Tour de France

[cobl04]

Do something Cadel!!!!

 

[bono_man2002]

Which drug cheat will win this year?

 

[intedomine]

Tour De France has been relatively clean in recent years and the drugs never got in the way of an exhilarating contest.

Great position for Evans to be in. Don't think he could have imagined for things to fall his way so fortunately, especially with Contador already being 1.30 or so behind him. Mind you Andy Schleck will also be enjoying this privilege.

Farrar's tribute to Weylandt last night was touching.

 

[phanan]

I don't see Evans staying with Schleck and Contador in the mountains. And unless something bad happens for Schleck, or he's in horrendous form, I don't see him losing now. That's way too much time for Contador to make up.

Of course, it wouldn't matter anyway. Pretty certain Contador will be stripped of his title from last year and will have to forfeit anything he's been in since when the appeal ruling comes in. Really stupid that they delayed it until August.

Great job by Farrar to win Stage 3.

 

[phanan]

I'll give credit to Evans today though. He looked good pulling out that stage over Contador.

Not sure what Contador was trying to prove - he wasn't going to get much, if any, time back on this one. Perhaps it was more to prove to himself that he's doing ok, but that seemed like a waste of energy.

 

[nielsgov]

I don't see Evans staying with Schleck and Contador in the mountains. And unless something bad happens for Schleck, or he's in horrendous form, I don't see him losing now. That's way too much time for Contador to make up.

That's the problem. Schleck doesn't seem to be in good form.

 

[phanan]

Seems fine to me. You can't go by previous races that were essentially glorified training runs - he wasn't trying to win any of those. Armstrong used to do the same thing.

 

[nielsgov]

He looked better today and yesterday so there is still hope.

Awful day today. First Vinokourov and Van den Broeck (our big hope for the GC) and when you think everything is over some loony in a car decides to bring a bit more action to the race.

 

[intedomine]

That car crashing onto poor Flecha and Hoogerland was horrible to watch. Full credit to the courage of Hoogerland to get back on his bike, finish the stage and wear the polka dots after getting catapulted into barb wire. He was well scratched up must have been agony.

 

[nielsgov]

I love it how no one is interested in cycling.

 

[nielsgov]

Great ride from Schleck today. I really hope he wins now. Evans did a good job too. I'm also glad that Contador won't win a grand tour he enters for the first time in an eternity.

 

[phanan]

Yeah, glad to see that Contador bit the dust.

As much as I'd like to see Schleck win, I gotta say I've been very impressed at the resolve in Evans. He's grinded it out and held his own very well. I wouldn't mind seeing him get the 57 seconds back from Schleck in the TT tomorrow.

 

[nielsgov]

I'll be rooting for Schleck tomorrow and I still think he's got the edge even though it will be close. A TT at the end of the Tour isn't a normal TT.

 

[intedomine]

All about Cadel, what a race. He's had no support when the going got tough. His BMC mates just weren't capable. The energy he has had to exert yesterday and today is just extraordinary. Basso has been a dud. I'm glad he lost significant time last night.

 

[ntalwar]

Will be interesting to see if Cadel can make up the time. Contador was impressive on Alp D'Huez- with a good knee he may have been on top.

 

[cobl04]

Cadel!

 

[cobl04]

Now I don't understand how this race works at all, that's why I haven't posted, but what happens now? Some people are saying Cadel has won but there's still a stage to go?

 

[ntalwar]

^The final stage is flat and easy, and the riders don't attack for yellow traditionally. All Cadel has to do is cross the line with the peleton basically.

 

[nielsgov]

Cadel was really strong today. He deserves the win.

Andy is still young but it must be frustrating. Second for the third time in a row.

 

[cobl04]

So over the past 55 minutes he came from a minute down to a minute and a half in front? That's pretty impressive

THAT, Mark Webber, is how you win.

 

[nielsgov]

Yes it was impressive. If you take a minute on Contador in a TT you've rode very well.

 

[phanan]

Amazing TT by Evans. He was consistently strong throughout the entire tour, and I had a feeling going into today that he might finally pull it off, and he did.

I like the Schlecks a lot and hope Andy improves his TT abilities so he can win this soon. Evans is already 34 years old, and his window was closing, so I'm happy for him.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Cadel

 

[Axver]

Watch as everybody in Australia who just a week ago agreed enthusiastically with me that the Tour de France is indescribably dull television now suddenly becomes an expert on cycling and has been a fan since way back, mate.

 

[intedomine]

It's an incredible achievement, given Evans' position. While his BMC team mates compliment him much better than his old Silence Lotto mates, the courage and focus that Evans has exhibited over the past few weeks has just been a joy to follow. He was without allies in the Alps, he was alone in reducing the time advantage of Schleck's breakaway in Stage 18 and he was composed enough to match the other GC contenders in Stage 19 after he had bike problems. He was also brilliant in the early part of the tour, snaring some key seconds with some useful attacks on the first stage in particular.

It's the toughest individual sporting event in the world... And arguably the greatest ever individual achievement by an Australian sportsperson.

 

[bono_man2002]

Watch as everybody in Australia who just a week ago agreed enthusiastically with me that the Tour de France is indescribably dull television now suddenly becomes an expert on cycling and has been a fan since way back, mate.

watching snippets on the news of commercial stations this is too true! I'm fucking sick of it, well done mate but jeez every 5 seconds on the news.

 

[nielsgov]

What a horrible day for cycling... The least they could've done was make sure that Contador wasn't allowed to enter races before he was sentenced.

 

[phanan]

The whole process was a joke. Guilty or not, to go this long for a decision is ridiculous.

 

[intedomine]

 

[nielsgov]

Evans again this year then? The route is definitely in his favour.