Tour De France (spoilers)

[Yeoman]

He's done it. He's fucking done it. CAV WINS A 35TH TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE.

That was classic Cav as well. Pure calculation, timing and power.

He's always been a class apart when it comes to 'freelancing' at the finish, not being dependent on a huge team lead out to deliver you, but finding the right wheel to follow. Couple of classic Cav moments as he 'bumped' people of the wheel he wanted, then a dived through a gap.

He could easily pick up another stage win or two IMO, now that his team believe in him, not that he really needs a lot of help, apart from being escorted in the mountains.

Pidcock ( as said above ) seems to be off his best. 2 days ago was made for him, but he failed to show.

[Mr Nice 2.0]

I don't think Pidcock will ever pull of stage wins if he rides with the GC pack. He's just not a climber of their class to stay with the pace set by a fully engaged GC team like UAE were that day.

Much like his win on Alp d'heuz a couple of years back, and similar to Van Aert on Mount Vontauix, he needs to get up the road away from the GC race to pull of a big mountain day win.

And, I think he may in week 3 when usually breakaways on the big stages are more successful.

[Meerkat]

What a day’s racing!
Much as it added to the entertainment the gravel is lunacy- athletes powering along mouths open into a dust cloud….what state are their lungs in after that!

[Marked Ox]

What a day’s racing!
Much as it added to the entertainment the gravel is lunacy- athletes powering along mouths open into a dust cloud….what state are their lungs in after that!

They need to HTFU.

[Mr Nice 2.0]

I'm thouroughly disapointed that the wind didn't show up today and we didn't get a repeat of the echelon carnage from the last stage finish in Saint-Amand-Montrond back in 2013.

[Dover and Dover]

The highlights were more boring than the time trial

[Mr Nice 2.0]

The highlights were more boring than the time trial

They all took it easy thinking the last 30km would be carnage. Then the wind changed so they carried on just rolling on. Very boring.

It's effectively been a day off for them all. Hopefully ky means some fireworks tomorrow though where it goes ip and down a lot in the last 50km

[Meerkat]

What a finish today! Those descents make me really nervous, and I’m just sitting on the sofa watching.
It’s better now I start watching as live but late, so I can fast forward the bloody competitions and all the adverts for funeral plans, bears, and donkeys.

[Mr Nice 2.0]

Yes, cracking stage today. Looking at the profile before I decided to watch the last 50km as live rather than the highlights show. And, boy were we rewarded.

After the Galibier someone earlier said it'd be a Pog procession to the end. Clearly not. I did start havibg my doubts but then remembered how Vinniegaard road himself into form at the Vuelta last year having started slow because he still had the Tour in his legs. Though Sepp Kuss won Vinnie could have attacked and beaten his team mate if he wished (thankfully he didn't) to win that tour as well. I suspect that Vinni will be strong in the big final week and let's not forget Pog has the Giro in his legs. That only finished a month before the Tour started which is why so few have ever done the Giro/Tour double because there's so little recovery time.

I'd actually like to see Pog win it overall but I want to see a proper battle royale to the end with it then all coming down to the final TT on the last day.

[TomMc]

A mate of mine lives in France now, and has become cycling obsessed. He managed to find an Airbnb on yesterday's route, literally walks out of the front door and he's got them going past him.