2010 Tour de France - To dope or not to dope...that is the question.

[U2ME3]

Should be a great Tour! Contador is the man but it's still a team sport and Lance has the team.

 

[Purplereign]

Oooooooh . . . goody . . . so that kicks off in a couple of hours . . . I thought that Spanish fellow was the favourite?

It's always an entertaining little ride to watch that one

 

[ntalwar]

UCI is checking for "mechanical doping" for the first time.

"Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, will be using scanners to check riders’ bike frames for motors ahead of this years 94th edition of the Tour de France, which gets under way in Rotterdam in two weeks’ time, with British track and road legend Chris Boardman having reportedly demonstrated to officials just how such a device could work in practice.

The UCI’s announcement follows recent claims that cyclists including World and Olympic Time Trial Champion Fabian Cancellara, winner of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in April, were employing “mechanical doping” to gain an edge over their rivals, accusations that the Swiss cyclist and his Team Saxo Bank firmly deny."

Should be interesting to see if there are any differences in time trial performances, etc this tour.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Just watched the highlights of the first stage. Tony Martin is cycling this year???

This post may mean nothing to you if you're not an Aussie. Or a Kiwi.

 

[intedomine]

Just watched the highlights of the first stage. Tony Martin is cycling this year???

This post may mean nothing to you if you're not an Aussie. Or a Kiwi.

What? Is he?

 

[U2ME3]

Cancerella was incredible yesterday as expected. However, it is truly amazing that at 38 Lance Armstrong can compete at such a high level. Can he keep it up for over 2,000 miles???...we shall see.

 

[phanan]

It was a great prologue. I'm surprised at how well Armstrong rode. It's going to be an interesting tour, although Contador is still the favorite, and in fact even more so now that Andy Schleck lost about 40 seconds to him yesterday.

Watch out for the cobblestones in Stage 3. That might shake things up a bit.

 

[Purplereign]

Just watched the highlights of the first stage. Tony Martin is cycling this year???

This post may mean nothing to you if you're not an Aussie. Or a Kiwi.

. . . he will need smaller glasses though . . . wind resistance on those things would be appalling

and as for mechanical doping . . . why must everybody cheat . . . why?

 

[phanan]

I seriously doubt there has been any mechanical doping. That seems far-fetched.

 

[Purplereign]

So has anybody been watching this race round here?

I have been so entirely consumed with that other little world cup thingy that this baby has slipped right off my register . . . . . . I think I read somewhere that Mark Cavendish (british?) won the 5th stage . . . actually looking forward to tuning in to this when the football is over

 

[jets]

Just watched the highlights of the first stage. Tony Martin is cycling this year???

This post may mean nothing to you if you're not an Aussie. Or a Kiwi.

Mick Molloy is his domestique.

 

[nielsgov]

I just found this thread. I'm a big cycling fan, but there don't seem to be many around here. I'm an Armstrong fan but after today it's over for him. Now I'm supporting Andy Schleck and Van Den Broek.

 

[DaveC]

 

[ntalwar]

Bad day for Lance - looks like he's out of contention.

I seriously doubt there has been any mechanical doping. That seems far-fetched.

I think this is the Italian TV video that started the talk - the mechanic or whoever furnished the time trial bike claimed it (the technology) had been used in the TDF.

YouTube - Bike with engine (doped bike) and Cancellara (Roubaix - Vlaanderen)

 

[nielsgov]

What a joke. That is just not true.

 

[phanan]

Armstrong has had more bad luck in this first week than in all of his other Tours put together. I could see him going for a stage win somewhere now.

Schleck looked great. I was very surprised Contador couldn't react. Watching those two duel over the next two weeks is going to be entertaining.

 

[nielsgov]

It was already a great duel yesterday. I thought the differences in the Alps yesterday were already pretty big. The Pyrenees will be a lot harder.

 

[intedomine]

What a fantastic Stage that was, that's what the tour is all about... just a shame Cadel Evans looks out of it.

 

[phanan]

Wow, Contador. Nice low blow.

 

[DaveC]

That was filthy. Dirtiest thing I've ever seen in the Tour. Contador claimed not to have seen him but he was right behind Schleck, and magically just happened to swerve around him and take off as soon as the yellow jersey slowed down. Ridiculous.

 

[nielsgov]

I didn't expect much of tomorrow's stage but things could be different now because Schleck is angry and needs to take some time.

 

[DaveC]

I really think Schleck should do what nobody expects him to and attack tomorrow or even Sunday on the Champs-Elysees. Can you imagine - Schleck 10 seconds ahead of Contador who's desperately trying to chase him down as the riders come around on the last lap on the Champs-Elysees?

 

[phanan]

Wow, that was close. Contador didn't look that great, but held on to win.

That mechanical incident gave him the victory, I think.

If Schleck continues to get stronger and can work on his TT, he might overtake Contador next year.

In any event, we are going to see these two go head to head for another 7 years or so. Should be fun.

 

[U2ME3]

That mechanical incident gave him the victory, I think.

The final margin -- 39 seconds -- is exactly the same as the time Contador gained on Schleck in Stage 15 in the Pyrenees when Schleck, then leading the race, was derailed by a dropped chain on the climb of the Port de Bales.

Weird!

 

[cobl04]

Contador you pig of a human!

 

[SeattleVertigo]

Contador provisionally suspended for testing positive for failing a drug test during the Tour.

Hmmm, will Schleck be given the win?

Contador says it was food contamination.

News | Contador tested positive for banned steroid during Tour | Universal Sports

 

[cobl04]

Floyd Landis spoke at an anti-doping conference in Geelong yesterday.

 

[nielsgov]

This is about the worst thing that could happen for cycling at the moment.
I really hope it was just an accident.