euan:Rusty is just defending Thor because he bought him a Rapha top.

(that said I would rather go for a pint with Thor than Cavendish)

I missed how and why this happened, remember reading something about it but how did rusty get a some rapha bling bought for him by the Thor??

euan:The joys of betting.

Fixed.

Is it possible for LA to be interviewed about anything without him mentioning his seven yellow jerseys?

euan:The evils of betting.

ha! what did you bet him?!

I was meaning rusty

ahhh righto

euan:Hushovd showing Cavendish how you are meant to win the Green Jersey I think.

Yeah, I just turned on an hour ago and he's quite a bit ahead. I'm not sure if he'll keep ahead. He's got quite a few climbs to go.

trailstar:im loving the fact itv4 have it online, im watching it live just now :)

my work blocks live streaming on the itv and bbc website cos they are capitalist pigs!!

woo, i finally got off my arse and got an avatar

Thors green rims are quite tasteful.

I like the look of the col they're on now. I might add it to the list.

rusty:
I don't understand how that makes them capitalist pigs. It perhaps makes them oppressive or untrusting of their employees but the link between that action and them being capitalist pigs is quite an extension.

they are tho - if you count ruthlessly buying up competitors and smaller companies and being caought up in buying peerages as for the streaming its one of many techniques they use to keep the staff from diverting from the task in hand one day when you get a job you'll find that your employer probably has its ways and means also, i also was not being too serious and just using a phrase more popularly used at a mayday riot. my employer follow all office based trends to stop timewasting etc so no facebook etc, no access to gamblin sites or even alcohol based or sponsored sites, no xmas party this year even as many others cancel in these tough times. they have no original thoughts and just follow what is believed other employers are doing.

anyway i'm at home this arvo after telling my boss i needed to go to uni to do some uni work and am watching the tour on the tele.

And, just behind him, Bradley Wiggins completed his own triumph, holding on to fourth by three seconds, which in Paris today should enable him to equal the best ever finish by a British rider, after Robert Millar's feat 25 years ago. Wiggins has been the revelation of the race, completing his transformation from Olympic gold medallist on the track to potential winner of the Tour.

His performance yesterday on the barren slopes of Ventoux summed up the qualities that have taken him into a new echelon. This was uncharted territory, asking that he make yet another monumental effort to keep in touch with Contador, Schleck and Armstrong, all of them brilliant climbers.

Towards the summit of the mountain he began to lose contact, but he fought back, only to be dropped again. As he rode past the Simpson memorial, mouth wide open, battling not only the gradient but the relentless headwind, he was still yo-yoing, but perhaps he derived some inspiration from the small knot of British supporters there – including Simpson's daughter, Joanne – because he did enough to cling on to fourth.

It had been predicted that half a million people would line the 21km climb, but last night they were claiming it was more than that. "I have never, ever seen crowds like that at the Tour de France," said Armstrong. "Unreal!" And that from someone who, in 2004, rode a time trial on Alpe d'Huez witnessed by a million.

Yesterday, the crowds were concentrated on the lower slopes, with the final 5km closed to traffic. So the higher, more rarefied atmosphere close to the summit was eerily quiet in places. 1.5km from the very top stands the pale grey marble memorial to Simpson, the British cyclist who collapsed and died here during the 1967 Tour.

Some have compared Wiggins, in appearance, to Simpson, who, with Millar, is the only other Brit to finish in the top ten, claiming sixth in 1962. Like Simpson, Wiggins is tall, lean and also has the distinctive nose. But the links go beyond their appearance. The Simpson memorial was always going to be a gathering place for British supporters, even if most couldn't get there. Those who did were rewarded for their efforts, however, by being able to share the experience with Simpson's daughter, Joanne. Like others, she hadn't been allowed up on her bike, so she abandoned it and walked, leaving at 7am and arriving at the monument five hours later.

She was joined by Greg LeMond, the three-time Tour winner, and as the Tour vehicles streamed through one or two stopped to pay their respects, with Marc Madiot, the director of the Francaise des Jeux team, climbing the 13 steps to the monument to lay a bouquet of flowers.

"I just like to be here, I feel my dad is here rather than buried in England," said Joanne. "For me this is his burial place."

She has followed Wiggins' progress with great interest. "I lived with his father, you know," she said. "Garry Wiggins lived in the same digs as me in Ghent. I remember Brad being born."

Wiggins, when passed, was fully committed to his pursuit of Contador, Armstrong and the Schleck brothers, and couldn't afford even a glance at the memorial. He was also too tired at the finish to speak, but later communicated a message via his favourite method of communication – Twitter. "Shed a tear today for Tom," read his post. "I had a little extra strength today from somewhere. Had a photo of the man on my top tube."

The other three British cyclists all paid their tributes, Charly Wegelius turning towards the monument as he rode past, and throwing his water bottle towards it, to be added to the pile of cycling-related nicknacks gathered around it.

Then came Mark Cavendish – who has a great chance to win his sixth stage of this Tour in Paris today – who removed his helmet, and just behind was David Millar, who reached into his back pocket, removed a cotton cap, and tossed it over the fence in the direction of the statue. "To Tommy, RIP, David Millar," read the scrawled message.

As Millar knows only too well, Simpson, who died with amphetamines in his pocket in an era when there were no dope tests and rampant abuse of drugs, the British rider's legacy goes beyond his 'palmares,' or CV, and, even in this Tour of no positive tests – at least not yet – it cannot be forgotten.

LeMond, who appeared at the memorial to pay his respects, put it best. "It's an important place for cycling," said the American, who has been outspoken in his criticism of his sport's doping culture. "Because of Tom Simpson's death dope tests were introduced. Many more cyclists would have died if it hadn't been for him."

conn artist:

they are tho - if you count ruthlessly buying up competitors and smaller companies and being caought up in buying peerages as for the streaming its one of many techniques they use to keep the staff from diverting from the task in hand one day when you get a job you'll find that your employer probably has its ways and means also, i also was not being too serious and just using a phrase more popularly used at a mayday riot. my employer follow all office based trends to stop timewasting etc so no facebook etc, no access to gamblin sites or even alcohol based or sponsored sites, no xmas party this year even as many others cancel in these tough times. they have no original thoughts and just follow what is believed other employers are doing.

anyway i'm at home this arvo after telling my boss i needed to go to uni to do some uni work and am watching the tour on the tele.

Don't you just hate employers who expect their employees to do a full days work, use proper internet security against spurious downloads and viruses and make cut backs to protect everyone's jobs?

last lap!

cmon cav!

That was a pretty hefty sprint.

6th

rabsda:

don't you just hate employers who fail to understand human nature and how to get the best out of their staff in hard times

Employers are riding the recession wave atm. All aboard the cup half empty train, fucking media, whipping everybody into a frenzy.

Its given employers Cart Blanche to lead poverty till who knows when, reduced hours pay freezes etc. I dont doubt there are folk really struggling to keep businesses going but there are more than a few who are happy to have there workers right where they want them. Cunts.

Merak:

Employers are riding the recession wave atm. All aboard the cup half empty train, fucking media, whipping everybody into a frenzy.

Its given employers Cart Blanche to lead poverty till who knows when, reduced hours pay freezes etc. I dont doubt there are folk really struggling to keep businesses going but there are more than a few who are happy to have there workers right where they want them. Cunts.

totally.

rabsda:

total bollocks.

Sorted that for you.

I'm sorry mate, but some employers are just using it as a reason to become more profitable.

I work for a rather large multinational corporation who has just laid off 120 people in Glasgow despite the site just securing two new contracts worth $300 million over four years. Despite this on an almost daily basis I'm being told that if we don't work harder then we might all lose our jobs. I work in tech support but I'm being told I need to sell things to customers and being "encouraged" to sell as much as I can. This further extra work I'm doing and I can tell you I'm not getting paid for it. Been told there is no pay rise this year, or next. And my bonus which was bi yearly is now yearly and there is no guarantee that I will get it.

Work more and work harder or you will be next is the current motto of big business.

euan:I'm sorry mate, but some employers are just using it as a reason to become more profitable.

I work for a rather large multinational corporation who has just laid off 120 people in Glasgow despite the site just securing two new contracts worth $300 million over four years. Despite this on an almost daily basis I'm being told that if we don't work harder then we might all lose our jobs. I work in tech support but I'm being told I need to sell things to customers and being "encouraged" to sell as much as I can. This further extra work I'm doing and I can tell you I'm not getting paid for it. Been told there is no pay rise this year, or next. And my bonus which was bi yearly is now yearly and there is no guarantee that I will get it.

Work more and work harder or you will be next is the current motto of big business.

Like I said, some will use it as an excuse but most will be using these tactics as a way to stay in business. Make no mistake as to how tough it's got out there over the last 12 months. It's dramatically different from what we were all used to.

Marek, I'm no renegade (or troll for that matter). My 'sorted' comment was me being facetious, nothing more. I run a small printing company in Glasgow. We've gone from 18 to 12 to 8 employees in a year. None of it through anything other than necessity. I value our staff and consider them to be friends as well as colleagues.

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

Merak: john.stone:

Can I have an oar to go with that dinghy? :)

What does that mean?

Getafix:I think he is suggesting you have ignored him as in, given him the dinghy, in Glasgow parlance.

Ah, I see.

http://www.big-digital.co.uk