Le Tour de Pharmaceutical 2014

Kicks off on 5th July in Yorkshire. Froome will start as clear favorite but Contador, Nibali & Rogers are just a few in form riders who will make life difficult for him. Cav will also be seeking to re-establish himself as the topdog of the sprinters. No Wiggins or Evans this year.
 
Stage one:
 

Cote de Buttertubs?

IS Quintana racing?

JGK wrote:Cote de Buttertubs?

Its Yorkshire...what can i say.   

JGK wrote:IS Quintana racing?

I think so but it seems Valverde is rated a better chance.

Have previous Froggie Tours involved English legs??

Yes

Big Dog wrote:

JGK wrote:IS Quintana racing?

I think so but it seems Valverde is rated a better chance.

Seems not.

http://www.supersport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/news/140618/Quintana_left_off_Movistar_team_for_TdF

taipan wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

JGK wrote:IS Quintana racing?

I think so but it seems Valverde is rated a better chance.

Seems not.

http://www.supersport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/news/140618/Quintana_left_off_Movistar_team_for_TdF

Yeah, not surprised. It looked like Movistar was always favouring Valverde for this years tilt.

skully wrote:Have previous Froggie Tours involved English legs??

2007 Tour started in London.

Big Dog wrote:

taipan wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

JGK wrote:IS Quintana racing?

I think so but it seems Valverde is rated a better chance.

Seems not.

http://www.supersport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/news/140618/Quintana_left_off_Movistar_team_for_TdF

Yeah, not surprised. It looked like Movistar was always favouring Valverde for this years tilt.

Didn't Valverde get taken out of contention by a freak split in the peloton on a flat stage last year when lying 2nd or 3rd overall? Has generally failed to deliver in France but seems to have been pretty unlucky there.

Anyway seems rare that anyone has a serious go at the Giro and Tour in the same year, and Quintana chose the former this time.

The race starts in Ange's back yard!

lardbucket wrote:The race starts in Ange's back yard!

It's going all around and about here, looking forward to it.

Froome and a few of the Sky team were out riding some of the course earlier this month. Those who'd never here before seemed genuinely surprised by the scenery, I think they were expecting, mills and smoke... Don't think they'll like the day that finishes going up the cobbles in Howarth much though.

Bookies see it as a two way fight between Froome and Dirty Bertie... Nibali at around 12/1, Valverde 28's and 40/1 bar those four.

beamer wrote:Didn't Valverde get taken out of contention by a freak split in the peloton on a flat stage last year when lying 2nd or 3rd overall? Has generally failed to deliver in France but seems to have been pretty unlucky there.

Yeah, had a puncture on a windy stage and lost around 10 minutes. Also seems to be the one of two GC riders, along with Rodriguez, who rides the Ardennes races to win.

One of the stages is a Paris Roubaix stage, so that should make for good viewing.

Anyway seems rare that anyone has a serious go at the Giro and Tour in the same year, and Quintana chose the former this time.

Aye, the Giro's way too hard these days...

Buttertubs Pass




More pics and info, in the Dales, not far from Hawes

Very pretty. Got up through the Peaks district a bit last year, but not up there.

I was up that way when i last visited in 1986. Was almost taken out by a huge Mercedes Motorhome with German plates who had forgotten where he was & was on the wrong side of the road.

eowyn wrote:Buttertubs Pass




More pics and info, in the Dales, not far from Hawes

Luverly.

Big Dog wrote:

skully wrote:Have previous Froggie Tours involved English legs??

2007 Tour started in London.

Choyers, Mr Dog.

Sprint specialist Nacer Bouhanni has been dropped by FDJ for the TdF.
Bouhanni, The 2012 French champion and winner of three stages and the points classification at the recent Giro d'Italia, is out of contract at the end of the year, and is rumoured to be out of favour with the team due to personality clashes with sprint rival Demare.

Ulissi, who won two stages in the Giro, got pinged for a salbutamol non negative.

Blow for Contador. Kreuziger, his right hand man, has been pulled up for blood passport abnormalities from 2011 and 12.

tricycle wrote:Blow for Contador. Kreuziger, his right hand man, has been pulled up for blood passport abnormalities from 2011 and 12.

Contador still has the inform Rogers is his corner. Its going to be a dogfight with Froome who's righthand man, Porte has been in patchy form this year.

Big Dog wrote:

tricycle wrote:Blow for Contador. Kreuziger, his right hand man, has been pulled up for blood passport abnormalities from 2011 and 12.

Contador still has the inform Rogers is his corner. Its going to be a dogfight with Froome who's righthand man, Porte has been in patchy form this year.  

He could/should be cooked though. As will his now main man in the mountains Majka, who was openly critical ofhis selection. Mind, Roche has been very strong.

Yeah, not sure about Porte's form. Think Nieve may even be Froome's last man up the mountains if things don't work out.