str8 outta Rotterdam, it's the TOUR DE FRANCE 2010 thread

it's about that time, people!

boonen and haussler both out with knee dramas

oscar pereiro has missed the astana squad. michael barry has made the sky squad!

some chuckleheads were offering odds of 25/1 on victory for michael rasmussen

can basso back up after the giro? can the schleck tag-team give saxo bank one last hurrah? is wiggo a flash in the pan? will cadel ever catch a break? can lance [CONTROVERSIAL MODERATOR EDIT]? how many time trial bikes will the UCI ban on the eve of the event? can cav ride in a staight line? what bone will vande velde break next? which unfancied domestique from bbox or whoever will sneak off in a break and be in yellow for a couple days??

http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/files/2010/01/scaled_e1262200244.jpg

HE'S READY

I'm pretty pumped for this.

http://davidavery.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/didi-the-devil-riding-to-the-tour.jpg

HE'S READY.

these guys, jesus.

love the tour

Radioshack are old men. Sky aren't near ready yet, although Boasson Hagen looks a really good future prospect. No idea what sort of form the Schlecks are in, but Contador for once looked human at the Dauphine, wonder how much he was holding back. Nibali & Basso are going to be a great double act.

some amazing stages in the tour this year though!
stage 1 : cycling across the islands of Zeeland, expect some wicked crosswinds.
stage 3 : huge stretches of cobbles, Contador expected to lose a lot of time.
stage 7 : first mountain stage, with six progressively harder climbs.
stage 17 : last mountain stage, finishing on the Tourmalet.

Stage 17 will be amazing if it's still tight in the GC.

I think this is going to be a really competitive race, not much let up. Some predictions:

1) Days one and three are really going to break up the field, I expect some GC riders to be out of contention before the alps. Fabian Cancellara will try his solo to win stuff and probably pull it off. If he isn't in yellow after the prologue he will be after Arenberg.

2) Wiggins seems to have become the ultimate mantis physically and Sky has shaped up into a really nice squad, hoping for big things, maybe not this year, but if not this year then when, (Flecha and Boassen Hagen, I hope will do great things and Geriant Thomas coming wearing the British Jersey is good)

3) Cav will be petulant and will not be in green on the champs elysee, I don't think HTC will be allowed to drive things in the same way as as year and there are too many moyenne mountain and barrodeur stages where someone else will hoover up intermediates.

4) I think the winner will come from someone who is good in the north, so it could be Cadel, but not if he blows up like he did in the Giro and I'm wondering if he isn't more focussed on retaining the rainbow jersey at home.

5) Not going to discount Contador, not yet.

6) Liquigas have had a great build up, not sure if Basso or Nibali can win it but I expect a big move from anyone in green on a mountain stage to provoke a response.

7) Schlecks, Andy's crash and any bad feeling about leaving Saxobank has me wondering, also if Fabian is in Yellow going into the alps, is Rjiis going to try and defend that rather than use that to build a position for the Schlecks. Saxobank were looking good to do great things this year until all the nonsense started.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/columnists/2010/6/25/1277488818146/Bradley-Wiggins-006.jpg

HE'S READY

(but would like someone to give him a powerbar)

so fricken psyched

very very psyched for this - will be in France for first week, unfortunately without TV or (much) internet. This stage:
http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2010/400/CARTE.gif

runs about 5 miles from where we'll be staying though, so we'll get to catch some live - any hints (Ed - you've been fwir?) for getting most of it? The stage is a flat one so unless it's windy it'll be a sprinters paradise - shame Rheims is a ways away and will most likely be rammed as it's ideal for Cav action.

I'd head for the finish on a stage like that. Get their early, scope out a spot, eat lunch and then return for the wait. Around 200m to go is a good spot. It'll be a long wait for the caravan then 30seconds of excitement, but it will be a good 30 seconds.

problem with the wait = 2yr 11month old..... :(

vino imo

5) Not going to discount Contador, not yet

That seems a strange way to put it when he's the overwhelming favourite.

Porkpie, where are you staying?

doctor are you prescribing wine for the 3 y/o?

we're on a little campsite in a village just south of St Quentin that we go to for a week or so every year, did thing Guise may be a good option, especially as there's a Le Creuset factory shop there too...... Would like to go to Arenberg too but we try not to drive about too much when we're there.

Arenberg would be more crazy with a little one IMO, I guess the climb is the place to be on stage four, the field may break up a little but its so early in the day. Caravan is due at 13:15 so I'd be looking to be there by 11:30 at the latest, the close the road pretty early. Trucks will be along to sell you things before long, but take food and water.

Nibali & Basso are going to be a great double act.

might have to sub kreuziger in there!

Liquigas for Tour de France: Ivan Basso (ITA); Roman Kreuziger (CZE); Sylwester Szmyd (POL); Franco Bellotti (ITA); Kristjan Koren (SLO); Aliaksandr Kuchynski (BLR); Daniel Oss (ITA); Manuel Quinziato (ITA); Brian Vandborg (DEN).

oops

awwwww, he was great in the Giro.

think he's targeting the vuelta now

if kreuziger ever learns to attack at the appropriate moment he'll be right up there

doctor are you prescribing wine for the 3 y/o?

that is precisely what I am doing

j/k I am not a doctor, safety takes no holiday, etc

doctor are you prescribing wine for the 3 y/o?

that is precisely what I am doing

good, because vino can not win this thing

PROvisional start list

I really like the chances of Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (ESP) from Euskaltel-Euskadi.

Any time a non-Basque rider gets to ride on Euskadi you know it's a big deal.

So put my prediction in for Sr. Sammy Sanchez for teh win.

gentlemen, start your fridges

What would be a good resource for someone watching this for the first time? Aside from Wikipedia, that is?

yeah I am determined to actually pay attn the whole time this year

This should be pretty handy:
http://www.letour.fr/indexus.html

Any predictions for the British hopes?

Cavendish has been having a nightmare season and still doesn't seem to be at full fitness. I can't see him matching last year's incredible six stages. I know he's planning to focus on the green jersey this year, but I think he might be disappointed. He'll definitely win it at some point, but maybe not this year.

Wiggins has been staking everything on this race and treating everything else as preparation. He hasn't really done that much to impress so far this year, but then the only time he's really gone for it was the Giro prologue and he won that. I don't think he'll be a one-season-wonder in as much as I'm pretty sure he'll finish top ten again, but I'll be pleasantly surprised if he can improve on last year's fourth place.

Thomas did well at the Dauphine recently and has just won the National Championships. He'll just be supporting Wiggins, but might get a respectable placing in the prologue. Millar has put in some good performances and will probably grab himself 5th or 6th in one of the time trials.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/33182131

so badass

That's insane

(Cav)'ll definitely win it at some point, but maybe not this year.

I have mad respect for you NB+S but this is crazytalk.

the winning or not winning?

think he meant the green, not the yellow

oh haha, that makes 1000% more sense. for shame shasta.

Cav's a vile little cunt. This year I think I'll anti-support him for the first time. Charlie Wegelius ftw!

is there a fantasy TdF we can all do?

I think Cav's great, and I usually hate arrogant little buggers (such as Ronaldo)

yeah wtf. i love cav.

(xp)There should be one here soon: http://www.velogames.com/

Some of us did this for the Giro. It was a bit frustrating coz the bloke only updated it about twice a week.

is one here too:

http://road.cc/fantasy-tour-de-france

I've created la ligue du mantis gros on there - league reference 1439

yeah wtf. i love cav.

yeah this

mehhhh, not me.

he's a cock, an arrogant cock but still he's the guy you hate but respect at the same time.

tho i can't wait til Phinney starts power-domming him tbqfh.

hope Millar goes on one of his crazy long solo breaks again.

...and this time doesn't get caught within sight of the line.

do not like the cavendish. i dont know if i even can get to "respect," its more like "freely admit his clear superiority."

^^much better stated^^

every sport needs a cavendish, otherwise you're stuck watching federer vs. nadal

not nearly as fun an a-hole as mcewen.

wow @ those stats

superhuman

is one here too:
http://road.cc/fantasy-tour-de-france
I've created la ligue du mantis gros on there - league reference 1439
― problem chimp (Porkpie), Tuesday, 29 June 2010 20:53

I've entered too.

The transfers aspect of this makes this somewhat interesting. I reckon I'll be dropping Wiggins and Cancellara as the alps approach.

Bradley WIGGINS	SKY	34	GC
Tyler FARRAR	GAR	23	PC
David DE LA FUENTE	AST	15	KM
Fabian CANCELLARA	SAX	28	AR
Tony MARTIN	HTC	18	AR
Geraint THOMAS	SKY	7	DS
Lars BOOM	RAB	8	DS
Manuel QUINZIATO	LIQ	4	DS
Mark RENSHAW	HTC	13	DS

i'm in...

gone with a team to go the distance (especially as I'll have v little internets in first week:

Ivan BASSO LIQ 36 GC
Tyler FARRAR GAR 23 PC
Sandy CASAR FDJ 22 KM
Damiano CUNEGO LAM 20 AR
Jerome PINEAU QST 17 AR
Charly WEGELIUS OPL 6 DS
Geraint THOMAS SKY 7 DS
Juan Antonio FLECHA SKY 11 DS
Linus GERDEMANN MRM 8 DS

Cunego was the undoing of my fantasy Giro team.

I found the KotM choice fairly uninspiring and just went for the cheapest one in the end.

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2010/07/01/2/dv782886_1_600.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVkpKjacIZs

HE'S READY

Do we think that vuvuzelas will be present?

is it customary to present your fantasy team to thread? i am shy tbqfh.

Cadel EVANS BMC 32 GC
Oscar FREIRE RAB 25 PC
Amets TXURRUKA EUS 12 KM
Fabian CANCELLARA SAX 28 AR
Tony MARTIN HTC 18 AR
Charly WEGELIUS OPL 6 DS
Jens VOIGT SAX 13 DS
Linus GERDEMANN MRM 8 DS
Simon GERRANS SKY 8 DS

Watching the ITV4 preview programme now. Gary Imlach is back in my life and I am delighted:

"This year's Tour starts where it always does, at least in the mind of the French promo producer - in space."

Also hadn't realised one of the eight Brits in this year's Tour, Jeremy Hunt, is making his debut at the age of 36. Am getting unreasonably excited.

BOARDMAN!

Carlos SASTRE CTT 24 GC
Tyler FARRAR GAR 23 PC
Egoi MARTINEZ EUS 29 KM
Samuel SANCHEZ EUS 26 AR
Tony MARTIN HTC 18 AR
Bernhard EISEL HTC 5 DS
David MILLAR GAR 12 DS
Gregory RAST RAD 5 DS
Lars BOOM RAB 8 DS

I will announce my team once the race has started, otherwise you'll all copy me. ;-)

And our first abandonee comes before the race has even started - Cervelo have ditched Xavier Florencio after he used a haemorrhoid cream that hadn't been approved by the team doctors, and which was found to contain ephedrine.

Meanwhile, Charlie Wegelius:

I would appreciate it if, at 17.32, you could all shout "you are so handsome"
about 5 hours ago via Echofon

what time does itv4 coverage begin?

5pm, according to their website. They has got live of every single stage this year, which would be great if I weren't at work.

Eurosport player, four quid for the tour

how to watch in the US i wonder

Well, ITV4 will be streaming off their website too. It's more I can't really get away with streaming live video at work is the thing.

Eurosport's coverage doesn't go live til ITV4's does today anyhow, so it's Phil & Paul for me any minute now. Tony Martin has the early lead, ahead of, er, Tyler Farrar. Brad Wiggins has already gone, apparently sent out early to miss the rain only to wind up in the thick of it, and ended up 46 seconds down on the German champ. Most of the big guns still yet to fire though.

sprinters can bob up on these short TTs. stuey o'grady got third or fourth in a giro prologue one year on a track bike!

Geraint Thomas is 2nd!

local coverage being held up for the traditional french cooking segment

today's dish: a dutch flavour, potato salad with herring

ed, you're on a mac, right? eurosport player is fine on mac, is it? not crazy cpu usage or anything?

I was going to say it looks like the rain has ruined for all but the earliest starters, so Wiggins's time might not look so bad once Contador and the others have gone, but am I right in thinking that Geraint Thomas went *after* Wiggins (and so in even worse rain)?

Yeah, Thomas finished reasonably recently, I think.

it doesn't look super-wet, but i wouldn't like to be going over those white lines. ugh.

Clarify - Thomas came in at 16.52, Wiggins at 16.08. Still, different priorities for both of them.

It was noticeable at the presentation that Wiggins's attitude to this prologue was completely different to the Giro prologue. At the Giro he'd said he was going to risk everything to get the first pink jersey, whereas for this one he said he wasn't too bothered and just wanted to get round safely. I can see why he wouldn't want to risk crashing right at the start, seeing as he's built his whole season around the Tour, but I'm a bit surprised that he's saying that seconds won in the prologue are irrelevant and that's it's all about minutes won in the mountains. Because I would have thought he had much more chance of gaining time on his rivals in these time trial events than in the mountains.

Geraint Thomas just described having the Union Jack on his helmet, to mark being the British road race champion, as "pretty pimp". I am becoming increasingly fond of this man. Also reckons he wants to win the prologue in the future.

predictably huge crowd reaction for lars boom.

kloden looking good here, i think it's drying out a bit actually.

...maybe not that last bit so much!

millar through only 3 secs off martin's time at halfway

10 seconds down at the line, he takes second!

Millar looked like he was going well there. Cancellara must be the only one who could beat Martin's time?

andy schleck warming up on the rollers. grand total of entrants in the lux TT championship last weekend: 4.

Nice of Andy & Frank's mum and dad to make a contest of it, then.

Sherwen claiming Andy Schleck has a bandage on his knee following a "silly accident in training". What odds he was doing a wheelie?

frank would've goaded him into it, you just know it

Andy totally got him back with that whoopee cushion at dinnertime, though.

Phil and Paul are stuck in a rabbonank and Rotterdam loop

GO CADEL WOO

GO MICK WOO

Phil claims Cadel can win. Somehow avoids yelling "JINX!!!" afterwards.

Yeah, Paul seems incredibly keen to point out what a good job Rabobank do of funding cycling in the Netherlands.

Though the frequency with which the Go Compare and Barclays ads are popping up is significantly more annoying.

curious to see what ridiculous stem set-up cadel is using this year - can't be as out-there as last year's

FAAAAAABIAAAAAAN CANNNNCELLAAAAARAAAAAAAA

fabian with the gold world champion wreath on the helmet there. ~~P.I.M.P~~

Lance five seconds down on Martin at halfway!

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN IS SIX SECONDS AHEAD!!!

jeez, lance is not gonna die wondering, look at him out of the saddle chucking it round!

omg fabs

amazing

CANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN-CELLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

Wow. Impressed at LA taking time out of Contador. Very impressed at Geraint Thomas getting fifth (ahead of Contador!). Pleased for Millar, too. There was something inevitable about Cancellara winning that.

oh shit i think i'm just gonna buy the VS stream and watch this shit in HD

My fantasy team, btw:
Alberto CONTADOR
Tyler FARRAR
Amets TXURRUKA
Fabian CANCELLARA
Tony MARTIN
Bert GRABSCH
Daniel LLOYD
David MILLAR
Matthew LLOYD

I should have picked up a few points today.

Yup, 127 points. Joint 18th out of 1,569 players. Just thought I'd mention it, because it will never get this good again.

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/07/03/2/bettiniphoto_0055682_1_full_600.jpg
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/07/03/2/14_600.jpg

So confident he can give up hundredths for desperate dan design stubble
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/07/03/2/030710ispa_0714_600.jpg

http://twitter.com/andy_schleck/status/17666785873

Why doesn't versus mix in audio from the road into their feed. The silence is weird.

today's taste le tour: a discussion of dutch cheese.

and bike racing finally, 20 minutes into the coverage. lars boom attacking from kilometre 0!

millar and basso down in a crash with a dog!

and let us pause at this time, to ridicule every idiot dog owner that lets their dog off the leash near a bike path.

adam hansen might've already busted his collarbone as well, ouch.

basso with the sketchiest bit of riding by the car you've ever seen while he changes a shoe with a broken buckle.

phil and paul have a positive ID on a vuvuzela at the roadside

CARNAGE

petacchi prevails with three crashes in the last 2km!

Looked like Farrar was going to get that till he got taken out.

never seen the road blocked by a crash like that, crazy scenes

Silly course design

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/07/04/2/040710ispa_0148_600.jpg
"When you get to the corner, turn right"

http://etcet.net/i/ttheads.jpg

Amazing! Looks like a 60s ski movie

oh no, andy down :0

another strange day, great ride from Chavanel & Shlecks to get back. if it rains tomorrow there could be carnage.

If so, I hope they actually race rather than just pootle along as a bunch protest.

http://twitter.com/robbiehunter

^ seems like a rumbustuous sort of character

CVDV = out again! poor guy.
http://twitter.com/ChristianVDV/status/17825932596

I saw that, he doesn't get any breaks, maybe they'll ride for Millar now.

gesink has a busted arm too apparently

seems to be a lot of armchair types having a go at the ASO for a dangerous course. i don't buy it - it wasn't dangerous until the camera moto crashed and put oil everywhere.

narrow, yes, but so were plenty of giro descents.

Hey Ed - does your eurosport player work over in the states? I can't even get mibe to work here in France, is ridiculous.

at least three vuvuzelas heard tonight

Got a good system with the tv on silent at work, and the tour official site visuals and updates on my pc. Whether this means I get any work done this afternoon is anybody's guess. Also means, as the official tour site updates don't mention vuvuzelas that I'm in the dark on that one. Can't have everything.

Nasty crash there, didn't see what happened. First section of cobbles apparently coming up in the next ten minutes.

I use a VPN hideipvpn.com to get eurosport player although tbf I am paying for Verus for the tour and flicking back between the two.

What a weekend, really looking forward to Quickstep going out to defend the yellow jersey.

(oops first(??) crash today)

Whinging riders should man up and ride IMO.

http://www.highroadsports.com/velostream

it's pave time!!

cunego down with some other randoms

jens got the grimace face on leading the main pack as you'd expect. ryder hesjedal looking good off the front of the break though.

One was Wegelius who ended up in a hedge, not sure if that is better or worse.

cummings: going

Frank Schleck down as well.

Down and out apparently

yep and i don't think fabian is stopping today by the look of this!

Spartacus being allowed to be Spartacus today.

xpost

Ah, can't hide VPN on iPhone I fear. Ah well we're only around til Saturday then I get all my toys back. Pretty psyche for tomorrow, we're going to watch them pass through Guise, which is apparently some French version of Port Sunlight. Only hope we can keep the boy occupied. Have noticed a large number if cycling shirts appearing on the site too, mainly Dutch.

I use vpn on the iphone for iplayer purposes

Armstrong with a puncture on the pave, Wiggins and contador go past.

Easy to do or not worth it for 4 days worth of entertainment?

easy to do, won't it hammer your data though?

Geraint Thomas in Second and in the white jersey. Wiggins and Contador taking time out of Armstrong, Cadel and Andy Schleck taking it out of everyone; Vino going off the reservation and attacking his team mate. Another great day.

Have turned data roaming off. Have free wifi here at campsite....

Wow, just finished watching the highlights on ITV4, that was a great day's racing. My second favourite of the year so far, after the Giro mud stage in Tuscany.

lol

Not going to be Cav's year then.

As I said upthread pre-race:

Cavendish has been having a nightmare season and still doesn't seem to be at full fitness. I can't see him matching last year's incredible six stages. I know he's planning to focus on the green jersey this year, but I think he might be disappointed.

On the first stage to Brussells he lost a key member of his lead-out team and then crashed himself about 2km from the finish, letting Hushovd open up a big lead on him. I'd say it was possibly already game over at that point. With Hushovd winning yesterday and Cav nowhere the gap was already huge. Today he was actually there to contest the sprint, tried it, realised he didn't have it, and just sat up. If he was really trying for the green jersey he would have carried on sprinting, even if just to pick up fourth place - the fact he didn't suggests to me he's already given up. I wouldn't be surprised if he drops out of the race when they hit The Alps.

meh, he'll win something shortly and act like a jackass about it, no worries.

He's probably still hurt? He got pretty tangled up and then treated as a harsh speed bump at TdSuisse.

Hi Hunt3r!

I agree with that, maybe better to pull out and concentrate of Worlds*/Vuelta/ToB/Finishing school (for etiquette and stuff). Hushovd vs Pettachi should be fun, but Robie McEwan is there and Robbie Hunter and Edvald Boassen Hagen were there today and even Oscar Friere got some points on the board as well.

I guess we'll see tomorrow, another day for the sprinters.

* I presume the worlds course will be quite Cadel friendly

hi shasta! i figure im allowed here since its ile.

HI!

The joys of fielding an international racing team:
http://img.mobypicture.com/23be30449e8e35b77af912bbeedb95b3_view.jpg

ed: worlds course video

I HAVE A NEW HERO AND MY HERO'S NAME IS

JENS VOIGT

(rooting for cervelo tho, <3 hushovd & sastre)

he is every decent person's all-time hero 4ever <3 imo

<3 james richardson too; stephen roche seems a bit humourless

is petacchi on the NRG-1?

and isn't cav's personal life an utter mess right now at the moment too? must have some effect

He's had a pretty bad season all round.

There he goes!

not the biggest fan of Cav, but that was a great win for him.
also, this advert made me laugh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzPq0hDdDhs

big fat prince albert
http://cdn-community2.livestrong.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/4/7b7340e3-2eb3-453c-8470-8247d228e697.Full.jpg

was thinking to self after last night's stage, "everyone'll declare cav over, then he'll probably go out and win tomorrow". kinda feel like yesterday was all about 1) hondo totally scrambling the HTC lead-out, 2) cav pretty much always sits up when he realises he's wasting his time.

That was good to see. How emotional was he on the podium?

cav pretty much always sits up when he realises he's wasting his time.

Yeah, this is true in normal circumstances, but given that all year long he'd been saying he was going for the green jersey over stage wins then you would have expected him to fight for a placing even if the stage win was out of reach. The fact he sat up showed that he'd already given up on the green jersey.

He was pretty f'ing emotional. Crying, clearly overcome, vindicated, doubt he'd probably never admit exorcised sort of thing.

"vindicated"

brother plz

http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c54102/x2_1e0de98
frank schleck's collarbone

^^^NOT FEELING SUPER SUPER^^^

being pinned is amazing, suddenly youre like, not broken anymore.

that's...what she said?

who is actually in hushovd's lead out? he seemed pretty isolated against cav yesterday

was haussler in his train?

Cervelo's lead-out: Jeremy Hunt -> Daniel Lloyd -> Brett Lancaster -> Hushovd

Lol dudes throwing punches at the end there.

yeah, I missed that - who was involved?

lol
http://nos.nl/video/170885-tour-vechtpartij-na-de-finish.html

BIGWATCH - Johan van Summeren

Back to back days of breakaway attacks for Ruben Perez of Euskaltel. I'll have what he's having.

lol http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/fight-breaks-out-after-tour-stage-6/129999

http://www.google.com/landing/mytrackstour/

Apparently Cavendish's heart rate is N/A. Probably not a good sign.

^^ amazing stuff

Chavanel is clawing his way back in the mountains. Fabian who?

Oh Chavva, you utter hero.

It's so cool to watch two guys who won't win the Tour trading the yellow jersey back and forth during the first week.

I'll tell you who is surprising me is Ryder Hesjedal... he's looked fantastic all year.

That stage was much more fun to watch than I expected. Really looking forward to tomorrow, now.

Team Sky's tactics today are either genius or complete suicide!

RIP LANCE

HOEP U GET SOME HELP 2NITE ;-D

God, I hope now in my <3 of <3s that RS rallies around LLeip and delivers him an incredible remainder of the tour.

This is pretty compelling stuff, lance looks gone, kloden also, Evans....miserable as usual.

LANCE GOES BOOM

glorious

Evans....miserable as usual.

in virtual yellow iirc? nb: one climb to go...

Miserable is the default expression for Evans. Contador looks positively bouncy.

Shaping up to be a classic duel between Contador and Evans up the final climb. Though the fact that the front group is all Astana does not bode well...

I reckon Evans would have a face like a spanked arse even if he discovered a city made of gold and chocolate and it was his, all his.

The first of many caso famoso o célebre for ESP today? :-O

Odds that Contador launches a nausea-inducing, spirit-shattering effort up the final climb?

wwlad ("yes")

Armstrong's 3rd crash today, wtf is Egoi Martinez doing in the back of the pack in a stage like today's?

btw how do u crash going over the top? putting on a jacket?

oh now i see, a hand up

feed zone

http://dyn4.media.forbiddenplanet.com/products/2027289_.jpg.size-300_square-true.jpg
coming right up

I think a feed bag might have been involved (xp).

forgot to put on his balance bracelet

its quite apparent now that Radio Shack is less a cycling team but rather a PR/damage-control machine.

do they put the wc stripes on the yellow jersey btw?

leipy, kloden, brajkovic, horner shouldnt suck, really

We're not sure where Horner is, by the way.

lol where is u guardian angel now, la?

do they put the wc stripes on the yellow jersey btw?

― colnagl (cozen), Sunday, July 11, 2010 8:07 AM (25 seconds ago)

too soon imo

leipy, kloden, brajkovic, horner

ideally: armstrong abandons tonight, RS rallies around LL Kool Leip.

has la twittered yet? cause i wanna know whats on his ipod

Andy schleck is look very relaxed there.

ha
xp

was that three crashes for la today? mad

yeah schleck looks like he's coasting

expect ANDY'S TWITTER to be updated p.soon

I AM SURVIVAL

Inspired by today's antics, I have finally sorted out my spuds for the felt. Expect broken wrist or collarbone in 5..4..3..2..

la to stick out the whole race? Or walk off in a huff?

wiggins has dropped off

Wiggins done for

navarro's face

Serious Lola for the massive ligget mask

Lolz even

Shit! Forgot liggett was on itv4 til I saw his giant head in the background, been on eurosport all day. Poor bradleypaws

c'mon sammy

spain vs holland

NED vs. ESP

xp lol

Statement of intent from Schleck there, rocked it.

SUPER SUPER SURVIVAL

thx to tv ecuador for letting me see the finale

a pro always zips his jersey for the finish, good job la

Very interesting that Contador just couldn't go after Schleck. I don't think there's a clear favourite for this race any more. I wonder what Wiggins is going to do now - he's based his whole season around this race, but if he couldn't stick with them today, it's difficult to see finishing any higher than about tenth.

Woah... 11.45 was the final loss for Armstrong.

Team Sky's tactics today are either genius or complete suicide!
--Madchen

Now we know the answer.

wow, i joked about Radioshack being old men earlier in the thread, but didn't expect Lance to capitulate at the first big mountain. giant Liggett face was giant lolz!

Unfair I know, but just seen lance go down the embankment and more LOLZ

Schleck looking good to pick up the maillot a pois on Tuesday too.

vader slips on banana peel, loses tour gc bid

http://www.gobblin.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/darth_vader_noooo1.jpg

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2008/07/26/majdog_gallery__600x399.jpg

Mouth: smiling. Eyes: dead.

Matthew Lloyd from Davitamon-Lotto was in Armstrong's group and witnessed that last crash. "Unfortunately, Lance crashed, there were again lots of crashes today," he said post-race. "Euskaltel really needs to learn how to ride bikes. It's just shocking. I don't know whether that's controversial or not, but I don't care. They've probably caused every crash in this race...."

His third 'crash' was kind of irrelevant: he'd already blown well before that and given up chasing. He didn't even crash, really, just had his bike pushed down in slow motion after someone fucked up taking a musette.

solid ride from sastre today too, very lowkey performance from him so far but he's still there or thereabouts; just ahead of basso in 11th iirc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcyjge8onvw

First one was the one that really took it out of him I think

tryna highlight the nice part calling out euskaltel. xp

the sky tactics had to be an attempt to blow lance up, surely - they were at it as soon as they hit the ramaz, and he'd only just chased back on. everything worked perfectly, except for that bit where wiggo blew up.

i <3 euskaltel and sammy sanchez and hate LANCE and have no idea who Matthew Lloyd is but I will ask again: wtf is Egoi Martinez doing getting shit out the back of the lead group in the early climbing stages of the Tour? He should be doing for Sammy what Navarro was doing for Alberto.

*assumes the euphemistic position, which involves quaint 90s-style "airquotes" hand shapes*

euskaltel is a weird team with erratic performers.

but hey i wear a euskaltel orange cap all winter. dudes really liven up the joint.

okay i just watched that vid of Lance touching Martinez' wheel in the feed zone... i'm just gonna go ahead and say fuck Matthew Lloyd whoever he is because when the guy in front of you is grabbing a musette, you'd best back off a little or just pull wide or how about this: grab yourself a musette and start eating because you're slow-ass grupetto pace ain't cutting it. I hope the ETA sets their sites on Lloyd and we can forget about his insignificant paste of a career lol.

i didn't see no euskatel riders do shit in the giro while lloyd was winning the KOM jersey!!!

hahaha.... typical shasta, typical.

second crash was way harder than the TV made it look

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHBftK8okyA

OW, if that first guy down was la, then yeah, that had to SUCK

gerrans out with a broken arm

Where did that happen?

crash after 7km, then rode the rest of the stage with a broken arm. ouch.

These guys are nuts, although they do seem to bounce back. See Gesink's broken wrist from last year and how well he's doing this, 3rd yesterday and lying 11th at 2' 37":

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2627/3721546483_68834b7a01.jpg

gerro ;__;

arm still works enough for twitter, ride on, son

http://twitter.com/simongerrans

ooft, just had a look at the profile for tomorrow's stage

no thanks

After a rest day, that last climb should be a piece of cake!

: D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xem58NKQigs&feature=player_embedded
<3 u matty lloyd

for reference, the diamond cutter:
http://wa4.images.onesite.com/fans.wwe.com/user/latati97yahoo.com/diamond_cutter.jpg

old but is cadel going a bit schteve mclaren here?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fe79ZuDKfk&feature=player_embedded

"it's seldom that anyone wants to take me on purely because of my size"

this seems like a pretty chill way to spend the day

http://media.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/images/2010/jul10/tourdefrance_sm/tourdefrance33.jpg

http://media.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/images/2010/jul10/tourdefrance_sm/tourdefrance28.jpg

http://media.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/images/2010/jul10/tourdefrance_sm/tourdefrance18.jpg

etc. http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2010/07/first-week-of-the-tour-de-fran.html

feeling that first pic

~ppl who have figured out how to live~

wonder why I even live in America sometimes tbh

i think they need a shady tree, but i bet their bread and cheese is good

right now my face and neck are of the opinion that evryone should have a shady tree at all times

lol u white

not anymore

wait til you start going bald. more attractive opportunities for sunburn.

That Matty Lloyd (<3) clip made me realise that having had Matt White's voice on the sat nav for the last 12 months, it's really weird to hear his voice coming out of an actual person now.

kinda makes me feel a bit sick actually
http://media.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/images/2010/jul10/tourdefrance_sm/tourdefrance36.jpg

wha? I'm totally out of touch btw. just watched stage THREE this morning and haven't been following. just know vaguely that LA is prob out, contador is otb, and one of the schlecks is like dead or something

that pic is from SPOILERS schleck's stage 5 win SPOILERS where he looked like he was coasting up the final climb; check evans' face in comparison

AS is all 'o hi a hill? I didn't notice'

wonder why I even live in America sometimes tbh

― asking a dog for permission to throw a party (gbx), Monday, July 12, 2010 3:03 PM (13 minutes ago)

don't be part of the problem, be part of the solution. go out and support your local racing organization.

that pic is from SPOILERS schleck's stage 5 win SPOILERS where he looked like he was coasting up the final climb; check evans' face in comparison

AS is all 'o hi a hill? I didn't notice'

― colnagl (cozen), Monday, July 12, 2010 3:19 PM (10 seconds ago)

As a proud fat mantis, the TTs and flatter stages will equalize mantis-folk like Shleck the Younger. AS better have a HEUG (ie, minutes or several hundred seconds) lead going into Paris if he cares to hold on to the Yellow, that is, if he's wearing yellow by then.

is he really that bad at TTs?

Shasta I will have you know that I went to the uptown crit (a block from my house) and cheered/heckled very enthusiastically. mostly heckled. but in a nice way.

shame that won't improve your yankee cheese tho

is there an ILtrmb "climbers vs sprinters vs time-triallists vs all-rounders" poll?

All Cadel has to do is sit pretty and hold wheels going through the mountains. Contador and Schleck will try to shed him repeatedly, but Cadel's strength is his un-erring wheel-sitting with his oft-chastised grimace. He can make up lots of time in the TT, maybe Contador could hold him off but certainly not Shleck.

shame that won't improve your yankee cheese tho

dogg do not fukk with VT/WI cheddar

"and well you never know, paul, maybe the yellow jersey will give a schleck wings, we've seen that here before you know," etc...

^^^^the miracle of liggett

gerrans out with a broken arm

The thought of all that climbing with a broken arm is just gah

Tyler Farrar riding to Paris with a broken wrist.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/tyler-farrar-getting-to-paris-will-mean-19-days-with-a-broken-wrist-at-the-tour-de-france_128415

favourite pic of the tour so far

http://i27.tinypic.com/do6mo6.jpg

didn't realize that sammy sanchez has the olympic rings on his catlike:
http://www.grassyknolltv.com/2010/tour-de-france/08-316-PIC125486600-banner.jpg

looks like he's giving andy an 'examination'

OTM. If I had the skill, I'd photoshop out his right hand and send the picture straight to Up The Arse Corner.

Ed, that may be my favourite pic too. It's Sylvain's socks that do it for me.

schleckfrank Looking forward to c the tdf.100/ Sanchez is goind down the madelaine like nuts and gesink try s to Attack.Andy just follow alberto

favourite pic of the tour so far of all time!!

http://i27.tinypic.com/do6mo6.jpg

― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Tuesday, July 13, 2010 6:15 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark

Fixed!!!

why cant the french celebrate like men with booze and chix? did they have a pillow fight too?

/nro

(that pic is pure awez btw)

i may have to go to work late, this stage looks too good to pass up.

hushovd was in the break but crashed so is now waiting for the peloton

http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c71692/media/image/201007/phpmWu6RRColombiere.jpg

love the inconspicuous black helicopter lurking out there.

the break has reached the madeline with six and a half minutes on the favourites. ll cool sanchez is in there!

how far back is he in the GC 5 mins?

along w/ two other caisse riders, jens, cunego, pineau, moreau and a few others.

lol they're dropping pineau. so long, king of the mountains.

yeah i think so coz

25km up a mountain, blimey doesn't bear thinking about

though that being said I do fancy a shot at the apparent 'best climb in britain' bealach na ba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rubzQiWrS5g

jesus christ

they're being spat out now - hincapie, ballan, rogers, boasson hagen...

ooh vino's having a go

loooooooool at the eurosport commentator

"vinokourov... the boy is bonkers"

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_59gUEMCykpA/TDn3nEYr2bI/AAAAAAAABt8/nzqqeaQbb9o/s640/34026_436653602462_374951987462_5687225_4962814_n.jpg

^realest

getting a bit of vertigo from some of these spectators standing on the thin wall at the side of the road with what looks like a sheer drop off behind

sastre has been gapped!

evans struggling

like the yellow BMC impec, though

still there tho... just

CRACKED

evans off

look at the actual nick of that hill tho; who'd take a bike up there?!

oh cadelpaws

All he has to do is stay enough in touch and make it back on downhill/flat.

Shows his weakness though.

Contador looks uglier than Evans in Full climb mode.

navarro drilling it again, what a beast

oooft, navarro is a total beast

ha xp

lol

here we go

actually no we don't schleck and contador foxing with each other enuff to let sammy sanches pass them!

specialized must be rubbing their hands together with glee at this

contador's a lazy bastard

c'mon Sanchez (on an ORBEA btw)

maybe vino going ahead was planned so contador can bridge to him

(one of the more ridiculous things I've ever thought)

(also may be wrong about Evans being able to get it back on the downhill/flat)

Orbea Orca, I think my favourite bike in the tour.

vino dropped back didn't he? voigt still up ahead... here he comes

missed that, curse work for getting in the way of bike racing.

looks like this year you get yellow, then you lose it big-time!

Contador trying to give it to schleck then.

I have hope for the Leipheimer-Basso group to swallow up everyone remaining.

i really hope riis pays jens good money, christ knows he deserves it

cunego back with ll and the other two, he might be on for a win here

Cadel letting Paolo Tiralongo pace him is not helping his cause.

fucking voigt what a hero

what an absolute hero

Hope Schlecks take him to Team Luxembourg next year, definitely earned it.

so it's the four left in the break > schleck-contador > sammy > the levi-gesink-menchov-rodriguez group > basso-lance-vdb group

Heroic but may not be enough, there is a massive downhill and some big guns behind them.

Basso is pretty good in the descent, reckon he'll get back up.

cadel @ 9 minutes, urgh.

what happened to kreuziger?

Sanchez may be able to gap Shleck and Contador and catch the break at this point. Holy crap.

Not sure where he is but can't be that far back as letour.fr has him in virtual second place in the white ahead of gesink who is not that far back, maybe they are together.

tbf, gaps on tour site are all over the place, leipheimer doesn't exist for them.

Bah, I didn't realize there were only 15km to go... the break will stay away.

xp: Leipheimer is with the Rabo's.

Kreuzinger must be 8 mins behind Gesink who is now 2nd in virtual white, probably riding with Wiggins, Rogers and Sastre.

My <3 goes out to Sammy Sanchez who has spent the final third of this stage chasing in no-man's-land.

He may catch the chase yet, but they've got 3 now.

Christophe Moreau not doing anything though.

gap is coming down, might be tight

no way sanchez is gapping anyone

schleck-contador gap to leading group coming down that is

caisse d'epargne looking pretty here

great finish

jesus did u see sanchez's head just ~drop~ when he crossed the line

Moreau should not do anything as he has a teammate up the road.

Race is over. Sammy sits up after 70+km of solo chasing Shleck and Conatador who are understandably running scared.

letour.fr definitely screwy, kreuzinger and Vino much further up than it thought.

Evans still out there, and for as much of a TdF bias there exists (esp, in this country), it's a good time to bring up that he has worn yellow in the last 3 tours, pink in the last (2?) giro(s), has worn the rainbow jersey all '10... dude races to win from spring to fall, unlike the guys sitting above him in the GC now.

he was leading the 09 vuelta at some point too iirc?

yeah but look at him he's ~weeping~ on television

well, tbh you would be beyond weeping if you submitted your body to 20 seconds of the pain that he put himself through for 6+ hours just today.

^agree with this, although no Yellow in the Tour last year (2008) or pink in the Giro, did have the Oro in the Vuelta. So last three grand tours he has had the leader jersey. But wins in the Fleche Wallonie, Podium in Tirreno Adriatico. Always more respect for year round riders. Still fancy him to defend the rainbow jersey.

xpost

Levi Leipheimer is in a nice position today, could podium with Armstrong working for him.

what does he have to do to defend the rainbow?

also, what happened to him today? i only caught the last bit

Nice hilly course on home soil, shouts of Aussie Aussie Aussie on every turn.

He cracked on the climb, he looked worse after strade bianchi on the giro.

it's not fair because, like the lance-centric US coverage, everyone tunes in for the tour and ignores the rest of the season. he'll get absolutely hammered in the local press for what happened today.

standings:
1 - andy!!
2 - contador @ 41s
3 - sammy @ 2.45
4 - menchov @ 2.58 < dark horse imo
5 - van den broeck @ 3.31
6 - levi 3.59
7 - gesink @ 4.22
8 - ll cool sanchez @ 4.41
9 - joaquin rodriguez @ 5.08
10 - basso @ 5.09

I tell you who is not getting on the podium in Paris -> Bradley Wiggins

Still think leaving garmin was a bad move.

probably a good move for his collarbones

careful stephen roche, careful

why the hell is james richardson confined to the eurosport ghetto

Still think leaving garmin was a bad move

Don't know about that. Do you think he'd be doing any better this year if he was still with Garmin? I think the fundamental problem is that the route this year is much more savage than last year. Last year things were neutralised for ages by Contador being in the same team as Armstrong and by the Pyrenees being tamed. The GC race only really exploded into life at Verbier. I think he's also missing having VDV with him, but even if he'd stayed at Garmin that wouldn't be any use if VDV crashed out.

Do you think he'd be doing any better this year if he was still with Garmin?

hes actually performing as i thought he would while AT garmin. tryin not to be too schadenfreudey here. that sky shit bugged.

in the spirit of the lebron thread, im glad he got a shot to do what he wanted, i guess

that sky shit bugged

Oh yeah, I'm not defending the way in which the move was carried out - that lacked class. I'm just saying I don't think his relatively worse performance this year is due to him switching to Sky.

with apologies to ed, that impec is... well its graceless and fugly.

Evans still out there, and for as much of a TdF bias there exists (esp, in this country), it's a good time to bring up that he has worn yellow in the last 3 tours, pink in the last (2?) giro(s), has worn the rainbow jersey all '10... dude races to win from spring to fall, unlike the guys sitting above him in the GC now.

Not sure what this is about ... Contador has won all three Grand Tours, this year alone he's already won Paris-Nice and the green jersey in the Dauphine. Armstrong never entered other races to win when he was winning Tours. Basically, you've shown that Evans doesn't have what it takes to win a major stage race, he's good enough to lead the race briefly while guys who are better than him bide their time until they make their move, but he's not consistent enough or well-rounded enough to actually win.

got to go w/hunt3r on the impec, sorry ed

I was wondering why cadel had the blue supports on his arm today: apparently he was riding with it fractured

Cadel Evans Is it Fine Young Cannibals that sing "human beings are unreliable things"? Thanks to everyone who supported me today, even if I sucked :o(

:o[()

At the start of st 9. Tough 1 for sure. Madaleine at the end. Nasty! Hopefully my body has recovered from my concrete luge act last sunday.

LA can be a funny guy when he gets humbled by the race and stop trying to crush and humiliate people

youre a high strung nutter, but i like you evans.

That was such another great stage to watch - wish I could have seen the whole thing rather than the highlights. This year's Tour is so much better than last year, when the only real interest for me most of the time was Brits Doing Well.

So, a two-horse race, then?

looks like it

plus i think the scramble for third might be interesting too

Ehh... It's Contador's race to lose. Schleck cannot expect Voight to continue burning the matches (Cancellera otoh is having trouble sticking with the grupetto), while Astana (esp Navarro) appear fully in control.

If anyone on Euskaltel was in decent form, I'd like Sanchez's chances. But as seen yesterday and today he is the lone wolf out there, and I could see Schleck in the same position w/o Frank and once Jens' legs tell him to stfu.

Gesink + Menchov might be able to do something

yeah I think the result will be 1. Contador, 2. Shleck, although I'd love to see it the other way round. I'd like to see Basso come third, I enjoyed the battles he had with Lance and Mancebo a few years ago and Liguigas were my team before the Brits started taking part. maybe Kreuziger and him can work together and do something.

But as seen yesterday and today

uhhh haha you know what i meant! i wouldn't mind Ed's suggestion of Rabo vs. the Spaniards (with Schleck playing spoiler) in an extension of the WC.

http://img.skitch.com/20100713-wxxp2y515aebtqeggq2dkgf29.jpg

wonderin when that was gonna turn up

OTM about it being contador's race to loose. He can sit on Andy's wheel till Bordeaux, Schleck has to gap him some more. Hoping for a big duel on the two days of the Tourmalet.

cadel's collapse makes sense now, how you could ride that last climb w/ bone rubbing on bone is beyond me. i did wonder why he wasn't out of the saddle at all.

oh shit he was injured??

He revealed that the left elbow he injured in a crash early on the eighth stage was actually fractured, handicapping him for a stage which was billed as a major battle between the yellow jersey contenders.

oof

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races10/tdf10/tdf10st09-ctscadel.jpg

um, guys--
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2010/06/16/2/gr214610_600.jpg
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2010/06/16/2/gr214613_600.jpg
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2010/06/16/2/gr214616_600.jpg
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2010/06/16/2/gr214618_600.jpg
and then:
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2010/06/16/2/gr216026_600.jpg
that's a 52km TT!!!!

feed zone in the TT!

plenty of wine s/b available. that's the stage to picnic shasta

that circle of death stage is gonna be something else. wish it was the one that finished on top of the tourmalet.

robbie hunter down and hurting

I wish Peyresourde/Aspin/Tourmalet weren't in the first half of the stage so often. Purely selfish reasons: even if I get to watch it live, coverage will probably miss out my friends' chalet where we used to go on holiday (a couple of minutes above Ste Marie de Campan). Actually I'm not even sure they'll go that way - it's only a guaranteed route if they finish or start the stage in Tarbes.

Nonetheless, corking few days there!

did that tourmalet on my fixed, piece of piss
http://ruedatropical.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/graeme-obree-new-bike.jpg

Totally doable on that bike if you swapped over the chainring with the rear sprocket.

basic question, but why is jens voigt being in the schleck/contador group of three helpful for schleck but not contador? is he making a pace that is more favourable for schleck than contador? surely you can't provide a slipstream that doesn't also help contador?

(referring to yesterday btw)

He'll be pushing the tempo and if Contador gets dropped, he'll get Schleck clear.

More importantly Schleck didn't have to do the work at the front. Contador knows that Schleck has to make more time so can sit on Schleck's wheel until they call a truce.

also if Schleck had some sort of mechanical trouble he could use Voigts bike or if he fell off Voigt would be there to help pace him back to Alberto. Contador would have to wait for the team car if he had a puncture etc.

xp, sure, schleck didn't have to do the work but neither did contador with voigt there. surely from the work at the front point of view it's not an advantage to either? i can see the tempo thing and the mechanical trouble thing.

do you even get much slipstream benefit at the pace they're going up a hill like the madeleine?

not much, probably more psychological.

the advantage of a leader having a team rider up in the break is that the fellow rider acts as dead weight in the break. LL Sanchez was virtual leader for some time in yesterday's stage and no thanks to Jens, that advantage eventually disappeared. Once Voigt was dropped from the break he was able to set tempo on the climb for Schleck. Contador was neutral there, but Sammy Sanchez, the Rabo riders, and obv Cadel suffered in the GC because of it.

LL Sanchez's advantage disappeared largely because he did fuck all work himself once they were over the top of the mountain. He just sat on the back and infuriated his breakaway companions so much that they virtually all stopped riding until Schleck and Contador caught them.

LL Sanchez's advantage disappeared largely because he did fuck all work himself once they were over the top of the mountain.

well yeah, you usually never go into yellow with the help of other team members. The break had done their part at that point and LL had milked it for all that it was worth.

rephrase: the help of members of other teams.

lol @ Paul Sherwin praising the French hydroelectric programme and Phil Liggett moaning about the wind turbines

Paul Sherwen even

Are Sherwin and Ligget on ITV? We have Shaun Kelly and co on Eurosport.

Yeah they are. Have Eurosport ditched Duffers then?

Holy crap, have you seen this descent? It's bad enough with the 6 leaders but the peloton will surely suffer fatalities!

it's this one, isn't it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr89ku-K2WU

yes

Are Sherwin and Ligget on ITV?

Also: Boulting is back.

Wegelius out :( And Robbie Fuckin' Hunter. A sad day for the tour.

tough all over for anglophones this year 'ceptin chav

loooooooooooooooooool who was renshaw headbutting?!

renshaw blocked farrar too quite clearly

farrar must be raging, renshaw blocked him intentionally

cycling weekly reporting renshaw has been kicked out the race

http://www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/LIVE/us/abandons.html

confirmed

Ha, could HTC be any less likable this year?

Also: what has happened to Mick Rogers? he looked unstoppable against Levi and DZ in the ToC.

surprised that farrar could take his hand off the bars, which is a no-no of its own, nearly sit up, then still get third in the space remaining. ppl must have been gassed due to the long long sprint.

Guess who is waking up early tomorrow?

vvvv this guy vvvv

Saxo Bank's Schleck maintained his 41-second overall race lead over defending champion and good friend Alberto Contador of Astana.
The duo were pictured chatting amiably during the ride through south eastern France. And Schleck, who revealed they had gone on holiday together, said: "It was quiet and we could act like normal people. So we remembered our holidays."

my brain is broken, the first thing i thought was "is there such a thing as cycling slash?"

haha, i wonder what language they spoke? do they both speak french?

(i know Andy does, I mean does Alberto?)

I feel like enough people in the pro peleton no enough of a mix of french/dutch/spanish/italian to converse. Maybe they have their own secret cycling Esperanto.

is tomorrow going to be booming?

The profile looks like a roller coaster... If there's no substatial break I may go back to bed but I have a feeling this is where things will start heating up again.

~tdf~... ~the open~... ~club ride on sat~... life is good

I reckon there'll be a good breakaway. Possibly a good place for some of the out of contention teams to do something, possibly this is where gesink and menchov could put some pressure on for Rabbobank, at least to make Saxo and Astana work. Hushovd will surely go out after the intermediate sprints, Pineau and Charteau will surely be out after mountains points. Maybe its the day Lance goes out in the breakaway.

Seems like a great day for lots to happen.

i hope la does like 10 test patches, drinks jack, and floyds those jokers all day long

Quizzed by Juliet Macur of the New York Times on whether podium girls are a Tour de France anachronism, Saxo Bank's Jens Voigt said he could think of at least one good reason not to abandon the tradition. "I know that more than one of my colleagues is married to a podium girl or former podium girl. I could name ten off the top of my head," Jens boasted, before hesitating. "Er, I mean, er, Stuey O'Grady met his wife at the Tour Down Under, there's Christophe Moreau, er, Gert Steegmans…er…Pavel Tonkov met his at the Tour of Spain…er, er."

When we last checked, Jens claimed he had thought of one more, but said it had gone now….

its hincapie iirc

xp: Liking both of these scenarios ^^^ (Rabo + Levi/Lance) plus mabye (yeah yeah yeah) Sammy Sanchez in the mix with GODFORBID A FELLOW EUSKATEL RIDER IN SUPPORT OH MY GOODNESS.

Would marry at least one of the tour of the Gila podium girls.

Forgot about Sammy Sanchez. Also Radioshack and Caisse are contending for the Team GC, so any move by one should be market by the other.

lol renshaw

first expulsion for 13 years

marked, obv.

Also sufficient chaos may allow a nicholas Roche or Sandy Casar type to sneak some time in the GC.

Have just seen it. The headbutting might just about have been excusable, given that Dean kicked it off by leaning into him and was trying to squeeze him out, but the blatant attempt to squeeze Farrar into the barriers was totally unjustified.

Guys get away with some leaning and bumping all the time, that's part of cycling, those headbutts were definitely taking it up a level. I'm not sure if the punishment fits the crime, though. Relegating Renshaw wouldn't make any sense. I guess they could have docked points from everyone on the team. Not sure what the precedent is with this.

boardman was saying he'd have given him last place and a large fine, but could see the argument for kicking him out

IIRC the banishment is not for the lean/headbutt but the deliberate attempt at sending Farrar into the barriers.

X-post: What the hell would a sprint lead-out guy care about a stage last-place finish, and I'm sure the team would pay any amount you fined him. The only thing you can really do to punish him is to kick him out.

the butting was not as dangerous or as helpful as what he did to farrar, those guys know contact.

http://twitter.com/mcewenrobbie

just an observation people
about 5 hours ago via web

history will now show that combining the 2 aforementioned tactics will get u sent home...greater than the sum of it's parts
about 5 hours ago via web

(cavendish2009)
about 5 hours ago via web

history also shows that looking over shoulder at rival then taking them to barriers will also get u dq'd from stg results
about 5 hours ago via web

history shows that a headbutt will get dq'd from stg result (mcewen2005,Zabel 97)
about 5 hours ago via web

<3 jens:

http://bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/cooked

could be xpost in cycling lolz

Renshaw has dumped me out of top spot in fantasy TDF, all points zeroed.

Race starts in 3.5 hours... bedtime.

Renshaw has dumped me out of top spot in fantasy TDF, all points zeroed.

Woo-hoo! Which means I'm top. That's what you get for picking headbutters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzPq0hDdDhs

is making me chuckle

they cut the "wrestling is for girls" bit out on the TV over here!

tyler farrar has just abandoned.

how long will this 3k climb even last? how much can schleck expect to reasonably get out of conty if he attacks successfully?

Farrar abandoned.

Thank god I slept in instead of watching this snoozer.

petacchi leading out cunego lol

dnw this climb

oh man Ryder's face right there....pain.

vino's face too

wiggo struggling, larry off

contador goes!

schleck struggling!

Thank god I slept in instead of watching this snoozer.

haha it was definitely a snoozer until the last five km!! Great finish.

Contador just exploded away there

Yet again, Contador selfishly fucks over another one of his teammate's efforts for a... 2nd place/+10sec finish.

Would love to be a fly on the wall in the team bus tonight/tomorrow.

TBF got to keep the pressure on Schleck, pyrenees may suit Schleck better and Contador needs to keep within a couple of minute by Bordeaux.

Also it was Vino he was fucking over so not that upset all in all.

It's not as if Contador was the first to attack out of that group and there's no guarantee Rodriguez wouldn't have caught and outsprinted Vino on his own.

there s/b no objective for astana other than contador's gc, it MUST be that way. 10 secs are 10 secs, right now he can take nothing for granted imo.

When they caught Vino there was a moment when it looked like the Astana guys would work together. Rodriguez wasn't exactly flying at that point, if Contador had slowed down I'm not sure Rodriguez would have attacked. It also looked like Contador gifted the stage to Rodriguez for helping him take time out of Schleck, if so, that's a pretty big gift for taking back just 10 seconds.

Don't think he gifted him at all. It looked like Rodriguez said to him "I'll work with you if you give me the stage" and Contador shook his head. So Rodriguez sat on his wheel while Contador tried to keep the gap on Schleck. Then when they entered the final straight Contador kept looking round and when Rodriguez kicked Contador responded immediately: he just wasn't as good a sprinter.

how skinny is a schleck? (i believe he's over 6' btw)

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/gallery#photoViewer=urn%3Anewsml%3Asports.yahoo%2Creuters%3A20050301%3Asc%2Cphoto%2Cr2810989641%3A1

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/gallery#photoViewer=urn%3Anewsml%3Asports.yahoo%2Creuters%3A20050301%3Asc%2Cphoto%2Cr2810989641%3A1

Brief interview with Wegelius at the top of the ITV highlights, apparently he's thinking of retiring for good :-(

"When they caught Vino"

Guys not sure if you saw the part where CONTADOR HIMSELF BRIDGED UP TO VINO WHO WAS ATTEMPTING A SOLO WIN. everyone else was along for the ride at that point.

Liggettballs: Carlos Sastre "doesn't quite seem to be the man he is anymore"

I don't see how the stage wasn't a gift from Contador because there's basically no scenario where he can win -- if the goal was to take time out of Schleck then Contador has no choice but to bury himself and let Rodriguez ride his wheel until the finish.

"attempting a solo win"

Not sure if you saw the part where the GC leaders were 15 seconds behind the remains of the break on a Cat 2 climb. Nobody had Vino's balls in a vice, he wasn't forced to hang back and pace Contador up the hill, and it wasn't Astana who did all the work to control the break before the start of the climb. The break gets caught 99 times out of 100 in that situation, so Contador gaining time on GC trumps a snowball's chance in hell stage win for the team.

I don't think you understood what I wrote there but I'm kinda over it anyways, even it seems that even though Contador is "embarrassed" (en esp) and Vino is still "for the team though, it is too bad we didn't win" I think they have moved on too. I will be racing Sat and Sun but will really wish to be watching Sunday's stage as they ascend through the Basque country. I had high hopes today for my pick Samu and if he doesn't get it done on Sunday, his chances will start fading away.

what we need 2 know is wwjvd, and im guessing he'd rock the worlds tiniest violin gif for vino.

(someone will probly ask him tho)

jv =/= jon vaughters

"I only feel darkness inside of me and I only see darkness ahead of me! I’m just F***ED, F***ED, F***ED and even more F***ED!"

http://bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/heart-darkness

RIP carlos, u are a good dude no doubt

Farrar out

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/farrar-out-of-tour-de-france

I'd be surprised if Wegelius didn't come back. He'd had a really rough couple of weeks but just needs time out, I reckon.

Also, CHAAABAAAAAAL! RAAAAAARGH!

(catching up)

Vino gets his win finally. Armstrong crashes in the feed zone again (hope people still aren't blaming Euskaltel for feedzone crashes at this point), but otherwise zzzzzzzzzz. Tomorrow should be epic, unfortunately, I will have to catch it on delay. SAMU!!!!!

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/tdf2010_07_16/t11_24222139.jpg

gee they are hammering along today.

20km of false flat is just the warm-up you want for 15.5km @ 7.9%!

nine-man break including dave z and geirant thomas about 4 minutes ahead of the main bunch

gesink and menchov have put a little thing together and menchov is doing nicely

menchov riding himself onto the podium here

some grade A fannying around from Contador & Schleck there

that trackstand duel from the two of them was so drama

Just catching up now... Liggett called it "a dance contest"

"For now, Menchov and Sanchez aren't a real threat to us. That means there's a bit of space to play poker around," Schleck said.

Ummm dude, you are gonna lose at least 2 minutes to each of these dudes on the final TT so you better start riding and stop talking shit.

^OTM, I think becoming TT champ of Luxembourg has gone to his head.

I don't think we've seen the best of any of the top four yet.

Not sure if it is permitted but if I were the DSs of Rabo and Euskatel, I'd be trying to collude on putting Sammy and Menchov on the top steps over the next few days. That said, Rabo still have Gesink in touch and might be able to put something together. However that might mean missing out on a top ten for Gesink in the yellow and second in the white.

Really technical descent to the finish tomorrow. Hoping for fireworks.

Wiggins: "I'm fucked"
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-admits-he-doesnt-have-the-form

Only saw the highlights, but hell of a ride by Riblon. Admittedly, Schleck and Contador suddenly deciding to do their impressions of Vicky Pendleton on the final hill helped him stay away, but even then, staving off Sastre (who very clearly had the bit between his teeth for that stage), Cunego and the climbing elite of this year's Tour... crazy stuff from the feller. Hell of stones from Gesink, too - he looked to be off the back of that group a few times, but he just kept digging in and coming back. On that performance, Menchov's got quite an ally for when it starts getting to the sharp end of climbs - albeit that Navarro and Vino have been winnowing the pack very handily for Contador (even if Vino goes a bit mental sometimes. Which he does)

fotheringham on the team sky setup. moon boots! pillows with built-in ipod speakers!

Voeckler is out of his head. Maybe out of his body as well. Hopefully not out of gas.

C'mon Sammmmuuuuuu

nooooooooooo andy!!

Well there's a good SRAM commercial there...

ohhhh shiiiiiiiiiiiiii

lol

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

He's going for it now! Pretty rad.

blimey

careful, thomas

jesus, is vino still doping?

got some early 2000s lance armstrong blood NOS

LOL if Vino prevents Contador from going into Yellow.

CMON SAMMMMMMMUUUUUUUUUUUU

LOL at Voekler hamming it up

Contador en la camisa amarillo ahorita.

Well Alberto is already copping heat for attacking a mechanical. It's a grey area, and Alberto wasn't setting the pace but was following Menchov and Sanchez but I bet they'd have waited a bit if he did.

Andy: "My stomach is full of anger and I want to take my revenge"

Coverage with access to Astana race radio said that they knew Schleck had slowed but they didn't specity whether if it was mechanical or fatigue. Definite grey area, but for all the caca-mouth that Schleck has been doing, I really can't muster any sympathy for him tbqh.

contador booed on podium? lol

I think this is good for Andy. He will now have to man up and attack Contador.

...if his chain allows... ha.

I lost yellow today!shit happens but the race is not over yet!!!I be back!

Vengeance, thy name is Schleck.

Schleck needed Cancellara up front begging the peloton to show mercy a la stage 2.

Also, people comparing a chain drop to a crash or a puncture are the most disgusting savagetc.

ha, contador lol. absolutely 100% on him, he knew exactly what happened. which is y'know, his decision. douchey, but not worst thing ever.

Alberto wasn't setting the pace but was following Menchov and Sanchez

where following = 20m in front of them?

yesterday my buddy dropped his glasses on the 14% section of superjames at mile 80. love that dude, but as i was in 39/23 turning 20rpm, i wasnt waiting til the top. i won bitches.

cause a gran fondo is just like the tdf you know

ice cold

i. almost. died. people

we don't really do "hills" around these parts

"I would not have attacked," responded Schleck when asked if he would have done the same thing.

"My stomach is full of anger," he continued. "I want to take my revenge."

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/tour-de-france/492040/schleck-contador-friendship-turns-sour-following-chain-problem.html

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/saxo-banks-special-machines-for-cancellara-and-the-schleck-brothers/129170

so much for that, then

came off the outside, not the inside, I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdOJLuePexs&feature=player_embedded

https://www.srm.de/images/stories/tour_de_france_2010/stage14/tdf%2010-14%20soerensen%20pailheres.gif

they should just sit down and sort this out over a fried turkey and some energy gels

xp jesus christ

way more significant than passing a dude with a dropped chain IMO:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/i-wanted-to-smash-his-head-in-i-couldnt-stand-to-be-near-him-2264978.html

I nearly killed myself on the first two corners because in my state of rage and frustration I had forgotten that my front brake was still open. I had to tighten it as I was descending, which slowed me down again.

!!!!

came off the outside, not the inside, I think.

― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Monday, July 19, 2010 6:36 PM (Yesterday)

insignificant because if the pedals can still turn (which they could), the front derailleur will trim the dropped chain back onto the ring it's indexed to (at least on shimano lol?)

haitch was commenting on the chain watcher, which isn't going to stop it coming off the outside. Schleck's on SRAM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP9OR-Pz2Yk

looking at this though, I'm now not sure which side it came off although it would make more sense it coming off as he shifted to the big ring.

zinn has theories

petacchi being investigated
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/492129/tour-s-points-leader-petacchi-investigated-for-doping.html

Lance looks good, chuckling about being chased by a yellow jersey wearing bunny.

c'mon Horner!

wish i coulda watched this, even reading the feed was pretty fun.

http://twitter.com/ritteracing/status/19001956287

so many ripostes avail looking at that twitter stream... and associated graphics

im a pacifist but i will punch alberto contador in the face if he ever wears that stupid finger bang hat again

^^^this is great tho

most lovable amazing heroic rider ever?

http://www.bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/saying-no-sag-wagon

Haha, that picture!

That's great, especially having to borrow a bike with old-fashioned toe clips. I suspect he would have carried on on a tricycle if necessary.

I'm pretty clueless abt the cycling world, just sporadically watching the "tour" on "tv", so that kind of inside-the-head stuff is extremely cool to read, putting actual characters to names. :)

Love this photo and accompanying blog post by Jens Voigt. Riding the neutral bike all day (Specialized Allez, I think, with square taper BB and toe clips).

http://www.bicycling.com/sites/default/files/images/TDF10_stg16_voigt.jpg
http://www.bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/saying-no-sag-wagon

ok so I read that from steve's post and then forgot about it till later, claiming posting glory for myself.

tourmalet this morning
http://web14.twitpic.com/img/133553156-e20991a9dfb7c3367c7747885cfed010.4c480188-full.jpg
forecast: awesomeness

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/cn-exclusive-robert-millar-talks-about-the-tour-the-tourmalet-and-team-sky

http://www.twitvid.com/KV6MX

lol if that keeps up it'll be properly hellish on the tourmalet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY0xBDXque8

Samu down hard. Gah... Oh wait, another Euskaltel crash?

lol

sastre giving it a big dig today!

damn itv coverage is crap; adverts every 10 minutes, useless

go carlos!

group of SHEEP runs across the front of contador and the rest of the main bunch. prefer that to the fuckin clean bottle man again, that's for sure.

cancellara up front on the tourmalet lol

now going backwards down the hill

who'd be a cyclist

dramatic!

atmospheric!

basically missed the entire stage due to cares (SLEEP), but caught the last 5km---any other excitement?

Sammy had a big fall near the start, Sastre tried to reach the breakaway and got within a minute then gradually fell back

Sammy is my freakin hero. To get 5th during that race on that stage in those conditions after breaking his arm (?) in a horrible crash is top 10 epic moments. doesn't hurt that the Basques were out in full force to get the adrenaline pumped but huge respect for that man. chapeau Samu.

ryder holy shit.

ryder might be one of my faves

Hesjedal is fighting for top 10, how is his TT compared to DZ? He looked great at ToC.

Katusha's Kolobnev's first tour btw, pretty great performance for 80% of the race.

sorry make that 95% of the race.

sanchez looked done after that crash, fantastic performance to get back at the sharp end.

great stuff watching the top two mano-a-mano. it's a shame we never got to see frank in the mix though.

leipy going for the tt presumably at 8 mins back?

LeviLeipheimer
I was definitely the nail today, countersunk!
about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rfBcbaf-5jY/TEhtHzNi2HI/AAAAAAAAACc/oaQZrwJVdDk/Screen%20shot%202010-07-22%20at%209.07.25%20AM.png

RAD

Ahem

yes, plz, ty

lol
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1385695681554

^^^what is?^^^ no access for non-FB

so any predictions for tomorrow's race of truth?

FAB WINS YELLOW

So I hosted a TdF party last night and Mr Cancellara is a hit with the ladies, closely followed by Andy Schleck, Contador DQed for unsportsmanlike conduct. Cadel Evans -> Lanterne Rouge.

xxp Sean Kelly riding up the Tourmalet on a bike from 1910.
amazing finish from Cav, apparently has bronchitis and was feverish all night?
Contador to beat Schleck by 1.30, Tony Martin to win the stage.

Mr Cancellara is a hit with the ladies

I would agree with this.

ummm you guys.....................
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-5WMw_noDU

hott

shasta fb link is a vid of
http://lespoursuivants.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/29/
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=kelly&w=12147587%40N03

AC <3 AS

lol

this tt is interesting

was gonna pick a miraculous vino win, but it looks like the usual suspects are coming to the fore.

CONTADOR IS ONLY TWO SECONDS AHEAD ON THE ROAD

Edge of seat!

very loud oohlala filtering through to eurosport from the french commentary booth

can't work this one out for life of me, bloody exciting tho.

Hold on, Horner has lost over 6 minutes? isn't that unheard of?

No really, that just puts him in the middle of the stage standings.

Great race, probably one of the most exciting tours in recent memory. Will Andy ride SRAM next year is the biggest question?

(xp) Not really unheard of - plenty of big names are coming through around that time. A TT at the end of the Tour turns up all kinds of results you wouldn't expect in another race.

xp that misshift was interesting. Not sure, team Luxembourg still needs a bike and everything, I heard that Specialized may bring Contador to Bjarne Rjiis and take over as name sponsor from Saxobank. Have to see what happens then, I'm sure bike and gruppo manufacturers are going to be queuing up to provide bikes to Schleck.

39 seconds. the amount of time Contador gained on Stage 15!

Contraversialador