There’s a crazy story about a six day race in Madison Square Garden. The winner covered over 1,900 miles. They were graciously allowed to knock off two hours early because most of the few riders still going, including Taylor, were hallucinating. | | | |
| Tour de France match thread on 17:08 - Jul 3 with 4928 views | derbyhoop |
A fair assessment of the riders.
My Tour de France programme still ranks Froome at the top of the tree, despite being written by French journalists, with Dumoulin and Bardet just behind. Nibali has won it before and could do again. I'd be surprised if the winner doesn't come from those 4.
As an outside bet, the Yates twins both have a chance. Adam was leading the Giro until Froome blew him apart on Stage 18.
As to the Simpson memorial, went up there to see the eclipse in 2011. Top 1000 feet you couldn't see 50 metres, let alone 50 miles. | |
| Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one’s lifetime. (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop |
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| Tour de France match thread on 17:59 - Jul 3 with 4903 views | Dorse |
I just hope the retro team does well on their Grifters and Raleigh Choppers. | |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| Tour de France match thread on 22:07 - Jul 3 with 4871 views | hopphoops |
Banned. Dosed up to the eyeballs on Pacers. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 11:12 - Jul 4 with 4790 views | Mick_S |
And this:
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| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Tour de France match thread on 11:58 - Jul 4 with 4771 views | hopphoops |
That was awful, one of them overdid it and exploded in an Ibis hotel near Nantes. | |
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| Tour de France match thread on 16:12 - Jul 4 with 4702 views | LythamR |
I would love to see Quintana win it or Sagan. realistically there are a number of contenders who would have a great chance if they had the same team support as Froome
it would be good for the sport if Team Sky dominance was broken. | | | |
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