Tour D'France

[Deitz Dittrich]

Wow, big news on the wire this morning. A lot of big names kicked out because of a drug scandle.

With lance in retirement and Baso, and Ulrich out(had to be the 2 faves this year) 9 total kicked out.. Who can and will take the gift...

I think an american will be able to step into the winners circle again this year... If I had to make a prediction.. Floyd Landis would be my pick...I like George Hencapie, but not sure if he concentrates enough on the tour...

any other predections.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Big George had a good ride today... 2nd after the prologue... what was the deal with Landis a few seconds late to take off?

[Jim43]

Don`t know the riders much, but like to watch them ride. Have to be a true ironman for this. Endurance like no other sport.

I couldn`t even come close to what these guys do in a day.

[JollyT]

G. H in the lead after today!! He has the look too. Hopefully he has a good shot if the rest of the team will help him out.

Landis had a flat just before the start of the prologue. Tht's why he started late.

[SteveWilson]

It's a bit too early to pick a likely winner, it will take a couple of mountain stages to separate out the leaders from the also rans. Even with a couple of stars out the field is strong and the eventual winner will have deserved it. It's a good opportunity for some usual support riders to step up into a leadership position on the team. I like Hincape this year because he's been preparing himself to take on the Tour as a possible winner unlike previous years when he concentrated on Criteriums and worked in a support role on the Tour.

[Deitz Dittrich]

with all the crashes this year in the tour.. how long do you think it will take before somone comes up with a fabric that will fight off road rash yet be light and breathe... I know motorcyclists wear leather and this protects from the rash.. but its too heavy and doesnt breathe... only time before some company makes it?

[SteveWilson]

Considering the mega bucks Discovery spent on designing their suites (13 different fabric types in one suite) I don't think that it's likely that a fabric will be made that will withstand road rash, be lite weight, and very breathable. You're talking about a very, very thin fabric (one layer thick) that would have to be nearly uncutable, puncture proof, but with sufficient pores to allow moisture to move through. Kevlar and Carbon fiber aren't it so it would have to be very exotic. There might be research for miltary applications as a thin fabric good for road rash would probably be great for balistics applications too; haven't heard of anything close

[buzbunni]

Wow Deitz, I didn't know you were a cycling junkie!. I used to race bicycles on the road and track (that was about 40 lbs. and a career ending crash ago). Anyhoo, I used to follow it all, from the spring classics to the world championships. My dream is still to go to Europe one spring, stay for 6-7 months, and just follow the races as the season progresses. I haven't been following it as much as I used to (no cable at home; no internet either...yikes!), but I think Levi might step up and make a decent effort. I don't think he's championship caliber, but if he doesn't crash he may place. I'm bummed about Bobby Julich, he has always been one of my favorites, and if I'm honest, I'm bummed about Jan Ullrich too, I was really hoping he would pull it off this year. Don't even get me started about George's crash at Paris-Roubaix this year !

Hey, when are we going Bassin'. I just gave my new (and very first) Curado a run 2 days ago. Oh, so saweet

!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Dude- good to hear from you.. we should do the bass thing..

I try my best to do about 15-20 miles a day.. not a ton, but a good time all the same!

the head to the hills tomorrow...it will be interesting to see who want to step up!!!!!

AND the news from Floyd... hip is dead?.. hikes. will he be able to handle the mountains?

[Deitz Dittrich]

GO FLOYD!!!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Floyd cracked today.. can he find the energy to bouch back tomorrow?

[SteveWilson]

Boy I don't know if Floyd will come back tomorrow. He really doesn't have the team he needs to support him in the mountains - it's very hard to go alone. I'm glad Rasmussen was alowed to press hard today. I'm thinking that Sastre or Evans might win this tour. Oh well, we'll know soon enough.

[fishin5]

Floyd popped a big one today and solo'd for 130k to get back to 3rd at 30sec@!!!!!!!! This has to be one of the greatest blowups and comebacks in tour history. The big question is how do any other teams let him get away???? Some directors should loose their jobs over this one You just don't let a tour favorite get away for 130k!!

I have a new name for Floyd...The Phonack Phoenix!!!!! He has risen out of his own ashes!!!!!

Alez Floyd!

[FishingFather]

My guess is the rest of the field didn't think there was any way that he would be able to stay that far out in front so early in the race without help and that at some point the group would catch him. My hats off to the "Phonak Phoenix" because winning the way he did is not an easy task.

[SteveWilson]

That was an amazing ride by Floyd today. He did a fantastic job in keeping himself hydrated. My guess is his lack of hydration earlier in the day yesterday caused him to hit the wall on the last climb.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Un-Be-Stinking-Baliveable!!!!! That dude rode that bike like a mad man! Possible?,,, 30 seconds?... long hard time trial?... My money is still on Floyd!... That ride today was nothing short of amazing!

[Deitz Dittrich]

USA on top again!... Great ride again by Landis! Champion of the Tour!

[buzbunni]

Really, this blow's me away. Go figure, the one year I don't have cable TV or internet at home, the Tour blows up into an unbelievable race. I think I may have to call World Cycling Productions and get the DVD for this one.

Yah think the folks at OLN are happy about this? Uh...yeah. I may have to dust of the old Colnago. Just to look at it and fantasize of course.

I like that Phonack Phoenix name fishin5. You should start poppin that in on the Velonews and Cyclingnews forums. All credit to you.

[PikeBayCommanche]

Saw it on espn this morning. Hopefully its not true but doesn't look good right now. He is skipping alot of the events he is scheduled to be in right now.

[Deitz Dittrich]

man I hope thats not true...

I know he is skipping a few of the events to have his hip looked at?

[HOF#13]

Unbelievable....I hope it's not true also.

One thing that bothers me is I really struggle with how much stock I put into those drug tests. I think the French would simply love to eliminate / embarrass an American rider given the chance. That being said they have been talking about Lance Armstrong doping for years. I just don't know what to believe. I want to side with scientific evidence, but I just don't trust the French 100%. I want to believe Armstrong, and now Landis, when they say they didn't dope????

[Deitz Dittrich]

ok.. did a lot of reading on the net... there is plenty of stuff out there if you type floyd landis test positive...

its sample A... he still has Sample B to look at... then he still is able to do other tests to defend...I sure hope it isn't true!

[Down to Earth]

I hope its not true as well. Definately not what the cycling world needs.

[PikeBayCommanche]

Quote:

---

Maybe it was the medicine he needs for his thyroid disease. Maybe it was the cortisone he took for his chronically injured hip, which is due to be replaced.

Or maybe, the Tour de France winning rider speculated, it was the Jack Daniel's he drank the night before his historic Stage 17, though that would seem a more likely excuse from George Jones than a world-class athlete.

---

Who knows hope its wrong also. Would suck if it was true. But I don't believe he would do it. He knows how hard they test and wouldn't jeprodize the tour.

[fishin5]

Ok here's my 2 cents worth.

After racing as a cat3 for 3 years, and knowing a handful of people that have raced as pros in the US and Europe (one of which is quite famous, and likes to fly fish), it is my conclusion that NO ONE is 100% clean. The riders don't know what they are getting most of the time, and the riders like being ignorant. Like it or not, the peleton has a "it's not cheating 'cause everyone is doing it" attitude. Add that to the millions of dollars spent by sponsors and you have a win at all costs attitude.

Now that being said, this test is complete B.S.!!! This "ratio" has ended more than a few careers and it is completely hit and miss.

And Floyd's testosterone levels were lower than normal! Wouldn't you expect levels off the charts if someone was doping?? Floyd is unlucky because his epitestosterone level was even lower so his ratio was bigger! The lab running the tests has always been friendly with Le'Equipe newspaper and leaked this story to them as they have many times before so they are suspect to start with.

I hope this isn't true. even if it isn't I think the americans should pull out of the race and watch the sponsors put the heat on the race officals. Then they can shove their race along with thier wines, toast, and fries!!!!