I'm sure every one of the contenders knows the Alp d'Huez is the final gauntlet. I am DVRing it, gonna watch it tonite 
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
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)...
Based on the 'net feeds, looks like so far the Ad'H is living up to expectations 
Damn I should have taken the day off.
Lotta of early attacks...guys are going to drop like bricks soon.
X2 brudda!!
Gonna be close on Saturday!
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.
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....
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
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
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.
He'll be pounding his guts out and drinking vodka to ease the pain.....is that considered doping? Russians like the vodka
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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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The 2004 effort was the mountain time trial so comparison to road stages is apples to oranges.
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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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
That was a tough guy move finishing today. Talk about honoring the Tour.
Cuenego had to pull out with face and chest injuries.
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.
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.
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.
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
It would be a death blow, huh?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
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....
)
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.