When a spectator causes a crash like that, I'm always surprised that he doesn't get mobbed by the crowd.
idiots.
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idiots.
My thoughts exactly.
The winner of this tour will be the guy that can follow Contador when he tried to get that time back in the mountains.
Its going to come down to Andy following Berto's wheel. I really hope Horner can cover the attacks and get himself a podium. I know he'll be in there, he always is.
Enough of the hate for Contador they are all doing what is best for themselves and that is what I expect them to do. Its not called PRO cycling for nothing. Don't give me this he should have waited for Andy because pour little Andy do not know how to change gears on his bike. I want to see them fight it out with some blood, sweat and tears.
On my shortlist of things he has done or said that makes everyones distain for him justifiable:
(1) The fingerbang, complete with fingerbang logo and merch.
(2) His comments when Levi got close to taking his first tour from him in the TT. i.e. He was pissed that his teammate was allowed to be competitive with him.
(3) Whining when he got split from the group (which was his own fault) which resulted in lance gaining some time on him... and then...
(4) The fact that he takes advantage of his opponents misfortunes. i.e. the chaindrop incident. And then denies it... and then admits it a year later.
IMO he's a a very talented rider that has very little class.
I do not see why that is so special for him tons of self promotion, whining, fighting for top spot, whining and taking advantage of misfortunes in the PRO tour.
On a related note I think sprinters are the honey badgers of cycling!
On a related note I think sprinters are the honey badgers of cycling!
I've been following cycling for a long time, but I wouldn't consider myself a "hater" otherwise I'd have hated, Pantani, Ullrich, Armstrong, Basso, Etc. But I've only disliked 2 cyclists that I can remember and they have both been huge douchebags. Contador is one, Ricco is the other.
Agreed that a chain drop is not the same as a crash and that in any case the whole "Honor Code of the Great Champions" is a flexible thing people seem to cite only when it's convenient. And I think we all want to see a fair fight, with the best man getting the spoils.
But despite all that, and if even if he is a pretty special talent, Contador still comes across as a total douche. It would be easy to root against him if he didn't always win.
Agree he got some good douchebaggery going on but rather a show like that then the Schleck brothers who makes me fall asleep 
I like the way Contador rides. Few things are more boring than the Levi's in the bunch who always take a 'lets see how this plays out' approach.
Once again, Thor ****ing rules. There is no reasonable explanation of why he should have finished with the lead pack other than he willed himself there.
Once again, Thor ****ing rules. There is no reasonable explanation of why he should have finished with the lead pack other than he willed himself there.
Contador rides on emotion. Lance was always very calculated, which got to be pretty boring.
Thor does rule. I always like watching him ride. He is the craftiest sprinter in the peleton.
Why can't we hate a particular rider? We hate other baseball/football/hockey teams, we hate certain players on other teams who we deem to be either dirty or cocky or unsportsmanlike (until they join your team), etc. We hate rivals, we hate favorites, we hate.... lots of other people.
There aren't many cyclists that I hate, but Contador's a dick, plain and simple.
There aren't many cyclists that I hate, but Contador's a dick, plain and simple.
Travis its a misguided hate that is all
Thor is bad ass. From Big Ring Riding:
THOR IN AN @ITVCYCLING INTERVIEW:
“I REALLY HAD TO FIGHT AND I WENT SO SO DEEP TO STAY WITH THE CLIMBERS UP THERE, BUT I’M REALLY HAPPY I MANAGED TO BE THERE AND KEEP THE YELLOW JERSEY.
“THERE WAS A MOMENT ON THE STEEPEST PART JUST BEFORE IT GOT FLAT THAT I STARTED TO LOSE A FEW METRES BUT I JUST DID IT MY RHYTHM, HIT ‘EM BIG RING, AND SPRINTED UP AND CLOSED THE GAP.
“THAT WAS THE BIGGEST EFFORT OF THE DAY AND I HAD NO CHANCE TO PASS AND DO THE SPRINT.”
Thor is bad ass. From Big Ring Riding:
THOR IN AN @ITVCYCLING INTERVIEW:
“I REALLY HAD TO FIGHT AND I WENT SO SO DEEP TO STAY WITH THE CLIMBERS UP THERE, BUT I’M REALLY HAPPY I MANAGED TO BE THERE AND KEEP THE YELLOW JERSEY.
“THERE WAS A MOMENT ON THE STEEPEST PART JUST BEFORE IT GOT FLAT THAT I STARTED TO LOSE A FEW METRES BUT I JUST DID IT MY RHYTHM, HIT ‘EM BIG RING, AND SPRINTED UP AND CLOSED THE GAP.
“THAT WAS THE BIGGEST EFFORT OF THE DAY AND I HAD NO CHANCE TO PASS AND DO THE SPRINT.”
Thor's is the god of thunder! I am enjoying watching his success this year!
I'm surprised no one is talking about Vino or Frank.
Thor = the awesome!
Thor = the awesome!
Cuz they haven't done anything of note yet. Vino will probably go for one of the more mellow climbing stages I'm sure... likely in one of his from a distance, vino style suicide missions.
haha!
Contador is such a dork.
Contador is such a dork.
Would have been funnier if he had done his lame fingerbang.
........and then cadel riding over and sticking his foot in his spokes, mid FB. He's australian so I know he has it in him.
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Huh. Guess we disagree. I don't get a lot of emotion out of the finger-banger - except when he's complaining about doping charges - and I felt that Lance was always ratcheting up the excitement and competition. And as for calculated, I think the two are pretty similar in their approach - follow the wheels, do a few explosive climbs to gain time, and protect/gain time in the time trials. Regardless, it's always interesting to see if these guys deliver when they are so heavily marked in the race and in the world spotlight.
Totally agree about Thor though. True or not he comes across as a total class act.
I think it's going to be an underdog that takes it this year.
So many mountain stages this year. Cadel can climb but he cant follow attacks on the steep. I bet he loses 2 minutes in the pyrenees and at least 2 minutes in the alps to the pure climbers/contenders.That would be awesome. See someone like VDB, Gessink, Vino take it
Edit... not that I don't want him to do it. I like Cadel, but this tour is just not suited to him IMO. Right now it's Schlecks tour to lose.
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Anything can happen. Contador could crash out and Andy is such a poor timetrialist...
Lets hope so I am ready to watch some Tdf when I land in Denmark on Thursday next week.
1 short TT vs... 7 mtn stages (4 are mountaintop finishes).
Any climber that's ahead of Contador just needs to suck wheel and hang on when he attacks... Only 2 people have been able to do that in the past, Rasmussen and Schleck. Like I said, with his current advantage, this is Andy's tour to lose.
Being a fanboy has no logic. If you want emotional riders, why not Cadel Evans?
I like Cancellara, who is going for the TT wins, but when I see him leading out during a sprint stage, I get a chill to see him put down the hammer.
I don't think Cadel he has the grit to last three weeks at the top and win the tour. And the emotions I like to see are fierce competitive spirit coupled with class and respect for your competitors and the race itself. Not crying like a baby win or lose.
But yeah, Spartacus is the man.
I dig the way Voight, Thor, Horner and Cancellara ride. As far as Voight Thor and Cancellara are concerned, I think they are fairly unique in cycling. Almost all top notch cyclists would be completely useless in any other sport, too short or scrawny. Those guys are world class athletes that probably could have been top notch in any sport. Most folks on their level choose to enter the more popular/profitable sports so their ilk is rare. You will never see an American "big man" in cycling.
Best part of this years Tour? I haven't heard the L-word once.
I want a rider that rides on emotion, not one that cries at the finish line
The salaries I hear for the top riders are pretty damn good or?
Yes, good to finally have a tour with out the L-word. I think he did amazing things but his time is over. Cycling needs to focus on the current stars.
Contador cruised through the Giro.
Schleck and Evans gonna get tossed out the back hard when the air gets thin and Alberto bothers to accelerate....
Schleck and Evans gonna get tossed out the back hard when the air gets thin and Alberto bothers to accelerate....
Wiggins out. Horner in the ditch.
Poor Leipheimer
Seem like RS getting alot of flats.
Wonder what going on.....tires, mechanic, rims......?
Ok, I do not follow any sports besides bikes so what do I know. I want to make a couple of millions and ride my bike though.
I remember that... he was doing that because he had no skin left where the dude kept touching him.
Wow, just read the recap. Johan's team has not been great with regard to wrecks ever since they became Radio Shack. Sucks that Leopard got on the front and hammered as soon as they heard that Levi and Horner were down.