le Official 2007 Tour de France thread

dain2772

Likes Bikes and Dirt
First proper time trial.

Prediction is for Cadel to get into the top three.....

looks like an interesting one, a couple of decent hills.

I reckon that there will be some serious effort put it, given how close the top 20 are.
 

Rutter

Likes Bikes and Dirt
yeh it is cheating but its not really going to be beneficial if the cars going 40km/h cause there riding that fast anyway.
Unless your Levi Leiphimer, that mechanic was rocketing him back up to the break at 70km/h. He was holding on for dear life. As soon as he saw the camera bike he stuck his head back in the car and pretended he was getting something. He made up the 1min 30 in about 1-2k
Wheres my seat?
 

DaGonz

Eats Squid
ooh... things are getting exciting! 5mins could be an easy grab in the mountains for vino, Rasumussin is looking pretty solid post TT and again, heading into the mountains... Kloedi, contador, seems like a few guys are hungry for it!

Astana seems to be towing around a very strong GC team at the moment. they have 3 in the top 10 and a choice of throwing either Klodei or Vino at it, I'd say while they're not on the podium yet, they've gotta be feeling pretty confident. Not sure Kloedi has the heart but at +5' and obviously pretty hungry for it, vino would have to be a bit of a worry...

Evans seems to be taking the yellow by stealth! just notching away at it slowly. Anywa... can't wait for the next mountain stage :)

Cheers
Gonz
 

Bodin

GMBC
This Alberto Contador dude is starting to scare me. He made Cadel look slow in the Alps last week and he can time trial well enough not to be written off. It's still too early to call, but - providing Cadel doesn't crumble in the Pyrenees - I can't see the top 3 changing except for the order they're in. It's silly to say that, though - the entire thing could change again tonight if Vino stays phychotic and rides the lycra off everyone like he did last night. And then there's Klodi - not a bad result, considering he stacked. And WTF happened to Valverde? And since when could Chicken TT?

Least predictable Tour ever. Lovin' it.
 

ScottD

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Kind of have to say i want Cadel to win cause he is aussie but go Vino. I love that dude after attacking 4k from the finish the other day and that tt!!!
 

norcorulz

Likes Bikes and Dirt
It's silly to say that, though - the entire thing could change again tonight if Vino stays phychotic and rides the lycra off everyone like he did last night.
Least predictable Tour ever. Lovin' it.
I have a gut feeling that Vino is going to do what he does best, ATTACK whenever he gets any slight chance. Although he is 5 min down, this is virtually nothing. With a few more moutain stages to come, i believe everyone will be vulnerable of a Vino kamikaze! After watching him in the TT last night, his injury has seemed to stop causing havoc. Vino wants to win, he has the passion and determination to do it, and i believe he can.
 

Lanky Love

Likes Dirt
I have a gut feeling that Vino is going to do what he does best, ATTACK whenever he gets any slight chance. Although he is 5 min down, this is virtually nothing. With a few more moutain stages to come, i believe everyone will be vulnerable of a Vino kamikaze! After watching him in the TT last night, his injury has seemed to stop causing havoc. Vino wants to win, he has the passion and determination to do it, and i believe he can.
i'll second that, but i still hope evans wins
 

oldbean

NSWMTB
Anyone else see the 60 Minutes report on the Aussie TdF riders?

Short little bedside interview with O'Grady was interesting, as was being at O'Grady's house pre-Tour when the Drug testers turned up demanding urine, blood and breath samples.

Bit over the top though in playing on the 'Tour de Crash' angle. Considering the number of riders and number of kilometres, really the number of crashes isn't that extraordinary.
 

Bodin

GMBC
Bit over the top though in playing on the 'Tour de Crash' angle. Considering the number of riders and number of kilometres, really the number of crashes isn't that extraordinary.
True, but:

a) 60 Minutes are experts at attracting viewers for all the wrong reasons just to get the ratings.

b) About the only thing my girlfriend likes is the carnage. She's not interested in learning the extreme tactical angle that determines which riders do what, she's not interested in the spectacular European scenery and she's not interested in the millions upon millions of dollars worth of exotically-shaped carbon fibre. But she'd wake from a coma just to watch a pile up.
 

oldbean

NSWMTB
True, but:

a) 60 Minutes are experts at attracting viewers for all the wrong reasons just to get the ratings.

b) About the only thing my girlfriend likes is the carnage. She's not interested in learning the extreme tactical angle that determines which riders do what, she's not interested in the spectacular European scenery and she's not interested in the millions upon millions of dollars worth of exotically-shaped carbon fibre. But she'd wake from a coma just to watch a pile up.
Unfortunately true for so much of the population. Whereas many seem to appreciate the 'skill' of footy.
 
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