Styleforum › Forums › General › Entertainment and Culture › Tour de France 2009 Thread
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Tour de France 2009 Thread

post #1 of 201
6/28/09 at 8:17pm
Thread Starter 
It starts July 4...any preliminary thoughts?

As much as I'd love for Lance to win, I just think having Contador will make it hard for the team to propel either to a Yellow Jersey. Teams US Postal Service and Discovery were perfectly designed for Lance. Going to love watching their team time trial.

This is should be Cadel Evans' year but he showed last year he just can't pull it off without Contador in the race.

Denis Menchov looked strong in the Giro so he would be my prohibitive favorite at the moment.

Schleck just needs to get a little better IMO to win it this year. Within the next two years (2011) he will win the Tour.

Christian Vandevelde is my darkhorse champion but I wouldn't bet anything on him.

No more than 3 doping offenses, none of them big name riders. Wouldn't be surprised if no offenses come up. UCI's done a lot to clean up the sport and they should get some credit.
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 201
6/28/09 at 8:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by edinatlanta View Post
No more than 3 doping offenses, none of them big name riders. Wouldn't be surprised if no offenses come up. UCI's done a lot to clean up the sport and they should get some credit.

This just shows that the god labs that are making juice are a step or two before UCI.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 201
6/28/09 at 8:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThomasoAIK View Post
This just shows that the god labs that are making juice are a step or two before UCI.

They counter this by monitoring cyclists' blood over time which will catch the cheats, even if they can't test for specific drugs.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 201
7/4/09 at 10:43am
Thread Starter 
It starts today!

So far my doping prediction is true...........
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 201
7/4/09 at 11:57am
My friend is riding for the US. Don't know if he'll be in the peleton or not.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 201
7/4/09 at 12:48pm
I thought this was a rather well done commercial.


I don't think Lance would be riding if he didn't think he could win.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: No media files are hosted on these forums. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website. We can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. If the video does not play, wait a minute or try again later.       I AGREE

TIP: to embed Youtube clips, put only the encoded part of the Youtube URL, e.g. eBGIQ7ZuuiU between the tags.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 201
7/4/09 at 2:44pm
I'm going with Contador. Cancellara looked good today to take the stage.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 201
7/4/09 at 2:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim View Post
I don't think Lance would be riding if he didn't think he could win.

I've not been following much. Does Lance have a team strong enough to win?
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 201
7/4/09 at 2:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
I've not been following much. Does Lance have a team strong enough to win?
He has a strong team, but I think Contador will be lead rider (and rightly so). Astana place 4 riders in the top ten of stage one. I agree with Ed, I'm looking forward to the team time trial as well.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 201
7/4/09 at 2:51pm
Great weekend for sports. Wimbledon men's final tomorrow, first day of the Tour today. Team Astana put in some great times in the individual time trial. I'm an Armstrong fan but it's hard to say at this point who will end up in the lead role between him, Contador, and the others. There's a good chance it will be Contador, like Merckx said, but I think Armstrong has the stronger will.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 201
7/4/09 at 2:55pm
Always good to see Eddy Merckx around the podium.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 201
7/4/09 at 2:56pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
I've not been following much. Does Lance have a team strong enough to win?

His team is fucking phenomenal but they have two potential leaders which is the problem. Astana may be the best cycling team ever assembled but I fear this will be the same as BMW Oracle in the last Louis Vuitton Cup. So much talent but not a real team.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 201
7/4/09 at 2:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merckx View Post
He has a strong team, but I think Contador will be lead rider (and rightly so).

Astana place 4 riders in the top ten of stage one. I agree with Ed, I'm looking forward to the team time trial as well.

That doesn't sound good. Are we going to have a replay of LeMond/Hinault?
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 201
7/4/09 at 3:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
That doesn't sound good. Are we going to have a replay of LeMond/Hinault?

You know, I'm not too sure. It's going to be interesting to watch. Contador is already touchy about it due to last years Vuelta a Espana where even though he won, his teammate Leipheimer finished in second place only a minute or two behind in the GC. He felt that if Leipheimer was riding support, he shouldn't have been that close to him in the GC.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 201
7/4/09 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merckx View Post
You know, I'm not too sure. It's going to be interesting to watch. Contador is already touchy about it due to last years Vuelta a Espana where even though he won, his teammate Leipheimer finished in second place only a minute or two behind in the GC. He felt that if Leipheimer was riding support, he shouldn't have been that close to him in the GC.

Somebody needs to have Contador talk to Bjarne Riis, if that's how he feels.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Entertainment and Culture
Styleforum › Forums › General › Entertainment and Culture › Tour de France 2009 Thread