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TdF, lets talk about what happened

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
25 riders still in the Peleton after the 2nd HC climb....kind of boring to this point...
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
25 riders still in the Peleton after the 2nd HC climb....kind of boring to this point...
Its about to heat up though. I have to say that I'm really impressed with Andy and Cancellera performances this Tour.....they have been super domestiques
 

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
Its about to heat up though. I have to say that I'm really impressed with Andy and Cancellera performances this Tour.....they have been super domestiques
Well somebodys got to attack soon....hopefully it will be ferocious and exciting. "Super human" days might be fewer and fewer in the future....drugs did provide excitement, probably the only good thing about it....

Not a big Schelck fan.....after the commentators were talking about how poor they descend yesterday (before the final descent)...:disgust1:
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
I can't believe Sastra went at the bottom of the climb.....I guess he realizes that he needs as much time on Cadel as possible. Matt White is telling VV to go with the Schelcks the next time they attack, he thinks Cadel is suffering
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
Impressive ride by Sastre, he was up a little over 2 minutes over Evans....that should give him the lead by 1:30 give or take
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Wow interesting day. Surprised to see Sastre get so much time. CSC really showed some super tactics today, but it's definitely a huge gamble to bank on Sastre. Looks like the TT will decide it.

Hmmm, 1989 should be worried about losing the record for the closest tour.
 

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
Wow interesting day. Surprised to see Sastre get so much time. CSC really showed some super tactics today, but it's definitely a huge gamble to bank on Sastre. Looks like the TT will decide it.

Hmmm, 1989 should be worried about losing the record for the closest tour.
I don't think Schleck, Frank that is, could have gotten away like Sastre did. Schleck would have also needed way more time to hold off Menchov and Evans in the TT. So it might have been a big gamble but pretty much the smartest play they had.

I'm glad to see Vande Velde at least try and attack today.

I just wonder if anyone will try any funny business tomorrow over the last Cat 2 climb....
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
You can look at the climbing rate of a rider and kind of guess whether or not it was at least possible for a non doped person to ride. Castre climbed at a fast but reasonable rate of 1650 meters per hour. To compare Ricco climbed earlier stages at 1800 m/h and Lance previously climbed the Alpe D'Huez at 1750m/h.
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
You can look at the climbing rate of a rider and kind of guess whether or not it was at least possible for a non doped person to ride. Castre climbed at a fast but reasonable rate of 1650 meters per hour. To compare Ricco climbed earlier stages at 1800 m/h and Lance previously climbed the Alpe D'Huez at 1750m/h.
Are you saying Lance is a doper? I don't think the rate at which they climb is a good indicator....some people are very gifted physically and phenominal abilities. I guess I tend to be a glass is half full kinda person
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
Are you saying Lance is a doper? I don't think the rate at which they climb is a good indicator....some people are very gifted physically and phenominal abilities. I guess I tend to be a glass is half full kinda person

Lets just say that since they have been timing climbs Lance is the only person who climbed around 1800 and didn't get busted for the dope.


cough cough and Franky Andreau testified under oath with no motivation to lie that Lance admitted to using EPO cough cough.

Cough cough Blood samples taken from Lance before EPO testing later tested showed EPO use. Other riders who tested positive were later caught red handed cough cough
 

maddog17

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2008
2,815
105
Methuen, Mass. U.S.A.
well if you think Sastre is a doper then maybe tomorrows stage will show if he is or not. he put in a huge effort today so what he does tomorrow may or may not give an idea if he is or not. lets see if he is able to control the front, i don't know how much the Schlecks are gonna help him they did a lot of work today too. but the TT is gonna be a hot stage to watch!!! i hope CVV can make up some time to move up. he could jump to a podium spot if he has a super ride and some in front of him crap out. i have nothing against Sastre or Evans but i think CVV has had a great tour and i think he deserves a podium spot.
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
I'll go for the long shot....Menchov crushes everyone and wins the Tour :p He'll be pounding his guts out and drinking vodka to ease the pain.....is that considered doping? Russians like the vodka
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
You and I both know that Menchov won't miss, thus giving him the energy to win the Tour
 
I'm glad to see Vande Velde at least try and attack today.

I just wonder if anyone will try any funny business tomorrow over the last Cat 2 climb....
Yeah, I too am stoked to see CVV coming into it with a full head of steam. Awesome. Almost can't wait for next year now, ya know, after another year of honing the training with Lim etc. He could be a real danger next year.

Let's hope Robobank tries to do something on that little Cat. 2 hill, just to be exciting. I doubt Silence can do anything at this point, but Robo. has a few cards left at least.
 

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
Enjoyed the stage today (well, text updates). Didn't think Sastre was going to go. I figured they would stick with Schleck and have him go (which he may have tried). Man, CSC is full of talent. Cancellara was driving the pace a long way into the stage.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
F'ing A. Castre looked like he was in his 60's in that post race interview. Good for him though, well ridden.

All those other guys who supposedly attacked this stage need to watch video of Sam Sanchez, that is how to launch an attack. Picking up the pace .0001% doesn't cut it.
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
Here are the records for Alp d'Huez, pretty much everyone on that list has been found guilty of doping...hmmmmmm

1 Marco Pantani 37'35 (1997)
2 Lance Armstrong 37'36 (2004)
3 Marco Pantani 38'00 (1994)
4 Lance Armstrong 38'01 (2001)
5 Marco Pantani 38'04 (1995)
6 Jan Ullrich 38'23 (1997)
7 Floyd Landis 38'34 (2006)
8 Andreas Klöden 38'35 (2006)
9 Jan Ullrich 38'37 (2004)
10 Richard Virenque 39'02 (1997)

<edit> They have Johan Bruyneel as a commentator on Versus....kinda cool
 
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ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
The 2004 effort was the mountain time trial so comparison to road stages is apples to oranges.
How do you figure? If you attack at the base of the climb, then its like a time trial anyway
 

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
How do you figure? If you attack at the base of the climb, then its like a time trial anyway
Ummm...because when you warm up for a TT, you usually don't ride over two or more huge mountains to do it.



edit -- there is also this little note attached:

Note: Armstrong's time over the 13.8 km of climbing (excluding the 1.7 km of flat at the start) was 37'36, one second slower than Marco Pantani's "official" record of 37'35 set in 1997. But Pantani's time was actually 36'55 when measured from the start of the climb (as Armstrong was today). Pantani also rode 36'50 for the climb in 1995, which remains the best performance up l'Alpe d'Huez.
 
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ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
Ummm...because when you warm up for a TT, you usually don't ride over two or more huge mountains to do it.
Why do you have to bring up good points to negate my argument? :) On another note, I saw this morning that Cuenego had a bad crash....not that he was a contender for the podium, but it still sucks for him

 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Yeah I haven't really been super impressed with Cunego over the years but gotta give him props for finishing today. Sounds like some nasty injuries to fight through.

Man, assuming nothing special happens tomorrow the TT is going to be exciting. Evans is the favorite but it will be close and with a 1:34 advantage Sastre might be able to pull it out. I would love to see F. Schleck on the podium too but I don't know much about his TT ability, or Kohl's. Menchov could leapfrog into third if those two don't perform.

I won't be surprised to see Evans catch Menchov out on the course.
 

loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
I have some weird premonition that someone from CSC is going to get popped for the juice. Not sure who, and not sure why, but I can't fathom that they hold out so strong and still remain clean.
 

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
I have some weird premonition that someone from CSC is going to get popped for the juice. Not sure who, and not sure why, but I can't fathom that they hold out so strong and still remain clean.
They're trying.

A car belonging to Johnny Schleck, the father of CSC-Saxo Bank riders Fränk and Andy Schleck, was stopped and searched by French customs officers during Thursday's 196.5-kilometre stage from Bourg d'Oisans to Saint Étienne. Customs chiefs from the region of Isere confirmed two Luxembourg-registered cars were stopped and searched. The second belonged to Luxembourgois journalist René Thill.

A former cycling professional himself, Schleck senior has been at the race working for organisers Amaury Sport Organisation as a driver for VIPs. He, along with his passengers, was stopped 30 kilometres into today's route. It was later confirmed that no doping products or banned substances were found during the search, which took place at Vizille, approximately 20 kilometres south of Grenoble in the Isere region of the Alps.

A longstanding Tour correspondent, Thill was surprised by what had taken place. "I was stopped just before Grenoble by police and customs. They asked if I have any products to declare. I said 'no'. They asked for me to step out of the car and move five metres away. They took everything out of my bags and also looked under the seats."

However it is believed that Schleck's vehicle was taken out of the public's view for a more thorough search.

Bjarne Riis, the CSC-Saxo Bank team manager, was quick to play down the significance of the stop and search. "We heard on the news that he was free to go and that it was nothing. There is no panic and no reason to create one. Let's just stay calm, okay. The police do their job and we do ours."

The team's directeur sportif Scott Sunderland reiterated Riis' sentiments, and went further by suggesting that the search had nothing to do with the team and that it had no bearing on the race. "It was a routine control and I know no more. They looked through the car and what is worse they found nothing in it. He was with VIPs at the time."

When asked whether the episode could have any ramifications on his race, Fränk Schleck was clear headed enough to realise it may have been just a random search. "I don't care too much, it's not going to change anything. It's my dad and he's still my dad, he just works for the Tour. I've yet to talk to him."
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Given their performance as a team so far and the way recent history has created doubt about ANY dominant performance in sports, it's not much of a stretch to wonder if the CSC boys are on some kind of juice. I really really hope not.
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
Given their performance as a team so far and the way recent history has created doubt about ANY dominant performance in sports, it's not much of a stretch to wonder if the CSC boys are on some kind of juice. I really really hope not.
I hope not as well, that would be a devastating blow to cycling. I'm hoping Sastre puts in a superman performance on Saturday to win the Tour....having the jersey always gives that person the mental edge, and extra motivation. Not that I care that much for him, I just like to root for the underdog :)
 

knittingfiend

Monkey
Jun 13, 2008
193
0
A tick north of Seattle
I hope not as well, that would be a devastating blow to cycling. I'm hoping Sastre puts in a superman performance on Saturday to win the Tour....having the jersey always gives that person the mental edge, and extra motivation. Not that I care that much for him, I just like to root for the underdog :)
It would be a death blow, huh? :bonk:

I like to root for the underdog too, but it's not making me cheer for Sastre, I'd cheer for Hincappie before Sastre (if we're going for the long shots.....
poor hincappie.... :banghead:)
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
I don't think anyone on CSC has done anything unbelievable, like Ricco and the SD crowd did. CSC just has amazing depth, 3 hard core climbers and the rest are flat land terrorists. Andy Schleck and Sastre had some bad days and some good ones too. They really took it easy as a team the first week, not going for breakaway wins like in years past. I think they just have depth and an excellent strategy.
 

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
I don't think anyone on CSC has done anything unbelievable, like Ricco and the SD crowd did. CSC just has amazing depth, 3 hard core climbers and the rest are flat land terrorists. Andy Schleck and Sastre had some bad days and some good ones too. They really took it easy as a team the first week, not going for breakaway wins like in years past. I think they just have depth and an excellent strategy.
I certainly hope that's the case.