TdF Countdown
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This is the first year I haven't really followed it b/c Astana isn't in it. I'm serious- i liked the original Astana team and I liked the disco team that has now become astana- so either way my passion for the riders is lacking.
Is Zabriskie going to be in it this year?? Didn't he crash in the Giro or something?? I do enjoy watching him ride and his velonew updates.
I also like the world time trial specialist that won a few stages last year, what's his name??
Is Zabriskie going to be in it this year?? Didn't he crash in the Giro or something?? I do enjoy watching him ride and his velonew updates.
I also like the world time trial specialist that won a few stages last year, what's his name??
Thor isn't going to do the green.
I'm guessing it's gonna be some new young gun.
Though I would KILL to see Zabel take one more...
I'm guessing it's gonna be some new young gun.
Though I would KILL to see Zabel take one more...
That would be awesome! Wouldn't that make it 7 green jerseys? Doesn't Barloworld have a sprinter that took some stages last year?
Look like this might be the last Tour for Zabel
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jun08/jun26news
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jun08/jun26news
Not that excited right now. Maybe once it starts.
So when do they start announcing the positive tests or the latest evidence from Puerto?
I'm just pissed Zabriske isn't going to be there. Who will give the headscratchingly odd interviews?
I'm just pissed Zabriske isn't going to be there. Who will give the headscratchingly odd interviews?
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They have a new system for doping controls....instead of actually testing they randomly select one individual from the peleton, claim he is positive, and then eject him. It should make for an exciting event
Seven, but I think they took one away technically, when he said he tried EPO in the 90s.
Robbie Hunter for Barloworld, but they're gonna be focused on Soler and his polka-dot (*maybe* yellow) jersey.
I would have said Bennati for the green, but it looks like he won't be starting.
Steegmans is pretty strong, and with Coca-Tom out he'll be able to go run and play...
I'm going to miss the whole last week of it while I'm on a mountain bike vacation! I hope my DVR can hold all of it.
This is Cadel's year!
Will you have web access? I'm sure you can find someplace streaming vid
Have two girls on your mind?
Yeah, thanks. Fabian is power monster and seems to be a pretty cool guy. I love watching him ride and interview.
Sam Hill FTW!!
I guess it'll be a toss up between Valverde and Evans. Both should be right up there for the overall, but I'm not sure if either has the ability to handle the pressure and lead a team all the way to the top spot in Paris.
Sadly I feel the same way. The whole Astana thing is a big part of it - the biggest race will not be contested by all of the top riders, so it's kind of an asterisk race and a lot less interesting to me.
I guess it'll be a toss up between Valverde and Evans. Both should be right up there for the overall, but I'm not sure if either has the ability to handle the pressure and lead a team all the way to the top spot in Paris.
you to can get streaming, steaming video
When I was on my ride today I was thinking about the Tour and if Astana is allowed to race next year (and I hope they are) it will be a great Tour! We would have the returning champion and former champion competing. After Armstrong won his 6th Tour I was hoping he would do the Tour of Italy and skip Le Tour for one year so there would be this type of showdown.....damn him for not thinking of me 
That penultimate monster 55 km TT looms large for Cadel. If he's within striking distance of the yellow, he'll detonate the field. Valverde seems like the most likely competition but he's never come thru in such a high-pressure, big stakes event. Menchov and Sastre can't time trial well enough to be on the top step of the podium imo. If Evans is to the be the winner, I hope at the least we see one attack out of him during the next 3 weeks. I'd hate to see him simply bide his time in a calculated way in the hills and then use his TT ability to eek out a victory a day before Paris. I'd much rather see someone from the new guard step up (Andy Schleck?). Either that or someone with balls like Damian Cunego to inject some interest into the race. There's a lot of guys who are due to come up big (finally) in this race. It will be interesting to see if Mark Cavendish can perform up to his Giro standards. He seems to have all the objectionable personality qualities you'd want in a sprinter! Enjoy the race everyone.
I don't know why VS has seen fit to NOT use Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin to call the stage, instead relying Bob Roll (who can't see to talk without one of 3 hand gestures) or Al Trautwig (who is just horrible). It's telling that they cut to Phil/Paul for the last hour. I mean, they're announcing for the rest of the English-speaking world, why stick those other two talking heads on the screen?
Hopefully like last year the live coverage in the early AM will be Phil and Paul, with the "extended coverage" Bob/Al later. That way I can just Tivo the good version.
Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent...
They use Bobke/Al for us dumb Americans...I'm with you and prefer Ligget/Sherwin; those guys always know the riders and what is going on.....plus it sounds more professional when Ligget talks, I think it's his British accentI don't know why VS has seen fit to NOT use Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin to call the stage, instead relying Bob Roll (who can't see to talk without one of 3 hand gestures) or Al Trautwig (who is just horrible). It's telling that they cut to Phil/Paul for the last hour. I mean, they're announcing for the rest of the English-speaking world, why stick those other two talking heads on the screen?
Hopefully like last year the live coverage in the early AM will be Phil and Paul, with the "extended coverage" Bob/Al later. That way I can just Tivo the good version.
Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent...
Um are you serious? I prefer Ligget and Sherwin but what you are saying isn't even true about trautwig, let alone Roll. I'm not a Trautwig fan either but he calls a fair amount of races. And to say that Roll is "pretending" to know about the sport is just looney.
Here is Roll finding a creative line in Paris Roubaix (sometime in the 80's I think):
Um are you serious? I prefer Ligget and Sherwin but what you are saying isn't even true about trautwig, let alone Roll. I'm not a Trautwig fan either but he calls a fair amount of races. And to say that Roll is "pretending" to know about the sport is just looney.
Here is Roll finding a creative line in Paris Roubaix (sometime in the 80's I think):
Paul and Phil announce year round so when unknown French rider from a domestic team launches an attack they can talk about the tactics he has used in the past during his U-23 career. Bobke just makes fun of his haircut, which is great. Bobke certainly knows cycling but probably not all the details of the riders that P&P do. I actually enjoy listening to Roll but I could do without Troutwhig. He was completely clueless the first few years and to this day probably spends more time talking about Lance than the race at hand.
T'aint no prologue this year. Stage 1= stage 1.
That's because they're afraid of Fabian!
Its been a long time since they haven't had a prologue......I guess I need to check the course profiles
Here is an anlysis of the top contenders by velonews
http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/79162/these-eight-favorites-will-battle-for-victory-in-the-2008
They say Soler has been working on his time trialing so he may be a contender for more than the KOM this year. I hope the Tour is competitive in every stage, not just Evans holding on in the hills and then bleeding everyone in the TT.
http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/79162/these-eight-favorites-will-battle-for-victory-in-the-2008
They say Soler has been working on his time trialing so he may be a contender for more than the KOM this year. I hope the Tour is competitive in every stage, not just Evans holding on in the hills and then bleeding everyone in the TT.