Tour de France 2011

[dlogan]

As always huge respect to these guys......but years ago were there always this many crashes?

Bad enough that spectators can cause this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8KwcNP-eI4

But then a course car does this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWT8yeHGA0U

And Wiggins is out with broken collarbone.
Amazing.

[lou_m]

Think it seems worse this year as a lot of the big name riders have been involved in the crashes.

[GRAHAM]

Big fan of the tour. That guy in the car will surely be sacked, Good job it wasn't a French rider

Don't think any camera's caught Vinkourov's exit on the start of a downhill, broken femur,pelvis and collorbone i think..20ft drop into trees

Not as interesting now what Wiggins is out although i don't think, even though he was in top form had a chance of winning as not a real climber.
Evans for me this year, Contador looks out of sorts and Sclek may be forever runner up.....

[jason]

Yes, there's always been crashes. I think they just didn't have the media exposure they do now... Though I don't recall ever seeing q media car do what it did today Millar made a good observation today though; that the competition seems much closer these days which is bound to have an effect on the peleton's density and behaviour.

Not sure why so much hype about Wiggins. I'd love to have seen how he handled the mountain stages this year, but he cracked big time in this year's Giro. Really gutted for Thomas losing more time than seemed necessary (with hindsight) waiting to see if he had to help Wiggins back to the peleton after his fall. Sacrificed the white jersey... tactical error by Sky?

I get withdrawal every year after the finish in Paris!

[max1966]

I've never seen such a stupid manouvre as yesterday (Ok I have, regularly while out training, dicks who won't wait to overtake).

The France TV driver deserves to be charged, thrown off the Tour (inevitably), dragged over the coals, flayed, torn in four by horses and given a thorough telling off by his mother, just stupid. Mind you if he'd hit the tree it would may been much worse, clearly shouldn't have been there but...............

Disappointing to see the exit of Bradley and Vinokourov. What could have been?

Bradley and his teams performance in the Dauphine pointed toward a high placing, a win perhaps not and relative form was hard to judge as the big names spread themselves in the run up to avoid comparison.

Contador won the Giro brilliantly, Bradley beat Evans in the Dauphine and Andy Schleck fulfilled his American teams requirement for high profile appearances in the Tour of California before joining his brother in the Tour of Switzerland, which was won by Cancellara.

I'd still put my money on Contador, Andy Schleck as an outsider but that's about it. Alberto will, I'm fairly sure, have too much for all the others.

[Gareth]

I'm a huge fan of the TdF!
That car was ridiculous!
Poor guy into barbed wire fence!

[mikeep]

Think contador looks a bit laboured (although could be a bluff)

Would like to see Cadel winning. I think he looks a little less chunky this year so should be better on the hills?

I can't stop thinking about 'tubs' from the league of gentlemen though every time I see him

[dirkpitt]

big fan of the tour here too!........used to ride in my early days, and been watching for many a year.......i have total respect for the pro riders as they have to be the fittest guys in the world, its just staggering the pain they go through... and to top it the crashes!....watched it live and jumped out of my seat when seeing the black citroen side swipe flecha and then hoogerland flying onto a barbed wire fence crazy mental!.....then jump back on and riding another 30km to the finish ......i think the tour lost 12 rides on that stage ……. The way things are going , it wont be the fastest rider that will win the tour but the one who is lucky enough not to be involved in a crash and make it to Paris… its carnage out there!

[meatball]

Wiggins will be missed, Vino will not...in my opinion!
Karma!

[jason]

Bradley and his teams performance in the Dauphine pointed toward a high placing, a win perhaps not and relative form was hard to judge as the big names spread themselves in the run up to avoid comparison..

Indeed, but he still cracked big-time in the Giro on a brutal mountain day, so I have no idea why he was expected to not be cracked by the big three (plus others) again in le Tour.

Wiggins will be missed, Vino will not...in my opinion!
Karma!

Couldn't agree more. Delighted Vino is out (though not because he was hurt obviously). Relieved he didn't grab yellow the other day too.

Bring on the mountains!

[lou_m]

But Wiggans didn't ride the Giro this year.

[jason]

But Wiggans didn't ride the Giro this year.

Oh deary me, I've had a brain fart again. That was last year wasn't it?!? Where did that year go?

[Scotty C]

lloks like ive missed a fiar bit already.

I will watch it later on in the week when they hit the hills If anyone is left in it.

[max1966]

But Wiggans didn't ride the Giro this year.

, thanks I was trying to be more subtle.

It's OK Jason it'll be an age thing