Is this one of the best tours in a while? I am really enjoying the action. Is less doping leveling the playing field?
Tour de France!
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I don't know Vockler has never been very good in the Time trial , but then again , they said he couldn't climb too.
The Schecks aren't very good either. Cadel might have a shot at unseating them all, or Voeckler might give the TT of his life and hold on (similar to what Pantani and Sastre pulled).I don't know Vockler has never been very good in the Time trial , but then again , they said he couldn't climb too.
Voeckler said today he has a "0% chance" of winning the whole thing, but he's not the type to go boasting either. The climbs will only get harder up in the Alps, but I think a lot of people would love to see him win with the other contenders riding with their thumbs up their butts.
Voeckler could be the underdog I am guessing.
I think the Alps are a little less testing on the strong guys that don't have lots of punch. I still think Voeckler has a good shot.
I want to like Voekler, love the way he rides, but his constant look look of pain and suffering seems fake. It takes energy to grimace, probably good for a few watts. Someone really in-deep has their mouth agape and a face sagged like they have nerve damage.
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^That's a pretty good description of voeklerface actually. Plus he pedals like he has to take a dump.
That dude has been pulling away in breakaways on hilly days for years now. But what he hasn't done is hang on like this for days. I'd love to see that little weirdo win but I'm also thinking he may show up with an interesting blood test sometime soon. Hope not though.
It's pretty much official. This race won't be over till next saturday. Two more gnarly mountain stages where something interesting could happen, then a time trial. Say what you want about the tour this year, but having to watch till the very end to see who wins hasn't happened in quite a while it seems.
That dude has been pulling away in breakaways on hilly days for years now. But what he hasn't done is hang on like this for days. I'd love to see that little weirdo win but I'm also thinking he may show up with an interesting blood test sometime soon. Hope not though.
It's pretty much official. This race won't be over till next saturday. Two more gnarly mountain stages where something interesting could happen, then a time trial. Say what you want about the tour this year, but having to watch till the very end to see who wins hasn't happened in quite a while it seems.
Yep, not since well........last year.
Supposedly the ascent up to Lus-Ardiden was 4 minutes slower than when the tour went up there in 2003, certainly seems cleaner. Not sure if it is a result of clean racing or just cowards, but I hate all the defensive riding. Attack Attack Attack! I will miss seeing Vino ride, clean or dirty he had the biggest set of balls in the peloton.
I just decided to embrace his face and have nicknamed him the "French Lizard" since he flaps his tongue all over. I like his tenacity.
What tour were you watching?Yep, not since well........last year.
One mountain stage where fingerbang shot a spitball at a schleck derailleur and then the race was won.
I guess you could say watching armstrong driving around with his left blinker on created some suspense but not really.
We really do not need to hear how you embrace your twisted fetishes.
Voekler will give up the Yellow when his heart explodes......that's what it is going to take.
I still say Contador, but there are rumors he has a broken collarbone....
Do the Schelks still suck at ITT....?.....
I still say Contador, but there are rumors he has a broken collarbone....
Do the Schelks still suck at ITT....?.....
Last year's Tour was won by 39 seconds.
Helluva lot different than when Armstrong was winning by 6 minutes practically every year.
I do find it funny that the Schlecks are now saying they hope Contador can attack because they "know" they can go with him to put time into Evans etc...
An on form, injury free Contador would demolish that field when he attacks the same way he did at the 2009 tour and this years Giro. Contador was off his game in last years Tour and still won. They better hope he does not eat another delicious steak and gets his legs back.
The Schlecks raced too conservatively and wasted good opportunities last week. They had multiple, rare chances to throw the old 1-2 at a seemingly off Contador, and they did not capitalize enough. Maybe they didn't want to bring Cadel or Basso along for the ride, but it would seem better to eliminate Contador and worry about the other guys in the Alps.
I fully expect Contador to have at least one good day this week, and I don't think any of the contenders can stay on his wheel if he kicks like usual. Maybe Cadel can surprise everyone and stay close.
As for Voeckler, that dude is a scrapper for sure, and he definitely makes the most of his opportunities. I figure he has no real chance of holding all the way to Paris, but this has been a weird year so who knows? If Thor can win a mountain stage, anything can happen.
I fully expect Contador to have at least one good day this week, and I don't think any of the contenders can stay on his wheel if he kicks like usual. Maybe Cadel can surprise everyone and stay close.
As for Voeckler, that dude is a scrapper for sure, and he definitely makes the most of his opportunities. I figure he has no real chance of holding all the way to Paris, but this has been a weird year so who knows? If Thor can win a mountain stage, anything can happen.
Once again there have been accusations of Cavendish cheating, avoiding the cut off time by falling back off of the Autobus and getting dragged up hill via car. Can't say whether it is true or not but the guy is an ass and always has **** to say about everyone else so ****'im.
Yah, Tyler seemed pretty upset about Cav yesterday.
ummm......last week we saw the Schleck version of "ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK".....they don't have a demoralizing acceleration...
It's like they were born without an ounce of Red muscle tissue.
Right. I guess what I'm saying is that they should have pushed the pedals harder to make their bikes go faster.
The thing that gets me is that unless there is a headwind, on a steep climb there isn't much of an advantage to drafting, maybe a handfull of watts. If the Schlecks are confident that they are strong they should be able to drop the other riders with tempo, you do not need to sprint away. The attack and slow down strategy will allow lesser climbers to hang on as long as they can put in a few seconds of sprinting. Both Schlecks could work together and just push everyone else past their redlines. They may not drop everyone but they could certainly put time into someone. Of course that would require actually being stronger than the others, which don't think they are.
Voekler may be riding with a lot of heart, but the fact that he and his domestique from what is a pretty weak team finished with the elite climbers. That tells me they were not climbing at an elite level.
The problem this year is that no one has a domestique that can decimate the field riding hard tempo like Landis used to do for Lance. The pace is not high enough when riders like Sanchez and Vanendert can just ride off the front. A half hearted attack from a group of 12 fresh riders just isn't going to do much.
I could see Voeckler winning this thing unless there is a real hard man mountain stage. About the only way I see that happening is if riders team up. Sanchez and Basso could do it. Everyone else would become motivated once one of the big names gets dropped. Evans would suck wheels as is tradition.
I could see Voeckler winning this thing unless there is a real hard man mountain stage. About the only way I see that happening is if riders team up. Sanchez and Basso could do it. Everyone else would become motivated once one of the big names gets dropped. Evans would suck wheels as is tradition.
I'm not sure about the drafting on climbs. Scientifically the advantage is small but it really seems a bit more than a couple of watts.
I've always wondered what would happen if the Schlecks pushed hard break-away style right off the bat in one of the multi-climb stages. That way they could summon their deep O2 advantage. Waiting til the last climb and laying down an attack in not going to work for them. The need to drag the top GC for hours and until they slowly die off....at least give it a try. Show some courage....
The way to run the 1-2 is to have one guy throw multiple attacks and regroup until the main rivals are completely on the rivet, at which point the fresher guy launches into orbit. Run properly it's a beautiful thing. But one guy needs to be willing to sacrifice himself, knowing he'll be too knackered to follow the decisive move. If he IS able to follow, he probably didn't soften the group enough. I think that's what we're seeing.
The Schlecks don't seem to know who their captain is just yet, they seem to be hedging their bets thus far as they wait to see which of the two is better able to go man-to-man. Thing is, Andy lost the straight up man-to-man battle last year and I think they will lose again unless they team up on the finger-banger.
Basically what I'm saying is ATTACK!!
Tyler is a whiny bitch that interviews like a rock. He made my head hurt last year and is on track to making it explode this year. He's fast, but he seems like a self entitled pussy to me.
They are saying the weather is going to be horrendous for a good part of the final week. What is already interesting tour is going to get better.
I think Evans will choke on the Galiber, thus screwing his plans for the ITT.
been missing it all this year since I am not too close to a "cycling friendly" bar or tavern.
sounds like I am missing alot of great crashes though
sounds like I am missing alot of great crashes though
Looks like ole fingerbang got a 20 ounce porterhouse on the rest day.
Let the fun begin.
Evans crushed it too.
Them brothers talk too much $hit for not having really won the big ones.
Let the fun begin.
Evans crushed it too.
Them brothers talk too much $hit for not having really won the big ones.
Danger trio!
Wow what a day. Thor de France strikes again and finally some action in the gc.
Thor is the man. Way to represent in the rainbow jersey. Definitely some spark from Contador, and I expect to see more. Schlecks, hmmm, not so much.
No ITT in the first week makes for exciting racing, it seems.
Dangerous, sometimes, but exciting. Contador and Andy have had their bad days...if Evans can avoid one, it's his race to lose.
Dangerous, sometimes, but exciting. Contador and Andy have had their bad days...if Evans can avoid one, it's his race to lose.
Dang. This just got interesting.
Age and cunning triumphs over youth and enthusiasm.
At least three riders in the top five are inconsistent in the time trail. That may not matter after Thursday though.
Age and cunning triumphs over youth and enthusiasm.
At least three riders in the top five are inconsistent in the time trail. That may not matter after Thursday though.
My TdF fantasy team (yeah, that's right) is absolutely killing it, and that's what's really important here.
Andy Schleck is bitching about the dangerous wet descent? NASCAR fan?
I am sure he will love Thursday's snow stage
Safe to say Andy is done?
Unless he saved an XL blood bag...
Unless he saved an XL blood bag...