Tour de France 2015: From Eritrea to Utrecht
July 3, 2015 6:52 PM Subscribe
On Saturday the 2015 edition of the Tour de France starts in Utrecht, the Netherlands. For the first time in the Tour's history, "an African-owned, African-sponsored, African-managed professional cycling team", MTN-Qhubeka, will participate. Two Eritrean riders, Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus, will ride in its Tour de France team. This year's TdF also features two teams named Lotto. And perennial crowd favorite Thomas Voeckler is still riding.
Yup. This is the first TdF in a couple years I feel interested in watching, after deciding to take a sabbatical when Team Sky managed to drain all passion out of the GC and team classification. If nothing else, whether or not the usual suspects are at the tops of the rankings by the end of week 2, there ought to be plenty else going on to make it worth my time.
posted by ardgedee at 7:58 PM on July 3, 2015
posted by ardgedee at 7:58 PM on July 3, 2015
I'm going to miss Tommy Voeckler- he was always entertaining, and had a very Jens Voigt way of committing to a stage.
Daniel Teklehaimanot was very impressive taking and defending the KOM jersey during the Dauphiné. He reminds me a lot of Rui Costa. I hope to see a lot from him in the next few years.
I'm really excited to see how Nairo Quintana does in the Tour this year- if Froome hadn't come on so strong at the end of the Dauphiné this year, I'd say that Quintana had a lock on the maillot jaune. I'm not sure that Nibali can hold his own against a complete GC field, and I don't know if Contador will be able to sustain the kind of effort he put in during the Giro. I'm still not impressed by Richie Porte.
Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about this year's edition- it will be strange with so many familiar faces having retired, and others not able to ride this year. I feel especially bad for Philippe Gilbert and Marcel Kittel, both of whom had very strong starts this season.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:00 PM on July 3, 2015
Daniel Teklehaimanot was very impressive taking and defending the KOM jersey during the Dauphiné. He reminds me a lot of Rui Costa. I hope to see a lot from him in the next few years.
I'm really excited to see how Nairo Quintana does in the Tour this year- if Froome hadn't come on so strong at the end of the Dauphiné this year, I'd say that Quintana had a lock on the maillot jaune. I'm not sure that Nibali can hold his own against a complete GC field, and I don't know if Contador will be able to sustain the kind of effort he put in during the Giro. I'm still not impressed by Richie Porte.
Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about this year's edition- it will be strange with so many familiar faces having retired, and others not able to ride this year. I feel especially bad for Philippe Gilbert and Marcel Kittel, both of whom had very strong starts this season.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:00 PM on July 3, 2015
Also, I'm kind of hoping that the cobbles in stage 4 create the same kind of chaos in the peloton as they did last year, although perhaps with fewer injuries.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:09 PM on July 3, 2015
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:09 PM on July 3, 2015
It's last minute (you've got eight hours to sign up) but I've just created a MetaFilter fantasy cycling mini-league at Velogames — make your team and then look the league up. Normally I'd say MeMail me for the code, but since it's the eleventh hour, here you go: 04040934.
You've got until 14:00 on Saturday, July 4 CEST (Central Europe Summer Time), which is 1:00PM in London, 8:00AM in New York, 5:00AM in San Francisco, and 21:00 in Tokyo.
posted by Songdog at 8:41 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
You've got until 14:00 on Saturday, July 4 CEST (Central Europe Summer Time), which is 1:00PM in London, 8:00AM in New York, 5:00AM in San Francisco, and 21:00 in Tokyo.
posted by Songdog at 8:41 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
I wonder where Ralf Hütter will place this year.
Other things on his mind: Kraftwerk are playing three special TdF gigs in Utrecht to commemorate the start of the Tour, two last night, one tonight. We were at the first gig yesterday.
posted by daveje at 1:43 AM on July 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
Other things on his mind: Kraftwerk are playing three special TdF gigs in Utrecht to commemorate the start of the Tour, two last night, one tonight. We were at the first gig yesterday.
posted by daveje at 1:43 AM on July 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
We decided to own up this year and pay for NBC's online stream and... so far it's pretty good. We aren't using any of the added stream cast features yet (they're kind of pointless for the opening time trial anyway) but the privilege of not having to watch TV commercials is on its own worth a good chunk of the $30 premium.
posted by ardgedee at 6:17 AM on July 4, 2015
posted by ardgedee at 6:17 AM on July 4, 2015
Two more world cup matches then I'll be here.
And you didn't mention the important thing -- what stupidly steep Alps are they riding over this year?
posted by eriko at 6:31 AM on July 4, 2015
And you didn't mention the important thing -- what stupidly steep Alps are they riding over this year?
posted by eriko at 6:31 AM on July 4, 2015
I think everyone lifts themselves that little bit extra for the Tour de France, being the pinnacle of our cycling calendar.
posted by Patentanwalt at 8:48 AM on July 4, 2015
posted by Patentanwalt at 8:48 AM on July 4, 2015
Map and Stages.
Stage Highlights:
1 --- July 4 --- ITT (14km)
3 --- July 6 --- Short steep finish (Mur de Huy)
4 --- July 7 --- Longest stage (223km), w/ cobblestone section
9 --- July 12 --- TTT (28km)
10 --- July 14 --- Start of Pyrenees: HC finish (Pierre St Martin)
11 --- July 15 --- Cat. 1 and HC (Tourmalet) climbs plus uphill finish
12 --- July 16 --- Three peaks (2, 1, 1) plus HC finish (Plateau de Beille)
17 --- July 22 --- Start of Alps: four peaks (3, 3, 2, 1) plus Cat 2 finish (Pra Loup)
18 --- July 23 --- Mountainious w/ one HC climb (Glandon)
19 --- July 24 --- Cat 1 start, HC (Croix de Fer) and Cat 2 climbs, Cat 1 finish
20 --- July 25 --- Croix de Fer again (HC) with Alp d'Huez (HC) finish
21 --- July 26 --- Finish on Champs-Elysees
posted by pjenks at 10:52 AM on July 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
Stage Highlights:
1 --- July 4 --- ITT (14km)
3 --- July 6 --- Short steep finish (Mur de Huy)
4 --- July 7 --- Longest stage (223km), w/ cobblestone section
9 --- July 12 --- TTT (28km)
10 --- July 14 --- Start of Pyrenees: HC finish (Pierre St Martin)
11 --- July 15 --- Cat. 1 and HC (Tourmalet) climbs plus uphill finish
12 --- July 16 --- Three peaks (2, 1, 1) plus HC finish (Plateau de Beille)
17 --- July 22 --- Start of Alps: four peaks (3, 3, 2, 1) plus Cat 2 finish (Pra Loup)
18 --- July 23 --- Mountainious w/ one HC climb (Glandon)
19 --- July 24 --- Cat 1 start, HC (Croix de Fer) and Cat 2 climbs, Cat 1 finish
20 --- July 25 --- Croix de Fer again (HC) with Alp d'Huez (HC) finish
21 --- July 26 --- Finish on Champs-Elysees
posted by pjenks at 10:52 AM on July 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
I can't wait to watch the live coverage of the Mur de Huy finish. Narrow road, steep grade, nervous riders. Could be very interesting.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 3:28 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 3:28 PM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Wow, the weather at the Zeeland finish line today looks like a motherfucker. Visibility near-zero from the rainstorm. Hope there aren't any disasters.
posted by ardgedee at 6:45 AM on July 5, 2015
posted by ardgedee at 6:45 AM on July 5, 2015
The finish on the Mur de Bretagne should also be exciting, although more geared toward puncheurs than Huy is.
posted by entropone at 6:57 AM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by entropone at 6:57 AM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oof - I hope Cancellara didn't do himself serious damage by finishing riding Stage 3 with broken vertebrae.
posted by needled at 3:58 PM on July 7, 2015
posted by needled at 3:58 PM on July 7, 2015
It's a pity he couldn't start today, as that stage was designed for him.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:47 PM on July 7, 2015
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:47 PM on July 7, 2015
Cavendish doesn't seem to be clicking well with his leadout men, in stark contrast to the perfect leadouts from back in his Team Columbia days. It feels like Cavendish is overthinking the sprints? Or still suffering some mental aftereffects of his crash at last year's TdF?
Greipel is reminding me of the Cavendish of old, exploding out of nowhere, winning the sprint with gusto.
posted by needled at 4:21 PM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Greipel is reminding me of the Cavendish of old, exploding out of nowhere, winning the sprint with gusto.
posted by needled at 4:21 PM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh man, what a day for Team Ettix-Quick Step. I feel so bad for Tony Martin - Martin going to congratulate teammate Stybar for the stage win in his condition showed what a great guy he is.
posted by needled at 6:38 PM on July 9, 2015
posted by needled at 6:38 PM on July 9, 2015
On a happier note, Didi Senft made an appearance during stage five!
posted by needled at 6:45 PM on July 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by needled at 6:45 PM on July 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
What a strange stage stage eight was - couldn't understand what Cannondale-Garmin was aiming to achieve. And what happened to Nibali?
BMC is intriguing, Tejay van Garderen has stayed completely under the radar yet when the race overal standings are revealed at the end of each stage he's only a very calculated time away from Froome. Not too behind, just so, almost appearing to hold back so as not to get the yellow jersey too early. BMC is playing an interesting strategic game,
posted by needled at 5:11 PM on July 11, 2015
BMC is intriguing, Tejay van Garderen has stayed completely under the radar yet when the race overal standings are revealed at the end of each stage he's only a very calculated time away from Froome. Not too behind, just so, almost appearing to hold back so as not to get the yellow jersey too early. BMC is playing an interesting strategic game,
posted by needled at 5:11 PM on July 11, 2015
BMC's general manager, Jim Ochowicz, would be FPP-worthy in his own right if there's enough good material online. BMC is the first pro team he's led since founding the legendary 7-Eleven team over thirty years ago, whose roster included Davis Phinney, Chris Carmichael, and Andy Hampsten. If BMC's leading riders seem to be underplaying their strengths, I'd like to imagine it's because Ochowicz can draw on the experience of thousands of races and is not easily pressured into showing his hand before he sees fit.
posted by ardgedee at 7:47 PM on July 11, 2015
posted by ardgedee at 7:47 PM on July 11, 2015
Didi Senft during stage 7.
Didi was also spotted during today's team time trial stage!
posted by needled at 2:00 PM on July 12, 2015
Didi was also spotted during today's team time trial stage!
posted by needled at 2:00 PM on July 12, 2015
And at the end of today Sky seems once again positioned to make the race boring. It's strange because I like so many of their riders individually but the team is pretty much the Yankees of cycling: The cost of greatness comes on an actual price tag and the dullness engendered by the certainty of the outcome.
posted by ardgedee at 6:32 PM on July 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ardgedee at 6:32 PM on July 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
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Note that MTN Qhubeka is not technically the first African team.
Overall I would say that there are a surplus of strong riders this year competing for all the jerseys and stage wins and the racing should be quite interesting!
posted by selfnoise at 7:43 PM on July 3, 2015