Tour de France 2010

[brentono]

Thanks Zeus.
A quick media rundown... first from Cyclingnews, yesterday (from Schleck)

Just 24 hours before their Tour de France showdown on the slopes of the Tourmalet, Alberto Contador opted to avoid the media and enjoy a low key rest day in Pau. However his big rival Andy Schleck was happy to be in the spotlight and held court in front of a hundred journalists.
"The Tour is ending and I'm running out of time. I can't wait until he has a bad day. There's only one chance left and that's tomorrow. I've got to try everything," he said to the media gathered at his feet.
When asked if he would wait for Contador if his chain slips on the Tourmalet, he said: "It won't happen. The Tour won't be decided because of a chain slipping or not."
"When I dropped my chain, the moment I got back on the bike I was 50 seconds back. At the top I was only 15 second down, I bridged a pretty good gap there and that gives me confidence," he said.
"I know I haven't given it everything yet."

And Today, from the Letour dot Fr

“I’m satisfied with the stage win but I also wanted to turn white into yellow but unfortunately it wasn’t possible. I really tried hard, you have to believe me about that. I changed rhythm and I tried everything but I think we’re on the same level on the climbs. Alberto attacked and I could go with him – it was a quick response – but in the end he didn’t sprint to win the stage because I did the most work. I have a lot of respect for that, it shows that he’s a great champion.
“I tried to find out how he was feeling. You need to look at someone to see how he was coping. I think you can find out a lot if you look someone in the eyes. He didn’t have the sunglasses on today so it was possible to see, that’s why I looked so many times. But he always looked good and that’s kind of what killed me.
“El Pistolero is strong, huh? I could no drop him. He was always there. I wanted to find out if he was getting weak but he didn’t succumb. He even attacked me to show, ‘Hey, listen young boy, I’m still here! You better stop playing these games with me.’
“I’m super happy to win this stage today – it’s the Queen stage of this year’s Tour. To win on the Tourmalet is like a win on Alpe d’Huez.
“When I turned to talk to him, I said: ‘You pass?’ And he didn’t. I would have done the same. Why should he pass me? In the end, he let me win the stage and I’m super happy.”

I think he was matured and humbled, in the same moment at the top of that climb.
Cheers,
BrentonO

[Mulger bill]

Ripper effort, worth the sleep deprivation. Sanchez take the blotchy red jersey for that effort. A shame Sastre blew up when he did, woulda been a helluva threeway fight.

Thinking back, the way Schleck and Contador dropped the rest of the bunch on those mountain climbs was like A graders dropping D graders on a hill. How can there be that much difference at the top end of pro riders?

They "borrowed" Fabs spare bikes?

[brauluver]

Who is watching tonight?
Is it worth it for a non event stage?
I'm still undecided as to whether to make the effort or save myself for the TT and final stage.
Thoughts?

[sogood]

Who is watching tonight?
Is it worth it for a non event stage?
I'm still undecided as to whether to make the effort or save myself for the TT and final stage.
Thoughts?

Sprinter stage? Set the alarm for 1am and then go to sleep at 10pm. Get up for 30mins and go back to bed. Watch the rest on highlight.

[Fletcher]

Its friday night. Fuggit, I'm staying up.

Edit: Just saw some of Jens' injury show and tell

[familyguy]

Contador is off the yellow bike and onto the black one with the fingerbang logos. Something musta gone wrong with it, quick change though.

[AUbicycles]

Oh no - with 66km to go - Hollywood has discovered the TDF.

But thankfully Mr Scientol*** (dirty word I think) was there to do a mission impossible and protect the hollywood leading lady from the dangerous approaching cyclists.

Him: Hey, we could do a film about this"
Her: "Yes, great idea, we need someone who knows about cycling"
Him: "What about Kevin Bacon, he'll know what to do"
Her: "Ok, but I get to play Contador"

[AUbicycles]

Him: I get to play Armstrong... but he has to win.
Her: We have Danny Devito on board, he wants to be in Team Radioshack
Him: Ok, he can be Chris Horner.



Maybe it starts to get exciting soon. I think sogood was on the money.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Others are going to make the similar observations, so I thought I would get my comment in first. When I saw Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz up on the dias, all I could think was where the hell is Bernard Hinault?

David

[philip]

Cav's sprint freakin' amazing, just rides away from everyone. Great tactics too, positioned himself perfectly even without his train.

[shiv]

Others are going to make the similar observations, so I thought I would get my comment in first. When I saw Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz up on the dias, all I could think was where the hell is Bernard Hinault?

David

Cameron Diaz can stand anywhere she likes in my books. Tom Cruise needs to bugger off to whatever planet L Ron Hubbard says we are from.

Aslo didnt like his effort of raising Contadors hand, isnt that only done in boxing?

[roller]

Others are going to make the similar observations, so I thought I would get my comment in first. When I saw Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz up on the dias, all I could think was where the hell is Bernard Hinault?

where's gérard depardieu!!!


if they make a movie about the tour de france, i don't care what happens as long as Jens Voigt is played by Chuck Norris.

[jules21]

Aslo didnt like his effort of raising Contadors hand, isnt that only done in boxing?

tom cruise is just generally inappropriate and weird, he it out of touch with normality.

[Boognoss]

Aslo didnt like his effort of raising Contadors hand, isnt that only done in boxing?

tom cruise is just generally inappropriate and weird, he it out of touch with normality.

Couldn't agree more. Just watched last night's stage from the recorder and the amount of times I felt the compulsion to hit the double-digits very quickly once the race was over.

[SeanB]

Robbie crossing the line over the tourmalet.

[Strawburger]

Oh no - with 66km to go - Hollywood has discovered the TDF.

Not happy seeing the going ons with the celebs turning up and squeezing in on publicity. Being on the dais after the race with Contdaor is totally wrong. That should be sacred - left for cyclists only. it's a bike race, not some bl00dy promotion of the latest dribble from Hollywood. And to think loads of networks around the world would have shown that footage and that footage only of le tour.

[Aushiker]

Hi

I notice that there is at least one "AG2R Mondiale" motorcycle. Is this a team motorcycle or one that is use by photographer or for another purpose which happens to be sponsored by AG2R?

Also I notice that Cadel is not wearing his WC jersey in the TT. Is this because the TT is contested in its own right at the World Championship level?

Regards
Andrew

[reeves]

[quote][/quote]Also I notice that Cadel is not wearing his WC jersey in the TT. Is this because the TT is contested in its own right at the World Championship level?

yes thats right

[HAKS]

Hi

I notice that there is at least one "AG2R Mondiale" motorcycle. Is this a team motorcycle or one that is use by photographer or for another purpose which happens to be sponsored by AG2R?

Also I notice that Cadel is not wearing his WC jersey in the TT. Is this because the TT is contested in its own right at the World Championship level?

Regards
Andrew

I'm pretty sure AG2R are a larger sponsor of the TdF and hence appear on a number of motorbikes. List of sponsors here

Yeap, Cadel been the road WC only gets to wear the rainbow stripes in road events. Cancellara wears the rainbow colours for the TT. Same goes for national championships, road and TT are separate events and hence you can only wear the national champ jersey in an equivalent event it was won in.

[Aushiker]

Hi

I notice that there is at least one "AG2R Mondiale" motorcycle. Is this a team motorcycle or one that is use by photographer or for another purpose which happens to be sponsored by AG2R?

Also I notice that Cadel is not wearing his WC jersey in the TT. Is this because the TT is contested in its own right at the World Championship level?

Regards
Andrew

I'm pretty sure AG2R are a larger sponsor of the TdF and hence appear on a number of motorbikes. List of sponsors here

Yeap, Cadel been the road WC only gets to wear the rainbow stripes in road events. Cancellara wears the rainbow colours for the TT. Same goes for national championships, road and TT are separate events and hence you can only wear the national champ jersey in an equivalent event it was won in.

Thanks Haks. Looked elsewhere but not the official website

Andrew

[shiv]

Uh-oh! I can almost hear Bertie puckering now!


He would probably be a lot quicker if he wasnt adjusting his seating position every 3 pedal strokes though

[shiv]

Amazing ride by Andy, almost made it. Bertie was digging so deep that he didnt realise he had hit the line, kept sprinting for a good 10m past it!

Great race by both of them, and Alberto has actually gone up a few notches in my books now (yes despite the mechanical attacking issue)

[Parrott]

Neither of them looked comfortable, both sitting right on the nose of the saddle but Contador seemed to keep falling off the front of it.

I think Contador might be in serious trouble next year. Andy a year older and stronger and his brother Frank there to help him....

[cobba]

Robbie crossing the line over the tourmalet.

Here's another one

[AUbicycles]

On Eurosport they started the TT coverage late however before going over to the live action they showed schlecks bike and (I think ProLogo) saddle with special anti-slip grips.

Before we really saw Contador slip off his saddle, Andy Schleck was as well. For Andy, the discomfort could be explained by the possible saddle sores from yesterdays stage in which he sent off the cameras while with the doctor. Still - very unusual to see this happening so much with the TT position and bike meant to be optimal.

In theory, at stage 14, Contador was 31 secs behind, then 8 seconds ahead (= 39 seconds) and now Schleck is 39 secs behind - does that mean that if the mechanical was discounted there would be two winners this year?


Nice one Robbie, wasn't too happy after the after finish crash.. though still not bad - 5th in the points - not much he can do with the Petacchi, Hushovd and Cavendish fight we can expect tomorrow however good effort.

Cancellara and Tony Martin are machines how incredible that the 5th place rider in the ITT is an entire 3 minutes behind. Well done O'Grady - comendable effort.