For any wrothers who've ever been tempted to watch the Tour de France...

...today is probably the day to do so.

Crazily short stage - only 40 miles or so. But within that, 3 mountains to be climbed (whole thing is likely to last a bit more than 2 hours - rather than the 4 or 5 hours of a typical Tour stage).

Will potentially be decisive for the entire race - is *the* big test for the current leader, our own Geraint Jones (who's never won the Tour, or any very top tier race, before). He could easily fall apart. If he doesn't, he's in prime position to win the whole thing.

Also perhaps the biggest chance for Chris Froome, currently in second, to overtake him, and equal the most ever Tour de France wins for any rider (5). But to do so, he'd have to attack Jones - his own team-mate. And cycling is a team sport as much as an individual one.

Plus this is the biggest chance for all the riders on the other teams to attack the pair of them - and they will, possibly from the beginning.

All in all should be a total bun-fight from the start, and - hopefully - totally compelling viewing. There'll be plenty of suffering as they climb, that's for sure (and some crazy, and scary to watch, descending, too - with very likely some crashes along the way). That's even assuming we don't get the rain storms that might happen.

And on top of all of *that*, I fear there's a decent chance that some 'enthusiastic' roadside spectators may try and interfere with Froome's racing, too.

Shown live on itv4 as well as Eurosport from 2pm, scheduled to finish around 5:30. If you've ever considered watching a bit of bike racing, today's probably the day. (Highlights on ITV4 at 7pm, incidentally.)

Posted By: Tricky Hawes on July 25th 2018 at 11:25:34

Message Thread

For any wrothers who've ever been tempted to watch the Tour de France... (Other Sports) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 25, 11:25:34
- Getting exciting now (n/m) (Other Sports) - loz, Jul 25, 16:03:31
- the start was a total jook (Other Sports) - Henclrikus, Jul 25, 14:18:06
  - And then about 9 minutes of adverts. (n/m) (Other Sports) - Huge Small, Jul 25, 14:23:55
    - i wonder if the riders stop while the ads are on? (n/m) (Other Sports) - Henclrikus, Jul 25, 15:28:10
- linkage to Inrng's always terrific stage preview/wrap of yesterday (Other Sports) - Ralf Scrampton, Jul 25, 12:07:52
- I watched the highlights yesterday and saw two awful falls. It's a difficult watch (Other Sports) - Bravo win or die, Jul 25, 11:57:32
  - I saw that bloke what went arse over tit over the wall (Other Sports) - Tombs, Jul 25, 12:05:02
    - And SLOW DOWN YOU IDEOTS! It's not safe going that fast. (n/m) (Other Sports) - Bravo win or die, Jul 25, 12:23:22
  - Gilbert (the one in blue that fell off over the wall) actually broke his kneecap (Other Sports) - Ralf Scrampton, Jul 25, 12:03:03
    - Have you seen the picture of his leg? (Other Sports) - Jumbo1, Jul 25, 18:39:31
    - Aye and Nibali nearly chased down the leaders up the last 4km of Alpe D'Huez with a broken (Other Sports) - jAC, Jul 25, 12:07:58
- (scheduled to finish around *4:30*, btw) (n/m) (Other Sports) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 25, 11:55:04
- I'll probably be in or near Paris on Sunday. (Other Sports) - APB, Jul 25, 11:35:07
  - ^^ thinly veiled I'll probably be in Paris on Sunday post (Other Sports) - Tombs, Jul 25, 11:42:19
    - Not that thinly. (Other Sports) - APB, Jul 25, 12:41:41
      - OEUF (n/m) (Other Sports) - Augustus Pablo, Jul 25, 14:06:40
        
        You’re an egg. (n/m) (Other Sports) - APB, Jul 25, 15:14:22
    - 🧀 (n/m) (Other Sports) - Jim Nasium, Jul 25, 12:09:10
- Gareth Thomas? (Other Sports) - Tressells Broadbrush, Jul 25, 11:31:28
  - Terry Thomas? (n/m) (Other Sports) - Tombs, Jul 25, 11:32:56
  - Geraint Thomas ffs (n/m) (Other Sports) - Tressells Broadbrush, Jul 25, 11:32:46
- I'm (very optimistically) hoping Roglic goes on a stunning attack (Other Sports) - jAC, Jul 25, 11:29:40
- What happened to Geraint Thomas? (n/m) (Other Sports) - jAC, Jul 25, 11:28:26
  - Not sure I understand the question? (Other Sports) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 25, 11:30:35
    - That's what I thought (Other Sports) - jAC, Jul 25, 11:32:17
      - Ah, yes, sorry. Was posting in a hurry. (n/m) (Other Sports) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 25, 11:55:45
      - He retired from cricket to take up cycling, very successfully. (n/m) (Other Sports) - APB, Jul 25, 11:35:42
  - Ha (n/m) (Other Sports) - loz, Jul 25, 11:30:10
- What about angry farmers? (n/m) (Other Sports) - SCC 28, Jul 25, 11:26:56
  - Ha, I think there's always a risk of that in France (Other Sports) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 25, 11:28:20

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