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I'll be dipping in and out of this thread, as I usually want to watch every minute which means I'll fall days behind, but I'll try and keep up.
This morning is Christmas morning in my house.
Love the Tour de France, this one is packed with talent, the coverage will be brilliant with the superb Eurosport team, and, and, and...it starts in Italy.
I may explode with happiness.
Who does everyone think will win? Who does everyone want to win?
[Post edited 29 Jun 12:37]
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
It is without a shadow of doubt, the single most boring sports event I've ever attended. You can wait ages and then...whoosh, they're gone! To be fair, it's only when you see them whoosh past you do you truly appreciate the speed of the fockers!!
And, yet, it's strangely compelling, albeit that it's really a sport to watch on the TV.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
I hear ya Brian, I used to be a tour de france addict, watched every minute, but these days I seem to be only interested in the time trials and mountain stages, and of course the final finish in Paris, which takes place in Nice this year. Between this the Euros and then the Olympics my Mrs. Is constantly rolling her eyes at me. What a summer of sports! Oh la vache ! As (some) of our French brethren (occasionally) say.
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Tour de France 2024 on 15:33 - Jun 29 with 3196 views
Great to see van de Broek and Bardet hang on for the win. That was some ride. Cav was in pieces, they reckon stomach and not heatstroke. 37 degrees and all that climbing couldn’t have been fun though, fingers crossed he can be nursed through to the flat.
Tour de France 2024 on 12:42 - Jun 29 by BrianMcCarthy
Pog and Pog for me, too. Cracking rider. Love Roglic as well, but not sure if he has the highest quality anymore.
Can't warm to VGG.
Nor me. JV is an incredible talent but comes across as a bit dull, very Chris Froome. Obviously he and Visma destroyed Pog last year but he was coming back from an injury. UAE are better this time and Poggy has stayed fit, plus it’s JV who is coming back from an injury. It will be fascinating to see it play out, especially with a TT on the last day.
[Post edited 29 Jun 20:15]
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Tour de France 2024 on 11:18 - Jul 5 with 2493 views
From the same trip here’s some video I took of Mark Cavendish on the podium in Nimes. 2008 was the first time he won a stage at the Tour de France, this was his 4th win that year. He left the tour after that to go to the Olympics.
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Tour de France 2024 on 20:09 - Jul 18 with 1876 views
Another fantastic day. Victor Campenaerts deserved a win for all of those breaks he’s been in over the years and also for the shytty, way the team treated him over his extension. Fantastic post race interview as well, the dude is absolute class.
It should be a Poggy v Jonas v Remco day tomorrow, I can’t wait.
I fcking love the Tour De France.
[Post edited 18 Jul 20:13]
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Tour de France 2024 on 20:22 - Jul 18 with 1842 views
Tour de France 2024 on 17:19 - Jul 5 by PeterHucker
Here comes my annual re-posting of my video from 2008. QPR boys on the piss at the Tour De France!
I remember watching on telly that year and spotting QPR painted on the road. I couldn’t believe it and had to rewind a few times to check I hadn’t lost the plot. You did us proud. Were the flags yours as well?
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Tour de France 2024 on 21:10 - Jul 18 with 1803 views
Been another great tour and so happy for Pogacar (so far). Expecting one of the classic stages tomorrow with Vinnie attacking Pog and Remco trying to hang on.
Finish is in Isola 2000 where we go Skiing every Easter so will have an added interest for me.
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Tour de France 2024 on 07:30 - Jul 20 with 1580 views
I think Isola2000 was the day Visma had targeted to destroy Pog at altitude. Satellite riders up front waiting for the jump but Jonas didn’t have the legs. Instead we were treated to an absolute masterclass by Pog. Looking forward to next year already, fingers crossed they both stay fit this time.
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Tour de France 2024 on 08:34 - Jul 20 with 1516 views
In France, it is THE event. If you go go a stage, soak up the atmosphere, try to get some freebies from the caravan (about 60-90 mins before leaders), wait ages to see a blur of multi coloured lycra.
This year, Pogacar has destroyed any challengers. Yesterday's Stage 19 was brutal.
Let's hope our new Slovenian is as effective.
"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 and now on Bluesky
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Tour de France 2024 on 11:09 - Jul 20 with 1442 views
Tour de France 2024 on 08:34 - Jul 20 by derbyhoop
In France, it is THE event. If you go go a stage, soak up the atmosphere, try to get some freebies from the caravan (about 60-90 mins before leaders), wait ages to see a blur of multi coloured lycra.
This year, Pogacar has destroyed any challengers. Yesterday's Stage 19 was brutal.
Let's hope our new Slovenian is as effective.
Was in Andorra for a few days; its an undulating mother of a place, and lots of riders/teams are based there as it's ideal for mountain training.
Watching the ease the riders scale the elevations was something beautiful to behold: effortless, even cadence, and going at a fair lick.
As I'm driving down through the switchback roads, I heard can the crickets sound of a bike. I say there's a rider around as this girl flew past me at 60kph. I'm now behind her when Mrs PH - not one for speed - says, 'No need to race her!'
I replied, 'I'm not!' This was at 90kph, and she was going away from me and other cars in front. Wonderous as it was frightening to see. Next morning, the same woman was out again going up the hills!!
As you drive around, you see loads of riders either bombing up bloody steep elevations or, hurtling at breakneck speed back down to town. And then you realise: the chaps aren't in the TdF teams and are training, and women might themselves be readying for their TdF/Olympics.
Utterly mesmerising.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Appropriate for today's stage. I just remembered I have this on CD.
Yet another band I would never have known about had it not been for the late, great John Peel RIP.
"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 2024 on 17:08 - Jul 21 with 1236 views
I've done a several of the tour de France stages in the Pyrenees and the Vuelta de Espana bits in the Picos, and all the mountain bits of Andorra, but on a motorbike.
The speed these guys cycle at even in training has to be seen to be believed. I've been overtaken many a time, particularly on the downhill bits.
To put that much faith into such a small contact patch of grip is bonkers. They have balls of steel!
[Post edited 21 Jul 17:11]
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Tour de France 2024 on 22:14 - Jul 21 with 1135 views
The Olympics can't come quick enough....brilliant 3 weeks of cycling and we could be witnessing the greatest rider of all time. I'm hoping and praying all the time improvements are technical and modern nutrition. If we get another scandal in the next five years it will be gutting as I love this sport.
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Tour de France 2024 on 22:34 - Jul 21 with 1102 views
I've done a several of the tour de France stages in the Pyrenees and the Vuelta de Espana bits in the Picos, and all the mountain bits of Andorra, but on a motorbike.
The speed these guys cycle at even in training has to be seen to be believed. I've been overtaken many a time, particularly on the downhill bits.
To put that much faith into such a small contact patch of grip is bonkers. They have balls of steel!
[Post edited 21 Jul 17:11]
Yes, watching on telly or even by the roadside doesn’t do them justice. I was driving from Girona through the foothills of the Pyrenees and caught up with some pros on a training ride. Going up was impressive but on the downhill they were absolutely flying, so much so I had no chance of overtaking. The fact they train on open roads is insane and it’s no wonder so many top riders have been in serious accidents. Also the difference between even very good club riders and the pros is insane. Again near Girona I saw a decent club team ride up to some of the Trek women’s team only to be ridden of the wheels seemingly without breaking sweat. I’d love the chance to be in a team car behind Poggy and co, the speeds they reach are mind boggling.
Amazing Tour and I’m already looking forward to next year. Although we still have the Olympics, Worlds and Vuelta to come.
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