TDF Stage 13 2003 (spoiler)

phreak

As a bit of fun over the close season I thought it might be nice to pretend BikeRadar was around for some classic days racing in the past, and recreate the spoiler threads we do for races these days.

First up is stage 13 of the 2003 Tour.

Some coverage of it is here if people need their memories rejigging

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJyZ7X_b7Ww

rick_chasey

This is the stage where Ulle drops Armstrong and we all think he's miles ahead of him until Armstrong arrives at the finish only 7 seconds behind him?

That hit me hard

TheBigBean

Fine ride by Sastre. He has future tour winner written all over him.

A famous third for Zubeldia. A controversial statement, but I'm going to wager he won't better this.

But the technological improvements in training and bike performance is amazing. The speed of these guys these days is just incredible.

ocdupalais

Sastre's ride is suspicious to me - definite doper. A rider like that with hardly any pedigree holding off the likes of Ullrich, Vino and Lance.... Yeah right.
That Armstrong got dropped and Ullrich's & Vino's attacks didn't gain much proves to me that these guys are clean.

You can tell which riders are clean by the way they ride, you know...

dave milne

Classic commentary from Liggett when Armstrong hoves into view "Lance Armstrong you are brilliant!"

Shame about Sastre's celebration

Richmond Racer

dave milne wrote:

Classic commentary from Liggett when Armstrong hoves into view "Lance Armstrong you are brilliant!"

Shame about Sastre's celebration

Always irritated the hell out of me

salsiccia1

Whenever I watch old races, I'm always a bit surprised to see them without helmets at first :oops:

phreak

Takes Ullrich to within 13 seconds of Armstrong, with the time trial to come. Looking good for big Jan. Amazing courage by Tyler Hamilton too, riding so well with a broken collarbone. That would make a good book one day

Richmond Racer

Lance isnt himself, is he

Things with Kristin affecting him, maybe. Kristin's Korner's been even more garbage than usual this Tour

Pross

I'm not buying Armstrong's performance in this Tour. One day he will come down to earth with a bump and have all his titles taken off him. His riding is as unreal as the chance of a Brit one day winning the Tour.

RichN95.

Pross wrote:

I'm not buying Armstrong's performance in this Tour.

But his time up the climb was slower than he was in 2001. How can you say he's doping just based on that? What if one day some Ethiopian or Kenyan turns up and goes that speed. Will you say he's doping?

I'm away for the next few days so here's my PTP picks:
14: Simoni
15: Armstrong
16: Hamilton

tailwindhome

I checked Wikipedia. There was no Tour in 2003.

I think you've been had.

shockedsoshocked

I could watch Ulle TTing all day long. Fantastic.

rick_chasey

Was it an Ulle error to not attack sooner or did he just not have the legs??

Pross

USPS are such a boring team. They are killing cycling the way they just sit on the front and ride tempo. Bunch of robots. They just win using their wallet. Ullrich has panache and is a True Champion. He just dances on the pedals when he attacks.

Pross

Phreak can't even start a thread properly. Here is the geology bit

The Pyrenees form part of the huge alpine orogenic system. This 430 kilometre long, roughly east-west striking, intracontinental mountain chain divides France, Spain, and Andorra.[1] It has an extended, polycyclic geological evolution dating back to the Precambrian. The chain's present configuration is due to the collision between the microcontinent Iberia and the southwestern promontory of the European Plate (i.e. Southern France). The two continents were approaching each other since the onset of the Upper Cretaceous (Albian/Cenomanian) about 100 million years ago and were consequently colliding during the Paleogene (Eocene/Oligocene) 55 to 25 million years ago. After its uplift, the chain experienced intense erosion and isostatic readjustments. A cross-section through the chain shows an asymmetric flower-like structure with steeper dips on the French side. The Pyrenees are not solely the result of compressional forces, but also show an important sinistral shearing.

The cheese



and the horses

Dorset_Boy

Yeah, Jan rides and trains like a true champion, goes out and stuffs his face full of pies and then just rides, and rides, none of this scientific approach crap that those yanks use (fail).

mike6

This Tour is Ullrich's as far as I am concerned. The only way he could lose it would be if the final TT was wet, but I cant see that happening with the red hot weather we have had so far in this Tour. He took loads of time out of Armstrong in the first TT, I can see him doing the same again.

blazing_saddles

Tyler Hamilton is amazing. A broken CB and he's not only still riding,
but seems to be getting stronger.
I wonder if he might even take a stage before the mountains end?
That boy must have an extra large suitcase full of courage. :P

epc06

Let me guess, do that Liggett shout "look at the power of jan ullrich" by any chance?

Richmond Racer

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Tyler Hamilton is amazing. A broken CB and he's not only still riding,
but seems to be getting stronger.
I wonder if he might even take a stage before the mountains end?
That boy must have an extra large suitcase full of courage. :P

LEGEND

Pross

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Tyler Hamilton is amazing. A broken CB and he's not only still riding,
but seems to be getting stronger.
I wonder if he might even take a stage before the mountains end?
That boy must have an extra large suitcase full of courage. :P

He's not even allowed to take any painkillers and I've heard he is grinding his teeth down dealing with the pain. Can you imagine some footballer like Nicholas Anelka doing that?

No_Ta_Doctor

Spectacular ride from Raffaele Ferrara, smashed Hans De Clercq for nearly 17 minutes to take the Lanterne. There's still a way to go, but Hans has to find over four minutes somewhere.