Podium Cafe: FanPosts

Tour de France Stage 1

2009-07-05T09:01:35Z

Stage 1 Monaco - Monaco 15.5km ITT

Monaco was the home of the Grand Depart. Johann Bruyneel the director sportif of Astana was setting his riders out at weird times with Leipheimer and Armstrong out early. Lance set the first Time to beat at 20:12 with a brilliant pace set before the first time check at the top of the Cote de Beausoliel. That time was soon eclipsed by Tony Martin setting a time of 20:05 over the course. It took to Levi Leipheimer to beat the time set by Martin. The time didn't fall by much only by three seconds. It took till another Astana rider to tumble the time set by Levi the it was the German Andreas Kloden. Cadel Evans the hope of Australia came in falling short of the mark set by Kloden. It was the Brit Bradley Wiggins who took the time to 19:51. Still out on course was Fabian Cancellara and Alberto Contador who were both firing. At the Climb Contador had a 6 second advantage over the Olympic Champion. However the Swiss descended like a rock and by the finish seven and a half kilometres later he had improved on Wiggins' time by twenty second to 19:32. Contador finished shortly after a massive 16 seconds later. The tour is so far currently living up to its expectations. Tomorrow a flat stage is facing the bunch and the sprinters will be sure to want to stretch their legs. Standings

1	033	Fabian CANCELLARA	SAX	00:19:32	00:00:00
2	021	Alberto CONTADOR	AST	00:19:50	00:00:18
3	058	Bradley WIGGINS	GRM	00:19:51	00:00:19
4	023	Andréas KLÖDEN	AST	00:19:54	00:00:22
5	011	Cadel EVANS	SIL	00:19:55	00:00:23

Giro Donne – Stage 2 Time Trial

2009-07-04T18:57:06Z

Yesterday started out at the glamorous end of the Italian auto-industry, beside the Ferrari test track at Mugello. Today’s time trial begins in Pontedera, home of a much more humble company, Pioggia, makers of the Vespa, and its utilitarian big brother (and a secret favourite of mine) the Ape. From there they head north to Bientina, then east to the finish at S. Maria a Monte, a small volcanic outcrop that the Florentines (who else) annexed and surrounded with walls to protect their western flank. Nowadays the annual cultural highlight is August’s "Sagra della Patata Fritta," the festival of the fried potato. I kid you not. The course is for the most part flat or not noticeably uphill untill the last seven hundred metres which have an average gradient of 4.5% and look very tight and twisty.

This is a lot longer than the prologue, so the TT specialists should be able to get a bit of time over the sprinters digging in extra deep. It could well be another Cervelo 1-2, with Armstrong and Pooley, but expect Noemi Cantele to show off her new Italian champ jersey. They start at 11:45 and leave at one minute intervals . If conditions are good the winner will get round in about 20 minutes.

Rai Sport Piu will have half an hour of coverage at 17:00 local time.

The Map

The Profile

Giro Donne – Stage 1

2009-07-04T08:41:22Z

Looking at today’s route from San Piero a Sieve to Pratolino di Vaglia, you think that maybe someone switched on the Garmin then got lost. Or maybe whoever was driving the car got carried away with the history of the area, because if you look at the photo on the right, the circuit of yesterday’s TT is clearly visible as the only two roads going through Scarperia. But then look to the right, by the red A. Anyone who knows Moto GP or is a fan of Ferrari might recognise the outline of the Mugello circuit. I wonder if the organisers secretly hoped to ride there instead? And before safety considerations stopped them, they even used to race on local roads.

Today’s start is only a few km from Scarperia, so they should all be well rested even after the late finish (unless the cheap hotels were further away). San Piero a Sieve is another settlement that has grown up around an old Florentine defensive outpost, but there is even less of the old stuff left than there was in Scarperia. Which probably means nice smooth asphalt and no cobbles. The profile looks lumpy until you see the scale on the right. Barberino di Mugello is 6.5k at approx 3.4% (congratulations to whoever made the profiles for adding the km markers and elevations at key points to allow us to work this sort of stuff out), which is roughly the difference between a professionally maintained $10,000 bike and the sort of thing that some of us keep in the garden shed.

So the decisive point of today’s stage is likely to be the Mur like climb to Pratolino di Vaglia, 2km at an average of 6.8%. This could be the start of the Arndt-Armstrong battle, or maybe one of the one-day stars like Mirjam Van Poppel will nip in to steal the glory. The expected finishing time is around 15:00, and RAI Sports Piu have half an hour of coverage scheduled for 16:50. Be aware that time in Italy is always approximate.

The Map

The Profile

And one more useful link, the site of the Official Italian Timekeepers. They have starting times for the time trial (OK that ones a bit late now), and other useful bits of info may pop up. Did you know how many 19 year olds were riding? Was 1990 really that long ago?

MY OPINION ON THE TOUR DE FRANCE

2009-07-04T02:23:06Z

The Favourites

Cadel Evans though a strong rider does not have the depth in his team. His team has gone through three stages in the past three years the first stage was the team working for Robbie Mcewen and Evans. 2. Evans Mcewen in the team and in 2009 Evans. However the team is still unripened and Evans won't succeed.

Lance Armstrong or 'The Boss' Is trying to win an 8th Tour de France title.

Do I think he can win? At 37 years old and in the best team in the world he can I will admit the truth he can. Except for the fact that this man is on the same team

Alberto Contador is the worlds best grand tour rider in the space of fourteen months he won the Giro, Tour and Vuelta. Assuming he is the undisputed leader of Astana he will not be stopped. In 2007 his weakness was his time trialling but he has now turned into one of the worlds best time-triallists.

Carlos Sastre Last years winner does not have the team he had last year and that will prevent his victory as well as being one of the older riders in the peleton.

Andy Schleck If not for a hunger knock Andy Schleck could have won last years tour the strongest rider in the alps The hunger knock affected his chances

My Tips

5. Lance Armstrong

4. Carlos Sastre

3. Cadel Evans

2.Andy Schleck

1.Alberto Contador

Poll

Who Do you think will win the Tour de France

I have a strong feeling how Versus coverage is going to go

2009-07-03T22:14:02Z

I just went to set up my DVR for the Tour and what should greet me? Until approximately 2am EST tomorrow, Vs has something Lance related every hour on the hour. For the next 8 hours it might as well be called the Lancus channel.

My question - does this surprise you, gentle viewer?

Giro Donne – Opening Prologue

2009-07-03T18:31:52Z

Tonight, at 19:00 local time, the 2009 Giro Donne finally began with a 2.5km prologue time trial in Scarperia, near Florence, and the last rider is expected to finish at 22:00, which suggests 1 minute intervals at first then 2 minutes for "I big." In contrast to last years’s jaunt up and down the station car park, this year the organisers are riding right through the best bits of a very pretty and historic village. Scarperia was built by the Florentines in the early 14th Century to protect their northern flank, and its dominant feature is the Palazzo dei Vicari, sited of course in the Piazza Vicari, which holds both the start and finish lines.

The course is pretty straightforward as the map suggests: head out slightly uphill, turn at the top, ride back downhill on the next road, turn at the bottom and head back. The number of floodlights could give an advantage to the girls who start in early and under natural light, if like last year there aren’t enough for the riders to safely judge the corners, but seeding should limit that advantage to total outsiders. Olympic Gold and Silver medal winners Kristin Armstrong and Emma Pooley are the obvious favourites, Bronze Karen Thurig is not riding this year.

For those of you who are able to receive it, be that through the standard channels or via the grey market, Rai Sports Piu will have coverage at 23:30 local time tonight (And note that tomorrow's advertised broadcast is at 16:45 in the afternoon - I don't know whether that is a repeat of today's show or a report from stage 1). There’s no sign yet of any ticker, and I’ve not found anyone twattering either, but things may improve over the week. If you know anything then please share. For now the best source of up-to-date info remains Italian site Cicloweb, even if their website seems stuck back in 1997. Beware the recursive frames that shove the information you want into an ever shrinking corner of your monitor.

The Map

The Gradients

(maps courtesy of the Official Site.)

And now with added video, courtesy of the official site.

Ex ASO President Attacks LA - Compares Him to Nixon

2009-07-03T17:20:00Z

The French newspaper Le Monde is featuring an interview with Patric Clerc, ASO president (TdF organizers) from 1998 - 2008.

Link to Article

The nastiest excerpt:

il n'a jamais été sanctionné pour dopage et il tente un come-back comme peu de sportifs en ont réussi. Mais, sur le long terme, on rouvre le dossier du doute, un chapitre que je croyais fermé avec son dernier Tour en 2005. Or le doute, il n'y a rien de pire.

Le président de l'Agence française de lutte contre le dopage (AFLD), Pierre Bordry, lui a tendu la perche en lui proposant de faire tester de nouveau les échantillons d'urine du Tour 1999 (dont le journal L'Equipe avait révélé en 2005 qu'ils contenaient des traces d'érythropoïétine (EPO)). Lance Armstrong n'a pas voulu. Il s'est enfermé dans ses affirmations en disant en substance "c'est archifaux" alors qu'il s'est sûrement passé des choses. Cette attitude est très américaine. Souvenez-vous de Nixon et du Watergate. Aux Etats-Unis, le parjure est pire que le crime. Si on change d'avis, on est mort. S'il disait " OK, je l'ai fait" après avoir toujours affirmé " je n'ai rien fait", il serait mort.

LOOSELY TRANSLATED:

"He (Armstrong) has never been sanctioned for doping and he is attempting a come back that few athletes have succedded at. But, in the long-term, we are reopening the dossier of doubt, a chapter that I believed closed with his final Tour in 2005. And yet, "doubt," there is nothing worse."

"The French president of AFLD (French anti-doping agency) - tendu la perche (tightended the line??? made the offer? upped the ante?) by proposing to Armstrong that he have tested again the uirne samples from the 1999 Tour (of which l'Equipe had revealed contains traces of EPO). Lance Armstrong didn't want to."

"He has surrounded himself with the claims that this (the claims of l"Equipe") is completely false, while he surely did things." (I might have misrepresented the meaning here).

"This is a very American attitude. Remember Nixon and Watergate? In the USA, perjury is worse than the crime. If one changes views/opinions, one is dead. If he was saying, "Ok, I did it" after always saying "I have never done anything", he would be dead. "

My guess is that LA will not be answering many questions in French during this Tour .....

Why not me? Zombie Maurice Garin

2009-07-03T17:18:30Z

via upload.wikimedia.org

A surprise last-minute entrant.

Why he will win:

As winner of the 1st, 2nd and now 96th Tours, he is the only ~~man~~ zombie who can make Americans pay attention to someone other than HWMNBN.

Won't just ride a train to get to the final stage, but also during stages. This, and lifts on the back of tour motorbikes will allow him to conserve valuable energy for the final ~~apocalypse~~ time-trial.

Eats Contador's brains on Mont Ventoux.

Zombie Maurice Garin is tough- no matter how many times he Schlecks on a downhill, able to dust himself off and keep going.

Why he won't win:

Zombie aren't renowned for their teamwork. TTT will be a disaster.

Every night Cadel's dog buries him in a park somewhere, and it takes a while to dig himself back up.

Zombies are kinda sloooowwww. Even on drugs.

Disqualified when drug testers discover he doesn't have any biological blood. Or urine. Or a soul (exogenous souls are banned by WADA {dick pound exempted}).

Final Analysis:

Hrrggh mnnna aaggghrr...

Vino on the radio...

2009-07-03T15:19:40Z

...on RMC in Monaco. I wanted to get some more Tour info, so I dug up radio stations in Monaco, and whoa! There's Vino answering questions about his return. "I did my time... Sure, I can share space on the team with Lance, no problem for me..." heh. Vuelta and Worlds are his goals.

I assume that he's actually *in* Monaco. Interesting. (*)

I'll be listening to these stations through the day just to get my (over)dose of the Tour... :)

-Greg

(*) Correction -- the RMC link on the "Monaco" page is just the general RMC link, so it wasn't necessarily broadcast from Monaco.

Boonen sera la!!!!

2009-07-03T11:04:27Z

Tom Boonen will be on the start on Monaco.......

The long drama has come to an end. Take that ASO, Minister for Sport...my arse....From Eurosport as of 13.00 Today:

Selon les médias belges, Tom Boonen sera bien au départ du Tour de France samedi à Monaco. La Chambre arbitrale du sport du comité national olympique et sportif français aurait statué en faveur du coureur de l'équipe Quick Step, l'autorisant à s'aligner sur la Grande Boucle.

Boonen, Boonen, Boonen, Boonen......BatMan!!!

L'Equipe: Bruyneel et Armstrong virés?

2009-07-03T10:37:14Z

As if Astana don't have enough troubles now.

Basically they are saying Vino's return on 24 July is the end of JB & LA in Astana. Kazakh President Nazarbayev is stepping in, will get rid of the sponsors who hadn't paid (and find some new ones presumably).

They are going to make a new offer to Bert, guarantee his sole leadership blah blah blah...according to L'Equipe, this will happen in Sep.

hmmm, may the bidding wars begin...

Back Numbers Tour 2009

2009-07-03T09:31:15Z

I couldn't find it on letour.fr but many sites are reporting the back numbers for the coming TdF.

Sastre got number 1. Some surprises. Cavendish has a 1 and Pellizotti too. I thought Kreuziger would be their main man this year.

Cervelo Test Team
1 Carlos Sastre (Spa)
2 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa)
3 José Gomez Marchante (Spa)
4 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr)
5 Heinrich Haussler (Ger)
6 Thor Hushovd (Nor)
7 Andreas Klier (Ger)
8 Brett Lancaster (Aus)
9 Hayden Roulston (NZl)

Silence - Lotto
11 Cadel Evans (Aus)
12 Mickael Delage (Fra)
13 Sebastian Lang (Ger)
14 Matthew Lloyd (Aus)
15 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel)
16 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel)
17 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel)
18 Johan Van Summeren (Bel)
19 Charles Wegelius (GBr)

Astana
21 Alberto Contador (Spa)
22 Lance Armstrong (USA)
23 Andreas Klöden (Ger)
24 Levi Leipheimer (USA)
25 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz)
26 Sergio Paulinho (Por)
27 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr)
28 Grégory Rast (Swi)
29 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa)

Team Saxo Bank
31 Andy Schleck (Lux)
32 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor)
33 Fabian Cancellara (Swi)
34 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe)
35 Stuart O'Grady (Aus)
36 Fränk Schleck (Lux)
37 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den)
38 Nicki Sörensen (Den)
39 Jens Voigt (Ger)

Rabobank
41 Denis Menchov (Rus)
42 Stef Clement (Ned)
43 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa)
44 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa)
45 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa)
46 Robert Gesink (Ned)
47 Grischa Niermann (Ger)
48 Joost Posthuma (Ned)
49 Laurens ten Dam (Ned)

Garmin - Slipstream
51 Christian Vande Velde (USA)
52 Julian Dean (NZl)
53 Tyler Farrar (USA)
54 Ryder Hesjedal (Can)
55 Martijn Maaskant (Ned)
56 David Millar (GBr)
57 Danny Pate (USA)
58 Bradley Wiggins (GBr)
59 David Zabriskie (USA)

Euskaltel - Euskadi
61 Mikel Astarloza (Spa)
62 Igor Anton (Spa)
63 Koldo Fernandez (Spa)
64 Egoi Martinez (Spa)
65 Juan Oroz (Spa)
66 Alan Perez (Spa)
67 Ruben Perez (Spa)
68 Amets Txurruka (Spa)
69 Gorka Verdugo (Spa)

Team Columbia - High Road
71 Mark Cavendish (GBr)
72 Bernhard Eisel (Aut)
73 Bert Grabsch (Ger)
74 George Hincapie (USA)
75 Kim Kirchen (Lux)
76 Tony Martin (Ger)
77 Maxime Monfort (Bel)
78 Mark Renshaw (Aus)
79 Michael Rogers (Aus)

AG2R La Mondiale
81 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus)
82 José Luis Arrieta (Spa)
83 Cyril Dessel (Fra)
84 Hubert Dupont (Fra)
85 Stéphane Goubert (Fra)
86 Lloyd Mondory (Fra)
87 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita)
88 Christophe Riblon (Fra)
89 Nicholas Roche (Irl)

Liquigas
91 Franco Pellizotti (Ita)
92 Daniele Bennati (Ita)
93 Roman Kreuziger (Cze)
94 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr)
95 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita)
96 Fabio Sabatini (Ita)
97 Brian Vandborg (Den)
98 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita)
99 Frederik Willems (Bel)

Française des Jeux
101 Sandy Casar (Fra)
102 Jérôme Coppel (Fra)
103 Anthony Geslin (Fra)
104 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr)
105 Sébastien Joly (Fra)
106 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra)
107 Jérémy Roy (Fra)
108 Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra)
109 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin)

Caisse d'Epargne
111 Oscar Pereiro (Spa)
112 David Arroyo (Spa)
113 Rui da Costa (Por)
114 Arnaud Coyot (Fra)
115 José Ivan Gutierrez (Spa)
116 Luis Pasamontes (Spa)
117 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa)
118 Luis Leon Sánchez (Spa)
119 Rigoberto Uran (Col)

Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
121 David Moncoutie (Fra)
122 Stéphane Auge (Fra)
123 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra)
124 Leonardo Duque (Col)
125 Bingen Fernandez (Spa)
126 Christophe Kern (Fra)
127 Sébastien Minard (Fra)
128 Amaël Moinard (Fra)
129 Rémi Pauriol (Fra)

Lampre - NGC
131 Alessandro Ballan (Ita)
132 Marco Bandiera (Ita)
133 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita)
134 Angelo Furlan (Ita)
135 David Loosli (Swi)
136 Daniele Righi (Ita)
137 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita)
138 Marcin Sapa (Pol)
139 Simon Spilak (Slo)

BBOX Bouygues Telecom
141 Thomas Voeckler (Fra)
142 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn)
143 William Bonnet (Fra)
144 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra)
145 Saïd Haddou (Fra)
146 Laurent Lefevre (Fra)
147 Alexandre Pichot (Fra)
148 Pierre Rolland (Fra)
149 Yury Trofimov (Rus)

Quick Step
151 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra)
152 Carlos Barredo (Spa)
153 Allan Davis (Aus)
154 Steven de Jongh (Ned)
155 Stijn Devolder (Bel)
156 Jérôme Pineau (Fra)
157 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel)
158 Matteo Tosatto (Ita)
159 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel)

Team Katusha
161 Vladimir Karpets (Rus)
162 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus)
163 Joan Horrach (Spa)
164 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus)
165 Serguei Ivanov (Rus)
166 Danilo Napolitano (Ita)
167 Filippo Pozzato (Ita)
168 ........
169 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel)

Agritubel
171 Christophe Moreau (Fra)
172 Maxime Bouet (Fra)
173 Sylvain Calzati (Fra)
174 Brice Feillu (Fra)
175 Romain Feillu (Fra)
176 Eduardo Gonzalo (Spa)
177 David Lelay (Fra)
178 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra)
179 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra)

Team Milram
181 Linus Gerdemann (Ger)
182 Gerald Ciolek (Ger)
183 Marcus Fothen (Ger)
184 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger)
185 Christian Knees (Ger)
186 Niki Terpstra (Ned)
187 Peter Velits (Svk)
188 Fabian Wegmann (Ger)
189 Peter Wrolich (Aut)

Skil-Shimano
191 Cycril Lemoine (Fra)
192 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn)
193 Koen de Kort (Ned)
194 Simon Geschke (Ger)
195 Jonathan Hivert (Fra)
196 Thierry Huppond (Fra)
197 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned)
198 Albert Timmer (Ned)
199 Kenny van Hummel (Ned)

Help Megabeth Pick Her VDS Team: LIVE THREAD!

2009-07-02T23:01:44Z

It's time for the smackdown! Who's going to come out on top...who's going to be left behind. Will peer pressure (fueled by beer and cheese) and chance beat out the team of knowledge and logic? And, most importantly, will this VDS even survive Le Tour? Time will only tell!

Let's get started after the jump...

A recap of the rules straight from the preview thread:

Using company resources, I have printed out every rider on the VDS spreadsheet. I have cut them out into little slips. Those riders that are not riding in Le Tour have been placed into the Trashcan of Sadness. I have grouped the remaining riders together based on their point value and we'll start with the highest and work our way to the onesies and twosies.

I will draw a rider, and then there will be five minutes of discussion of why or why not I should include that rider. If I do not choose the rider, I will draw again and I must keep the rider from the second draw. And of course, five minutes doesn't necessarily mean five minutes. If someone makes an irrefutable point, we move on. If I get silence? It will be a lonnnng five minutes of lonely sad. Do you want that?

Just to prove that everything is on the up and up, the following has been examined and approved by an in-house self-delegated independent Podium Cafe Referee. This includes:

The preparation of the slips...

The slips in wait..

The cycling-approved devices in which the slips will be drawn...

And, The Trash Can of Sadness:

And, of course, the beer, cheese and wine that will be taken in during each round.

In the comments below, I will submit my first draw. During each round, I will also let you know what point values are included in that draw. And, I'll let you know what cheese we're eating in celebration of the picked rider.

As we get towards the end, we might have to call for substitutions and switches so we don't exceed the point rule. (Word of Warning: While I did get my MBA from an Ivy League school, my math skilz still require me to use my fingers. I may require some input of which point value group to hit next for those who can add faster than I.)

So, the first question before I do the first draw.

Am I going for GC or points jerseys? (That way, I know who to include in the hat.)

Let the games and peer pressure begin!

Edited to add:

Carlos Sastre has been added to the team.

PREVIEW: Help Megabeth Pick Her Tour VDS - 7pm EST

2009-07-02T20:46:42Z

Let's get ready to rumble!!!

Tonight at 7:00 east coast time will be the ultimate cage match smackdown fight to get on my VDS. [Sui Juris here, exercising editorial powers: and by cage match, we mean Megabeth is getting locked in a cage if she actually goes through with this.]

Course conditions: I will be fueled by American beer (because we don't need Europe anymore for good beer), cheeses from all the major racing powers, and a good French bordeaux to celebrate completion of the project.

Race details: Gone are the days where I use logic, knowledge and team strategy. In fact, throw those out the window! (Because it's working oh-so-well for my year long VDS team.)

My Tour Only VDS will be determined by two things - pure luck and good old fashioned peer pressure.

Here's the set-up...

Using company resources, I have printed out every rider on the VDS spreadsheet. I have cut them out into little slips. Those riders that are not riding in Le Tour have been placed into the Trashcan of Sadness. I have grouped the remaining riders together based on their point value and we'll start with the highest and work our way to the onesies and twosies.

I will draw a rider, and then there will be five minutes of discussion of why or why not I should include that rider. If I do not choose the rider, I will draw again and I must keep the rider from the second draw. And of course, five minutes doesn't necessarily mean five minutes. If someone makes an irrefutable point, we move on. If I get silence? It will be a lonnnng five minutes of lonely sad. Do you want that?

Meanwhile, during discussion time, I will imbibe good beverages and eat cheese from the each rider's home country. (Details on cheese and beverages will be posted in the live thread.)

So, please do join the action to help create the first ever live pick and peer pressure VDS team.

7:00 p.m. East Coast Time. That's 4 p.m. for you suckers still at work on the West Coast, and 1 a.m. for you lazy Swedes on vacation.

Here. Live. On Podium Cafe.

[Sui Juris: Christ. Aren't we glad we don't use real names here?]

Vino: He Came, He Saw, He Doped...now his back with Threats to boot!

2009-07-02T15:43:45Z

Well, there you have it folks. If pro cycling wasn't already suffering from an image problem...we now have convicted-dopers holding their previous teams hostage and demanding their re-integration at any cost. Enter Vinokourov with this gem:

“I have served my suspension and I do not see why I could not return. If Bruyneel does not want me, it will be Bruyneel who is leaving the team." Source CN

Well there you have it...humility.... in its pure unadulterated form. The sad thing is...he'll likely get his way. This incident, well beyond that of Boonen, Basso, or who have you...leaves a nasty taste in my mouth at least, I don't think I will be alone

TdF Team Presentation LIVE

2009-07-01T16:29:17Z

looks like the Tour de France Team Presentation is tomorrow (Thursday July 2nd) at 9AM US Pacific Time, if I figured that correctly. It is at 6PM in Monaco.

Last year we had a wildly comedic, spontaneously fun and thoroughly entertaining live thread for viewing the spectacle. (Enough exaggerating adjectives for ya?)

Can any of you over there ::pointing to Europe:: see if there may be live web streaming of the presentation this year? If so, please post any information here. Much appreciated.

[Ed. note: and here we go . . . ]

Edited: should start in about an hour. Cameras ready?

Check http://www.cyclingfans.com/ and http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/ for live stream links.

How to Beat Alberto Contador

2009-07-02T12:47:31Z

Dear Cadel, Denis, Carlos, and Andy,

Look, guys, the Accountant is strong but don’t let him have the fricking race. I’ve been doing some studying and here’s a little advice for you:

You know the basic Bruyneel strategy: lie low for most of the race and conserve energy, strike hard on a couple of mountain stages to gain time, use strong team to control the peloton and protect lead, do as well as possible in time trials to take time on rivals if possible or limit losses if not.

So what can you do to disrupt this tried and true formula? Some suggestions below the fold.

Bert goes real fast uphill, but he conserves energy by strategic use of domestiques to pace him uphill for as long as possible—and he’s happy to rely on competitors to do the job for him (see Mosquera, Ezekial, 2008 Vuelta). Long solo attacks like Sastre’s on the Alpe d’Huez are not usually his thing, but he can certainly pull away for the last 3-5 kilometers on a tough climb. That’s hard to control but the results are uneven: Bert can gain almost a minute as he did in Stage 6 of this year’s Dauphine or just a few seconds as in the queen stage of Pais Vasco.

You probably can’t beat him when the road gets steep (Little Schleck, you’re a bit of an unknown here, so are cordially invited to give it a try), so you either have to try to isolate him from his helpers as in Paris-Nice this year, or work together to limit your losses once he does shoot away. The former will be difficult with Astana fielding such a strong team, but Rabo and Saxo aren’t exactly weaklings. Team up and take turns against the Astani, getting help from *Lotto and Cervelo when possible, and you could wear them down.

Another place where the Accountant is really dangerous—and which is much more within your power to stop him— is when he teams up with a competitor to take time on other rivals. Consider these money quotes from CN race reports:

2007 Tour Stage 14 (Plateau-de-Beille):

The two front riders [Contador and Rasmussen], who glanced at each other to confirm their task ahead, set about in a two-up mountain time trial to ditch Evans.

Result: Contador sprinted past Rasmussen on the line, taking 20 bonus seconds as well as getting 1:52 from Evans and 40 seconds on Leipheimer on the road--and essentially won the Tour de France right there (final gaps on the podium were 23 seconds over Evans and 31 over Leipheimer).

2008 Vuelta Stage 13 (Angliru):

After Leipheimer pulled off at six kilometres, Valverde and Contador set out to take advantage of Sastre's loss. Spanish Champion Valverde moved to the front for a spell, even if [he] looked the weaker of the rivals.

Result: Contador took off alone for the last 3500 meters, taking 42 seconds from his rival Valverde and 1:32 from Sastre.

Generally speaking, if you team up with Contador, you’re gifting him the GC. It’s a defeatist strategy—you’re essentially admitting that you’re giving up but want a spot on the podium. Don’t do it. Bert is only beatable if you think he is.

Remember that the Tour has already removed one of the Accountant’s key supports: time bonuses. Without bonuses in the 2007 Tour, he’d have finished just 3 seconds ahead of Evans, 15 ahead of Leipheimer. Famously in last year’s Vuelta, he’d have finished with the same time as Levi. On paper, at least, that means smaller time gaps, which should give you all a psychological advantage. 3 seconds is a much more manageable gap than 23. Dig deep and you might be able to take him.

Best of luck, guys--and if all else fails, there's always my little friend.

Random TDF chatter

2009-07-02T09:59:09Z

Because I think we need a thread like this. Where we can discuss the fact that Dan Martin is injured, tendonitis, and will be replaced by Martijn Maaskant. And other important stuff. Like... uhmmm... how about 'em Cubs, is it their year yet?

Talk in everlasting words, and dedicate them all to
Me.
And I will give you all my life, Im here if you
Should call to me.
You think that I dont even mean a single word i
Say.
Its only words, and words are all I have, to take
Your heart away

Tommeke in Monaco...

2009-07-02T03:15:31Z

Look who just arrived in Monaco!

via www.sport.be

L'affaire Boonen sera examinée aujourd'hui par la Chambre arbitrale du Comité olympique français, qui se prononcera immédiatement et de manière définitive. Le Belge est interdit de Tour de France pour un contrôle positif à la cocaïne.

(http://www.arcinfo.ch/journal/sports/tout-le-sport/article/178213.html)

...which works out to "Boonen's case will be examined today by the French Olympic Committee, which will immediately make a definitive ruling. The Belgian has been blocked from the Tour due to a positive test for blow."

Hit reload on these news.google.be and news.google.fr links... that's what I'll be doing tonight! Midnight Pacific is 9am in France...

-Greg

via www.sport.be

Why not me? Oscar Pereiro Sio

2009-07-02T00:09:08Z

Oscar is sat on his step watching the sunset, end of another pleasant day, and his mind wanders...... He is thinking....

I'm a Tour winner you know - give me some credit. Normally when my name is mentioned in the same sentence as TdF they say "winner". Punctuation matters, and can be deeply hurtful. I'll show them. This year's Tour is mine, all mine. I don't get the respect I deserve. THIS IS MY MOMENT.

It worked once, they're not the brightest bunch, they'll fall for it again (and I haven't got to babysit AV) - mark my words. All I have to do is.......

Keep quiet first few days. Lose just the right amount of time in Stage 1 - 45 secs or so. We will get creamed in the TTT - add another minute plus. Have my usual crappy Pyreneees. Am now minutes down (what they don't know is I've been sandbagging!!)

Get to the Vosges, go scouting for an ally - probably French. Do deal - ride with me, have the stage. (After Cav wins on Bastille Day they should be queueing up!!) No radios today, anything could happen.

Now in yellow. Get through Alps (remember - I can do Alps), Respectable TT, and still leading going to Ventoux. The power of yellow (you can just hear Phil and Paul saying the m j makes you ride like ten men etc) sees me though.

I am finally recognized as the champion I am. I would like to thank my theme tune - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_utF2rcrxs for it's help along the way.

Why he should win

One of the nicest guys in the peloton. To finally lay the "not worthy winner" ghost to rest. Because we are lucky to be able to watch him riding after last year's horror fall. In 2006 he handled sudden celebrity/demands of being the yellow jersey etc beautifully - you couldn't help yourself, you ended up liking him and wanting him to ride well.

Because it would be the true fairy tale win - unrecognised winner, horror fall, team mate thrown off race, underdog comes good etc. You wouldn't believe it if it were a film.

Why he could win

Slowly coming into form. Has been finishing with the leading pack more often than not (albeit while riding quite anonymously). Has been there, seen it, done it

Arguments against..

He just nevers wins!

Too nice for his own good.

Like yer man in the clip found out (voted out same week) Reality tv can be a bitch.