Tour de France 2010

so one of the druggy schleck brothers is out.

What makes you say this. I know nothing about road racing. Just interested on why everyone thinks so many riders are doped?

awesome awesome stage.

+1

What makes you say this. I know nothing about road racing. Just interested on why everyone thinks so many riders are doped?

transferring money to Dr Fuentes bank account and then being suspended by his team.

interested on why everyone thinks so many riders are doped?

Because so many of them are/have been

Pretty sure Contador won't get the same time. Not sure of the actual ruling but it only applies if there are no gaps in the bunch or something like that.

Anyway, I think i said cancellara would be looking after the schecks (well one of them and i didn't expect it to be at the head) and I think I also tipped Thomas and Hushvod!

Awesome stage. Incredible rides by Andy Schleck and Contador. Armstrong looks strong. Evans is not realy being tipped but seems to be in form.

So at what stage will cav pack. No chance of Green and would be even further behind if it hadn't been for yesterdays farce.

transferring money to Dr Fuentes bank account and then being suspended by his team.

Fair enough!

Timings on tdf website are showing VIno etc at +53" and AC at 1'13".

Only 20 seconds but could make a difference.

Hushvod will perform as he has the cobbes experience and is unlikely to have anyone else to work for.

As I've said before I think cancellara will be more concerned about helping the Schlecks.

I know you said it up there ^^^ but well batted.

You're becoming quite the expert, Mark. :P

Reported for subtle internet bullying.

You really were ahead ahead of the curve with this season's must-have injury Mark.

I also was ahead the curve when it comes to SWEET AIR!

I love that the tour has some real interest right from the start - not just all about the sprinters. Does seem to make it a bit of a lottery, but whatevs - cobbles rock.

Also - Cadel's squeaky voice. Doesn't get any better, does it?

cavendish still only has 1 point lol

That is likely to change over the next three days though. Three flat days, two with early sprint points, I'm tipping Cav to start contending now and making a lot of progress very quickly. HTC have no GC contenders so really need to pull the points in quickly.

Interesting set up at the top of the board though. Will Vino remain as Contador's man or is he going to pull and Armstrong on him and try to take the lead of his national team?

I'm also thinking that Sky might let Thomas off the leash to try and bag the Yellow Jersey before they get to the mountains. Wiggins still has plenty of support to police Schleck, Evans and Contador for three days while Cancellara is now replacement brother to Schleck.

New prediction, Schleck to bag yellow at the end of this week but drop out of contention at the end of next week. Podium is a combination of Wiggins, Contador and Evans. Armstrong to come back next year for another go.

What did happen to Frank. I've not seen any close footage but it looked like he just took a dive and got used as a speed hump.

That is likely to change over the next three days though. Three flat days, two with early sprint points, I'm tipping Cav to start contending now and making a lot of progress very quickly. HTC have no GC contenders so really need to pull the points in quickly.

Interesting set up at the top of the board though. Will Vino remain as Contador's man or is he going to pull and Armstrong on him and try to take the lead of his national team?

I'm also thinking that Sky might let Thomas off the leash to try and bag the Yellow Jersey before they get to the mountains. Wiggins still has plenty of support to police Schleck, Evans and Contador for three days while Cancellara is now replacement brother to Schleck.

New prediction, Schleck to bag yellow at the end of this week but drop out of contention at the end of next week. Podium is a combination of Wiggins, Contador and Evans. Armstrong to come back next year for another go.

I hope cav does something but doubt it somehow.

I woudn't trust Vino at all if I was Contador. For al that he is a total drug fiend, Vino is awesome entertainment.

Sky, for all their hype have achieved very litte this season. Aside of Wiggins' success in the Giro prologue a stage in the Crit International and a semi classic is a pretty poor return. If they have any sense they wil go all out to get Thomas in yellow, he coud well get it on Saturday, not the hardest stage, probably hard enough to blow out Cancellara but thomas showed in the Tour of switzerland he can climb.

Not sure why you'd say Schleck will crack? He's fresh and in form. Podium is a cert.

Not sure why you'd say Schleck will crack? He's fresh and in form. Podium is a cert.

His brother isn't with him and Frank has been a very important part of him getting up the HC climbs. Psychologically that can have a massive impact on his performance. I think that it'll trouble him and at that point his race will be over.

I could be wrong though, but remember, many "certainties" have been destroyed by the three weeks of the TdF.

His brother isn't with him and Frank has been a very important part of him getting up the HC climbs. Psychologically that can have a massive impact on his performance. I think that it'll trouble him and at that point his race will be over.

I could be wrong though, but remember, many "certainties" have been destroyed by the three weeks of the TdF.

Maybe, but from everything I've read Andy is the more relaxed of the 2 and therefore potentially more likely to cope with that. My take is that Andy was outclimbing Frank for the last 2 years, though, regardless it does leave him isolated.

Sky, for all their hype have achieved very litte this season. Aside of Wiggins' success in the Giro prologue a stage in the Crit International and a semi classic is a pretty poor return. If they have any sense they wil go all out to get Thomas in yellow, he coud well get it on Saturday, not the hardest stage, probably hard enough to blow out Cancellara but thomas showed in the Tour of switzerland he can climb.

And on this point, Sky are a brand new team, I wouldn't expect them to achieve much in the first season, paticularly when they've focussed on the Tour.
Yes, Thomas can climb, but he's pretty dedicated to Wiggins and despite their "lack of form" Wiggins showed today that he looks pretty good. Thomas won't stand a chance of yellow on Saturday, yes he can beat Cancellara, but by then the race will have changed. Thomas needs a late break and good escape and I reckon Thursday is the day for it or not at all. Besides, Thomas is needed on Saturday to cover Wiggins so that he has a good shot at holding up for Sundays assault on Morzine.

My take is that Andy was outclimbing Frank for the last 2 years, though, regardless it does leave him isolated.

Yes, but Frank put in a lot of work on the bottom half of any hard climb to launch Andy. There will be others to help, but they won't have that same bond.

thomas is young, his time will come but not just yet.
but for team sky it's all about wiggo.

nice pic. you can almost imagine the texan drawl. mumbling something about apples or lawyers.

And on this point, Sky are a brand new team, I wouldn't expect them to achieve much in the first season, paticularly when they've focussed on the Tour.
Yes, Thomas can climb, but he's pretty dedicated to Wiggins and despite their "lack of form" Wiggins showed today that he looks pretty good. Thomas won't stand a chance of yellow on Saturday, yes he can beat Cancellara, but by then the race will have changed. Thomas needs a late break and good escape and I reckon Thursday is the day for it or not at all. Besides, Thomas is needed on Saturday to cover Wiggins so that he has a good shot at holding up for Sundays assault on Morzine.

There is no way that CSC will let Thomas get in a break unless they want to lose the yellow jersey which is possible as defending it will take energy that they may need later in the race. But historicaly it is more likey to be a rider further down that benefits from that. If Thomas gets in a break the rest of the break will be screwing because it will alsmost certainly guarantee it being brought back and they wont work with him.

All he needs to do on Saturday is finish in the front group to get yellow and despite the countless variables that is his best and probably only vhance of getting yellow. He is more than capable of finishing in the front group on Saturday's stage.

What you say about Sky is true to an extent, but the amount of hype (pretty much of their own making) and their budget means they should have achieved more. They have pissed off a lot of other teams over the last 12 months. The signing of Wiggins and Swift being significant but far from the only reasons. The other problem with Thomas getting in a break is that it's more than likely Garmin (who have form for this) will find a reason to ride like when they screwed over Hincapie last year despite having no reason to ride.

yep there is a lot to talk about.

but i will say just this. it's fuckin exciting to see such a hardcore first week of the tour. been too long. it is a race. and i am loving that they are making it one from the get go.

as you were.