Le Tour de France - starts 30 June 2012

~Mike~ · 18 Jul 2012 at 20:22

Great ride by Voeckler, really hope he retains the polka-dot jersey. Yet another controlled performance from Brad and Sky. Cadel Evans :eek:

~Mike~ · 18 Jul 2012 at 20:25

Bradley Wiggins: A Very British Champion

Tomorrow on ITV4 from 8:00pm to 9:00pm

A look at the rise of the British cyclist Bradley Wiggins who has already won three Olympic Gold medals on the track and stands on the brink of sporting history. He will be aiming to be the first ever Briton to win the greatest cycle race in the world - the Tour de France. We trace his progress from a council estate in Kilburn to his training camp in Mallorca in his quest for the podium in Paris

Cosimo · 19 Jul 2012 at 07:26

Cosimo · 19 Jul 2012 at 07:28

Cosimo · 19 Jul 2012 at 07:37

The stage profile and route:

Cosimo · 19 Jul 2012 at 07:38

The last day in the mountains:

It should be Bradley's tour after today.

Russinating · 19 Jul 2012 at 09:04

I'm assuming black = death

SDK^ · 19 Jul 2012 at 09:27

11% isn't that steep. What's impressive is the speed they go up it.

touch · 19 Jul 2012 at 10:30

SDK^ said:
11% isn't that steep. What's impressive is the speed they go up it.

11% is very steep!
Looking on strava for something to compare it near redditch, but (unsurprisingly) i cant find anything.
prospect hill is probably the closest, but it only averages 5%, with 8% max. (and is a 28th of the length)

[DOD]Asprilla · 19 Jul 2012 at 10:34

touch said:
11% is very steep!
Looking on strava for something to compare it near redditch, but (unsurprisingly) i cant find anything.
prospect hill is probably the closest, but it only averages 5%, with 8% max. (and is a 28th of the length)

My local hills: http://www.jibbering.com/hills/

Some of them reach over 11% but they are very short ones.

touch · 19 Jul 2012 at 10:40

[DOD]Asprilla;22377555 said:
My local hills: http://www.jibbering.com/hills/

Some of them reach over 11% but they are very short ones.

The first section of Boar Hill looks similar. climbs 100m in 1k, so 10%. (but obviously, that's only 1k as opposed to 9.3k)
It's hard to compare a big mountain climb to anything in the UK, mainly because we dont have any big mountains.

Even if you can find something with a bigger gradient, it's only a few hundred metres long. It's just not the same as a long 10k climb.

Russinating · 19 Jul 2012 at 10:46

Pff. You guys need to get down to Bristol

1.4km 11.3%: http://app.strava.com/segments/660143
1.5km 21.7%: http://app.strava.com/segments/944576
0.7km 24.9%: http://app.strava.com/segments/755444

Not long I'll give you that.

*waits for someone to jump in who lives in Wales/Scotland*

I had to ride up this to get back home after my 90km ride on Sunday: http://app.strava.com/segments/670831. Would have been find but I'd totally seized up after waiting around after the ride for so long.

touch · 19 Jul 2012 at 11:25

Russinating said:
1.5km 21.7%: http://app.strava.com/segments/944576
0.7km 24.9%: http://app.strava.com/segments/755444

They are both bad gps data. Neither of them are even close to the gradients that strava says they are.

Here are some climbs near me, nothing super steep, but some fairly long climbs:
8% over 1.6miles
6.8% over 1.4 miles
6.1% over 2.3 miles
7.4% over 5.4 miles

Also, this is my biggest climb 5.8% over 8.8 miles (your biggest climb is shown under the 'My Profile' option from the drop down in the top right on strava)

Russinating · 19 Jul 2012 at 11:28

Yeah just noticed the GPS screwup. Hate that.

My biggest climb is pitiful - 5.4% over 7.7km: http://app.strava.com/rides/6675584#124746152

Followed you on Strava

Devious · 19 Jul 2012 at 14:24

Cav just taken Porte down?

Suprised Porte didn't get cav's bike/wheel.

Nexus · 19 Jul 2012 at 14:27

Its not really been shown what actually happened.

~Mike~ · 19 Jul 2012 at 14:29

15:24

Porte and Cavendish in crash
The world champion has been caught up in a crash with team-mate Richie Porte in the feedzone. Both are standing again and Porte is waiting for a new bike from the team car.

touch · 19 Jul 2012 at 14:32

Devious said:
Cav just taken Porte down?

Suprised Porte didn't get cav's bike/wheel.

Yeah, he's been working really well for wiggins in the mountains. Maybe Cav's bike wont fit him, Porte is pretty short. (Although i dont think Cav is a giant himself?)

edit: seems to be the usual Sky tactic. Dont panic, work your way slowly back. Porte is back in the peleton now.

Nexus · 19 Jul 2012 at 14:40

touch said:
Yeah, he's been working really well for wiggins in the mountains. Maybe Cav's bike wont fit him, Porte is pretty short. (Although i dont think Cav is a giant himself?)
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According to Team Sky's own app, there is only 3cm difference in height between them.

I thought the commentators said Cav's chain looked to be off, but I'm not sure.

Cosimo · 19 Jul 2012 at 15:02

No fireworks yet.