We are only 11 stages into the 2014 Tour de France and yet we have already been gifted a race for the ages.
It’s had thrills, spills, bellyaches and tears, Herculean efforts of leg-busting chutzpah, and buckets of va-va voom even without the presence of Va-Va Froome.
Some of it has been caused by accident – quite literally – but a good chunk of the intrigue and interest has come about due to very clever design.
The revival of the French riders, and one French team in particular, has kept the locals on the edge of their seats and ensured enthused crowds roadside daily. Belkin’s Tony Gallopin has been pivotal to all this, with one day in the yellow jersey and that irrepressible victory on Stage 11.
He must have read ‘How to become France’s new hero’ before the race. The recipe is simple. Get into yellow and win a stage in the Tour. The French have been so hungry for a ‘new Bernard Hinault’ that they’ve eaten just about all the pretenders who’ve come and gone since the Badger’s heyday.
Not that Gallopin is an Hinault. Only Hinault is Hinault, we all know that. However the way he won that stage sparked a national reminiscence of the golden days of French cycling – days, it has to be said, long since gone.
The effot he put in to try to stay in yellow on Bastille Day was beautifully captured by a shot from a moto that pulled alongside him as he struggled up the final climb. A string of saliva dangled from his gaping mouth, sweat slalomed down his face, and in that single moment, you could feel everything the Maillot Jaune means to these guys – especially the French.
It was beautiful. No other word for it.
Gallopin’s win followed Blel Kadri’s gallant solo effort to win Stage 8. The Ag2r rider also pulled on the king of the mountains jersey after his win, and though he lost it soon after, it provided another breath of fresh air for French cycling.
His team also captured the lead of the team competition, a rarity for a French squad. They are riding very well collectively, and though it’s early days yet they may have a shot of holding the lead if they ride well in the big hills.
The star team of the Tour have been Astana, but coming up close behind are Thomas Voeckler’s Europcar. The boys in forest green have been the surprise package of this Tour and are riding on the front every day. Exactly why they’ve been going so very hard hasn’t always been clear but, again, it’s making the French happy.
One reason so many teams have been up at the front when the race heats up – at times there have been four lines of teams lined out, all within a metre of each other – is that there is no patron (or boss) in the peloton these days.
In fact, there hasn’t really been a patron since a certain Texan ‘retired’, but the fact that both Chris Froome and Alberto Contador have left the race means that every man and his dog fancies a dig at the front.
The majority on the peloton felt sorry for both Froome and Contador after they exited the race, and no sensible human being would take pleasure in someone breaking bones, but as a result we, the viewing public, are getting the race we’ve been dreaming of.
Froome’s mastery last year meant the 2013 race was little more than a procession. This year the script promised a battle between Froome and Contador, a narrative that didn’t exactly set the pulse racing for a lot of cycling fans.
“The race will be the poorer for the absence of the two pre-race favourites,” said one commentator on Eurosport, but something close to the opposite has happened.
In any case, would Froome have held on to Nibali over those cobbles? The Italian had never raced them before but he showed something a lot of people had forgotten, that he is one of the world’s best handlers of a road bike.
I think Froome would have lost more time than Contador. Also, Nibali looks fantastic in the hills. He could well be coming of age here.
One other factor that may be contributing to the wow factor of this year’s Tour is that it looks as though there is less doping going on.
This is contentious, I realise. It’s an issue I refer to often and I remain unconvinced that is has disappeared, but the closeness of results and the unpredictability of the racing suggests this is the case.
I have zero proof, nothing but observations to go on and some comments from friends connected to top-level cycling, but a half-educated guess says this is what is happening.
Finally, there is the route the organisers have chosen. ASO boss Christian Prudhomme deserves huge credit for eschewing the standard Tour opening by throwing in daily stage routes with narrow curving lanes, hard little climbs, and a sever lack of straight, flat finishes.
We’ve had rollers in Yorkshire, large stones in northern France and enough nasty hillocks in the Vosges to rock everyone’s legs – and to throw up all sorts of surprises.
It’s been a vintage Tour so far, let’s hope it continues.
Da Spoon
Guest
Nibali 1-20 odds on favourite with the bookies and Sagan even shorter odds for the green. To claim it's an open race is nonsense. Yes, some of the racing has been exciting and yielded new faces on the daily podium but this happens on every tour. The end result for this tour has been pretty much nailed on since Contador exited and it's just as much a procession as last year, perhaps even more so as indicated by the bookies. We will no doubt in time get the "Nibalis a doper " threads on here and accusations are already being made. You've built tis race up and the time will no doubt come when you knock it down.
Lee Rodgers
Expert
That's a reasoned response there gb4au, looking at it that way it makes it not matter that those guys were doped up like junkies under a bridge. Thanks for that.
Da Spoon
Guest
He got thrashed by froome last year.
gb4au
Guest
Best tour ever? Are you kidding me, it's horrible. Barely half way through and we already know the winner. We never see attacks, just riders riding and some that fall behind. The LA years were a lot more fun to watch. Attacks, counter attacks, tight contention at the top. I've watched every tour for the past 30+ years and one more stage like today and I'll not watch the rest as the race is over and it's boring. The French went on a mission to get rid of LA and all the Americans, they succeeded and it has cost them the popularity of their sport.
Nick
Guest
Your crystal ball is a bit dodgy as Porte is under contract to Sky until the end of 2015 and like Wiggins has said he'll be riding with his current team next year.
Lee Rodgers
Expert
That is called micro-dosing and if that isn't happening with some guys then the world isn't round. You have to remember that in the LA years the better paid riders got the better dope. If "lesser" riders are on something new and improved you can be sure that those inclined to juice amongst the 'bigger' riders would already have a fridge full.
liquorbox_
Guest
One other factor that may be contributing to the wow factor of this year’s Tour is that it looks as though there is less doping going on. This is contentious, I realise. It’s an issue I refer to often and I remain unconvinced that is has disappeared, but the closeness of results and the unpredictability of the racing suggests this is the case. I think the opposite, I think this years does have doping. I keep thinking that there are too many performances by "lesser" riders that are impressive and maybe they are taking a new style of drug to try to keep up and win. I think people have realised that doping to the point where you win most stages looks obvious, but to dope for one stage or maybe two stages looks less obvious.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
But dont you think the cobbles stage was challenging, the flat windy stages where you have 'bordures', the stages for punchers with different terrains? Sure the Galibier, Tourmalet or Ventoux are mythic TdF spots but a diversity of landscapes make the tour special imo. France isnt only about ghe mountains and its tour should represent the diverse terrains the country offers.
Nick Inatey
Guest
The more mountain top finishes the better....its the only time when the GC riders bother to challenge each other. Seeing riders do the Col du Galibier, or the Aubisque, or Telegraph is fun, but if they aren't going to challenge each other, its a touch boring. They will those climbs finished stages though.
Nick Inatey
Guest
ITs unfortunate Quintana didn't go into this tour to be honest. WIth only one TT he wouldn't have been to disadvantaged. He'll smash 'em all next year. He is a clear freak on the hills.
magila cutty
Guest
"a nation where doping is widespread" good of you to characterize a whole country on, er what? Even the current controversy involves just two teams from the collision sports. I stand by what i said in that riders attacking up horrendously difficult climbs without pain or discomfort etched on their face should be viewed with scepticism.
Alex
Guest
I can't see anything other than Nibali smashing everyone in the mountains. But living in Tasmania I would be happy to be wrong. Can I crystal ball gaze to next year when Nibali comes back to defend his title, Froome and Contador are back, Wiggins has a new team and is hell bent on beating Froome, Quintana is there to have a crack and perhaps Porte has his own team too? Now there is a race worth watching.
Albo
Guest
Yep ! Its been a beauty so far ! Tonight & tomorrow night will now see who the real contenders are ! Hoping our boy Richie Porte struts his stuff tonight, but I fear Nibali & Valverde might be tough to toss !
Rich_uk
Guest
On doping, what says it for me is the pain on riders faces which contrasts with the comfort that Armstrong and others appeared to enjoy. Cadel in particular looked to be in agony every time i saw him race which is only right, it should hurt and look like it. If it doesn’t then i am immediately suspicious. What absolute rubbish. I'd say that as Cadel comes from a nation where doping in sport is widespread his performamnces should be veiewed with suspicsion!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
True Prudhomme has been watching the Giro...in order not to do the same! Giro organisers now want to make their race the toughest on earth even if it means it can be extremely dangerous for the riders. Giro or Vuelta these days offer huge % in the mountains and just try to have as many top finishes as possible. That's their way to say "look we are here and have a tougher race than le tour" Imo Prudhomme decided to offer a 'lighter' product where more riders have their chance and complete riders who are good on all terrains can do a top 10. Good on him for not trying to compete with the other 2 main tours as riders safety was imo at stake. Best tour I have seen in years, very 'human'.
magila cutty
Guest
On doping, what says it for me is the pain on riders faces which contrasts with the comfort that Armstrong and others appeared to enjoy. Cadel in particular looked to be in agony every time i saw him race which is only right, it should hurt and look like it. If it doesn't then i am immediately suspicious.
AJ
Guest
Lee, Agree with everything you say. Why do you think there are far fewer international flags lining the course this year including less Australian flags.
Dave
Guest
Tony Gallopin rides for Lotto-Belisol, not for Belkin. This year's race clearly shows that the Tour organisers have been watching the Giro d'Italia for the last few years and taking notes as they go. The Giro rewards the complete rider who has the skills to go with the athleticism, while the last few editions of the Tour have been made just for pure pedalling machines like Froome and Wiggins.
sittingbison
Guest
"... it looks as though there is less doping going on....I have zero proof, nothing but observations to go on...but a half-educated guess says this is what is happening...." Asked and answered Lee: "...the fact that both Chris Froome and Alberto Contador have left the race means that every man and his dog fancies a dig at the front...." ;)
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
I think the route deserves a lot of credit and in turn to Prudhomme and Gouvenou for spicing up what can otherwise be a bit of a dull first week. The fact they are prepared to throw stages in very early that will break up the field and generate time gaps is fantastic. I think this is a much better approach than in years past where the first week has really been not much more than a warm up for the GC guys. It appears that under Prudhomme the race is in good hands. Looking forward to the continuation of the race changing in complexion every few days and putting all modes of road cycling to the test.