Tour de France Stage 7

... or maybe have a replay of the Greg LeMond show playing on the page as we wait... Oh, it's up! Thank you! Oh, no... it's not...

Sometimes I tihnk updating should be easy... Figure out the scores on a spreadsheet... Import them into the database on a csv file, press a button and, voila! done!... I get desperate when I click and click and click on the refresh button to see the results and I keep getting the 'We're currently updating the game.' message... This is the best part of the day for me, seeing the scores, that is, ... I suffer so (!) much when I have to stare at the screen as it repeatedly points out 'We're currently updating the game.', can't you guys update quicker for a lonely old soul who's only thrill of the day is seeing his team plummet down each day? Or maybe you could put up a message that would point out the highlights of the stage or maybe have a live webcam of Gkam at his desk as he updates the game...

A bad day fantasy wise, but 4 quid each way on Trentin softened the blow.

At last, phew!

Spartacus disappointed today and eventually so did GVA but hey had sagan GvA renshaw pichot and lemoine

Yep a bad day at the office for me

Completely misjudged this stage, took Tom Doumalin out for Reza and left all my pure sprinters in, while waiting for the hills coming.
Oh well, still had sagan at least.

They are all out for tommorrow onwards though, maybe need to take a penalty.

Completely misjudged this stage, took Tom Doumalin out for Reza and left all my pure sprinters in, while waiting for the hills coming.
Oh well, still had sagan at least.

They are all out for tommorrow onwards though, maybe need to take a penalty.

Kittel off the back

This break won't last, Cannondale pushing too hard with their allies in the peloton. Don't rule out a late attack over the two climbs, though. Orica will definitely want at least one stage win and today would be a good chance for either Albasini or Gerrans (not that I've got either of them in my squad ). Ditto OPQS or even Sky...

Still, looking more likely like a finish for the stronger sprinters now.

Oops missed the deadline earlier. Hope that marcel and co come in despite giant ds saying its too hard

Just Fuglsang & Albasini in for Kittel and Gerard for me. Still hilly sprinter based.

Peter Sagan (CAD)
Michael Albasini (OGE)
Alexander Kristoff (KAT)
Arnaud Demare (FDJ)
Bryan Coquard (EUC)
Jean-Marc Bideau (BSE)
Rein Taaramae (COF)
Giovanni Visconti (MOV)
Jakob Fuglsang (AST)

Pichot in the break.....at last

Early break out and away
1in for me

Good chance that a break could take this today,

I'm thinking cannondale may make this.finish hard for the pure sprinters it's something sagan seems to enjoy doing

Stripped my team ready for the weekend
Kept 1 sprinter

Kittel
Spartacus
Nibs
Sagan
Porte
Van sum
Pichot
Bideau
Taaramae

Missed the deadline.....and to be fair I'm delighted about that!!

Sagan
Coquard
Kittel
Navardauskas
DeMare
Paolini
Pichot
Bideau
Haussler

It's last chance for the sprinters for a while isn't it.

Keeping all my sprinters in except Kittel.

That'll be Sagan, Kristoff, Demare, Van Popp, Coquard.

Intermediate sprint points plus points even if they don't get over the last hill, which some will.

Tricky one indeed. Only got one sprinter left though, because he might get some intermediate points if there isn't too big a break and he might get 5 if the person I think will win does make it this time. Otherwise I hope I've got the winner, a big GC guy who's worth a 10 point penalty if he doesn't fall off, the inevitable green jersey and someone who did well today and could do just as well tomorrow and who I needed to afford the GC guy. Got rid of anyone who's crashed or lost form and Coquard, which could be a mistake.

Will be driving tomorrow afternoon for a weekend break to a place the tour started in from the place it last set off from in England, so I won't be able to watch it. Couldn't watch yesterday due to work but caught the end of the stage today and that was still pretty good. This could be the best tour for quite some time.

All three of my cheap guys have now got points from breaks, Gerard today. The high scores for intermediate sprints gives a whole different dimension to the tour. Will keep one of them I think and then go hunting for those key MPs.

I've kept three sprinters (of five) in, not least because two of them will be in the running and the other should get reasonable (in fantasy terms) placing (or lanterne rouge!). Taking penalties for riders who *could* get a breakaway/solo win is a path to massive point-loss (in my experience anyway) so I'm playing this one fairly safe. The two fellas I've got in should be good value till the rest day and perhaps beyond.

60/40 to me whether S7 will be a win-from-the-break/solo attempt, or a bunch sprint from the more punchy guys. Certainly the stage itself looks tailor-made for a breakaway win but it'll need to be a strong group of riders, even if the peloton decide to have a slow day (which would not surprise me, given the last couple of stages and the upcoming hills). Annoyingly, I've got the day off tomorrow but I'm not expecting fireworks, viewing-wise.

These are the stages that create gaps in fantasy leaderboards. Will the sprinters survive? Will a late attacker hold on for the win?

I have a suspicion we may see some GC attacks tomorrow so swapped out a few sprinters myself ....my only concern is will Spartacus get over the final climb and attack?