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Carpet
Apr 2, 2005

Don't press play

ukle posted:

All the B&B's round our way anywhere near the route have been booked out for months, there are tons of camping sites set up though and some of those adhoc sites will have spaces.

As for Bikes on trains they are supposedly laying on extra bike carrying capacity, along with tons of extra trains but I would imagine that is also already booked out / going to be a lot of competition for. I would pick another spot than Holme Moss as well, as there could well be 50,000+ people there so viewing will be a bit of a mess. There are tons of spots all around the route suitable and some are in places that are not far from a train station (e.g. Keighley has a 6/7 or so degree climb for about 1km on its way out of the town up to Howarth).

Yeah, might forget taking the bike as I doubt I'll be able to take it on a train. No camping gear either. Might see about staying in Leeds to watch the first stage and getting the train to see it in Keighley instead (good suggestion).

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Withnail
Feb 11, 2004

Crystael posted:

Yup, Sky look like a bundle of poo poo compared to the last two years, especially. Losing Kreuziger is a huge blow to Bertie, though - who else has he got to support him in the high mountains now?

Contador never has teammates when the poo poo goes down on the big climbs.

serious gaylord
Sep 16, 2007

what.
Pre ban Contador never needed team mates tbf.

evil_bunnY
Apr 2, 2003

Yes well it was pre ban wasn't it

Crystael
Mar 19, 2010

serious gaylord posted:

I dont think Contador is stupid enough to be anywhere near Froome with a decently long TT stage to finish the tour. The tour will be won by whoever gets more than 4 minutes on Froome in the mountains.

Yes, this. It'll certainly make the final week interesting - Contador has to have some time in the bank before that TT. Also, the need to get time gaps on Froome will hopefully lead to some more exciting riding earlier on - stage 2 and the cobbled one (5 I think) both look ripe for an ambush. Stage 2 reminds me of that Tirreno stage last year where Nibali managed to steal a march on Froome in the wet.

Legendary Ptarmigan
Sep 21, 2007

Need a light?

Crystael posted:

Yes, this. It'll certainly make the final week interesting - Contador has to have some time in the bank before that TT. Also, the need to get time gaps on Froome will hopefully lead to some more exciting riding earlier on - stage 2 and the cobbled one (5 I think) both look ripe for an ambush. Stage 2 reminds me of that Tirreno stage last year where Nibali managed to steal a march on Froome in the wet.

The Yellow Jersey is really up for grabs the whole FIRST week of the Tour, all the way to the Belle-Fils. Since there's no prologue, every break will probably have someone who can threaten for the GC lead if it stays away. Are the GC teams going to be alright with conceding seconds or minutes to these riders hoping to leave them totally behind when they get to the high mountains? It strikes me as unlikely. I bet we'll see breaks really trying for it on the stages that aren't pancake (2,5, sort of 7, 8) through to the mountains, but the GC teams are really going to destroy the peleton to catch them. I think we'll see very select group finishes on these stages after some harder-than-usual rides for the 1st week of a Grand Tour.

Russian Bear
Dec 26, 2007


GC teams will leave it to the sprint teams to do the catching of the break as usual. The first week is lumpy, but some of the sprinters can get over that stuff.

serious gaylord
Sep 16, 2007

what.
Stage 2 is ripe for Sagan to put the yellow on imo.

Crystael
Mar 19, 2010

serious gaylord posted:

Stage 2 is ripe for Sagan to put the yellow on imo.

Yes, I think the onus will very much be on Cannondale a) to chase down the break and b) drop the sprinters on stage 2.

Reports of the stage's difficulty seem to vary hugely, though, ranging from "as hard as L-B-L" to "a sprinter with good climbing legs could hang on".

Oh well, I'm riding it on Saturday so will see first hand...!

thehustler
Apr 17, 2004

I am very curious about this little crescendo
France Télévisions once again taking a mobile HD studio to any location they loving want. Here's how they do it:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/07/eyes-in-the-sky-how-the-tour-de-france-is-broadcast-to-the-world/

As much as I'm a cycling fan, I'm also an A/V engineer, so I always make sure to highlight how ridiculously cool the technology behind the television coverage is every single year.

krushgroove
Oct 23, 2007

Disapproving look
That's a great link, thanks.

I'm trying to decide what we're going to do for Stage 2 - I think we'll try to see the sprint finish in Harrogate for Stage 1, but if thousands and thousands of people are going to be on the hill coming out of Holme, but what time should I plan on getting there?

Also I really want to get a water bottle tossed out of the peloton for some reason.

Loving Africa Chaps
Dec 3, 2007


We had not left it yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.

Hopefully going to cycle out to catch a bit of stage 3 going through Epping Forrest. Saw a bunch of team cars when I was going down the M1, I'm hyped.

Xabi
Jan 21, 2006

Inventor of the Marmite pasty

Crystael posted:

Oh well, I'm riding it on Saturday so will see first hand...!
We'll need a trip report!

Pocket
Aug 27, 2006

Contador used to have Navarro who was a real asset but he set off on his own to Cofidis, another guy who I can't remember the name of and for a time super domestic Vino. I think it came down to old Contador was attacking and climbing too drat fast for non GC contenders to hold on during the final climbs. Their job was to get him to the base of climb intact and the rest he was more than able to deal with.

serious gaylord
Sep 16, 2007

what.

Crystael posted:

Yes, I think the onus will very much be on Cannondale a) to chase down the break and b) drop the sprinters on stage 2.

Reports of the stage's difficulty seem to vary hugely, though, ranging from "as hard as L-B-L" to "a sprinter with good climbing legs could hang on".

Oh well, I'm riding it on Saturday so will see first hand...!

I've done the route and aside from the big on in the middle, theres a bit where it ramps up sharply for a mile on some narrow roads which is where I think people will try to get away. The finish is fairly steep too so the sprint trains wont bring a break back.

deetron69
Jan 18, 2005
Is anyone running an SA fantasy league on Velogames?

carborexic
Nov 9, 2008

Oz Fox posted:

Is anyone running an SA fantasy league on Velogames?

We've got a long-running league at http://fantasy.road.cc/. The league ID is 77482.

serious gaylord
Sep 16, 2007

what.
Impey has been pinched for pissing hot. Orica have dropped him completely.

African AIDS cum
Feb 29, 2012


Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaack

serious gaylord posted:

Impey has been pinched for pissing hot. Orica have dropped him completely.

Fellow South African and BFF of Chris Froome isnt he

serious gaylord
Sep 16, 2007

what.

vaginal culture posted:

Fellow South African and BFF of Chris Froome isnt he

The last time they were in a room together Froome nutted him. I think Impey hosed his shrew of a wife.

African AIDS cum
Feb 29, 2012


Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaack
The Kimmage interview of Froome (and his fiancee who for some reason sat in on the interview and self importantly answered a ton of the questions) is pretty legendary

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/cyclist-chris-froome-is-right-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-30391816.html part 1

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/paul-kimmage-chris-froome-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-part-2-30394950.html part 2

He seems like a nice enough guy, just kinda dumb with zero self awareness who is being led by his stagemom fiance whose own mother is a steroid enthusiast/cyclist :nms: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150091078529255&set=pb.766174254.-2207520000.1404330098.&type=3&theater

All in all a sad story.

quote:

Chris Froome: I’m sure there’s going to be another product next year. Right now, everyone is talking about Xenon gas or something but I’ve no idea how it works. New products are always going to come out, but I don’t have a (guilty) conscience. I’ve never used any products like that.

African AIDS cum
Feb 29, 2012


Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaack
Lol

Box Hill Strangler
Jun 27, 2007

Frozen peas are on special at Woolies! Bargain!
Sweet OP, OP.

:argh: Impey.

Cmon Bert, you are our only hope!*

*Things I thought Id never say 5 years ago

Russian Bear
Dec 26, 2007


Froome just has to ride Bertie's wheel around for 3 weeks, as much as it pains me to say. Ol' Pistolero is going to have to be sneaky again.

Mr.Nice
Apr 28, 2006
The odds for Yellow and Green :



The lost of Kreuziger didn't change much for Contador's chances, he was at 2.4 last weeks.



Pédale! 2014 is available


CF: Inhalers are not performance enhancing; if any normal person who doesn’t have asthma takes an inhaler, they’re not going to ride any faster. Their lungs are not going to open any larger than they were before. But someone who does have asthma, the airways are going to close up and that inhaler just helps them to close less. It just helps me be more normal and I definitely don’t see that as an unfair advantage.

a few questions later :

CF: And the only ones I mentioned on the form this morning are the ones I’ve mentioned to you: Leratadine, Salbutamol, Ventolin and Fluticasone – the other spray I use.

also

MC: Armstrong is not built like a climber for starters. He was never a climber.

CF: (laughs) Let’s not go there.

Withnail
Feb 11, 2004
#drugchat :rolleyes:

DONT TOUCH THE PC
Jul 15, 2001

You should try it, it's a real buzz.
Tourchat always ends up as drugschat.

Pocket
Aug 27, 2006

Mr.Nice posted:

CF: Inhalers are not performance enhancing; if any normal person who doesn’t have asthma takes an inhaler, they’re not going to ride any faster. Their lungs are not going to open any larger than they were before. But someone who does have asthma, the airways are going to close up and that inhaler just helps them to close less. It just helps me be more normal and I definitely don’t see that as an unfair advantage.

a few questions later :

CF: And the only ones I mentioned on the form this morning are the ones I’ve mentioned to you: Leratadine, Salbutamol, Ventolin and Fluticasone – the other spray I use.

Dr. Froomelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Drugs

ukle
Nov 28, 2005

Carpet posted:

Yeah, might forget taking the bike as I doubt I'll be able to take it on a train. No camping gear either. Might see about staying in Leeds to watch the first stage and getting the train to see it in Keighley instead (good suggestion).

I know I suggested Keighley as an example earlier, but had to go into Keighley today and they have put in the least amount of effort out of all the TdF route areas that I have seen. I know the high part of that climb out of Keighley (Cross Roads) is putting in a lot of effort though, so might want to walk up the hill.

Most OTT area around here is Addingham, they have gone completely banana's but then again they have the TdF on both days, but its the last place you would want to watch the TdF as Addingham has car issues on a normal day never mind the TdF, and there really is only 2 roads in and out of the village. Literally every town, village, hamlet, farm I have seen on the bits of Stage 1 and 2 I have driven on are really going for the TdF apart from Keighley, with no bunting or anything at all on the section through the predominately Muslim streets. Quite a pity really.

Also the barriers and Towing notices are all up now, still bound to be loads of people being idiots and parking their cars on the route and then thinking they have been stolen when they mysteriously vanish.

Pocket
Aug 27, 2006

Btw re: Froome in that interview he's either an elite athlete on the "marginal gains team" who doesn't know the effects of the drugs he consumes or he's deliberately trying misleading people.

Fs F Shleck looked seriously lean during the team presentation.

MrL_JaKiri
Sep 23, 2003

A bracing glass of carrot juice!

Mr.Nice posted:

CF: Inhalers are not performance enhancing; if any normal person who doesn’t have asthma takes an inhaler, they’re not going to ride any faster.

This is true,

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2439523/

quote:

Numerous studies have investigated the effect of inhaled β2-AR agonists in non-asthmatic athletes. However, although all demonstrated a bronchodilator action (Morton and Fitch, 1992; Norris et al., 1996; Larsson et al., 1997; Goubault et al., 2001), there were varying effects on physical performance. After inhalation of therapeutic doses of salbutamol, a limited number of studies have reported an increase in exercise performance (Bedi et al., 1988; Signorile et al., 1992; van Baak et al., 2004), whereas the majority of studies failed to demonstrate an ergogenic effect (Morton and Fitch, 1992; Norris et al., 1996; Goubault et al., 2001). Furthermore, although a small increase in endurance cycling performance was reported after inhalation of a supratherapeutic dose (800 μg) of salbutamol (van Baak et al., 2004), a similar dose had no effect on endurance performance in non-asthmatic triathletes (Goubault et al., 2001). The few studies that investigated the effects of other inhaled β2-AR agonists have also failed to demonstrate an effect on performance despite an improvement in lung function (Larsson et al., 1997; Carlsen et al., 2001; Riiser et al., 2006). Overall, the acute use of the current inhaled β2-AR agonist anti-asthma medications by non-asthmatic or asthmatic athletes seems unlikely to provide any improvement in performance in addition to that provided by the control of their condition.

Mr.Nice
Apr 28, 2006
The UCI consider salbutamol to be a PED over 1,000 ng/ml, Ulissi was banned recently for this.

dema
Aug 13, 2006

Not as good as the OP, but Strava has a cool summary up:

http://blog.strava.com/tour-de-france-2014/

List of athletes that have accounts (may or may not upload), routes for each of the stages and main segments.

Mr.Nice
Apr 28, 2006
The tour starts in 24h.

The startlist

Stage 1: by Thierry Gouvenou (TDF Race director and former rider) + Chris Froome

Mountain passes & hills

Km 68.0 - Côte de Cray 1.6 km at 7.1% - category 4
Km 103.5 - Côte de Buttertubs 4.5 km at 6.8% - category 3
Km 129.5 - Côte de Griton Moor 3km at 6.6% - category 3

The finish :



The odds for stage win :



Time schedule :
Start : 11h10
Finish : 44km/h : 16h19, 42km/h : 16h31, 40km/h : 16h45 (BST)

Weather :
Saturday : Starting cloudy with further rain or showers, possibly heavy at times. Brighter, drier and at times sunny weather developing during the afternoon.

The streams :
Live video from 11:00am BST
http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-de-france/live
http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/
http://www.procyclinglive.com/livestream/

krushgroove
Oct 23, 2007

Disapproving look

So...a British summer then.

Well we'll be in Harrogate, hopefully at the barriers to see part of the finish.

serious gaylord
Sep 16, 2007

what.
I'm loving the cote de 'British hill that sounds hilarious'.

Russian Bear
Dec 26, 2007


Cote de Cray :lol:

Bold prediction: Froome drops a chain on the pave because of the stupid Osy rings

kimbo305
Jun 9, 2007

actually, yeah, I am a little mad

Russian Bear posted:

Cote de Cray :lol:

Bold prediction: Froome drops a chain on the pave because of the stupid Osy rings

He's got a chain guard on there, so one can only hope.

serious gaylord
Sep 16, 2007

what.
Cote De Buttertubs.

Sounds like something a fat lad would have on his stag night shirt.

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Mollsmolyneux
Feb 7, 2008

"You're not married, you haven't got a girlfriend... and you've never watched "Star Trek?"
Good Lord
I have a job interview in Westminster at 12 on Monday, so hoping to stake out a good spot afterwards on The Mall or nearby. Any goons going to be about to watch it around that area?

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