TDF 15

[TwistingMyMelon]

I like the ITV coverage, is good for a channel I usually avoid, too true about the 90s I remember the short highlights and the theme tune.

Blimey not sure I could watch it live, bar mountain stages, tried it live on Sunday , it got so dull Phil Lyggott (spelling) and colleague were talking through how they imagined windmills worked and how the Netherlands was good for cycling...blimey I had to leave them to it as I had some paint to watch drying.

Highlights for me, don't get to sit down till about 11pm , just as they are available on the player . Job Jobbed

[S10GTA]

Animal. That is all.

[loudlashadjuster]

S10GTA said:

Animal. That is all.

Perfectly timed.

[Usget]

S10GTA said:

Animal. That is all.

What a ride! I actually shouted when he pulled it off, then realised that I'm sat in a conference room pretending to be on an "important phone call"

[Rolls]

pretty much the perfect situation for Sky imo!

[loudlashadjuster]

mcelliott said:

Too many yellow jumpers...

Yes, the Tinkoff-Saxo kit is bit...well, naff.

[Daveyraveygravey]

Can anyone tell me what the small black objects are above the rear wheel on a lot of the bikes, radio aerials maybe? I'm sure it's been explained somewhere but I've missed it

[v15ben]

Feel a bit sorry for Thibaut Pinot today!
Looks pretty out of contention now.
Martin is indeed an animal, great performance.

[Bedford Rascal]

Daveyraveygravey said:

Can anyone tell me what the small black objects are above the rear wheel on a lot of the bikes, radio aerials maybe? I'm sure it's been explained somewhere but I've missed it

Data feed aerials. Nothing interesting like heart rate/cadence/power sadly (I guess too seriously sensitive info for competition), but saw it showing speed data on final climb yesterday for example. Must help behind the scenes too I'd imagine, time gaps etc.

[Daveyraveygravey]

Ah, I saw the speed comparisons of Froome v. a couple of the others on the hill yesterday

[Jonnny]

There was supposed to be a website with live data for us to be able to see, speed/placing in peloton etc.

Doesn't appear to have materialised though.

[Steve vRS]

v15ben said:

Feel a bit sorry for Thibaut Pinot today!
Looks pretty out of contention now.
Martin is indeed an animal, great performance.

What was up with his bike? I was watching highlights in a hotel bar with no commentary.

[okgo]

Bedford Rascal said:

Data feed aerials. Nothing interesting like heart rate/cadence/power sadly (I guess too seriously sensitive info for competition), but saw it showing speed data on final climb yesterday for example. Must help behind the scenes too I'd imagine, time gaps etc.

They are tweeting the occasional interesting bit of info, the twitter account is this https://twitter.com/letourdata

Great stuff from Martin today, good of sky to let him go too, smart from them and it certainly helped martin stay away!

[Dowks]

Great ride from Martin, this brightened my day

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/07/video/video...

[Johno]

okgo said:

Bedford Rascal said:

Data feed aerials. Nothing interesting like heart rate/cadence/power sadly (I guess too seriously sensitive info for competition), but saw it showing speed data on final climb yesterday for example. Must help behind the scenes too I'd imagine, time gaps etc.

They are tweeting the occasional interesting bit of info, the twitter account is this https://twitter.com/letourdata

Great stuff from Martin today, good of sky to let him go too, smart from them and it certainly helped martin stay away!

Background

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2015/us/pre-race/news...

Data sign up

http://www.dimensiondata.com/Global/Global-Events/...

Actual sign up page

http://www.dimensiondata.com/Global/Global-Events/...


Martin's ride was fantastic, on a team mates bike and although compounding factors meant perhaps the chase from Sky wasn't there, it was from the other teams so as always, special to see a rider with the raw power to jump off the front of such a quality field and escape. Great to see him and his team mates so animated for him.

Interesting days racing, Nibali had a litte dig a couple of times but to no evail, Quintana did well to sneak under the radar of the commentary and coverage but was there and Berite soldiers on. Froome was working hard.

Pinot, needs to realise you lose races when you stand on the side of the road with a functioning bicycle shouting aimlessly and pointlessly, during which time you lose time.

Sean Kelly's quote on Eurosport was hilarious, something like "he just needs to ride it, rather than making shapes and a scene at the side fo the road"

[Matt_N]

Wow, what a ride from Martin, suffers a mechanical, quick thinking sees him jump on another bike rather than wait for the mechanic and then he breaks away at 3km to go, beast.

1. GERMARTIN Tony 114 ETIXX-QUICK STEP 12h 40' 26''
2. GBRFROOME Christopher 31 TEAM SKY 12h 40' 38'' + 00' 12''
3. USAVAN GARDEREN Tejay 61 BMC RACING TEAM 12h 40' 51'' + 00' 25''
4. FRAGALLOPIN Tony 71 LOTTO-SOUDAL 12h 41' 04'' + 00' 38''
5. SVKSAGAN Peter 47 TINKOFF-SAXO 12h 41' 05'' + 00' 39''
6. BELVAN AVERMAET Greg 68 BMC RACING TEAM 12h 41' 06'' + 00' 40''
7. COLURAN URAN Rigoberto 118 ETIXX-QUICK STEP 12h 41' 12'' + 00' 46''
8. ESPCONTADOR Alberto 41 TINKOFF-SAXO 12h 41' 14'' + 00' 48''
9. GBRTHOMAS Geraint 39 TEAM SKY 12h 41' 41'' + 01' 15''
10. CZESTYBAR Zdenek 116 ETIXX-QUICK STEP 12h 41' 42'' + 01' 16''
11. FRABARGUIL WARREN 82 TEAM GIANT-ALPECIN 12h 41' 45'' + 01' 19''
12. NEDMOLLEMA Bauke 141 TREK FACTORY RACING 12h 42' 10'' + 01' 44''
13. ITANIBALI Vincenzo 1 ASTANA PRO TEAM 12h 42' 16'' + 01' 50''
14. NEDGESINK Robert 131 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 12h 42' 17'' + 01' 51''
15. CZEKREUZIGER Roman 44 TINKOFF-SAXO 12h 42' 29'' + 02' 03''
16. ESPVALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro 59 MOVISTAR TEAM 12h 42' 29'' + 02' 03''
17. COLQUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander 51 MOVISTAR TEAM 12h 42' 34'' + 02' 08''
18. ESPRODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joachim 91 TEAM KATUSHA 12h 42' 38'' + 02' 12''
19. FRAPÉRAUD Jean-Christophe 11 AG2R LA MONDIALE 12h 42' 45'' + 02' 19''
20. USATALANSKY Andrew 161 TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN 12h 43' 17'' + 02' 51''
21. FRABARDET Romain 12 AG2R LA MONDIALE 12h 43' 32'' + 03' 06''
22. BELBAKELANTS Jan 13 AG2R LA MONDIALE 12h 44' 02'' + 03' 36''
23. DENFUGLSANG Jakob 3 ASTANA PRO TEAM 12h 44' 27'' + 04' 01''
24. SUIFRANK Mathias 181 IAM CYCLING 12h 44' 33'' + 04' 07''
25. PORCOSTA Rui Alberto 151 LAMPRE - MERIDA 12h 44' 36'' + 04' 10''
26. SLOKOREN Kristijan 165 TEAM CANNONDALE-GARMIN 12h 45' 06'' + 04' 40''
27. GERNERZ Dominik 191 BORA-ARGON 18 12h 45' 12'' + 04' 46''
28. FRAVUILLERMOZ Alexis 19 AG2R LA MONDIALE 12h 46' 24'' + 05' 58''
29. ESPIZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka 57 MOVISTAR TEAM 12h 46' 29'' + 06' 03''
30. FRAPINOT Thibaut 21 FDJ 12h 46' 56'' + 06' 30''

[Equilibrium25]

Johno said:

Pinot, needs to realise you lose races when you stand on the side of the road with a functioning bicycle shouting aimlessly and pointlessly, during which time you lose time.

Sean Kelly's quote on Eurosport was hilarious, something like "he just needs to ride it, rather than making shapes and a scene at the side fo the road"

Ha! Quite, I was watching thinking that it was very unlikely that you would see the same histrionics from the proven GT winners - Froome/Contador/Nibali.

I will await a clip now to prove me wrong

[aclivity]

It looked like his replacement bike also broke - or was he having a bit of a tantrum?

(Bradley Wiggins lost it a bit after his winning race, managed to push the bike for a perfect parking position?)

[v15ben]

Steve vRS said:

What was up with his bike? I was watching highlights in a hotel bar with no commentary.

Not sure to be honest as the commentators didn't seem to know either.
Think he had a puncture, but then had another issue a few miles later and swapped onto a team-mate's bike.

[budgie smuggler]

Hope my local boy Dowsett is alright for stage 5. Looked like a nasty cut considering his medical issues.

https://twitter.com/CyclismCycling/status/61847008...

https://twitter.com/CyclismCycling/status/61847022...