Official Tour de France discussion thread
- Thread starter Bibby_Is_Clutch
- Start date
Some cycling tidbits (if they're not new to you at all,then please do tell me);
- A female rider from Australia, Amy Gillet, passed away last night. She was training with five teammates from the Australian squad, when suddenly a car changed lanes and come on their side. Two teammates are severely injured, and the remaining three have broken several bones.
These training accidents are not uncommon. Lance himself has experience with them I believe, and his teammate, Ekimov, had such a serious accident this year that he suffered several fractures in his chest and his vertebrae. Obviously so bad that he couldn't ride his 15th tour (and he never had to abandon any of them!), and possibly a career threatening one.
Pretty sad. R.I.P. - To illustrate what petty money is made compared to other sports, here are the team earnings so far, after the 15th stage:
1. Discovery Channel 52,330 euro (1 euro = 1.20 USD)
2. Rabobank 49,820
3. T-Mobile 49,540
4. Crédit Agricole 37,900
5. Gerolsteiner 37,160.
Basically, the winners of the jerseys (the yellow in particular -- might end up with 350,000 i believe), will earn the most money. The days that you wear jerseys count as well. Stage wins obviously contribute as well. The bottom teams, who haven't won anything, only will end up earning like 5,000 after the whole tour. - The Bask fans were well, not so appreciated by the riders who were leading at the 15th stage. But not all riders share this sentiment -- some were so devastated half way already, that they would have given up if it weren't for the enthusiasm of those fans. You don't hear about the peleton, for most of which it is case of surviving these mountain stages.
- 36 Riders had to undergo a doping test on monday, nobody tested positive.
- CSC, Riis's formation, re-signed Ivan Basso for three more years, until 2009. You have to figure he's one of the favourites to win Tour for the coming years (hopefully he will have improved his time trial riding, as he announced). Pretty sure Armstrong wouldn't mind either, since they're pretty good friends.
Well, I'll try not to spoil anything;
Rather uneventful stage, which is to be expected after the Pyrenees.
All I can say is, poor Kashechkin.
Looking forward to stage 18 on thursday, with the 3.1km @10.1% climb at the end of the stage.
That, and stage 19, will make up who's in the top 3 and who's not. First place is obviously given, save for bad fortune (knock on wood), but 2nd and 3rd spot are not certain at all.
Rather uneventful stage, which is to be expected after the Pyrenees.
All I can say is, poor Kashechkin.
Looking forward to stage 18 on thursday, with the 3.1km @10.1% climb at the end of the stage.
That, and stage 19, will make up who's in the top 3 and who's not. First place is obviously given, save for bad fortune (knock on wood), but 2nd and 3rd spot are not certain at all.
VF21 said:
Thanks, Kajun! 
I waited until I had watched the daily program on OLN before I even came on the board. That way I couldn't be tempted ...
Seeing that rider hit in the face with the thunder stick wasn't pretty. Those things can sting! Hopefully his nose isn't broken...
I waited until I had watched the daily program on OLN before I even came on the board. That way I couldn't be tempted ...
Seeing that rider hit in the face with the thunder stick wasn't pretty. Those things can sting! Hopefully his nose isn't broken...
I get very nervous when people annoint someone a champion before the final bell has sounded...
Lance clearly looked like a man who has committed himself to a mission and will not be deterred. I sincerely hope his team-mates will do everything possible to ensure his ride tomorrow is without incident.
Go Lance!
Lance clearly looked like a man who has committed himself to a mission and will not be deterred. I sincerely hope his team-mates will do everything possible to ensure his ride tomorrow is without incident.
Go Lance!
I think it's a bit too easy to say he's the best conditioned in the world. Just because you think he's the best out of all the athletes you follow, does not mean he's the best conditioned.
There are many iron men out there.
Not to undermine the fact that he is an amazing athlete, which he obviously is.
There are many iron men out there.
Not to undermine the fact that he is an amazing athlete, which he obviously is.
Yah, I didnt want to say person because we arent sure about that but im sure if there was an athlete as well conditioned or better conditioned that he would be doing some kind of sport to showcase his hard work.
There are many iron men out there but when you think of what goes on at the tour de france and how much they ride and in what conditions and different terrain they race in, it is hard to think of something harder because there isnt. No other athlete trains and eats like Armstrong except maybe other riders but how many riders see 1st place in the race and lose it? A lot but Lance takes 1st and never looks back because when the best athlete in the world is winning, there is nobody better to take it from him unless he injures himself.
There are many iron men out there but when you think of what goes on at the tour de france and how much they ride and in what conditions and different terrain they race in, it is hard to think of something harder because there isnt. No other athlete trains and eats like Armstrong except maybe other riders but how many riders see 1st place in the race and lose it? A lot but Lance takes 1st and never looks back because when the best athlete in the world is winning, there is nobody better to take it from him unless he injures himself.