The Official "Tour de France" thread

[GimpyPaw]

So, the era of Lance is over (sort of) and we can no longer call it the "Tour de Lance", but just the same, it's bound to be interesting. Will Basso take the top of the podium, or will Voekler reach for the now vacated step. Perhaps it will finally be Jan Ulrich's turn with Armstrong out of the way, or will we have some new champion step forward?

With the field wide open and racers eager to make the headlines, I've no doubt that an agressive race will be run, and I'm looking forward to it.

Now, I've got to go out of town for a few days, but when I get back I hope to see this thread full of vital information, such as:

*Who is the leader of Team Discovery now?
*Is Jan the leader of the T-Mobile team, or did they once again make the bluder of having multiple captains?
*Is Tyler Hamilton racing this year, or are the blundered doping charges still hanging over him?

Come on people, rip it up!

[Sgt. Clint]

Basso will win before Ulrich, well I hope so

Jan Ulrich's the leader of his time no doubt.

Tyler Hamilton is still suspended I guess, so no team, no Tour de France.


Grtz

[CROWLER]

I don't know who to route for now with no Armstrong or LeMonde.

Makes it more exciting to watch with someone to route for.

Who are the top guys to watch this year?

Anyone have videos of the old races?

I would LOVE to get the year where LeMonde had the flu and STILL won the stage and the overall race after coming back after being shot with a shotgun.

I read a quote by one of his competitors on that day. He said they were riding up and INCREDIBLY steep long mountain road. As LeMonde comes up people turn and look, not because it is LeMonde but because of the STINK. He had diariah and it was evident all down his legs, LeMonde was riding as if nothing was wrong. The racer said he realized RIGHT then he did NOT have what it would take to beat LeMonde


CROWLER

[GimpyPaw]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201679,00.html

Looks like the winner is already set. Alexandre Vinokourov is about the only top rider who wasn't banned in today's doping scandal. Even Vinokourov and his whole team were on the ban list, but they managed to get a court to force the Tour to let them race.

" Tour organizers had earlier sought to have the entire Astana team — which also includes favorite Alexandre Vinokourov — excluded. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled against it on Thursday.

Prudhomme said Friday that the court might have ruled differently had it had access to the latest information from the Spanish probe.

"So many names" of Astana riders appear in the Spanish investigation "that it looks like a system of team doping," he said."


I just lost interest in this year's Tour. I might check the standings now and then, but I seriously doubt I will watch any stages (last 5 years I've watched most stages).

[GimpyPaw]

Well, just caught a bit of the Tour preview on OLN and it looks like Vinokourov is in a bit of a pinch. While Vino did win the court battle to remain in the Tour, 4 or 5 members of his team are out. At this point, 1 day prior to the Tour, the Astana team doesn't have a full roster. Even if the Tour officials allow the Astana team to compete with fewer than the required team count, it would be very challenging for any team to compete with just 5 riders. The team time trials alone would blow them apart.

Things are looking good for Floyd Landis and George Hincape Would be great to see another American step up on the podium in 3 weeks. It so pisses off those french when an American owns their race.

[Alerux]

I miss Lance. I dont even follow the Tour De France anymore. Lance was my friggin idol. I dont think I have ever known a better athlete. Yeah, Micahel Jordan was good but Lance had cancer and still dominated. Ok, Im done now.

I'm with you though Gimpy, I hope an American wins it. Imagine how much crap the french bikers get for not winning their own race? lol

[jiritt0]

http://www.wgal.com/sports/9555151/detail.html

LANCASTER, Pa. -- "Never stop believing," said Lancaster native, Floyd Landis, today in Paris. After eighty-nine hours and thirty-nine minutes Landis rode into Paris as the new Tour de France champion


Lancaster is like 30mins from my hometown.. i got the news on and just heard he won.. i think its going to be the biggest thing to hit central PA since a tornado last yearr!!woorah

[GimpyPaw]

You know, with all the dominating players out of the race, this year did turn out to be a very enjoyable Tour to watch. Instead of a race being controlled by the iron legs of Armstrong you had a race that was wide open. Racers were taking chances and gaps of 5, 10, or even 30 minutes were bridged. I can't remember the last time we had a Tour where, on the day of the final time trial, you had no clear winner in sight.

Oh, and big props to Landis. Not only does he keep the American streak going, but since he was a former team mate of Lance you can see that if Lance isn't around to win somebody he trained will do it.

It's still The Tour de Lance!!!