Your Bianchis fucking Rule. Celeste bar tape, oh hell yes.

Cheers for the kind words, and I certainly don’t blame you for (joke) trying…

@sthilzy
21lb, whatever that is in kg.

@frank

Now you’re just being silly…

Yeah if it’s where I’m thinking it is (See the hairpin at Scott’s Bowl in the picture), that turn is maybe 3/4 mile to a mile from the top. It’s a slightly windy run down until that turn up the road, then a 180 degree hairpin with a very very steep inside so you try to stay outside. Like granny gear stomping steep. I’m not surprised that someone without prior knowledge of that bend ate it. He came in way too hot for the conditions – especially considering that the road from Park City to the pass is gravel. Who knows what kind of dust was on his wheels when he hit the brakes. Now, the effing motos shouldn’t have parked where they did to cause a secondary accident – bonus points for the guy who just took off.

I’ve only ridden that road in the other direction, going up – I can’t imagine ever wanting to race down it. Pants-shittingly scary is my thinking, even for a pro.

@ChrisO

Back in 2012 David Ferehty described the golf swing of Jim Furyk as an octopus falling out of a tree. I can’t help but recall that when I watch Froome race a bike.

Ferehty also had a good quote along the lines of: I haven’t done a fact check on these so if they’re not right they should be… That in some instances could be a perfect thought for use around these parts of the inter webs.

Cheers

I preferred his description of Nick Faldo’s swing – “perfectly balanced as Faldo has a chip on both shoulders”.

Here’s another video of it; there is a chicane just before the corner that I think was setting the riders up to enter the turn really low. Also, you see Matt trying to stop, he’s skidding all over the place. Fucking scary as shit.

The yellow on those Columbus stickers ruin that bike.

That jag looked great as a Froome wagon in the 2014 TdF. And that whole Richie Porte Winnebago nonsense during the classics made a likable powerhouse of a team pretty unlikable.

And you forgot the Rapha kit and Kask helmets. It’s like they pick the most expensive gear and just get it on principle. (I should note that I have that Rapha essentials case and it is absolutely amazing.)

Now that I have that out of my system, I have to give Sky respect for looking pretty fantastic and having an extremely high taste level. Of course, they probably pay a guy to make sure they look good and he probably makes more than the mechanic who insists on violating Rule #41 (i.e. Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome)

@chris

I’ve never quite understood the allure of celeste. That’s possibly down to the fact that Bianchi owners can be a tad to enthusiastic when it come to colour matching.

Bianchi questioned Celeste a little while back and the The World has spoken!

Probably not The World but Bianchi owners, would be owners and wannabe Italians. I suspect the majority of people with no vested interest wouldn’t bother voting.

Anyway, it might not be my choice of colour for a bike but I wouln’t change it. There are certain traditions that shouldn’t be messed with, ugly blue/green bikes, red Ferraris…

Nice, very nice Celesties!

Just out of interest, what does the rig with the Shamal’s weigh in at?

I’ve never quite understood the allure of celeste. That’s possibly down to the fact that Bianchi owners can be a tad to enthusiastic when it come to colour matching.

Bianchi questioned Celeste a little while back and the The World has spoken!

Hehheh… thought as much. Can’t blame a man for trying, though, can you? (And the remark was pretty much tongue-in-cheek anyway, of course). But seriously: gorgeous machines… I doff my cap at the pair of ’em in gallant admiration.

Sorry, they ain’t going nowhere!

Wow… that second photo in particular is seriously drool-worthy. What a beauty! If that were my bike, I’m afraid I might spend a disproportionate amount of time swooning like Froome over the stem alone. That’s a piece of art.

Pretty high frame, too, from the looks of it? Would most probably fit me well. Just say the word if you ever decide to part with that particular gem: I’d provide a good home for it. Promise.

Regarding the ToU crash; horrible to watch but really, the speed and the line were all wrong, really wrong.  Clear weather, dry road, closed conditions….no excuse for over-cooking it like that.  Hope they recover alright.

@wiscot

@frank

@Teocalli

Total cluster fuck going on there. Must be a strangely-laid corner, and boy oh boy was he ever going too fast.

He was going way, way too fast. Did his brakes fail? And what was up with the riders taking such a bad line into the corner? It’s a left-hander. Doesn’t that mean you hug the right side of the road going in to give you the best line? Most of those guys were in the left lane. As for the motorbike, yet another bad example of motos being clueless in US races. To stop in the middle of the lane/corner was insane. (And yes, I’m aware of what happened to GvA in San Sebastian) but I’m thinking about Phinney. Kudos to the spectators who started yelling at the riders to slow down.

I’ve ridden up that road before and I think I know what turn that is. It’s hard to tell from this angle but the inside of the turn is murderously steep so hitting it at speed could be a huge problem. Not surprised the lines look bad.

That poor bike *shudder*

@chris

I’ve never quite understood the allure of celeste. That’s possibly down to the fact that Bianchi owners can be a tad to enthusiastic when it come to colour matching.

It’s when they add the celeste bar tape I vom in my mouth a little bit..

tyres, saddles, bar tape, bidons, bottle cages. Enough to fill your mouth.

I’ve never quite understood the allure of celeste. That’s possibly down to the fact that Bianchi owners can be a tad to enthusiastic when it come to colour matching.

It’s when they add the celeste bar tape I vom in my mouth a little bit..

yeah I’d steered clear of embedding it, that’s not footage I particularly want to see again.

Back in 2012 David Ferehty described the golf swing of Jim Furyk as an octopus falling out of a tree. I can’t help but recall that when I watch Froome race a bike.

Ferehty also had a good quote along the lines of: I haven’t done a fact check on these so if they’re not right they should be… That in some instances could be a perfect thought for use around these parts of the inter webs.

Cheers

@frank

@Teocalli

Total cluster fuck going on there. Must be a strangely-laid corner, and boy oh boy was he ever going too fast.

He was going way, way too fast. Did his brakes fail? And what was up with the riders taking such a bad line into the corner? It’s a left-hander. Doesn’t that mean you hug the right side of the road going in to give you the best line? Most of those guys were in the left lane. As for the motorbike, yet another bad example of motos being clueless in US races. To stop in the middle of the lane/corner was insane. (And yes, I’m aware of what happened to GvA in San Sebastian) but I’m thinking about Phinney. Kudos to the spectators who started yelling at the riders to slow down.

I’ve ridden up that road before and I think I know what turn that is. It’s hard to tell from this angle but the inside of the turn is murderously steep so hitting it at speed could be a huge problem. Not surprised the lines look bad.

I’d swear that I’ve heard celeste referred to as Bianchi green (?). Anyways, how’s this for a good use of celeste (called Seafoam Green by Fender)

Looks like Bianchi’s latest “version” of celeste on the Specialissima runs more to the sky blue kinda shade.

@Teocalli

Total cluster fuck going on there. Must be a strangely-laid corner, and boy oh boy was he ever going too fast.

He was going way, way too fast. Did his brakes fail? And what was up with the riders taking such a bad line into the corner? It’s a left-hander. Doesn’t that mean you hug the right side of the road going in to give you the best line? Most of those guys were in the left lane. As for the motorbike, yet another bad example of motos being clueless in US races. To stop in the middle of the lane/corner was insane. (And yes, I’m aware of what happened to GvA in San Sebastian) but I’m thinking about Phinney. Kudos to the spectators who started yelling at the riders to slow down.

Total cluster fuck going on there. Must be a strangely-laid corner, and boy oh boy was he ever going too fast.

And I thought I was the only one thinking this.  (Not about the “Like” button, FB can keep it.)  Oli’s comment about the colors is spot on.

Also, I vote for Bardet.  Watching him gracefully power up some of those early climbs was just beautiful to watch.  I have no other facts or evidence to back up my pick, so be it.

@rfreese888

Just read the recent Fotheringham book on Hinault. Very well researched and written. Distinction made between Hinault and Merckx in that the Prophet had to win everything, Le Blaireau was more choosey about what he wanted to win. Some reckon Bernie was overall stronger than Merckx on the bike as well.

Ooh, I must read this. What’s the title? I loved Fotheringham’s book on Merckx – I read it twice while I had it from the library, which is pretty much unprecedented for me. Both men cast very long shadows through the sport.

And in the Merckx book, which is fantastic, there are many mentions of attacks when other riders crash or suffer a mechanical, this gentleman’s agreement that we all think comes from a nobler age never fucking existed!

Viva Il Squalo 

Speaking of sub par descending, anyone seen the footage of Matt Brammeier’s crash at the Tour of Utah on the weekend?

Think Barguil vs GT, except Brammeier was going way faster & decided to use a support car as his stopping mechanism instead of a fellow rider…ouch!

Cripes yeah just saw that.  On balance he’s maybe fortunate he hit the car as he’d have been off into the trees at a hellofaspeed otherwise and the side of a car is more forgiving than a tree.

Bernard Hinault and the Fall and Rise of French Cycling

I also read his book on Coppi which was quite good, Merckx volume is on the list for sure.

Just read the recent Fotheringham book on Hinault. Very well researched and written. Distinction made between Hinault and Merckx in that the Prophet had to win everything, Le Blaireau was more choosey about what he wanted to win. Some reckon Bernie was overall stronger than Merckx on the bike as well.

Ooh, I must read this. What’s the title? I loved Fotheringham’s book on Merckx – I read it twice while I had it from the library, which is pretty much unprecedented for me. Both men cast very long shadows through the sport.

Why do people always think I’m English? Should I say “Strewth stone the crows digger, no worries, she’ll be right” and drop casually racist comments into my posts so people know I’m Australian?

Sorry Chris, I know full well you’re an Aussie and if I’d have done something like, thought for a second, with my brain, I’d have remembered that.

When I arrived there was a big, gaudy Escalade in the driveway. Yeck. Then when I entered the shop/work shed (he works out back of his house) there was and older woman in too-good shape with her tri-Cervelo in the stand. The mechanic said hello, she just looked at me. How friendly! She was off to some race and her bike was creaking. Good time to check! I was willing to overlook all of this until she said her old, steel Bianchi never creaked. She told the mechanic it was “that cool green color.”

Ouch, you shouldn’t be allowed to own a celeste Bianchi if you refer to it as a “green” bike.

End of the book considers current state of cycling in France and the impossible job of riding in the Badger’ shadow. Fotheringham reckons as a fellow Breton riding for a non French team that Barguil is the best prospect.

TBH I need to watch them all more closely for a full season to really have a view. Pinot did look the business on the Alpe for sure. Don’t think any of them are on teams that will give them a Grand Tour any time soon.

You’re right, I should have said he was a Brit (there’ll be a whining Scot along in a moment) who happened to been born in Malta. Unfortunately, the cheap pun was irresistible.

Isn’t Wiggo half Aussie?

@Brendan O’Donoghue

The final word: Froome is clearly British, otherwise the French would not throw urine at him!

English. The French are quite chummy with the Scots.

@chris

@ChrisO

I don’t want to confuse things but Millar isn’t from Hong Kong, he’s a Malteser.

But that would make Wiggins Belgian.

undoubtably Belgian.

@ChrisO

I don’t want to confuse things but Millar isn’t from Hong Kong, he’s a Malteser.

But that would make Wiggins Belgian.

I don’t want to confuse things but Millar isn’t from Hong Kong, he’s a Malteser.

And Froome? Yea, I really like him too. And I don’t care if he looks like a squid falling out of a tree when riding a bike.

Sir, if it were in my power to hand on the +1 badge it would go to you for that comment alone.

The rest of the post was pretty good as well, but that made me laugh.

@Gianni

Doesn’t someone from the UK want to call me out for implying Froome is not a British rider? What does it take to get an argument going these days.

Because he is clearly African, not British. He was born in Kenya, raised and educated in ZA, and only took a Pommy passport specifically for the betterment of his Cycling career.

Yeah like David Millar is from Hong Kong.

His parents are British, his grandparents are British – he has British nationality by right.

You non-imperialists don’t understand the expat world.

@Gianni

Doesn’t someone from the UK want to call me out for implying Froome is not a British rider? What does it take to get an argument going these days.

Because he is clearly African, not British. He was born in Kenya, raised and educated in ZA, and only took a Pommy passport specifically for the betterment of his Cycling career.

wouldn’t that line of thinking make you about as Dutch as I am which can’t be right as I was born in Hong Kong which would make me Chinese?

i prefer to think of myself as a Brit and you as a loud American.

Schleck brothers, both dopers, yes or no.

I’ll take that one for 10. I have found it strange that he never soap boxed his drug ban adjusted result, didn’t seem to demonstrate sour grapes, which leads to an Omerta type viewpoint. What good did he do after that tour? Post that year, as Vader would say, I find their lack of form disturbing..

Pinots pedal strike – I watched the P&P and Eurosport/Kelly coverage of that, and found it laughable how an amateur like me could detect the simplest of rider errors, while the pro commentators were picking all sorts of equipment fuckups, road surface variations and the like.

For me it’s Bardet. He can go up, but fuck me he can go down! Pinot looks stronger for the minute however.

Also agree, neither have the teams to do it when the big 4 are on point.

There was, however, something gleefully French about how they scratched their nuts while Cummings smoked them for that stage win. It was awesome, I was so happy for mountain chewbacca..

And yellow on celeste is as inexcusable today as it was in 1998. I don’t care if Pantani rode it, it’s just not right.

Where is the “like” button ? 10-4 to this!

Ian Stannard and Geraint Thomas? The fact the Froome is racing with these uber cool cats makes him British enough for me.

Their bikes are mounted on bad a** Jags!! Yea, I know, an Indian company for now but that’s probably temporary. Jag and Land Rover will always be British.

Team Sky may also have the Baddest Kits. Baddest Bikes, Buses, Trucks, RVs, Etc.

So, the wife and kiddos and I are in London over the 4th and we see a t-shirt that says, Happy Traitor Day you Ungrateful Colonists. I love that place. And Team Sky.

And Froome? Yea, I really like him too. And I don’t care if he looks like a squid falling out of a tree when riding a bike. That staring at the stem thing. And huffing on a puffer… he can ride a bike fast up a mtn and he’s not tiny kid small. Team Sky, their racers and their Pinarellos I like. And Kwiatowski is sounding like a good British dude to me if he’s racing with Stannard and Thomas.

Oh, that’s right, this thread was about French riders… meh… whatev…

God Save the Queen and Cheers all for the new week.

And the AG2R kit is fine by me.  Easy to pick out from a low-res Steephill feed, and reminds me of The Who’s Tommy LP cover. What’s not to like?

You’re the delusional one, thinking teddy bears can climb fences.

Think Barguil vs GT, except Brammeier was going way faster & decided to use a support car as his stopping mechanism instead of a fellow rider…ouch!

Doesn’t someone from the UK want to call me out for implying Froome is not a British rider? What does it take to get an argument going these days.

Because he is clearly African, not British. He was born in Kenya, raised and educated in ZA, and only took a Pommy passport specifically for the betterment of his Cycling career.

@frank

Yes, that’s because you’re delusional.

No, no, no…in this particular example, you’re the crazy cunt chasing the teddy bear up a fence. Sorry if that was confusing for you.

Yes, that’s because you’re delusional.

Doesn’t someone from the UK want to call me out for implying Froome is not a British rider? What does it take to get an argument going these days.

OK, truth be told, my heart is not really in that issue. OK, here are a few other topics.

Schleck brothers, both dopers, yes or no.

Fucking Tom Danielson, he is heading into Floyd Landis territory, where even on the windswept steppes of Mongolia, where now, when Danielson’s name comes up around the fire. They all shake their heads and quietly agree, “what a tool.”

In the last year I’ve picked up a house and a 9-5 job. I find myself provoking arguments with people much less often than I have all of my life. Am I getting old? Contented? Bored? I’m trying to take it as it comes, but I find myself much less motivated to yell at people. It feels wrong.

RE: Danielson. Allow us to recall that fuckface Vaughters said he’d fire THE ENTIRE SQUAD if anyone tested positive. Let us await Tom’s B sample and see what the bespectacled dork does. Gonna be rough if Dombrowski gets fired a week after that win…

We’re very far apart on this!

It is not the color of the bike – Bianchi and so many others have lost their souls to carbon! Give me sleek modern steel construction for that true two wheel zen.

Ok, I should clarify. He understandably got all huffy on the day (who wouldn’t?), but he didn’t quit (literally or metaphorically) and knuckled down and rode hard for the rest of the Tour. To me that shows some strength of character. Barguil is exciting too – so long as he stays away from Geraint!

Still not convinced.  Contador in a similar situation on a later stage simply got on a team mate’s bike and got on with it and back into the yellow jersey group.  Hopefully he will have learned from the experience.

You could argue (in all the wrong ways) that Barguil was especially exiting when he got close to GT.

Doesn’t someone from the UK want to call me out for implying Froome is not a British rider? What does it take to get an argument going these days.

OK, truth be told, my heart is not really in that issue. OK, here are a few other topics.

Schleck brothers, both dopers, yes or no.

Fucking Tom Danielson, he is heading into Floyd Landis territory, where even on the windswept steppes of Mongolia, where now, when Danielson’s name comes up around the fire. They all shake their heads and quietly agree, “what a tool.”

We are too busy celebrating stuffing the Ozzies and regaining the Ashes.  Try in a week.

@ChrisO

He won’t win the BBC Sports Personality award ever. Certainly not this year after they won some game called cricket (not sure, never heard of it before). He could win five Tours and he still won’t get it.

That’s very insensitive. I’m sure there are some Australians around these parts who are probably in deep depression at the moment.

I would agree that Froome isn’t much a ‘personality’ in the traditional sense, but he does seem to have all the character traits you need to race Grand Tours (stubbornness and complete single minded determination) in spades. And the not British thing…well it looked even weirder when he was racing for Kenya.

Why do people always think I’m English? Should I say “Strewth stone the crows digger, no worries, she’ll be right” and drop casually racist comments into my posts so people know I’m Australian?

At least we don’t have to put up with any shit from bandwagon-jumping Kiwis today. Shame I can’t give a toss about Rugby, or at least the Union variety.

He won’t win the BBC Sports Personality award ever. Certainly not this year after they won some game called cricket (not sure, never heard of it before). He could win five Tours and he still won’t get it.

That’s very insensitive. I’m sure there are some Australians around these parts who are probably in deep depression at the moment.

I would agree that Froome isn’t much a ‘personality’ in the traditional sense, but he does seem to have all the character traits you need to race Grand Tours (stubbornness and complete single minded determination) in spades. And the not British thing…well it looked even weirder when he was racing for Kenya.

Ooosh! I would love a Specialissima. If only I wasn’t a. poor as fuck and b. heavy as fuck. Fuck.

Doesn’t someone from the UK want to call me out for implying Froome is not a British rider? What does it take to get an argument going these days.

This is Froome’s problem.

Reactions to him even in the UK are mostly indifference, beating out antipathy because of the him v Wiggo thing. If you like(d) Wiggins how can you like Froome, the thinking goes. And his bitchy girlfriend doesn’t help either.

Third is probably a grudging respect, which is sort of where I am.

And actually liking him is a distant last place.

He won’t win the BBC Sports Personality award ever. Certainly not this year after they won some game called cricket (not sure, never heard of it before). He could win five Tours and he still won’t get it.

@Gianni

@wilburrox

AG2R… sort of like their kit?  Hmmmm. Brown shorts? And the other cat in white shorts? All very suspect.

It’s the two Lotto teams that have it right. At least on the bottom half. But dang, the yellow and black Jumbo jerseys w/lotto balls on top of the perfect celeste bikes just doesn’t get it. I swear that the new Specialissima is certainly in the top five of good looking modern C bikes.

Cheers for the weekend

At least AG2R matches their beautiful Focus bikes to their kit. That Dutch yellow kit and celeste is fucked up. What is wrong with them? The Dutch, fuggetaboutit.

Easy, cowboy. It’s Bianchi that has lost their way, not Lotto-Yumbo. That is a class kit, the Bianchi’s today are curvy fucking abominations.

This is good Bianchi, complete with Yellow.

Yeah, the brown shorts of AG2R are wrong on a few levels. I’m in psychotherapy right now trying to get to the bottom of why I don’t find it more offensive.

(*pssst* I kind of like that kit too. Don’t tell anyone, OK?)

I also admire the AG2R kit. Very classy in a peloton with so many unmemorable kits.  FDJ would have a great kit if they’d just switch the white shorts for blue ones.  Or black even. Anything but white.  Both teams ride very nice bikes.  Jens gave them a nice wrap at some point in Stage 20 when P/P hung some shit on them – possibly about their kit.  Jens admitted to liking the kit and referred to the team as “a band of brothers”.  Seeing them get both Bardet and Peraud up there last year and seeing Peraud ride for Bardet this year, I agree.

Which brings me to Bianchi – I differ, Frank.  I like the Oltre and modern Bianchi’s. I like that they (like Pinarello) don’t have an overtly aero model.  Although they have just released a climbing model I think.

Possibly the only reason they didn’t win this year is that I cursed them with my VSP selection.  This definitely resulted in the schooling in how to win races which Steve Cummins handed to them.

@wilburrox

AG2R… sort of like their kit?  Hmmmm. Brown shorts? And the other cat in white shorts? All very suspect.

It’s the two Lotto teams that have it right. At least on the bottom half. But dang, the yellow and black Jumbo jerseys w/lotto balls on top of the perfect celeste bikes just doesn’t get it. I swear that the new Specialissima is certainly in the top five of good looking modern C bikes.

Cheers for the weekend

At least AG2R matches their beautiful Focus bikes to their kit. That Dutch yellow kit and celeste is fucked up. What is wrong with them? The Dutch, fuggetaboutit.

Easy, cowboy. It’s Bianchi that has lost their way, not Lotto-Yumbo. That is a class kit, the Bianchi’s today are curvy fucking abominations.

This is good Bianchi, complete with Yellow.

Yeah, the brown shorts of AG2R are wrong on a few levels. I’m in psychotherapy right now trying to get to the bottom of why I don’t find it more offensive.

(*pssst* I kind of like that kit too. Don’t tell anyone, OK?)

@nobby

I was under the impression that AS is from Luxembourg rather than France. Is there a distinction in cycling?

I was not saying he was French. I was saying he was a shit descender and time trialist and still either won the Tour or got second place. Mostly, he bugs me as a rider who squandered his natural talent and was too lazy to work on his weaknesses. At least Pinot worked hard and is somewhat successful at fixing his descending problem.

And in the middle of the night I worried I was too hard on TeeJay.

You may have been too hard on TeeJay, but to be fair his name is “TeeJay”. Also, Andy and Fränk both proudly proclaimed to work on their strengths, not their weaknesses. Which is exactly opposite of what any strategically-minded individual would say, unless they were trying to fool their competition. In which case it would be genius, but obviously it wasn’t.

Pinot worked hard, but still sucks. I love the way that English dude crushed those two Frenchmen in the descent into the speedway, saying, “I knew Pinot would be cautious in the corners, so I just went for it.”

Stud.

OK, truth be told, my heart is not really in that issue. OK, here are a few other topics.

Schleck brothers, both dopers, yes or no.

Fucking Tom Danielson, he is heading into Floyd Landis territory, where even on the windswept steppes of Mongolia, where now, when Danielson’s name comes up around the fire. They all shake their heads and quietly agree, “what a tool.”

I think I have a problem with any pro cyclist who descends like a pussy (Pinot), possibly because most pro cyclists I admire descended like complete crazy-arses (Kelly, Yates, Merckx, LeMond, Hinault), so I think for that reason I’d have to go for Bardet.

Funny you mention Hinault and Fignon too, I’ve been contemplating the Badger a lot. I found an old article where someone had posted a video of Hinault winning Paris Roubaix by riding to the front at the Velodrome and tearing everyone’s legs off. In the bands. Fucking legend.

Watching Bardet in both the Criterium du Dauphine and stage 18 of the Tour, mofo is fearless descendeur. Sagan has nothing on him for ass hauling on descents. Did you see Pinot catching his pedal? As Bob Roll pointed out, it’s something one does when one is 14, crashes, and never does it again.

The Badger was a real piece of work. He became the the patron of the peloton in his first Tour!? Holy Alpha Male, batman.

AG2R… sort of like their kit?  Hmmmm. Brown shorts? And the other cat in white shorts? All very suspect.

It’s the two Lotto teams that have it right. At least on the bottom half. But dang, the yellow and black Jumbo jerseys w/lotto balls on top of the perfect celeste bikes just doesn’t get it. I swear that the new Specialissima is certainly in the top five of good looking modern C bikes.

Cheers for the weekend

At least AG2R matches their beautiful Focus bikes to their kit. That Dutch yellow kit and celeste is fucked up. What is wrong with them? The Dutch, fuggetaboutit.

Yeah, the brown shorts of AG2R are wrong on a few levels. I’m in psychotherapy right now trying to get to the bottom of why I don’t find it more offensive.

Funny you mention Hinault and Fignon too, I’ve been contemplating the Badger a lot. I found an old article where someone had posted a video of Hinault winning Paris Roubaix by riding to the front at the Velodrome and tearing everyone’s legs off. In the bands. Fucking legend.

@Brendan O’Donoghue

Doping is a criminal offence in France – added incentive for Les Coureurs Francais to ride clean, n’est-ce pas? So I really hope to see a Frenchman win again soon: Barguil Pinot, Bardet or some one else.

Murder is a criminal offense here in the states (unless you work in law enforcement) and still there is quite a lot of it that happens.

Ouch… Touché, though. Sadly.

I was under the impression that AS is from Luxembourg rather than France. Is there a distinction in cycling?

I was not saying he was French. I was saying he was a shit descender and time trialist and still either won the Tour or got second place. Mostly, he bugs me as a rider who squandered his natural talent and was too lazy to work on his weaknesses. At least Pinot worked hard and is somewhat successful at fixing his descending problem.

And in the middle of the night I worried I was too hard on TeeJay.

I think I’ll go with Pinot but it’s a tough call. I was very impressed by the way that Pinot kept his cool after the big crash on stage 3 and he lost a lot of time, I thought he was going to get all huffy and whiny. He didn’t. He kept the heid and rode hard for the rest of the race. Chapeau.

I’m with you; his temper tantrum on the cobbles looked the end of his Tour, but he kept at it.

@Gianni

It is ballsy of Pinot to race in white shorts; if either of them should wear brown shorts its him, if you take my meaning.

Doping is a criminal offence in France – added incentive for Les Coureurs Francais to ride clean, n’est-ce pas? So I really hope to see a Frenchman win again soon: Barguil Pinot, Bardet or some one else.

Murder is a criminal offense here in the states (unless you work in law enforcement) and still there is quite a lot of it that happens.

@Teocalli

@wiscot

I think I’ll go with Pinot but it’s a tough call. I was very impressed by the way that Pinot kept his cool after the big crash on stage 3 and he lost a lot of time, I thought he was going to get all huffy and whiny. He didn’t. He kept the heid and rode hard for the rest of the race. Chapeau.

Err you did watch stage 4 or is there a typo above?

Pinot got all huffy and whiny on the cobbles, right in front of the camera. I guess he was seeing his GC slip off into the ditch about then. A beautiful French meltdown.

Ok, I should clarify. He understandably got all huffy on the day (who wouldn’t?), but he didn’t quit (literally or metaphorically) and knuckled down and rode hard for the rest of the Tour. To me that shows some strength of character. Barguil is exciting too – so long as he stays away from Geraint!

@nobby

Yes, he’s a Luxembourgeezer for sure, but I don’t think Gianni was saying he was French, was he?

Probably not, but didn’t want AS coming on here moaning, you know how he gets

Yes, he’s a Luxembourgeezer for sure, but I don’t think Gianni was saying he was French, was he?

They are both  capable, but will never do it with a French team, I’ve never  seen either name linked to a team with the budget it seems you need  to win a GT.

And surely Tony Gallopin is the most exciting French rider…. if only a tour lasted 2weeks

Bardet and Pinot are due some credit for winning stages 18 and 20, in the third week. TeeJay was gold for two weeks too, if you call sitting on wheels for two weeks gold. And Tony G was a beast in the spring too. Considering I wouldn’t make the time cut in the prologue, it’s amazing anyone makes it to the third week of the Tour. Genetic freaks.

@wiscot

I think I’ll go with Pinot but it’s a tough call. I was very impressed by the way that Pinot kept his cool after the big crash on stage 3 and he lost a lot of time, I thought he was going to get all huffy and whiny. He didn’t. He kept the heid and rode hard for the rest of the race. Chapeau.

Err you did watch stage 4 or is there a typo above?

Pinot got all huffy and whiny on the cobbles, right in front of the camera. I guess he was seeing his GC slip off into the ditch about then. A beautiful French meltdown.

Three points:

1. Lest we forget, GB first won the Tour with Bradley Wiggins who is as British as they come, despite being in Belgium and having an Aussie dad.

No argument there, Twiggo is a Brit mod through and through. His hair says it all. I was just talking present day and Froome, who is “British”, sort of.

2. Andy Shleck is down in history as having won the 2010 Tour de France, so it would be hard for Pinot to be one step higher on the podium in Paris.

I don’t think Schleck considers himself the winner of that Tour.

3. As @Teocalli has pointed out, Pinot was less than sanguine when things went wrong. I think Bardet handles crises far better from what we’ve seen so far of them both.

Other than that, great article! I’d go with Bardet as the “Great Hope” myself, although think Gallopin has more to offer than his eventual Tour collapse showed…

I’m all in for Bardet. I’m not sure he is a Grand Tour contender but he seems a very complete cyclist and exudes panache. And he fucking goes downhill like a rocket.

Like fine wine, perhaps they need to age a little?

Absolutely, a few more years and they will either have cracked completely or Rule V’d their way toward the top…or not.

1. Lest we forget, GB first won the Tour with Bradley Wiggins who is as British as they come, despite being in Belgium and having an Aussie dad.

2. Andy Shleck is down in history as having won the 2010 Tour de France, so it would be hard for Pinot to be one step higher on the podium in Paris.

3. As @Teocalli has pointed out, Pinot was less than sanguine when things went wrong. I think Bardet handles crises far better from what we’ve seen so far of them both.

Other than that, great article! I’d go with Bardet as the “Great Hope” myself, although think Gallopin has more to offer than his eventual Tour collapse showed…

It’s the two Lotto teams that have it right. At least on the bottom half. But dang, the yellow and black Jumbo jerseys w/lotto balls on top of the perfect celeste bikes just doesn’t get it. I swear that the new Specialissima is certainly in the top five of good looking modern C bikes.

Cheers for the weekend

And surely Tony Gallopin is the most exciting French rider…. if only a tour lasted 2weeks

I think I’ll go with Pinot but it’s a tough call. I was very impressed by the way that Pinot kept his cool after the big crash on stage 3 and he lost a lot of time, I thought he was going to get all huffy and whiny. He didn’t. He kept the heid and rode hard for the rest of the race. Chapeau.

Err you did watch stage 4 or is there a typo above?