[Westy]

CSC participates in indepented drug testing and publishes the data at the end of the year. They aren't quite as transparent as Garmin but you have to think they are really trying to keep the team clean. As a side note good article here on Vandevelde, showing actualy results of his and David Millars blood testing.

http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/article/0,6802,s1-7-483-17647-1,00.html

The "Off Score" is a calculation based on hemoglobin and reticulocyte percentage - parameters that move in opposite directions when red blood cell mass is artificially increased ((Hb, (Reticulocyte). The upper limit of the Off Score is 134. Our team average is 94 ? 11, or an average of 30% below the upper limit.

Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells. This parameter will drop to low values when red blood cell mass is artificially increased or when production of new red blood cells decreases. Values below 0.4% and above 1.4% are considered suspicious by the UCI. Our team average is 0.95 ? 0.35.

 

[ire]

It would be a death blow, huh?

Devastating, not death.

...

Thanks for the link, that's interesting stuff.

 

[golgiaparatus]

I predict:

Evans
Menchov
Sastre

 

[MMcG]

Does Frank Schelck suck at Time Trials?

 

[golgiaparatus]

Does Frank Schelck suck at Time Trials?

Suck maybe too strong, but he is a climber first and foremost... Sastre is going to make it into the top 3 only because he has over a minute on everyone. Evans and Menchov can probably gain 2-3 minutes on the field if they have a pretty good TT... if they have a great day... maybe even 4 minutes, who knows.

Then again, maybey they will have a bad day and just suck... or crash. I think they will be 1 and 2 though if nothing goes seriously wrong for them.

 

[ire]

I predict:

Evans
Menchov
Sastre

I'm excited for tomorrows stage, I will be getting up early and watching all of the coverage I'll go with the following order, but only a couple of seconds separating 1st and 2nd. I'm hoping Sastre puts in a great performance, then it will be a nail bitter to the end. The last several years there has been lots of action in the final time trial.....a race till the end. Hell, the 2006 Tour provided excitement will a month ago

Sastre
Evans
Menchov

 

[Westy]

This almost reads like an April 1st article.

http://www.velonews.com/article/80809/american-beef-signs-on-as-co-sponsor-of-scott-squad

 

[Squeak]

This almost reads like an April 1st article.

http://www.velonews.com/article/80809/american-beef-signs-on-as-co-sponsor-of-scott-squad

That is too funny.

American Beef, based in chihuahua Mexico. LOL!

I feel bad for Scott bikes

 

[Westy]

They would have been better off with the Barundi Beef Concil.

 

[OGRipper]

I hope it is close however it goes so we get to see some real racing on Sunday and not just a parade. It would be pretty cool for the jersey to be won on the circuits on the Champs Elysee. And we know who has the strongest team...

 

[James]

They would have been better off with the Barundi Beef Concil.

They spent their $800 budget on a billboard.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28429

 

[Westy]

A race could only happen if Sastra lost it by a few seconds and their were vicious cross winds. No one else has a chance in hell to pull away from a peloton with Voigt and Cancellara driving it. But at the same time it would be very hard as a team to drop another rider.

 

[Westy]

Gusev canned from Astana for unusual blood tests.
http://www.velonews.com/article/80810/astana-sacks-gusev-over--abnormal-values--found-during

So is this justification for ASO for keeping Astana out of the tour this year, Gusev would have likely been on the tour team and possibly failed a test? Or is this proof that Astana is a clean team and they are getting rid of the bad apples?

 

[jaydee]

..... I'll go with the following order, but only a couple of seconds separating 1st and 2nd. I'm hoping Sastre puts in a great performance, then it will be a nail bitter to the end. .....

Sastre
Evans
Menchov

I agree. I think Sastre will put in a great ride. He's not actually a weak TTer like Schleck and Kohl, just not the best in the world.

 

[ire]

Could this be the bike that will take Sastre to Tour glory?

We shall see in the morning!! I'm going to watch every minute! 5:30 am pacific!

 

[Westy]

I'm riding in the AM so I will have to force myself to ignore things until the 8:00 broadcast.

 

[ire]

I'm riding in the AM so I will have to force myself to ignore things until the 8:00 broadcast.

Better stay out of this thread until late tomorrow :biggrin:

 

[ire]

Cadel is leaving the start house.....the fireworks are about to start!!

 

[the F.H.B]

Hmmm... Is Cadel cracking? Doesn't look like a happy camper!

 

[ire]

Hmmm... Is Cadel cracking? Doesn't look like a happy camper!

He looked like he was suffering, and he wasn't making very much time on Sastre....bout 12 seconds at the first time check

 

[thom9719]

lame, I wanted cadel to kill it today.

Kyle,

 

[ire]

Cadel lost the Tour, what a bum When did Sastre learn to time trial? Impressive Tour for CSC. I hope they let Astana in next year and then we can have a race of the champions(spaniards)!

<edit> I'm glad Schumacher got the win.....it was disappointing to see him lose the yellow jersey because of a crash, the win should make up for it!

 

[the F.H.B]

It was a great ride by Sastre but it looked like Cadel was having a bit of a shocker. All things considered I think he's lucky even to be 2nd, Kohl almost kept him out of it.

 

[maddog17]

so is Evans the new Ulrich? to be forever finishing in second? those mtn stages may have taken something out of him, he didn't look like he was riding at his top form. good day for CVV, i wish he could have moved up more in gc, i really thought he ws going to get 3rd this year.

 

[ire]

I hope Zabel wins tomorrow, that would be the perfect ending to an exciting Tour...IMO

 

[jaydee]

I hope Zabel wins tomorrow, that would be the perfect ending to an exciting Tour...IMO

Zabel definitely could win tomorrow. I think the winner gets 35 points, and Freire has 244 to Zabel's 202, so he won't be motivated by fear of losing green, unless Zabel sneaks closer on intermediate sprint points. I'd love to see Erik get this one.

The only surprise today was that Kohl rode so well. I expected Menchov to blow by for third. Also Schumacher was spectacular; all those hours alone on breaks and he still has the jam to beat the world TT champ. Cancellara should be worried; I think Schumacher is the next World TT champ. Now if he can bring his climbing up a notch he might be a serious threat over 3 weeks.

 

[Westy]

Does Frank Schelck suck at Time Trials?

Yes.123

 

[ire]

It doesn't look like CSC was prepared for Sastre to have the yellow jersey.....the only special thing he has is yellow bar tape (and the rest of the team has that as well), where is the yellow bike??