Tour de France 2009

They seem to disagree, given their bitching about each other in the past 48 hours. Grown men acting like school girls.

They should sign up here and see how it's really done!

Just got back from Paris this morning after watching the final stage on Sunday.

Camped out for about 5 hours on a stone outcrop near a metro station just a way down from the finish-line on the Champs-Élysées.
Couldn't get anywhere near the line itself with the VIP enclosures and massive crowds.
I was lucky to see the full spectacle(and weirdness) of the caravan as it passed.
I saw the break-away group and main-pack go by eight times as they completed the central Paris laps.
Each lap I would count the split between the break-away and chasers and it was amazing to see them get reeled-in so dramatically over the last two-laps.

Good weekend in all, took my skateboard down to the River and Palais de Tokyo, even got two games of polo in courtesy of sol.

According to L'Equipe Astana are going to try and keep Contador on. Not sure how that'll work with Vino though. Hopefully not a repeat of this year with all the infighting.

I very much doubt Vino will be allowed to ride the Tour next year. The race organisation are still angry at how he brought the race into disrepute and his failure to apologise after being caught. The Astana team will probably get an invite but be told that its contigent on Vino not riding. Liquigas were in a similar situation this year with Basso, who chose to ride the Giro and the Vuelta instead.

Great photo. Love the logo on Bertie's cap. What is it? Sponsor?

It's a logo of his trademark victory sign, i.e. the firing of a gun. Bet it took him ages to think that one up.

What does the single circle on Lance's hat represent?

He's obviously a fan of Happy Gilmore.

I know I am.

It's a logo of his trademark victory sign, i.e. the firing of a gun. Bet it took him ages to think that one up.

Lemond's not crazy about it though.

What does the single circle on Lance's hat represent?

good. very good

http://www.cphpost.dk/sport/120-sport/46405-the-chicken-rides-again.html

the chicken is back.
now lance has paved the way how many more aging dopers are going to come back and ride the tour next year?

Vinokourov will be back any day, I think he's riding the Vuelta for Astana next month.

**Man of the Tour - who was yours?
**
For me that was one of the best Tours of recent times. And the reason for that was there was just so much 'racing'. For that reason my Man of the Tour has to be Franco Pellizotti. His battle with Martinez for the Polka Dot jersey was epic. And to still be racing when they hit the Ventoux was truly admirable. Big shouts go to Cav, Hushovd, Wiggo, Voigt (as always) and you got to applaud the man who won, boring as he is.

+1

loved the decision to go from podium ambitions to polka dot after realising that he couldn't do it. and he pushed right until the end.

+1 Pellizotti for services to retro hairdressing.

Hincapie riding 4 stages with a broken collar bone deserves an honorary LFGSS HTFU award I reckon.

hey pistolero, there is no "i" in "team". what did i say in March? Lots to learn. Restated.

Seeing these comments from AC. If I were him I'd drop this drivel and start thanking his team. w/o them, he doesn't win.about 14 hours ago from web

RT @axelmerckx: A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own not a gra ...about 14 hours ago from UberTwitter in reply to axelmercx

Lance's twitter feed....

that makes no sense at all.

has anyone got a link to information about the cycling calendar. I don't really know what tours happen and when other than the TdF. I tried searching on Google and you get a whole load of stuff coming up, I just wondered which ones people find to give the most/best information.

has anyone got a link to information about the cycling calendar. I don't really know what tours happen and when other than the TdF. I tried searching on Google and you get a whole load of stuff coming up, I just wondered which ones people find to give the most/best information.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/?id=cal09

wikipedia is usually fairly good for stuff like that..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_bicycle_racing#Notable_bicycle_races

Bruyneel also keeping up the e-bullying on Twitter ; it's like some 15yo arguing on Bebo.

Sometimes it is better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt!

why does Twitter turn everyone into Yoda?

This is a tough one to call. There were some great attacks and wins by the winners, and it was great to see George Hincapie nearly getting yellow as well as everything else he did.

Maybe the new boy Nicolas Roche should get it for being in just about every breakaway going. But I think it might have to go to this man, for giving us some insight into the sheer joy of winning a stage in the Tour de France.

Nicki Sorensen

Bruyneel also keeping up the e-bullying on Twitter ; it's like some 15yo arguing on Bebo.

I'm so tempted to reply to Bruyneel, asking if that is aimed at Armstrong.

nice choice illy, i particularly liked his win, along with that of Haussler (the tears) and Astorloza (for that beautiful final dig away from the quartet he'd spent the stage with).