Le Tour de France

[newbie original]

What a joke this sport has become.

 

[Alex]

Such an intelligent and informed post...newbie original you must watch the news on the tv and read your tabloids all the time!!

If you'd read the thread, or new anything about cycling and world sport, you'd understand that cycling is actually doing something about its drugs problem...

If it is so easy to cheat, and the drugs are so accesible, can you tell me that cyclists are the only sport doing it? Especially when you consider that no sport in the world tests as hard, most sports no where near...

 

[Bobby]

ANGOULÊME, Jul 27 (CP) - Colombian Juan Mauricio Soler may be the next rider involved in a doping scandal. Danish media report that the Barloworld rider tested positive after stage fourteen.

http://www.cyclingpost.com/tour/article_005202.shtml

I'm with newbie original.

 

[Kimikal™]

This guy, Soler, is a very good climber, but I realized that he is kinda strange:

1. In his bio it says he is 24, but he looks 30.
2. He is very strange when he is on the bike, he is doing something like this: Just watch him and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[nor-rbk]

Those rumours about Solér have been confirmed to be fake by Prudhomme. So no positive test from Solér.

 

[nor-rbk]

Contador makes it with 23 seconds down to Evans! Very exciting TT. And what a race by Leipheimer!

3 riders within 31 seconds before the tour finishes tomorrow. Which means that Contador wins the Tour de France. Can't imagine Evans to attack tomorrow, and even if he does he will never take in 23 seconds.

 

[xbox6]

This guy, Soler, is a very good climber, but I realized that he is kinda strange:

1. In his bio it says he is 24, but he looks 30.
2. He is very strange when he is on the bike, he is doing something like this: Just watch him and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Matbe he's not the most handsome man, but yeah, he's a very good climber. And about his style, well... he's the polka dot jersey man, so it's effective.

ANGOULÊME, Jul 27 (CP) - Colombian Juan Mauricio Soler may be the next rider involved in a doping scandal. Danish media report that the Barloworld rider tested positive after stage fourteen.

I've gotta say, Soler is doing doping for years. All people in Colombia knows that he dopes himself.......if doping means training in 2000+ mts mountains and eating panela, bocadillo and vegatables. My god, don't you see that the one who publish the Soler doping rumors was a tabloid?

 

[Alex]

Can't believe remembering such an ixciting end of the tour to the history date now.

30secs bascially bateen top 3! Not even the commentary ator Phil Ligghit the name was rememnbering the time when there waqs three contenders instead of the usual maximum of two, for this...THE FINAL TIME TRIAL...

WOW!!
And My poor aussie comrad team mate of robbie mcewen my other aussie fan of!!! Misses out! It would be so understandlyu not small! in this country, that isnt a big on cycling one!

So thats about Cadel, but nuforutnaley not winning!! on tihs occasion!!....

 

[Alex]

One word...thats it, one word!

 

[Alex]

Wow!

 

[Alex]

(thats the word)

 

[Kimikal™]

Those rumours about Solér have been confirmed to be fake by Prudhomme. So no positive test from Solér.

That's good, this proves that Barloworld is a good team which needs to be in the Pro Tour. Soler, Hunter and also Sioutsou are good riders and also clean.

Soler - the new Virenque


And what a stage will be tomorrow. 31 seconds between Contador and Leipheimer. I don't remember the last tour with this kind of final.

Come on, Cadel, come on! Hope you can do something.

 

[xbox6]

Unfortunately, I think that the Discovery Channel machine will be working for Contador and making him the first Maillot Jaune-Maillot Blanc winner since Jan Ullrich. I think team orders by Bruyneel will be the factor so Leipheimer won't attack Corredor and keep Evans on the line. Corredor will win the Tour, and it's sad. I want Evans to win, cause since 1999, all then winners of the Tour has been part (Armstrong) or were part of the U.S. Postal/Discovery Channel team (Landis) I want a different flavor this year.

 

[Zlatan]

Well in a few weeks it's about to start all over again. What doping surprises will be in the hat this year? Can Evans win the tour? Or perhaps Valverde? Where will Contador enjoy his holiday on the beach? What can young Thomas Dekker do? And what about the two brothers Schleck? Can McEwen win sprints backwards on his bike? Oh wait there's still Freire... and don't forget Cavendish.
Can Boonen find a new cocaine dealer?

Here's an impression for what is to come for the riders...

 

[dimo]

hmmm, not many stages in the north-east of france. i really want to see some stages this year, and since i'm sorta in the area i should do it. i want to one of those crazy guys on the mountain stages that piss off the riders by running next to them and barking in their ear. anybody wanna hobo it through france to watch some of the tour?

 

[per75005]

A lot of suspense this year... After watching some Pro-tour contests, I'm sure that no teams is able to control the whole contest like Discovery done during many years....

The key is a good balance between CLM skills, and skills in Mountain.... This is the reason why I don't see one of the Schleck brother win.... but they can, and must do the show....

Dekker is still too young but I hope that we will do an honour place... Without any falls, the two main favorite are Cadel Evans, and Valverde....
I would say that Vaverde has a stronger team with him only focused on the final results....

For the sprint, Cavendish is my favorite.... what a great season for him....
I am also waiting for spectaluar end of stages with Cancellara and Voigt....

I regret not to see the Astana team, even if I understand why!!!! I will also miss to see the complete Saunier Duval Team (Ricco, and Piepoli are really spectaular in moutains).

We will see!!!!!

My predictions :
Maillot Jaune : 1- Valverde 2' Cadel Evans 3- Kreuziger
Maillot Blanc : 1- Kreuziger 2- Dekker
Maillot vert : 1- Mc Ewen (more experienced to finish the tour) but Cavendish with more Victories)
Maillot à poids : 2- Astarloza
Team : 1- CSC 2-Caisse epargne 3- Rabobank

 

[Zlatan]

I'm afraid Dekker won't participate this year.
It is said that he isn't in the right condition to ride the tour. He quit the Tour de Suisse a few weeks ago because of this too, when he was almost an hour behind the leader.

Oh and yeah Astana should be there. The reigning champion should be able to defend his crown. I think Contador has everything in him to become some sort of new Armstrong. Sometimes I wonder when they would've just renamed their team would they actually have been accepted for the Tour?

 

[per75005]

Hi I didn't know... Really disapointed for the Tour for the Rabobank, Who will be the leader for the Dutch team???

 

[Zlatan]

Denis Menchov. He was already supposed to be the team leader, even before Dekker cancelled his tour ambitions. But Menchov will have to practically do it on his own now, with no or barely any support from his team.

 

[per75005]

Hummm.... Rabobank have some young riders like Robert Gesink who could help him... But I'm not confident to see Menchov win the tour....