TdF Presentation - The Warm-Up Act
by fmk on Oct 20, 2008 7:56 PM EDT
58 comments
Sam Abt is in good form in the IHT, taking a slight pop not just at ASO but also at the man who's planning to piggyback his cancer summit on the press surrounding 2009's Tour de France.
Anybody yearning for great theater in Paris on Wednesday afternoon should skip the matinee at the Comédie Française and head instead to the presentation of the next Tour de France. Will there be high drama? Aplenty. Laughs? A dime a dozen. An audience on the verge of tears? That too.
Yes folks, it's already time to start thinking about tomorrow(*), when you'll be thinking about next July. It's not just about what the route will be (cause we already know most of it). It's not just about who the guests will be (or the fact that some of the guests will be about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit). And it's not even just about what they'll be wearing (though obviously it is a lot about what they'll be wearing - but there are more things to life than cyclists in sharp suits. Or their many and varied fashion faux pas).
It's also about how Prudhomme will turn a negative - seven positives - into a positive (Or maybe that should a positive positive? As opposed to a positive negative (which is not the same as a negative positive, as all negatives are positive. Unless of course they're false negatives. In which case they'd be negative negatives). Or maybe I should just find a better way of saying that bit. But it's late and I'm lazy. And you probably get the gist of it anyway. So sod it, it can stand). Prudhomme can't claim it's down to Bordry's wonderful staff being better watchdogs, seeing as anti-doping goes back to the UCI next year and Bordry'll be back to his role as a hurler from the ditch. And he can't trot out the usual tripe about it being down to a fading generation's inability to get with the anti-doping programme. For, as Abt so aptly notes, too many of them are too young for that one to wash again:
So much for the usual speech about how the new generation of riders has chosen to break with the past and ride clean. Molière it isn't, but, hey, what is nowadays?
So how will he spin it? I guess we'll just have to tune in Wednesday to fine out.
And that LA dig for all you cancer-loving haters out there?
Armstrong, who enjoys mind games the way most people enjoy a morning cup of coffee, has announced that he will race in selected countries next year to improve knowledge about cancer, which struck him in 1996. It's a commendable goal and he will pursue it in backward countries like Australia (the Tour Down Under), the United States (the Tour of California), Italy (the Giro d'Italia) and possibly France (the Tour). Why he is not racing instead in the Tour of Burkina Faso or the Tour of the Philippines, where his crusade might find more unturned ground, is a puzzle.
Or how about this for a distraction from LA's mission:
Jean-François Lamour, France's sports minister during part of Armstrong's reign and now vice president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, an organization that is a loud critic of Armstrong, called word of the Texan's comeback "a return to the dark years. He's a troublesome guest of the Tour, like a rubberband that will lead us back to a page that seemed to be turned."
Someone in WADA criticising LA? It really is like we've turned the clock back three years.
Roll on Wednesday.
(*) I don't care what date is on your calender, but it's tomorrow already in my timezone and today is yesterday.
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:D
“backward countries” – lol.
Thanks LA for confirming whata nonce you are.
Jens for Pope
by Naffster on Oct 20, 2008 9:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
"backward countries" I think someone needs to be spoken too
LOL…. Who wrote that article…
by CycleGirl on Oct 21, 2008 7:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, whatever the route, it won’t be enough to ensure a French winner, that’s for sure. Certainly not if Jean Bobet – brother of the more famous Louison – is right when he says that “”http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Next_French_Tour_winner_not_born_yet_says_Jean_Bobet_article_270410.html" >the Frenchman who next wins the Tour de France is not born yet!"
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 7:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Hmmnnn, something (*) went awry there. It shoulda looked like:
Well, whatever the route, it won’t be enough to ensure a French winner, that’s for sure. Certainly not if Jean Bobet – brother of the more famous Louison – is right when he says that “the Frenchman who next wins the Tour de France is not born yet!”
(*) It didn’t like where I put the quote marks the first time. Fussy bloody puter software.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 7:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sorry to say
that that’s not the Bobet I think of when I think of more famous Bobets.
by Monty. on Oct 22, 2008 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
tee hee... now that it's been said...
let’s hope Crashdan doesn’t have any pics or nightmares to share.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Oct 22, 2008 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, whatever surpises Prudhomme may pull tomorrow, Valverde is aiming for Tour glory in 2009:
“In 2009, I would like to race less before the start of the Tour in Monaco and not start racing before the end of March in order to, at least one time, base my season on the Tour only. I am convinced that, if I am lucky, I can climb on the podium and, who knows, even win the Tour. I am ready to sacrifice all the other races in order to reach that goal, at least to try it one year.”
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 9:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The interview that comes from is here. Pretty anodyne but that’s cycling press conferences. Unless Greg LeMond’s in attendance.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The interview that comes from is really here
http://www.ciclismoafondo.es/caf/competicion/contenido/noticia/esta-ha-sido-mi-mejor-temporada/2c90a89c1d1aa6c8011d1bc8162201a3.html?visita=true
roadcycling.com have merely translated it. Nice of them to acknowledge their source..
by lucybears on Oct 21, 2008 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was sort of assuming it was an open press conference and so bits – or the whole – would appear in different places, under various names. Nothing else explains the dullness of the questions.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also in defence of roadcyclinguk it should be noted that clearly they don’t much use the web, for today they’re saying of tomorrow’s Tour announcement:
Not much is known about the route, other than that Monaco, Monte Carlo will host the Grand Depart.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh lord.....AV please don't sacrifice EVERYTHING!
He COULD win the Tour if everything fell right for him, and if he didn’t have one of his customary bad days….but unlikely. I hope he doesn’t give up classics glory for this.
by Albertina on Oct 21, 2008 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ah, but read he full interview and see he said something similar last year and didn’t quite keep his word.
Q: At the beginning of the season you said that in 2008 you wanted to take part in fewer races than you did the year before. Did you live up to your own promise?
A: It is true that this was my first intention, but in fact I raced from February till October and started winning races in March being in exceptional shape from the Dauphiné till the World Championships. I did not count the days but considering the fact that I completed two three week stage races in France and Spain, maybe I raced more days this year than the previous one. But before the Tour, it is a fact that I did no race so much as in 2007 even if, because I won a great part of the races in which I participated, it can give the impression that I raced a lot.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
True...
I guess he said he wasn’t concentrating on the Ardennes too much this year but still managed to win LBL. If he tackles it in a similar way to this year then I suppose that’s not too silly. Besides, there’s not a huge amount of any importance for him before March anyway. I just don’t want to see him blow his whole season on the back of something he probably won’t achieve (although I’m prepared to be pleasantly surprised!)
by Albertina on Oct 21, 2008 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
..and his bad days are always in the Pyrennes
He is not a true climber and not a great TT’er soooo he will always struggle in the long stage races…..but he will win lots of other races and remain consistent. I prefer his explosive wins over a boring stage performance anyday.
He likes winning too much Albertina. He will never give up on the Classics -smile-
by steph- on Oct 21, 2008 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let's hope not!
Hey, are you coming with me to Murcia or not? I’m all packed!
by Albertina on Oct 21, 2008 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, you too?
Fine, yes, you’re welcome, but any more than three might get a bit, well, crowded….
by Albertina on Oct 21, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
well never mind then
I’ll have to find another way to amuse myself
by lyne on Oct 21, 2008 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But you're the third!
We don’t mind you coming, as long as you share ;-)
by Albertina on Oct 21, 2008 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And I'm now giggling to no end. tee hee hee.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Oct 22, 2008 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whatever else happens, it seems the results are now the results and there’ll be no more retests. Least ways if McQuaid is right and the ASO/UCI peace accord means they’re marching in step, forward, not backward, upward not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom:
From the UCI’s point of view, we prefer to look forward rather than look backward. To randomly say ‘OK, let’s take all the samples from 2007 from the Tour de France and put them all through testing processes’ … it’s futile, it’s expensive and it’s not going to serve the purpose in the anti-doping fight of today. If we’re going to start rejigging the podium of every major international race over the past two or three years, by finding new tests for new products, and going back to the organizer and saying ’you’ve got to rejig your podium’ .. it makes a complete mockery of sport. You need very good information in order to do that in the first place."
“I couldn’t give you an answer as to where the 2007 samples are, nor whether they are adequate for the testing. The Giro is already over four or five months. I don’t know whether the samples are still (valid), whether they’ve degraded to an extent … It’s very difficult to detect CERA in urine samples. I don’t know about the blood samples, what the situation is there. As I say, I prefer that we move forward, rather than move backward.”
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 10:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Now I know that this is a sort of politics-free-zone, but allow me to toss this one in anyway: doesn’t McQuaid’s forward not back schtick remind you not just of Slick Willy in the Simpsons, but also just a teensey weensey likkle bit of Tina Fey in the Veep debates?
“I’ll say it ain’t so, Joe, there you go again, pointing backwards again. You prefaced your whole comment with ‘the Bush administration’. Now doggone it, let’s look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future.”
More seriously though, doesn’t McQuaid’s desire to bury the past suggest to you that Fränk Schleck’ll have no trouble from the UCI if his case should ever come in front of them? I mean, doing him for something he did or might have thought of doing two years ago, that’d be backward looking. And the UCI is clearly a forward looking organisation.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm actually surprised at Abt's vehemance
In this article: he’s usually the Grand-Old-Man journalist, explaining it all to a (relatively) sophisticated international business crowd – he’s either been reading the boards or finally getting as P’O’d about all this as everyone else….
by Roadent on Oct 21, 2008 10:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Maybe since being fired by the NYT/IHT he’s been released from the typical cycling corr’s equivalent of Stockholm syndrome. He was always better than the average cheerleader though. I mean, he used to actually acknowledge the needle and the damage done and not just try to sweep it under the carpet like a lot of other muppets in the press room..
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Professor Wilcockson
has his speculative Tour route posted. Be interesting to see how close he gets. Of course, it’s easier to guess on the day before than a month out, as that French site had.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris... on Oct 21, 2008 10:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
that’s the one from a couple weeks back, when we couldn’t agree on which site he’d half-inched it from.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fashion Reports
by Katiek on Oct 21, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
A nice little appetiser for tomorrow there.
Nothing too controversial.
by Albertina on Oct 21, 2008 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cav in Green?
Alas, no, we haven’t found an Irish granny for him, or had our legitimate claim over the IoM recognised by the relevant authorities. No, he’s talking about the Tour’s sprinters’ jersey. Which I understand is coloured green in honour of Seán Kelly, who won it an embarrassing number of times. Or maybe it was always green.
"Next year I’ll be going full on for it. I didn’t go for the intermediate sprints in the Tour stages last July but next summer I’ll be focussing on doing things differently, I’ll be going for them as well as going for the bunch sprints. It’s the logical step for me. This year I got four stage wins but pulled out. Next year I want to go a step further."
He’ll be riding the Giro (well, some of it anyway) and the Tour de Suisse as part of his Tour prep. Classicswise, they’re saying he’ll add Milano-Sanremo, and Paris-Roubaix. And he’ll start his season at the Tour of Qatar. He’ll also be at Ghent-Wevelgem, the Tour of California, and the Tour of Romandie. And Paris-Tours.
"It’s an amazing program, exactly what I wanted to do, Rolf [Aldag, Columbia team manager] gave me two options of races for 2009, and this is the one I went for. I’m really pleased with it. It’ll give me lots of racing without me getting too tired from overdoing it. Plus there’s races like Paris-Roubaix which I’ve always wanted to do as well, and races like Paris-Tours which I’ve never had the chance to do yet. I’m really looking forward to it all."
Of course, if the Tour route is as seriously rejigged as some have said, with climbs early and late, you have to hope the Manxman will spend the winter learning to climb and not just working n his sprint.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 12:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Will He? Won't He? Will we be any the wiser after tomorrow?
According to JB:
“For the moment, we are going to determine his program based on where he [He] is really welcome and invited … and we will see about the rest. So the main thing is that he is definitely not excluding riding in the Tour, but it would have to be in an atmosphere that is serene and respectful. […] Prudhomme said immediately that Lance would be welcome … but there was always a ‘but.’ (Prudhomme said Armstrong) will have to comply with all the tests and regulations. That is definitely something that was not necessary to say. They (ASO) create that controversy, and ultimately it’s in the interests of everybody that that controversy goes away. One thing has to be sure, clear. Lance does not need to win an eighth Tour de France, that stands above everything,” Bruyneel said. “Of course, if he is making a comeback he would like to compete at the highest level. But he can do without it.”
So if LA’s to ride the Tour, ASO will have to place nice , invite him and be friendly about the way they do that? I wonder if even Nike could make em do that.
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 21, 2008 4:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Just thought you would like to know from my inside info
Mark Cavendish is at the announcement, any more info i get i will let you know.. I’m waiting for more…
by CycleGirl on Oct 22, 2008 5:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Excitement :) Does he scrub up nice?
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 22, 2008 5:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well i don't have photos yet
and my contact is a male…. I’m waiting to confirm who from Saxo bank are there… He is going to send sms when they arrive
by CycleGirl on Oct 22, 2008 5:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You have Thomas on the end of a phone I presume?
Classic.
by Albertina on Oct 22, 2008 5:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 22, 2008 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Oct 22, 2008 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Weel he doesn't work for them but thats how i met him, at Alpe d'Huez
by CycleGirl on Oct 22, 2008 6:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The route
Prologue
monaco – brignoles
marseille – la grande motte
montpellier TTT
le cap d’agoe – perpignan
girona – barcelona
10th July – Barcelona – Andora (224km longest stage)
11th July – Andora – Saint Girons
12th July – Saint Gaudens – Tarbes
13th July Rest Day
13th July Rest Day
14th July – Bastille Day – Limoges -
15th July – Vatans – Saint Fargeau
16th July – Tonnaire – Vittel
17th July – Vittel – Colmar
18th July – Colmar – Besancon
So far
by CycleGirl on Oct 22, 2008 6:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Monday, July 13
Rest day
Tuesday, July 14
Limoges-Issoudun 193km
Wednesday, July 15
Vatan-St. Fargeau 192km
Thursday, July 16
Tonnerre-Vittel 200km
Friday, July 17
Vittel-Colmar 200km
Hilly
Saturday, July 18
Colmar-Besancon 199km
Sunday, July 19
Pontarlier-Verbier 207km
Including Col des Mosses
Monday, July 20
Rest day
Tuesday, July 21
Martigny-Bourg St. Maurice 165km
Col de Grand St. Bernard
Col de Petit St. Bernard
Wednesday, July 22
St. Maurice-Grand Bornand 190km
Thursday, July 23
Annecy TT 40km
Friday, July 24
Bourgain Jallieu-Aubenas 195km
Saturday, July 25
Montelimar-Mont Ventoux 167km
Etape du Tour stage
Sunday, July 26
Montereau Fault Yonne-Paris 160km
by CycleGirl on Oct 22, 2008 6:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Might try and do 21st-26th.
That transfer to Paris is very very problematic though. It’s a 6.5 hr drive. Could fly Avignon to Paris I guess but a bit of a logistical nightmare for sure, especially if we take bikes…
by Albertina on Oct 22, 2008 7:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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