2015 TDF Fantasy League

**sftc** · 07-10-2015, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by 54-46

Froome will probably try to decline the jersey out of respect, but TdF officials will make him wear it...

Doubt it.
Froome is like school in the summertime- no class.
Plus one day in the yellow is worth too much $$ and he's fully into a nasty dog fight right now. I don't think there will be a lot of miséricorde this year and some people want to continue the hurt.
The question is who gets busted for drugs first?
Astana is the obvious choice, but I'm gonna nominate BMC-
TJ is the perfect target.

**Arno** · 07-10-2015, 04:13 AM

Well, Froome has declined it and the organisers have gone along with it. A bit of class all round

**huckbucket** · 07-10-2015, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by Arno

Well, Froome has declined it and the organisers have gone along with it. A bit of class all round

More accurately, ASO said he couldn't wear it and Froome happily obliged because it makes him look good.

I don't think the phrase "no class" really works in Froome's case. More like "no style"

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froo...-yellow-jersey

**TBS** · 07-10-2015, 03:46 PM

And we have our first drug fail! For Blow!
Italian cyclist Luca Paolini has been expelled from the Tour de France after testing positive for cocaine.
The 38-year-old Katusha rider failed the test on Tuesday - after the fourth stage from Seraing to Cambrai
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cycling/33489804

Too bad he wasn't popped for Hookers as well

**sftc** · 07-11-2015, 04:49 AM

Wow, off on both predictions. Shocker.

**ICEHOCEY77** · 07-11-2015, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by telebobski

And we have our first drug fail! For Blow!
Italian cyclist Luca Paolini has been expelled from the Tour de France after testing positive for cocaine.
The 38-year-old Katusha rider failed the test on Tuesday - after the fourth stage from Seraing to Cambrai
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cycling/33489804

Too bad he wasn't popped for Hookers as well

I wonder if it was for partying too hard in Holland or did a blood bag during the pre-season and pulled a Contador.

**robrox** · 07-11-2015, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by ICEHOCEY77

I wonder if it was for partying too hard in Holland or did a blood bag during the pre-season and pulled a Contador.

Plaxident?

SB · 07-11-2015, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by ICEHOCEY77

I wonder if it was for partying too hard in Holland or did a blood bag during the pre-season and pulled a Contador.

Is he a vampire too?

**TBS** · 07-11-2015, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by ICEHOCEY77

I wonder if it was for partying too hard in Holland or did a blood bag during the pre-season and pulled a Contador.

Probably the former. Remember when Ullrich got popped for X?
Again, back to what Tyler Hamilton says - drug test is mostly an intelligence test

**ICEHOCEY77** · 07-11-2015, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by telebobski

Probably the former. Remember when Ullrich got popped for X?
Again, back to what Tyler Hamilton says - drug test is mostly an intelligence test

Yeah makes sense. Probably did it the night of the pre-race test and figured he was ok. It'll be interesting if anything comes out on that one.

**huckbucket** · 07-11-2015, 02:24 PM

Too early for a transfusion. Those are usually reserved for weeks 2 and 3.

Could have been a little mid-race hit too (toward the end). Either way he's a retard.

**Garth Bimble** · 07-11-2015, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by huckbucket

Either way he's a retard.

Since this is my thread I have to say that we aren't supposed to use the word "retard" as it is considered by some to be a "hate" word.

I do think it applies in this situation though, what a stupid retarded cunt.

**sftc** · 07-12-2015, 05:47 AM

Who tests a 38-year old C team domestique?
Who throws a hat?
That is just cruel and at the same time just seriously mentally stupid.

**sftc** · 07-12-2015, 06:06 AM

It will be TJ's day.

**54-46** · 07-12-2015, 09:28 AM

Things are shaping up well for Tejay.

**TBS** · 07-12-2015, 09:59 AM

And now, the real suffering begins

**huckbucket** · 07-12-2015, 03:00 PM

@garth - hilarious

I know I picked NIbbles, but damn that pick looks bad. He hasn't shown anything yet really. Can't imagine he's purposefully losing 10 seconds here, 10 seconds there.

Froome looks impossibly strong. He spend a LOT of time on the front of the TTT. That doesn't bode well for the other contenders.

Contador looks solid but will likely be missing the top end if I were to guess what happens when the road goes up.

Quintana is the big threat. His team put in a SOLID TTT and I think he's poised to light up the climbs. Looking forward to it.

Hope all you TJ fans aren't getting too excited. He's been smart and out of trouble so far, but he'll be outclassed by the others on the climbs.

My $0.02

**::: :::** · 07-12-2015, 04:02 PM

TJ has a history of having a really bad day mixed in with a bunch of good days. I'm waiting for the implosion day.

I'm a bad person, I know

Nairo is really impressing, but his ability to drop Froome enough to claw back time is the challenge. It will be interesting to see if the teams will be able to isolate Froome at all

**Garth Bimble** · 07-12-2015, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by acinpdx

TJ has a history of having a really bad day mixed in with a bunch of good days. I'm waiting for the implosion day.

I'm a bad person, I know

Nairo is really impressing, but his ability to drop Froome enough to claw back time is the challenge. It will be interesting to see if the teams will be able to isolate Froome at all

Not a big TJ fan but his performance a couple of years ago when they climbed the Alpe twice was something to see. He's got skills for sure, but this is the big time for the big money, so we'll see.

**::: :::** · 07-12-2015, 09:39 PM

Uran quietly looking solid too

**sirbumpsalot** · 07-12-2015, 10:53 PM

I find it hard to believe that the riders are all 5'-2". The podium girls standing off the podium are just as tall as the riders on the top podium.

Is it just my eyes or are most of those podium girls freakishly tall?

**robrox** · 07-13-2015, 07:51 AM

Parity:
At the first rest there are many riders under 2 minutes and the top twenty are all under 5 minutes. Sure, lots of changes are coming due to the Pyrenees stages, but at the moment it looks like a tight race:
rank rider gap
1 FROOME Christopher
2 VAN GARDEREN Tejay + 00' 12''
3 VAN AVERMAET Greg + 00' 27''
4 SAGAN Peter + 00' 38''
5 CONTADOR Alberto + 01' 03''
6 URAN URAN Rigoberto + 01' 18''
7 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro + 01' 50''
8 THOMAS Geraint + 01' 52''
9 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander + 01' 59''
10 STYBAR Zdenek + 01' 59''
11 GALLOPIN Tony + 02' 01''
12 KREUZIGER Roman + 02' 18''
13 NIBALI Vincenzo + 02' 22''
14 BARGUIL WARREN + 02' 43''
15 NEDGESINK Robert + 02' 52''
16 NEDMOLLEMA Bauke + 02' 56''
17 PÉRAUD Jean-Christophe + 03' 30''
18 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joachim + 03' 52''
19 TALANSKY Andrew + 04' 17''
20 FRANK Mathias + 04' 32''

Sagan will probably work for Contador and suffer GC placing accordingly, How many others are in the same situation?

**huckbucket** · 07-13-2015, 08:37 AM

Those in red are going backward after tomorrow either because they don't climb or are helping someone else.

1 FROOME Christopher
2 VAN GARDEREN Tejay + 00' 12''
3 VAN AVERMAET Greg + 00' 27''
4 SAGAN Peter + 00' 38''
5 CONTADOR Alberto + 01' 03''
6 URAN URAN Rigoberto + 01' 18''
7 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro + 01' 50''
8 THOMAS Geraint + 01' 52''
9 QUINTANA ROJAS Nairo Alexander + 01' 59''
10 STYBAR Zdenek + 01' 59''
11 GALLOPIN Tony + 02' 01''
12 KREUZIGER Roman + 02' 18''
13 NIBALI Vincenzo + 02' 22''
14 BARGUIL WARREN + 02' 43''
15 NEDGESINK Robert + 02' 52''
16 NEDMOLLEMA Bauke + 02' 56''
17 PÉRAUD Jean-Christophe + 03' 30''
18 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joachim + 03' 52''
19 TALANSKY Andrew + 04' 17''
20 FRANK Mathias + 04' 32''

**robrox** · 07-13-2015, 08:57 AM

Seems like those are all good calls.

I doubt Nibali can get the lead out of the deficit he has, but mano y mano he can haul ass uphill...being without strong help I figure no podium place for him, barring some catastrophe.

**TBS** · 07-13-2015, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by sirbumpsalot

I find it hard to believe that the riders are all 5'-2". The podium girls standing off the podium are just as tall as the riders on the top podium.

Is it just my eyes or are most of those podium girls freakishly tall?

They are models in the "off season" so yes by default they are tall
They are also in heels
And cyclists are rarely very big - Chris Froome is 6'1" and he looks freakishly tall compared to everyone else.

Speaking of podium girls, I'm really sad that the stage winner podium babe on the right is no longer in the mix.

Some podium girls from years past
http://www.probikekit.co.uk/blog/the...um-girls/2012/