Sport Le Tour de France

[CorNokZ]

Anyone watch this? I'm not a super fan who sits infront of the telly all day cheering at the guys in tight spandex, but I do watch the end of every stage

Hopefully Team Saxo Bank and Frank Schleck will take it home this year!

ps. Lance Lolstrong is in again!

 

[Hawkwind]

Tour de Drugs Cheats more like.

 

[noblok]

Cavendish was insane yesterday. It'll be near impossible to beat him if he can keep that up.

I don't think frank Schleck has a real chance, his time trial is far too bad, Andy's slightly less so. Although Astana probably has the best shot at the yellow jersey (especially when taking into account the team time trial and their impressive performance as a group in the prologue).

 

[dub]

frank is gonna play super domestique this year ( csc is hoping to keep him near the top so he can be a credible threat ), andy will have to go for hail mary on stages like the 17th if he wants to have a chance at all.

this tour is contador's to loose , but his problem could be that there is a lot of teams with potential GC contenders , if they all recognize him as the main man to beat astana could get their hands full.

cav hopefully will get more competition on later stages ( benatti and boonen seemed to have been caught by crash shortly before the finish) not that he wouldnt have won it anyhows , he looks really strong as usual , unfortunently steegmans and petacchi is not in this years tour to spice it up.

in general it looks like an exiting route and an exellent rooster this year

 

[noblok]

Interesting day today, for a standard flat stage.

 

[Ormorof]

i've always loved tour de france, and i have always assumed they all on some sort of drugs, legal or otherwise

its muchos exciting

 

[Marc]

Dianabol sales have just gone up 100000000000%

 

[noblok]

Heh. 4 Astana in the top 5. That's not too bad. And all of them are pretty decent in the mountains as well. Menchov can kiss any hopes he had at winning good bye by now as well.

 

[CorNokZ]

Haha, I had such a laugh when he crashed!

I wouldn't be surprised if Astana takes top 3 tbh :/

 

[CorNokZ]

Frank or Andy Schleck to win this stage!

 

[Calo]

Well seems Andy schleck can't keep up with Contador. Clearly the best.

 

[Madmaxx]

Well seems Andy schleck can't keep up with Contador. Clearly the best.

I think he can keep up, schleck just didnt have that same kick off that contador does it was pretty incredible just leaving everyone behind. Im more upset at Cavendish not being able to get the green jersey now.

 

[CorNokZ]

I think Sorf is right.. Had Schleck had a better kickoff when Contador set off I think it would have been closer

edit: But yes.. Contador is looking fierce!

 

[Calo]

I think Sorf is right.. Had Schleck had a better kickoff when Contador set off I think it would have been closer

edit: But yes.. Contador is looking fierce!

Dunno, Contador did take 40 secs on andy. True, andy is probably the only one in this tour that can follow contador if he speeds up slowly.. but how he gains speed on a mountain that fast.. nobody can follow that

and he is a superious time rider so its gonna be VERY hard for andy.

 

[noblok]

You don't gain 40 seconds just by kicking off faster. Contador gains it by kicking off faster again and again. That's how he climbs: he doesn't stick to a regular speed, but he accelerates at regular intervals and then drops his tempo a bit again. Andy could never even come near him.

Wiggins is looking good as well. Serious top three contender. Andy on the other hand will have to do some serious attacking still if he wants a top three finish, because Klöden, Armstrong, Wiggins and Contador all are far better at time trial than he is. As are Nibali and Martin.

The polka dot jersey is a joke at the moment though. I secretly hope Frank Schleck will got for it in the following two stages. At least he can actually cycle up a mountain as opposed to Pelizotti who had to let everyone go at the foot of today's last mountain.

 

[Garaen]

Today's last climb was brilliant, a real race for the first time in over a week. It unfortunately showed Lance's true colours, i secretly hoped he was strong enough to take the yellow today and was just sandbagging, but unless he really pulls something out of the hat in the mountains or the time trial he might not make the podium.

Wiggins was brilliant today, really hoping for a 2nd or 3rd place in the tour for him. Contador is easily going to win the Tour, especially after today's performance as the Astana team will be more inclined to race for him instead of splitting their loyalties between him and Lance.

 

[noblok]

It unfortunately showed Lance's true colours, i secretly hoped he was strong enough to take the yellow today and was just sandbagging, but unless he really pulls something out of the hat in the mountains or the time trial he might not make the podium.

Yeah, that was a bit of a shame. Still an outstanding performance considering his age and the fact he has a salary of $0 though.

 

[Madmaxx]

It was a good race to watch today with them all speeding down the hill like nutters, but did anyone see that Jens Voigt fall on the downhill ? He took a big hit a got rushed to hospital to check his spine out but I cant find anymore info. poor chap

 

[CorNokZ]

Shite stage today! Jens Voigt out! I shed a tear.. By far my favourite rider! Hope it's nothing serious!

Get well Jens <3

 

[Wonk]

luckily he's alright. He just got a couple of minor injuries. He's one of the only riders in the TDF I've got sympathy for.

 

[Calo]

i watched the fall live, nasty fall. He's even lucky he didn't roll to the right cause there was a big leap down there.

Andy schleck tried to attack but he will not get rid of Contador.

If Contador doesn't have a big off-day, there's nothing anyone can do to him. No way that anyone in this tour the france can run away on a mountain from Contador. Only thing they can do is isolate him and try to wear him out so that he's tired on the last mountain that he can't follow.

 

[noblok]

I was very impressed by Armstrong yesterday. The Schleck boys may have a harder time than they thought breaking in the top three.

 

[crispy]

Who got the best dope this year?

 

[Wonk]

Who got the best dope this year?

Carte d'or

 

[dub]

I was very impressed by Armstrong yesterday. The Schleck boys may have a harder time than they thought breaking in the top three.

the schlecklet might not make it into top 3 , but i doubt it will be armstrong taking up one of the spots.

 

[CorNokZ]

Holy moly what a stage! Go on Frank and win it!!

 

[Madmaxx]

Holy moly what a stage! Go on Frank and win it!!

It really was a great race, and the schleck bro's were awesome. funny contador tried to break the schleck's down and ended up dropping his own team mate lol. great race for Thor Horshovd to getting sprint points in a mountain race. Im a brit so im supposed to support wiggins but I was happily cheering on the schlecks hehe

 

[sayward]

Watched it in a small French village a couple of years ago. Hot day so very pleasant. A whole cavalcade came through first throwing sweets and things for all the children and promotional hats etc. Peleton was so fast almost impossible to get any decent photos.

 

[Garaen]

Contador was absolutely insane yesterday - 30 seconds ahead at one point, as much as I am in love with Armstrong, Contador really deserves first on Sunday. I don't think the top three positions are going to change now tbh.

 

[dub]

Contador was absolutely insane yesterday - 30 seconds ahead at one point, as much as I am in love with Armstrong, Contador really deserves first on Sunday. I don't think the top three positions are going to change now tbh.

to keep his podium place armstrong has to stay with frank on ventoux , so far this tour he has not been able to stay with the best on any contested mountain.