Congratulations Chris Froome !!!

[Donnywolf]

1) Brilliant and well deserved (second) win of the gruelling TdF. I watched the whole of the Stage yesterday live and it was a great spectacle with the outcome not settled till the very end


2) Whether he can do it next year will depend on the style of course for one thing as well as the opposition he faces as the runner up Quintana will be 25 and getting stronger (and wiser)  by the day and he is a pure climber. His Team made a huge error in Zeeland - on the flat - to lose him crucial early time and it was that time that cost him the race. Next year will probably be different !


3) On the down side I think some of the crowds reaction to Froome has been unacceptable. OK its a minority of idiots for sure at the moment but unless they are brought to book the spitters and the urine throwers who have convinced themselves or been convinced by the Media that Froome is using "drugs" will or could start carrying out further much more serious attacks. The race by its nature is wide open and it would be so easy for a lunatic to assault a rider.

[coventryrover]

Agreed with eevrything you said.  What a sporting event.

Credit to Quintana.  Even a small incline does for me so to sprint on Alpe d'Huez was just stunning.  He will win the tour.

Chapeau to Froome.  Stunning athlete and, more so, person.  To but up with that abuse, for no other reason than the fact he is so good, is something to behold.

[GazLaz]

I just don't get The Tour. Like watching paint dry.

[RedJ]

Luckily nobody forces you at gun point to watch it.

+1, DW.

[wilts rover]

Why do you watch something you don't like Gaz, seems pointless to me? And then take time to point this out to other people who do enjoy it, doublely pointless?

I have still to see yesterday's stage, I was driving during the final hour and then we were out yesterday evening. But it was compelling and thrilling listening to it on the radio, will Quintana do it, will Froome hold him or will he crack? The competition between people on an even playing field - or one going up at about 12% - it's what sport is all about surely?

It has been a fascinating race Wolfie. The first two race leaders crashing out, the crashes and the wind creating havoc during the first week. Much of that was down to Movistar not taking the northern classics seriously and thus not knowing the conditions - and their bad positioning in the peleton, al la Froome last year. He didn't make that mistake again, Movistar and Saxo did. Froome attacking after that first rest day when the others didn't expect it, Nibali and Contador being dropped.

It is great for me as a British cycling fan to see a 'British' rider on a British team doing well. It is however not  difficult to understand why this has been so universally unpopular in the cycling world.

I dont think Froome would want to go through that again, I reckon G Thomas will be the Sky leader next year.

[DRFCSouth]

There seems very little to trust about the tour anymore. They all come out with the same stories, then one by one are found out. Benefit of the doubt to them until proven otherwise I suppose. I stopped watching a few years ago after it became one exposure after another.

[essexrover]

Chapeau Froomey  though as Donnywolf rightly says, Movistar made a monumental error very early on & couldn't claw back the time. Major credit too must go to Froomes Team Sky sidekicks. Porte,Thomas,Poels & Roche in particular.
King of the Mountains too. First rider since 1970 ( Eddy Merckx, I think)anyone has won yellow & polka dot.
I just wish they weren't bankrolled by Murdoch's dirty cash 

[RedJ]

Porte absolutely buried himself yesterday. Shame he'll be heading (likely) to BMC next year. Van Garderen has an excellent rider at his disposal if that goes ahead.

[Donnywolf]

How the HELL did Geraint Thomas survive the crash into that Telephone Pole ?

Colossal hit and a pro footballer these days e.g. Drogba would still be rolling round. GT knew he had to get " get himself up dust himself off and start all over a again"

A brilliant reaction and he will be Team Leader somewhere if not Sky then elsewhere. Look at Froome who could have slaughtered Wiggins on the Wiggins win year - once let loose the following year he was the star man himself.

However Quintana will be the one to watch - along with certain ascending French riders