Tour De France 2008

[NickO'Time]

Anyone watching?

With no Opening prologue and new more aggressive doping controls, it seems like the racing has more high speed attacks.

The French are hungry for a stage and of course the overall since they haven't had a winner since 1985 with Bernard Hinault-"The Badger".
They have been extremely active this week.

Nice too see two American teams doing well- Garmin- Slipstream-Chipotle team and the Newly Renamed Team Columbia(clothing). Formerly Team High Road.

Christian Vande Velde and Will Frishkorn of the US have so far showed great promise.

Unfortunately, Manuel Beltran(Lance Armstrong's former domestique') tested positive for EPO.

Who do you think will win? Will it be Cadel Evans of Australia? Alexandre Valverde? Maybe David Millar of Great Britain?
Who your picks (in order) for placing on the general classification?
This has been a great tour because of the consistently aggressive racing.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Every time I see a mention of this I hear Kraftwerk singing "Tour de France, Tour de France"

[€uroMeinke]

Every time I see a mention of this I hear Kraftwerk singing "Tour de France, Tour de France"

Heh me too!

Gotta catch up on this - wonder if we're getting any of this in HD

[NickO'Time]

Here's the Climber's Jersey(POlka Dot jersey) points system.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/TicTocDragon/Collectibles/V158A_BIG.jpg

Literally, this is another race within the race.
Depending on the steepness of the climb points vary.
"Hors Categorie" is literally straight up the hardest.
Hors Categorie:

20-18-16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5

Category 1:

15-13-11-9-8-7-6-5

Category 2:

10-9-8-7-6-5

Category 3:

4-3-2-1

Category 4:

3-2-1

[alphabassettgrrl]

Hubby and I are watching! It has been an exciting race though the doping problems continue to sadden me. I like the breakaways.

To win it? I like Millar. I want Hincapie to get something. I want more coverage of Damiano Cunego. I just like his name. Also Thor Hushovd. :)

[NickO'Time]

Cadel Evans took the Yellow jersey today.

The American that continues to impress is Christian Vande Velde.(Garmin- Slipstream Chipotle) He's firmly holding his 3rd place overall.

Too bad the French didn't have a winner on Bastille Day.

I love the commercial ad with Christian VV narrating-

'Just strip down to your underwear and jump out of your car at 50 miles an hour, then you will know what it's like to crash in a bicycle race."

[Stan4dSteph]

I'm watching, but I miss the commentary by Phil and Paul. :( I've subscribed to the twitter stream of the SlipStream coach. It's amusing.

[NickO'Time]

I'm watching, but I miss the commentary by Phil and Paul. :( I've subscribed to the twitter stream of the SlipStream coach. It's amusing.

Try World Cycling productions they have an updated link online.

[Stan4dSteph]

Try World Cycling productions they have an updated link online.An updated link of what? If they have live streaming, or even taped video or audio that would be awesome.

[alphabassettgrrl]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/more/tdf.html is the site I've been using to follow everything. Sometimes they have video of the finish, and they often have the race commentary transcribed. I'm not sure whose commentary it is, but it gives a reference for the race.

I like the mountain stages the best. The climb up the Col de Tourmelay yesterday was awesome. We haven't gotten all the way up to the finish yet, but Gregorio had a great climb.

[NickO'Time]

An updated link of what? If they have live streaming, or even taped video or audio that would be awesome.

The best one for that would be the what alphabassettgrrl mentioned and cyclingtv.com

Also try cyclingnews.com for a written update every few minutes, daily.

[Stan4dSteph]

Oh I can get plenty of written commentary, what I miss is watching the stage with the live commentary from Phil and Paul. The French commentary just doesn't have the great catch phrases like "dancing on the pedals," "suitcase of courage" or "on the rivet" that you get from those guys.

Thanks for the links though. I'm so bummed I missed the stage on Monday. The French station doesn't replay it like Versus does, so if you miss it live, you're out of luck.

[NickO'Time]

Oh I can get plenty of written commentary, what I miss is watching the stage with the live commentary from Phil and Paul. The French commentary just doesn't have the great catch phrases like "dancing on the pedals," "suitcase of courage" or "on the rivet" that you get from those guys.

Thanks for the links though. I'm so bummed I missed the stage on Monday. The French station doesn't replay it like Versus does, so if you miss it live, you're out of luck.

I love the "Philisms". One of my favorites was from the 85 Paris Roubaix race.
"It's the Emissary of the devil"

[NickO'Time]

Another damn rider caught for a different version of EPO. The whole Saunier Daval team was given the boot today.

The good news is Mark Cavendish outfoxed the peloton for a third stage.

[Stan4dSteph]

Very disappointed to hear about SD, but glad that they are catching people. I was more saddened to hear about Manuel Beltran who left earlier. He used to be a great helper for Lance.

Into the Alps this weekend! Yeehaw!

I may try to catch the time trial stage next weekend. It's a long drive for me though.

[NickO'Time]

I was really hoping that Ricardo Ricco was the next great Pantani. He followed the same path though, unfortunately.
Your so right, it's a positive thing they are catching them though, Stan.

Hope you get a chance to see a bit of the race.:cool:

Pictures maybe?:D

[alphabassettgrrl]

I was shocked that Ricco was busted for drugs. I don't think SD was kicked out, they withdrew on their own. They fired Ricco and also Piepolini; they didn't like the way P answered some questions.

Sucks.

[NickO'Time]

I was shocked that Ricco was busted for drugs. I don't think SD was kicked out, they withdrew on their own. They fired Ricco and also Piepolini; they didn't like the way P answered some questions.

Sucks.

The smile on Ricco's face (as he was being taken away by the Gendarme) was definitely a tell-all that he thinks this is a big joke.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I didn't see that. Dude. Not a joke. Not cool to cheat.

[NickO'Time]

I kinda of figured Cavendish would pull a "Cipollini" and bow out for the Olympics.
He's 23 there will be plenty of Green Jersey chances next year.

It's anybodys race right now, who knows who will prevail with Maillot Jaune'.

[alphabassettgrrl]

It's an exciting Tour, that's for sure! They'd been saying for a couple days that Cavendish would likely pull out, and I can kind of see it, but it just seems like a shame to go through all the prep and then say Bye!

I feel bad for Pereiro. Nasty nasty fall. I have to look this morning for confirmation of how bad he actually is hurt. Last night I found a lot of conflicting information.

[NickO'Time]

It's an exciting Tour, that's for sure! They'd been saying for a couple days that Cavendish would likely pull out, and I can kind of see it, but it just seems like a shame to go through all the prep and then say Bye!

I feel bad for Pereiro. Nasty nasty fall. I have to look this morning for confirmation of how bad he actually is hurt. Last night I found a lot of conflicting information.

Peirero definitely took a hard spill. Sheesh, two days ago a Gerolsteiner rider clipped one of those signs indicating the divide in the road and shattered his entire bike in three pieces.
These guys love the sport so much and it shows.

[alphabassettgrrl]

At least the guy who broke his bike got up from it without injury. :) I saw it- pretty impressive crash, and then he gets up like nothing.

Pereiro goes home to Spain for surgery. Seems he broke his shoulder and arm. Hopefully he can come back to racing soon. O'Grady did, so it looks good for Pereiro coming back.

[NickO'Time]

Nice too see Georgie Hincapie finish well on todays climb. He must have been pumping some serious watts with those legs.

What's really interesting is how close the GC contenders are to each other. It's still anybody's race.

I'm still waiting for the super breakaway from someone in the peloton. :cool:

[Stan4dSteph]

Nice too see Georgie Hincapie finish well on todays climb. He must have been pumping some serious watts with those legs.True, although he seemed really disappointed with his performance in the post race interview.

People need to stop flying off the sides of mountains already! It's been crash-city on the descents. I wonder if it is due to everyone being so close that they're taking more risks. It seems to me there are more crashes this year than in the past few.

[NickO'Time]

True, although he seemed really disappointed with his performance in the post race interview.

People need to stop flying off the sides of mountains already! It's been crash-city on the descents. I wonder if it is due to everyone being so close that they're taking more risks. It seems to me there are more crashes this year than in the past few.

I know what you mean about the crashes, another guy went off a turn from Barloworld and looked like he was going to keep going down the rock and shale of one mountain there. Yikes!

[MouseWife]

I saw that! Man, yes, he is lucky that he stopped falling. I wanted to see how far down his bike actually went. But, yep, that type of hillside, gravel and such with nothing to really grab hold on to. I am surprised the fan who helped him was able to.

I saw the crash of the bike into the road divide sign, yes, lucky he got up and walked away.

I didn't see the crash that left the rider injured like that....

I was bummed for the guy whose bike fell off the side of the road. All of those hills and then blam! Why not before he'd done all of that work? I understand today the hills are even greater?

[alphabassettgrrl]

I haven't watched yesterday's stage yet but my coworker told me about the guy that went over the edge. That's why shale makes me nervous. There's a bike trail above Ojai that has a lot of trails along a shale cliff, and it scares me stupid for precisely that reason. I could go over the edge.

[MouseWife]

It seems like a nightmare, trying to climb up and it only getting worse!!!

[dlrp_bopazot]

i have invitations for the final day on the audience near the final line . i ll go there and take picture Tic Toc the other invitation i will send it to you for souvenir .

if you d like of course Monsieur ?

[alphabassettgrrl]

OOooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh lucky you!!!! I keep talking to the hubby about getting to France one of these years. I can get him there if we watch some of the race.

[Stan4dSteph]

i have invitations for the final day on the audience near the final line . i ll go there and take picture Tic Toc the other invitation i will send it to you for souvenir .

if you d like of course Monsieur ?That's awesome! I was thinking of driving just to see the finish stage. I imagine it will be quite a show. :)

[NickO'Time]

A big thanks Bopazot! :)

Now I'm wondering if the boys from CSC can pull this off. Dennis Menchov I think is lying in wait too pounce on the time trial.

Evans is there but he tends to grind the gears. And in no way am I counting out Vande Velde for a shake up of the GC.

[NickO'Time]

Finally! Chavanel gets his stage victory.

I was stoked when I saw the break at 1.3km, with a two minute gap. Viva Le France!:cool: