Tour de France 2007

Why is this bad news?They finally catch the cheaters, the Tour is cleaner than ever before even with Rasmussen, Valverde and Contador in the race.

Don't forget the 100+ other riders in the race who are cheating as well.

Here we go

This is funny. Looks like we can tell which team has had its blood boosted today.

haha anyone else see the streaking guy?

I did. I can't believe Versus kept the cameras on him as long as they did.

You do know they're not Versus' cameras don't you? Can you imagine the road if every single broadcaster covering the event had it's own cameras.

Did anyone notice a difference in the riders today over what normally takes place on the final climb of the TDF? I saw guys in pain who looked like they had been on their bikes for 3 weeks and thousands of miles. It looked different from past years, no? Why do you think that was?

I would say its b/c they caught all the dopers but that has already been proven untrue.

Ras rode like the true leader of the race today, just covering the moves of his rivals and in the end putting them to rest on the top of the climb and stage. Today was awesome as it came down to 4 climbers who were also the top 4 in the tour. Ras protecting, Contador attacking but it seems like he didnt have the usual pop today, Levi rode a great stage and its to bad he didnt have this same furor and fitness earlier as he is looking great, and finally Cadel came home in 4th but is still about 50 second up on Levi going into the final TT... I think Rasmussen, barring a total collapse should be the winner, but if Contador is starting to fatigue the other two podium spots are up for grabs between 3 men...

DSC wrote:

Did anyone notice a difference in the riders today over what normally takes place on the final climb of the TDF? I saw guys in pain who looked like they had been on their bikes for 3 weeks and thousands of miles. It looked different from past years, no? Why do you think that was?

No I did not notice a difference. Not sure what tours you've been watching but in the ones I've seen everyone is hurting on the mountain day.

should have said "on the FINAL mountain day"

The news from the UCI. The governing body of cycling reports that Cristian Moreni has tested positive for a skewed testosterone/epitestosterone ratio. The Francaise des Jeux rider tested positive after stage 11's ride into Montpellier on July 19

disco conceded there at the finish? guess they decided that distancing cadel for a possible 3rd place podium finish for levi was more valuable than keeping rasmussen as close to contador as possible.

having said that, rasmussen has ~ 3' on contador and ~ 5' on cadel. it may seem that rabo should have the champagne chilling for the champs elysees, but rasmussen can certainly blow that much to cadel in the final TT if he's not careful.

I would actually be concerned if I were Contador. He lost 1:04 to Cadel Evans in the first time trial -- on a tricky, undulating course. On a flatter, straighter course, Cadel could very well take 1:53 out of Contador. If Levi were to ride very well, it is possible (though unlikely) that he might even bump Contador off the podium.

wsj wrote:

I would actually be concerned if I were Contador. He lost 1:04 to Cadel Evans in the first time trial -- on a tricky, undulating course. On a flatter, straighter course, Cadel could very well take 1:53 out of Contador. If Levi were to ride very well, it is possible (though unlikely) that he might even bump Contador off the podium.

although i believe conti is a better TTer than levi (as the first TT indicated), i do think he is a cooked rider. i wouldn't at all be surprised to see him tumble off the podium as well. i'm surprised that he did as well this tour this early in his career. i fully expected this tour to be a learning tour for him at disco.

he's learned quite a lot i'd say.

If "cooked" gets you 3rd in the stage, we should all be cooked. I wouldnt write him off just yet.

mink wrote:

I think people are obsessed with Contador because he's 24. He going to win, just a matter of which year. "He's the next Indurain."

Big statement. He didn't produce today. Game. Set. Match. Razzy will drink champaign in sweet Paris.

Alan

hypnotoad wrote:

Why are you people so fascinated by this Contador guy? Clearly he is second-best in this race. If he were as good as you say, he would have dropped Rasmussen. But he hasn't. He's got a kick, but he doesn't have the power to ride away.

Hypnotoad,

First, Contador has shown himself to be the best, not second-best in the race. Rasmussen has ridden great, but he has a 3:10 lead over Contador right now for one main reason. No one considered him a threat and let him get away on stage 8, figuring he was just going for polka dots again. If the first time trial had come before this stage he would not have been allowed to escape. He put 3:31 on Contador that day, and you'll notice that without that he would be behind the youngster. Today was the first day he was demonstrably stronger. Contador put 40 seconds into him in the first time trial. I'd say he's a stronger overall rider this year than Rasmussen, but Rasmussen will have certainly earned his victory. Nothing cheap about it.

Second, you've got to get off your anti-American blathering. I don't know how many attacks we've all heard about how dirty Lance was, now it turns out you favor the doping. With Rasmussen in yellow, it's all just part of the sport you love and everyone should chill? You show your colors again by ripping into Levi. "Levi is done". He is clearly the 3rd strongest rider in this tour. Not a "pure" climber, Levi is still a top all arounder, and would be in the hunt if everyone hadn't thought that the Chicken would pull another choke job on the time trial like his previous 6-fall escapade to drop off the podium.