Second Time Around Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Just a reminder: "Running from Saturday July 3rd to Sunday July 25th 2010, the 97th Tour de France will be made up of 1 prologue and 20 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,642 kilometres. Distinctive aspects of the race * le Tourmalet climbed twice, * a hint of the Classics and cobblestones, * 2 rest days, * 25 level 1, level 2 and highest level mountain passes." I think it unlikely but does anyone think that Lance Armstrong could win the Tour on his last go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Just a reminder: "Running from Saturday July 3rd to Sunday July 25th 2010, the 97th Tour de France will be made up of 1 prologue and 20 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,642 kilometres. Distinctive aspects of the race * le Tourmalet climbed twice, * a hint of the Classics and cobblestones, * 2 rest days, * 25 level 1, level 2 and highest level mountain passes." I think it unlikely but does anyone think that Lance Armstrong could win the Tour on his last go? Excellent, will be watching on ITV4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyOne Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Doesn't it really depend on the success of his doping regime? I used to be a huge fan of the Tour but the drug scandals and allegations have made it very difficult to take it seriously any more. It is more like a parody than a sport to me these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHERWICK Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Contrador will annihilate Armstrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 How will Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest theboltonfury Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Just a reminder: "Running from Saturday July 3rd to Sunday July 25th 2010, the 97th Tour de France will be made up of 1 prologue and 20 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,642 kilometres. Distinctive aspects of the race * le Tourmalet climbed twice, * a hint of the Classics and cobblestones, * 2 rest days, * 25 level 1, level 2 and highest level mountain passes." I think it unlikely but does anyone think that Lance Armstrong could win the Tour on his last go? They should make the England football team do it. Let them see what being 'tired' actually means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deflation Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Doesn't it really depend on the success of his doping regime? I used to be a huge fan of the Tour but the drug scandals and allegations have made it very difficult to take it seriously any more. It is more like a parody than a sport to me these days. Armstrong, despite a lot of sniping by the European cycling press, has never been near any drugs test failures. Rumours abound of course. I think he's just one tough son-of-a-bitch. They even changed the format a lot, mucking about with the team pursuit stage, but he still won. He's the most succesful Tour de France rider ever, but he's nowhere near as good as Eddy Merckx - "... won the Tour de France five times, won all the classics except Paris-Tours, won the Giro d'Italia five times and the Vuelta a España, won the world championship as an amateur and a professional, and broke the world hour record." Eddy Merckx: Most career victories by a professional cyclist: 525. Most victories in one season: 54. Most stage victories in the Tour de France: 34. Most stage victories in one Tour de France: 8, in 1970 and 1974 (shared with Charles Pélissier in 1930 and Freddy Maertens in 1976). Most days with the yellow jersey in the Tour de France: 96. The only cyclist to have won the yellow, green and red polka-dotted jersey in the same Tour de France (1969). Most victories in classics: 28. Most victories in one single classic: 7 (in Milan-San Remo). Most Grand Tour Victories 11 Armstrong won't win this time though, it's Contador and yes, he is very, very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1888 Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 dont see what the excitement is all about but as its literally going past my front door I may amble out for a look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImA20SomethingGetMeOutOfHere Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Armstrong, despite a lot of sniping by the European cycling press, has never been near any drugs test failures. Rumours abound of course. I think he's just one tough son-of-a-bitch. They even changed the format a lot, mucking about with the team pursuit stage, but he still won. He's the most succesful Tour de France rider ever, but he's nowhere near as good as Eddy Merckx - "... won the Tour de France five times, won all the classics except Paris-Tours, won the Giro d'Italia five times and the Vuelta a España, won the world championship as an amateur and a professional, and broke the world hour record." Eddy Merckx: Most career victories by a professional cyclist: 525. Most victories in one season: 54. Most stage victories in the Tour de France: 34. Most stage victories in one Tour de France: 8, in 1970 and 1974 (shared with Charles Pélissier in 1930 and Freddy Maertens in 1976). Most days with the yellow jersey in the Tour de France: 96. The only cyclist to have won the yellow, green and red polka-dotted jersey in the same Tour de France (1969). Most victories in classics: 28. Most victories in one single classic: 7 (in Milan-San Remo). Most Grand Tour Victories 11 Armstrong won't win this time though, it's Contador and yes, he is very, very good. Lance Armstrong repeatedly thrashed Marco Pantani, Jan Ulrich, Floyd Landis, Ivan Basso, Roberto Herras, Richard Virenque, Tyler Hamilton, Alexander Vinokourov and a whole heap of others who were all doped up to the eyeballs. To do that clean is one hell of an achievement. Edit: +1 for Contador. He's just too good for Lance to beat him. Here's hoping for another good showing from Bradley Wiggins though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Volio Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 I think it unlikely but does anyone think that Lance Armstrong could win the Tour on his last go? Doubt it, but the old fella puts on a show. Looking forward to it immensely. Thanks for the reminder to set the PVR I'll miss the last few days cos I'll be on the bike, slogging round Wales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinesin Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Lance Armstrong repeatedly thrashed Marco Pantani, Jan Ulrich, Floyd Landis, Ivan Basso, Roberto Herras, Richard Virenque, Tyler Hamilton, Alexander Vinokourov and a whole heap of others who were all doped up to the eyeballs. To do that clean is one hell of an achievement. Edit: +1 for Contador. He's just too good for Lance to beat him. Here's hoping for another good showing from Bradley Wiggins though. If you look at Lance's record, and who he beat, his current blood passport measures compared to pass stated levels, then there is no way he was fully clean. There is a lot of stuff around the edges and at the moment he's too big for the sport but like a HPC I think at some point it will all come out. For interest read check out From Lance to Landis. However it does slowly feel as if the sport is slowly changing as the older EPO era riders retire and younger, more willing to publicly state they are against PEDs etc start to take over. Unfortunately I doubt it will ever be completely clean, as even now micro dosing is on going, but IMO the riders work harder than most other sport stars and cycling at least knows there is a PED issue; other sports are yet to tackle their use of PED. Anyway to the Tour; I think Lance will be lucky to get top 5, with no chance of repeating last year's lucky peloton break, it will probably be Contador for the win. Hopefully Evans will do well (one of few clean rider over the pass years IMO), and Basso (now clean) has a good showing. Wiggins didn't look great in the Cirterium de Duaphine. While will win the prologue (again).If you've got Eurosport HD watch it Oh and there is not a chance that the Race will be as good as the 2010 Giro d'Italia. If you've not seen it then get over to cyclingtorrents.nl, as it's probably the best grand tour in 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olebrum Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Doesn't it really depend on the success of his doping regime? I used to be a huge fan of the Tour but the drug scandals and allegations have made it very difficult to take it seriously any more. It is more like a parody than a sport to me these days. +1 I was a keen cyclist and used to love watching the Tour but have lost interest in it because of all the cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tbatst2000 Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 How will Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky do? He's on top form by all accounts so it's not impossible he could win. Mark Cavendish is the favourite for the green jersey too. There's the highest number of British riders in the tour for years and a British team (Sky) as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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