TdF 2012 (may contain spoilers)

[Phil H]

Interesting stage today. Sky looking dominant up that final climb and Evans unable to ride away. In a way it's a shame Froome lost all that time the other day. Also it's a shame they don't have the green jersey too.

Tomorrow looks like some nasty gradients - more like Cadel's territory. Also I wonder if Sky can do that all the way up a serious HC climb. I suspect Nibali might try to ride away down the final descent as he did a couple of Giros back.

[Andrew G]

Lots of exploding legs today.
Tomorrow Brad needs to just sit in wheels and if Cadel attacks on the final climb follow. I think he can ignore Nibali to a degree as he won't take enough on a descent that Brad can't get more than elsewhere, like the TT the stage after.

[Phil H]

Yeah, I couldn't believe some of the people who were being shelled out the back today. I just wonder - 2 weeks is a long time to have to defend the yellow jersey.

[Andrew G]

You don't have to defend it all the time. You can let it go so long as you keep it within reach. Only a small margin to Evans so no problem losing a few seconds to him at the top of the climb and being second on GC by say 20 seconds if you are confident of taking at least 30 in the final TT.

[Antloony]

Sky looked very strong today and totally in control. If they repeat the same tomorrow it sets up Wiggins nicely for Mondays TT which should see him put time into Evans and co over the 25 miles.

[Amy]

I hope they put that meadow back on the Cote de la Planche de la Belle Fille... (what is a pretty girl doing with a plank???)

Anyway, storming ride from Sky and Chris Froome - shame he didn't get support last year when he was going so well and Brad was out of the picture.

[Phil H]

After last year's Vuelta performance, you have to think of Froome as a future contender. Also how was he able to ride away after being on the front for so long up the climb? The Brad/Rogers/Froome/Porte team look damned strong on the hills. But it's a long race.

[Paul H]

US Postal are back.

[Andrew G]

[quote="Amy"]I hope they put that meadow back on the Cote de la Planche de la Belle Fille... (what is a pretty girl doing with a plank???)

Anyway, storming ride from Sky and Chris Froome - shame he didn't get support last year when he was going so well and Brad was out of the picture.

[Andrew G]

Great stage, brilliant win by Pinot and I haven't laughed so hard in ages as watching Madiot in the car. Fantastic .

[Phil H]

Yes. A certain amount of feeling there in the car.

Going to be a big benefit for Brad starting last tomorrow. Even I am starting to get optimistic. They've lengthened it so it's probably about the same as a rolling 25.

[Grahame]

[quote="Andrew G"]Great stage, brilliant win by Pinot and I haven't laughed so hard in ages as watching Madiot in the car. Fantastic .

[George]

[youtubewww]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEjQreIqdM8[/youtubewww][img]http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/fl/french/french-french-paris-france-smiley-emoticon-000584-large.gif[/img]

[Grahame]

Two hissy fits in two days from Wiggins (Cameraman who got in his way on Saturday, Journalist who dared to ask about doping on Sunday).

Am I alone in becoming less impressed with the man as an ambassador for our sport?

[Phil H]

I thought he was turning into a David Millar tribute act.

I think he might want to stay away from Twitter for a while if he gets annoyed by the rampant speculation.