Tour de France 2013

With a bit of luck Contador will not be there

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tinkov-claims-cyclings-doping-problems-are-exaggerated

With a bit of luck Contador will not be there

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tinkov-claims-cyclings-doping-problems-are-exaggerated

I'm not sure that will make for a great tour really, especially two tours in a row, i mean this years tour surely would have been a little less one sided if contador was riding? Whilst I and most British/English people wanted Wiggins to win, it would have been nice to see a bit more spice in the competition and see two main pro's slug it out!! I'd rather see all the best compete, albeit contador was a dope fiend but to see him left out again surely lowers the pedigree of the race contenders?

I agree last year Sky were able to dominate the tour due to the lack of climbers to split the field in the mountains and isolate Wiggins and froome from the comfort of the peloton, the racing became frankly rather dull. Hopefully the presence of Climbers will test Sky. Even if Contador doesn't appear Valverde and Rodriguez have had amazing form it would be nice to see them go for the tour. What happened to Frank Schleck's doping allegations?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/frank-schleck-doping-hearing-set-for-december-19

Even if Contador doesn't appear Valverde and Rodriguez have had amazing form

Form, or doctors?

I'm not sure that will make for a great tour really, especially two tours in a row, i mean this years tour surely would have been a little less one sided if contador was riding? Whilst I and most British/English people wanted Wiggins to win, it would have been nice to see a bit more spice in the competition and see two main pro's slug it out!! I'd rather see all the best compete, albeit contador was a dope fiend but to see him left out again surely lowers the pedigree of the race contenders?

Yes, Robin Williams said something similar about Pantani's abscence from the 2001 Tour. That was nonsense, too.

Form, or doctors?

Good, but not Geert.

Good, but not Geert.

Repped

http://road.cc/content/news/72041-wiggins-says-sky-may-have-two-leaders-2013-tour-de-france

brad making waves

he he - ting hotting up!

probably just trying to keep ASO happy

I enjoy the fact you record everything and then watch it several weeks later.

.. very similar to my ability to catch up on lfgss threads these days.

Stupid work. Always getting in the way of cycling banter.

sort it out, your priorities are all fucked up..

.. very similar to my ability to catch up on lfgss threads these days.

Stupid work. Always getting in the way of cycling banter.

CTFU Australia.

sort it out, your priorities are all fucked up..

Need the cash. World domination next year...

Yorkshire confirmed as Grand Depart...awesome. Though I imagine a regular prologue and then a shit stage to the south east.

Yes, but for 2014 and not 2013.

Not to suggest that Yorkshire isn't a great place to watch the Grand Depart next year as we have some of the finest pubs in the world and I reckon many of them can be persuaded to show it.

Yorkshire != France.

It's pretty similar to France, it's full of grumpy people who talk funny.

Bradley Wiggins: No problem if Froome leads team at 2013 Tour de France

Dave Brailsford: We will see when we get there

Chris Froome 'responded by saying that as far as he is concerned, the team had assured him that he will be No1.'

Fiiiiiiight

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/dec/18/bradley-wiggins-froome-team-sky-tour

Not sure a 5am big Mac meal is best TDF training

I would find it really odd and quite bad form if a champion in any sport was not given the opportunity to defend a title. it seems disrespectful to the race itself, and i just think it will be really confusing for the world at large if Wiggins isn't riding for himself. it won't help to de-mystify pro-cycling in the UK, for example.

Froome really should fuck off to another team, i think. can't he see that they're just telling him what he wants to hear? Personally i don't think he has what it takes to win yet, anyway, and surely Brailsford feels the same. He lacks maturity, and Contador would always outfox and outride him. The Wiggins train i think could work quite well against Contador - as they have said, he can't jump off the front of Sky doing 450w and hope to sustain it, and Wiggins should be able to put decent time into Bertie in the time trials. Froome, on the other hand, will be very evenly matched to Contador in a time trial, and so will ultimately come off second best overall, IMO.

Yes, it's me.

I'm putting a tenner on Froome to win the tour next year. I think he is being seriously underestimated.

I'll take that bet.. i think he needs a couple more years, and i think Contador will take him.

Will Contador be doping in 2013, or will his scare put him off?