i'd really like to see him win. but, i have a feeling he's always going to be bridesmaid.

Is Stage 18 considered the hardest stage this year? That final climb looks tough

He still can't time trial. Plus, the Giro. I just don't see Quintana contending.

I am hopeful that the Froome-Porte battle pans out. And that Sagan stays crazy.

Big Cat `93 said:

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He still can't time trial. Plus, the Giro. I just don't see Quintana contending.

I am hopeful that the Froome-Porte battle pans out. And that Sagan stays crazy.

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this and he just hasn't killed his competitors on the mountains like he's needed to.

The crowds reaction to Valverde's crash makes me think the leg was at least broken. Everyone turned away and cleared the area, except one kid who kept peeking at it a few times. One of the support legs of the barrier disappears after he impacts the barrier, hopefully it was not a puncture injury

Do they always ride in whatever conditions are there? Why no bumper pads on the corners?

Valverde crash tanks Quintana too. We already suspected Quintana wouldn't be rested from the Giro and he's just never quite put it all together to beat froome. Now he's lost his top lieutenant.

Sky already has yellow. Prepare yourself for a boring tour (I hope I'm wrong).

tk for tu juan said:

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The crowds reaction to Valverde's crash makes me think the leg was at least broken. Everyone turned away and cleared the area, except one kid who kept peeking at it a few times. One of the support legs of the barrier disappears after he impacts the barrier, hopefully it was not a puncture injury

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Shattered kneecap. And the talus bone in the ankle.

I had no idea cycling had introduced a type of SAFER barrier like the one Bobke described the other day. This has to be developed and used more often.

Me neither. I don't remember seeing in use yet.

I was looking forward to watching this year, but due to some other commitments will probably only catch highlights. I already missed the 'crash!'
I have to agree about Quintana with Val Verde out--will be difficult.
I don't mind Froome, he's intense but so far not completely insufferable, but I am anticipating a Froome-Porte-Contador triangle. On paper, it wouldn't seem rational, but it's le Tour so who knows? Oh and the lil French guy-- Bardet, maybe he will turn up in the mountains if the temps stay cooler.

If I was a lot younger and single, I could easily be a Peter Sagan groupie, okay maybe not a groupie, but certainly a fangirl. Nobody makes something as difficult as the Tour look like so much fun!

I'm definitely a Sagan groupie! He has so much fun and, like today, makes the difficult look so easy.

Count me in for the Sagan fan club. Just like everyone else, he became an instant favorite in his first tour when his victory celebrations included hulk and gump.

Sky is going to have the jersey the whole tour. Has that happened ever? Surely not.

Nice photo from the lap of Spa

https://instagr.am/p/BWGQAJoBr00

Sagan booted from the Tour for wrecking Cavendish. Ho-lee crap.

Yep. They started with a time penalty but Cavendish's team whined so they reviewed it. Decided the elbow was enough for the disqualification.

Decision to boot is easier with a Frenchman holding the green jersey.

Now will have to root for the German sprinter

I got back just in time to catch the last 5k but had to miss a lot of the commentary due to making lunch for my crew. So they DQ'd Sagan? Wow, I saw the slow mo, and I must have missed something. Didn't look like Sagan was doing much more than protecting his space and Cavendish was forcing his way in but perhaps I'm used to track...
What do y'all think?
Also, did Team Sky et al make it through the other crash okay? I may try and catch some highlights later.

Edit--I didn't even consider that tk--that makes sense, though. Cavendish is a bit of a pouty whiner sometimes.

Mostly road rash for team Sky, Thomas said he was able to brake enough before impact to prevent a bad fall.

Best point I have seen on the Sagan DQ

Robbie McEwan Analysis of Sagan-Cav Collision

tk for tu juan said:

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Decision to boot is easier with a Frenchman holding the green jersey.

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this. Way to boot the most popular competitor in the biggest event of your sport in the name of petty politics. No way that was worthy of a DQ. I even thought the 30 second time penalty and 80 point penalty was too much. The French suck so much at their own grand tour that they have to try to politick their countrymen into jerseys? Spare me.

Thanks tk & Jeff for the info.

blindey--I dunno, drama has been a part of the Tour since its very beginning. It gives people something to discuss over the really good food! I agree that it is too bad it was Sagan, he is such a great likable fellow (at least from the outside, I suppose the folks he rides with would know more about if it is true). So much talent!
As much as I hate the dopers, I also know from history that doping and other kinds of 'advantages' have been used since the start and some observers will not flinch nor apologize if this incident and subsequent DQ gives Demare a leg up. A lot of sport has 'what if' moments, and today, for better or worse, was one of them.

The UCI did Demare no favors either. He won the stage outright. Could he have taken the gteen with Sagan in it? Probably not, but possibly. But now if he takes the green everybody will discount it. It's the mental asterisk. The UCI screwed Sagan and Demare today, as well as anybody else who takes the green. Such a bad decision on so many levels... I bet tomorrow morning Bobke will be calling it what it is - another embarrassment to the sport.

Yes, Demare would have the green jersey w/o the DQ. The points for Stage 4 were 50 for 1st and 30 for 2nd, and he was already ahead of Sagan after Stage 3. My comment was mostly tongue in cheek. The commentary above about how two other riders were impacted by the fall of Cavendish probably weighed in the decision. Just using the elbow as the reason would be lame since Cavendish was already falling.

I wonder if Cavendish would be penalized for trying to make the pass if he was not injured and probably out of the race?

I swear the UCI just feels the need at times to knock riders down who are too popular. So dumb.

Green jersey will be interesting now but how many times over the last 5 years has Cav tried to do the same thing and crashed or done what Sagan did and caused someone else to crash? I'm pulling for Nairo but I agree with the sentiment above hat he will probably always be the bridesmaid. He had too many chances to attack at the Giro this year and he should have built up enough time before the final TT to beat TDM.

they just spent some serious time breaking down the wreck really well. definitely a bad decision by UCI to outright disqualify Sagan.

It's just horse crap that a decision like that is clearly more political than fair and then they don't put an appeal process in place.

What a run by Aru. Can't believe Quitana cracked so early.

Has anyone else been listening to Lance Armstrong's Stages podcast? It's pretty good analysis after each stage.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stages/id1254370585?mt=2

Watched the replay last night. Jensie totally nailed it on Aru.

What. A. Finish. Son!

Wow, wow, wow.
All that mileage, super tough climb, crashes errywhere and comes down to yet another photo finish.
Very crushed for Thomas & Porte, two guys I like to watch. That crash by Porte though--man is dang lucky he took it across the road and not down the mountain.....if that was his handling skills that kept him from plunging off the side at 45 mph then hats off to him.

Barguil was the poor bridesmaid today, bless his heart. I was actively rooting against Aru--I didn't like the timing of his attack. Rolle and the other talking heads don't agree with me but either have the gentlemen's agreements or don't. No wishywashy.
Big shakeup in the overall classification, do you all think it will keep things uncertain through the mountains? Bardet looked strong. Froome lost his people. What do you think?