OFFICIAL 2025 Tour de France thread

polaris_x

imalive wrote:

i'm rooting for andy and i'm hoping for some big time drama on the tormalet tomorrow....no more of this "same time" crap!

yes! ... give me some carnage dammit!! ... haha :evil:

Pats54

imalive wrote:

whoa!!! old news, i'm sure, but paul and phil are having words! :shock:

"you've never ridden a tour de france, phil"

Thought I heard that last night, too funny. The two riders who got in a fight and the rensahw headbutt must and the overall weirdness of this tour must have inspired them.

Pats54

imalive wrote:

Riverrunner wrote:

The same day as the chain dropping incident, Roche's (AG2R) team-mate Gadret refused to stop and help Roche when he had a flat. Apparently Roche is team leader. Not only did Gadret refuse to stop but he attacked! Ha! Roche was/is furious. He said if Gadret was found dead in his hotel room he [Roche] would be the number 1 suspect. I bet their team dinners are a little stressful.

:shock: :shock:

astana just seems like a monster. AC never seems to be w/o protection. who's the teamate with the breathe right strip, the gold medallion and the perpetually exhausted look? :?

i'm rooting for andy and i'm hoping for some big time drama on the tormalet tomorrow....no more of this "same time" crap!

Agreed it does seem like AC has about 5 riders around him at all times, with Vino 5 minutes up the road. Can't wait for the tormalet.

chadwick

Thoughts_Arrive wrote:

No the racing can be great.
Especially those uphill climbs to the finish line when there are a few leaders fighting it out.
And yes the scenery is great.
I am a bit of a cycling fan and love bike riding in summer

isn't it summertime on a daily basis in australia?

Wobbie

chadwick is a fan? :wtf:

PJGirl321

This is a cool cycling blog....

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

He's also covering the TDF for Universal Sports.com.

Tomorrow will be exciting. Schlek! :thumbup:

PJGirl321

"Still, for general smugness, you just can't beat a good old-fashioned bike move, and here's one that took place recently in Boulder, CO"

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2010/06 ... -quiz.html

Pats54

I hate rest days. Watched the history of the pyrenees on vs. They finished with 2003 when LA crashed as he caught a fan, then he slipped off he pedals and crunched forward on the handle bars. Then as he wins the stage Paul says "this is amazing Amrstrong was on the pavement and almost lost his manhhod on his handlebars, now he is poised to win the stage"

Wobbie

PJGirl321 wrote:

This is a cool cycling blog....

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

He's also covering the TDF for Universal Sports.com.

Tomorrow will be exciting. Schlek! :thumbup:

very nice :thumbup:
consider it bookmarked.
just what i need....another site to waste time on. :?

norm

imalive wrote:

PJGirl321 wrote:

This is a cool cycling blog....

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

He's also covering the TDF for Universal Sports.com.

Tomorrow will be exciting. Schlek! :thumbup:

very nice :thumbup:
consider it bookmarked.
just what i need....another site to waste time on. :?

here's another one!

http://therobbyy.com/2010.html

polaris_x

will we see our first attacks on the sulour or are we gonna have to wait for the tourmalet!?? ... so far, it's playing out as expected ... lead group gets out and there really is no one team that can or wants to reel them in ...

Kloddz

I think the real business will start in the Tourmalet, an earlier attack would have been to, well, early... Too much of an energy waste while risking to be caught back in the descent.

Also, let me quite Uncle Jimi here: "Rainy day, rain all day."

PJGirl321

I'm working from home today so able to watch the TDF live in the background. Shout out to Fabian Cancellara for doing a great job. He led out the peleton and just dropped back. Hope he kicks butt in the time trial. He is a true champion and team player. (And he's a gorgeous man!!)

Fabian is the Eddie Vedder of cycling. :thumbup:

Kloddz

Good job Andy, nothing more he could do. Two great champions we're seeing this year.

Pats54

looking fwd to watching this evening

PJGirl321

Pats54 wrote:

looking fwd to watching this evening

It's a good one!!

polaris_x

frig ... was in meetings all morning ... just watched the last 2 km on steephill.tv ... IN FLEMISH!! ... hahaha ...

great class by AC not to contest the sprint ...

BIG SHOUT OUT TO RYDER HESJEDAL!! ... 4th today!! ... that is awesome!!

here's hoping Andy can put in a blistering TT and maintain his second position overall!!

PJGirl321

Tour de France: Carlos Sastre says pro cyclists are turning into 'spoiled brats'
by Steve Jones at 3:23 PM EST
Categories: Pro Cycling, Tour de France

Spaniard chimes in on cycling's "unwritten rules"
Spaniard Carlos Sastre (Cervélo TestTeam) went out on the attack today in an attempt to seize his final chance at a stage victory in the 2010 Tour de France. The last day in the Pyrénées also gave the 2008 Tour winner an opportunity to reflect on recent events in cycling, and took time to speak his mind on those that have recently cried foul.

“Today was full of action and inspired a lot of talk. For some it has been a crazy day, for others it was a day filled with stupidity, and for a few it was a day of bravery and courage... As far as I was concerned, it was a day to enjoy myself on my bike,” Sastre said candidly of the Tour's last mountain stage.

Sastre had his sights set on reaching the Col du Tourmalet at the front of the race, and staying there until he hit the finish line. He ended up missing the first group of seven that formed the break of the day, but refused to write himself off and began what ended up being a 100 kilometer solo effort to the base of the legendary climb.

His lone sortie between the peloton and the breakaway started off on a resounding note that he felt compelled to echo at the end of the day with a bit of reflection.

“When I was starting [my attack], Alberto Contador came to tell me that there had been a fall behind. I told him that all that seemed well and good, but at the time I had a teammate up in front. They stopped [neutralized the race] and then when I reached the finish line they told me who had taken a fall”.

Euskaltel-Euskadi's Samuel Sánchez was in contention for the overall, but had hit the pavement hard during the stage. The sensativity of the peloton is at an all-time high following Andy Schleck's (Saxo Bank) mechanical earlier this week that cost him the yellow jersey. So much so, that the benefactor, Alberto Contador (Astana), did the unthinkable and "gifted" today's stage to the rider atop the Tourmalet.

“Whoever wants to start debating or raising controversy about this matter can do so freely. I’ve fallen in this Tour, I fell in the Giro d'Italia, I’ve had technical problems and no one has ever waited for me," he pointed out sharply. "I think we’re turning cycling into a sport for spoiled brats and that is what happens in these kinds of circumstances."

Many will agree with Sastre's comments, as it points out just how selective the "unwritten rules" in cycling are. Whether the rules are enforced seems to tie in with a popularity contest and, when they're not followed, a convenient excuse to hang failure on.

There are plenty of incidents this year that, when examined closely, may just put an end to riders being gifted second chances in the future. During stage three over the cobblestones nobody waited for Contador or the maillot jaune at the time, Sylvain Chavanel, and there were no complaints from the Astana or Quick Step camps. Conversely, the Spaniard's move in the heat of battle on the hors category Port de Balès was frowned upon. In retrospect, had stage two not been neutralized, Schleck's race would have been over a long time ago, and all of the friction up until now would be a moot point. As it stands, more times than not in this Tour the unwritten rules have yielded an unfair advantage rather than the intended honorable gesture since they have not been followed with any consistency.

Pats54

PJGirl321 wrote:

Tour de France: Carlos Sastre says pro cyclists are turning into 'spoiled brats'
by Steve Jones at 3:23 PM EST
Categories: Pro Cycling, Tour de France

Spaniard chimes in on cycling's "unwritten rules"
Spaniard Carlos Sastre (Cervélo TestTeam) went out on the attack today in an attempt to seize his final chance at a stage victory in the 2010 Tour de France. The last day in the Pyrénées also gave the 2008 Tour winner an opportunity to reflect on recent events in cycling, and took time to speak his mind on those that have recently cried foul.

“Today was full of action and inspired a lot of talk. For some it has been a crazy day, for others it was a day filled with stupidity, and for a few it was a day of bravery and courage... As far as I was concerned, it was a day to enjoy myself on my bike,” Sastre said candidly of the Tour's last mountain stage.

Sastre had his sights set on reaching the Col du Tourmalet at the front of the race, and staying there until he hit the finish line. He ended up missing the first group of seven that formed the break of the day, but refused to write himself off and began what ended up being a 100 kilometer solo effort to the base of the legendary climb.

His lone sortie between the peloton and the breakaway started off on a resounding note that he felt compelled to echo at the end of the day with a bit of reflection.

“When I was starting [my attack], Alberto Contador came to tell me that there had been a fall behind. I told him that all that seemed well and good, but at the time I had a teammate up in front. They stopped [neutralized the race] and then when I reached the finish line they told me who had taken a fall”.

Euskaltel-Euskadi's Samuel Sánchez was in contention for the overall, but had hit the pavement hard during the stage. The sensativity of the peloton is at an all-time high following Andy Schleck's (Saxo Bank) mechanical earlier this week that cost him the yellow jersey. So much so, that the benefactor, Alberto Contador (Astana), did the unthinkable and "gifted" today's stage to the rider atop the Tourmalet.

“Whoever wants to start debating or raising controversy about this matter can do so freely. I’ve fallen in this Tour, I fell in the Giro d'Italia, I’ve had technical problems and no one has ever waited for me," he pointed out sharply. "I think we’re turning cycling into a sport for spoiled brats and that is what happens in these kinds of circumstances."

Many will agree with Sastre's comments, as it points out just how selective the "unwritten rules" in cycling are. Whether the rules are enforced seems to tie in with a popularity contest and, when they're not followed, a convenient excuse to hang failure on.

There are plenty of incidents this year that, when examined closely, may just put an end to riders being gifted second chances in the future. During stage three over the cobblestones nobody waited for Contador or the maillot jaune at the time, Sylvain Chavanel, and there were no complaints from the Astana or Quick Step camps. Conversely, the Spaniard's move in the heat of battle on the hors category Port de Balès was frowned upon. In retrospect, had stage two not been neutralized, Schleck's race would have been over a long time ago, and all of the friction up until now would be a moot point. As it stands, more times than not in this Tour the unwritten rules have yielded an unfair advantage rather than the intended honorable gesture since they have not been followed with any consistency.[/quote

I just read this. Love Sastre's comment's "it was a day to enjoy myself on my bike" also "that's well and good but I have a teamate up in front" Basically FU AC I am gone. Didn't LA gift a stage win to Pantanni one year and Pantanni was pissed. AC potentially wins the tour w/o winning a stage WTF (unless he wins the TT).

polaris_x

Pats54 wrote:

I just read this. Love Sastre's comment's "it was a day to enjoy myself on my bike" also "that's well and good but I have a teamate up in front" Basically FU AC I am gone. Didn't LA gift a stage win to Pantanni one year and Pantanni was pissed. AC potentially wins the tour w/o winning a stage WTF (unless he wins the TT).

i don't think AC cares whether he wins a stage or not ... to me it's not really relevant ... look at the stage winners in general ... outside of shleck - they are all sandbagging the other stages so they can have a go at the other ones ... class move by contador to concede stage win considering chaingate and the fact andy did all the work ...

loved Andy's comment about how when he looked into Alberto's eyes - he saw that he was fine and that kinda killed him ... hahaha

i'm not sure why Sastre didn't ease up when his gap wasn't going down ... let the peleton catch up and then work on the tourmalet ... guess he knew he couldn't win the stage without being in the lead ...