Londoner Bradley Wiggins wins the Tour de France

[flecc]

Forget the Olympics, the Tour de France is the greatest sporting event on earth and has been for more than a century.

And for the first time ever we have a British winner in Bradley Wiggins who will ride triumphantly to the finish in Paris tomorrow.

And as if that isn't enough, another Briton, Chris Froome, looks as though he will clinch second place.

Between then they have not just won, they have outclassed the rest of the field and totally dominated throughout the weeks of the race. Last year's winner, Cadel Evans, had to admit defeat days ago in the face of this onslaught from our riders and he's well down the rankings now.

And a thank you to ITV 4 for their courage in year after year scheduling the Tour live each day plus an hour of evening highlights each day, it's really paid off for them this year.

Add to the above that Mark Cavendish is world sprint champion and we have such Olympic cycling greats as Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy means Britain is making the sport cycling word sit up and take notice as never before. The Olympic cycling events this year should seal our place at the top.

Maybe our general public will start to think there is something in this cycling lark and take to the streets more.
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[neptune]

To me , sports are the most boring thing on earth. But even I am impressed by the performance from Bradley Wiggins. Jolly well done old boy!

 

[flecc]

Me too with most sports Neptune, even many cycling events, but the Tour de France is more than just a sporting event. It's an epic set in some wonderful countryside accompanied by an incredible atmosphere that is even tangible in TV broadcasts.

The Olympics? As a spectator one big yawn as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Cyclezee]

Bradley certainly silenced his critics today by totally dominating the sprint at a blistering pace, absolutely brilliant

It never ceases to amaze me how those guys can perform like that day after day in all conditions and over such demanding terrain

 

[funkylyn]

I LOVE the Tour de France.....to be honest I have absolutely no idea how it all works ...... but I love watching the scenery and spotting the motorhomes.

But very well done to that talented Bradley man.....even if he DOES have god awful sideburns.....he can certainly move......I am feeling quite patriotic tonight, and not a little exhausted just watching it.....I hope it encourages more people to get into electric bikes as well as 'the other type' !

Personally though I will stick to my motorhome when traversing France, especially over the Pyrenees, a nice meander along the canal de Midi by bike will do for me

Lynda

 

[bazwaldo]

Yes the event is wonderful, I have been following it throughout but on Eurosport rather than ITV4, their commentator David Harmon is humorous and great fun helped by Cycling Legend Sean Kelly. I have loved catching up with the highlights programme after work for each of the stages.
The scenery, the buildings, the fans, the Teams, the characters - Thomas Voeckler - is terrific, I find it all entralling.
I work for Sky as well so I feel a connection with the Sky Team.
All of the riders seem super human to me in the way they perform so consistantly day after day, especially in the Mountain stages.
Hopefully nothing will prevent Bradley clinching the win tomorrow and with Mark Cavendish winning the final sprint which would top it off brilliantly.
Bradley should already be Sir Bradley in my opinion but with winning the Tour and hopefully doing well in the London Olympics I expect a well deserved honour won't be long in being bestowed - maybe even Lord Bradley!?!

Barry.

 

[Tinker]

If you ever have a chance to go and watch one of the stages take it.
The whole rolling 'caravan' as letour comes through comes through and the atmosphere is tremedous and even non-sporty types like me get swept up in it.

 

[flecc]

I noticed online that the idiot and bigot David Coultard has remarked that Bradley must have Scots in him because no Englishman could do this. Having observed Coultard's questionable behaviour and comments over many years I've no doubt this was not a joke. Bradley of course is a Londoner and English through and through, so not for the first time David Coultard making a prat of himself and reflecting badly on his native Scotland and it's good people.

 

[funkylyn]

I noticed online that the idiot and bigot David Coultard has remarked that Bradley must have Scots in him because no Englishman could do this. Having observed Coultard's questionable behaviour and comments over many years I've no doubt this was not a joke. Bradley of course is a Londoner and English through and through, so not for the first time David Coultard making a prat of himself and reflecting badly on his native Scotland and it's good people.

Ummm.....do you mean the F1 DC ?
Does that mean you were WATCHING THE RACE ?????


(poor Lewis ..... but well done Jensen )

Lynda

 

[Jimod]

I noticed online that the idiot and bigot David Coultard has remarked that Bradley must have Scots in him because no Englishman could do this. Having observed Coultard's questionable behaviour and comments over many years I've no doubt this was not a joke. Bradley of course is a Londoner and English through and through, so not for the first time David Coultard making a prat of himself and reflecting badly on his native Scotland and it's good people.

He's half English, half Australian and born in Belgium. I don't think we Scots can claim him.......sadly. .
However, no matter what, it was an incredible acheivment and he's one Lycra clad cyclist none of us e-bikers will be boasting about overtaking.

 

[flecc]

He's half English, half Australian and born in Belgium.

But back in England at 2 years old and very much an Englishman in every way as he shows whenever he speaks, just as I'm half Italian, quarter Scot and quarter English but still very much an Englishman. And we're both Londoners, Bradley from Kilburn and me from Soho.

 

[flecc]

Ummm.....do you mean the F1 DC ?
Does that mean you were WATCHING THE RACE ?????

Lynda

Didn't even know it was on Lynda, just had to look online to see what it was and the details. This was the final day of Le Tour, real racing by man and machine, no DRS faking!

 

[Scimitar]

I noticed online that the idiot and bigot David Coultard has remarked that Bradley must have Scots in him because no Englishman could do this. Having observed Coultard's questionable behaviour and comments over many years I've no doubt this was not a joke. Bradley of course is a Londoner and English through and through, so not for the first time David Coultard making a prat of himself and reflecting badly on his native Scotland and it's good people.

I never took to Coulthard anyway - and I'm Scottish.
Such an outburst is way beyond the pale; if he can't find anything good to say about today's well-deserved victory, the prat should just keep his gob shut.

 

[NRG]

A great result but only achievable with a great team around him, Cav may leave next year and Froome in his own right could have won it...

 

[flecc]

My hope is that Chris Froome goes for the win next year with Bradley Wiggins supporting him in that. On present form that should be a reasonable target. Great sprinter that Mark Cavendish is, he wasn't crucial to the Wiggins/Froome victory, I believe they could have done it if he had not been with them, though his presence is a great motivator.

 

[NRG]

True, that's because the team was not built around a sprinter, Cav did not win the sprint points race which he most certainly could of won.