Tour de France
deeess
Posts: 150
in General Chat
Anyone following it? Seems not much interest on this board. Anyone think Contador has got the edge on Armstrong?
Bradley Wiggins is having a stunner!
Bradley Wiggins is having a stunner!
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Have yet to see a TT stage!
Finally remembered to set a series link for ITV4 last night.
Great coverage on ITV4 - assuming I can get a hotel with ITV4.
Cleanest tour in years (well, feels clean so far!) [Armstrong seems to get tested 3 times a day]
Lots of "home" interest - Wiggins, Cavendish et al.
The fascinating Lance Armstrong story, battle with Contador.
A really great tactical race so far - like the fact that all the dramatic stuff (Alps) will be in the last week, so everything is really finally balanced - tightest GC for ages, with, clearly:D the eventual not in the Yellow Jersey yet.
Now I am cycling again, I feel a lot closer to it too!
As it's not Triathlon related, I didn't want to post about it.
You can't help but get the feeling the Lance has got something up his sleeve, especially with that talk of "oh there's always been a number of possible team leaders". I guess the mountain stages will show if he's at peak fitness.
Two things I'm enjoying too are Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly being on Eurosport, that really takes me back I was the same about not wanting to post as it's not Triathlon.
Oh, and the GF's look of horror when I explained that it was three weeks long was classic, especially as I'm watching the full live coverage at night.
And you're right watching the Lance/Contador battle is really interesting too, I am half expecting it to blow up
Can someone please have a pop at explaining the Contador/lance battle? Obviously having watched a fair bit of the coverage I know the gist, but I'm fascinated by the tactics of whether one or other of them is going to make a move.
Surely someone has to make a big impact sooner rather than later? I worry that if they keep playing a waiting game then the Astana team won't know who to follow leading to either a split team, or them just not doing anything.
I reckon contador would probably have more support amongst the Astana team, although a of people seem to think the reverse... is it possible to win the tour without the help of a good team?
Some clarification would definitely be appreciated!
The Astana team is managed by lance Armstrongs Director Sortif,Johan Brunheal, from his previous tour wins.Prior to Armstrong announcing his comeback Contador was the Team leader,as he was the best rider most likely to provide a team victory.The only Team that was eligible for the tour that Armstrong could get in was Astana,and even that was done by a little jiggery pockery(are you still with me..ok).Armstrong comesback and now Astana has two riders capable of pulling off a Tour victory,the other riders on the team which is made up of good sprinters,climbers,TT specialists,and Domestiques(these are the goffers who do all the pack work such as going backwards and forwards between team cars to fetch fluid,nutriton etc),they will go all out to chase down breakaways and pull team leaders who have dropped back due accident and incident back to the front to keep them in contention,even to the point where they will expend so much energy they will fall back and get pushed out of the Peleoton(the pack)as they cannot keep up.
As Armstrong and Contador are within seconds of each other they will be marked by the other teams incase they make a break,but they could fake a break by launching one rider,creating a chase and the other just tagging along drafting behind the chasers and saving energy to make that crucial breakaway themselves.The tactics that are used can be mind blowing/numbing given the possible variables that each stage creates beit flat,mountainous etc.
Now to really throw a spanner in the works the old team leader of astana,one Alexander Vinoukourev,who was DQ'd due to drug violations 2 years ago has announced that he will start racing when the ban is lifted and take over the team again.
If still confused,watch the scenery,and wait for the crashes on the fast descents.
Loving the scenary too, the whole thing makes me just want to get on my bike and go for it!
I wouldn't want to be in their position - e.g. do you support Armstrong and annoy Contador - given that Armstrong will probably retire again. Or the other way round - given that the team boss is an Armstrong fan. Very tricky.
Contador sort of made a move - making up for the time trial deficit. Which could have backfired. But didn't.
Cunningly, the yellow is now being worn by someone else, so Astana will probably keep a low profile - letting Nocentini's team do all the hard work, until the third week and the Alps. i.e. a fairly dull week with not much change at the top.
I think stage 17 and 18 will be interesting. It may be that the team will just wait to see what happens in the time trial - if Armstrong can put some time between him and Contador. However, 17 is hilly, so Contador may look to do something special ahead of the TT.
Then, of course, there are the other teams too!
But it is really thrilling - don't know if there has been anything like it before.
Exciting.
I've spent the last couple of months exclusively on my TT bike getting ready for IMUK, but I have to say that the tour has made me look at my old winter road bike in a completely different light! I think I feel myself joining a road cycling club next year to have a crack at some of this tactical stuff - great fun! (plus I like the idea of being able to just sit the middle of a big group of riders and have a quick rest!!)
Was great seeing Millar going for it - heartbreaking when he got reeled in with 1km left.
Will be interesting to see how Cav gets on as well. You'd think he has enough if he gets all the way to Paris.
It's when you see an example like that, that you realise how important slipstreaming/drafting is. It was really pitiful, yet compelling, how doomed Millar was - watching him get reeled in. If the roads had been narrow and twisty, then he probably would have held on. He was out in front for 50 odd miles, then got caught with only a mile to go.
Maybe i should rethink cav only winning 4 stages and not making paris.
Will Armstrong stay loyal to Contador on the penultimate stage,or do the 'dirty' and go all out for the win???
From a non-expert point of view, I imagine that if he thinks he can claw back the three minutes or however much he's going to need on Ventoux, after today's TT, then he'll give it everything to do so.
But is three minutes over Contador realistic on a climb like that?
If there's no prospect of a win, then he might just swallow back his ego and work for Contador. He still rides the Champs Elysées with a yellow number, if not the yellow jersey.
contador is in a class of his own. can climb and time trial. deserved winner.
the question in my mind is can Armstrong or Wiggins overhaul Schleck and fend off Kloden - by no means guaranteed based on performances to date
fantastic tour for wiggins though
I seriously think Armstrong will win the tour again... wiggins is bloody good isn't he!!!! 4th overall now
Contador is stunning - he won this stage by 2 seconds, Lance was over a minute of the pace but I think he'll win. For the 1st time ever it's exciting.
Lance is sitting in 3rd........ will he ,won't he.....
Barring and accident Contadors got it sewn up Lance is racing for 3rd.
Think he's probably had a shock as to how good Contador and Schleck are.
Next year will be intersting, Lance will have the best team around him for sure.
G
Closest Tour for ages,bit of a similar style between Contador and Big Mig.
he really has ridden a great tour and it seemed early on that he didn't have the full support for the team with lance being there too so i think its even more impressive. Those schleks are good on the hills too.
I'd like to see Wiggo on the podium but i can't see it happening, i think he is starting to fade a bit - next year however...