Tour de France 2007 thread (2 Viewers)

[rettucs]

To be honest I think don't think Contador will do it, unless he takes a blood bag or microdoses some EPO today. I'd say they are testing the living daylights out of him at the moment. I don't think he'll even podium.

If you read through the last few articles here: http://www.sportsscientists.com/
They reckon the doping has been really curtailed this year. Not eliminated mind, but very restricted.

I'm thinking Evans, Contador and one of the Schlecks in that order for podium spots. I think Contador will kick on one of the alp stages (I'm thinking Galibier rather than Alpe d'Huez seeing as thats such a short stage).

I think Roche will take a stage, or will at least go in a break that will stay out til the end.

And the two biggest pissers on this tour for me have been, 1) the crashes depriving the race of so many big contenders (particularly Horner who I thought would podium), and 2) fucking HTC stopping Velits and Martin from contesting GC. Particularly Velits who I think could win the tour outright some day. HTC are a pack of cunts. The next time they're giving out about being the only team controlling breaks on flat stages they should be told to go fuck themselves. They're the only team in the race riding solely for sprints, and thats just boring, so fuck them, pack of cunts.

 

[Cormcolash]

I can't imagine Voeckler staying in touch up Alpe D'Huez. If he does, then he'll be a total legend and fully deserve to win the Tour outright.
I'm gonna back yer man Sanchez for the craic. He's been on good form, and isn't one of the usual suspects, plus he's in ETA

 

[Pedronimus]

2) fucking HTC stopping Velits and Martin from contesting GC.

Agreed, two lads as strong as them should be allowed go for GC. But then they DS is looking for a sponsor, so maybe stage wins is his best way to show off his team. Definite stage wins probably beats top 5 or 10 in GC for publicity.

I wrote wiggins off before the tour but looking at how they went in the Pyrenees I'd say he would have been grand. Also Brajkovic could probably have out climbed them all. Still an interesting enough race. Better than last year.

 

[rettucs]

I can't imagine Voeckler staying in touch up Alpe D'Huez. If he does, then he'll be a total legend and fully deserve to win the Tour outright.
I'm gonna back yer man Sanchez for the craic. He's been on good form, and isn't one of the usual suspects, plus he's in ETA

that will be a curious stage. Its very short this year with the start of the climb coming after only 90km or so. So, lots of lads will feel relatively fresh (relative in comparison to other years where they might have been hitting the alpe after 150km). Its not the hardest climb but its one of the most high-profile so lots of lads will be looking to make a name for themselves. I can't see the tour being decided here. The climb just isn't hard enough. Frank Schleck won a stage to the alpe a few years back and in 2008 thats where Sastre won the tour. But this year I can't see it being so decisive. Who knows though. As for Tommy, I reckon he has a good chance of sticking with the main contenders so long as they continue to act the prick and look at each other. Remember though, Evans doesn't have to attack so won't. Andy and Frank have to but won't because Frank can't and Andy won't without Frank. Alberto will have to attack at some stage but I still feel he'll do it on the Lauteret in the Galibier stage on thursday.

As for Sammy Sanchez - I'd fucking love him to win it but hes shit in the TT. Hes an amazing descender though so if he could take time in the 2 stages that finish on crazy descents, who knows?

 

[rettucs]

Agreed, two lads as strong as them should be allowed go for GC. But then they DS is looking for a sponsor, so maybe stage wins is his best way to show off his team. Definite stage wins probably beats top 5 or 10 in GC for publicity.

I wrote wiggins off before the tour but looking at how they went in the Pyrenees I'd say he would have been grand. Also Brajkovic could probably have out climbed them all. Still an interesting enough race. Better than last year.

Haven't made up my mind about Brajkovic. Hes living off last years Dauphine really, where he attacked one day, then sat in wheels for the rest of the time. I'd say he'll be a star alright, but not with a team like Radioshack. If he gets a move back to a European team he could flourish. Radioshack have a lot of young riders with tonnes of potential (Machado is another) but who'll never get a chance to show it because they'll always be about their american riders. If he hadn't have crashed out I reckon he'd have been asked to ride for Kloden or Horner. That was some team on paper at the start of the tour. Amazing to see how they've all crashed out (if not out of the race, then out of contention)

 

[oh shit]

how much time can evans expect to pick up on the TT?

 

[rettucs]

between 1.5 and 3 minutes I'd say.

If you're looking for an indicator of form check out;

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/criterium-du-dauphine-upt/stage-3/results

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/75th-tour-de-suisse-upt/stage-9/results

The first link is the results of the Dauphine TT. That was run on the exact course saturday's tour TT is on. Evans finished a little down on Tony Martin but look at his time compared to Voeckler.

The second is the TT in the Tour de Suisse around the same time. Look how appallingly bad the Schlecks did. Frank was in contention for overall and didn't even get a podium. Andy was off the charts bad. Cunego completely blew it. That TT had a hill in it so should have suited the Schlecks.

The biggest unknown in the TT is Contador. Hes definitely not time-trialling as well as he was last year, but will still be good to take 1.5 mins out of the Schlecks.

 

[rettucs]

Roche in the break.

GO ON THE ROCHE!

 

[Cormcolash]

Ah here, are they gonna get anywhere like? There's enough of them, but the Peloton is only 20 seconds behind or something by the looks of it. Still, come on the ra, haha

I forgot about the TT, Voeckler will be fucked on that, oh well. In fact you'd have to go for Contador or Evans for overall really, considering that.

 

[rettucs]

balls. sky pricks reeling them back in

 

[Cormcolash]

Not enough teamwork, too much team orders, by the looks of it

 

[IFF]

Jeannesson was in the group so that was why

and now Rojas is in the group so HTC should be chasing

 

[Cormcolash]

Well they're getting somewhere, and the peloton don't seem too worried about it, fingers crossed

 

[rettucs]

Well they're getting somewhere, and the peloton don't seem too worried about it, fingers crossed

thats cos they're bolloxed. Voeckler rode to the front and basically told everyone to let the break go. Theres no one of any real danger there and Roches team had been riding to bring it back. But its fair enough though. If you can't get yourself into a break in the first 100km then you need to accept you've missed the boat. Thor is the man for the stage I reckon, with that downhill to the end and all. They'll have to try and shell him on that last climb but its not really steep enough to do that.

 

[Cormcolash]

Too bad Roche couldn't get out there with them. He definitely doesn't seem to have the legs for it this year.

 

[rettucs]

well that was stupid contador.

 

[oh shit]

contador jumps...

 

[oh shit]

caught. zzz

 

[rettucs]

away now.

GO ON YOU BIG DOPER

 

[rettucs]

great stage