Tour de France Thread

[DBAHO]

After today's 4th stage Time Trial, Lance Armstrong is now less than a second behind the leader.

 

So will he win it?

[CanOfCorn]

After today's 4th stage Time Trial, Lance Armstrong is now less than a second behind the leader.

 

So will he win it?

 

This is a tough one. I'm wondering if he and Contador have an agreement? Lance takes some stages, but he helps Contador win it all. It's kind of odd.

[DBAHO]

Depends who's leading when they hit the Mountains would be my guess.

[Rex Kickass]

This stage is one of the crucial ones. I don't think Astana is a great fit for Lance. It's an all star team and difficult for a breakout to emerge. Today's stage is one of the best to watch because its a moutaintop finish and those are always some of the most dramatic finishes. Unfortunately for the tour, its also the only mountaintop finish of the Tour.

[Steve9347]

It'd be something if he pulled it off. I never really understood all the hate.

[Rex Kickass]

It'd be something if he pulled it off. I never really understood all the hate.

 

The hate is an American dominating the Tour. It's one thing if another European does it - because cycling is big there... American dominance is pretty deflating in the sport. The worst thing is that I think Floyd Landis got the shaft with his doping charge which I don't believe for a second.

 

Armstrong is in third after today's stage behind Nocentini and Contador, Armstrong's teammate. Armstrong will assume a supporting role for Astana by the end of next week, I think this race is Contador's.

[DBAHO]

The hate is an American dominating the Tour. It's one thing if another European does it - because cycling is big there... American dominance is pretty deflating in the sport. The worst thing is that I think Floyd Landis got the shaft with his doping charge which I don't believe for a second.

 

Armstrong is in third after today's stage behind Nocentini and Contador, Armstrong's teammate. Armstrong will assume a supporting role for Astana by the end of next week, I think this race is Contador's.

Yep big stage for Contador today in the Pyroneise.

 

I think the team is still behind a Contador win, but that could still change going forward.

 

As for my boy Cadel Evans, he needs to leave the Silence Lotto team pronto if he ever wants to win the Tour. Think he's back in bout 25th ATM.

[Milkman delivers]

The hate for Armstrong, at least in my view, is that he's sanctified for surviving cancer. It's a great feat, no doubt, but the man left his wife (who stood by him throughout his battle), and then he just dumped her for that singer as soon as he got famous. He's also a steroid user (but they all are in cycling, so that doesn't really matter). Surviving cancer doesn't make you a good person.

[SuperSteve]

I truely don't think Lance will be a problem for Alberto. All the talk is about these mountain stages not being super difficult. Once the true mountain stages begin, I think Alberto will show why he is the best GC rider in the world.

 

Remember, Alberto has won a Giro and Vuelta since he won the TDF in 2007. I would have bet on him winning the TDF last year had Astana been allowed to race. I still think it was a mistake and took a lot away from last years tour.

[DBAHO]

Today's a big day in the overall stock of things as they head back into the Pyroneise. Really looking forward to it.

 

Somehow hoping Evans can get back into the hunt but I think his chances are gone now being just under 3 mins behind.

[greasywheels121]

I truely don't think Lance will be a problem for Alberto. All the talk is about these mountain stages not being super difficult. Once the true mountain stages begin, I think Alberto will show why he is the best GC rider in the world.

 

Remember, Alberto has won a Giro and Vuelta since he won the TDF in 2007. I would have bet on him winning the TDF last year had Astana been allowed to race. I still think it was a mistake and took a lot away from last years tour.

 

Hi stranger.

[Rex Kickass]

Today's a big day in the overall stock of things as they head back into the Pyroneise. Really looking forward to it.

 

Somehow hoping Evans can get back into the hunt but I think his chances are gone now being just under 3 mins behind.

 

I think Cadel and Schlecht are waiting for Stage 15. This has been a bit of a frustrating start to the tour, no real movement in the top part of the standings at all, and today could have been a stage to shake someone out.

 

The reason my dislike for Lance? Yesterday, on Twitter, he whined about being singled out for doping control again after the stage.

Dude is coming back from retirement and riding over his head, and riding on a team that was kicked off the tour in 2008 for doping. Everyone on Astana should get a pee test every day. And he should shut his face about it.

[Rex Kickass]

I truely don't think Lance will be a problem for Alberto. All the talk is about these mountain stages not being super difficult. Once the true mountain stages begin, I think Alberto will show why he is the best GC rider in the world.

 

Remember, Alberto has won a Giro and Vuelta since he won the TDF in 2007. I would have bet on him winning the TDF last year had Astana been allowed to race. I still think it was a mistake and took a lot away from last years tour.

 

Contador deserves better than Astana. They hired him to be team leader and have treated him pretty poorly from what I've read. Every mistake hyperanalyzed. Then they go hire Lance this year? Contador belongs on a team he can dominate - something he's rightly earned.

[DBAHO]

Contador deserves better than Astana. They hired him to be team leader and have treated him pretty poorly from what I've read. Every mistake hyperanalyzed. Then they go hire Lance this year? Contador belongs on a team he can dominate - something he's rightly earned.

It's gotten to the stage now where the other teams are going to try and help each other and gang up on Astana if they can.

 

Couple of decent climbs in today's stage also.

[Milkman delivers]

Dbaho, it's Pyrenees.

[DBAHO]

Dbaho, it's Pyrenees.

Heh, close enough.

 

I just read this article as well, which I found quite interesting;

 

CADEL Evans' hit-or-bust Tour de France tactics have drawn thinly disguised scorn from the powerful Astana team of his main rivals.

 

The Australian star surprised everyone by joining four other riders in an early breakaway on stage eight from Andorra through the Pyrenees to Saint-Girons, back in France, which turned into a war of words that seemed to suggest he might be starting to feel the pressure.

 

There was never any real chance Evans would be able to sustain the controversially timed escape. Astana believes he is still one of the main threats to its two big guns, Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong, and is keeping close tabs on him.

 

Evans attacked on the climb up Port d'Envalira just after the start with Spaniard Egoi Martinez, American David Zabriskie, Russian Vladimir Efimkin and Frenchman Christophe Kern.

 

But they told him he was unwelcome because they knew that with him there they had no hope of getting away from Astana and the peloton either.

 

With so far still to go and a longish downhill finish after the last of the three climbs, Astana director Johan Bruyneel was far from alone in wondering what was going on.

 

"I don't know what the intention was," Bruyneel said.

 

"It's a long climb, but if you look at the profile you can see there is 154km from the summit to the finish. I didn't really understand, but we just kept the team together and controlled the situation.

 

"It didn't do us a lot of damage. It did him more damage, I think."

 

Evans and Co were caught after about 65km and he eventually finished in the bunch yesterday with all the other main contenders, nearly two minutes behind the stage winner, Spaniard Luis-Leon Sanchez, a former winner of the Tour Down Under.

 

The general classification didn't change, meaning Evans' gamble had proved futile.

 

But he said he has had nothing to lose since finding himself so far back after his team Silence Lotto put in a shocker in the team time-trial four days earlier, and had to take any opportunity that presented itself.

 

"I played my cards today and maybe I'll pay for it tomorrow," Evans said.

 

"I wouldn't say I was exactly fresh on the last climb, put it that way.

 

"I saw an opportunity and had nothing to lose, but it turned out it was a big waste of energy."

 

It wasn't hard to understand why the other four more or less told him to get lost, but Evans had smoke coming out of his ears when he finished.

 

"I get in a breakaway and they carry on like three-year-olds in a tantrum, saying, 'Get out of our group, they're going to chase'. They were more than welcome to go back to the peloton if they wanted to."

 

Evans also cut loose at his critics - and there are plenty of them - who say he isn't aggressive enough to match it with the likes of Contador.

 

"Ignorant members of the media say I never attack enough," he snorted.

 

"I get so sick of being told, 'Why don't you go in an early break?', 'Why don't you do this?', 'Why don't you do that?'.

 

"Do you think anyone in the Tour de France is going to let me go in a break?"

 

Before the stage, Evans admitted Contador had been too good for him in the first mountain stage the previous day, when the Spaniard moved up to second place with a powerful finish. But not many others were, he said, which was a good sign.

 

That seemed to be an acknowledgment he can't hope to extract revenge on the Spaniard, who beat him narrowly two years ago, but he thinks he can still finish on the podium for the third year in a row. Time will tell.

 

"I'll continue to seek more opportunities," he said.

[SuperSteve]

Hi stranger.

Haha I come on Soxtalk probably everyday but I typically don't log in. I'm a huge TDF fan since Lance's first few wins so thought I'd chime in.

 

The problem with other teams trying to team up on Astana is Astana has three of the six best riders in the world. Lance, AC and Levi versus Cadel, Sastre and Andy Schleck. Even if they team up, I think those three Astana riders would be fine, then add Kloden, Popovych and everyone else in the mix.

 

I'd like to see Contrador go to Eskatel. It's a Spanish team with some talent (Egoi Martinez especially). I'm not sure where else he would fit now. Lance will take Brunyel and take the team back to a US backed sponsor/team. My biggest wonder is what will Levi do. He was the leader of Discovery in 2007 and gave way to AC. Would he stay with Lance, stay with Contrador or go show what he can do as the true leader of a team. I think Popovych (a valuable asset) would stay with Lance too FWIW. I think AC is a better cyclist but Lance with Levi and Popo would beat AC IMHO.

 

 

So did anyone have the problem I had going into this tour? For years I cheered for Lance to win. Then he retired and I cheered for Floyd Landis (everyone knows how that turned out). Then I was back on Discovery for AC and Levi in 2007. Then Astana isn't allowed in last year and I take up Garmin-Chipolte and Vandevelde. The problem has solved itself and I am 100% backing Vandevelde but its so weird to not cheer for Lance, AC or Levi (althought I still like them all a lot). It was almost a surreal experience. I miss having Ullrich, Pantani, Venichouv (sp?), Basso, Rassmussen and all the other "bad guys" being the ones I'm pulling against and not people I've put a lot of joy into.

 

Sorry if I babbled on a little haha.

[Rex Kickass]

Haha I come on Soxtalk probably everyday but I typically don't log in. I'm a huge TDF fan since Lance's first few wins so thought I'd chime in.

 

The problem with other teams trying to team up on Astana is Astana has three of the six best riders in the world. Lance, AC and Levi versus Cadel, Sastre and Andy Schleck. Even if they team up, I think those three Astana riders would be fine, then add Kloden, Popovych and everyone else in the mix.

 

I'd like to see Contrador go to Eskatel. It's a Spanish team with some talent (Egoi Martinez especially). I'm not sure where else he would fit now. Lance will take Brunyel and take the team back to a US backed sponsor/team. My biggest wonder is what will Levi do. He was the leader of Discovery in 2007 and gave way to AC. Would he stay with Lance, stay with Contrador or go show what he can do as the true leader of a team. I think Popovych (a valuable asset) would stay with Lance too FWIW. I think AC is a better cyclist but Lance with Levi and Popo would beat AC IMHO.

 

 

So did anyone have the problem I had going into this tour? For years I cheered for Lance to win. Then he retired and I cheered for Floyd Landis (everyone knows how that turned out). Then I was back on Discovery for AC and Levi in 2007. Then Astana isn't allowed in last year and I take up Garmin-Chipolte and Vandevelde. The problem has solved itself and I am 100% backing Vandevelde but its so weird to not cheer for Lance, AC or Levi (althought I still like them all a lot). It was almost a surreal experience. I miss having Ullrich, Pantani, Venichouv (sp?), Basso, Rassmussen and all the other "bad guys" being the ones I'm pulling against and not people I've put a lot of joy into.

 

Sorry if I babbled on a little haha.

 

I think that Landis got a raw deal to be honest.

 

Lance Armstrong won't stop whining though. Today, there's a story about how Contador wasn't a team player for attacking late and overtaking Armstrong in the overall standings - according to Lance.

 

The rumor is Lance is going to start his own team next year.

[CanOfCorn]

The hate for Armstrong, at least in my view, is that he's sanctified for surviving cancer. It's a great feat, no doubt, but the man left his wife (who stood by him throughout his battle), and then he just dumped her for that singer as soon as he got famous. He's also a steroid user (but they all are in cycling, so that doesn't really matter). Surviving cancer doesn't make you a good person.

 

Actually...Lance's wife was cheating on him with the owner of a local Austin runner's outfitting store BEFORE he started dating Sheryl Crow. This is pretty common knowledge in Austin because, well, they all live there and the store is huge in the area. I believe she married that guy, but I could be wrong. Lance, FWIW, got the shaft in that case. And, from what I've heard about him, he's a very decent guy and a good person.

[SuperSteve]

I think that Landis got a raw deal to be honest.

 

Lance Armstrong won't stop whining though. Today, there's a story about how Contador wasn't a team player for attacking late and overtaking Armstrong in the overall standings - according to Lance.

 

The rumor is Lance is going to start his own team next year.

Team Astana had some issues with funding this year forcing the Kazakh government to financially guarantee the team. It seems like it's Johan Brunyel's team and they'll likely just get an American sponsor (possibly something like Nike Livestrong). I think they will just take Astana and make it American (not without a fight from Kazakhstan though). I'm sure they would want to bring Levi, Popo and some of the others with Lance. That's just my thoughts but it seems the most plausible scenario.

 

What I read today was it looks like Contrador is going to go to Caisse D'Epangne next year. I hadn't thought of them but it's another Spanish team which would make sense.

[SuperSteve]

Levi is out now so there goes arguably the third best rider in this year's race. He is a huge loss for Astana (assuming Lance and Alberto won't help each other in the traditional sense).

 

Could Sunday finally be the day someone beats the Astana juggernaut. They're so strong, I almost hope someone can take it to them.

[DBAHO]

Levi is out now so there goes arguably the third best rider in this year's race. He is a huge loss for Astana (assuming Lance and Alberto won't help each other in the traditional sense).

 

Could Sunday finally be the day someone beats the Astana juggernaut. They're so strong, I almost hope someone can take it to them.

Yeah that's big news for the other contenders. Someone like Wiggins or even Cadel Evans could have a big crack tomorrow night and not have Astana breathing down their necks working together.

 

Also puts a little bit more excitement into what's probably been a lacklustre TDF so far.

[DBAHO]

Well Contador just showed everyone who's the boss there.

 

Amazing acceleration on that last climb, and he's opened up a gap of around a minute at least now.

 

Armstrong had no chance today.

[SuperSteve]

Yeah that's big news for the other contenders. Someone like Wiggins or even Cadel Evans could have a big crack tomorrow night and not have Astana breathing down their necks working together.

 

Also puts a little bit more excitement into what's probably been a lacklustre TDF so far.

To me this has been a very boring TDF this year. I haven't been a big fan of the stage design so far and when something finally happen, the tour was probably won on that stage.

[Rex Kickass]

To me this has been a very boring TDF this year. I haven't been a big fan of the stage design so far and when something finally happen, the tour was probably won on that stage.

 

I agree. Although, frankly, TDF organizers were probably hoping for a boring tour. It seems like every year since Lance left, its been doping allegation after doping allegation.

 

Now that the race is over, AC and Lance don't have to be nice to each other in public - but I will say Lance wasn't doing a very good job of it during the tour anyway. Yesterday, he twitters that AC shouldn't crap all over his teammates etc... when he couldn't even keep his feelings private during the tour - even going so far as to let his new team announce during this year's tour, and bailing on the team dinner the night before the finale, to go eat with the new team organizers.

 

Lance has proven himself on the road time and time again, and the last five years he rode on the Tour he was without peer. This year, he was bested and he didn't handle it well. Contador is arguably a better all around rider than Lance ever was, doing something that Lance never did, winning 4 consecutive grand tours.