tOfficial 2021 Tour de France Thread..

[Robert J Sakimano]

53 days until the boys depart from Brittany, on a peninsula in western France.. first couple of days are 'hilly' followed by a few flats. The Tour has some odd features this year, least of which is two climbs of Mont Ventoux.. on the same stage. What the actual heck?  

(I do remember a handful of years ago, probably more as the older I get, everything seems like a "handful of years ago", where the route had two climbs of Alpe d'Huez on the same stage).

two individual TTs, as well (first time with two individual time trials in maybe five years or so?)

as usual, the last week will be dominated with some high climbs in the Pyrenees, including up Luz Ardiden and a final TT on the penultimate day.

always the best part of the summer.

[Motown Spartan]

Is Lance Armstrong expected to succeed?

[kingstonlake]

My pick is the rich guy with corporate sponsorship on performance enhancing drugs that are five years ahead of the testing curve.

[Nordic]

Who are the favs?

[Robert J Sakimano]

Is Lance Armstrong expected to succeed?

I'll sure he'll be successful at something.

[Robert J Sakimano]

My pick is the rich guy with corporate sponsorship on performance enhancing drugs that are five years ahead of the testing curve.

good bet.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Who are the favs?

gotta figure it'll come down to Pojacar and Roglic again. I'd probably go with Roglic and the Jumbo-Visma squad.

[kingstonlake]

My pick is the rich guy with corporate sponsorship on performance enhancing drugs that are five years ahead of the testing curve.

good bet.

Honestly I watch for the cinematography. It's awesome.

[Turtleneck]

Is Lance Armstrong expected to succeed?

He was framed. Never cheated.

[Other Teams Pursuing That]

My pick is the rich guy with corporate sponsorship on performance enhancing drugs that are five years ahead of the testing curve.

[DWags]

My pick is the rich guy with corporate sponsorship on performance enhancing drugs that are five years ahead of the testing curve.

[Robert J Sakimano]

good bet.

Honestly I watch for the cinematography. It's awesome.

Indeed.

[Robert J Sakimano]

My pick is the rich guy with corporate sponsorship on performance enhancing drugs that are five years ahead of the testing curve.

he's not wrong..

[Robert J Sakimano]

39 days until the drugged-up rich white cyclists depart western France for a three week race around the country.

Gonna be pretty sweet, as always. The best part of summer. 

[Robert J Sakimano]

13 days until the pharmacy on wheels takes off for three weeks.

The best three weeks of the summer.

[aualum06]

Bob you didn't tell me this started today

[Robert J Sakimano]

Bob you didn't tell me this started today

it started today.

(I watched for an hour.. went out between rain storms for a quick 22 miles.. came back and the Tour boys still had 30 miles to go)

[Robert J Sakimano]

Idiot spectators put lives, livelihoods and careers at risk.

jfc

[aualum06]

Idiot spectators put lives, livelihoods and careers at risk.

jfc

It's nuts how narrow some of the roads are and how the spectators get in the way

[Robert J Sakimano]

Idiot spectators put lives, livelihoods and careers at risk.

jfc

It's nuts how narrow some of the roads are and how the spectators get in the way

in the scheme of things, it's a testament to how the cyclists have mastered bike handling that serious crashes don't happen more often.

But when they're caused by a spectator, it's unconscionable.

[tGreenWay]

They still using bikes in this thing?

[tGreenWay]

Idiot spectators put lives, livelihoods and careers at risk.

jfc

It's nuts how narrow some of the roads are and how the spectators get in the way

Please don’t say that around Lance Armstrong. He gets a little testy.

[aualum06]

It's nuts how narrow some of the roads are and how the spectators get in the way

in the scheme of things, it's a testament to how the cyclists have mastered bike handling that serious crashes don't happen more often.

But when they're caused by a spectator, it's unconscionable.

Just saw what happened. Wow

[Robert J Sakimano]

It's nuts how narrow some of the roads are and how the spectators get in the way

Please don’t say that around Lance Armstrong. He gets a little testy.

[aualum06]

[tw]1408844878344196098?s=19[/tw]

[Robert J Sakimano]

[tw]1408844878344196098?s=19[/tw]

was watching live.

[DWags]

[tw]1408844878344196098?s=19[/tw]

was watching live.

I was wondering if the fan was you

[aualum06]

Race getting good

[Robert J Sakimano]

was watching live.

I was wondering if the fan was you

My sign would say "hey DWags.. got a Bud Light to spare"?

[Robert J Sakimano]

Crazy couple of days. Usually the first week is flat with mass peloton finishes. Lots of technical parts to the first few days this year, along with some decent little climbs.

Alaphlippe likely to hold onto to yellow all week. We'll see.

[aualum06]

Crazy couple of days. Usually the first week is flat with mass peloton finishes. Lots of technical parts to the first few days this year, along with some decent little climbs.

Alaphlippe likely to hold onto to yellow all week. We'll see.

Vanderpoel dusted them

[Robert J Sakimano]

Crazy couple of days. Usually the first week is flat with mass peloton finishes. Lots of technical parts to the first few days this year, along with some decent little climbs.

Alaphlippe likely to hold onto to yellow all week. We'll see.

Vanderpoel dusted them

saw that!

I figured if Alaphilippe held onto today, he could stay in yellow as the race has some flat stages with massive sprint finishes.

Great story about Van der Poel, though - his grandfather finished 2nd in the Tour three times.

[aualum06]

Sagan destroys the guy in red, bump bump, wipe out and he got destroyed by the pavement

[Robert J Sakimano]

Sagan destroys the guy in red, bump bump, wipe out and he got destroyed by the pavement

my first thought was that Sagan was at fault as he and Caleb Ewan were leaning into each other for the best line on the approach to the finish.

I rewatched it and Ewan's tire clearly slid out underneath Sagan, taking them both out. Ewan definitely looked hurt.

lots of crazy nerves out there. As odd as it sounds on day three of the Tour, Roglic is in a bad position with that hard crash he had today.

[tGreenWay]

I’m thinking of doing the entire Tour route on a Segway. Kingston could only do it in an Amigo.

[aualum06]

Sagan destroys the guy in red, bump bump, wipe out and he got destroyed by the pavement

my first thought was that Sagan was at fault as he and Caleb Ewan were leaning into each other for the best line on the approach to the finish.

I rewatched it and Ewan's tire clearly slid out underneath Sagan, taking them both out. Ewan definitely looked hurt.

lots of crazy nerves out there. As odd as it sounds on day three of the Tour, Roglic is in a bad position with that hard crash he had today.

Me too but he clearly slides in front of Sagan and takes him out. Looks like his leg was twisted and caught in his bike the whole slide.

[Robert J Sakimano]

Cav with (I believe) his 31st Tour stage win. Pretty amazing.

With Ewan out, it'll open up the sprint stages even more for Cav, Greipel, et al.

[Nordic]

Cav! Very cool. Adam Blythe has nailed the last two stage winners

[Robert J Sakimano]

Cav! Very cool. Adam Blythe has nailed the last two stage winners

Blythe should buy a lottery ticket.

Cav has had a rough couple of seasons, so it's good to see. I'm up drinking Cuban coffee and watching the TT.

[aualum06]

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