Le Tour de France

Well, 4 people have dropped out of the race today. 3 of them for T-Mobile. Rogers, the guy who crashed, who was the team leader of T-Mobile, seems to have hurt his arm/wrist pretty badly and was forced to abandon as he dropped out of the lead group all the way out the back of the Peloton.

Team CSC isnt having a good day either, with Stuart O'Grady going to the hospital after a crash and another member of their team just crashed on the descent too. He will be on his own all the way to the finish.

Rasmussen and his two followers (including Arroyo - the guy who flipped over the barrier - have built a 5 Min lead starting at the bottom of the final climb of the day. If he can put distance between the two following him, which he might, on the climb then he could very well end up with the yellow jersey going into tomorrows rest day.

All the big names still arent doing anything. Its rather confusing. Though team Astana - with Kloden and Vinokorov (the two who crashed) are now riding at the front with 3 DISCO riders close behind. Perhaps they're getting ready to go?

Back to the TV for me.

 

sadly other personal matters have kept me away from the tour this year. I doubt seriously that Rasmussen will hold onto yellow after the mtn stages, there are some serious sprinters still on the rise, but like you said Muss several have fallen and our out of the TdF. It's really anyones game this year, as it gets warmer that will take it's toll and then the Pyrenees which will separate the men from the boyz big time. I'd like to see some complete unknown come up mid way and really lay the hammer on and pull the thing off - a new hero so to speak instead of anyone well known

Even with Linus's big thrill yesterday now his Team has been crapped on with injuries the leader Rogers as you mentioned is gone which now will weaken the German based team in a huge way.............do they still have a chance for the big one ? doubtful but maybe a stage win

 

During the race the announcement was corrected: only two T-Mobile riders dropped out, not three. In the chaos of the climb its hard for anyone to figure out who is who and where they are.

O'Grady turns out to have injured himself pretty badly. 5 Broken Ribs, 3 Fractured Vertabrae! Pretty serious fall! The T-Mobile Rider- Rogers -has reportedly hurt his shoulder which is why he dropped out.

But yes, that whats they've been saying about Rasmussen. Theres some 100KM of Time Trialing left to do, and Levi and the others tend to excel at that. Good ride today by Contador - George Hincapie seemed to be doing fine but lost it on the last climb.

The rest day will be much needed tomorrow, then back to the Alps. I think most of the big name riders are waiting for the Pyrennes...none of them seemed eager to attack today. Ashame, really, because if some one had taken charge, then team Astana with its two injured would be in serious shape. As it is, Vino is still in things and is only getting better.

 

as you said it is going to be interesting in the Pyrennes as they are overall much steeper climbs. As to big names who are they, so many of them have been brought into the doping category and out on a permanent basis

there is hidden talent within and maybe we will see it as they get closer to Spain

 

Nah, i dont think so. They know how the majority of the riders are going to ride. Teams are designed around a specific rider. The younger riders, the contestants for the White Jersey, are really too inexperianced to pose a threat and find the Tour a little overwhelming. T-Mobile is really the only team where anyone could win now that their leader is out. It will be interesting to see how they ride there rest of the race.

Kloden, Vinokorov, Levi, Valverde, Moreau, Voeckler, Menchov and Mayo are probably going to be the top contenders. They possess the time trialing skills and mountain climbing skills needed to win the tour. Levi, for instance, prefers the Pyrennes over the Alps!

The Green Jersey is most likely going to be Boonens now that McEwen was time-cut....Thor hasnt seemed to be in form this year despite the one stage win.

 

I think as of today, Levi Leipheimer? and (SP?) is in 13th?

BTW, what was the name of that Russian that has a bad case of the strawberries on his right hip region? Is this guy still in? I have not had much time to follow the race like I wanted.

 

I hope he doesnt hear you call him a Russian! He is from Khazikistan, which is the main sponsor of the Astana Team (main sponsor = Khazikistan Railway). Vinokorov went to his Government to get them to set up a team for him. Khazikistanis seem to be good cyclists! A couple of them int he Tour. He is doing ok - each day he is getting better. His team-mate, Kloden, broke his tailbone too but is still racing.

 

OK, he's an ex-Soviet ;-D There are now too many places out there that have "istan" as part of their names -- getting a tad bit confusing.

Glad to hear they are coming along fine though.

 

Not good news for everyone else! Vinokorov is the pre-race favorite to win! He has a habit of attacking when everyone else doesnt expect it, and he does it aggressively! No one took advantage of the day he crashed or the following day - if some one had, Vinokorov would have been buried and would no longer be a contender. Alas, such is post-Armstrong life in le Tour. Never before have so many race days been so unorganized towards the finish line (and i'm talking about the Sprints) no one knows what to do!

 

I see what you mean. I noticed that as well in both stage 9 and 10. I could not believe that Levi did not really make a move in either of the last two stages-unless climbing is not his specialty? Anyway, he was in 13th position and is now in 7th-which is something.

 

Today saw some great action.

Discovery got two riders in a breakaway. On the final climb of the day, a Colombian destroyed the lead group, causing one Disco to drop back, the other to follow. Levi was in the next group with all the favorites and another Disco rider (Contador) who all the Spanish people think will win.

Contador is in his first TdF. Amazing climber, only one able to accelerate on a climb like he can. He is lucky to be alive. A crash during a race put him in a coma and he now has a metal plate in his head. Back to the race.

A group of 13 began to chase the Colombian, all the race favorites, on the climb. This destroyed the Peloton. Vinokorouv also got dropped. As they rode, Contador attacked and broke away from the pack. He caught the other Disco rider dropped by the Colombian at the top of the climb and they began to descend together. Levi didnt have to do any work in the Leaders Group.

Contador and the other Disco rider got caught about 5KM from the finish (all downhill except the last KM to the line). The group of 13 turned into a group of 15. They crossed the line within 20 secs of eachother, 30+ behind the Colombian. Vinokorouv finished 3mins 30secs later. Kloden, his teammate, finished with the Leaders group so might now be the focus of Astana.

 

I agree, it was a pretty good race today. I was glad to see someone from a team who never made it in the race before-actually win.

 

Levi got screwed if you watch todays move on VS. Levi tried several times even with hard waving to get the group he was in to pace-line, had they done so and put their ego's behind them Levi and the group would of pounced much more visciously. If you have ever ridden in one with intervals at 30secs at a time you can cover alot of ground even hills and pull further riders in and also creaming their pants in doing so. the first place finisher was impressive..............good for him. the Astana team needs to dump their fav and let Kloden the German blast off unrestricted......

well my two centos

 

Haven't seen todays race yet, but will do so before I go to sleep. I noticed that Levi was doing the: "Slow Shuffle To Buffalo" yesterday as well. What the hells gotten into him? Yesterday they could have given that Columbian more of a run for his money.

Gotta sign off for now--being bumped off the computer.

 

Well that was only because Cadel Evans let a gap get created between one half of the group and the other. Those stuck behind Cadel Evans didnt want to catch up because it would mean using energy in a sprint and maybe some one would attack. But they did catch up when the lead group caught the two disco riders. They didnt care about the Colombian. He isnt going to win the Tour or anything - they only keep an eye on the 10 or so who can win the tour.

Kloden, Evans, and Levi are the best at TT out of the bunch. Rasmussen and two others really suck, while the other three are about average.

Todays race was hot and relatively flat. Small group of 10 went out and a Frenchie finally won a stage, but no change in top-20 standings and no crashes. TT this weekend should be interesting!

 

I noticed that Evans did that as well. But I still noticed especially the last two days, a lack of riders trying to work with each other instead of doing what they did.

 

Looks like Rassmussen is just another chemical guy, like Landis, Armstrong, Pantani, Riss, Indurain, Ulrich and many more before them

There are plenty interesting cylcing competitions all over the world, with real sportsmen, you guys should not waste your time with Tour de france, Vuelta or Giro : doping and chreaters all the way !

 

Get your facts straight first. He hasnt tested positive for anything. If he had, then why bring it up now, well over a month after he supposedly did? Its just another case of people trying to point a finger at the TdF. Sure, he didnt tell them where he was or submit for testing because of it, but that doesnt mean anything. Only one rider in the Tour has tested positive and he had already dropped out.

Everyone in the Tour are real sportsmen. I'd love to see you last a day in a saddle doing what they're doing. No other sport challenges an athlete like the Tour does. Unclassified climbs, 100+ stages, fast speeds, dangerous crashes, no protection. Doping or not, its amazing what they can do.

I love watching the sprinters suffer on the climbs while climbers seem unfazed (for the most part). And i like how the GC has to be good at just about everything to have a chance at winning - hopefully avoiding crashes too.

 

Don't know where you get your info from but, Armstrong won fair and square. Landis still has never been proven to have taken that drug. I think its a case of certain people being poor losers-so they try to piss on the Americans because they won France's own race. AS for Rasmussen, I have not heard that he has done anything suspicious. Who is the next candidate to be in the "blame-game?" Levi Leipheimer? or perhaps, Cadell Evans?

No offense meant but, that is akin to losing the Superbowl, to a Japanese Football Team or Baseball's World Series, to some baseball team from Pakistan. ;-)) It hurts but, there it is.

 

Two great days of riding this weekend!

Yesterday was a time trial in the rain! Lots of little crashes. Disco did pretty well, 3 of its riders finished in two 20 i believe! Vinokorouv destroyed everyone to win it by a minute and a half! What an animal! However, it was a last ditch effort by him. Rasmussen had a pretty good time trial and retained the yellow jersey!

Todays race was exciting, to say the least. Vinokorouv got dropped and waved goodbye to camera. He is not in contention anymore. Starting up the final climb was a group of 10, including Yellow Jersey, Mtn. Jersey, and Rookie Jersey. Kloden was and Iban Mayo were the first dropped from this group until only 5 remained - Alberto Contador of Disco, Levi of Disco, Rasmussen, the Colombian Mtn Jersey Wearer (Soler) and one other rider (forget who).

Lots of repeated attacks finally left Contador and Rasmussen in the lead, with a gap between everyone else. Contador would go on to win the stage and take 2nd place overall, about 1:30 behind Rasmussen. Soler took third place but is only top 20 overall, not a contender. Levi broke away from the rider he was with take 4th in the stage and i think he also moved up in the standings. Cadel Evans dropped to at the least 3rd, over 1:30 behind Contador, if not more.

Exciting stage, since tomorrow is supposed to be even harder! Will be interesting to see who still has legs tomorrow, with a rest stage the following day (i think).