Nightmare For France - 7 Time Tour De France Winner

[LaoPo]

Anyone have any suggestions for video links that show the day's happenings? Tried a few but results were poor.

Did you try this link?

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=letour...ce&hl=en-GB

and here are the summaries; just select a day-stage on top of the page:

http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/LIVE/us/800/videos.html

LaoPo

[losworld]

He may only have one nut but he has the testosterone of fifty buffalo (thanks to modern science).

Edited July 12, 2009 by losworld

[LaoPo]

Anyone have any suggestions for video links that show the day's happenings? Tried a few but results were poor.

You also might want to try to follow this link; it is a real time situation

http://www.letour.fr/us/homepage_courseTDF.html

maybe you can even click on this one; pretty accurate real time situation who's riding first, followers/poursuivants and chasing group/peloton in images:

http://gaps.letour.fr/us.html

LaoPo

[T_Dog]

LaoPo, Thanks for the excellent sites. Getting caught up now.

This is always such an amazing event... Last week, rode 93 km and climbed 5400 vertical feet with two friends and thought it was a big ride. The Tour riders would hardly have been warmed up!

[T_Dog]

This link is interesting! Am waiting for Lance to attack and get in the top 5........

http://www.ubilabs.net/tourdefrance

[sendbaht]

"This is always such an amazing event... Last week, rode 93 km and climbed 5400 vertical feet with two friends and thought it was a big ride."

It was a big ride!!

[LaoPo]

This link is interesting! Am waiting for Lance to attack and get in the top 5........

http://www.ubilabs.net/tourdefrance

That's an interesting link indeed; didn't know about that. Thanks !

But...Lance IS in the top 5; he's #3 now in overall standing, 2 seconds behind Contador.

Today, the weather is very cold and rainy and the riders have warm rain-jackets; they have about 60 kms to go and the peloton/pack (with Armstrong and Contador) is ca. 2.50' m behind 2 unimportant leaders.

I think the Tour is not very exciting this year, so far, and also think that the Tour will be decided on the day before the final in Paris. That will be the ride to the Mont Ventoux....

LaoPo

[T_Dog]

This link is interesting! Am waiting for Lance to attack and get in the top 5........

http://www.ubilabs.net/tourdefrance

That's an interesting link indeed; didn't know about that. Thanks !

But...Lance IS in the top 5; he's #3 now in overall standing, 2 seconds behind Contador.

Today, the weather is very cold and rainy and the riders have warm rain-jackets; they have about 60 kms to go and the peloton/pack (with Armstrong and Contador) is ca. 2.50' m behind 2 unimportant leaders.

I think the Tour is not very exciting this year, so far, and also think that the Tour will be decided on the day before the final in Paris. That will be the ride to the Mont Ventoux....

LaoPo

What I meant was that I hope Lance gets in the top 5 in this stage so we can see his heart rate. Right now, watching the leaders I am amazed how low the heart rates are.... They are superb athletes. I see from the link on Gaps that you posted (excellent by the way) that the pack has taken two minutes off the gap to the leaders in the last 20 minutes. 80+ KM on the downhills. Am hoping Lance takes his first mountain stage.. that is what he is best at.

Edited July 17, 2009 by T_Dog

[T_Dog]

"This is always such an amazing event... Last week, rode 93 km and climbed 5400 vertical feet with two friends and thought it was a big ride."

It was a big ride!!

It was a toy ride compared to the Tour! But the company was good.....

[LaoPo]

This link is interesting! Am waiting for Lance to attack and get in the top 5........

http://www.ubilabs.net/tourdefrance

That's an interesting link indeed; didn't know about that. Thanks !

But...Lance IS in the top 5; he's #3 now in overall standing, 2 seconds behind Contador.

Today, the weather is very cold and rainy and the riders have warm rain-jackets; they have about 60 kms to go and the peloton/pack (with Armstrong and Contador) is ca. 2.50' m behind 2 unimportant leaders.

I think the Tour is not very exciting this year, so far, and also think that the Tour will be decided on the day before the final in Paris. That will be the ride to the Mont Ventoux....

LaoPo

What I meant was that I hope Lance gets in the top 5 in this stage so we can see his heart rate. Right now, watching the leaders I am amazed how low the heart rates are.... They are superb athletes. I see from the link on Gaps that you posted (excellent by the way) that the pack has taken two minutes off the gap to the leaders in the last 20 minutes. 80+ KM on the downhills. Am hoping Lance takes his first mountain stage.. that is what he is best at.

I see.

But Lance won't be within the first 5 today.

The peloton with Armstrong is almost 7 minutes behind the leader, Heinrich Haussler. (edit: 7.32' now). He won't risk anything today as the weather is horrible, lots of rain and dangerous to ride! Falling is easy and happens quickly....

LaoPo

[T_Dog]

This link is interesting! Am waiting for Lance to attack and get in the top 5........

http://www.ubilabs.net/tourdefrance

That's an interesting link indeed; didn't know about that. Thanks !

But...Lance IS in the top 5; he's #3 now in overall standing, 2 seconds behind Contador.

Today, the weather is very cold and rainy and the riders have warm rain-jackets; they have about 60 kms to go and the peloton/pack (with Armstrong and Contador) is ca. 2.50' m behind 2 unimportant leaders.

I think the Tour is not very exciting this year, so far, and also think that the Tour will be decided on the day before the final in Paris. That will be the ride to the Mont Ventoux....

LaoPo

What I meant was that I hope Lance gets in the top 5 in this stage so we can see his heart rate. Right now, watching the leaders I am amazed how low the heart rates are.... They are superb athletes. I see from the link on Gaps that you posted (excellent by the way) that the pack has taken two minutes off the gap to the leaders in the last 20 minutes. 80+ KM on the downhills. Am hoping Lance takes his first mountain stage.. that is what he is best at.

I see.

But Lance won't be within the first 5 today.

The peloton with Armstrong is almost 7 minutes behind the leader, Heinrich Haussler. (edit: 7.32' now). He won't risk anything today as the weather is horrible, lots of rain and dangerous to ride! Falling is easy and happens quickly....

LaoPo

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Good strategy.....

[LaoPo]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Good strategy.....

But, he's in the lead upfront of the pack; he doesn't like to be in the middle or side of the pack; riding up (last) mountain now. 7.30'm behind leader now.

Armstrong is in full control of the pack...

20 kms to go.

LaoPo

Edited July 17, 2009 by LaoPo

[LaoPo]

Haussler wins and shows a tear or two...

Nothing changes in the overall standing

1. Nocentini

2. Contador at 6 seconds

3. Armstrong at 8 seconds.

LaoPo

[babuhavas]

yes exiting tour de france,but wat it has do with thailand?

[LaoPo]

yes exiting tour de france,but wat it has do with thailand?

Some TV members in Thailand follow the Tour de France, like others follow football in Europe, tennis in Australia, cricket in the UK, and basketball in the US.

That's why we have the sports section.

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

It seems someone (or more people) has/have been shooting with an air rifle today at some Tour riders....

Oscar Freire from the RABO BANK team heard some shots (3x) and felt an intense pain at his leg. It was nothing really serious but he had an extravasation on his leg because of a small bullet.

He said that 2 other riders were hit also, one of them being Julien Dean of Team Garmin.

French Police is investigating the case.

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

1. I learned later, Fridayevening, that Levi Leipheimer from Team Astana, one of Armstrong's strongest teammates, had to stop because he broke his right wrist/arm and had to be casted. Very disappointing for team Astana and Leipheimer and Armstrong in particular.

Lance is missing a good team mate now.

2.

July 18, 2009

2 Riders Injured, Apparently by Shots From BB Gun

By JULIET MACUR

COLMAR, France — Two riders in the Tour de France sustained minor injuries Friday in the 13th stage when they were struck by shots from what was most likely a BB gun, Tour officials said.

Julian Dean, a New Zealander on the Garmin-Slipstream team, and Oscar Freire, a Spaniard on the Rabobank team, were hit with pellets about 102 miles, or 164 kilometers, into the 124-mile stage. They had been riding in a group of 20 to 30 cyclists at the back of the pack when three shots rang out from the roadside. Both riders finished the stage and were expected to continue racing.

The pellet grazed Dean’s right index finger, causing some bruising and bleeding. The bleeding had stopped by the time he finished the race and reached the team bus, said Matt White, a race director for the Garmin team.

Freire was hit in the leg, and the pellet was embedded there. Freire’s team doctor removed it.

Tour officials said that the gendarmerie, the national police force, was investigating the incident.

“It’s not the worst thing I ever heard of, but it’s definitely the weirdest,” said White, adding that fans had thrown things, like eggs, at fans in the past. “But seriously, the boys could have been really hurt if they were hit in the wrong part of their body or in the face. Or if it caused a crash. But Julian’s quite tough. He didn’t really complain. It was just another day at the office.”

Officers from the gendarmerie are set up along the route of each stage, in order to ensure the safety of riders and fans. They also often lock hands along the course after the finish line, so riders can get to their team buses without incident.

But on the Tour’s open course — of 2,150 miles, or 3,459.5 kilometers — it is impossible to protect the riders at every turn.

Perhaps the most well-known incident of a spectator injuring a fan occurred in 1975, when Eddy Merckx, the Belgian rider and five-time Tour champion, was punched in the stomach.

“The beauty of the sport is that fans can get so close to the event,” White said. “When one idiot does something like he did today, there’s not much we can do about it.”

Source: The New York Times

Note: They showed the small pellet (small round bullet) on television; a bit higher and he could have been hit in the head, eye.....stupid idiots who did this.

The know exactly where it happened so I hope they find the ones who did this.

LaoPo

[T_Dog]

yes exiting tour de france,but wat it has do with thailand?

It has a lot to do with Thailand for those of us that cycle here. Thailand is a great country for cycling so give it a try some time. There is a Tour trainer that lives up here part of the year just to stay in shape before he goes to Spain, Italy and France to run his camps.

[downtown]

bad luck to cavendish for a real BS decision on him supposedly blocking Thor.. what a load of crap

but kudos to another one of our lads Wiggins - cant believe he's gone from being a decent time trialist to a good climber and a potential place on the podium. great work for changing his power - weight ratio

[LaoPo]

500,000 people are expected along Saturday's stage from Montélimar to the frightening mountain MONT VENTOUX over a distance of 167 km.

Most of those 500,000 people will be watching the last 20-23 kms along the Mont Ventoux.....

The last part, from BEDOIN up mountain to the Mont Ventoux is feared by every rider and is around 23 km long to the top and very very steep with a percentage of about 8.9% with extremes to 10% and more.

...from an altitude of 290m in Bedoin up to 1,910 meters on the top over a length of ca. 22 km

The MONT VENTOUX -1.910m- is not a normal mountain; it's considered to be an out of the ordinary mountain hated by every rider but nevertheless the mountain attracts many thousands of private riders every year who want to "climb" the killer mountain. Many books have been written about this mountain and countless documentaries have been shot here.

The Mont Ventoux is also feared because of the strong wind, the Mistral, blowing 90+ km/hr, more than 240 days per year; it can also be extremely hot in summer. Winds have been measured of 300+ km/hr!!

This is also the "killing" mountain where British rider (world road race champion in 1965) Tommy Simpson* died on July 13th, 1967.

Lance Armstrong will ride a specially painted bike by Damien Hirst** which will be auctioned for "LIVESTRONG" ***, the cancer foundation, founded by Armstrong.

It is expected the bike will fetch US$ 1 Million....the result will go to the cancer foundation.

It will be the most exciting day in Le Tour de France!

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Simpson

** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Hirst

*** http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxH...k.BCED/Home.htm

&

http://www.livestrong.com/

LaoPo

[Mossfinn]

It will be the most exciting day in Le Tour de France!

You got that just about right!!

Kloden dropped, Andy S putting in break after break and effortlessly looking back for his brother, Frank making a late break following Andy and Armstrong going with them, but most of all a flat track time trialist holding his own on one of the most feared climbs of any tour is a marvel all on its own.

Fair play to Wiggins, equalling the highest finish by any Brit on the Tour.

I wonder what he will achieve next year if he gives up the track and only concentrates on the major tours.

A fantastic race and one of the best I can remember since I started following Early, Roach and Kelly, good to see Roach's son Nicholas having such a good tour too.

[Mossfinn]

Of Course what I forgot to mention was Alberto Contodour, a great champion, both in the time trials, flatter Pyrennees and the High Alpine passes, but what I would have loved to see, would have been an out and out fight on the Ventoux between him and Andy Schleck, now that would have been a contest, instead of the tactical brilliance of the two.

[LaoPo]

Of Course what I forgot to mention was Alberto Contodour, a great champion, both in the time trials, flatter Pyrennees and the High Alpine passes, but what I would have loved to see, would have been an out and out fight on the Ventoux between him and Andy Schleck, now that would have been a contest, instead of the tactical brilliance of the two.

You're right there; unfortunately Contador wasn't allowed by Johan Bruyneel, the team manager, to jump. No way, Andy Schleck would have been able to follow Contador in the shape the latter is at the moment.

Contador wasn't allowed to jump because Bruyneel (ASTANA team) feared that Armstrong would possibly lose his 3rd place on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday

He would possibly have lost his place to Wiggens, Frank Schleck, Kloden or Nibali (in the last 2 or 3 kms on the Mont Ventoux on Saturday)

The 3rd place was far more important for Bruyneel and Armstrong, two long time friends. Astana team will now have 2 riders on the podium #1 and #3

Apart from that, Armstrong and Bruyneel will work together (again) next year because they will form a complete new team with a large new sponsor from the US, RadioSchack (formerly Tandy Corp) a multi Billion $ retail company in electronics with some 4,700 stores. Not surprisingly, RadioSchack is from Texas

The latest rumor is that both the Schleck brothers will also ride for Armstrong/Bruyneel in the RadioSchack team next year. Both Armstrong and Bruyneel wil leave Astana after this Tour.

I'll bet that Bruyneel cs will deliver another Tour de France winner next year....

LaoPo

[mr_hippo]

The Vebtoux stage had the potential to be one of the great stages in Tour history but , possibly because of Bruyneel's tactics, it fizzled out. How different would it have been if Bruyneel had named Contador as team leader and not Contador & Armstrong as co-leaders?

[LaoPo]

The Vebtoux stage had the potential to be one of the great stages in Tour history but , possibly because of Bruyneel's tactics, it fizzled out. How different would it have been if Bruyneel had named Contador as team leader and not Contador & Armstrong as co-leaders?

We will never know. Contador had already signed up with Astana and didn't know Armstrong was coming later also. Of course he expected to be the #1 rider but things went differently.

Bruyneel and Armstrong are very close friends since many years and it was difficult for Bruyneel to put Contador #1 because Armstrong wanted to be #1 also and is an extremely dominant rider who deserves respect since he won the Tour already 7 times.

To name Armstrong #1 was very risky because nobody knew exactly how deep Lance could go this Tour.

He himself said that his preparations were not 100% but that he will be much better and have a better come back next year in 2010, when he's 39....

Exciting to see the next Tour.

LaoPo

[steveromagnino]

The Vebtoux stage had the potential to be one of the great stages in Tour history but , possibly because of Bruyneel's tactics, it fizzled out. How different would it have been if Bruyneel had named Contador as team leader and not Contador & Armstrong as co-leaders?

We will never know. Contador had already signed up with Astana and didn't know Armstrong was coming later also. Of course he expected to be the #1 rider but things went differently.

Bruyneel and Armstrong are very close friends since many years and it was difficult for Bruyneel to put Contador #1 because Armstrong wanted to be #1 also and is an extremely dominant rider who deserves respect since he won the Tour already 7 times.

To name Armstrong #1 was very risky because nobody knew exactly how deep Lance could go this Tour.

He himself said that his preparations were not 100% but that he will be much better and have a better come back next year in 2010, when he's 39....

Exciting to see the next Tour.

LaoPo

thanks for your analysis; funny sport cycling as it has this tactical side that doesn't really exist in many other sports; one of my friends explained the drama when Miguel Indurain became the dominant rider in his team and had to leave his boss behind (I think this was how it played out) - amazing sport. Look forward to seeing the peleton next year!!!

[njpski]

Nice try by Lance - watch out for next year when he has had an extra year of training and his own team Team Radio Shack

[downtown]

Next year's route has been announcd on the 100th anniversary of the first soiree into the pyrenees - 4 days there and twice over the col d' tourmalet, should be great. sad to read about the death of frank vandenbrouke at just 35, found dead in hotel room because of some anyerism (sp??).

Also some this years' teams test samples and being looked at again, Astana in particular, Contador says he has nowt to hide, we'll see..