Tour de France

I heard a lot of the favorites were not participating this year due to bad urine.

If they only bought some of mine... :rolleyes: :)
 
I hope the American wins. Then the French have to stop wining and accept they suck at cycling just like everything else. The trick is to not surrender during the hard parts. LOL.

Sorry HD, couldn't resist.
 
Tour de France, Lance ain't on his bike, out here in Texas you can hear the crickets chirp. . . . . . . .

I'm with Andy, hope the American wins. Not so the French will get their panties in a wad, that'll happen regardless, but to prove that Lance was simply the most visible member of a great team of competitors. Lance left some big shoes to be filled, I have no doubt they will be, stay tuned.

Sarge
 
I doubt anyone will rack up the consequtive wins he had. Soon, anyway.

All the dope testing they did on him and never found anything. They simply did not want to believe an American could have brought the sport to an entirely new level of performance.


munk
 
The present holder of the Yellow Jersey, Floyd Landis, suffers from a painful degenerative process in his hip and will require surgery following the completion of this year's Tour. He rode with Lance's team for several years. I hope he wins it.

Eric
 
Kind of like the World Cup. I like watching it for a while, but have no real interest in it. I've got a lot of friends who are hardcore cyclists, and they are pretty into it.
 
Even if you have only a casual interest in the Tour, the stages to watch will be the ones which take place over the next few days in the Alps. This is where the most drama can be found and is likely where the eventual winner will be determined.

Eric
 
Eric006 said:
Even if you have only a casual interest in the Tour, the stages to watch will be the ones which take place over the next few days in the Alps. This is where the most drama can be found and is likely where the eventual winner will be determined.

Eric
Click to expand...

I can't imagine the Alps. I did the Assault on Mt. Mitchell twice (a looooooong time ago) and it's nothing but mind numbing pain. 102 miles, 6000 feet of elevation, most of it in the last 25 miles. Those Tour de France guys are superhuman.
 
ferguson said:
I can't imagine the Alps. I did the Assault on Mt. Mitchell twice (a looooooong time ago) and it's nothing but mind numbing pain. 102 miles, 6000 feet of elevation, most of it in the last 25 miles. Those Tour de France guys are superhuman.
Click to expand...

Hey, Steve. I read that the 32nd Assault on Mt. Mitchell is set for June 11, 2007. There's plenty of time to get in shape. What do you say? :)

I remember doing a 75-mile Tour-for-Cure bike ride a number of years (and pounds) ago. Relatively flat course. Can't even imagine doing a ride up any kind of significant elevation now.

Eric
 
i watched the end of one stage the other day, going uphill with americans at 1st & 3rd with a russian sandwiched at 2nd. i could not believe all the a$$holes along the road crowding in and waving flags in their faces, i'da wanted to slap a few of them to get the idiots out of the way, was real surprised none of them were hit by the cyclists (maybe they were, but out of camera) i'da kilt one if he had caused me to lose a top spot. obviously the french couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery....
 
Interesting stage results today. I won't spoil it for those who might want to watch the replay later.

Perhaps a couple of khukuris, strategically mounted on each side of the cyclists' handlebars, would keep overzealous fans at a safe distance (or at least make for some entertaining highlight footage in those instances where the offending individual is unable to get out of the way in time.)
Sort of "Tour de France meets Death Race 2000." :)

Eric
 
The crowd is a tradition of idiocy and cannot be changed.

When I think of Lance being knocked to the ground, as he was one year, it can make your blood boil, but there's nothing to be done about it. France celebrates the mob.


munk
 
Can you imagaine the emotions this guy has right now?

Good show, regardless of how he finishes. Strong heart, man.

Landis regains yellow jersey in time trial

Associated Press
Posted: 2 minutes ago



MONTCEAU-LES-MINES, France (AP) - American cyclist Floyd Landis regained the overall lead in the Tour de France on Saturday, likely assuring him the title Sunday in Paris.

2006 Tour de France

Saturday's stage winner: Serhiy Honchar
Overall leader:Floyd Lanis, USA
:59 ahead
Highest American:Landis
Sunday's stage:Sceaux-Antony to Paris (Champs-Elysees)152 (94.4)

The race against the clock, won by Ukraine's Serhiy Honchar, had shaped up as the decisive stage in one of the most topsy-turvy Tours in years.

Landis reclaimed the leader's yellow jersey from Spain's Oscar Pereiro, who came to Saturday's individual time trial with a thin 30-second lead over the American, who moved up from third place overall.

"I am very lucky," said Landis, who's riding with an arthritic right hip, an injury from a 2003 crash that he hopes to correct with surgery this autumn.

"I could not be happier. It's one of the best days of my life," he added. "I am very lucky. I'm a person who works hard and never gives up. Otherwise, I'm just a human being."

Honchar, like he did in the seventh stage time trial, dominated the 57-kilometer (35.4-mile) course from Le Creusot to Montceau-les-Mines, finishing in 1 hour, 7 minutes, 46 seconds. German rider Andreas Kloeden was second, 41 seconds back. Landis placed third, 1:11 off the Honchar's pace. Pereiro was 2:40 behind.

Landis is in prime position to take home the yellow jersey - barring disaster in Sunday's ride into the capital - in the first Tour since compatriot Lance Armstrong won a record seven straight victories.

Coming into the stage, Honchar was more than 1 hour, 51 minutes behind Pereiro and was no threat. Spain's Carlos Sastre, who had entered the stage in second place, crossed the line 4:41 behind Honchar and dropped to fourth overall, 3:13 back from the American.

Kloeden's strong ride Saturday moved him from fourth overall to third, dropping Spain's Carlos Sastre to fourth. Sastre crossed the line 4:41 behind Honchar.

Coming into the stage, Honchar was more than 1 hour, 51 minutes off Pereiro's pace and presented little threat for the overall race contenders.

Landis and Pereiro have traded the yellow jersey four times since the American first claimed it in the 11th stage.

"Hopefully, I won't give it away again," Landis said. "But I do think it's over
 
Landis won it. Great story. Needs a hip replacement, fell 8 minutes behind and came back like a champ.

Wonder if his old buddy Lance will talk to him now?
 
Hip hip hooray for the good ole USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ROTFLMAO at the host country, gonna have to check out their papers and watch their POOR behavior.
 
They're calling stage 17 one of the best single day performances in Tour history. The guy rode a hundred miles in the Alps by himself and managed to stay 7:30 ahead of the peloton. Un-frickin-believable. One of the commentators said during the last stage that that ride was essentially impossible based on their understanding of the sport. Another American redefines cycling. We can't win baseball or basketball internationally, but we kick a$$ at cycling. Go figure.
 
America has a new hero, and his name is:

Floyd_barber.jpg


Eric
 
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