le Official 2007 Tour de France thread

J

johnny_boy

Likes Dirt
Maybe the reputation of the great race has been damaged, when the first thing that crosses my mind is "So when do Levi's blood tests come back from today's stage?" He was always a danger, but that was just ridiculous!

Maybe I just wanted to see Cadel win so very much....
 
Bodin

Bodin

GMBC
McBain said:
they'll probably get help from the sprinters teams.
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The sprinters' teams aren't actually huge fans of the Disco boys. Boonen and others have been quite vocal about how much more they respect Cadel.

I think there's still a fair bit of common knowledge around the peloton about all the systematic doping that USP/Disco have been involved in over the last decade.

There's still a chance. GO CADEL!!!
 
...jim

...jim

skanky media ho
I'd love to see 'em race - but I don't know... Levi said he wasn't up for it last night. And Cadel said he'd think about it, but that it was not worth the risk after he hit a spectator on S18.

Let's see...there's a 20s bonus on the line - but it'd be a big ask for Cadel, Levi or Contador to get there ahead of the likes of Boonen and Hunter - and even then it wouldn't be enough for our boy.

There's also two intermediate sprints with a 6S bonus for the leader...

I think Contador's a shoe-in for Yellow, but that Levi *might* try something - so Cadel and Lotto will be on the lookout for that.

No, I think it'll be all about marking tonight, remembering that eg: Cadel himself doesn't need to prevent Levi from picking up a bonus, just one of his team mates, and he has some strong sprinters batting for him.

Either way, we'll know early as Levi would have to start the contest at the first intermediate - and Boonen, with a 24point lead in Green might b e happy to see the points soaked up...

Still a few questions to be answered.

Of course Discovery and Lotto *could* attack from the get-go and make it a hell-stage!! It's unlikely, but it sure would make better television!
 
ozelise

ozelise

Likes Dirt
...jim said:
Of course Discovery and Lotto *could* attack from the get-go and make it a hell-stage!! It's unlikely, but it sure would make better television!
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It's not going to happen, but I wish it would. What a great way to end Le Tour rather than drinking champagne and skylarking around for the first hour. Having Robbie there may also have made a difference.
 
...jim

...jim

skanky media ho
ozelise said:
It's not going to happen, but I wish it would. What a great way to end Le Tour rather than drinking champagne and skylarking around for the first hour. Having Robbie there may also have made a difference.
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I was thinking that too. Having watched McEwan and Simon Gerrans outfox Chirs Jongewaard in the final stage of the Sun Tour, removing him from the lead and giving Gerrans the race, I'm very much of the opinion that McEwan in the bunch riding for Cadel would be HUGE!
 
ScottD

ScottD

Likes Bikes and Dirt
PL and QS are both Belgian squads.
Boonen has already endorsed Evans as the rider he wants to win.
Boonen has a 24? point lead in the Green Jersey comp.
Boonen wants to protect this.
There are 20 points for the stage win so unless Hunter (or Zabel to a lesser extent) win the intermediate sprints he wins.
If he helps Evans take the top points and encouarges Disco to chase it works in his favour as they will take all the points available.
That is why you will see Quickstep and Predictor Lotto lining out Disco.

Game On.
 
ozelise

ozelise

Likes Dirt
...jim said:
Having watched McEwan and Simon Gerrans outfox Chirs Jongewaard in the final stage of the Sun Tour, removing him from the lead and giving Gerrans the race, I'm very much of the opinion that McEwan in the bunch riding for Cadel would be HUGE!
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I thought that was one of the best double team I've seen. Felt sorry for Jongewaard though, being a MTBer and all competing against race hardened pros like Robbie and Gerrans.
 
...jim

...jim

skanky media ho
ScottD said:
That is why you will see Quickstep and Predictor Lotto lining out Disco.

Game On.
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You won't. There are *35* points on offer for the stage win, plus the intermediates (and a 20 second time bonus)

Milram have Zabel only four points behind Hunter in the sprint competition - and Milram have not done anything this tour. Zabel WILL contest the sprints, therefore Hunter will also contest the sprints - and of course if they both do, Boonen is obliged to defend.

No - the more I look at it, the more GC is done and dusted.

(...but I'll be the first to jump up n' down on the couch if I'm wrong)
 
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Bodin

Bodin

GMBC
...jim said:
Milram have not done anything this tour.
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They're not the only ones - I've just looked in the team listings and seen a name I've never heard of before. Who the hell are Agritubel?!?

...jim said:
No - the more I look at it, the more GC is done and dusted.

(...but I'll be the first to jump up n' down on the couch if I'm wrong)
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Yep, I'm in the same boat. Expecting nothing with regards to the GC, but likely to wake up the entire surrounding suburb if anything does happen.
 
wombat

wombat

Lives in a hole
Ahh, you're all killjoys! I want to see a breakaway, that way the laps 'round Champs Elysees could be like a mad velodrome pursuit race!
Just flatter.....and rougher.....and weird shaped.....and more open......with more riders....

....so nothing like a 'drome pursuit, but nonetheless cool!
 
...jim

...jim

skanky media ho
...and cobblestones ...in the showers that are forecast...

Don't get me wrong, I hate struggling to stay awake through what is normally a dull, boring final stage - I'll be fully pumped if they light it up (and, frankly, if tradition is ever to be thrown out the window - this is the year).
 
R

Rik

logged out
I want to see a race from the gun, the important riders get away and then the peleton pull up and protest on the finish.
 
Matty_P

Matty_P

Likes Dirt
The French cycling journalist Tomalaris interviewed after the TT last night was adamant that there would be no challenging of the Yellow Jersey in the final stage. He described it as an 'unwritten rule'. Tomalaris was really trying to pump up the chances of Cadel & the French guy just said 'no'. He also said the same thing about Levi challenging Cadel. levi said as much in his post TT interview as well.

Great TT by both Cadel & Levi. Cadel did fantastically to keep ahead of Levi.

Will be interesting if there are any challenges for the final GC, or will it just be a champagne drinking, green jersey sprint at the final stage...
 
wombat

wombat

Lives in a hole
Matty_P said:
The French cycling journalist Tomalaris interviewed after the TT last night was adamant that there would be no challenging of the Yellow Jersey in the final stage. He described it as an 'unwritten rule'. Tomalaris was really trying to pump up the chances of Cadel & the French guy just said 'no'. He also said the same thing about Levi challenging Cadel. levi said as much in his post TT interview as well.
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And that shits me no end. If they're not going to attack simply to preserve their current standings, then that is somewhat more understandable, but if it's because of some bullshit tradition, then they may as well just dump the stage, and give the sprinters one lap around champs elysees to sort themselves out; it'd all just be a parade until then anyway.

You don't see GP drivers/riders race the whole race and then pull up on the final lap and go "whoa guys! Settle down, it's all decided already".

Le tour: watch the real tough guys race....

....well, until the final day, then you can watch a bunch of blokes cruise around Paris on a casual group ride.
 
wombat

wombat

Lives in a hole
Do you think if we call SBS we could get them to replace tonight's telecast with some footage of Landis' court proceedings?

At least then we might actually get to see a yellow jersey being contested.
 
DaGonz

DaGonz

Eats Squid
wombat said:
Do you think if we call SBS we could get them to replace tonight's telecast with some footage of Landis' court proceedings?

At least then we might actually get to see a yellow jersey being contested.
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Ha! I nearly fell off my chair!

Cheers
Craig - harsh but probably true!
 
R

Refreshinglygood

Likes Bikes and Dirt
somebody might have already gone over this, so I'll happily cop a flaming for being to lazy to look back over the last couple of pages.

What happens if Levi goes on the attack tonight???

Not likely I guess.

I no stuff all about the tactics involved.

I assume Levi will ride to back up Contador??

What if they send Levi out to crack Cadel (surely Levi would want a second place, (so Cadel would chase)) so that Discovery could get a 1-2 place.
 
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