Tour de France

[Craig]

Well I said Schlek is a class act, and I was proven correct. TBH I always figured to see him in a breakaway and if they stayed away then perhaps he would win, and I knew he is a good climber, but I wouldn't have tipped him to win l'Alpe, in fact I more saw him as a very good classics rider in the early part and the later part of the season and being a good domestique in the Grand Tours.

I think Landis will win now since he is so strong, but his opponents will have just keep on attacking him over and over, and it will see how strong he is when he has to answer repeated attacks.

Tom Boonen pulled out, which means Robbie McEwen has all but wrapped up the Green Jersey. Despite him wearing yellow, I think Boonen will be slaughtered in the Flemish press (just like the English press to an underachieving footballer) for not winning a stage. Perhaps he went too hard in the lead up to the Tour with 17 wins, and used up too much enegry. I'm not sure.

 

[Craig]

So how was the crucial mountain stage?

Why was this so crucial in the first place?

In layman's terms it sorts out the contenders for the overall race win and those in good form, to those not in as good form. If you see a overall race favourite being left behind the group of the leading favourites, then you know his chances of to win the overall GC (General Classification) are dropping rapidly.

That said there is tonight's and tomorrow's stage in the Alps, a transistional stage (perhaps another breakaway), and then the time trial. Who comes out the best out of the two mountain stages and TT wins.

 

[FRAZ]

Cuz I am not a serious fan and know nothing about this sport but still "What was special about Armstrong ?
I mean how was he able to win every thing . Looks practicaly impossibole because the man didn't use any drug either ...
What is so different about him ?

 

[Burpey]

Cuz I am not a serious fan and know nothing about this sport but still "What was special about Armstrong ?
I mean how was he able to win every thing . Looks practicaly impossibole because the man didn't use any drug either ...
What is so different about him ?

Just never caught ...

 

[FRAZ]

Just never caught ...

Class

 

[Matteh]

Just never caught ...

L'Euipe, a french newspaper have managed to get hold of a B sample from 1999 which they're convinced has traces of banned drugs in it.....

 

[Pratters]

In layman's terms it sorts out the contenders for the overall race win and those in good form, to those not in as good form. If you see a overall race favourite being left behind the group of the leading favourites, then you know his chances of to win the overall GC (General Classification) are dropping rapidly.

That said there is tonight's and tomorrow's stage in the Alps, a transistional stage (perhaps another breakaway), and then the time trial. Who comes out the best out of the two mountain stages and TT wins.

Thanks!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Oscar Pereiro!

The GC contenders must feel really daft for giving him that half-hour...still, I'm hoping for Sastre now that Menchov blew again.

Magnificent stage, though. Entertainment all the way through, with all sorts of breaks - this is what happens when you don't have one dominant team

 

[Kweek]

Rasmussen HERO!
Rabobank Hero's!
Landis weaaaakling!
Pereiro Respect!
Kloden to win it ( best time trialist)

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

What a stage. The most exciting Tour stage I've seen, by far. Landis just totally lost it and finished a mile off the pace, and opened up the whole tour for anyone to win, tomorrow and in the TT.

Cadel Evans is suddenly looking like a real outside chance to win now, given that he's quite a good time trialist, and is only a couple of minutes off the pace. Does anyone know how good Pereiro is in the TT? I gather that Sastre for instance isn't quite in the Landis league.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Pereiro was 23rd in the first ITT, 2'41 down on Honchar and 1'40 on Landis.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

He'd be a fair chance to hang on, then. Failing that, it'd be Kloden or Evans. I suppose it depends somewhat on what happens tomorrow. Every chance that those three could finish well apart.

 

[Cloete]

Great stage

What a great tour this has been

Cadel showed how good he really is and it's good to see Klodi doing well again. My tip would be Kloden of course, if not because of the TT then because of his team (Rogers, Mazzoleni + Kessler). Sastre's looked good though. Top 6 can all win it but my money'd be on Klodi, Evans or Perreiro holding on. Menchov's looked poor (I thought Evans would go down the same route as him but he rode well yesterday) and Dessell is somehow managing to hold on while, like I said, Sastre can't TT.

Can't wait for tonight's stage

 

[ash chaulk]

are you guys for real

 

[Steulen]

L'Euipe, a french newspaper have managed to get hold of a B sample from 1999 which they're convinced has traces of banned drugs in it.....

Yeah, well, that story entailed breaking all the ethical and methodological rules known to modern science and then coming up with a very dodgy verdict. I'm not saying Armstrong was definitely clean, but if this kind of accusation is the best his detractors can do, he's safe.

 

[Steulen]

It's the Joux-Plane today, possibly the most horrible of the HC cols in this year's tour. Not an easy descent into Morzine either.
If Perreiro can hang on today, he will win it, he's a good TT'er.

Over the last week, I've lost all respect for Floyd Landis. I still think he's a nice, sympathetic bloke, but as a rider he's just an accountant on a bike...no risk, no ambition, just pedal along and sneak a win. I hope he redeems himself by going all out offensive on the Col des Saisies today.

 

[thewizard1o1]

Cuz I am not a serious fan and know nothing about this sport but still "What was special about Armstrong ?
I mean how was he able to win every thing . Looks practicaly impossibole because the man didn't use any drug either ...
What is so different about him ?

Armstrong was able to climb stage after stage and not suffer a major blow up like Landis did today. Also Armstrong was super in both the Climbs and TTs.

 

[FRAZ]

Armstrong was able to climb stage after stage and not suffer a major blow up like Landis did today. Also Armstrong was super in both the Climbs and TTs.

Luck was in his favour too IMHO because I did not see him being involved in a very major incident during the races.

 

[Steulen]

Luck was in his favour too IMHO because I did not see him being involved in a very major incident during the races.

True. He was a champion at eliminating risk, which definitely played a big part in him winning all those TdF's. Riding near the front of the peloton, pre-riding all mountain stages more than once, etc. And then of course he managed to avoid a career-threatening Beloki fall by going off-road...amazing skill.

 

[Craig]

Cuz I am not a serious fan and know nothing about this sport but still "What was special about Armstrong ?
I mean how was he able to win every thing . Looks practicaly impossibole because the man didn't use any drug either ...
What is so different about him ?

Training, after training, after training, having a dedicated team for him. Oh and more training.

He famously rode a climb in the Pyrennes twice in pouring rain because on the first attempt it didn't feel right when he was going up it , it paid of as he was able to beat the entire field, bar one rider who won because he was on a break.