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View Full Version : What a stage on the Tour De France today.



Quinn
07-12-2005, 10:04 AM
First big mountain stage and Lance and and a couple of others blew up the field as a whole. Is Rasmussen the only contender left? Today was the first time on this tour Lance challenged Rasmussen on a climb. Basso is nearly 3 minutes behind, Ullrich and Kloden are over 4 minutes back, and Vinokourov is 6 and a half back minutes back.

There are still 5 mountain stages to go.

bikeman
07-12-2005, 10:17 AM
First big mountain stage and Lance and and a couple of others blew up the field as a whole. Is Rasmussen the only contender left? Today was the first time on this tour Lance challenged Rasmussen on a climb. Basso is nearly 3 minutes behind, Ullrich and Kloden are over 4 minutes back, and Vinokourov is 6 and a half back minutes back.
There are still 5 mountain stages to go.

Rasmussen isn't a contender. He can't time trial and he's never been consistent in the high mountains. This is shaping up to be another parade around France by the Discovery Team. I'd like to be wrong about that. I rather see biking racing than another Lance-a-thon.

David

curtis
07-12-2005, 11:00 AM
I watched this morning as well....great stuff. I have been recording every stage.

After watching some of the pre-race shows, learning more about bicycle racing, the work that goes into it, and the technology, I appreciate it more than before.

Even more so, the will to win and the ability to use it will and drop your rivals.

Although DavidB, you probably have much more knowledge and better understanding of the sport since it is what you do.

I don't mind seeing Lance Armstrong win again....especially knowing that it is his last race.

Incidently, as far as teams go, Team Discovery is in 4th place as a whole.

bikeman
07-12-2005, 12:14 PM
Incidently, as far as teams go, Team Discovery is in 4th place as a whole.

Discovery has no interest in the team competition. They have one goal at the expense of all others. And for the 7th year in a row they will, barring an unforseen incident, achieve that goal. Impressive. Boring from a bicycle racing standpoint but impressive nonetheless.

David

curtis
07-12-2005, 01:16 PM
Discovery has no interest in the team competition. They have one goal at the expense of all others. And for the 7th year in a row they will, barring an unforseen incident, achieve that goal. Impressive. Boring from a bicycle racing standpoint but impressive nonetheless.

David
Do you really think it is that much of a "sure thing"?

bikeman
07-12-2005, 01:44 PM
Do you really think it is that much of a "sure thing"?

I do. Lance could have a bad day and still pull it off. I'm glad he's retiring. It'll make the Tour as interesting as the Giro (Italy) and the Vuelta (Spain). These generally aren't decided until the very end.

David

curtis
07-12-2005, 01:57 PM
nuts...that makes it a little less interesting for me now.

Quinn
07-12-2005, 02:21 PM
I agree with David. Unless something big happens Lance put away the race today. I told my wife on Saturday that Team Discovery's preformance that day could well be a trick by Bruyneel(Discovery team manager) and Armstrong to get the other teams to do the work and tire them out. They've tricked the competion before. It seemed like a good place to give Team Discovery a little extra rest before the rest day and the real mountain stages. I enjoy watching Lance dominate and will continue watching. Look for Lance to be sipping champagne as he rides down the Champs-Elysees a week from Sunday.

Here is to number 7!

metalaaron
07-13-2005, 08:22 AM
it's pretty remarkable. these guys are like machines. i could only imagine obtaining the level of physical shape they are in. i wonder what their practice regimens are like.

s2pdname
07-13-2005, 08:59 AM
...i wonder what their practice regimens are like.

If you can try to catch the "Science of Lance" on Discovery HD Theater. There's also another show, I believe it's "Chasing #7" or something like that, also on Discovery HD. Both are completely amazing!

bikeman
07-13-2005, 10:07 AM
The regimens vary a lot. Lance as an American on an American team can do things that other riders can't. Ulrich, of T-Mobile (the only other active past winner of the Tour) is the other exception.
Most riders must race throughout the year because of sponsorships. Discovery Channel dosen't give a lick if Lance races anything but the Tour. The other sponsors, all European based, need exposure from January through October to rationalize their multi-million euro-dollar investments. There is a bunch more stress racing than training even if the effort is similar. The travel, the crashes and the constant attention of the press all take their toll and disrupt schedules. If Lance had raced for a European based team the last seven years, things would be different. How different? We could speculate forever.
This very senario almost happened. If the French team Cofidis had treated Lance differently after the cancer diagnosis, there might never had been a contract with US Postal.
Lance and his approach to professional bike racing are certainly unique. I follow european racing throughout the year. Lance's approach dosen't do it for me. For folks who only follow the Tour, YMMV.

David

curtis
07-13-2005, 04:53 PM
David,
I see where you are coming from now.

In tennis, the ATP, you are required to play "x" number of tournaments a year to maintain your ranking, and the better your ranking, you usually get better "draws" in tournaments you enter.

Once a player is established, many cut back on their schedules, but maintain the minimum.

Now that you have explained some of the benefits that Armstrong and Ulrich have, I can definitely see the advantage they have as long as they can stay race "sharp" without racing as much as others. Team Discovery is also afforded much more exposure than other teams....and I am sure Trek and Giro, and other team sponsors benefit as well.

Through the misfortune of cancer, marketing, and his performance, I think he has earned it though.

Quinn
07-16-2005, 06:38 PM
Just looked at tomorrow's stage. That one is going to hurt. 8.6% grade on one of those climbs! The is easiest in 6.9! 6 major climbs over roughly 130 miles.


http://www.olntv.com/tdf/img/profiles/profile15.gif

curtis
07-16-2005, 06:47 PM
Oh my!!

I guess I shouldn't complain about the hill on the way home from the beach.

bikeman
07-17-2005, 07:32 PM
For those who may have missed the politics of today's stage, it was a masterpiece. Armstrong has tried in the past to get one of his teammates a stage victory but has always been thwarted by other major players. Today, it all feel into place. A Discovery Channel victory other than Lance is a first in the Tour and being George Hincapie, the only rider to join him for all his victories and a close friend, Lance may be the second happiest guy on the planet tonight. George, of course, is the happiest.
Tiger who? :p

David

Quinn
07-18-2005, 04:00 AM
Wasn't Basso last year on a very similar mtn stage that kept Lance from getting Hincapie a stage win?