Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

It started at Versailles.
Fignon had very bad saddle sores though the stage was only around 25 kms.
Lemond was a great rider, too.

On my link it says it was the fastest average speed ever in a time trial of greater than 10km......................though it was downhill, with a tailwind!

Pigale, how do you expect Thibaut Pinot to do?
Maybe a bit young yet?
Some great climbers this year.
Quintana, Contador, Nibali, Froome.
Going to be a brutal Tour!

Yes Lemond was great too. I have just seen a photo of the close finish and Fignon has got his tongue sticking out of his mouth, just like Voeckler - Outward sign of great effort being produced I think.

When does it start anyway ? I am pretty sure that many, many years ago - perhaps in Anquetil/Poulidor's days - the Tour started earlier, in order to finish on the Champs for the 14th July. It seems to start so late nowadays!

PS - did not mean 14th exactly but rather mid-july

You may be right, Pigale.
But recently the 14th has usually been in the second or third week.
I remember a great sprint into Bordeaux on Bastille Day.
Chris, Boardman has the fastest "time trial", but it may have been in a prologue.
However, prologues are not classed as time trials for some reason!
Tour starts on 4th July.

I think that's why it said "more than 10km", rusty - prologues are shorter.

Feel sorry for any American competitor (if any), cycling on such a day as Independance Day, when just about everybody in the US is partying !

Great day for a Yank to win, but it is a short individual time trial and I can't think of any American fast enough to win that?
Another thing I have noticed is, the second last stage is up Alpe d'Huez. Probably where the race will be decided.
Earlier in the race they are going over some the Paris-Roubaix cobbles.

Thibaut Pinot was just a 'baby' when he started his first Tour (1911/12 I think?) but he did show great potential. He has obviously gained experience but I have not any cycling this year yet.

Contador is ALWAYS dangerous (I think)

Three different mountains to tackle too, In between the Pyrenees and the Alps, they are going to have a couple or so climbing days in the Massif Central - which is not always as innocent as one thinks, perhaps not as tricky as the other two, but still.

All in all, I think the accent has been put on mountain days and that will take its toll on the riders, especially if hot!