Wiggo

chris_m

moneyinmypocket wrote: »

I thought belguims where classed as Flemish?

Only those that speak Dutch as their normal language.
Those that use French are generally Walloons, whilst there are also some German-speaking Belgians

Generali

benb76 wrote: »

Wind your neck in. He just lives there because UK cycling's HQ is in Manchester, so hardly born and bred. Chris Hoy lives around Manchester as well for the same reason, but he's still considered to be a Scot.

That was meant to be a joke but it clearly didn't come across.

Perfect closing day for Team Sky though. Wiggo takes the win, Cav takes the stage to become the 4th best ever in terms of stage wins. Thanks to viva's great intervention in this thread, Eddie Merkx has now become British so the UK now has the record for the most ever wins in TdFs and I reckon Cav is likely to end up second.

I will contact the UCI today to ensure that the records are amended correctly. Perhaps someone else could contact the Belgian Government to get the statue at the top of the Cote de Wanneranval moved to Box Hill.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Great achievement, but I'm afraid I just can't get excited about cycling.

Jennifer_Jane

moneyinmypocket wrote: »

I thought belguims where classed as Flemish?

I'm getting apoplectic here! 'belguims'?

Belgium = the Country
Belgian = the people

I agree it's a cobbled-together kind of place, and it may not exist in the far future. But really!

Would you say the scotlands, the englands to describe the nationality of the people? It just doesn't make sense.

[Deleted User]

I can't help but wonder if there are a few wry smiles among the winners of the Race Across America when they hear commentators keep referring to the TDF as the toughest cycle race in the world.....

chewmylegoff

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

I'm getting apoplectic here! 'belguims'?

Belgium = the Country
Belgian = the people

I agree it's a cobbled-together kind of place, and it may not exist in the far future. But really!

Would you say the scotlands, the englands to describe the nationality of the people? It just doesn't make sense.

why so worked up, is you belgiumese?

ILW

chewmylegoff wrote: »

why so worked up, is you belgiumese?

Scotch people are even worse.

Generali

jack_pott wrote: »

I can't help but wonder if there are a few wry smiles among the winners of the Race Across America when they hear commentators keep referring to the TDF as the toughest cycle race in the world.....

To be fair, the standard of competitors in the Tour de France is quite a bit higher than the Race Across America.

The Marathon des Sables is probably the most lunatic endurance race on the planet. The TdF is almost certainly the toughest elite event.

chewmylegoff

Generali wrote: »

To be fair, the standard of competitors in the Tour de France is quite a bit higher than the Race Across America.

The Marathon des Sables is probably the most lunatic endurance race on the planet. The TdF is almost certainly the toughest elite event.

yeah but has it ever been won by a 60 year old potato farmer running in gumboots?

purch

Generali wrote: »

The BBC seem to have gotten it into their heads that nobody can attack Yellow on the last day because of etiquette. Twaddle AFAIK. It's such a flat stage that it's highly unusual that anyone could make up enough time to overtake yellow ordinarily. However in 1989, the Tour was won on the last day by Greg LeMond who beat Laurent Fignon in a time trial to take yellow.

Eddie Merkx once (1975???) announced his intention to take yellow from some French bloke on the last day and gave it a decent shot. He failed though.

It's 50 years since Tommy Simpson became the first Pom to wear yellow in the TdF. If you ever find yourself in Provence it's well worth visiting his shrine about a km from the top of Mont Ventoux. Cycle up if you can!

...driving is more sensible.

I vaguely remember Greg Lemond trying to do something similar to Merkx in Paris one year, (1991 ?) when he went off the front and tried to ride away from the "peleton" for a few circuits. I think he was way down in the overall standings, but was just trying to make a point.