Hes clearly the sprint goat, i will leave it to more experienced members to debate overall. On a side note I cant think of any other british sportsman in history, whos lived most of their lives amongst completely foreign teams, in foreign lands for 90% of their year (and away from their families), suffered what he has (mentally and physically) yet won so much and is still adored and respected by so many. You could see the joy on everyones face (crowd and riders) when he crossed the line today. He will win at least one more stage now.
Hero, especially after everything he’s been through. Most pro cyclists average careers are 2.5 years.
Unfortunately sports where you’re required to change direction quickly and often takes its toll on the body. It’s an old question but would you rather run a marathon or cycle 112 miles. The answer is always cycle 112 as it won’t batter you as much.
Great stage today, sets up an interesting few days in the Pyrenees. Also been watching the new series of Le Tour unchained on Netflix, really shows what they put themselves through
Staying in Gourdan tonight ready to watch the race pass thru tomorrow. It’s an astonishingly slick set up. Aside from a few signs announcing road closures and parking warnings you would have no idea that it’s here tomorrow. Road being swept though to ensure the best images and passage thru.
Any pics of the boys rolling past? Another superb finish today. Mr Biriam Girmay, what a man and completely shut Cav out. 9000 metres of climbing this weekend should separate the men from the boys too.
Absolutely super day. What an event. The organisation is spot on and it’s only now I have experienced it that you realise how huge the event is in France (but also the world over). It’s a long wait and only a brief glimpse of the riders but the atmosphere is superb. A day I will always remember.
The Pog and Vingy sensational pictures, i'm so jealous. I used to live in Epping the year it started in the UK, there were sprint points up for grabs down our high street haha. Full details confirmed of Tour de France route through Essex | road.cc I will get to France to see it one day.
You could do a quick hop over from your neck of the woods for some of the Northern sections, it’s more about soaking up the pre peloton arrival than the actual peloton passing. The climbing days will be packed out way in advance of race day. Obviously you see the riders for slightly longer than is the case on the flatter sections. Watched a little of The Tour of Britain when it passed through a very short climb near where I live a few years ago, easy to get to as we cycled in. Also watched a little of PR which although not LeTour is possibly the best of the one day classics. That would be really easy for you as it’s French/Belgium border area early April.
It's more about soaking up the atmosphere, the fun of the caravan, and just experiencing the whole thing. In the UK they would probably shut the roads for days, here is an hour and a half before the caravan. It's just such a huge part of the French summer.
For the tour of Britain in our neck of the woods it was a rolling roadblock, I can’t comment for other parts of the UK. ParisRoubaix they shut the roads around Arenburg and the ex mining village just make a big day of it.
So they are heading over the Bonette today. We went over it last month on the EMM tour (European Multistrada Meeting) and it was 2 degrees, pissing with rain, foggy and very windy. It’s a horrible pass at the top, narrow with big drops and no barriers apart from a bit of a gravel kerb. Looked spectacular, from what I could see through my misted up visor! Hopefully it will be better for the riders.
Spoiler: . This years race was over when Vingy Remco WVA etc crashed so heavily in April time (Basque tour etc), its never even been a contest really which is obviously a huge shame but roll on next year
