Tour de France

At least he got a yellow jersey on the Tour de France then.

Yes Sluffy but I wonder what ramifications will occur? Can't see the frogs being too happy if a Brit wins the Tour again this year!
Not watched today's action yet but Froome took another two minutes out today.

Cavendish will never win the Tour and with Sagan emerging he won't win any point jerseys again unless they fiddle with the point scoring again.  Cav's target will be if he can break the record for Tour wins - his team is not giving him the best support to do that in this Tour so far.

Froome may cycle under the Union Jack but really he is Kenyan and as spent most of his life in Africa.

He did really, really well today though to put a further two minutes and more into his rivals.

Long way to go and the next big step will be Sundays stage up the monster Mont Ventoux - should be a riveting spectacle.

I'm really pleased to see Porte find his form again today - I was shocked how he got blown away the other day - as I believe he was going to be a future winner of the Tour - Froome will need a fit Porte to help him win this one.

There does seem to be a few good young French riders for the first time in a generation - I thought Pinot of FDJ may have shown his face more in the Pyrenees so he might be saving himself for the Ventoux which just do happens to be on Bastille say.

Might be worth a cheeky punt for those who like a flutter as the likes of Froome won't be too worried if someone like Pinot went for the stage win as he is not a threat to his lead right now.

Tough stage to win though whoever it is who does win though - it killed poor Tom Simpson (the drugs didn't help mind) - RIP.

Sluffy wrote:Cavendish will never win the Tour and with Sagan emerging he won't win any point jerseys again unless they fiddle with the point scoring again.  Cav's target will be if he can break the record for Tour wins - his team is not giving him the best support to do that in this Tour so far.

Froome may cycle under the Union Jack but really he is Kenyan and as spent most of his life in Africa.

He did really, really well today though to put a further two minutes and more into his rivals.

Long way to go and the next big step will be Sundays stage up the monster Mont Ventoux - should be a riveting spectacle.

I'm really pleased to see Porte find his form again today - I was shocked how he got blown away the other day - as I believe he was going to be a future winner of the Tour - Froome will need a fit Porte to help him win this one.

There does seem to be a few good young French riders for the first time in a generation - I thought Pinot of FDJ may have shown his face more in the Pyrenees so he might be saving himself for the Ventoux which just do happens to be on Bastille say.

Might be worth a cheeky punt for those who like a flutter as the likes of Froome won't be too worried if someone like Pinot went for the stage win as he is not a threat to his lead right now.

Tough stage to win though whoever it is who does win though - it killed poor Tom Simpson (the drugs didn't help mind) - RIP.

Father British
Grandparents British
Considers himself to be a Brit

Lyric Todkill wrote:
Father British
Grandparents British
Considers himself to be a Brit

Twentyeight years old.

Born in Kenya.
Educated Kenya and South Africa.
Learned cycling in Nairobi.
Competed for Kenya in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth games.
Represented Kenya in the 2006 World Road Championship.
Turned professional in 2007 with the South African Team Konica Minolta.
Joined South African team Barlow World in 2008.

He's as English as Mick McCarthy is Irish but the records show McCarthy played for Ireland and Froome now cycles for Great Britain.

Still hope he wins though - much better cyclist than the Belgium Bradley Wiggins.

Froome first to the top of the big hill! Tremendous performance to go into a rest day and the final week with a 4 minute lead. Come on lad!

Brilliant performance by Froome. At one point it looked like Contador was biding his time but he didn't have the legs. Porte helped a lot today.

Sluffy wrote: much better cyclist than the Belgium Bradley Wiggins.

I never knew Wiggo was born in Belgium. Was his hero Eddie Mercx ?

Aussie dad, English mum and born in Belgium! When his mum and dad split his mum brought him back to England when he was a little lad!!
As a side, I expect Adolf would turn in his grave at the German football team? Not exactly Arayans?!

Amazing stuff from Froome - I think Wiggins must now know that he is no longer number one at Sky.

Porte did a fantastic job to blow all but Contador away to set things up for Froome.

Long way to go yet and plenty of time for things to go wrong but Froome must be feeling good to have blasted away from the little Colombian taking 30 secs out of him in the last kilometre - he now knows he has nothing to fear from him.

Surprised there wasn't a few comments about Friday's race - I've never seen one like it before!

Contador and five of his team mates made a break away with - of all people - Cavendish (who of course went on to win the stage) - and put just over a minute into Froome on what everybody thought was just a run of the mill, sprinters day. Also don't forget Valverde's puncture cost him ten minutes and put him out of the Tour running and seriously undermined the Colombians chances as they can no longer carry a threat with the one - two break away stuff.

Top, top tactics from Contador and his team but Froome took this time back and more today.

Fabulous day - thoroughly enjoyed it.

As long as he doesn't fall off, his legs don't fail him and Porte can keep hoi company it now looks like the race is Froome's to lose.

Oh and my one to watch - Pinot - finished top French rider in about sixth place.

(I think Wiggins hero was Big Mig - Miguel Indurain - certainly have the same sort of build and riding style).

I honestly think Wiggins has took his eye off the ball! I think Mrs Wiggins is on his case!!

Soul Kitchen wrote:I honestly think Wiggins has took his eye off the ball! I think Mrs Wiggins is on his case!!

I thought he was injured?

Wiggins is a great track rider - his Olympic gold’s prove that - and he's done amazing to convert to the road but everything fell right for him last year and I can't see him doing anything significant ever again.

Wiggins is a fabulous Time Trialist who can climb ok.

Last years Tour could have been set out with him in mind - there was two big TT's and the mountains were on the moderate side.  Wiggins gained time in the TT's and defended in the mountains - Froome was clearly better than him in the mountains and I think most would agree that Froome could have won the Tour himself if he hadn't had to accept team orders as Wiggins being Sky's leader (similar the Tour of Spain the year before).

This year it is all about mountains with very little TT mileage - Wiggins could never have won this Tour as he could never have ridden away from his rivals on the mountains as Froome as done now twice.

Similarly his Olympic Gold was won in the TT with both Tony Martin and Cancellera being either off form or injured - both whom he could not beat in 2011, or so far in 2013.

To be fair he became Sky leader on merit and could only ride the Tour as it was designed and race the people who were there - and he won fair and square - but everything fell into place for him rather than him being the best around - he wasn't even the best rider in Sky - Froome clearly was!

That's why Sky said Froome was their man for the Tour months ago and tbh Wiggins as been petulant about it ever since.

Froome clearly worked his bollocks off to set up the Tour win for Wiggins and it would have been classy if the situation was repaid this time but instead Wiggins thought he could walk the Italian Tour and when he didn't he thought he could out rank Froome for this one and found he wasn't as big a cheese as he thought he was.

Can't really see a future at Sky for him now.

Sluffy wrote:

Similarly his Olympic Gold was won in the TT with Tony Martin being either off form or injured -

Is there nothing that the Norfolk Nutter cannot turn his hand to ? He certainly isn't built like a traditional cyclist.  

Reebok Trotter wrote:

Sluffy wrote:

Similarly his Olympic Gold was won in the TT with  Tony Martin  being either off form or injured -

Is there nothing that the Norfolk Nutter cannot turn his hand to ? He certainly isn't built like a traditional cyclist.  

Brilliant!

Sluffy wrote:

Similarly his Olympic Gold was won in the TT with  Tony Martin  being either off form or injured -

Or in prison?

I hope Froome has had a good rest today. Barring a serious injury I reckon it is his to lose.

Apparently Froome has agreed a new contract at Sky, what next for Wiggo?

Soul Kitchen wrote:Apparently Froome has agreed a new contract at Sky, what next for Wiggo?

 Coyle will sign him for Wigan

No he's a rugby mon and if he follows type will laugh at every WAFC problem!