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Morning everyone,
Good morning Rusty

Hope you had a good night despite last night's bad news.

Have just had a peep at Cambrai area weather and they now seem to think it will half sun half cloud, but apparently no rain - that sounds OK.

Having never really watched the Paris-Roubaix race in toto, I don't really know who to support; my main concern, as I said last evening, is that the guys I like do not take risks!

Good morning, Elle and Pigale!
Fine day here.
Who will win at Cambrai!
I hope to see some of the war cemeteries around Cambrai, too.
The main concern of the teams with GC contenders will be to protect them going over the cobbled sections.
Geraint Thomas will have to look after Froome, otherwise I would think Geraint would have a good chance of winning, but...will Sky let him ride?
Probably not. So, as Fabian has gone, my choice is John Degenkolb, for today's stage.
Who do you think, Pigale?

Well, as I have said Rusty, I have little experience of the Paris-Roubaix race, hence have no knowledge of who is at ease on such an uneasy surface - I remain open-minded and will watch with interest how things evolve.

Do you think there might be more riders absent from the departure line? Have you heard anything new? I would have liked to be a litte mouse and listen to the discussions that are bound to have taken place yesterday evening!

Trying to rain and thunder rumbles in the very far distance (luckily) - We could do with a little gentle rain, we have not had any for almost a month here! Not too good for harvest, and the local farmers have to use their irrigation system - which did not stop some fields going up in flame through the heat of the past two weeks.

Is your area a growing area or a cattle and sheep one?
Here, there are just a few farms with cattle, mostly it is growing (corn, wheat, oat, barley, rape, maize and sugar beet)- It is also a bit hunting area (wild boars and deers, pheasants etc)

Did anyone else watch the service at St Paul's this morning? As I am, if anything at all, a Humanist, I do not usually watch church services, even Royal Weddings but I found this one exceptionally well done and very moving. I have not listened to an address from a pulpit for decades, but that was wise and helpful.
It was beautiful (except for the last anthem, I thought), dignified and very well done

Hello, Pigale,
Still a nice morning here!
How is your sluggish network connection now?
I was in PC World half an hour ago trying out computers and logged on to the forum and saw your post!
Paris-Roubaix is my favourite classic, followed by Milan-San Remo, and the Tour of Lombardy (the race of the falling leaves).
I think there are at least six missing from the start today after the crashes, plus lots riding in pain!
The bigger, chunkier, riders, do best over the cobbles.
Not a stage for the skinny climbers, so they have to be protected.

The area I live in is a fertile one.
Excellent for fruit and vegetable growing.
Also a lot of cattle. Cattle breeding is very big here, both with the Aberdeen-Angus and foreign cattle.
Charolais and Limousin do well here.
In the winter the geese hunters are out, but not many.
Salmon fishing is popular but expensive.

Rosalind, I saw part of the service.
It was very well done, but then, I would not expect anything else.

Latest tweet from Fabian.
https://twitter.com/f_cancellara

I agree, rusty, we do thosekind of things very well. Months of thought and rehearsal must have gone into it.

Good afternoon Rusty, Pigale (et al!)
Hope you're enjoying The Tour! I haven't managed to see a single stage yet, only the end of Sundays! Keeping up with the news in the paper though; Horrible crash yesterday, poor old Fabian Cancellara! Yellow jersey one day, withdrawing from the race the next. Surprised Froome has pushed for yellow so early on, will be interesting to see how things go today on the cobbles. Think Contador saving himself for the mountain stages!

I imagine Sky weren't expecting Froome to be in yellow so early. I doubt if they will go out of their way to defend yet.

No, I wouldn't have thought so Chris. In fact I think we'll have a new yellow jersey wearer today! Don't think Froomes all that good on the cobbles, the stage today has about 14 km section near the end I believe!