The Tour de France Thread

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

Today's stage into Barcelona was rough; lots of rain and wet pavement caused quite a bit of crashing. Poor Michael Rodgers from team Columbia may be out of his second TdF in three years because of a crash. It must be heartbreaking. David Millar went solo from 30km and was caught by the peloton in the last k, another heart breaker.

Order up a side of cooked Millar....


Thor Hushovd of team Cervelo took the stage, but only because Mark Cavendish didn't make the front group of the peloton.

Tomorrow we go to the mountains, which should shake up the GC contenders and we can only hope....maybe Lance in yellow once more? Attached files [img]/converted_files/959749=5032-attachment.jpg[/img]

[tawnyfrog]

The Tour de France Thread

I'm really enjoying your daily reportage, Cycle. Thank you. Poor Cadel Evans!

[Evie.Lou]

The Tour de France Thread

WOW.......they sure look GOOD to me !!!

[Popeye]

The Tour de France Thread

Am I right in thinking David Millar was in contention for the King of the Mountains few years ago? The Scottish press finally showed an interest in The Tour when he started doing well. He's not even Scots. I think his mum is though. It's been relegated behind curling and darts again unfortunately....

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

You are right on that Pops. David is the son of Robert Millar, remember him?

What, don't they recognize the Isle of Man? Mark Cavendish is challenging Barry Hoban's eight stage wins. Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen are going crazy commentating about the "young British rider."

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

tawnyfrog;660442 wrote: I'm really enjoying your daily reportage, Cycle. Thank you. Poor Cadel Evans!

It is indeed unfortunate for Cadel this year, he had a chance to change teams during the off season and decided to stick with Lotto. He has no support this year at all and it's a pity because he's a good rider.

[Popeye]

The Tour de France Thread

I do, yes.

There's British, and English and lots of regional considerations to take into account. We'd hear very little about anyone not Scottish.

Sad but true.

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

Popeye my husband is Cumbrian, grew up outside Carlisle and Longtown and spend a few years in Cockermouth. We vacationed in Scotland and I was there for three days before I even heard anyone speak with a scottish accent! The B&B where we stayed on Loch Lomond was owned by a retired Jordie, and the waitress at the local cafe was from So. Africa. LOL

[Popeye]

The Tour de France Thread

I believe you.
Lots of people came here in the eighties and nineties after making a killing, selling their properties in England and moving he to get away from it all. I don't blame them. Many of them opened B&B's and started running hotels and campsites. There's still lots of wild country here and hundreds of thousands of people come to see it every year.

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

Well I have been very lax on Tour updates I was hoping someone else might chime in with some news. The Tour is in the southern Pyrenees right now and the peloton has had some serious climbing to do. Cancellara lost the yellow jersey yesterday he had been working so hard to defend that once they got going in the mountains he could not longer keep up. He is however a worthy champion and excellent patron.

On Friday a small group got off the front and Rinaldo Noncentini from the French team AG2R managed to take the lead by six seconds over Alberto Contador. Contador took off on a solo attack in the last 3 k of the climb. It was unplanned and some say a bit of a slap in the face to Armstrong. There is some visible tension in the Astana team, too many leaders I think? At any rate teammates cannot attack one another so Armstrong was left behind to control Evans and baby Schleck to make sure they did not gain any time. Right now Contador sits two seconds ahead of Armstrong.

Today's stage was lively as well. Three categorized climbs had the group leaving the independent principality of Andorre before the final 45 kms down the last mountain into the French town of Saint-Girons. The last couple of days in Spain have shown some of the most beautiful and elaborate architecture in the cities, and incredible lush countryside. As predicted, the winner came from an early breakaway of eight riders that whittled itself down to four at the end. Louis Leon Sanchez played his cards right in the last k by seeming to hand the win to Sandy Cesar but at the last 100 meters he turned on the afterburners and rocketed past him on the line. See his happy face in today's avatar.

Tomorrow is the last day in the Pyrenees, the peloton going over the Col de Tourmalet, an Hour Categorie climb, and always a thriller. More later.

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

The French are taking this year's Tour de France by storm with three stage wins in nine days. This is the best year the French have had since I've started watching and good on them. Some pundits speculate that it is because of the massive effort to clean up the sport from doping. So far this year there have been no positives but as we all know that can change at any moment. I do believe the sport of cycling has done a magnificent job of cleaning up over the past five years, more than many other sports can say.

Today turned into a real yawner of a stage, despite the climb over the Tourmalet. There was very little contention despite a four man breakaway. The peloton just cycled along in three groups; the breakaway, the main field, and last but not least the autobus of sprinters and their domestiques. Fedrigo had an honest win though, just beating Pellozotti to the line after a hard day in the saddle. Tomorrow is a rest day I hope to post some history of the tour.

Anyone is free to chime in here if you are watching the tour and have an opinion on how it's going just jump right in.

[tawnyfrog]

The Tour de France Thread

Quite incidental to the race, I am very much enjoying the beautiful footage of the Pyrenees landscape. Stunning.

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

The landscape AND the local architecture always floor me. However, where I live people travel from all over the world to see the sites, so I consider myself lucky that a vacation can be just a few klicks away. Still and all, I love viewing the places I will never see in person. Isn't the 'net cool?

Today race radios were banned in an experiment that who knows what organizer though up. The peloton took it as a "piano" day. It was Bastille Day in France and the crowds were out in force. The riders, well, they rode; and the breakaway, well, it had three French riders which thrilled the crowds as they casually rode through the lovely small towns. Team Columbian HTC geared up at the end, caught the breakaway and Mark Cavendish "the fastest man in the world" won the stage. No change in the GC, Noncentini of team AG2R still holds yellow and will probably do so until the weekend.

Looking forward to the Alps!

Anyone is welcome to chime in here.

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

I didn't report yesterday because it was Cavendish again who won the stage. He has now tied Barry Hoban's lifetime record of eight stage wins for a British rider. Mark Cavendish is 24 years old and in his third year as a Pro Cyclist so it is very likely he will exceed Hoban's record by quite a bit. Everyone says he is unbeatable at this stage in his career. Amazing what fast twitch muscles can do!


Nikki Sorensen, the road race champion of Denmark, won today's stage from a long breakaway. He was riding with several other very experienced riders so it is no wonder there was a look of joy on his face when he crossed the finish line. Tomorrow is a hilly stage which should put some stretch into the climbers legs and heat up the King of the Mountains competition.

[cyclefan]

The Tour de France Thread

Bike racing can be an emotional sport. When Heinrich Haussler crossed the finish line today after a cold and wet stage it was more than rain that was running down his face. Born of German parents in Australia he lived there for 14 years before moving to Germany to pursue his dream of becoming a professional cyclist. He has been in the Pro Peloton since 2005 and rides this year for the newly formed Cerv?lo Test team. He has really come on form this year under the tutelage of Thor Hushovd and Carlos Sastre. Sastre is last year's Tour de France winner.

Sad news for Levi Leipheimer today, the crash he was in yesterday in the last 3k fractured his wrist and he had to abandon. Levi was sitting fourth overall so it must have been a real blow. It was speculated that Astana could have had all three podium spots with Armstrong, Contador and Leipheimer. Perhaps his withdrawal will give Andreas Kloden a chance for that spot and that one-two-three Astana can be achieved after all.

I have to admit, a few tears fell for me today when Haussler crossed the line. Also, I was impressed that while most riders zip up the jersey to show the sponsor name, Haussler adjusted his "package" before crossing the line. Those boys do get excited. My hubs said no way he could be German, he must be Italian. LOL