[Dr T]

think it's live on itv4 today and tomorrow too.

definitely live today on itv4
and online here

[cofe]

sounds like a fucking good stage: the shlecks clinging to contador like flies on log; armstrong descending the last climb like a nutbox; wiggins hanging in there not far back too.

[Fj]

tomorrow should be amazing. Contador seems safe with that lead, but Kloden's got TT skills and Wiggins should be faster than the others.
If you've only got t'interweb, yahoo/eurosport do a good text feed and live audio.

[saltbeef]

COME ON WIGO!
god what a fierce stage. hopefully wigo hasn't left himself too much to do. lance shows what a total beast he is. the shlecks are little rats! contador was pretty cheeky killing off his teammate kloden.
what an amazing tour.
(cadel evans wtf!)

[cofe]

it's amazing how they were all shit scared of wiggins. the game plan for all of them, particularly the schlecks and cuntador was to put as much time between them and him before today's TT.

[Palomides]

Today's going to be really important, but I have a feeling that the final selection will be made on Mt Ventoux, just as the organisers hoped.

I also reckon that LA will really, really want to win the Ventoux stage - I think he's never won on Mt Ventoux; he lost to Pantani in 2000 (or let him have it depending on who you read) and lost to Virenque in 2002?

Wiggans has been really impressive, but I think Cavendish's chances of getting the Green jersey are sunk now - even if he wins both remaining flat stages he'd have to finish something like 20 places ahead of Hushovd to make up the deficit, and count on Hushovd not hoovering up the four remaining intermediate sprints.

[fatkid2000]

I just hope that Bradley can ride to maintain his 4th position - i don't think he will get on the podium, but he has done so well - and may have a realistic chance of a Grand tour podium postion in the future. . I don't doubt the guy, but I just hope he's clean. I expect he has been heavily tested for cera etc - as his performance in Le tour was not expected. Di Luca has recently been caught after his Giro performance.

Looks like Alberto has it wrapped up and I reckon Lance will hang on in there for 3rd - not bad for 37.

[cofe]

pretty disappointing press conference from contador. i hope he's not off his tits on goofballs.

[BB]

I'm starting to wonder how contador is so much better than everyone else. There's more than a wiff of haddock about it.

[tomtom]

pretty disappointing press conference from contador. i hope he's not off his tits on goofballs.

Doping comments interesting - but watching it yesterday - I was wondering how much of an advantage the riders would get from having all the bikes/cars around them.

There again, If I were groaning my way up to the top of a climb I would want a ball and chain to continuously swing around my head to fend off the twats in the middle of at the side of the road.

[highrepute]

Just watching this stage today and they keep talking about the "wattage" the guys are putting in. Anyone know how they work this out?

[Falling Down]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_power_meter

[Percy B]

Another stage win for Cav! Thats 5 so far. Beginning to regret not having £20 on him winning 6 stages at the bookies before the start of the tour 

[Joepicalli]

Just seen the post stage interview with Cav. Isn't he a total star bigging up his team mates?

[cofe]

it's the big one today. quite a few places in the top 10 could be sorted right out. well exciting.

[bigd942]

some good pics

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/2009_tour_de_france.html

[Scraggadoo]

Gutsy ride by Wiggo today, good stuff.  Hope he can keep it going into tomorrow's stage and keep / improve on his fourth place.

Was a bit perplexed by A. Schleck's tactics at first, but then it all made sense once he came back and his brother tried to join on the attack and split Lance from them.  Lance was only too aware of this though and I particularly was impressed with Contador's team tactics for once (despite him having the tour pretty much in the bag barring any bad misfortunes tomorrow)...

Just how many spectators were there though, it was crazy at times - this is really the first tour I've been watching from start to finish so I don't know if crowded roads are the norm!

[tlr]

That was a brilliant stage, very exciting.

Brilliant effort by Wiggins to dig deep at the end. Awesome.

Only a shame that we didn't get to see Contador and Schleck duke it out properly.

[clm]

Wiggo wont race tomorrow scragadoo - its all over bar the shouting (sprinting)

[Falling Down]

What a great tour 

Cav winning in Paris and accumulating six stage wins plus Bradley coming fourth overall is fantastic....

[chappers]

Just how many spectators were there though, it was crazy at times - this is really the first tour I've been watching from start to finish so I don't know if crowded roads are the norm!

got back today after 24hrs of driving. the ventoux was mental, took us over an hour to get down from half way up! spent two nights sleeping in a doss bag in car parks. horrible!
shouting at cav "tomorrow mate!" was my favorite. as well as my mate ben screaming "dont worry wiggo you can fuck armstrong over on this!!", when lance was about a second away - not happy!.

photos in a few days.

oh and today. cav and renshaw are fucking mental fast! a good stage.
fingers crossed contador is clean after giro news this week.

[Dr T]

what money Cav doing what he said he'd do in the pre-tour interviews and winning the final sprint down the Champs Elysees???

Not much. He's not finished a GT before and I reckon the third week with Mont Ventoux the day before will take too much out of him. No money against it though!

Did you have a punt Duma??
I should have...

[fatkid2000]

Well done Wiggo - much respect to the man, obviously it will be overshadowed in the papers tomorrowby Hamilton winning the grand prix, but in my mind le tour is one of the biggest annual sport events - and a far greater achievement.

I hate to say that I  don't think he'll ever win a GT - Contador, the Schleck bros, Tony Martin to name a few - not mention a certain Rasmussen returning to the fold, will get in his way. Mind you I never thought he'd get a top 5 finish & it made me a nice little earner!   

[Duma]

Did you have a punt Duma??
I should have...

Not on Cav - thankfully as I've been proven about 30 meters wrong! Frank Schleck did me well scraping into the top 5 - though I suspect not as well as BW did for fatkid!

Really enjoyed this year - here's hoping no nasty suprises come out in the next month or so...

[fatkid2000]

Chappers - did you get to ride any of the climbs? The Times had an article by one of its editors about L'etape on Mt Ventoux & it sounded awful.

I bet on Wiggo getting in the top 5 - before le tour started. Nice -