Pro Cycling Thread

[Matteh]

Final Standings:

Håkon Mørk 527 (88th) [58] +308 places
Mathew Mitchell 524 (101st) [43] +211 places
Manjunath Reddlapalli 451 (384th) [48]
Neil Pickup 439 (417th) [35] n/a
Craig Walsh 401 (493rd) [37] -63places
Greg Thomas 349 (560th) [18] +23 places
jeff rangers 331 (583th) [14] n/a


Haakon just about creeps past at the last minute for the win, with Manju overtaking Neil today for the last podium spot. The final 3 spots had been settled for some time but special mention goes to Jeff who picked up a 3rd spot in the TT stage yesterday.
The number after the stage points scored denotes the difference in the final standings compared to last year.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

How come they don't challenge the yellow on the last day? I mean, it's a noble thing and all that, but if you're only 20 seconds down, why not do it?

Bit like calling the Melbourne Cup off at the last furlong post and saying "don't challenge the leader".

Still, in a sporting world where everything's so cut-throat, it's a nice throw back to more gentlemanly times.

I don't think it actually would have been possible for Evans to challenge today. Consider; whenever he lifts his arse Discovery would have been on it with all surviving riders immediately, and as Evans' top speed isn't particularly famed I doubt he would have got away. On the Champs Elysées it's pretty much hopeless to try and gain something unless you've got Cancellara/Vinokourov style top speed, which Evans clearly doesn't.

 

[alternative]

Oh yes, this was my very first Tour de France viewing experience and its good to finish on the podium. Pity Cadel Evans couldn't win though he would be delighted with his podium finish too.

 

[Burgey]

I don't think it actually would have been possible for Evans to challenge today. Consider; whenever he lifts his arse Discovery would have been on it with all surviving riders immediately, and as Evans' top speed isn't particularly famed I doubt he would have got away. On the Champs Elysées it's pretty much hopeless to try and gain something unless you've got Cancellara/Vinokourov style top speed, which Evans clearly doesn't.

See what you mean. I was more directing the comment at the historical quirk of it, rather than Evans' chances this time around.
Of course, if he'd been 30 seconds in front, I would have said it was a great idea

 

[Magrat Garlick]

See what you mean. I was more directing the comment at the historical quirk of it, rather than Evans' chances this time around.
Of course, if he'd been 30 seconds in front, I would have said it was a great idea

98 % of the time the leader has an unassailable lead (at least if his team works decently.) Presumably that's how the "custom" arose.

 

[Matteh]

In 1989 they fought it out on the Champs Elysses which saw Greg Lemond win it by 8 seconds on the final day was done i imagine purely because it was a time trial rather than a stage.

 

[Matt79]

Well done Evans - nice guys can do well sometimes - even if they do look, as one parliamentarian here phrased it - rooted afterwards...

 

[Matt79]

Plus it would be churlish to fail to acknowledge Contador's achievement in winning the Tour on his first effort - surely a great feat, and hopefully it marks the beginning of a special career in the Tour for him.

I know he's had a few drug-related controversies in the past, but as I understand it, they could actually be explained as "wrong place/wrong time" incidents, and that he has been completely cooperative in assisting the authorities. Unless something more comes out, I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt this one time, and hope to enjoy a special talent. (That said, he should be subject to very close scrutiny and the slightest hint of further involvement, cut off at the knees...)

 

[Matteh]

Plus it would be churlish to fail to acknowledge Contador's achievement in winning the Tour on his first effort - surely a great feat, and hopefully it marks the beginning of a special career in the Tour for him.

I know he's had a few drug-related controversies in the past, but as I understand it, they could actually be explained as "wrong place/wrong time" incidents, and that he has been completely cooperative in assisting the authorities. Unless something more comes out, I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt this one time, and hope to enjoy a special talent. (That said, he should be subject to very close scrutiny and the slightest hint of further involvement, cut off at the knees...)

http://www.supercycling.co.za/default.asp?id=223717&des=article&scat=supercycling/international

He's being accused of having more involvement in Puerto than first met the eye.

 

[Johnners]

What makes Contador's effort more outstanding (if he's cleared of any wrong doing, ffs) in a Lance Armstrong kind of way, was the fact that, correct me if i'm wrong, he had a cerebral aneurysm in 2004.

 

[Craig]

What makes Contador's effort more outstanding (if he's cleared of any wrong doing, ffs) in a Lance Armstrong kind of way, was the fact that, correct me if i'm wrong, he had a cerebral aneurysm in 2004.

Yes he did. I don't think I'll be forgetting the chant: "Contador, Contador, Contador, Contador, Contador, Contador," anytime soon.

Was there on that day in Paris and was close as | could get to the podium and it was execellent. Read The Times the next day and the amount of factual errors was astounding. One about the yellow jersey being handed out since the first race, which is wrong because IIRC it didn't come in until the 1920s and that was to show who was the leader and to promote the paper L'Auto which was one of the main reasons the whole Tour was created, to promote the paper and to screw over it's rivals.

Saw the time trial as well, was at the finish, got a few photosand had a T-Mobile cap signed by Linus Gerdemann and Bert Grabsch.

 

[Craig]

I don't know whether to applaud the Tour authorities for their efforts to clean it up or laugh at the attempt in all honesty. Clearly bent as.

Saw in paper today Rasmussen in hot water over missed drugs tests too. Cycling's foot must be more bullet than bone now.

Well you have to consider what about the other sports when you look at the Puerto affair last year and 200 athletes were named, 52 of them cyclists, and the 148 being footballers, athletics and tennis players and yet none were named? WTF? If there isn't a cover-up here, then can somebody else explain what it is then?

 

[Craig]

Can someone explain to the cycling ignorants (like myself) what exactly happened with David Millar? did the tire just disconnect from the black part? And what is that stuff, and how is different from the normal tyres?

They are tubaler tyres, with the tube inside and then then tyre is stitched/glued together with the tube inside, so you can't take it out, and then you glue it onto the rim of the wheel (carbon wheels that is), and once the glue dries it will look like a normal tyre on a wheel, they do that because it is lighter and you can put up to 160 psi in it, but if you get a flat then you are screwed. The problem is that the rims can get hot from the braking, so therefore the glue gets hot and eventually it will go BANG and you will eat dirt.

Think Joseba Beloki in the in the 2003 Tour on the stage into Gap and Armstrong rode across the corn field.

 

[Dark Hunter]

Ok, makes sense. Was lucky for Millar it happened early on and not when he was at full speed then.

 

[Dark Hunter]

Iban Mayo has tested positive for EPO.
http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,1-1277872,00.html

 

[Johnners]

Has there been any news on Vino's b sample as yet?

 

[Matteh]

Has there been any news on Vino's b sample as yet?

Came back positive and he's been fired by Astana.

 

[Johnners]

haha, tool

 

[Matteh]

Apparently Millar is off to the Slipstream Sports team next season.

 

[Johnners]

Someone go to Predictor Lotto, give Evans some more support apart from Horner (who incidentally rode a top race imo)