Grand Finale!
by Jen See on Jul 26, 2008 11:24 AM EDT
in Live Races
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Congrats to Carlos!!!
He deserved this after that ride on L’Alpe.
Cadel lost this tour by being semprenaroda. He really needs to get a better team.
Absolutely...
... totally screwed by not having team support to help him on the climbs… and, after seeing what CSC did to Cadel… no team to put the hurt on the other contenders…
Ricco stole my marbles.
Semprenaroda because he had no choice, not because he wasn't strong enough
The team had everything to do with it. It’s clear that he was more than strong enough to win, but you can’t win the Tour on your own.
If I just had one more gear, I...
True
I was planning on drowning my sorrows in a boatload of crappy Silece-Lotto jokes, but now you can just feel pity for Cadel.
He busted his ass and was just too tired
His team failed him more than his legs.
If I just had one more gear, I...
true, but
he lost it today. Everything in the world pointed to him being able to out TT Sastre.
I still like the guy.
Yeah, Cadel was just blown from racing against CSC by himself
That fact that he didn’t lose this by 5 minutes shows how strong he was/is. He just needs a new team.
If I just had one more gear, I...
A stunning, majestic, risky, aggressive attack at the base of L'Alpe d'Huez....
.. became a ride into the Yellow Jersey. Beautiful…
Ricco stole my marbles.
It was nice, but not too risky
CSC had the cards to play while Lotto had no, shame really.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Yeah
better get one more good night’s sleep. Last one for a while for Carlos.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2008 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions
I'll join you. I just popped a nice Gruner Veltliner (a nice dry Austrian wine,
in somewhat honor of Kohl, but not really, as it’s the only wine I have that’s chilled.)
Oh, Carlos Sastre, you have become a cycling legend before my very eyes, you are magnificent!!!!
Go with a nice German Riesling from the Mosel river valley in Trier instead
Best varietal in Germany, but only if you really like sweet whites.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Enjoy the vino
It was my favorite when I lived there.
It's lovely, isn't it? I spent a week in late September 2006
on the Danube, in the Wachau valley, touring vineyards. After a week in Vienna. Before a week in Hungary. Best. Vacation. Ever.
Carlos! Epic Race Win!
take yellow with a solo attack from the foot of the Alpe! It doesn’t get better than that.
From CN
1 Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) 1.03.50 (49.817 km/h)
2 Fabian Cancellara (CSC-Saxo Bank) 1.04.11
3 Kim Kirchen (Columbia) 1.04.51
4 Christian Vande Velde (Garmin Chipotle – H30) 1.04.55
5 David Millar (Garmin Chipotle – H30) 1.05.27
6 Denis Menchov (Rabobank) 1.05.45
7 Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) 1.05.55
8 Sebastian Lang (Gerolsteiner) 1.06.09
9 Bernhard Kohl (Gerolsteiner) 1.06.11
10 George Hincapie (Columbia) 1.06.18
11 Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia) 1.06.19
12 Carlos Sastre (CSC-Saxo Bank) 1.06.25
16 Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 1.07.04
17 Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) 1.07.11
23 Andy Schleck (CSC-Saxo Bank) 1.07.53
? Fränk Schleck (CSC-Saxo Bank) 1.09.28
General classification after stage 20
1 Carlos Sastre (Spa) CSC-Saxo Bank
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 1.05
3 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 1.20
4 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 2.00
5 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin Chipotle – H30
6 Fränk Schleck (Lux) CSC-Saxo Bank
7 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
8 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Columbia
Kohl deserves props
very strong riding by him from start to finish.
Sigh.
I’m already anticipating my post Tour withdrawal. Good thing the Olympics are starting soon to ease the transition.
Tour Withdrawal means...
... I will now have a life again outside of cycling… a life that includes sleeeeeeeeep…
Bueno Carlos!!!!!
Well, you have one advantage over most of us timewise
You don’t have to now go get on the bike for a couple of hours.
If I just had one more gear, I...
We must hunt down this beauty and try it out. :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
This isn't the year for it
but I’m going on record, as I do every year, that I think this “tradition” of not attacking the yellow jersey on the Champs Elysée is horsehit. Race!
I'd agree within 20 or so seconds
which, now that I type that, maybe means that I’d be up for a podium step battle tomorrow.
I don't think that there really is any tradition
it’s just that there is absolutely no way CSC and Sastre would let any sort of dangerous break get a minute up the road. Watch the start of any flat stage and see how many potential breakaways get pulled back because one or more of the teams don’t want to let a particular rider or team in the break. If Evans tries to get away he will just end up towing Sastre plus 2 or 3 other CSC riders up to the line where one of them would jump him and lead out Sastre.
yeah, we saw that already last year when the gap was even smaller
and the bonus seconds were on the line too….
This Tour is Carlos’ now.
by Bruce Suomi on Jul 26, 2008 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
newbie question #5
So is there really no possibility of upset tomorrow? No big aggressive breakaways ever happen? (I can’t even bear thinking about crashes at this point, so I’m not asking about that.)
No one can outrun...
... Robbie McEwen tomorrow… Maybe he’s FINALLY have some sort of team support now that Cadel is done for the month.
Bueno Carlos!!!!!
F!@# Robbie!!!
He doesn’t deserve a shot at a stage win after the crap ass support that Lotto gave Cadel. I would probably have to put a frame pump in some rear wheels if I were around some Lotto riders about now, minus Cadel. He did his part.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Just venting at the total meltdown of Lotto, total crap. Robbie included.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Seriously? If your team has a shot at winning the Tour
Wouldn’t you step up? Not doing so shows POOR form.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Didn't Robbie spend 30ks or so chasing a break
a couple of days ago.
The bigger question
is what happened to Popo. The only time I saw him in the mountains was when he made the early break then just stayed away.
popo claimed that the training camp did him in
or something like that in an interview I saw. it was almost as if he was saying that he disagreed that doing a climbing camp at altitude was a good thing if you then had to climb at altitude – made no sense to me and sounded like more of an excuse.
*Lotto's tacticks to send him in the breaks
were not the best either…
by Bruce Suomi on Jul 26, 2008 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions
*Lotto surely had a crap team,
and in the end, it paid the victory…
by Bruce Suomi on Jul 26, 2008 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
For their budget they don't do too badly
It’s just that after paying for Robbie and now Cadel they don’t have a lot of cash left over for gregarii. Think of them as a 2 25-pointer and 20 1-pointer team.
the budget is the problem
I always get the impression that the team sponsors want results as cheaply as possible… ie. to the extent of seeming like cheapskates at times (read: not signing Horner)
I wonder
how much they ar regretting that right now.
Popo couldn't have been cheap, though,
not based on his previous performances, he was a hot little super-domestique ‘05-’07. I’m a fan, and he’s had a really disappointing season, through there hasn’t been a lot of word on why…
Cadel was without a doubt the strongest rider
in the race, but he had zero, nada, nill, team support.
And that makes the difference.
by Bruce Suomi on Jul 26, 2008 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
agreed
they don’t have a big budget and they need exposure in the classics. so they’re paying a bunch of guys for the belgian races – hoste isn’t cheap.
True
but maybe they need to focus on one or the other instead of being meh-ish in both. Whatever you think of Lotto this year, QuickStep have been 100 times worse. After all their plan for the Tour was Booonen plus squibs. Take out Boonen and they have nothing. Apart from best handlebar basher of the year.
Devolder winning Flanders???
Oh, that was fun!!!
by Bruce Suomi on Jul 26, 2008 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I put that badly didn't I
When I think of the spring I remember QS being at the front every race, even if they didn’t win the lot. That sort of excuses having a crap Tour. Lotto were shit in march too.
chasing team, plus sprinters teams
a flat (basically) finishing loop. Probably physically impossible.
That's not true
Vino did it, Won the stage, and bumped Levi down a slot on GC in the process.
It can be done; but you’re just not gonna get more then 10, or maybe 15 secs out of it.
The Champs is actually pretty sketchy at top speed too.
Time bonuses I think made that happen.
None of those are here this year.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
None
bad form really. It’d have to be within a handful of seconds for anyone to even consider it.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2008 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
I am so proud of Christian!
This was just an awesome day. Everyone fighting for it and leaving it all out on the road. Great, great stuff!!!
Huge congrats C!!! And Garmin has 4 in top 20 today. Great job guys!!!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Well, I did say I could see 3 in the top 10 for Garmin but
4 in the top 14 is good. Congrats to CVV and all the GarMen.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Teams
Gerolsshteiner 1st, 8th, 9th
Columbia 3rd, 10th, 11th
Garmin 4th, 5th, 13th (and 14th)
CSC 2nd, 12th, 15th
Not sure how the times add up (too lazy).
So beautiful!
I hardly dared hope. But when Cadel’s form was fading, Sastre’s was on the rise. What a lovely way to win the Tour – the huge move on the Alpe d’Huez, then the crono of his life.
Bellisimo!
truly a master
He didn’t waste any effort. He timed his form perfectly, won the queen stage. A brilliant win.
After riding GT after GT, he’s got it perfect.
They could try, but it wouldn't work
There would be a race if the difference was say 5 seconds or so. No contender in a break would get away. Tours have been won on the last stage when it was a TT, so I don’t think the tradition is anything other than the fact that it is a sprint stage and the differences have been enough.
Kirchen
big props. I think this is about as good as he can be.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2008 11:44 AM EDT reply actions
And I reckon that Ciolek is a good bet for tomorrow
that kid really wants to show that he could challenge Cavendish, given a chance. He put in a hell of a sprint for his 3rd place a couple of days ago.
Total kudos for him for moving up comfortably into top 10.
Nice congrats to that team too. They worked hard and for both yellow and sprints.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Siutsou for future
He did a great tour for his first I think. 20th in last time trial means you lasted.
And there's someone
who won a tour attacking on the final stage. But you can do that on mountains.
CSC
one for the conventional wisdom: lots of teamwork, and a really late peak. I think Riis gamed this backward from the TT and figured their only chance to win was to keep Sastre super-fresh for the last week. So the team spent two weeks -plus minimizing his exposure, capping any gaps, and making too big a mess of the race for anyone else to take control. CW: Carlos can’t win in the ITT unless he’s better rested. And that’s exactly what transpired.
And with that, I’m rejoining my camping group. Fabulous job to all, and thanks for being here with us!
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2008 11:47 AM EDT reply actions
Keep all the sweet smelling food in your tent...
... and smear bacon grease around the outside of it… it keeps the bears away…
Bueno Carlos!!!!!
We did
I smeared him with bear grease. I’ll sleep well tonight.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
You both make up these stories of other friends don't you?
It’s actually just you two meeting up somewhere for some male bonding.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I've seen Hawking on a commercial for something here
I think he has been on US commercials.
ha!
Bowflex, the best home gym in the universe.
Oh god... Steven Hawking selling Bowflex...
... that’s inspired! You are going to hell for suggesting it of course… but that’s damn funny!!!!
Bueno Carlos!!!!!
is it
Today, I raced à la Chavanel, and I succeeded.
by callmecayce on Jul 26, 2008 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
i am at work!
Today, I raced à la Chavanel, and I succeeded.
by callmecayce on Jul 26, 2008 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Spain is really cleaning the table on the sports this year!
Fanstastic, I’m thrilled that Carlos won!
I don't recall him having issues.
I really think it was just riding hard but I promise to ask and will report back later in the week on it if it’s not already answered by then. :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Riis
Carlos demonstrates the form, the power, etc. he is the real tour winner.
Eh. Not much of an interview. Nevermind.
riis
yes and no surprised by sastre. he said sastre was improving his form during the tour. and he grew stronger as the race went on. riis smiling big :-) german eurosport just dropped the sound, idots.
Head bangingest Tour ever
I’m talking about the commercials, not the racing. Between TapouT, Power Bar, and Vs crash video music, I’m thrashing.
the Hampton Inn music is the worst
My girlfriend is writing a letter to the chain pledging to never stay there based on how awful that ad is.
I hate the
Michelob Light “Shining on…” tune with a passion. Anyone know who the band is? I’m going to slag them from now on.
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore." -- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race
Internet says: The Kooks
The song, shockingly enough, is “Shine On.” I hate that ad too. Not as much as the Hamptons, and I made my peace with the Bacardi one (my favorite ass is the one in white, on the left).
Life without any recording device is painful.
Gawd, that song SUCKS!
I like the gold ass on the left.
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore." -- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race
My girlfriend and I want to know if the girl in the brown skirt
right before the music stops is double jointed in the ass. How DOES she get it to move like that? Really.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
yeah, that's the one...
:-)
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore." -- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race
this is really a statement of how boring my work is today
But I just watched the Bacardi ad again (rewatching the time trial sans tension is kinda nice) and the brown/golden ass is moving her hip thusly: she has the back leg bent down, and she’s dropping the front hip down to the level of it. It looks like she’s shaking it up, but it’s the downward that’s giving it all the crazy movement.
I did a lot of research on belly dancing for a project a couple years ago—it’s one of those intermediate moves that you don’t often see in regular dance.
Geek interlude concluded.
That's pretty funny. Nice research for noon on a Saturday. :-)
Can I assume that if you researched belly dancing you’re a girl?
How ever she’s moving it – she’s movin it! Tips to her for that. I still think double jointed. tee hee!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
you scared me for a moment there
If it was noon here, I’d be in a pile of trouble (I’m in CA). Yes, I’m a chick. For that project I also researched bull-riding, the screening process for day-time talk shows, public transport emergency planning, and bonsai. The girl part had nothing to do with what I was looking up, hah.
God, Sastre just caught Schleck again. Still sad.
What I wonder about
is who was responsible for the white-dress chick by the bar in the first shot (and dancing awkwardly past when the music stops)?
She looks relatively normal compared to the rest of the folks—so she must know someone or something . . .
Are already entering withdrawal if we are focusing this much on this commercial
or is this commercial just that fun to do so? I still think the one is double jointed! LOL!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
sheesh I'm still trying to figure out which one you mean
can’t believe I watched that ad twice already, I actually stopped the Tivo for the ad!
Oh crap. I hate that when that happens.
It’s the girl in a chocolate brown/goldish mini you see shortly before the music stops. That girl can shake it and it doesn’t look quite right – meaning how on earth does she do it. (LOL!)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I think the commercials have come to be comforting
They’re so familiar. I’m pleased when poor old John Scherer, CEO and founder, shows up and once again does not get to finish. The guy in the office who zooms off to meet his female running partner used to bother me, but no more. Lee and Ann Marie are like family now, annoying as usual, but hey, it’s Christmas. I’m a little disturbed that they’ve now been joined by Randy, the guy with the accordion (an accordion on your dating video?).
The only one that bothers me, and more each time I hear it (I don’t look), is the SAAB brainwashing experiment.
by NE Observer on Jul 26, 2008 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions
he looked bad out there
terrible form, struggling with the bike.
Shoulder injury worse than they let on?
am interested to know if they reveal how bad Cadel’s shoulder injury really was…
by Patrick B. Penguin on Jul 26, 2008 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
He was shite
Or the shoulder injury is a lot worse than he’s been letting on. How come Schumacher still had the energy today after his big solo breaks through the Alps? One of his mum’s magic herbal remedies?
Probably, a little E.T. like perhaps?
I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough if that’s true.
If I just had one more gear, I...
You know... they just had a Kristin Armstrong Cervelo commercial...
They… you know… could have featured some more of her teammates… I’m just sayin… :)
Bueno Carlos!!!!!
Add my congrats to Sastre
I’m very happy to be wrong on my prediction of Cadel winning. For the benefit of my VDS team, I can’t wait for Valverde to win the Vuelta.
Why sign on to get
punted by Bert?
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore." -- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race
Yeah... that's about the size of it...
... unless there’s something drastic that happens… Astana is going to head into that thing like a freakin’ steamroller.
Bueno Carlos!!!!!
uhhhh...
the Vuelta was never his objective….Contador had nothing to do with it. He has a good chance for gold and has podium’d often at worlds.
yep
mos’ def’
He’s a great pick for worlds – the course is hilly this year. Val and Cunego both have good chances at that one.
both the oly and worlds
suit the climber kids with fast finishes. I’m looking forward to those races this year.
Interesting to see who in the end the Italians ride for. Already Bettini has suggested that Cunego is his successor, but hard to say if that means this year or next.
unless he doesn't have the legs...
I think Bettini will step aside if he knows his legs aren’t there. But otherwise, yeah, he rides to win. I’d like to see cunego get a shot this year, though, it suits him so well and it’s in his home region.
Bettini will be there...
....but I also think that the course is better suited for Cunego….and Valverde would out sprint Cunego ; )!!
Valverde to be on top step
....no way can Cunego beat Alejandro in sprint…nor could he keep up with him in the climbs. Your too funny chica!!
eurosport.fr is saying that they are waiting for Kohl to do the KOM polka dots
he collapsed and can’t walk right now
glad he didn't settle for polka dots
great ride from him from beginning to end.
did they give him a nice award?
Today, I raced à la Chavanel, and I succeeded.
by callmecayce on Jul 26, 2008 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
i think that's tomorrow
but they announced it. Will watch the post-stage show a bit later and will let you know
thanks
i didn’t have time to set my VCR, because i was already close to be late (then i got to work and couldn’t find a place to park, due to a fun fair of some sort blocking the road to our parking lot (and the lot itself).
and good, i’ll be able to watch him tomorrow. he deserves the win that award!
Today, I raced à la Chavanel, and I succeeded.
by callmecayce on Jul 26, 2008 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I was hoping Jens! might get a special ass kicking award for Ruthann.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
:D :D :D :D
Today, I raced à la Chavanel, and I succeeded.
by callmecayce on Jul 26, 2008 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, not to romanticize Jens! too much, but knowing the little we know of him,
I suspect that he’s enjoying Carlos’ victory as much, if not more, as Carlos is. Gav said it best after l’Alpe: for the Sexy boys, it’s all about the team. Think how euphoric Stuey must be, having provided bodyguard service for Carlos for the last three weeks. I’m sure they are all over the moon! Chapeau!
What a great race.
And, yeah, Jens! gets the Ruthann Special Kick Ass Award of 2008. For, what, the 9th year now? :-)
If there's an after party to be at - this would the team's I would want to go to!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Did you read that *Lotto canceled their party?
Forget where I saw this. They had white stretch limos set up to bring the riders to a Paris discotheque. Everyone was supposed to wear white, I think it said tuxedos. Think about it. Partying with Cadel. And \o/. And Popo, good old Popo, and that great teammate Robbie McEwen.
I suspect they’ve been spared a disaster. Even if they’d won.
by NE Observer on Jul 26, 2008 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Okay that is only reassuring me that I would want to be at CSC's.
And you know C and the gang will end up there at some point so party it up!
I had not heard that Lotto cancelled theres. Is that real? No celebration at all for reaching Paris. Cadel may not have won but 2nd isn’t exactly awful. Maybe they got an invite for appetizers with CSC….
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
sporza had a "quote of the day" from *Lotto sponsor Marc Coucke
Quote van de dag
“Het wordt morgen een heel mooi feest, maar geen geel mooi feest”
which translates as “It is a very nice celebration tomorrow, but no yellow nice celebration” according to google.
not if he gets a better team IMO
Contador only beat Evans by 23 seconds last year, Andy and Frank would need to improve their TT’ing greatly, Basso won’t be riding next year, Menchov always gets mentioned as a favourite but didn’t get on the podium even this year … Evans would still have a good chance, though wouldn’t be the favourite.
How about getting a team, period?
Sad state when the one who helped you the most was Robbie… (definitely agree that Popo needs to be slapped like a seal…)
by Patrick B. Penguin on Jul 26, 2008 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Time to pull the handle on the VDS points
Hey, wait. We let Chris go without doing that! That sneaky little . . .
I'm so glad you mentioned that.
3 Stage wins… Oscar, Gerrans and Carlos
3 Jersey wins… Carlos, Oscar and Andy
Rolling Thunder’s best Tour evah!!!
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore." -- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race
Have the Doping Controllers come by your house yet?
... their names are Vito and Lucca. They do the doping test using a maplewood baseball bat. You don’t need BOTH of your kneecaps do you?
Bueno Carlos!!!!!
Bring them on
I’m leaving the house soon.
gravelroad and the fish boy and I are going to Floyd Co. Va for an 80 mile dirt road epic tomorrow.
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore." -- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race
3 of the usual - 2 surprises
Sastre, Evans, Menchov are the usual suspects you expected to see up there. Kohl and Vandevelde are the ones I am sure no-one picked! Wow. Good riding.
Two years in a row the leader into the time trial won. Year before Landis came from behind.
Kudos to Kohl and CVV
They’re the ones who really stepped up. I can’t believe how well those two rode, wonderful. Kohl won’t get an inch next year.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Thank you. I only understand about 20 words in French, but
I loved it when Carlos pinched JaJa’s cheek at the end of it all :-)
Lost in all of this
is that Wim Vansevenant has won the Lanterne Rouge for the 3rd year in a row. Chapeau, Wim!
Don't be too sure yet
there’s no tradition about attacking the leader of that compo on the Champs. Although there’s a pretty good chance that Eisel will have to lead out someone, leaving Wim to pull another couple of minutes from the bag.
We could see a final 10k
equal to that fought by Burghardt and Barredo.
No REALLY - I insist - after yoouuuuuuuu... :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
actually, think Eisel doesn't want it
sporza has a bit with Vansevenant, in which he says he had a chat with Eisel before the TT and Eisel told him you may as well have it (lanterne rouge). The Belgian media already even gave Vansevenant a red lantern to commemorate…
So Brent Hassert
stopped by on his election campaign this morning. Do our officials not realize we have a race going on? ha ha! That will teach me for not taking a shower and such this morning. So funny.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
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