Tour de France 2020

[Graham Breeze]

Indurain was 1.24 down that day and he lost that time on the bottom of the climb when he was content to ride tempo. As soon as he decided to step it up Pantani didn't gain anymore time and that was over the last 9 kilometers or so. That was the way Induarin rode. Climbers would fly off the front, the commentators would get very excited then all of a sudden he'd wind it up and back they came. They had no weapons to use against him as he was so strong.

Always good to see a name check from you for Pantani, Christopher - such a tragic figure.

When I went out on my bike today to climb Malham Cove (one of the Cycling Climbs Of Yorkshire) I wore my Mercatone Uno - Bianchi - Girmi top in homage.

I am sure I went up faster.

[anthonykay]

When I went out on my bike today to climb Malham Cove (one of the Cycling Climbs Of Yorkshire) I wore my Mercatone Uno - Bianchi - Girmi top in homage.

I'm assuming you weren't actually climbing Malham Cove (hanging on to the limestone wall by your fingernails, with your bike strapped to your back), but cycling up the lane that climbs up to the moors west of the cove.

[So Wood]

Ineos on big recruitment this year.

They will win big next year.

[Graham Breeze]

I'm assuming you weren't actually climbing Malham Cove (hanging on to the limestone wall by your fingernails, with your bike strapped to your back), but cycling up the lane that climbs up to the moors west of the cove.

You assume correctly.

To have climbed the wall as you described...well that would just have been showing off for the tourists.

[Graham Breeze]

I re-sprayed my fancy bike in Wilier la Triestina - Mercatone Uno team 1997 colours in homage. Not sure it made me any quicker, but it certainly attracted attention with its asymetric paint job

I really can't understand all these dull black frames. If you've got it - flaunt it!

[Llani Boy]

Can't get my head around sports/racing cyclists who wear black either. Seems like the fastest route to an accident to me

I was talking to one of my neighbours a few weeks ago; nice guy with two young children. He goes out on an all black quality racing bike, with black helmet, black top, black leggings, black shoes, black gloves and black sunglasses.

After a few minutes of conversation he told me he was a policeman, who joined the force after graduating. I had to leave him at that point as I was struggling to avoid shaking my head at him (and worse)

Apparently its cool to be all in black.

Not as cool as a mortuary slab though!

[MattPo]

LANCE

The 201 minute ESPN documentary is now on BBC iplayer. I think it will be shown on BBC2 at some point.

I know the odd thing or two about Armstrong, drugs in cycling & etc and while there are some boring bits of his domestic life (grating parmesan!) much of the film, which is interview based, is riveting stuff.

And, reassuringly, he comes over as a really, really nasty piece of work.

Wasn't he the bloke who wrote" "It's not about the bike"? So true!

[Graham Breeze]

Wasn't he the bloke who wrote" "It's not about the bike"? So true!

Tyler Hamilton was a good American rider who used to be on Lance's team (US Postal). He took EPO or he would not have been good enough to support Lance - who of course took it by the gallon.

Evdentually Tyler got fed up of being a domestique - as did everybody else who acted as a slave to Lance and joined another team.

One day he beat Lance in an insignificant time trial.

So Lance rang the UCI and suggested that Tyler must be taking drugs and they should test him, so the UCI did, he was banned from the sport, his career was destroyed; and Lance carried on taking EPO - and winning.

[CL]

Good to see you back Christopher. Have you been away, or just lurking in the background

Very busy nowadays but thought I'd pop in to help you deal with the reincarnated Stolly.

[Graham Breeze]

Very busy nowadays but thought I'd pop in to help you deal with the reincarnated Stolly.

Oh. I thought you might have heard the word "drugs"!

And since we are talking about drugs - Daniel Friebe has a biography out next year of Jan Ullrich.

Another tragic figure.