*Spoliers* Tour de France talk *Spoilers*

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Comments

  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Just seen the highlights. Wiggo can do it, but it would really help him if Vande Velde can put in one last huge effort on Ventoux.

    LA to leave Astana and ride for an American team then. JB as DS?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    cjcp wrote:
    Just seen the highlights. Wiggo can do it, but it would really help him if Vande Velde can put in one last huge effort on Ventoux.

    LA to leave Astana and ride for an American team then. JB as DS?

    Radioshack are to be the main sponsors of Team Livestrong according to L'Equipe. Eurosport were speculating that it would be Nike. Not sure what JB is doing yet but I'd put money on him moving too.
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Lemond, who admittedly resembles Capn Ahab in his quest to slay the Moby Dick of the doping world, has somequestions for Alberto.

    Indurain had a VO2max of 88. AC's is 13% more. Armstrong's was reported to be 85 before he retired.

    Get used to seeing AC on the top spot of the podium for a while.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Looks like AC would have @rse royally kicked by sled dogs though.

    A husky giving AC "The Look".

    cool_dog.jpg
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,392
    Hmmm

    @CJCP

    Your comment only make sense if one reads the links in G66's post

    Otherwise it's a bit surreal
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Very true. :lol:
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    What a difference a head wind makes eh? Would have been great if Wiggo hadn't had to head into it.
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    we are the proud, the few, Descendents.

    Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,392
    Sad that the thread has turned into a doping discussion, though thankfully without the bitterness and outright hostility typical on the Road forum.

    Now this maybe a very naive point of view, but I would prefer to take all these accomplishments at face value, and hope I'm not disappointed later
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • m0scs
    m0scs Posts: 196
    Mmmm
    Specialised Epic MTB on slicks.
    SPD clipless pedals: FCN 7
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    I quite like the dopping discussions between stages, it, weirdly helps me familiarise with the riders named....
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    I have always been slightly ambivalent about doping - I'd llike to believe that AC is riding clean and in the absence of any evidence he deserves the benefit of the doubt. What Greg's post tells us is that there are athletes with VO2 scores in the high 90s and so why should n't AC be in that category? Why shouldn't he still be getting stronger at his age? Most of these guys are physical freaks in some way - its partly how they've beeen able to achieve the results they have.

    I'm off to check my VO2. :oops:
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    I'd just like to add that having watched the highlights last night, AC's position on the bike did look almost perfect and his bike handling through the course also looked very good, so I guess this may have contributed to his fast time rather than anything more suspect. I'm happy to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the racing, and will be rooting for Wiggins tomorrow.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Fing is Lemond has been harping on about VO2 max being a limiter for sustainable power output since LA announced his comeback. If I was AC I wouldn't be giving Lemond (and presspack) a stick to beat me with either. Personally, I don't think sports science can definitively say VO2 max is the be all and end all to performance....
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    MatHammond wrote:
    I'd just like to add that having watched the highlights last night, AC's position on the bike did look almost perfect and his bike handling through the course also looked very good, so I guess this may have contributed to his fast time rather than anything more suspect. I'm happy to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the racing, and will be rooting for Wiggins tomorrow.
    +1 on that he looked rock solid. Funnily enough, from only seeing the highlights, Cancellara looked a lot less comfortable with knees out while pedalling quite a lot. Looked very strange for one normally a machine on the bike (with those pistons we call legs ;) )
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    JonGinge wrote:
    MatHammond wrote:
    I'd just like to add that having watched the highlights last night, AC's position on the bike did look almost perfect and his bike handling through the course also looked very good, so I guess this may have contributed to his fast time rather than anything more suspect. I'm happy to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the racing, and will be rooting for Wiggins tomorrow.
    +1 on that he looked rock solid. Funnily enough, from only seeing the highlights, Cancellara looked a lot less comfortable with knees out while pedalling quite a lot. Looked very strange for one normally a machine on the bike (with those pistons we call legs ;) )

    I noticed that about Cancellara too, exp in the last 100m or so. Wonder if he had some sac fold trouble.

    Wiggo said the wind changed so as to work against the later riders on the course; that was his explanation for losing time.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    I wonder if its simply that he's exhausted. He's been burying himself to help the Schelks. Wiggo must also be suffering slightly from his exertions, but then so will LA. Interesting article in the Times today - LA reckons that AC is faster than he ever was. "That performance would have ridden away from me on Alpe d'Huez 2001. He's very hard to beat."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Hopefully, Wiggo can have a good rest today and there'll be none of these silly splits in the peleton to potentially mess things up. He said that the he wasn't suited to the repeat mountains and that one intense effort was more suitable (i.e. Verbier and, fingers crossed, Ventoux).
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    I wonder if its simply that he's exhausted. He's been burying himself to help the Schelks. Wiggo must also be suffering slightly from his exertions, but then so will LA. Interesting article in the Times today - LA reckons that AC is faster than he ever was. "That performance would have ridden away from me on Alpe d'Huez 2001. He's very hard to beat."
    Chinny has always fatigued fairly badly in the grand tours, very rairly wins the final TT. For example, in 2006 Vuelta Millar pipped him in the TT but a few weeks later he beat millar by over 3 minutes in the world champs.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • oscarbudgie
    oscarbudgie Posts: 850
    Was there some nudge nudge wink wink stuff going on amongst the panel in the Eurosport studio after the TT stage yesterday, as if they'd been discussing Contador's freakish performances - add this to LeMonds statements, the questions Contador wouldn't answer, Brailsords 'no' when asked if he'd have Contador etc and all the other stuff in the past. Is Contador basically a 'wrong 'un' and everybody in pro cycling knows it but can't prove it?
    Cannondale Supersix / CAAD9 / Boardman 9.0 / Benotto 3000
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Lemond is a tit.
  • attica
    attica Posts: 2,362
    If he'd taken more testosterone he wouldn't be ;)
    "Impressive break"

    "Thanks...

    ...I can taste blood"
  • Lemond is an old bitter and twisted individual.
    He was one of the greats (3 times winner) but he seems to think that anyone who can win a stage is doped.
    Throwing doubt upon the results with nothing more than hearsay, just heightens my belief that journalists should be rounded up and shot as vermin
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • attica
    attica Posts: 2,362
    Of course LeMond has no insight into "the sport of professional cycling" as we all know his previous career was as a milkman.

    EDIT No smoke without fire, he may well have a slanted view, but he also has much more of an idea than if I were to start throwing accusations. That said, I tend to enjoy speculating, but reserve judgement until the rider in question does get a positive
    "Impressive break"

    "Thanks...

    ...I can taste blood"
  • Attica wrote:
    Of course LeMond has no insight into "the sport of professional cycling" as we all know his previous career was as a milkman.

    No I think you will find that was Benny Hill who worked as a milkman :-)

    However I was not pointing out Mr Lemonds lack of insight, but the fact he always seems to want to discredit modern riders, and the very platform for his own fame. Neither am I saying that as such he should turn a blind eye, I think put up or shut up sums it up.
    Why is cycling such a self destructive sport?
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,392
    Attica wrote:
    If he'd taken more testosterone he wouldn't have been Hinault's b1tch ;)

    Fixed that for you :wink:

    See now I'm all bitter and twisted too :roll:

    Thanks
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    I hope they let the breakaway stay away today. The Green Jersey is over, so Columbia should save their energy for tomorrow and Paris.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Eau Rouge
    Eau Rouge Posts: 1,118
    cjcp wrote:
    I hope they let the breakaway stay away today. The Green Jersey is over, so Columbia should save their energy for tomorrow and Paris.

    30 points difference in the Green Jersey, which is indeed over unless Cav were to finish 1st or 2nd in Paris, and Hushovd doesn't get any points at all. A mechanical problem or a crash could see to that. That would be a horrible hollow way to find yourself in green though, wouldn't it.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Eau Rouge wrote:
    cjcp wrote:
    I hope they let the breakaway stay away today. The Green Jersey is over, so Columbia should save their energy for tomorrow and Paris.

    30 points difference in the Green Jersey, which is indeed over unless Cav were to finish 1st or 2nd in Paris, and Hushovd doesn't get any points at all. A mechanical problem or a crash could see to that. That would be a horrible hollow way to find yourself in green though, wouldn't it.

    :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,392
    Millar in the 5 man break (from the break) with a 46" lead over Roche in the chasing pack with Evans (???)
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Col/HCT on the front, now if they can get Cav over the top for a sprint finish the Green jersey could be up for grabs in Paris.

    Oh yes please :D
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30