Official EF Tour de France thread

[Yokine]

Why not a TdF thread to get us through the next 3 weeks of the great race.

Go Cadel!

[Eire]

On paper he looks to be the one to look out for, but I rekon we could be in for a few surprises this year. First week will be interesting without the prologue to set the game in motion.


People are talking about Valverde too... and he has the yellow now. But three weeks to go, I don't see him in yellow at the end.

I reckon Cadel or someone up and coming rider out to prove a point.

[Uncle Max]

What makes this thread 'Official'?


Just wondering...

[litespeed]

	Quote:	Uncle Max
	What makes this thread 'Official'? Just wondering...

The lack of a competing thread at this stage...


I am also going for Cadel, just hope he does do the typical aussie trick of crashing somewhere along the tour..

[Yokine]

	Quote:	Uncle Max
	What makes this thread 'Official'? Just wondering...

Just playing along with the thread title used for the EM08 discussion
Official EF EURO2008 thread

[ChrisW]

A great quote from Thomas Voeckler at bicycling.com:
"I like being in breaks. I look at the scenery. I watch the crowd and look to see if I recognize anybody. I think about eating and drinking and turing over my legs. And sometimes I sing a song."
Go Thomas!

[Eire]

	Quote:	ChrisW
	A great quote from Thomas Voeckler at bicycling.com: "I like being in breaks. I look at the scenery. I watch the crowd and look to see if I recognize anybody. I think about eating and drinking and turing over my legs. And sometimes I sing a song." Go Thomas!

I don't suppose he'll be disappointed with opening his account for the KOM either. Coincidence? or does he have his eyes on polka dots in Paris?

He can climb reasonably well and with Soler injured who knows.

[dmarkd]

	Quote:	Eire
	People are talking about Valverde too... and he has the yellow now. But three weeks to go, I don't see him in yellow at the end.

Can't figure why Valverde reckons his team will defend the yellow right now. It's too soon in the race, they should be looking to get rid of it; it's too much hard work in the first week.

But I reckon they might lose it tomorrow in the TT - go David Millar!!!

And go Cav today!!!

[Rahul]

The yellow has one second on everyone else but looks like 1 sec is enough as that gives him the advantage of going at the end of the time trail and he will have the time checks on everybody else. Thats a huge bonus!
Considering time trials are the Achilles heel of valverde..I dont think he would mind keeping yellow till tomorrow..honestly I expected more attacks on him yesterday..

anyways my favourite for GC is Dennis Menchov..I think Spanish have won enough this year..go Menchov go

[Eire]

	Quote:	dmarkd
	Can't figure why Valverde reckons his team will defend the yellow right now. It's too soon in the race, they should be looking to get rid of it; it's too much hard work in the first week. But I reckon they might lose it tomorrow in the TT - go David Millar!!! And go Cav today!!!

	Quote:	Rahul
	The yellow has one second on everyone else but looks like 1 sec is enough as that gives him the advantage of going at the end of the time trail and he will have the time checks on everybody else. Thats a huge bonus! Considering time trials are the Achilles heel of valverde..I dont think he would mind keeping yellow till tomorrow..honestly I expected more attacks on him yesterday.. anyways my favourite for GC is Dennis Menchov..I think Spanish have won enough this year..go Menchov go

I was wondering about this yesterday, looked like Valverde's team were putting too much effort in at the front too early in the tour. Maybe its a Rahul said to give him the position for the TT, but I think if he is a real contender he would be just worrying about limiting losses at this point then wasting energy defending the yellow.

Menchov will blow up on the first mountain top finish, he won't be able to hold the likes of Valverde here. My thinking is the tour is wide open this year. Of the so called "favourites" I rekon Evans is the one to look for, but I really think the tour winner is going to be someone lurking in the shadows with no pressure on him. Someone who can perhaps get away in a break on a mountain stage due to being seen as little risk and then going the whole way.

Having said all that... ...Anyone think Cunego could do it?


EDIT: Just spotted this article about Cunego.

[ChrisW]

The way Valverde's team is riding makes it appear that they share the opinion of all of this doubters that he doesn't have the stamina to last the full three weeks of the tour, and so the team should try to spend as much time in yellow at the beginning of it as possible while Valverde still has the legs. I agree with the doubters and his team - I'm not sure he can last the distance, while at the same time several of his competitors have already proved that they can. It should be interesting anyway.

[FrankZappa]

Oh surprise, the Tour got its first case of doping. An aging moron taking EPO*. There goes the 10th (?)"renewal Tour" then... Altho' I just heard the rugby moron who Sarkozy appointed as sports minister saying that it was a good thing . What's he going to say when the DNA analysis on Valverde's blood bag from the Puerto case, held up by a spanish judge, comes through?

* Everyone knows that you take EPO out of season to get your red cells back up after having extracted a liter or two for a rainy day. Then you're clean for the Tour. Just need a quick refill and you too can tottle up to La Toussuire like Landis...

The fun starts when the test for reinjecting your own blood comes in. It's supposed to be ready for the Olympics. We already have one for injecting someone else's blood. Not a difficult analytical challenge.

[litespeed]

	Quote:	litespeed
	I am also going for Cadel, just hope he does do the typical aussie trick of crashing somewhere along the tour..

Oops, I must have jinxed him...meant to write "doesn't" in my original quote...

[ze devil's advocate]

	Quote:	Yokine
	Why not a TdF thread to get us through the next 3 weeks of the great race.

Can't speak for others but lost complete interest after all the regular doping cases. Also after Lance the tour is just not the same for me.

[Eire]

	Quote:	ze devil's advocate
	Also after Lance the tour is just not the same for me.

You mean you don't know which doped up lycra clad junkie is going to win?

Only difference in the Lance era was we knew who would take it before the tour started.

[Th3Alchemist]

Anybody following Le Tour?

What do you think about the disqualification of Peter Sagan because of the incident with Mark Cavendish?

[SOBEIT]

Right decision. Cave must be gutted, off the tour as well.

[NickGB]

	Quote:	SOBEIT
	Right decision. Cave must be gutted, off the tour as well.

I think it's now widely accepted as a wrong decision. Sagan did not deviate from his line, more than anyone else and Cav went for a gap that wasn't there. Cav was also already heading for the deck when Sagan's elbow came out and it is widely accepted that
a. Sagan usually sprints with his elbows out
b. it is likely that the elbow came out to right his balance
c. The elbow didn't actually touch Cav

I believe that there is an appeal happening.

[SOBEIT]

	Quote:	NickGB
	I think it's now widely accepted as a wrong decision. Sagan did not deviate from his line, more than anyone else and Cav went for a gap that wasn't there. Cav was also already heading for the deck when Sagan's elbow came out and it is widely accepted that a. Sagan usually sprints with his elbows out b. it is likely that the elbow came out to right his balance c. The elbow didn't actually touch Cav I believe that there is an appeal happening.

Are you watching the same tour... there was plenty of room to get through.

[NickGB]

	Quote:	NickGB
	I believe that there is an appeal happening.

I believe I'm a day behind!