Vive le Tour

[dibo]

Anyone else going to have three weeks without much sleep because they're following the fortunes of 189 crazies astride carbon fibre steeds as they make their way around France in pursuit of le maillot jaune - the yellow jersey?

3500 km in 20 stages, and there are 8 Aussies in the tour:

Cadel Evans - second in the last two tours, each time by less than a minute. Can he go one better? This year his team is built entirely around him, unlike previous years where it's been split between him and his former teammate Robbie McEwen, who left in the European winter for the Russian team Katusha (only to miss the tour anyway with a compound fracture of his knee weeks ago...).

Brett Lancaster - the former track rider is the lead out man for the god of thunder, Thor Hushovd. He'll be helping to pull Hushovd through trouble for up to a kilometre at up to 70kmh for Thor to drop the hammer with 200m to go.

Michael Rogers - three time world time-trial champ has a habit of being unlucky on le grand boucle including crashing out while in 'le maillot jaune virtuel'. Had a rough night last night in the prologue and a crash while training the day before, but he's a great rider.

Mark Renshaw - another lead-out man and former track rider but Renshaw's working for Mark Cavendish. Former track riders are perfect for the role because they have the power over shorter distances to drag their men through.

Stuart O'Grady - a former contender for the maillot vert (the green sprinters' jersey) and wearer the yellow jersey is part of the awesome Saxo Bank team. Among his teammates are Fabian Cancellara, the brothers Schleck - Frank and Andy, as well as Jens Voigt. A formidable unit, and though O'Grady won't win yellow, if one of his teammates does then O'Grady will have played a huge part.

Matthew Lloyd - one of Cadel's teammates and a seriously good climber, Lloyd had a massive crash breaking several bones including a pelvic bone and several vertebra just 10 weeks ago. He's mad keen to start this race though and with his help, Cadel might get one step further up the podium.

 

[Atomic]

I was waiting for you to start this thread Dibo. I too am a Tour junkie. The fact that we are privileged to watch a telecast that has the two best commentators in sport is an added bonus.

I can't see Cadel winning but my fingers are crossed for him. I'm missing McEwan's presence this year, I loved watching him emerge from his cloak of invisibility about 100-200m out from the line during the sprinting stages. It was really inspirational stuff.

I hope we dont see any (more) drug scandals. I think cycling has to be up there with weightlifting/bodybuilding and baseball for the most doped up sports on the planet.

 

[Arabmariner]

I got into it last year after reading the thread you started back then.

I'm no expert but my interest grew as the tour went on and I'll be following it again although I still can't get my head round that ridiculous last day farce where "unofficially" you're not allowed to overtake !

Spoiled it for me when I found that out.

At least I'll be ready for it this time.

 

[Tittirongi]

I don't think Cadel will do it this year, there is just too many contenders for the maillot jaune.

My tip is Contador, as much as I dislike his morals and that f**king victory salute. It's like a footballer doing a 'nursing the baby' goal celebration when his kid is already in high school.

Green Jersey - Cavendish

Polka Dot - Moncoutie

White - Andy Shleck

 

[Auburn Mariner]

This is a star-studded Tour. Just look at Astana; they have Contador, Leipheimer, Armstrong and Kloden. 8 Tour wins and a bevy of top 10 finishes in that team ALONE.

The current holder, Carlos Sastre. Our own Cadel Evans, Alejandro Val Verde, the list goes on.

Mark Cavendish, when he gets a lead-out like this morning's, is nigh-on UNBEATABLE in sprint finishes. He is quick and powerful. And with blokes like Hincapie & Renshaw leading the train, he could win 5 stages or more in the one Tour.

I'll tip Alberto Contador, but the WHOLE RACE comes down to the penultimate stage; the ride up Mont Ventoux. Then we'll see who's got any (legal) juice left.

Southern France is unbelievably beautiful. Just stunning. But as for riding a pushbike up the Pyrenees, you have GOT to be kidding me. The ultimate torture test.

 

[happy]

Do you have full coverage of the Tour on tv? Each stage in full length?
We don't have any coverage anymore due to the drug scandals in the last years...

 

[dibo]

Yep, every stage. Cadel chasing yellow probably helps.

AM - Valverde's out, as he's banned from racing in Italy and the race takes a short interlude through the Italian Alps.

I don't think Stage 20 will be the decider. I think Stage 17 will be the killer:

Someone's going to make a break on one climb here and make it stick. It won't necessarily be the last climb either, I have in mind a break our own Cadel made back in 2005 on a stage with a similar profile.

 

[marinermick]

Yep, every stage. Cadel chasing yellow probably helps.

AM - Valverde's out, as he's banned from racing in Italy and the race takes a short interlude through the Italian Alps.

I don't think Stage 20 will be the decider. I think Stage 17 will be the killer:

Someone's going to make a break on one climb here and make it stick. It won't necessarily be the last climb either, I have in mind a break our own Cadel made back in 2005 on a stage with a similar profile.

drove up some of these mountains a few years ago when in france

it was hard enough in a car

cannot imagine what it would be like on a bike

 

[bulldogmariner]

I agree with Auburn this is one of the best Tour's in the last 5 to 10 years. With Astana, Saxo Bank and Columbia so strong and all looking to win the race with GC riders it takes the pressure off last years winner Sastre, Cadel and Giro winner Menchov.

Cadel still doesnt have the team but he can go under the radar this year and if he can hang tough with the opposition for the first two weeks and attack through the Alps he actually has a chance to win the tour.

My First 3 in no order- Cadel(SIL), Contador (AST) and Andy Schleck(SAX).
Sprinters jersey will be won by the man fastest on two wheels Mark Cavendish.

 

[Tittirongi]

Yep, every stage. Cadel chasing yellow probably helps.

AM - Valverde's out, as he's banned from racing in Italy and the race takes a short interlude through the Italian Alps.

I don't think Stage 20 will be the decider. I think Stage 17 will be the killer:

Someone's going to make a break on one climb here and make it stick. It won't necessarily be the last climb either, I have in mind a break our own Cadel made back in 2005 on a stage with a similar profile.

And this is how you descend that first climb

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[Blair]

My favs are cedel and the mac rocket

 

[Morgan30]

Will be a sleepless few weeks for me as well

Contador and Schleck are favourites in my view, Cadel will lose to much time in the TT

Look out for Roman Kreuziger to try his luck on one of the big mountain stages with a breakaway similar to Michael rasmussen a few years back, hes my outside bet for the Polka Dot jersey as well as being a definate top 10 finisher

 

[FFC Mariner]

Is there an "idiots guide" to the Tour?

I'm sure I could get into it if I understood the tactics and nuances of it

 

[dibo]

Is there an "idiots guide" to the Tour?

I'm sure I could get into it if I understood the tactics and nuances of it

if i got some spare time i might write one.

 

[Tittirongi]

Contador and Schleck are favourites in my view, Cadel will lose to much time in the TT

Ahh, Cadel is a better TTist than both of them.

Had you of said "Contador and Schleck are favourites in my view, Cadel will lose to much time in the MOUNTAINS" then it would be an accurate prediction on their results based on their actual strengths and weaknesses

As for a good tour de france guide, http://www.roadcycling.co.nz/TourdeFrance/tour-de-france-demystified-part-1.html

 

[scottmac]

Contador and Schleck are favourites in my view, Cadel will lose to much time in the TT

Ahh, Cadel is a better TTist than both of them.

Had you of said "Contador and Schleck are favourites in my view, Cadel will lose to much time in the MOUNTAINS" then it would be an accurate prediction on their results based on their actual strengths and weaknesses

As for a good tour de france guide, http://www.roadcycling.co.nz/TourdeFrance/tour-de-france-demystified-part-1.html

I think you will find Morgan30 meant team time trial, and it is spot on. This year there is no maximum time lost on the team time trial, whatever your team gets is your time. So Cadel will be at a major disadvantage compared to the other GC contenders.

 

[Morgan30]

yes sorry i did mean team time trial missed a T out, contador is a better ITT than Evans imo but there isnt a huge difference

 

[Tittirongi]

I think you will find Morgan30 meant team time trial, and it is spot on. This year there is no maximum time lost on the team time trial, whatever your team gets is your time. So Cadel will be at a major disadvantage compared to the other GC contenders.

Then he would be wrong again, Saxo Bank do not have a strong TTT lineup. No stronger than Silence Lotto anyway. Astana do, but they'll be too busy bitch fighting about who is the team captain. Or Prance Pharmstrong will lose another one as a side effect to the doping and be forced to compete in the women's Giro d'Italia that is also running at the moment.

The TTT course this year is more about team cohesion (goodbye Astana, f**king oligarchy bastards) than flat out speed, nonetheless, Garmin Slipstream will win the stage and Bradley Wiggins will be in the Maillot Jaune.

 

[Morgan30]

I think you'll find the likes of cancellara and a few others (Voigt will kill himself for the team if he was asked to) would disagree with you saying they are no better that silence lotto who with 1 less rider now have a bigger disadvantage with less to have a turn at pace setting

 

[Tittirongi]

I think you'll find the likes of cancellara and a few others (Voigt will kill himself for the team if he was asked to) would disagree with you saying they are no better that silence lotto who with 1 less rider now have a bigger disadvantage with less to have a turn at pace setting

TEAM Time Trial is exactly that.

It is too long for Cancellara to drag them around and Cadel is not much slower over 39km (like in the Dauphine Libere recently)

Silence Lotto have better TT riders apart from Cadel than Saxo Bank have apart from Cancellara. Voigt will hurt himself yeah, but no more than Sebastian Lang who is a better TT rider.

Silence Lotto also have 9 riders? Dekker was replaced by Charlie Weglius