Tour de France 2011

anportmorforjfc · June 30, 2011, 02:40:23 PM

Starts on Saturday, hard to look past Contador for the win. With a bit of luck Cavandish won't win a stage

Map of each stage:

http://www.letour.fr/2011/TDF/COURSE/us/100/etape_par_etape.html

RealSpiritof98 · June 30, 2011, 02:54:12 PM

Would love the see one the the schleck brothers win it, very unlucky last year with a broken chain and contador took full advantage. Wiggins playing up a podium finish. any got the odds!

cavan4sam · June 30, 2011, 03:23:01 PM

Why don't you want Cavendish to win a stage? I think he is an awesome sprinter and by far the best there has been for many a year probably since Erik Zabel.

ExcellentDriver · June 30, 2011, 03:24:32 PM

Quote from: cavan4sam on June 30, 2011, 03:23:01 PM
Why don't you want Cavendish to win a stage? I think he is an awesome sprinter and by far the best there has been for many a year probably since Erik Zabel.

The Man from the Isle of Man. Cycling's answer to Joey Dunlop.

Boycey · June 30, 2011, 03:35:58 PM

I'm a huge fan of cycling going back to the late 70s but each year the Tour gets more and more tainted, there isn't a single champion of the modern era that there isn't some doubt or other about. The fact that Contador is even taking his place on the start line shows what a farce the sport has become..

anportmorforjfc · June 30, 2011, 03:56:51 PM

Quote from: cavan4sam on June 30, 2011, 03:23:01 PM
Why don't you want Cavendish to win a stage? I think he is an awesome sprinter and by far the best there has been for many a year probably since Erik Zabel.

I just think he is an arrogant cnut! Have to say hes a good sprinter but if was the best would he not have won a green jersey in the tour by now?

maddog · June 30, 2011, 04:07:00 PM

Quote from: Boycey on June 30, 2011, 03:35:58 PM
I'm a huge fan of cycling going back to the late 70s but each year the Tour gets more and more tainted, there isn't a single champion of the modern era that there isn't some doubt or other about. The fact that Contador is even taking his place on the start line shows what a farce the sport has become..

Are you saying the tour was cleaner in the late 70's ?

cavan4sam · June 30, 2011, 04:11:42 PM

Not really, throughout the 3 week duration of the tour you have intermediate sprints in mountain stages and the likes and other riding who are stronger overall riders than Cavendish do well here. He has only started 3 Tours and has won 15 stages which for me is a very good record. He only started riding on the road in 2006 which I think goes a long way to explaining why he doesn't challenge for intermediate sprints like Hushovd and Pettachi who have been road racers for a long time and are stronger men. We'l see how he gets on this year anyway. He is kind of arrogant but you can't deny his talent.

There have been drugs on the Tour since the 20s lads.

maddog · June 30, 2011, 04:25:35 PM

Quote from: anportmorforjfc on June 30, 2011, 03:56:51 PM
Quote from: cavan4sam on June 30, 2011, 03:23:01 PM
Why don't you want Cavendish to win a stage? I think he is an awesome sprinter and by far the best there has been for many a year probably since Erik Zabel.

I just think he is an arrogant cnut! Have to say hes a good sprinter but if was the best would he not have won a green jersey in the tour by now?

He might be a bit arrogant but you kind of have to be. Bottom line is Cavendish is closer in style to Mario Cippolini who was arguably the fastest ever but climbed off as soon as the mountains were on the horizon. Mario would be lying on the beach with 3 or 4 stages won while the rest were slaving up the cols. The like of Hushovd is a hardy bit of work, he will hang in on the real tough days and pick up points here and there. Cavendish has stated his intent of winning green, will be interesting to see how he fares. If he isnt in green entering the first of the mountains then its unlikely that he will win it. Wiggins has set his goal as a podium place, id say top ten at best. Cunego was in good form in the tour of switzerland there and but for one disastrous day last year would have finished much higher in the TDF.

gerry · June 30, 2011, 04:31:48 PM

I follow Cavendish on twitter and have seen many of his interviews and wouldn't say he was arrogant. As a sprinter he needs a certain amount of self belief but after ever win he is the first to look for and thank his team.

its a wonder he finds time for the cycling, when he leaves this at home

Tyrones own · June 30, 2011, 05:18:06 PM

Quote from: gerry on June 30, 2011, 04:31:48 PM
I follow Cavendish on twitter and have seen many of his interviews and wouldn't say he was arrogant. As a sprinter he needs a certain amount of self belief but after ever win he is the first to look for and thank his team.

its a wonder he finds time for the cycling, when he leaves this at home

I'd say there's somebody else on that while he's on the bike....
Maybe if his lead out man can keep from headbutting other riders
He might just do it this year, unfortunately!

RealSpiritof98 · June 30, 2011, 05:31:13 PM

Quote from: anportmorforjfc on June 30, 2011, 03:56:51 PM
Quote from: cavan4sam on June 30, 2011, 03:23:01 PM
Why don't you want Cavendish to win a stage? I think he is an awesome sprinter and by far the best there has been for many a year probably since Erik Zabel.

I just think he is an arrogant cnut! Have to say hes a good sprinter but if was the best would he not have won a green jersey in the tour by now?

Quote from: maddog on June 30, 2011, 04:25:35 PM
Quote from: anportmorforjfc on June 30, 2011, 03:56:51 PM
Quote from: cavan4sam on June 30, 2011, 03:23:01 PM
Why don't you want Cavendish to win a stage? I think he is an awesome sprinter and by far the best there has been for many a year probably since Erik Zabel.

I just think he is an arrogant cnut! Have to say hes a good sprinter but if was the best would he not have won a green jersey in the tour by now?

He might be a bit arrogant but you kind of have to be. Bottom line is Cavendish is closer in style to Mario Cippolini who was arguably the fastest ever but climbed off as soon as the mountains were on the horizon. Mario would be lying on the beach with 3 or 4 stages won while the rest were slaving up the cols. The like of Hushovd is a hardy bit of work, he will hang in on the real tough days and pick up points here and there. Cavendish has stated his intent of winning green, will be interesting to see how he fares. If he isnt in green entering the first of the mountains then its unlikely that he will win it. Wiggins has set his goal as a podium place, id say top ten at best. Cunego was in good form in the tour of switzerland there and but for one disastrous day last year would have finished much higher in the TDF.

lads i'm no expert, but has the points structure for the green jersey been changed in favour of the likes of Cav

gerry · June 30, 2011, 05:37:12 PM

Contador going to have a long tour if todays anything to go by

Tweeted By Cycling Weekly

A huge amount of boos and whistles for Contador as he and his Saxo Bank team get on the stage at the amphitheatre

Boycey · June 30, 2011, 05:54:36 PM

Quote from: maddog on June 30, 2011, 04:07:00 PM
Quote from: Boycey on June 30, 2011, 03:35:58 PM
I'm a huge fan of cycling going back to the late 70s but each year the Tour gets more and more tainted, there isn't a single champion of the modern era that there isn't some doubt or other about. The fact that Contador is even taking his place on the start line shows what a farce the sport has become..

Are you saying the tour was cleaner in the late 70's ?

No I suppose I'm not, I'm well aware now of the history of drugs in the tour. I'm talking from a personal perspective as a young "innocent" I marvelled at the likes of Merckx, Kuiper, Hainault though our own boys in the 80s to Big Mig but to be honest knowing what I know now I'll hardly give it a cursory glance over the next 3 weeks..

Surely even the most ardent cycling fan must abhor the fact that Contador is in the field, they are now at the stage where they are making a mockery of the event. What if the court of arbitration takes last years title off him next month?? How hollow does that make this years tour?

bennydorano · June 30, 2011, 06:10:21 PM

The big question everyone is asking who is going to be 3rd. Unless the Giro has taken a lot out of Contador I doubt anyone will trouble him, he's so far ahead of the rest it's embarrasing, he has been gifting stages to other riders all season for helping him out. Andy Schleck has basically forsaken the whole of his season in preparation for the Tour, he's looked very very ordinary so far this year but maybe he's been keeping his powder dry, Frank Schleck is at the TDF to work for Andy.

Have saw the betting and it's hard to pick anything out, Contador odds on, Schleck a hot second favourite and take your pick the rest, although Wiggin's Dauphine win has brought him into solid third fav. Hard to know who's got the consistency to make the podium as lot of riders are more interested in the stage wins as opposed to overalls.

My tuppence worth betting wise - Having watched all Eurosport and Sky have had to offer this year there hasn't been a more impressive winner than Chris Horner (Radioshack) in the Tour of California - he annihilated the field (Schleck included) through the mountains. I'll be suprised if he doesn't put up a good show - it's knowing what mountain stage to back him on, but at 66/1 he could be a bet for third. Other climbers with a good shout (and could win a stage IMO), Nibali, Sammy Sanchez, Gesink, Thomas Vockler and Christopher Kern.

Cancellara will probably be odds on for the time-trial (Wiggins and Tony Martin closest), he'll be one with a chance on a 'lumpy' sprint as well(which stage 1 is), as would Phillipe Gillbert, Matt Goss, Bosen-Hagan and Thor Hushovd. For flat sprints Cav is the man, Tyler Farah is having a poor enough year but he'll be in the top 5 betting for flat sprints, Pettachi, Tom Boonan too.

Halfords are running a Fantasy Tour game. http://www.halfordstdfgame.co.uk/?utm_source=cyclingweekly&utm_medium=Editorial&utm_campaign=TDF&utm_term= watch out for Bennys boys