2007 le Tour

[Wheel-Nut]

With the start of the 2007 Tour, has a 2006 winner yet been finalized? Is it still Floyd Landis or has that been overturned?

[jonovision_man]

Still hearings before they make a final decision.

The prologue in London was just awesome... Cancellera kicked butt!

Americans look good, Hincape finished 3rd, and Levi could win the whole thing.

I'm pulling for Levi. :thumbup: I always end up cheering for Yanks. :D

jono

[TrueBrit]

Amazing finish!!

It was truly special being able to watch glorious pictures of my home county on the telly today...the route went right past my old school!!

Simply brilliant!!

[ferrarigod]

I'm pulling for Levi. :thumbup: I always end up cheering for Yanks. :D

jono

you could cheer for canadians in events like this and the olympics, but me thinks you want to win every once in a while.

:laugh:




:gomer:

[coolhand]

Amazing finish!!

It was truly special being able to watch glorious pictures of my home county on the telly today...the route went right past my old school!!

Simply brilliant!!

you mean, you are a brit?

[IlliniRacer]

you mean, you are a brit?

I wonder if he knows Lewis Hamilton. I read on the internets that he's really good at driving cars. :gomer:

[coolhand]

keeping with the French Theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhlERjW0bhw

"what orbits the earth?":gomer:

[jonovision_man]

you could cheer for canadians in events like this and the olympics, but me thinks you want to win every once in a while.

:laugh:




:gomer:

On U.S. ice no less. :) :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CDpKg2Dpys

jono

[ferrarigod]

On U.S. ice no less. :) :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CDpKg2Dpys

jono

well thats one thing. we shoulda played our college kids in 2002, they beat the red ruskies in the way back machine. how did CN do in '80?

:D :gomer:

[jonovision_man]

Crazy crash in yesterday's stage... only about 25 riders squirted through, the rest were stuck behind a pile of bikes and riders.

jono

[oddlycalm]

Cancellera having one over on the sprinters yesterday was a fun result. Masterful move at the perfect moment. :thumbup:

oc

[Methanolandbrats]

The American Red Cross should sponsor a team. The slogan could be "Give Blood....to somebody other than yourself". :)

[emjaya]

Cancellera having one over on the sprinters yesterday was a fun result. Masterful move at the perfect moment. :thumbup:

oc

Great finish. :thumbup:

[Wheel-Nut]

Vino had a painful end to Stage 4 yesterday but he made the start and finished today's stage.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2007/tour07/index.php?id=/photos/2007/tour07/tour075/DV208373

[oddlycalm]

Vino had a painful end to Stage 4 yesterday but he made the start and finished today's stage. Riding himself back into the race after that off was tall stuff. Vino is still in it, but being down 2:10 at the end of stage 6 and heading in the mountains with an injury isn't the stuff dreams are made of.

It's been a very tough tour for some of the name riders so far. Looks like it will be a real crapshoot for GC this year. Who would have thought Cancellara would hold yellow through stage 6?

oc

[jonovision_man]

It's been fantastic so far... almost every stage has been exciting (other than today's).

Yesterday was crazy, so many riders had offs, Vinokourov was wild but that decent was pretty hairy! They were almost horizontal in some of those corners.

Go Levi!!! :thumbup:

To the Alps!
jono

[jonovision_man]

Every day it's a new hero and a new spectacular ride! :eek:

That was awesome... Gerdeman, I'd never even heard of him, but won't forget that name any time soon! That was a gutsy ride, this guy has to be a favourite to win the TdF someday.

Vinokourov started and go through the day, won't go away easily, he's going to still be a pain.

Go Levi!!! :)

jono

[Wheel-Nut]

It has been interesting without one dominant rider / team this year.

[emjaya]

A bad day for the Aussies.:cry:

Stuart O'Grady and Michael Rogers both crashing out and Robbie McEwen finishing outside of the time limit. :(

At least Cadel Evans is still up there. :)

Gerderman has opportunity knocking with Michael Rogers abandoning today.

[oddlycalm]

A bad day for the Aussies.:cry:

Stuart O'Grady and Michael Rogers both crashing out and Robbie McEwen finishing outside of the time limit. :(

At least Cadel Evans is still up there. :) Tough day is right, and a real shame. Rogers was on form from the looks of it and that crash on the descent was a heart stopper. :eek: Not having Robbie and Stuart around for the sprint stages is a huge loss.

It's been a tough year all around for crashes and I think that part of that is down to no teams or heavyweight riders are controlling the race pace. There are a lot of riding wounded at this point. Cadel Evans has ridden a sensible race and isn't wounded so if he has to be on a short list of favorites at this point.

oc

[cameraman]

O'Grady fractured nine ribs, punctured a lung and a broken scapula & clavicle.

Rogers dislocated his shoulder.

McEwen's knees must have been hurt worse than he was letting on in that crash, he finished over 25 minutes after the cut off.

Also after the race was over Patrik Sinkewicz (T-Mobile) crashed into a spectator on his way back into town. The spectator is in a coma and Sinkewicz is out.

[oddlycalm]

O'Grady fractured nine ribs, punctured a lung and a broken scapula & clavicle.

Rogers dislocated his shoulder.

McEwen's knees must have been hurt worse than he was letting on in that crash, he finished over 25 minutes after the cut off.

Also after the race was over Patrik Sinkewicz (T-Mobile) crashed into a spectator on his way back into town. The spectator is in a coma and Sinkewicz is out. Grim day for certain. Here's hoping everyone recovers well.

On a lighter note it was nice to see the guy in the yellow man thong turn out to cheer on the Khazak team Astana...:thumbup: :gomer:

oc

[racermike]

Guy lookin like Borat, runs alongside racers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbjtTBA-TwE

[cameraman]

:rofl:

http://homepage.mac.com/datkinso/.Pictures/DV209432.jpg

[Wheel-Nut]

Big Dog > bicycle wheel. . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGTs8Uz7V5o

[oddlycalm]

Quite a time trial today. Vino rides himself back into the race and Rassmussen rides the time trial of his life. Unfortunately, if Rassmussen win the Tour he will be dogged by the emerging doping allegations. :shakehead

[jonovision_man]

Today's stage was awesome!!! Rasmussen is really setting himself up for the win, he could just do it... Evans didn't have it today.

Levi's done it seems, just doesn't seem to have it.

jono

[emjaya]

Today's stage was awesome!!! Rasmussen is really setting himself up for the win, he could just do it... Evans didn't have it today.

Levi's done it seems, just doesn't seem to have it.

jono

Evans was looking ill after the Time Trial. He had a real nasty cough.:(

[jonovision_man]

Just interesting that the more well-rounded guys aren't doing so well. Rasmussen wasn't exactly a pre-race favourite to take it all, he was supposed to be the polka-dot guy. But he time trialed well enough the other day, needs to put together one more of those and he should win it.

Interesting to see if Evans can keep close enough to make it interesting at the next time trial! Theoretically Contador shouldn't be a factor, but he's been pretty awesome.

jono

[oddlycalm]

Watching Vino struggle today I was really sorry to learn later that he was felled by an overzealous fan and re-injured his left knee. :shakehead
Fans flag fells Vino (http://velonews.com/tour2007/news/articles/12884.0.html)

Rassmussen may hold on but Contador beat him by nearly a minute in the time trial and will probably do the same again on Saturday. I'd not bet on either to out climb the other, but I would bet on Discovery to have a better race strategy and stronger help than Rabobank.

For that matter neither Cadell or Levi are far enough back to be counted out of it yet, time is running out.

If Rassmussen wins it I give him no better than even odds of being able to hold on to the win. The doping hysteria among the press and the French teams (aka losing teams) is building. Since he is technically in violation, it will be down to the (French) organizers to decide what to do.


Rasmussen admitted he had committed an "administrative error" after missing random doping controls by the UCI on March 24, 2006 and June 28, 2007.

It later emerged he had also been warned twice by Denmark's anti-doping agency after missing two doping tests run by the Danish Cycling Union (DCU) this year.

Under World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) rules, missing three doping controls by any one body amounts to a doping violation.

oc

[jonovision_man]

Vino - geez, I hadn't seen that, that's awful... what a nightmare tour for him.

Drug allegations - wouldn't be le Tour without them. :p

jono

[jonovision_man]

Vinokourov is having a solid day today so far... no longer in contention but he's got his legs back, maybe a stage win?

[jonovision_man]

Yay! :thumbup:

Rasmussen adds more time on the other guys, though. Evans, Kloden and Levi are just hanging in there...

Check out that last time trial, it look very flat. Should work against Rasmussen, that's going to be a great stage!

jono

[jonovision_man]

Vino, you stupid SOB.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2007/07/24/vinokourov-doping.html

:mad: :flame: :flame:

I can't believe there are still guys doing this. :thumdown: It's unbelievable.

jono

[Methanolandbrats]

Vino, you stupid SOB.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2007/07/24/vinokourov-doping.html

:mad: :flame: :flame:

I can't believe there are still guys doing this. :thumdown: It's unbelievable.

jono Please see post #12 in this thread. It was only a matter of time till it surfaced again.

[IlliniRacer]

With a guy of his stature and class, in cycling's current situation, we might as well pack our bags and go home. - David Millar

I'm getting to the point where Millar may be right. Blow the whole thing up for a year or two and start over.

[TrueBrit]

The thing that pisses me off, is he'd had the cheek to be lipping off about Rasmussen...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6914301.stm

Getting a blood transfusion? That's pretty hard-core...

[oddlycalm]

Vino was probably speaking out on Rassmussen because he strongly suspects why Rassmussen was AWOL two months prior to the tour. :rolleyes: This is going to make it much harder for the Tour organizers to let Rassmussen skate on what is technically a doping violation prior to the Tour. blood doping explained by doctor (http://velonews.com/news/fea/12924.0.html)

The financial realities are obvious. Team Phonak is no more and the same goes for other teams where the major sponsor simply packed up and left. A lot of top riders are banned and not competing, i.e. not earning. Corporations don't want to be associated with doping and the handwriting is on the wall. On the other side of the coin the Tour organizers are still using a lab that has been shown to have ignored proper procedures in the past and has at least some employees with questionable ethics. Both teams and the Tour organizers need to get their ducks in a row while they still have something worth protecting.

oc

[jonovision_man]

I thought after 2006 this **** was done... I mean half the contenders banned before the Tour started, and the Tour winner caught at the end.

Wasn't that enough of a wake-up call?

Guess not. So many guys have been banned, but these guys still think they can get away with it.

It's going to take more than just 2 years salary as a penalty. How about lifetime bans? Seriously, you cheat, why should you ever get another shot?

I don't know what else they can do, they test the hell out of them, they take their money, the sponsors are bailing, how much more incentive does there have to be to ride clean?

Anyone still think Armstrong was clean? LOL... :D Or Landis? Not a chance.

Nobody was clean back then, heck they still aren't. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Rasmussen and Contador banned tomorrow.

jono

[Wheel-Nut]

Nobody was clean back then, heck they still aren't.

I said last year let the riders take what they want. When they start dropping dead in the peleton maybe the doping will stop.

[cameraman]

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Rasmussen and Contador banned tomorrow.

jono


Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen and second-placed Alberto Contador Velasco have both been tested on the rest day, and both were declared negative. The two formed part of a large group of riders that underwent unexpected doping tests on Tuesday.

[jonovision_man]

Ulrich passed every test he took too. Guilty as sin.

They just need to be under the threshold that qualifies as a positive.

jono

[Methanolandbrats]

Might as well make it legal or scrap the sport if you can't test for it.

[jonovision_man]

Most guys eventually get caught... but obviously the punishment isn't harsh enough to offset the pay-off they get before that point.

jono

[Ankf00]

Riis was never caught.

Cadel + Raz ftw, mountain bikers are better, even more so when doped up :tony:

Contador was riding for Liberty-Seguros before Puerto, Dr. Fuentes explicitly stated that Contador wasn't part of the case from the opening days, then Disco hired him from Astana, not the best history...

t-mobil was waiting to renew their contract after the tour, I'm guessing they say "no." Astana had agreed to be a 10 year sponsor, we'll see if they stick to that now...

[Tifosi24]

Riis was never caught.

Cadel + Raz ftw, mountain bikers are better, even more so when doped up :tony:

Contador was riding for Liberty-Seguros before Puerto, Dr. Fuentes explicitly stated that Contador wasn't part of the case from the opening days, then Disco hired him from Astana, not the best history...

t-mobil was waiting to renew their contract after the tour, I'm guessing they say "no." Astana had agreed to be a 10 year sponsor, we'll see if they stick to that now...

Seeing as the entire Astana team was started by, and sponsors smoozed, by Vino as a direct result of him being angry with rampant doping in the sport certainly leads me to believe that they will pack it up. What angers me in a way about Vino's positive test, is that it was conducted at the same lab as the whole Landis debacle, and the lab again confirmed doping before testing the B sample. Considering how easy it is to detect a blood transfusion, I don't doubt that Vino is guilty, but for God's sake, why can't the Tour contract to a testing lab that can actually follows protocol.

[jonovision_man]

Yes, it's part of the problem. By the lab screwing up constantly they're giving the athletes the opportunity to deny their guilt when it should be undeniable.

Another positive test:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/news/?id=/news/2007/jul07/jul25news5


One day after Alexandre Vinoukourov was said to have tested positive for a blood transfusion, news of another positive doping control has hit the Tour de France. L'Equipe reported Wednesday afternoon that one sample from stage 11 has tested positive for testosterone. The analysis to determine if the testosterone was of exogenous origin has already been completed, and the IRMS confirmed that the chemical came not from the rider's body but from a man-made source. The name of the rider was to have been released at 15.00 CET, but that deadline passed without announcement.

jono

[oddlycalm]

It was Moreni and Confidis has withdrawn the entire team.
Confidis withdraws (http://velonews.com/tour2007/news/articles/12930.0.html)

All this seems to have pissed off some riders as well. Maybe there are a few riders who aren't doping..? Then again, maybe not.
Riders sit down protest (Riders from eight teams staged a sit-down protest against doping before the start of the 16th stage of the Tour de France here Wednesday.)

oc

[cameraman]

Riders sit down protest (Riders from eight teams staged a sit-down protest against doping before the start of the 16th stage of the Tour de France here Wednesday.)

oc

Busted link. Or non-link as it were

[TrueBrit]

:thumdown: At this rate the only cyclists left wil be the ones with motors in 'em....

[coolhand]

What does a blood transfusion do for performance? Increase Red Blood Cells thus how much O2 you can get?

Is this normal donated blood or from some other athlete with high cell count?

[Wheel-Nut]

:eek: Rasmussen gone.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19952446/

[Tifosi24]

What does a blood transfusion do for performance? Increase Red Blood Cells thus how much O2 you can get?

Is this normal donated blood or from some other athlete with high cell count?

My guess is it will aid in oxygen absorption by the body, but likely only over a very small period of time. If I get the ambition I might look through all the stages to see where Vino had finished, but I think the top finishers in each stage are tested, and I know the winner is for sure. The only possible explanation for the transfusion would be that he got it after his accident, but logic would say that his team would have filed paperwork with the ASO.

[cameraman]

The transfusion would use packed cells and if they are trying not to get caught they would probably use the rider's own stored blood. Yes, it increases gas carrying capacity. You would think that daily hematocrit testing would make a transfusion obvious. Up 5% overnight, hmmm ya think something is going on:rolleyes:

[jonovision_man]

:eek: Rasmussen gone.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19952446/

Unbelievable.

I thought last year's farce was as low as it could go, but this year is just as bad if not worse. They can all rot under lifetime bans for all I care, sick of the sport being destroyed by these guys. :thumdown:

jono

[Ankf00]

The transfusion would use packed cells and if they are trying not to get caught they would probably use the rider's own stored blood. Yes, it increases gas carrying capacity. You would think that daily hematocrit testing would make a transfusion obvious. Up 5% overnight, hmmm ya think something is going on:rolleyes:

from what I read he the blood had someone else's markers, idiot didn't even use his own blood

[Wheel-Nut]

Unbelievable.

I thought last year's farce was as low as it could go, but this year is just as bad if not worse. They can all rot under lifetime bans for all I care, sick of the sport being destroyed by these guys. :thumdown:

jono


A little more "pure" side of the sport. A kid from the club I ride with is competing, Lawson Craddock, Team Texas. It's in French but maybe you can make sense of it.

http://www.letourdelavenir.com/

[opinionated ow]

go cadel evans!!!:thumbup: :thumbup:

[jonovision_man]

What a time trial... Levi... :eek: :eek: :eek: He did everything he could to move up, too bad he felt so slightly short! :(

Contador wins at 24. Wow. I hope he didn't dope.

jono

[oddlycalm]

Quite a memorable time trial. Nice to see after the sour notes from the doping business.

Not surprised Rabobank withdrew Rasmmussen and fired him, he should have never been allowed to start.

oc

[emjaya]

As much as I wanted Cadel Evans to win, I wouldn't have been that unhappy to see Levi Leipheimer get up and win the Tour. :)

Contador. :cool: :) Just goes to show what can happen in a big race.

[cart7]

All those races and days on the road and Levi Leipheimer loses overall by 31 seconds! Geez that would suck.

[jonovision_man]

I'm glad it's over.

Congrats to Contador. I hope you're clean.

jono

[RichK]

All those races and days on the road and Levi Leipheimer loses overall by 31 seconds! Geez that would suck.

His role changed to be a support rider for Contador, so we'll never know what might have been...

[oddlycalm]

Once again the real unsung heroes are the guys like Boogard, Horner, Popovych, Dekker, Hincapie, and all the others that rode so well in service of their team leaders. Some of these guys rode an incredible tour and while they are buried down in the overall standings we saw them put in some heroic efforts over the last three weeks.

The Rabobank riders in particular did a first rate job in the service of a guy who didn't deserve them and it was really something to see. :thumbup:

oc

[jonovision_man]

His role changed to be a support rider for Contador, so we'll never know what might have been...

Levi almost certainly would have won. I don't see him not finding 30s out there if he's getting the team behind him.

He can't really complain, though... he started out as the team's golden boy. But when Rasmussen attacked, Contador had enough to respond with. Levi didn't.

jono

[Ankf00]

anyone else catch Cadel's whining post-race about contador & rasmussen conspiring and how other teams held him back, etc?

[TrueBrit]

anyone else catch Cadel's whining post-race about contador & rasmussen conspiring and how other teams held him back, etc?

Typical bloody whingeing Aussie.....;)

[emjaya]

I'll ignore your jealous slurs on Cadel. :p

Iban Mayo just failed a drug test. :shakehead

News just had a piece about Contador being linked to the Fuentes drug program again.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22163552-23218,00.html

Cadel could still win this year. :rolleyes: :gomer:

Hmmm, Six Spanish riders in the top ten. Nothing suspicious there, I'm sure.......

[oddlycalm]

News just had a piece about Contador being linked to the Fuentes drug program again.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22163552-23218,00.html

Cadel could still win this year. :rolleyes: :gomer: If the German "expert" has the documents then so do others. If that is confirmed the case the result is obvious and Contador would be gone. If not then he will remain.

It's a shame that riders like Kloden have had their tours ended due to the action of other riders but cycling will ultimately be better for all of this. Eventually the cheaters will be gone and the sport will survive which is something you can't say about some other sports that don't take action.

oc

[jonovision_man]

I wouldn't be terribly surprised. He's very young to be riding the way he did.

Maybe Armstrong taught him everything he knows. :p

jono

[Fio1]

What gets me is why did Rabobank wait so long to suspend Rasmussen? This changed the whole outcome of the tour. Cadel Evans or Levi would not have let Contador get away from them in that final mountain stage if they tought for a second they still had a shot for victory. Rasmussen wins an awesome stage then gets sacked hours later? What the heck is that? :saywhat: The Tour organizers should have kicked Rabobank out there and then for sabotage! Ya, that's right sabotage. If they new he lied about his where-abouts then he shouldn't have been allowed t start the race, let alone wear the yellow jersey for so long. Or to the least, allowed to start the final mountain stage. What could have posibly have changed during that particular stage? Did they get some results during the stage that they didn't know before the start? No, they just manipulated the whole Tour de France by leting Ras start and win the stage. For that rabobank should never be allowed back! Erik Dekker is one of my all time favorite cyclist, but like Gerhard Berger, he lost all my repect for his actions as a team principle...:thumdown:

[cart7]

I'm glad it's over.


Really, my fishing shows have been put on the back burner.

[jonovision_man]

Really, my fishing shows have been put on the back burner.

LOL! :D

OLN went over the top, eh? Live coverage, afternoon repeat, evening "extended coverage" repeat...

jono

[oddlycalm]

What could have posibly have changed during that particular stage? Um, there minds? Sorry, couldn't resist...:gomer:

My impression of what changed is the information that Rasmmussen had actually been sighted in Italy training in the Dolomites rather than Mexico where he claimed he was. Catching him in that lie demonstated that deception was his intent. That together with the technical violation of missing three tests was then more than they could tolerate.

I agree completely though, he should have never been allowed to start the Tour.

oc

[Ankf00]

believe it was 4 tests, 2 UCI 2 Danish federation.

and an RAI reporter who's a former rider announced that he saw Raz in the Dolomites in June on RAI one night, the next day the team mgr approaches Raz and supposedly he admits to it, or so is Rabobank's story...