Le Tour (Warning: may contain performance-enhancing lycra)

Matt D · Post by **Matt D** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:33 am

what's your podium prediction for the GC, AC?

Ancient Colin · Post by **Ancient Colin** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:10 pm

Well, it isn't original (but it would be mean to wait until the end of the CLM) Contador, Andy Schleck, Armstrong. Not sure about the order of those last two. Can't see Wiggins hanging on up Ventoux.

Ancient Colin · Post by **Ancient Colin** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:47 pm

Mmmm, interesting. Be good to listen in to the Astana team briefing on Saturday morning. Good defence by Kl├Âden, decent effort by Andy Schleck too, and/or a poor one by Armstrong - thought they'd be a lot closer tonight.

Matt D · Post by **Matt D** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:46 pm

indeed.

my prediction before today's stage was: contador, armstrong, wiggins.

i thought contador wouldn't trial as well as he did, armstrong better (enough to position him to overtake wiggins), and the schlecks would probably crash trying to do silly things. wiggins seems to be able to climb defensively well enough now, so i thought he'd be able to defend his time trial gains on ventoux.

now andy schleck looks good to hold his place unless he blows up trying to attack contador, and i can't see wiggins successfully attacking armstrong. armstrong's probably more worried about frank schleck.

what will kloden do?.. as you say, to be a fly on the hotel wall...

Matt D · Post by **Matt D** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:22 pm

my god, not only have i started caring about the speedy weasal competition, i actually just go emotional listening to cavendish talk about his win today. i had drunk two beers though. great performance (team columbia, not my two pints...

.

Ancient Colin · Post by **Ancient Colin** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:48 pm

Seems to be behaving a bit better too - may have been taken aback by the reaction to his disqualification and had to acknowledge Thor's efforts too. Columbia did a great job, but he had to go from a long long long way on a rise, that way pretty amazing. Talking of weasels, nice stealing of a few seconds by Armstrong. Given the Radioshack announcement, that's presumably a green light for Kl├Âden to attack him (unless Lance intends to sign him, I suppose).

Ancient Colin · Post by **Ancient Colin** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:48 pm

Holy cow!

Dartford Ox · Post by **Dartford Ox** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 5:42 pm

Good dialogue you two.

Thanks for keeping me entertained for the last 2 or 3 weeks.

Will you be doing the Vuelta??

Ancient Colin · Post by **Ancient Colin** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:22 pm

Well certainly not until they get to Spain! What are they doing in the Netherlands and Belgium? Not such good timing for me for watching, other than on the internet. Stages 12-14 look, um, interesting.

Matt D · Post by **Matt D** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:40 am

thoroughly enjoyed this year's tour. barely a whisper about doping, let's hope that that's a reflection of a changing culture in cycling rather than a blind eye once more. and well done to the organisers for the route - more mountain top finishes please!

i really hope that one of the schlecks can take up the challenge of contador soon - they ride in exactly the style i love, and even on saturday with little to gain, they attacked and attacked on a point of principle. and chapeau to contador for his masterful marking and containment.

so, let the rider transfer rumours commence. is bruyneel seriously going to build a team around armstrong? a seriously impressive tour from him, but i can't see the acceleration on the climbs that he needed to get up and challenge coming. surely age is finally catching up with him. and after the problems in the astana team, and his clear belief he will be better next year, i can't believe he's been talked into a similar situation as the astana 'three or four leaders on the team' tactic.

with 2 if not 3 new teams looking for spots on the tour next year, someone's fingers are going to get burnt, but one things for sure, as we find out more about the cracks in astana over the coming weeks, there are going to be a lot of good riders looking for a new team!

we've been talking about a cycling holiday to france, taking road bikes and staying somewhere within striking distance of some classic tour climbs for a little while. but after this year's tour i may be suggesting switzerland - somewhere near to the climb up to verbier!

Dartford Ox · Post by **Dartford Ox** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:28 pm

&quotAncient Colin&quot wrote:Well certainly not until they get to Spain! What are they doing in the Netherlands and Belgium? Not such good timing for me for watching, other than on the internet. Stages 12-14 look, um, interesting.

12-14 for quality - 8 &amp 9 for quantity.

How do they decide the KoM jersey in Holland

First one up the podium perhaps

Dartford Ox · Post by **Dartford Ox** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:03 am

Wiggins in Yellow and Blue (the new yellow) for Stage 4 of the Dauphine.

Looking good for this years TdF.

http://www.steephill.tv/criterium-du-dauphine-libere/

Ancient Colin · Post by **Ancient Colin** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:29 am

That CLM looked like it was purpose-designed for the absent Cancellara. Interesting watching the main contenders tiptoe down the wet downhill section with full brakes on. Let's see how Wiggins is climbing over the weekend before getting over-excited about Le Tour. Sky with three in seven in the TT and good performance so far by Thomas, which is promising.

What did you think of the Giro? I found it rather disturbing somehow, Contador so dominant, what with the drug ban hovering over him.

Dartford Ox · Post by **Dartford Ox** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 5:18 pm

Disappointed with the Giro. The atmosphere was understandably depressing, but I would have liked to have seen more of the 'white road'. Monte Zoncolan was not as good as last year either.

Beginning to be impressed with Degenkolb in the Dauphine. Perhaps Cav's days at HTC are numbered.

Sky team did a very professional job today. I can't see their team changing too much for the TdF but would like to see Ben Swift force his way in.

Next weeks Tour of Switzerland will tell us a lot. Powerful team from Leopard Trek.

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