"possible" doper, did ride for Telecom during their infamous era. stays quiet all year, then puts in big ride in one stage. doesn't like to talk to teammates.

It works both ways.

But, as I said, Sastre is subject to independent monitoring by Ramsus Damsgaard, Denmark's leading anti-doping expert. Which gives him some credibility for saying he is clean now.

But even the best preparation can go awry, and there is some evidence that the weight of the expectations and the pressure of wearing the yellow jersey for five days have begun to wear on Evans, resulting in several moments of peculiar behavior both on and off the bike.
First, during the sixth stage, Evans punched at - and hit - a French gendarme when the officer's motorcycle came close to Evans on the road.
Evans rebuked the officer by pointing at his eyes - "watch where you're going" was the message - although the officer had faced a logjam of photographers' motorcycles and did not have many places to go. Evans might be the only living person not in custody to have punched a gendarme.
Then, after the 15th stage to Prato Nevoso, Italy, where Evans lost his yellow jersey, he leveled a blunt threat to someone to stay away from his dog, which for some reason was in the restricted area behind the podium at the finish. "Don't stand on my dog or I'll cut your head off!" Evans shouted. Finally, after the 16th stage, Evans head-butted a television camera that was preceding him away from the finish line toward the team bus.

with that kind of behavior he must be taking too much testosterone?

"Evans head-butted a television camera that was preceding him away from the finish line toward the team bus"

A television camera was thrust into Evans face after the finish. Pile o' shite meedja.

Kohl was the most impressive of those the top three riders anyway. Hope hes gonna turn in a great performance next year too.

Evans reminds me Bill Granger . . .not a good thing:

agreed with above note about stu o'grady. absolute legendary ride, super-domestique. how it should be done.

Except it means O'Greaty can't go out on any of his silly 200k breaks..

Kohl was the most impressive of those the top three riders anyway. Hope hes gonna turn in a great performance next year too.
was impressed by this too. thought he was going to win alp duez

Except it means O'Greaty can't go out on any of his silly 200k breaks..
*With only one stage left in the Tour O'Grady has already turned one eye towards Beijing and the Olympics, where he'll compete in the road race alongside Cadel Evans, Simon Gerrans, Michael Rogers and Matt Lloyd. Lining up in his fifth Games, it's on that he'll be relishing. "It's a pretty strong team. Evans has shown how strong he's been at the Tour. Gerrans will play a big role too. The rest of the guys I'm sure have trained really well without doing the Tour. The whole team will be good."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jul08/jul28news

*Oz for the road, GB for the track?

"Evans head-butted a television camera that was preceding him away from the finish line toward the team bus"

A television camera was thrust into Evans face after the finish. Pile o' shite meedja.

not true.

he made a specific and pre-meditated move in order to head-butt the camera when he could have easily ridden by.

the clue is kinda in the footage!

no need to stick up for him, really.

"possible" ... stays quiet all year, then puts in big ride in one stage. doesn't like to talk to teammates.

many strong climbers in cycling have been on the loner/quiet side of characters. don't know what that says about drug use though.

Whatever. The camera was right in front of him and he was surrounded by media.
You think he's the first cyclists to lash out at reporters? I'm all for post-stage violence.

Bill Granger respresents all that is wrong with television. And the world.

I'm all for post-stage violence.

This has potential... They could redefine the "most agressive rider" award and maybe have a special jersey for the most creative attack on a journo each day. Crimson or claret coloured, obviously.

This has potential... They could redefine the "most agressive rider" award and maybe have a special jersey for the most creative attack on a journo each day. Crimson or claret coloured, obviously.

The wearer would have to fight Hinault for it on the podium.

Badgers.. Badgers.. Badgers.. Badgers.. Badgers.. Badgers.. Badgers.. Badgers.. Badgers..Badgers.. Badgers.. Mushroom Mushroom!

Snake ! Snake!

I don't understand why Badgers hasn't made any Top Track of 2008 or any National music charts.

It's a disgrace!

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/The+Estate+Agent/

So when does this Tour de france thing start then?

Well, they've just finished doing a practice run of the route with a bunch of (mainly Australian) wannabe pros, so I think the race proper kicks off this weekend.

Oh goody, glad I missed the amateur bit.

I quite like Cadel and think he's got far too much stick. He worked bloody hard, was put under loads of pressure without much support from his team and seemed to be hounded by the media a bit who realised they could wind the, admittedly sometimes slightly short, aussie up a bit. Watch him in interviews and he's open, down to earth and quite likable.

He really fought and really suffered up some of those stages - I thought his ride up Hautacam to get yellow was superb, he really stuck with it. He basically got done over in the end by the massive team effort of CSC, which was really impressive to watch.

Good on him.

Courant

PS Despite a beautiful Italian wife, I really do think he's gay.

PS2 "Don't stand on my dog..." is a moment of pure comedy genius!

PS3 Same with the interview he did last year when he was asked, "So Cadel, people are starting to talk about you as a potential winner....". Cadel: "Starting to talk. Starting to talk. Right. We'll see about that. Yup...." and he leaves at that. Classic!

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/07/2008_tour_de_france.html
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/07/2008_tour_de_france_conclusion.html

Awesome pictures. Just big enough so I can stretch them slightly for my 1290x800 monitor without looking fuzzy.

Evans should change teams - Silence-Lotto are only really interested in cobbled classics and kermesses. In terms of TdF support, I'd put them on par with ADR in 1989 when Lemond won almost singlehandedly.

On eurosport after yesterdays stage they were talking about evans moving to the Tinknoff Credit Systems Team - apparantly they have a big old budget for the next season.
Hopefully they will be able to stretch to a couple of decent domestiques to pull evans up at least one HC climb.