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oddlycalm
07-10-04, 05:19 PM
Man, what a miserable first week. I've been following the Tour de France closely for quite a few years and I can't recall another Tour that saw the number of crashes we have seen. After the 8th day we have 99 riders riding injured and a substantial number of riders well behind on time or dropped entirely due to injuries. Makes me nervous about the big decents coming up when the Tour reaches the mountains.... :eek:

oc

SteveH
07-10-04, 09:24 PM
Armstrong has suggested that they run time trials during the first stages to weed out the field, rather than have a crash thin out the field

Wheel-Nut
07-12-04, 04:22 PM
How about that Jakob Piil? That guy must thrive on pain. He's gonna get a stage win.

Too bad for Cipollini and Petacchia. Petacchia was most likely the better srpinter of the two but it would have been nice to see those two do battle in a few sprints.

Off to the hills!

Final three in Paris?

Armstrong
Hamilton
Mayo

Ullrich falls.

RichK
07-12-04, 05:22 PM
I am REALLY looking forward to the time trial up Alpe D'Huez. I think I'll set the alarm that morning for 5:30am and get into work late.


The OLN coverage is so damn good, it wasn't long ago that Tour coverage was a couple 15 minute segments and a whole lot of John Tesh music. Now we have 3 hours a day, get to see mid-race sprints from the set-up point to the after-effects, the riders peeing at the back of the field, etc.

OLN: :thumbup:

Seadog
07-12-04, 11:37 PM
The Alpe D'Huez TT could shape up to being one of those stages that people talk about for ages. Lance has practiced on it 10 times in training in an effort to know every centimeter. I think I am going to have to avoid all television and internet until I get home to watch the replay that night.

This first week has been a total waste, some good riders have gone down and injured themselves in senseless crashes. That one crash in the last kilometer was a total abomination.

jonovision_man
07-13-04, 10:51 AM
Final three in Paris?

Armstrong
Hamilton
Mayo

Ullrich falls.

Armstrong will lead, but Ullrich will be up there, probably in front of Hamilton. He's a great rider.

This is going to be a tough year, Armstrong will have his hands full just like last year I suspect.

Joe in LA
07-13-04, 12:23 PM
Armstrong will lead, but Ullrich will be up there, probably in front of Hamilton. He's a great rider.

This is going to be a tough year, Armstrong will have his hands full just like last year I suspect.

Leipheimer and Julich aren't out of it yet. They aren't getting much attention, and could still surprise us. Ullrich is definitely the favorite for an upset, but there are probably more guys with real potential this year than there have been for a while. Too bad Beloki hasn't recovered from last year, he would really add to the mix.

IlliniRacer
07-13-04, 12:27 PM
I am REALLY looking forward to the time trial up Alpe D'Huez. I think I'll set the alarm that morning for 5:30am and get into work late.


The OLN coverage is so damn good, it wasn't long ago that Tour coverage was a couple 15 minute segments and a whole lot of John Tesh music. Now we have 3 hours a day, get to see mid-race sprints from the set-up point to the after-effects, the riders peeing at the back of the field, etc.

OLN: :thumbup:

Someone please put a sock in Al Trautwig!!!

jonovision_man
07-13-04, 02:28 PM
Leipheimer and Julich aren't out of it yet. They aren't getting much attention, and could still surprise us. Ullrich is definitely the favorite for an upset, but there are probably more guys with real potential this year than there have been for a while. Too bad Beloki hasn't recovered from last year, he would really add to the mix.

That was Armstrong's problem last year, being attacked by more than one contender. Last year it was two on some stages, could it be 3 or 4 this year?

Hope he can pull it off.

RichK
07-13-04, 02:32 PM
Lance wasn't in the best shape last year, either. From the prologue and the general look on his face this year, I don't think he'll have any problems. It will be interesting to see if he really misses Heras this year, though.

Joe in LA
07-13-04, 04:24 PM
Lance wasn't in the best shape last year, either. From the prologue and the general look on his face this year, I don't think he'll have any problems. It will be interesting to see if he really misses Heras this year, though.

He had quite a few problems and seemed to spend much of his time defending, rather than attacking. His best results have come when he has taken it to the opposition--like his fatique fake followed by a burst up the hills v. Ullrich a few years back. He has definitely looked strong so far.

oddlycalm
07-15-04, 02:15 PM
Yesterday's stage win by Virenque on the longest stage of the tour was something to see. King of the mountains indeed.

Nice that the French have had a lot to cheer about this week. Thomas Voeckler has been in the yellow jersey all week and the stage win by Virenque and Moncoutie were nice icing on the cake.

Quite a year for the US riders. Nice to see Julich, Leipheimer, Hamilton and Armstrong all in a position to contend for the race win. The next few days should be very exciting.

The coverage has indeed been very good. I've been recording the live coverage on ReplayTV, and have blown off the expanded prime time coverage, and still feel like I'm seeing everything I want to see. It did get a bit absurd when they were covering a call of nature break and speculating as to whether the rider was having stomach problems... :eek: :laugh:

oc

RacinM3
07-15-04, 07:09 PM
The coverage has been good, but those two Brits that call some of the stages are driving me nuts. One of them will say that the leaders are well away from the peloton, and that they're going for the win, only to have the peloton swallow them up in the following few miles.

Some of yesterday's crashes made my hair stand on end. The guy who went into the fence post yesterday, then the guy who crashed into the ditch (something tells me to be happy they didn't have a replay of that one). Then there was the crash two days ago where the guy crashed into the island in the middle of the road, hit the sign, flew over the bars and into another rider.

Hectic. It makes car racing look tame sometimes.

I am enjoying watching the race, though. It's the first time I've been able to TiVo each stage.

RichK
07-15-04, 07:17 PM
Bicycle crashes are NASTY. Not only are you practically naked, going up to 60mph, but there are sharp doodads like chainrings (pre-greased for nice looking infections and scars that never go away), handlebar ends, etc.

So, after getting punctured by your own bike, you then have 100 speeding cyclists with wheels that look like giant pizza cutters bearing down on you. Of course, they are looking at you thinking: "I can bunny hop this guy if he'll just stay flat on the ground". :eek: :cry:

Dvdb
07-16-04, 11:28 AM
Lance made his first move today. Up to second overall.

Opposite Lock
07-16-04, 11:49 AM
Major ass-kickage by Lance today! Second in the stage, up into second overall, cut his gap down to 5:24, pulled out a couple more minutes over Ullrich (in 16th).

I hope he shows up for Tour de Road America.

IlliniRacer
07-16-04, 02:22 PM
Tyler's face says it all.
The dog tag he is wearing is from his dog Tugboat who passed away earlier this week :(

http://www.velonews.com/images/details/6581.8471.f.jpg

RacinM3
07-16-04, 03:05 PM
Note to self: Don't check this thread 'til AFTER I view the day's TiVo'd stage!! :mad:

Not your guy's fault, I should know better! :cry:

oddlycalm
07-17-04, 04:26 PM
Sorry to see Hamilton abandon today. I wasn't aware his back was so badly injured from the crash last week, but in the footage today it appeared that his lower back suffered a massive hit.

What an effort from Voeckler to stay in yellow. This guy has some real grit.

oc

jonovision_man
07-18-04, 07:01 AM
Sorry to see Hamilton abandon today. I wasn't aware his back was so badly injured from the crash last week, but in the footage today it appeared that his lower back suffered a massive hit.

What an effort from Voeckler to stay in yellow. This guy has some real grit.

oc

Man, what's going on in this year's tour? Every condenter going in has dropped way off, while these young guys nobody gave a chance to are showing their grit and determination. Voeckler looked like a man possesed. :eek:

Lance is just taking care of business, he hasn't had to attack at all really. Textbook.

So will Basso and Voeckler have enough to make the rest of this Tour interesting?

jono

Joe in LA
07-19-04, 04:04 PM
Voekler seems to be just hanging on, but Basso looks like he's riding pretty comfortably.

RacinM3
07-19-04, 04:50 PM
Yeah, I think Basso will be right there, but does he have the team to support him? Voekler will be way behind after the next mountain stage, which is too bad, he's been fun to watch. Maybe next year; he's young.

oddlycalm
07-19-04, 05:39 PM
Joe - I imagine Voeckler will finally have to give up the yellow when the Tour reaches the Alps, but what a great ride. I agree that Basso looks very comfortable. I hope he's able to give Lance a good challenge.

oc

RichK
07-19-04, 05:48 PM
I don't think Basso has the time trial ability on the flats. Alpe D'Huez TT, however, should be a very interesting comparison between Lance and Basso.

Joe in LA
07-19-04, 06:22 PM
All credit to Voekler. He is doing a great job, and hanging in longer than anyone expected. He and Ullrich's teammate, Kloden, are showing some real potential.

Basso will definitely need to gain some time tomorrow and/or on Alpe D'huez if he is to have a chance. Armstrong should put some time on him on the flat time trial.

Each of them are young enough that they could be future winners if they continue to develop. Same for Mayo if he rides like he did before the Tour.

As much as I admire Ullrich, Hamilton, Leipheimer and some of the other team leaders, they are pretty close to Lance's age, and probably not the "future" of the Tour.

RacinM3
07-22-04, 03:15 PM
Hmmm, is that the Fat Lady I'm hearing?

jonovision_man
07-22-04, 03:25 PM
Hmmm, is that the Fat Lady I'm hearing?

I'm pretty sure I heard her yesterday. :) Lance is just awesome, he's been impossible to beat whether he has his team around him or the individual time trials.

SteveH
07-22-04, 04:29 PM
Hmmm, is that the Fat Lady I'm hearing?

Or in Lance's case it couls be Cheryl Crow. :thumbup:

Wheel-Nut
07-22-04, 05:11 PM
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/tour04/stage17/s-ARMSTRONGARR17a-849.jpg

longbeach32
07-23-04, 11:42 AM
some remarks about Armstrong from MS


Six-time world champion Michael Schumacher has admitted that his feats do not bear comparison to legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong, who is on the verge of taking his own sixth crown, this time in the Tour de France.

Armstrong's run of success in the gruelling three-week French marathon is made all the more remarkable by the fact that he was diagnosed with cancer shortly after breaking into the top flight of his sport, but overcame the setback - and the suspicions of rivals - to make the Tour his own and etch his name into cycling history alongside greats such as Eddy Merckx.

Asked whether he ranked his own success alongside that of the American, Schumacher admitted that the two sports were very different, but that he did not see himself in the same category as the cyclist.

"I don't really see that you should compare in any way, because what he is doing is so unique and so special," the German said, "I was watching [the Tour de France on] television, [watching] them sitting on the bikes again after so many days being on it, and the many kilometres they have done. I do training myself, and I know what it means to do what I'm doing, but, to do what they do, that's massive. It is really, really massive - and impressive.

"We do something different, but obviously interesting for a lot of people, but to compare [myself and Armstrong], I don't think there's common ground except the success."




http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/040723/23/56lh.html

Sean O'Gorman
07-23-04, 12:02 PM
And the best part is, unlike MS, Lance has never had to punt another biker to get a position. :D

jonovision_man
07-23-04, 12:08 PM
And the best part is, unlike MS, Lance has never had to punt another biker to get a position. :D

But he does get help from his teammates, who are rarely "allowed" to win. :)

Lizzerd
07-23-04, 12:42 PM
Something to think about. It's not Lance's bike that gives him an immediate advantage over the other riders.

RichK
07-23-04, 01:01 PM
I think if you switched brains between the two guys, they'd still be very successful in each other's sport. The dedication and discipline that both show is over the top of all their competitors.

What's interesting to me: if cycling required the same amount of money to come up the ranks of the sport as F1, we would never had heard of Lance Armstrong.

The Doctor
07-24-04, 11:55 AM
And today Lance wins his fifth stage of the tour, a personal record, by crushing Ullrich in the final time trial. One minute faster than Jan, lead now over five minutes. And tomorrow he'll be sipping champagne while lapping Paris. :thumbup: :thumbup:

oddlycalm
07-24-04, 05:15 PM
Another completing dominating performance by Armstrong. I suppose the big surprise for this Tour was Ullrich getting displaced from the podium by his teammate Andréas Klöden.

oc

jonovision_man
07-25-04, 08:40 PM
Way to go Lance :) That was a simply dominant win, great team, and a great rider.

7? :)

It's also great that America has an up-and-coming star in Hamilton. No Canadians for me so I'll settle for a Yank. :) :thumbup:

jono

dando
07-25-04, 11:36 PM
France surrenders! :laugh:

Congrats, Lance! :thumbup:

-Kevin

4wheeldrifter
07-26-04, 07:43 AM
And the best part is, unlike MS, Lance has never had to punt another biker to get a position. :D

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: