Tour de France 2009 Thread

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by edinatlanta

You know this may be the only time in my life I've wanted one specific rider to be involved with a crash. Not one that causes any injuries mind you. Maybe one where say, Contador slides down a grassy knoll and it takes him 1:45ish or so to get back to his bike.

No way. Contador does not deserve that. Also, based on past experience, Lance would wait for him to get back up.

 

[edinatlanta]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

No way. Contador does not deserve that. Also, based on past experience, Lance would wait for him to get back up.

I'm not saying he deserves that, I don't even really want it to happen it is just that Lance is my boy and that's the only way I see Lance winning. Maybe he has one more Tour in him. Hard to think he has many more. If he races again I think next year he has a better shot of winning because he'll have had some more racing under his belt.

 

[Pilot]

Contador deserves everything he's getting. he's got the tour under wraps, even if he does get double teamed by the schleck brother again they still aren't going to beat him by 3 minutes in the time trial. I'm expecting Contador to win tomorrows TT. He looked strong in the first one, got 2nd. I'm def pulling for him tomorrow.

 

[Merckx]

I'd like to see Contador win, but I think he really screwed up today with that last attack. Kloeden has been doing yeoman's work protecting him in the Alps and that attack might have cost him a shot at the podium. There was no reason for it, and I don't care if Kloeden told him to go he should have been smarter than that.

 

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by Merckx

I'd like to see Contador win, but I think he really screwed up today with that last attack. Kloeden has been doing yeoman's work protecting him in the Alps and that attack might have cost him a shot at the podium. There was no reason for it, and I don't care if Kloeden told him to go he should have been smarter than that.


i didn't get to see much of the race today, mainly just the final results. I'm gonna try to catch one of the 20 Vs. repeats of the TDF this evening.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by edinatlanta

I'm not saying he deserves that, I don't even really want it to happen it is just that Lance is my boy and that's the only way I see Lance winning. Maybe he has one more Tour in him. Hard to think he has many more. If he races again I think next year he has a better shot of winning because he'll have had some more racing under his belt.

I hear you. Nothing would make me happier than to have seen Lance in that Yellow, even if just for a day. But Contador is a class act, and a great rider, better in some ways, than Lance ever was. I mean, the guy has won all three of the Grand Tours.

 

[Piobaire]

Lance is about to start his TT. I expect him to knock off the two brothers, but I see the last real stage is a finish atop Mt. Ventoux. Lance cracked on that climb once in his prime. That is a killer mountain, and I really don't think we'll have the winner (or podium finishers) until the end of that stage.

 

[Merckx]

Wiggins is tearin' it up so far, looks like everyone was correct that this was the guy to fear in this stage.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by Merckx

Wiggins is tearin' it up so far, looks like everyone was correct that this was the guy to fear in this stage.

Yeah, when David M. says he's the guy to beat, you know it.

 

[Merckx]

Geezus, Contador is blazin'!

 

[Piobaire]

Ugh, back to back meetings in a few minutes. Don't these people know the TT is on?

Lance is looking so/so. Not the TT artist he once was, for sure.

 

[Merckx]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Ugh, back to back meetings in a few minutes. Don't these people know the TT is on?

Lance is looking so/so. Not the TT artist he once was, for sure.

Give me a phone number to call, I'll clue these people in on how important this stage is.

 

[Merckx]

Phenomenal run by Contador. To beat Cancellara is no small feat.

 

[denning]

Highly enjoyable, was very impressed by Andy Schleck.

 

[Piobaire]

Yup, I really think the winner can't be declared until Ventoux. That mountain has finished more than one cycling great.