• From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

It would have been too good to be true - a doping free Tour :-(

Manuel Beltran, 37, an ex long time helper of Lance's, has tested positive for EPO and been thrown out of the Tour. Either he or his team, Liquigas (who may also be thrown out before tomorrow) will also have to cough up a 100,000 euro fine!

If I had a suspicious mind, I might just see this in the context of the long-running feud between Lance and the people who organize the Tour. Coincidentally, three French riders gave up today. Coincidence? Conspiracy? Nah, it couldn't be............

None of this should detract from today's superb win by L.L. Sanchez, who rode away from a  large leading group shortly before the finish and dedicated his win to his deceased brother.

And Cathy, before you get too excited about Columbia as an American team, they are essentially what was T-Mobile till they pulled out of sponsorship due to the previous doping incidents that the team was associated with. It wouldn't surprise me one little bit if there was a sudden shock discovery of a 'doped' Columbia rider. Suspicious, cynical....me?

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Deep in the forest
  • Registered: 2007-02-11
  • Posts: 5,296

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

YEAH!!! Cavendish AGAIN!! And what a brutal stage..lethal wet roads!! So, ANOTHER great day for the Isle of Man and US Cycling!!!! I'm REALLY enjoying this!! O-O O-O   Cathy

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

Young Cavendish is in a class of his own among this group of sprinters. He'll suffer the next two days but  I can see him winning a few more sprints if he survives the mountains.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

You're slacking Cathy. Two important and exciting mountain stages and not a word? At least I have an excuse. big_smile

I could go on at some length, but......suffice to say that loads happened on the final climbs, both days were won by Italians riding for a Spanish team, and the upshot after two hard (but not killer) days in the mountains is that the Australian, Evans, has taken over the yellow by one second from a different Luxembourger, Frank Schlek. Also worthy of mention is the surprising (and unknown) Austrian who has snuck into overall fourth place, and the disappearance down the table of the early favorite, Valverde.

General classification after stage 10

1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto                                     42.29.09
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                      0.01
3 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle         0.38
4 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                      0.46
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                                        0.57
6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank           1.28
7 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia                                     1.56
8 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval - Scott           2.10
9 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott                          2.29
10 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale                         2.32
.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith

23 Reply by cathysiler (edited by cathysiler 2008-07-17 14:43:28)

  • From: Deep in the forest
  • Registered: 2007-02-11
  • Posts: 5,296

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

Well, nobody can call this a boring tour! The day began with the w/d of Ricardo Ricco and the entire Saunier Duval Team  after Ricco had a +test for a new form of Epogen. Which happens to be a criminal offense in France. The entire field was together for the end, which means a sprint, which of course means the day was won by the "Fastest Man in the World", Mark Cavendish, the 23 y/o from the Isle of Man who rides for the American Team, Columbia. I have no doubt this kid will win a gold medal at the Olympics. Cadel Evans remains the race leader.  Half way to the finish..O-O O-O O-O O-O    Cathy

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

Man oh man, that boy is fast! He really gave all the others no chance - again. A third win for Columbia, very impressive.

As for the Ricco affair - one of the Dutch riders interviewed about the 'affair' after the race said, more or less, (I'm paraphrasing big_smile) 'It couldn't happen to a nicer guy, he's a horrible little sod with no friends in the peleton, nobody likes him. If I saw him I'd give him a smack'.

big_smile So, no need to feel sorry for Ricco. No change at the top.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • Registered: 2008-06-13
  • Posts: 137

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

tewker wrote:

Cavendish is the real deal, and should pick up a stage or 2 when they get into the sprints.
tewker

Wish I had been betting on these things, would have a small fortune by now smile

Go Manixes!!!!!!

tewker

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

tewker wrote:
tewker wrote:

Cavendish is the real deal, and should pick up a stage or 2 when they get into the sprints.
tewker

Wish I had been betting on these things, would have a small fortune by now smile

Go Manixes!!!!!!

tewker

Clink, clink, cachunk....

The boy's fourth win today was even more impressive than the previous three. He won by nearly three lengths, which is a HUGE margin in a sprint. He looks invincible right now.

No change at the top.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • Registered: 2008-06-13
  • Posts: 137

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

Whats the record for the most stage wins in a single tour???

If it is 5, I think they will try and move heaven and earth to get him to Paris.

How many more stages are in there that he has a good chance to win?

BTW whenever it is a stage for him to have a chance his is hot favourite in the betting world, which for me is the best judge of peoples ablility.

tewker

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

tewker wrote:

Whats the record for the most stage wins in a single tour???

If it is 5, I think they will try and move heaven and earth to get him to Paris.

How many more stages are in there that he has a good chance to win?

BTW whenever it is a stage for him to have a chance his is hot favourite in the betting world, which for me is the best judge of peoples ablility.

tewker

He's got a LONG way to go before he gets near any all time records, but he's got two, maybe even three more opportunities, the third being the last day to Paris.

Most stage wins is 8, Eddy Merckx did it twice.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Netherlands.
  • Registered: 2006-04-27
  • Posts: 2,186

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

Today I read in the paper that Cavendish  probably will leave the tour just before the Alpes.

He is going to the  Olympics to cycle for a gold medall and the Tour lasts too long for a good preparation.

Andre Wittebroek

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

andre wittebroek wrote:

Today I read in the paper that Cavendish  probably will leave the tour just before the Alpes.

He is going to the  Olympics to cycle for a gold medall and the Tour lasts too long for a good preparation.

Andre Wittebroek

Your paper was correct, Cavendish has left the Tour. Today's monster mountain would have been too much for him.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

Oscar Pereiro Sio, who 'won' the race when Floyd Landis was disqualified and who was in 15th place, suffered a terrible crash today breaking his shoulder and thigh. sad

The four escapees, including Danny Pate, have a huge lead and should not be caught despite the finish being up a Cat. 1 mountain.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

OMG, what a stage!!!

At the end, there were two races going on - one between the remaining three escapees (Pate came third) and the really exciting race behind these three, where almost the entire top 10 started on the final climb together, though by the time they reached the line considerable upheaval took place in the rankings.

This is a very different Tour from what we became used to in the Lance era. Instead of order, there is total anarchy in the peleton, which makes for much more viewing excitement! big_smile

Tomorrow is a rest day, followed by two more really tough mountain stages and the final time trial on Saturday. When you look at the minimal differences between all the 'top' riders (and even an 'unknown' like the Austrian, Kohl, currently second and possibly the best climber of the bunch), you realize that absolutely anything could still happen. I can't recall ever seeing six riders within a minute at this stage of a Tour.

Overall standings (after 15 stages):

1. Frank Schleck (Lux/CSC) 63hrs 57mins 21secs
2. Bernhard Kohl (Aut/GST) + 7secs
3. Cadel Evans (Aus/SIL) + 8secs
4. Denis Menchov (Rus/RAB) + 38secs
5. Christian Vandevelde (US/GAR) + 39secs
6. Carlos Sastre (Spa/CSC) + 49secs
7. Kim Kirchen (Lux/COL) + 2mins 48secs
8. Vladimir Efimkin (Rus/AG2R) + 3mins 36secs
9. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/GCE) + 4mins 11secs
10. Samuel Sanchez (Spa/EUS) + 4mins 34secs

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith
  • From: Deep in the forest
  • Registered: 2007-02-11
  • Posts: 5,296

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

It really is a wild ride this year!! This final week will be a killer. Tuesday's mountains will tell loads about what will happen in Paris! IF there's no more rain and crashes!   Cathy O-O

  • From: Amsterdam
  • Registered: 2007-10-06
  • Posts: 5,249

Re: Le Tour de France 2008

Shame on us Cathy, we seem to have missed the entire last week.

Carlos Sastre more or less won the Tour on L'Alp d'Huez; he confirmed the win today by losing less time to Evans than anyone expected in the time trial.

The big Tour 08 winners are Team CSC, the strongest team in the peleton, with the yellow jersey.

Columbia, with five stage wins!!

Gerolsteiner, with a win today, the polka-dot jersey and an undreamed of third place finish for Kohl, the unknown Austrian.

Rabobank, with the green jersey, a stage win and a fourth place finish for Menchov.

An honorable mention for Vandevelde, the Garmin head man who finished fifth overall.

Evans is the BIG loser. I'm glad he didn't win because for me he never really attacked, only responded, and therefore didn't deserve to win.

This hasn't been a 'great' Tour, but it's been a very exciting one to watch.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith