Tour de France 2009 Thread

[Merckx]

Much like you can't have Thanksgiving without turkey, you can't have the TdF without Greg LeMond.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cont...time-trial-win

The performance was one of several remarkable rides by the slim Spaniard, and not the first to raise eyebrows, most notably by three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond.

LeMond, who writes an opinion piece in France's Le Monde newspaper during the Tour, questioned Contador's performance on the final climb to Verbier on stage 15, which the Spaniard won ahead of Andy Schleck by 43 seconds and took over the race lead. The climb came at the end of a 207.5-kilometre stage that also held five other categorised climbs.

"Alberto Contador established a speed record: he went up the 8.5 km climb in 20:55. How to explain such a performance?" wrote LeMond. "He would have required a VO2 max [maximal oxygen consumption] of 99.5 ml / min / kg to produce the effort. To my knowledge, this is a figure that has never been achieved by any athlete in any sport.

"It is like a Mercedes sedan winning a on a Formula 1 circuit. There is something wrong. It would be interesting to know what's under the hood."

 

[RedLantern]

Can they really calculate the exact VO2 max needed? Or is LeMond just talking out of his ass?

 

[Merckx]

Originally Posted by RedLantern

Can they really calculate the exact VO2 max needed? Or is LeMond just talking out of his ass?

I'm not sure if they can or not. I've heard of some elite olympic athletes being in the mid 90's but I've never heard of being able to calculate VO2 max required for a certain effort. Looks like they grilled Contador a bit due to LeMond's comments.

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/a...ping-questions

Tour de France race leader Alberto Contador on Thursday refused to respond to questions relating to his stunning climbing performance in the 15th stage and Thursday's time trial victory.

Spain's 2007 champion took another step towards overall victory when he won the 18th stage time trial to take a virtually unassailable lead of 4:11 over Luxembourg's Andy Schleck.

Coming less than a week after his impressive victory on the summit of Verbier in Switzerland, it has cemented Contador's reputation as the best stage racer in the world.

But asked to react to doubts expressed by former Tour de France winner Greg Lemond, present at the race Thursday, on his performances Contador refused to answer.

"I won't answer this question," Contador said through his translator when asked to explain his impressive climbing performance to Verbier.

Last Sunday Contador attacked a small group of favorites containing teammate Lance Armstrong 5.6km from the summit of the 8.8km climb to the summit finish of Verbier to win the stage and take command of the yellow jersey.

Moments later the determined reporter repeated his question.

"Otra pregunta (next question)," said the 26-year-old Contador.

When asked to reveal his V02 max, his maximum capacity to transport and use oxygen while racing, the Spaniard was evasive.

""Otra pregunta," said Contador again.

So far on the Tour, and despite increased efforts to weed out the cheats, there have been no positive doping cases.

Contador won his first Tour in 2007 as a member of the Discovery Channel team and, after his Astana team was not invited to the 2008 edition, he won the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España that year. Contador was also excluded from the 2006 Tour after his name and those of other members of his then Liberty Seguros team were included in dossiers seized in the Spanish Operación Puerto investigation. He was later cleared of those allegations.

 

[RedLantern]

I have to agree with him not revealing his VO2 max. It seems like a lose-lose situation. Either it will be "too low" and people will use this as evidence of doping, or it will be "abnormally high" and people will discount his performance by saying that hes just physically more gifted than everyone else, rather than gutsy, tough, or any other factors for success.

 

[Merckx]

Originally Posted by RedLantern

I have to agree with him not revealing his VO2 max. It seems like a lose-lose situation. Either it will be "too low" and people will use this as evidence of doping, or it will be "abnormally high" and people will discount his performance by saying that hes just physically more gifted than everyone else, rather than gutsy, tough, or any other factors for success.

Cancellara has offered his opinion on why he lost the stage today.

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/a...elped-contador

"(Contador) had two gendarmes motorcycle right in front of him," Cancellara told VeloNews. "When I saw the time differences to Wiggins, I knew it was going to be close. When you watch, at the front, when you have two (motor) bikes, I don't say it's done. When I saw those motorbikes very close while watching on television, then I think, OK, then it's over."

 

[Merckx]

Besides cycling a lot, I'm also an avid photographer. Graham Watson has always been one of my favorite photographers, his work at the TdF is tremendous. Here's an article about tomorrow's stage up Ventoux.

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/a...raham-watson-s

 

[RedLantern]

Can't wait for tomorrow's stage!

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by RedLantern

Can't wait for tomorrow's stage!

Yup. IMO, the chance of an upset for Contador is slight, but anything can happen on that climb.

 

[RedLantern]

I'm not even really hoping for an upset, I'm sure someone will make a gut-wrenching attack though, and that is always fun to watch!

 

[RedLantern]

Before starting the TT lance said all he needed was one second over Frank Schleck and that he would not lose any time to him on Ventoux. At the time I scoffed at his reslove as he had been outclassed by both the Schleck brothers and Contodor in previous climbs . . . bravo Lance.

Did anyone else think that Andy looked better than Contodor today? I know Contodor wasnt supposed to be attacking anyway today, but I got the feeling that if Andy had really put the hammer down he would have dropped everyone else today.

Scrappy performance by Wiggins today as well.

Vive le Tour!

 

[unpainted huffheinz]

Originally Posted by RedLantern

Did anyone else think that Andy looked better than Contodor today? I know Contodor wasnt supposed to be attacking anyway today, but I got the feeling that if Andy had really put the hammer down he would have dropped everyone else today.

Andy attacked about ten times up Ventoux, I'm not sure he could have done much more. I think he would be insulted at the suggestion that he did not go all out on the stage.

The top three rode very well today, and a podium finish for Lance is remarkable. Contador had one of thoe Tours where everyone else was just riding for second.

 

[RedLantern]

I wasn't suggesting that Andy didn't ride his guts out, but he wasn't riding for himself - he was riding for his brother. He made 10 attacks because he would look back, see that his brother hadn't caught on, and then drop back. If he had attacked to win the stage, I think he would have.

 

[Merckx]

I thought Contador was just marking Andy all day, I didn't really see Andy riding stronger. Good efforts by Martin and Wiggins.

 

[Piobaire]

Contador was certainly the talent of this year's class. And 3rd at his age, and after sitting out a few Tours, is pretty damn good IMO.

Anyone believe talk that Lance will be back next year? And on what team?

 

[RedLantern]

They said Radioshack yesterday.