France in Focus

We try to watch as much as we can ...
Great start yesterday in Bilbao, and great finish today in San Sebastian. Nice to see Adam Yates (Yets in French) keep his yellow jersey, superb performance by Nelson Powless and the French were glad to see Victor Lafay win today's stage !

Must admit that I missed todays stage as I was concentrating on events at Lords.........but bau tomorrow and good luck to Cav.

Another enjoyable afternoon watching the Tour. They seemed pretty relaxed and Pichon deserved the Combatif title.
Marion Rousse has certainly improved commentating. She used to sound as if she was speaking through her hands but now she's much clearer.

Lilian Calmejane had several punctures yesterday due to nails/tacks on the road, deliberately thrown there towards the end of the stage. The same thing happened in the Pedal for Scotland race in 2015 when saboteurs tried to disrupt the race.

Marion Rousse should still open her teeth when speaking.

I do switch off when someone mentions eg sprinters and then, between them but her in particular, the commentators list every sprinter in the race.

Loup-garou wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2023 8:25 am the commentators list every sprinter in the race

They seem to be talking over each other more this year which is really irritating. Yes, they go on about sprinters, but wait until they get to the mountains : then it'll be "punchers"
When will they learn that "Wout van Aert" isn't "Woot" but "Wowt". It's funny listening to them trying to get their tongues round some of the names.

I always admire the motards with the cameraman standing up all the way and Thomas Voekler leaning into the team cars to get a comment. The actual pilots must do one hell of a balancing act to keep upright.

I must say I didn't miss Laurent Luyat last night (Velo Club necessary if you want the result confirmed). I thought that Céline Rousseaux did a good job replacing him but wasn't Laurent "Tom and Dick" for part of last year?

Yes, he's had some sort of problems de santé, but he had a meeting in Paris re the JO next year ! They announced it and said Céline Rousseaux would be taking his place yesterday on Vélo Club.
I think she's good, she doesn't talk over people nor does she take the mickey. Marion Rousse takes a bit of stick from LL ... but I still think her Pot Black voice has improved this year.

Missed yesterday's stage as I was in hospital having a "prothèse trapezo-metacarpienne" fitted to my left thumb. BUT .... I now have an ordonnance for repos, no bricolage or gardening so what better than watching the Tour ?
I see Adam Yates has lost his yellow jersey ....

Yes - but inevitable I think.

Interesting that Vingegaard led the chasing (4 of Hindley) and was getting quite agitated with his 3 fellow poursuivants as none would help him by taking the lead of the group. Then, close to the line the 3 shot out and overtook him pushing him down to 5th.

Grudges must be carried forward surely?

Grudges? Why?

Buchmann is in the same team as Hindley, so by beating Vingegaard he increases the lead of Hindley by reducing the extra time bonus for V.

Likewise Ciccone has taken time out of V through the bonuses.

So that leave Gall, who could have helped V - but why? working alone with V would just mean that he risked being pushed further down with fewer bonus seconds.