"no gifts"

Westy · Jul 23, 2004

I think Lance wants to hurry up and get to Paris.

psycle-on · Jul 23, 2004

14:09 LANCE ARMSTRONG IS TOYING WITH THIS RACE. He knows he's unbeatable and he's proving it. Yesterday, the yellow jersey said: "This year I feel amazing on the bike, I feel strong, I'm recovering well... And hey, this is the Tour de France... And as I was stepping on the podium and talking to Bernard Hinault, he said "Pas de cadeau, pas de cadeau" - "no gifts" - And I don't know why, but I really feel like that this year."

14:07 LASTEST GAP: 1 min 30 sec...

126 km AND THE LEAD 8 ARE: Lance Armstrong (US Postal), Filippo Simeoni (Domina Vacanze), Juan Antonio Flecha (Fassa Bortolo), Sébastien Joly (Crédit Agricole), José V. Garcia Acosta (Illes Balears), Dmitri Fofonov (Cofidis), Juan Miguel Mercado (Quick Step) and Marc Lotz (Rabobank).

129 km After a quick chase, the yellow jersey and Filippo Simeoni have made contact with the break. Eight men 1 min off the front...

135 km THIS IS NOT A JOKE: LANCE ARMSTRONG ATTACKS! The yellow jersey has jumped from the pack in the company of Filippo Simeoni, trying to bridge up to the break on the Cat-4 grades of the Cote de Collonges. Un-freakin-believable...

Westy · Jul 23, 2004

TDF Politics:

2:08 p.m. - Our six leaders are 2:00 ahead of the peloton at the 50km mark.

You may have guessed by now that the Armstrong chase of Simeoni had nothing to do with a GC threwat from a man mired in 114th at 02:42:50 off of the lead. Simeoni had earlier testified in the ongoing case against Micheli Ferrari, saying that the Italian doctor taught him to use EPO and to cover up its use. Armstrong, a long-time client of Ferrari, called Simeoni a liar and the Italian has since threatened to sue. This was purely personal.

llkoolkeg · Jul 23, 2004

I wonder if they exchanged any words...

Wumpus · Jul 23, 2004

Too funny (from cyclingnews; much more entertaining)

14:00 CEST 45km/121.5km to go
Finally, T-Mobile mosey on up to the front of the peloton to see what's happening, and have pegged the gap at 1'50. "Lance is up the road? No-one told us!"

14:06 CEST 49km/117.5km to go
Armstrong and Simeoni are still at odds off the back of the break. Armstrong chased down Simeoni when he went after them. Simeoni is suing Armstrong for slander after Lance called Simeoni a liar, so the pair are not best buddies. And Lance is now behaving like a real patron, taking charge of the situation personally. Maybe he was talking to Hinault over a bottle of wine last night.

14:17 CEST
A CN reader has suggested that Armstrong and Simeoni might have been using the time in front to discuss an out of court settlement to their differences.

14:34 CEST 66.5km/100km to go
A recap: The leading six (Flecha, Joly, Garcia Acosta, Fofonov, Mercado and Lotz) escaped at the 9 km mark. Phonak kept the peloton at 30-40 seconds until the first climb at 34 km. Filippo Simeoni tried to bridge across to them, but an annoyed Lance Armstrong got on Simeoni's wheel and although the pair made it across to the break a few km later and started working, increasing the lead out to 1'50, Simeoni and Lance dropped off the back and went back to the peloton.

In normal circumstances this wouldn't happen - both are good enough to stay with this sort of break. But the off the bike issues that Simeoni and Lance have (Simeoni is suing Lance because Lance called him a liar after Simeoni testified against Dr Ferrari in a trial in Italy) caused the pair to drop back after they kept arguing.
14:37 CEST 67km/99.5km to go
Armstrong is now sitting comfortably in the peloton, looking a little fiery, behind his Blue Train®. The leaders have 5'39 as they climb the Col de la Faucille, the highest remaining climb in this year's Tour.

14:42 CEST 69km/97.5km to go
Jan Ullrich is now chatting to Armstrong, asking him what the hell was going on earlier. Armstrong explains.

14:55 CEST
There have been many emails about the Armstrong/Simeoni dynamic. Consider this: Armstrong clearly didn't want Simeoni in the break or to win the stage, hence he chased him down. If Armstrong had stayed in the break, he could have sat on all day and just watched Simeoni. Simeoni's chances of winning would have been remote because Armstrong was marking him so closely. Hence there was no alternative but for them both to drop back to the bunch.

Armstrong has never considered himself a "patron" of the peloton, but today he has really shown that he is. No-one gets away without his team's permission.15:09 CEST
We've been informed that Blue Train® is a trademark in South Africa.

<Foghorn Leghorn>
>
I say boy, it's a joke
>
</Foghorn Leghorn>

15:24 CEST 90km/76.5km to go
An update on Simeoni's lawsuit. His lawyer said that he is demanding a "symbolic sum of 100,000" from Lance Armstrong, after Armstrong said in a Le Monde interview that Simeoni was telling lies.

Simeoni told Cyclingnews at the start of the Tour: "Remember that I denounced him for this defamation when he declared publicly to newspapers that I was a liar, when I simply testified as an honest citizen in front of a judge, telling my personal experience. (Armstrong) publicly insulted me and took advantage of his media power. That really bothered me and so I'm seeking legal recourse for this."

15:27 CEST 93km/73.5km to go
According to the unofficial word in the press room, when Armstrong reached the break earlier with Simeoni, he allegedly said to the others in the break, "If you ride with Simeoni in this breakaway, I'll put my team on the front to chase you down." There will no doubt be more to come in this story today.

The peloton comes across the Cote de Lajoute at 6'58 behind the break, led by the blue boys.

15:55 CEST 115km/51.5km to go
Another reader has suggested that Lance may have been attempting to persuade Simeoni to purchase a Livestrong wristband for the LA Foundation. Hmm...

Echo · Jul 23, 2004

Damn, Lance layin' down the LAW.

stosh · Jul 23, 2004

Westy said:
TDF Politics:

2:08 p.m. - Our six leaders are 2:00 ahead of the peloton at the 50km mark.

You may have guessed by now that the Armstrong chase of Simeoni had nothing to do with a GC threwat from a man mired in 114th at 02:42:50 off of the lead. Simeoni had earlier testified in the ongoing case against Micheli Ferrari, saying that the Italian doctor taught him to use EPO and to cover up its use. Armstrong, a long-time client of Ferrari, called Simeoni a liar and the Italian has since threatened to sue. This was purely personal.

I was waiting for that yesterday.

Glad he did something!!

Echo · Jul 23, 2004

Said Postal director Johan Bruyneel, "Nobody was expecting it, and it wasn't planned, either."

Spaniard Vicente Garcia-Acosta (Illes Baleares) spoke to Armstrong, asking him to do the breakaway a favor and leave them to fight for the stage victory. Armstrong accepted, but only if Simeoni left the break as well. The break then asked Simeoni to leave, according to Sebastien Joly (Crédit Agricole).

"When he let go, Lance had the kindness to do the same thing," Joly said.

dickiesbike1 · Jul 23, 2004

"If you ride with Simeoni in this breakaway, I'll put my team on the front to chase you down."

OOOO snap!

stosh · Jul 23, 2004

Hey quick TDF question.

Has anybody ever gotten sick from the peoples water?

El Jefe · Jul 23, 2004

stosh said:
Hey quick TDF question.

Has anybody ever gotten sick from the peoples water?

I don't usually see them drinking the water given to them by spectators. They usually just dump it on their heads.

The Toninator · Jul 23, 2004

stosh said:
Hey quick TDF question.

Has anybody ever gotten sick from the peoples water?

in years past yes. you more than likely will never see a tour rider drinking from a spectator. sometimes they will drink it if it's sealed.

RideND · Jul 23, 2004

The Toninator said:
in years past yes. you more than likely will never see a tour rider drinking from a spectator. sometimes they will drink it if it's sealed.

Nice avatar.

stosh · Jul 23, 2004

The Toninator said:
in years past yes. you more than likely will never see a tour rider drinking from a spectator. sometimes they will drink it if it's sealed.

I saw them drinking it yesterday!!!!

Wumpus · Jul 23, 2004

stosh said:
I saw them drinking it yesterday!!!!

Yeah, I have seen quite a few drinking it, and they weren't sealed when they got it.

stosh · Jul 23, 2004

Wumpus said:
Yeah, I have seen quite a few drinking it, and they weren't sealed when they got it.

I think the fans are funny. They make me laugh!

binary visions · Jul 23, 2004

Wumpus said:
Yeah, I have seen quite a few drinking it, and they weren't sealed when they got it.

So when we see Lance suddenly swerve right and take off across a field screaming about the vultures chasing him... We'll know there was something special in the water.

"How long do I have?"

"Maybe thirty more minutes. As your attorney, I advise you to drive at top speed. It'll be a goddamn miracle if we can get there before you turn into a wild animal. Are you ready for that? Checking into a Vegas hotel under a phony name with intent to commit capital fraud and a head full of acid."

SkaredShtles · Jul 23, 2004

binary visions said:
So when we see Lance suddenly swerve right and take off across a field screaming about the vultures chasing him... We'll know there was something special in the water.

"How long do I have?"

"Maybe thirty more minutes. As your attorney, I advise you to drive at top speed. It'll be a goddamn miracle if we can get there before you turn into a wild animal. Are you ready for that? Checking into a Vegas hotel under a phony name with intent to commit capital fraud and a head full of acid."

Hmmmmmmmmm...... :think:

Sounds like something from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. (the book, not the movie - although maybe it's in the movie. I dunno, since I haven't seen it...... am I rambling??)

-S.S.-

binary visions · Jul 23, 2004

SkaredShtles said:
Sounds like something from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Ding ding ding.. Give the man a stuffed bear.

N8 v2.0 · Jul 23, 2004

Hahaha!

Best TdF thread yet...

golgiaparatus · Jul 23, 2004

binary visions said:
"Maybe thirty more minutes. As your attorney, I advise you to drive at top speed. It'll be a goddamn miracle if we can get there before you turn into a wild animal. Are you ready for that? Checking into a Vegas hotel under a phony name with intent to commit capital fraud and a head full of acid."

Bwahahah!!!! That scene at the front sesk never fails to crack me up big itme. Ive been in similar situations too many times.

Clerk: Why do you keep making those faced Mr. B?
Me: What faces (sweating profusely)?

binary visions · Jul 23, 2004

golgiaparatus said:
Bwahahah!!!! That scene at the front sesk never fails to crack me up big itme. Ive been in similar situations too many times.

Clerk: Why do you keep making those faced Mr. B?
Me: What faces (sweating profusely)?

One of my favorite lines in that movie, because it's so bizarre:

"Step right up! Shoot the pasties off the nipples of this 10-foot bull-dyke and win a cotton candy goat!"

downhillzeypher · Jul 23, 2004

soo uhh what's a peloton?

"no gifts"

Chocolate Milk Doug

Chocolate Milk Doug

the teste

:)

the teste

Ranger LL

makes avatars better

crooked smile

Darth Bailer

crooked smile

Monkey

Darth Bailer

Dr. Phil Jefe

Muffin

Monkey

Darth Bailer

makes avatars better

Darth Bailer

The voice of reason

Michael Bolton

The voice of reason

Not the sharpest tool in the shed

Out of my element

The voice of reason

Monkey