Tour de France Official Topic

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Personally I think the Tour de France is a great TV sport, especially in highlight form and I'll be watching it as much as I can this year even though my favourite cyclist Jan Ullrich has been suspended along with 10 others due to some kind of doping ring.

Anyway, it's all kicking off tonight so come on David Millar I guess!

[The Third Dukes]

So who's the favorite? Didn't all the favorites either retire (Armstrong) or get kicked out (Basso, Ullrich)? I guess Vinakourov is still the fave -- I dunno.

HINCAPIE FTW!

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

Can anyone explain to me the history behind the sprint beforehand?

I read ESPN magazine and they said something about Floyd Landis being "the next Lance".

[ACCBiggz]

Pre-Tour:

All three podium guys from last year... Out! Armstrong is retired. Basso, Ulrich, and Mancebo are suspended due to the doping scandal. So that leaves Vinakourov right? Wrong, he isn't in this year either due to the majority of his team being wrapped up in the scandal and not enough team members to start. So who are the favorites, Americans be proud because it is us.

Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis, and George Hincapie are the frontrunners most likely. There are going to be some other contenders because of the suspensions and such and changes now within teams, except for Team Discovery which has 2-3 people that can become team leader and win the tour, Hincapie being the choice as of now.

Prolouge:

Now I think it was Landis or Leipheimer who got off to the slow start by not even being on the stage when he was supposed to be released for it and lost something like 8 seconds. Hincapie I thought had it but the Norweigen Thor Hushovd took the first yellow, don't be alarmed if you don't know him though because he is a sprinter and will lose the yellow in a few stages.

So the names to watch come down to around 4 to me. The three Americans that I named and Alejandro Valverde. This should be a great year to watch as someone new will win, and see how the teams adjust without their leaders and so forth.

[ACCBiggz]

Stage 1

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Good stage with a medicore sprint. None of the big sprinters won, Jimmy Casper is the winner with Robbie McEwen finishing in 2nd. Apprently Thor cut his arm via fan holding a big green hand that they give out as he was so close to the barrier. Hincapie stole the yellow by a brilliant move before the final sprint. I think it was at about the 3km to go point that he made the move to pick up the time bonus and now he holds Yellow.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Yay Robbie McEwan!

[ACCBiggz]

Stage Two

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Robbie!!! He wins the second stage after a good finish again. A few climbs, but nothing major and Thor regains yellow. Hincapie is 10 seconds back while Valverde is 18 seconds away from the lead. Next week the race for yellow begins in full force.

[ACCBiggz]

Stage Three

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Kessler picks up the win after being caught within 50km yesterday. He timed it right and got the win, but the big story was the craches. 3 or so riders are out of the Tour including Valverde. Bonnen will take yellow today.

Edited July 4, 2006 by ACCBiggz

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Shame, with the tour already down, to have a crash so early...

[The Third Dukes]

So they spend year after year trying to prove that the Americans are dirty, and not only are they unable to do so AND get chastised for cheating in an attempt to prove it, but as soon as he leaves, every other contender drops out?

Instant karma just got the Tour.

HINCAPIE TO WIN!

[ACCBiggz]

An American who is on McEwen's team crashed and is out, he crashed with Erik Decker (sp?) who was riding his last tour. So really this is a wide open tour with Hincapie being the favorite in my eyes right now as he lost his biggest competitor in Valverde today.

[ACCBiggz]

Stage Four

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Robbie wins again, but Bonnen stays in yellow. Discovery person who I can't remember went on a break away and picked up 18 seconsd in time bonuses and is now 5th. Three Team Discovery guys are in the top ten, a confusion ploy by the coach to keep all other teams guessing.

[ACCBiggz]

Stage Five

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Oscar Fiere (Sp?) wins the stage while Bonnen extends his lead....

Stafe Six

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ROBBIE! He wins again Bonnen will retain yellow until tomorrow where we find out top guys in the long individual time trial.

[ACCBiggz]

Stage Six - Individual Time Trial

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Gnotchar wears yellow now after a good time, beating almost everyone by a minute, the only one coming close to him was Floyd Landis. Hincapie finished about 3 minutes behind those two, and will look to make it up in the mountains. Levi Leipheimer lost around 5 minutes, and we'll have to look toward the mountains to see who will challenge for the yellow.

[ACCBiggz]

Stage Eight

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Nothing real exciting today, Peloton stayed together except for the winner who broke away and actually won... Winner of the stage: Sylvain Calzati.

[DFF]

I haven't watched it properly since the days of Miguel Indurain! Id it still good? lol

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Yay! Freeview = able to watch Tour de France highlights.

Interesting sprint and Freire did well to latch onto Zabel who'd latched onto Boonen.

Still, My man Kloden is up into fifth and T-Mobile have four of the top five which is great!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Bwahahaha Robbie McEwan wasn't happy today and Kloden is still in the top 6. Nice.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Floyd Landis got the win of course...But remember that stage when he won back 7 minutes off the field?

He failed the drugs test that was taken afterwards.

Incredibly high levels of testosterone in his blood and if you look at him before the stage it's easy to see!

Wonder if they'll strip him of the win completely?

[gunnar hendershow]

They'll likely have to if that's the case.