Tour de France 2010

So, Cadel is out.

 

Though there is a long ways to go, Alberto, Vino, Andy, Levi: all look podium candidates.

more, and more crashes.

 

These guys cant keep there bikes upright.

so a Portuguese won today

so a Portuguese won today

And a Radioshack team member as well on Bastille day!

totally non French for the French independence day.

Did anybody watch the tour today?

 

Renshaw and his headset. Oh my God, I could not believe it, there in front. Dick move for sure. Mark had the win without the aggressive move.

 

Marks main guy thrown off the tour now.

 

Exciting

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/renshaw-kicked-out-of-tour

Missed the end of the race today because I had to be in the office a little earlier. I'll have to watch it on the replay. Must have been some trash talking for it to escalate this much?

Vino, Vino, Vino!

 

 

Woot!

so, I am the only one watching the drama?

It's been a good tour-I'm a bit surprised that Conto and Schleck just stared at each other today. Schleck really needs to try to put some time in the bank. Frankly, I have been disappointed by Cadel.

It's been a good tour-I'm a bit surprised that Conto and Schleck just stared at each other today. Schleck really needs to try to put some time in the bank. Frankly, I have been disappointed by Cadel.

Cadel consistently dissapoints

 

I think the next three days will see some interesting moves

 

Armstrong is hunting for a stage win

Menchov and Sanchez are super close, and Menchov is good against the clock

Basso is too far down, but could go for something.

And

And

And

 

Vino is going off another win before the end.

Wow! Just WOW! Now Top, what do you think of the result. Bad luck for AS for sure, just as he was putting the hammer down on AC (AC was lagging before the chain slipped) and then AC races balls out to the end of the stage. Not sure if that was "ethical" on his part or not...surely many will view it as bad form for him to have done so, especially if that turns out to be a decisive time gap that he opened up by taking advantage of that situation. With the TT it may not make any difference what so ever, but for now it sure opens up much debate.

 

Personally, I think AC panicked when he could match that acceleration and it didn't hit him what had happened until after he made the follow up jump, then adrenaline, the idea of winning kicks in, and from that point its like, go man go, but I still think he's going to catch hell for doing it the way he did, especially if that move creates the victory for him.

Wow! Just WOW! Now Top, what do you think of the result. Bad luck for AS for sure, just as he was putting the hammer down on AC (AC was lagging before the chain slipped) and then AC races balls out to the end of the stage. Not sure if that was "ethical" on his part or not...surely many will view it as bad form for him to have done so, especially if that turns out to be a decisive time gap that he opened up by taking advantage of that situation. With the TT it may not make any difference what so ever, but for now it sure opens up much debate.

 

Personally, I think AC panicked when he could match that acceleration and it didn't hit him what had happened until after he made the follow up jump, then adrenaline, the idea of winning kicks in, and from that point its like, go man go, but I still think he's going to catch hell for doing it the way he did, especially if that move creates the victory for him.

The tour has been very interesting. So many twists.

 

I can only think of two incidences: The day Lance gets a musette bag caught in his shifter and front wheel and goes down while going uphill, and, the time Jan Uhlrich went off the side of the road and Lance waited. The first had his competitors racing away in vain, the second Lance waited.

 

I may not like Lance, but at least he was fair when it came to taking THIS type of advantage.

Its a tough one. Its a race, and at the end of the day these guys are trying to win. The whole "fair play" is nice and all, but still it is a race. I do wish that AC would just admit he took off and be done with it, instead of the whole "I didn't know what happened when I was attacking." From the coverage, AS put a good 20 to 30 meters between himself and AC, Vino started to cover the distance, just as the chain was coming off, and AS seemed to be almost a stand still when AC passed him. (AC is saying HE attacked...it looked like he reacted, not attacked). Anyway, Vino appears to slow up to wait and AC keeps hauling ass up the hill. He had to know something happened, I just don't buy it that he didn't. The other excuses floating out there are that he couldn't slow up because he had the other two podium contenders attacking as well (Menchov & Sanchez) but those two guys only took off after AC did.

 

I don't buy the excuses. He should just say, look its a race, I'm trying to win. And despite what AS says he would have done in the same position, I think AS just might have kept on riding hard as well.

 

Can't wait for tomorrow's stage! Great freaking race!

tomorrow is going to be epic!

It's an interesting one, Schlek was attacking, so it was not like it was just a random happenings in the peleton. Mind you, as you say the greats would have waited. It hasn't changed my feelings on AC (wasn't really a fan to start with), but I would love to see the entire peleton to tear Astana apart tomorrow if they deemed it unsportsmanlike.

It's an interesting one, Schlek was attacking, so it was not like it was just a random happenings in the peleton. Mind you, as you say the greats would have waited. It hasn't changed my feelings on AC (wasn't really a fan to start with), but I would love to see the entire peleton to tear Astana apart tomorrow if they deemed it unsportsmanlike.

to be fair, a chance to own the yellow jersey is no small task. These guys have waited a year, lived through the hype, and now AC has the chance to take time. Is their rational thought at the time this happened? I think his adrenaline was pumping 1000 times more than normal. AS had just attacked, he was trying to catch him. Instead of looking down and then realizing what was actually happening, he saw an opportunity.

 

Faced with the same circumstance, I might do the same thing.

 

As far as the peloton attacking en mass, You have to climb better then the best climber, and destroy his team one by one. Saxo will have to keep sending people up the road. Then Rabobank, then Euskatel, then Milram. I don't think it will happen. What we will have is a charged up Saxo squad charging up the climb and showing all their cards. They will be blown by the wayside and we will be treated to a Lemond/Hinault, Fignon/Lemond, Uhlich/Armstrong battle.

 

Popcorn please.

Yeah, no chance of the entire peleton doing it but would be incredible to see something like that. I'm really looking forward to tonight, broadcast only starts at 11pm here so I think an afternoon nap might be in order. I feel asleep just as they were starting the HC climb last night!

AC should have waited. You respect the Yellow Jersey and wait if it's unforeseen incident. The greats all wait. AC is no great in my book.

Yeah, no chance of the entire peleton doing it but would be incredible to see something like that. I'm really looking forward to tonight, broadcast only starts at 11pm here so I think an afternoon nap might be in order. I feel asleep just as they were starting the HC climb last night!

all hell is breaking loose

 

 

Don't spoil it haha less then 2 hours to go till it starts!!

 

Also

 

Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador has apologised for the way he took over the lead in the Tour de France from rival Andy Schleck.

 

In Monday's stage, Schleck's chain came off and Contador kept riding, rather than waiting in accordance with race etiquette.

 

In a video posted on YouTube, Contador said: "Maybe I made a mistake.

 

"I'm sorry. I don't like things like what happened today, I'm not like that and I hope the relationship that I have with Andy can go back to being as good as it was before this happened."

 

Contador initially insisted he hadn't seen that Schleck had a problem.

 

The tour continues on Tuesday with the 16th stage.

Watching the applet on the Tour website, can't believe I can't get it yet!!!

its really really good.

 

I wont spoil it, but so far its a spectacular stage.

Yeah they should be on the Tourmalet descent by the time coverage starts so should still be some interesting bits left.

Yay they decided not to bugger around with the recap of yesterday so straight into the action lovely!!