Tour de France thread [Archive]

EDwardo

07-03-10, 08:52 PM

oddlycalm

07-04-10, 05:46 PM

I'm looking forward to the follow up stories concerning the miniature motors some of the riders are allegedly using on their bikes. The commentators even said the Tour organizers will be using x-ray devices to ferret out the alleged cheaters.:eek:

This should be an epic Tour!!!
It's a good measure of how asshat the world has gone that what a wise crack made in California a couple months ago could be taken seriously enough by the Tour orgranizers that they are x-raying to detect miniature motors and AA batteries.....:gomer:

oc

Insomniac

07-04-10, 06:56 PM

It's a good measure of how asshat the world has gone that what a wise crack made in California a couple months ago could be taken seriously enough by the Tour orgranizers that they are x-raying to detect miniature motors and AA batteries.....:gomer:

oc

Seems like a legit concern to me given how well it can be integrated.

8Nd13ARuvVE

cameraman

07-04-10, 09:13 PM

Given how my legs feel like rubber bands at the moment, that motor thingie looks pretty good right now.

cameraman

07-04-10, 09:14 PM

Back to reality, did anyone drop out from the multitude of crashes today?

opinionated ow

07-04-10, 10:22 PM

Back to reality, did anyone drop out from the multitude of crashes today?

that was manic....I don't remember every seeing anything quite like that stage yesterday

cameraman

07-05-10, 02:03 AM

Levi Leipheimer has a very sore but unbroken wrist thanks to the idiot dog-owner.

emjaya

07-05-10, 07:00 AM

Back to reality, did anyone drop out from the multitude of crashes today?

Adam Hansen, one of Mark Canvendish's leadout men, is out with a broken collarbone. He crashed early, but managed to finish the stage.

Robbie McEwen said the next two stages would be even worse. He managed forth in the stage and was looking shell-shocked.

opinionated ow

07-05-10, 12:02 PM

That was crazy...who would have picked a Quickstep clean sweep of the jerseys? :eek:

oddlycalm

07-05-10, 12:43 PM

That was crazy...who would have picked a Quickstep clean sweep of the jerseys? :eek:
Someone from Belgium....? :gomer:

Next up the cobblestones and probably more crashes. I can recall Tours that had very few crashes. This won't be one of those.

oc

dando

07-05-10, 12:49 PM

Next up the cobblestones and probably more crashes. I can recall Tours that had very few crashes. This won't be one of those.

oc

And perhaps more rain. :eek: Last man standing....

-Kevin

cameraman

07-06-10, 12:47 AM

Christian Vande Velde is out of the race with two broken ribs. :shakehead

Also Tyler Farrar will be riding the cobbles with a sprained left elbow & a broken left wrist. :eek:

cameraman

07-06-10, 01:13 AM

This seems to be the cause of it all.
It all started when Lampre rider Francesco Gavazzi crashed out of the breakaway on the Stockeu. A TV motorcycle then crashed while avoiding hitting Gavazzi, and the bike spilled oil on the road. The oil had time to run down the hill by the time the peloton came through a few minutes later, setting off a dangerous domino effect that saw over 60 riders sliding across the road.

oddlycalm

07-06-10, 03:49 PM

2010 will be remembered as the Tour de Crashe. :\ The mass blockage at the finish didn't seem to have injured anyone but it was sure ugly. It's been a tough year overall going back to the Tour of California the put Boonen out and that field sprint crash at the Tour de Suisse that put Hassler out.

oc

Tifosi24

07-06-10, 05:59 PM

Oil on the decent is what Eddy Merckx speculated caused the pile-up during his interview with the Versus crew after the completion of the stage. Somewhat of a surprise that no one noticed the oil on the road but, after seeing footage of the incident, it wouldn't surprise me that people were attending to the fallen rider and the camera crew on the motorcycle. All-in-All, after watching that incident with the motorcycle, the Tour organizers are very lucky that the first rider to go down wasn't killed, or seriously injured, after being ran over the midsection, very scary.

emjaya

07-07-10, 04:07 AM

Tough sport.

Hansen fell early in the 223.5km stage. But despite his obvious distress, he fought his way back to the front of the peloton.

So strong did he appear as he pedalled to keep the race speed high and force a bunch sprint for team sprinter, Mark Cavendish, hopes began to grow among those not aware of the Queenslander's pain and suffering that he may not have to leave the Tour after all.

But as revealed by his Danish sports director Brian Holm, a former professional cyclist, the team also wanted to get some use out of him in the likelihood that it was to be the last kilometres he raced.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/injured-hansen-sacrificed-for-team-20100706-zz2w.html

oddlycalm

07-07-10, 04:34 AM

Frank Schleck's fall on stage 3 was brutal. Collarbone broken in 3 places with surgery tonight. Ugh. Andy finished well but losing his brother is no bargain.

Evans did a great ride is now positioned very well. Armstrong lost significant time and is now under the gun. Not his usual race. You gotta wonder how he got dropped back that far with only Popovich around him.

I'm not sure why the organizers wanted to force major selection so early in the race. Seems even more like it's Contador's to lose.

oc

cameraman

07-07-10, 05:40 AM

Armstrong had a flat tire that took him off the road for about a minute until he got a wheel from one of his teammates. His teammate was stuck on the side of the road for another 5+ minutes before the team car made it to him so it could have been far worse. Quite a few riders lost major time to flats.

Napoleon

07-07-10, 05:46 AM

Armstrong had a flat tire that took him off the road for about a minute until he got a wheel from one of his teammates.

So what do they do, if one of the better riders on a team gets a flat one of the slower riders is expected to stop and swap out his wheel so that he ends up standing by the side of the road with the flat?

opinionated ow

07-07-10, 05:51 AM

So what do they do, if one of the better riders on a team gets a flat one of the slower riders is expected to stop and swap out his wheel so that he ends up standing by the side of the road with the flat?

Fairly standard really. The "domestiques" work for the team leaders...last year Astana had two team leaders which made life interesting for them. You only tend to see it when the race disintegrates as much as it did yesterday however as the rider will usually just drop to the team car or (if it is closer) the neutral service vehicle.

Napoleon

07-07-10, 07:58 AM

You only tend to see it when the race disintegrates as much as it did yesterday however as the rider will usually just drop to the team car or (if it is closer) the neutral service vehicle.

I take it the rider you refer to is the team leader who would otherwise take the "domestiques" wheel.

I could see where you would only do it if “the race disintegrates as much as it did yesterday” since it seems to me that the team leader would have to be so much faster then the guy who is giving up the wheel, and there would have to be enough time left in the leg (I assume you get to repair bikes between legs with no time penalty) to be able to make a difference.

TrueBrit

07-07-10, 09:14 AM

Brutal stage yesterday...today's should be a little more straight forward..tough to lose this many riders so early but major props to Farrar for toughing out the cobbles with his injuries..

oddlycalm

07-07-10, 04:36 PM

I take it the rider you refer to is the team leader who would otherwise take the "domestiques" wheel.
In some cases they take the entire bike. That's one of the reasons to have other team members close by so in the event the team car isn't close by the GC hopeful doesn't get stuck waiting while seeing any hope for a good finish evaporate. Andy Schleck took a teammate's bike and avoided losing big time on Stage 2. If not for that he would have lost many minutes. Same for Armstrong. Even with the wheel he lost significant time and had to ride his tail off to do that.

I still have no idea why the organizers wanted to make the first week so difficult. They have effectively removed much of the drama that would have come in the mountain stages. Frank Schleck is in the hospital, Andy Schleck took some hard knocks, Christian Vande Velde is headed home and Armstrong lost significant time. All they did was make Contador's job a lot easier from where I sit.

oc

cameraman

07-08-10, 12:29 AM

All they did was make Contador's job a lot easier from where I sit.

oc

It could have just as easily been him instead of Schleck. He rode a much better stage than just about anyone expected.

TrueBrit

07-08-10, 12:02 PM

It could have just as easily been him instead of Schleck. He rode a much better stage than just about anyone expected.

Indeed..the cobbles made that stage a complete lottery..

RichK

07-08-10, 12:29 PM

It's been great entertainment, that's for sure. I think with the cobbles shaking things up (ha ha), it's going to create more attacking in the mountains by people that are down the GC.

I read this morning that Contador stopped by the Radio Shack bus to give Lance a 2009 commemorative Tour victory watch....:laugh: WTH?

cameraman

07-08-10, 05:17 PM

Today's stage left quite a bit to be desired in the area of excitement. If you have taped it you can skip to the last two minutes without missing anything except the scenery. DVR fast forward is a good thing.

So what happened to all the hay bale sculptures? I have yet to see one this year.

extramundane

07-09-10, 03:44 PM

That's gonna leave a mark...

pAEf9hv0v4s

TravelGal

07-09-10, 04:58 PM

Dang. Turned off the coverage too soon. What the heck????????

oddlycalm

07-10-10, 02:06 AM

Wow, never even heard of any fighting in all the years I've followed the Tour. My guess is both of them will be long gone before the start of next stage.

oc

Don Quixote

07-10-10, 10:19 AM

Slap fight!

opinionated ow

07-10-10, 10:56 AM

this is a crazy one tonight!

oddlycalm

07-10-10, 08:10 PM

Pretty good selection on the first mountain stage. Tomorrow should pare that down to the hardcore contenders.

oc

racermike

07-11-10, 11:29 PM

Looks like Lance is out of this thing after crashing 3 times today
:shakehead

oddlycalm

07-12-10, 03:33 AM

opinionated ow

07-12-10, 08:06 AM

Armstrong has enjoyed some great luck over the years but this year he must have left it in his other bicycle shorts. Today was about as unlucky as it gets.

It's still Contador's to lose but he's got some strong competition.

oc

Armstrong isn't out of it yet...if he can get his team together and run like a team trial at some point they could rescue it. A wet stage in the Pyrenees may be his friend...

I still think Schleck will win it. I wasn't sure if it would be Andy or Frank but I'm hoping like hell that Andy will win it so I might just win the Specialized bike up for grabs

cameraman

07-12-10, 12:19 PM

I think that Andy will race better without his brother being there. Now he has one thing to focus on, himself.

Also Simon Gerrans of Team Sky is out after breaking his arm in yesterday's stage. The guy rode almost the entire stage with a broken arm:eek: Turns out he rode 110+ miles with a broken arm. Compare that to those flopping tools in yesterday's World Cup match...

RichK

07-12-10, 02:40 PM

It was great watching Andy Schleck ride away from Contador yesterday! It's looking good for Andy for now, since Evans and his team have to spend energy defending the yellow and Contador is showing some weakness.

oddlycalm

07-12-10, 07:10 PM

TrueBrit

07-13-10, 11:45 AM

Evans and Contador will be tough in the final time trial. Andy will need to have some time in hand going into that time trial if he wants the GC win. Astana seems to be following the Armstrong-Bruyneel formula and hitting on all cylinders it's going to be a tough race for everyone else.

oc

Evans will be gone by then..

I think Schleck can win this..interesting that when he broke away the other day Contadaor had nothing in the tank..

opinionated ow

07-13-10, 12:01 PM

Evans will be gone by then..

I think Schleck can win this..interesting that when he broke away the other day Contadaor had nothing in the tank..

Evans rode today with an arm fracture! Wow...

TrueBrit

07-13-10, 01:16 PM

Evans rode today with an arm fracture! Wow...

And there was another geezer that had a crash, then completed the stage and was found to have a borken collar bone...some of there guys are nuts!

emjaya

07-13-10, 10:22 PM

There seems to be a lot big names having very bad crashes this year.

oddlycalm

07-14-10, 06:31 PM

There seems to be a lot big names having very bad crashes this year.
Yeah, it's the most brutal first week I can recall. In the end it wouldn't have mattered much though as only two guys have the legs to contest the GC. Barring further injuries to Schleck and Contador everybody else will end up just that. I haven't watched today's stage yet...:)

oc

opinionated ow

07-14-10, 08:07 PM

Yeah, it's the most brutal first week I can recall. In the end it wouldn't have mattered much though as only two guys have the legs to contest the GC. Barring further injuries to Schleck and Contador everybody else will end up just that. I haven't watched today's stage yet...:)

oc

Not worth it....nothing happened

emjaya

07-14-10, 11:03 PM

UzPq0hDdDhs

:laugh:

opinionated ow

07-15-10, 12:02 AM

UzPq0hDdDhs

:laugh:

I entered that competition haha...need a new triathlon bike

opinionated ow

07-15-10, 11:53 AM

must say...podium girls are seriously disappointing this year!

opinionated ow

07-16-10, 10:42 AM

must say...podium girls are seriously disappointing this year!

Depends on the day it seems...the ones they interviewed on SBS tonight were rather cute...

In other unrelated news, Tyler Farrar has abandoned the race. They're dropping like flies this year; tough race but in a way that is good-it is meant to be an endurance event after all.

oddlycalm

07-16-10, 02:18 PM

Can't remember a tour where this many name riders abandoned or were riding injured going back to the early 1970's and we're just over halfway through the race. Tour de Crashe indeed.

As for the podium girls I agree there have been better years for both girls and their outfits. I keep expecting the KOM girls to rise off the podium and drift away.

oc

TrueBrit

07-16-10, 02:44 PM

must say...podium girls are seriously disappointing this year!

Dunno about that..the two Green Jersey bay-bays are definitely alright in my book..

TravelGal

07-16-10, 02:46 PM

Agreed. ^^^ They look like something that escaped from Willy Wonka.

I did catch that cute hay sculpture of a bicycle today though. :thumbup:
Otherwise, not the most thrilling of stages.

TrueBrit

07-16-10, 02:46 PM

In other unrelated news, Tyler Farrar has abandoned the race.

Whaaaaat?? Why? if he hadn't have been blocked by Mr. HeadButt yesterday he had in inside shot at beating Cav to the line...

Gnam

07-16-10, 04:01 PM

Depends on the day it seems...the ones they interviewed on SBS tonight were rather cute...

the two Green Jersey bay-bays are definitely alright in my book..

Show your work.

TravelGal

07-16-10, 07:58 PM

Whaaaaat?? Why? if he hadn't have been blocked by Mr. HeadButt yesterday he had in inside shot at beating Cav to the line...

Broken wrist. One of his team said he was in constant severe pain and decided he just couldn't keep going, no matter how much he wanted to.

opinionated ow

07-17-10, 02:40 AM

Show your work.

http://player.sbs.com.au/tdf#/tdf_08/extras/extras/playlist/Behind-the-scenes-/

Click on the podium girls video

Tifosi24

07-17-10, 08:35 PM

Broken wrist. One of his team said he was in constant severe pain and decided he just couldn't keep going, no matter how much he wanted to.

It is pretty remarkable considering he rode the entire cobblestone stage with the broken wrist, although he said it was a sprain, and then going through the Alps. Let's all remember that Cadel Evans is still going and he has a fractured or broken elbow. That is remarkable and is up there with Tyler Hamilton riding one tour with a broken collarbone for something like two plus weeks. The cavet was he had been doping. I hope that Evans is not taking a page out of Hamilton's playbook.

opinionated ow

07-18-10, 01:26 AM

It is pretty remarkable considering he rode the entire cobblestone stage with the broken wrist, although he said it was a sprain, and then going through the Alps. Let's all remember that Cadel Evans is still going and he has a fractured or broken elbow. That is remarkable and is up there with Tyler Hamilton riding one tour with a broken collarbone for something like two plus weeks. The cavet was he had been doping. I hope that Evans is not taking a page out of Hamilton's playbook.

Can pretty much guarantee he wouldn't do it. Being caught doping representing this country would be the worst thing you could do-you would get ABSOLUTELY ZERO support from anybody and be considered a national disgrace. All sponsors would dry up immediately and you'd be vilified to within an inch of your life.

TrueBrit

07-18-10, 10:00 AM

Can pretty much guarantee he wouldn't do it. Being caught doping representing this country would be the worst thing you could do-you would get ABSOLUTELY ZERO support from anybody and be considered a national disgrace. All sponsors would dry up immediately and you'd be vilified to within an inch of your life.

Bollocks. See: Shane Warne

opinionated ow

07-18-10, 11:44 AM

Bollocks. See: Shane Warne

Warne is a self gratificationist and only bogans like him. He doesn't count and his drugs weren't performance enhancing, especially not in the sort of way it makes a different in say cycling. And he lost significant sponsorship after that-it hurt him a lot financially.

Anyway...track stands from Contador & Schleck?!? I think those two forgot it was a grand tour and thought there were in a track sprint. WOW!:eek::eek:

What an awesome effort by Riblon too.

(and then to top it off it's a photo finish in the World Championship Triathlon in Hamburg with Sweden's Lisa Norden beating Australia's Emma Moffatt)

emjaya

07-19-10, 09:50 AM

Bollocks. See: Shane Warne

Yeah, but it was Warney. He needed to stay slim for the groupies (http://www.smh.com.au/news/stay-in-touch/tabloid-has-another-field-day-with-warnie/2006/05/07/1146940411367.html) (Sort of nsfw).

:gomer:

TrueBrit

07-19-10, 01:21 PM

Contador = Scumbag :flame::shakehead

oddlycalm

07-19-10, 11:31 PM

emjaya

07-19-10, 11:37 PM

Contador = Scumbag :flame::shakehead

Maybe, but Contador looked to be responding to Schleck's attack with an attack of his own and it looked like he was past before Schleck himself knew there was a problem.

Once he was out in front he had Sanchez and Menchov with him, both of whom also went past and gained time on Schleck, and losing time to them would have been stupid with two more days to go in the mountains.

Contador, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Sanchez and Menchov, not so much.

It should make the next few days interesting.

opinionated ow

07-20-10, 12:09 AM

Wow. Risky strategy for Saxo to bury themselves and leave Andy alone. We got to see why (yet again) the man with the stronger team often wins the GC.

Sanchez and Menchov were going, period, just like they did yesterday.

oc

A bit unsportsmanlike of Contador but he couldn't afford to wait in case Sanchez and Menchov got their necessary couple of minute. I still think Gesink (I keep getting his name mixed with Lisa Mensink!) is going to throw a curve ball or several into the mix. And I still wouldn't be surprised to see Evans and Armstrong make an all or nothing attempt.

cameraman

07-20-10, 12:15 AM

I'm a bit pissed that Radioshack has done so little in support of Levi. He could well be up a position if he wasn't riding by himself:shakehead

TravelGal

07-20-10, 12:18 AM

I was thinking the same thing, CM. They all seem to have taken the race off once their 'lead guy' gave it up.

TrueBrit

07-20-10, 09:26 AM

Maybe, but Contador looked to be responding to Schleck's attack with an attack of his own and it looked like he was past before Schleck himself knew there was a problem.

Contador, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Sanchez and Menchov, not so much.

It should make the next few days interesting.

Video replays clearly show that Vinikourov was responding to Schleck on his right and sat down as soon as he saw Schleck have trouble with his chain, Contador on the other hand was behind Schleck on his left and he shot off like a jack-rabbit past him after the mechanical occurred...Dirty pool imho..

And yes..I think it will make the next few days very interesting indeed..

oddlycalm

07-21-10, 02:59 PM

I'm a bit pissed that Radioshack has done so little in support of Levi. He could well be up a position if he wasn't riding by himself:shakehead
Yeah, a top 5 does seems like it might have been possible if the team had worked for him. Levi rides a good time trial. Not sure he has the legs this year for a podium but we'll never know.

On the subject of team strategies I had a bad feeling all the way watching Saxo destroy themselves only to leave Andy Schleck on his own with a gaggle of Astana riders and the top GC contenders. Not sure I follow Bjarne Riis' thinking on that. Seems like an obvious Murphey's Law situation.

oc

oddlycalm

07-26-10, 01:01 AM

Andy Schleck did one hell of a Tour. There will be a lot of "what if's" but this kid really showed some stature. Very memorable. The look of relief on Contador's face after the TT said it all.

Kudos also to the underrated Chris Horner who worked for everyone else on the team and still managed to best them with a top 10.

oc

opinionated ow

07-26-10, 01:05 AM

What the hell am I going to do with my nights now?!? Vive le tour!

TrueBrit

07-26-10, 01:07 PM

What the hell am I going to do with my nights now?!? Vive le tour!

My wife and I said the same thing this morning...

TravelGal

07-26-10, 02:04 PM

RichK

07-26-10, 02:30 PM

Me too.

Does anyone know about the dustup among the announcers they were talking about on the last show? We always taped it live and then watched only the racing part in the evenings so didn't hear any sort of tension or arguments that they alluded to in the last few days. Inquiring minds want to know. :)

Phil & Paul got into a heated (for them) argument about Contador's attack on Schleck when Schleck's chain jumped. I think Paul said at one point: "And Phil, what racing have YOU ever done?". :)

TrueBrit

07-26-10, 03:07 PM

Phil & Paul got into a heated (for them) argument about Contador's attack on Schleck when Schleck's chain jumped. I think Paul said at one point: "And Phil, what racing have YOU ever done?". :)

Yup..that's it..I thought it was very heated and Sherwen was really quite steamed at Phil for not agreeing with him..there were a few times over the following few days when Phil would dig at Paul whenever a rider fell off his bike.."Should the peloton wait for them too Paul?"...

oddlycalm

07-26-10, 03:28 PM

What the hell am I going to do with my nights now?!?
Yep, post-Tour withdrawal symptoms, happens every year. :(

oc

cameraman

07-26-10, 04:02 PM

Yep, post-Tour withdrawal symptoms, happens every year. :(

oc

Yep. Deadliest Catch is winding down too. I may have to paint something:rolleyes:

TravelGal

07-26-10, 07:12 PM

Yup..that's it..I thought it was very heated and Sherwen was really quite steamed at Phil for not agreeing with him..there were a few times over the following few days when Phil would dig at Paul whenever a rider fell off his bike.."Should the peloton wait for them too Paul?"...

Ah, so that was it. I heard that a couple of times but didn't get it. A few other comments also that didn't makes sense then but do now. Thanks.

opinionated ow

07-26-10, 07:18 PM

Ah, so that was it. I heard that a couple of times but didn't get it. A few other comments also that didn't makes sense then but do now. Thanks.

They both were on our lead in show on the final day and had a laugh about it. Quite obviously they get on well, they were both joking about it even though Tomalaris suggested they might be sick of each other!

chop456

01-28-11, 04:16 AM

Contador = Scumbag :flame::shakehead

Alberto Contador to lose Tour de France title and face one-year ban after positive test for banned drug clenbuterol (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/8284548/Alberto-Contador-to-lose-Tour-de-France-title-and-face-one-year-ban-after-positive-test-for-banned-drug-clenbuterol.html)