Tour de France 2007

If I were a clean cyclist who couldn't compete, it would bother me. But I'm a spectator who watches for the drama, and this just kinda adds to it, I guess. To think what these men are willing to risk in order to succeed in this race. After all the sacrifices they've already made in training - and life - to get there. I think you have to be fascinated.

But then, I'm more fascinated by Shakespeare than I am by Hans Christian Andersen.

hypnotoad wrote:

If I were a clean cyclist who couldn't compete, it would bother me. But I'm a spectator who watches for the drama, and this just kinda adds to it, I guess. To think what these men are willing to risk in order to succeed in this race. After all the sacrifices they've already made in training - and life - to get there. I think you have to be fascinated.

But then, I'm more fascinated by Shakespeare than I am by Hans Christian Andersen.

Please, spare me the romanticism. It's not about being some sort of tragic hero but about being a cheating tosspot.

Jefe in the CO wrote:

Wow...can't wait to see how energy Phil and Paul spend trying to ignore it.

Ha. I was just thinking that. Maybe if they don't say anything, nobody will notice that those turquoise guys aren't there anymore...

The president of UCI ate his words and came out in defense of Rasmussen today. Said the whereabouts system has some problems and is difficult for the athletes to navigate. Athletes must be given the benefit of doubt and they don't have any evidence against Rasmussen.

Patrice Clerc, the president of the Tour is the one who said Rasmussen is not a worthy yellow jersey. Of course, Contador was a client of Dr. Fuente's and on the scandalized Liberty Seguros team (now Astana) last year. So I seriously hope that's not who Monsieur Clerc would like to see in yellow in Paris.

Fine. You go watch some local 5K where the winner in 17:30 and all the rest are guaranteed clean. I'll watch the Tour and not act like some naive child.

hypnotoad wrote:

Fine. You go watch some local 5K where the winner in 17:30 and all the rest are guaranteed clean. I'll watch the Tour and not act like some naive child.

The fact that you had to exagerate by using a time like 17:30 shows the weakness of your argument.

i have a research assignment for you....look up BALCO....

i'll give you a little hint. designer steroids.

nnn wrote:

they're not all doping, cycling has the most testing of any sport, so they catch more than any sport

you'd say the same thing about the NFL if they had more testing and were strict like pro cycling. remember Shawn Merrian last year was caught, and given a slap on the wrist, and everyone just looked the other way. no other players cared, because they're all doing it too.

merriman was caught....sat out a few games....then led the league in sacks

nobody cared. reminded me when bonds admitted to the cream and the clear and got no punishment

penultimate, in this case, means you are a retard.

Rasmussen has said, a few times, as did your beloved Sherwen and Ligget, he's not a great downhiller. One would think he would be but for whatever reason, this hasn't translated into anything of substance. His bike handling skills CAN BE suspect...as evidence by 2005 with two crashes and THREE bike changes all in the time trial. Excellent bike handling on your mountain bike doesn't mean you are going to handle things well on a road bike. Completely different.

I think Ras is fantastic and probably the odds on favorite to win at this point. But stick to facts...and your dictionary.

sidvicious wrote:

His bike handling skills CAN BE suspect...as evidence by 2005 with two crashes and THREE bike changes all in the time trial. Excellent bike handling on your mountain bike doesn't mean you are going to handle things well on a road bike. Completely different.

Right, and as a TT bike is different than a road bike. I think on the TT this year Rasmussen has shown his increased form and the amount of training he has done on his TT bike, which is what you need to do to TT well and handle that pig of a bike on climbs and descents. I wouldn't worry about Rasmussen cracking like he did in 05.

sidvicious wrote:

penultimate, in this case, means you are a retard.

Penultimate means "next to last", not "last", something you clearly demonstrated in your post you did not understand.

Glad to help.

good point. the tt bikes are super rigid...then throw on disc wheels and aero bars and you've got yourself a really unstable riding apparatus. and i agree with you that i don't believe he will crack like he did then. clearly, he's more experienced and seems to be comfortable in yellow. i will be fascinated to see what Disco will do to put him in distress. this almost is coming down to team managers and tactics as much as the skill set of the riders. its going to be entertaining to say the least. what do you think is going to happen tomorrow? any opinion?

hahaha

ghost of Floyd Freakin Landis wrote:

How does that dude lose 29 minutes to the leader in one stage on Sunday, then come right back the next day to win the next stage?

Answer: He didn't get resupplied with stuff until Sunday night. Probably was supposed to get it Sunday morning and the shipment didn't show up in time.

oh right, PENultimate.... i thought you mean penulTIMEnt.

That is it for me. I've watched at least some of every stage for the past 6 years, and I'm done. It may be true that cycling is a leader with regard to testing, but knowing for certain, as opposed to suspecting, for me is a spoiler.

Cycling may be dead, the UCI and ASO could end pro riding anytime they want, and take a year while they figure out what to do.

You heard it here first, there won't be a Tour next year.

"A.S.O. and the UCI have been battling over the future of cycling for years, neither one offering any workable solutions to the problem of doping. Riders looking for a short-cut to fame and fortune and hypocritical race organizers and federations may yet kill off the sport of professional cycling as we know it."

sidvicious wrote:

oh right, PENultimate.... i thought you mean penulTIMEnt.

what the hell is "penultiment"?

cyclingfan.com wrote:

Cycling may be dead, the UCI and ASO could end pro riding anytime they want, and take a year while they figure out what to do.

You heard it here first, there won't be a Tour next year.

"

I suspect we heard it here last too.

There was a tour back when most of the roads were dirt and the bicycles had one gear.

There will be a tour next year, and the year after that and the year after that.

Liggett speaks

http://www.versus.com/tdf

That was last year.

That is this year.

So with Vino and Kloden out it may be getting more difficult for them to really attack Razzy as it's down to one team (Disco) to dismantle Razzy.

Assuming Razzy and Contador ride the same TT they did last time (Cont up 37). They'll have to put nearly 2:00 on Razzy. That won't happen unless he really tanks. Game. Set. Match. The Tour is Razzy's.

PS: He'll test positive after the Tour, but who cares!