Who is your pick for the 2012 Tour de France?

[Eso Kral]

I don't get team orders in cycling, why are Sky not allowing Froome to go for it too? Why do are they protecting Wiggins so much?  Yesterday Froome could have made up even more time on Wiggins but was pulled back.  I'd have thought Sky's priority was for a Sky team member to win, surely having competition within the team is healthy?  If I were Wiggins and I won knowing that Froome was held back I wouldn't feel as if I achieved it properly.

I don't know much about team cycling, there's more to it than I understand, I need to know more.

I dont know much either about Cycling but was listening to something last night which may or may not be correct but the general gist of it was that Froome is very happy to be a team player and does not actually like the limelight and also got a million £/$ contract to take this role.

They also said if it was a straight H2H this year they just fancied Froome overall but it would be close.

[Graham C]

Actually, I can understand that he's being paid well to be a team player, forgot about that.   £1m for cycling though, wow, that's a decent contract.  I do whatever someone told me to do for that sort of money.

[Longy]

What happened yesterday is very standard in cycling where a domestique will do anything to help his team leader especially if they favourite and current yellow jersey holder. Wiggins is such a massive favourite, having his own team mate crack him on a climb is pure suicide. Wiggins is someone who rides mountains at a steady pace and it is of massive assistance to him to have Froome setting a hard pace without big accelerations.

[Tonji]

Gotta serve your apprenticeship in Cycling. Frome will be a GC rider in the next few years for sure, same with Tejay van Garderen.

Seems Sky & Wiggins can only lose by unforeseen circumstances.

[Tonji]

Love France. Love Le Tour.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/07/tour_de_france_2012_part_one.html?camp=obinsite

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/07/tour_de_france_2012_part_two.html

[AndrewT]

I wasn't into cycling back then but is this how Armstrong won all his tours (apart from, you know...)? Did US Postal just strangle the peloton so no one could get away?

Having said that, after Cadel Evans blew up on that stage none of the other GC contenders has really had a pop at Wiggins - it looks like they all just gave up. It's all got really boring. Hoping for something exciting to happen in the Pyranees tomorrow.

[Tonji]

US Postal where the strongest team. Armstrong rarely got isolated, & when he was, he was always strong enough to combat attacks generally.

Agree, the Pyranees is the last chance for any fireworks! (they tried carpet tacks already).

[vegaslover]

Expecting nibali to attack in the next two stages, he has to to have any chance.
Gonna be very interesting to see who is the breakaways tomorrow. Rollande for example is only 10 mins down so sky cant afford to let him go again.
Really hope sky just attack from the start and take the peleton apart again

[TightEnd]

Frank Schleck tests positive

Sigh.

[Josedinho]

What a part. Amazed people still try it in cycling.

[Longy]

Can't say i am surprised, then again I have pretty much taken the attitude that they the majority of the peloton are at it.

[Tal]

Frank Schleck tests positive

Sigh.

My only surprise is that he's only tested positive NOW. Surely if he is at it now he would have been at it for the last few years, when he actually had a chance to win it?

[craigbetts]

Yeah a banned substance, but this is not 'doping' in the performance enhancing bracket.

[Tal]

Oh OK. So another nasal spray/change of diet/walked past a badger press statement coming up then?

[craigbetts]

Oh OK. So another nasal spray/change of diet/walked past a badger press statement coming up then?

Just reading up on the benefits of this diuretic and maybe it could enhance performance, so I'll hold my hand up and say I am wrong. Still researching though.