The videos of Seranne descent from the Alpe on YouTube and Vimeo look lethal on the first few kilometres: rough and narrow. Not as bad as the Crostis taken out of the Giro but then they did have padding and nets on the tight bends.

I dare you to post that on Cycling news forum!

I'll go there later tonight, That's my evenings entertainment sorted!

Impressed with the way Chris descended at the end... Fast, and that nasty little turn just a km+ out... Plus it starting to p*** down aswell!

Poor Peraud.... That looked sickening. :/

Anyway... Well done Chris... 3 stage victories so far, make it 4 tomorrow!

Nice to see Valverde making his way to congratulate Chris at the end there .... Movistar/Sky alliance?

Yep I will give it a mss. LOL

Whenever I have the temerity to say that I like Froome and rate him to cycling pals, I get the .." have you read Wiggins biography.." what" Froome did last year on that hill "... disobeyd orders etc ..

I still think Wiggo got an armchair ride last year from the TT home .... ( and I do Like Wiggo ) ..but , Froome has had to pull everything out the bag from day one to get where he( and his absent team ) ...are now on this Tour.....

I think we all saw, and know what happened last year. I still think Froome was a bit out of order... He knew the situation... He knew what he's job was, and shooting off like that could have dented the teams chances of winning.

As for this Tour... Chris has been incredible. Losing vital team mates, and still to be in control with just 4 stages to go is some going.

I liked that split screen picture with the Contador tape delayed by 3 minutes (was it 3 minutes between riders?).............and Froome 'live' in the other frame............you could really tell from the spectators and roadside features exactly where they were relative to each other and Froome appeared to be just ahead in the later shots

Unfortunately Carlton didn't appear to realise what those split screen shots were showing until after the race was over............

ps.............it would have been 6 minutes of course because there was a rider in between them

With Valverde working for Quintana to attack Froome and the others in order to get a podium or a stage win, no

ITV4 were talking like Quintana had a bad day today. Only losing a minute or so to Froome given his build and his first split was pretty impressive to me. As much as Contador is looking strong now, I think Quintana is the only one that can live with Froome in the mountains. I still fancy him for a podium, especially with the strength of his team. Valverde is one hell of a domestique.

Wouldn't be surprised if there is. Maybe Valverde was asking Froome if he could have the stage win tomorrow in exchange for helping Sky wear down Team Saxo.


That's exactly why it's not no, it's quite possibly yes. Movistar and Sky have a common enemy: Saxo. If Movistar want Quintana on the podium, they have to displace at least one of the Saxo riders, and Froome would love nothing more than to see Contador crack and be left trailing up Alpe d'Huez. Working with Sky is actually going to benefit Movistar now, as if they can crack Saxo, or get Quintana off in the distance and Sky can send Froome, they know both of them will be able to work together and gain time, even if it costs Quintana the stage. Podium position in Paris is a bigger goal than a stage win.

Except on Alpe d'Huez of course.

Isn't hindsight wonderful.

Considering that Quintana is the only one who can stay with froome on the mountains, and needs to move up, then it makes sense for Movie/sky to try to kill any early breakaway by MAD Contador.

Moviestar could put Froome where he wants to be, and Pull Quintana minutes ahead of Contador.

If Moviestar and Saxo work together then it will end in conflict as they wont want Quintana to break away at the end..so why help him ?

P.S. Plus Im still not sure anyone wants Contador anywhere near them on the dangerous descent

I get the impression that Movistar think it would be better to work with Sky at the moment.

Quintana and Froome worked well together on Ventoux

Contador getting the ache with Quintana into Gap.

Valverde looking pretty pleased to congratulate Froome.

I think they will help Sky. Maybe Sky will gift them Alpe-d’Huez?.... Or maybe i have too much time on my hands to think up stupid theories , and need to get out more often!

Anyway...

I think i heard somewhere that Froome gained 25 seconds on Bertie after the bike change. Oh dear Bertie, should have made a bike change.... silly sod!

Except that at this late in the race a podium does matter more than Alpe d'Huez - they're running out of time, and Quintana has a minute and a half to make up, which isn't much on most people, but he has to make it up on Contador.

Hopefully we won't see a repeat of this un unfortunates event for the leader!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dBvJkqv0DM

Least he still managed to win.

I presume even thought they are going up the same mountain twice there will be no "over-taking" of strugglers from a break away someway ahead?

(Like you see in F1 when a leader laps somebody at the back)

There's about 35km from the top of Alpe d'Huez the first time to the start of the ascent for the 2nd time, so I don't think there'll be much overtaking going on - the autobus still has to get in within the time limit, so they'll have to press on.

I know there is a way to go before the start, but the weather on the stage at the moment is awful...

Thunderstorms apparently.

Rain forecast for the next 2 days.

Cat - Pidgeons,

Organisers have to be careful as descent is lethal in dry never mind torrential rain.

Motorbikes skidding all over the place too i suspect..

Carnage not what tour needs.

This next few days will be epic

Hopefully everybody survives

Col de Sarenne descent

http://vimeo.com/70139351

Reminder - early start on Eurosport

Looks like we're getting the whole stage, kick off 10.45.........

bit of channel flicking required today with the test match and the tour..............might watch the cricket in the morning, the Tour in the afternoon for the big climbs, then back to the cricket

this is why I chose to work from home !.................

Am jellous again

Has there been any announcement yet regarding whether it will once or twice up Alpe d'Huez?

What do the more informed people here think, will we see Wiggins ride the Tour again?

He said he's lost the drive to put in all the hours of training that's required. If he doesn't regain that drive then it's extremely unlikely him riding it again. There's no point in going into a grand tour other than fully prepared. It's a let-down for his fans and his team but at least he's honest about it.

BTW don't count me as informed, it's just what I've read and heard about it.