2012 Tour de France

[rpmspinman]

If found, I hope the full force of the law catches up with them.

What's wrong with a public lynching ? There must have been other spectators around the scene where
this happened. Surely they could have jumped to the right conclusion and lynched them, or at least
beat the living daylights out of them

Im all for lynching, afterall, what happens in the fields of France, stays in the fields of France.

[gururug]

Frank out. Doping.

[ozdavo]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-announces-adverse-analytical-finding-for-frank-schleck-at-tour-de-france

[find_bruce]

Frank out. Doping.

Fronky has withdrawn from le tour yes, but technically it may not be doping - cyclingnews reports that the adverse analytical finding is for Xipamide, a diuretic, which "is not specifically mentioned on WADA's prohibited substance list."

[maryusdemetry]

Cadel suggesting it was Spanish fans throwing tacks in order to see LLS win (as he was up front).

They should be treated far more harshly.
Riders crash because of such mony balony. The are willingly and knowingly putting people in extreme danger.
Tacks coming down a mountain at 80km/h+ that is stupidly dangerous.

Prison time.

[PawPaw]

Diuretics are not considered performance-enhancing but can be used to help riders lose weight, and therefore perform better in the tough mountain stages of the race.

More ominously, they can also conceal the presence of a banned drug by helping to flush it from the body through increased urination.

[Strawburger]

rest days = doping announcements

[clackers]

Riders crash because of such mony balony.

IIRC, one guy did, Mary, and is out of the Tour.

[find_bruce]

Frank out. Doping.

Fronky has withdrawn from le tour yes, but technically it may not be doping - cyclingnews reports that the adverse analytical finding is for Xipamide, a diuretic, which "is not specifically mentioned on WADA's prohibited substance list."

Diuretics are not considered performance-enhancing but can be used to help riders lose weight, and therefore perform better in the tough mountain stages of the race.

More ominously, they can also conceal the presence of a banned drug by helping to flush it from the body through increased urination.

In theory you are correct PawPaw, but that does not explain why Alexandr Kolobnev was not banned last year after testing positive to hydrochlorothiazide, which is specifically mentioned on WADA's prohibited substance list while Iljo Keisse was banned.

[sogood]

IIRC, one guy did, Mary, and is out of the Tour.

With a fractured collarbone IIRC. So I agree, it's a serious offence, breaching criminality.

[clydesmcdale]

Interesting... imagine the early chatter in the peleton around the first part of this statement from Froome;

"If the race is out of our control, and I need to follow Evans or Nibali, then I will to keep us represented at the front. But as I've said before, I'm here to help Bradley win the Tour, and that remains the plan."

[Zynster]

A charge of attempted murder on every member of the peleton would add up to some serious jail time.

[biker jk]

Interesting quote from Evans.

"Sky have just shown their strength, they've come out firing. They've got eight riders here, the seven of them riding on the front have just been incredible," he said last night, ahead of today's second rest day.

"Their performance in the time trial from their two leaders was also incredible. Their riders have all come on in the best form of their lives. They ride a continuous tempo that's leading the climbers pretty empty when they get to the final. It's making it difficult to do stuff."

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Frank out. Doping.

Fronky has withdrawn from le tour yes, but technically it may not be doping - cyclingnews reports that the adverse analytical finding is for Xipamide, a diuretic, which "is not specifically mentioned on WADA's prohibited substance list."

Diuretics are not considered performance-enhancing but can be used to help riders lose weight, and therefore perform better in the tough mountain stages of the race.

More ominously, they can also conceal the presence of a banned drug by helping to flush it from the body through increased urination.

In theory you are correct PawPaw, but that does not explain why Alexandr Kolobnev was not banned last year after testing positive to hydrochlorothiazide, which is specifically mentioned on WADA's prohibited substance list while Iljo Keisse was banned.

He proved that he took it unknowingly. If Fronk can do the same, he won't be sanctioned for it. Team Radio-Schleck have pulled him because of the adverse finding. Latest news is they're searching through Luxemburg for cows with urinary problems.

[Parrott]

Classic stage tonight with plenty of climbing. Hopefully Nibali and Cadel can put Sky in trouble early on the Tourmalet
19 km (AT) 7.4% average=pain ++
Wonder how Froome will react if Wiggins can't follow the attack?
Should be a great stage, no work tomorrow

[sogood]

If Cadel and Nibali can't crack Wiggins tonight and tomorrow night, then I am closing shop until the Olympic Opening Ceremony. I'll even accept Froome overtaking Wiggins as something far more entertaining than watching Wiggins drafting for hours on end.

[RonK]

Yawn, jerseys decided long ago, needs a miracle or major misfortune to see any change to the standings. Would have to be the dullest TDF course for years. Tuned out now.

[sogood]

Yawn, jerseys decided long ago, needs a miracle or major misfortune to see any change to the standings. Would have to be the dullest TDF course for years. Tuned out now.

No, don't want major misfortune. If there should be any misfortune, it'll need to be minor that the other GC contenders won't feel obliged to slow down and wait. Or it'll need to be catastrophic that the rider will leave the tour.

[roller]

Classic stage tonight with plenty of climbing. Hopefully Nibali and Cadel can put Sky in trouble early on the Tourmalet
19 km (AT) 7.4% average=pain ++
Wonder how Froome will react if Wiggins can't follow the attack?
Should be a great stage, no work tomorrow

i rode the middle 80kms of this stage in early june. started in pierrefitte-nestalas and went over the tourmalet and then the aspin.

it was punishment of the highest order, can't wait to watch it tonight and relive the torment.

[Chuck]

Classic stage tonight with plenty of climbing. Hopefully Nibali and Cadel can put Sky in trouble early on the Tourmalet
19 km (AT) 7.4% average=pain ++
Wonder how Froome will react if Wiggins can't follow the attack?
Should be a great stage, no work tomorrow

i rode the middle 80kms of this stage in early june. started in pierrefitte-nestalas and went over the tourmalet and then the aspin.

it was punishment of the highest order, can't wait to watch it tonight and relive the torment.

That would have been awesome What gearing did you ride roller?

[roller]

Classic stage tonight with plenty of climbing. Hopefully Nibali and Cadel can put Sky in trouble early on the Tourmalet
19 km (AT) 7.4% average=pain ++
Wonder how Froome will react if Wiggins can't follow the attack?
Should be a great stage, no work tomorrow

i rode the middle 80kms of this stage in early june. started in pierrefitte-nestalas and went over the tourmalet and then the aspin.

it was punishment of the highest order, can't wait to watch it tonight and relive the torment.

That would have been awesome What gearing did you ride roller?

i can't tell you exactly (i was on a hire bike, my bike got messed up on the way to france so wasn't using it), it was a titanium bike (litespeed), shimano 105, on the back i think there was a 12-28 and a compact set of cranks on the front (not sure what though)

[stickgc]

That would have been awesome What gearing did you ride roller?

i can't tell you exactly ...... i think there was a 12-28 and a compact set of cranks on the front (not sure what though)

Chucky's always happy to hear other people ride compacts

[Mulger bill]

Gonna be a long night but worth it with two HC and two Cat one climbs followed by 14 odd kms of sizzling descent before the line.

Can the Sky train be derailed? I dunno but if it's gonna happen tonight should be the stage for it.

[biker jk]

BMC have two in the breakaway after the Aubisque but Sky Train still operating at full speed.

[RobertFrith]

Countryside is wild tonight. Some of the chopper camerawork this evening has been spectacular.

Gotta give props to SBS for the Tour Tracker app. A wonky aerial connection to our downstairs telly means we only get SBS broadcast in the bedroom. With Tour Tracker on the iPad I can watch it anywhere. Picture quality through the AppleTV is disturbingly good and once the rest of the household is out for the count I plug the headphones in and watch in bed. The added bonus is being able to watch the race well before the broadcast time.