**Unofficial** Tour de France 2006

[GalvanizedYankee]

For the few interested: Google videos > Charlie Rose > L.Armstrong interview

It's free today & current.


...Galvanized

 

[brxndxn]

I predict Lance Armstrong wins. Even if he's not really in the race.. the guy can still probby win.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: CPA
No Lance, No Care.

 

[vegetation]

It's official now, Basso will be watching the Tour from the sidelines, along with Ullrich and many other riders. The prospective winner of the Tour is now wide open, place your bets people..

 

[Fausto]

*sigh*

This is really sad to see. Doubly so in light of what's undoubtedly happening in baseball/football/etc that's not being addressed in the slightest.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: Dirigible
I think you're right: Basso, followed by Ulrich with the best chances to win. After all his crazy attacks last year, I'm rooting for Vino.

In the OLN thingy yesterday Johan Bruyneel basically conceded they won't win, as did Danielson. That was pretty entertaining, and preferable to them lying about it.

Hincapie could surprise; after all, he won a mountain stage last year (stunningly). Discovery also has Popovych and Salvodelli, so I wouldn't say they're out of it. I think Bruyneel was just playing a little poker. Still, the favorite has to be Basso, assuming he's recovered from the Giro.

Hincapie is good, but lets be realistic here. Vino is cool. :thumbsup:

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
For the few interested: Google videos > Charlie Rose > L.Armstrong interview

It's free today & current.


...Galvanized

Thanks

BTW, Lance apparently is riding a lot of MTB lately and also doing triathlons.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: CPA
No Lance, No Care.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: vegetation
It's official now, Basso will be watching the Tour from the sidelines, along with Ullrich and many other riders. The prospective winner of the Tour is now wide open, place your bets people..

Yeah!... it must be weird. that this comes after the Spain debacle about doping. There names were a few that showed up on a list, but there is no proof.

Oh BTW, Lance, who was the only leader in those group of three who was accused of doping, was cleared of all charges. His name never appeared on that list either BTW.

Article for you

A definite ban

 

[DaShen]

Team Discovery has a chance now!!

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: CPA
No Lance, No Care.

:thumbsup:

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: buck

Originally posted by: CPA
No Lance, No Care.

:thumbsup:

:thumbsdown: Cycling doesn't need people that don't appreciate the actual sport.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: mjh
The Tour de France starts on July 1 in Strasbourg, France.

With 7-time winner Lance Armstrong no longer racing professionally, the maillot jaune is definitely up for grabs!

Who I would like to see on the podium:
1. Jan Ullrich (Der Kaiser)
2. Levi Leipheimer
3. Alejandro Valverde

What I realistically believe the top three will look like:
1. Ivan Basso
2. Jan Ullrich
3. This one could be tough: Alejandro Valverde or Alexandre Vinokourov or even a darkhorse like Francisco Mancebo could take it.

Highest American in the overall GC? My guess will be Leipheimer or Floyd Landis.

Go big Jan!

Your thoughts?

Ulrich, Basso, and Mancebo banned for doping! :Q

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: jjsole

Originally posted by: mjh
The Tour de France starts on July 1 in Strasbourg, France.

With 7-time winner Lance Armstrong no longer racing professionally, the maillot jaune is definitely up for grabs!

Who I would like to see on the podium:
1. Jan Ullrich (Der Kaiser)
2. Levi Leipheimer
3. Alejandro Valverde

What I realistically believe the top three will look like:
1. Ivan Basso
2. Jan Ullrich
3. This one could be tough: Alejandro Valverde or Alexandre Vinokourov or even a darkhorse like Francisco Mancebo could take it.

Highest American in the overall GC? My guess will be Leipheimer or Floyd Landis.

Go big Jan!

Your thoughts?

Ulrich, Basso, and Mancebo banned for doping! :Q

wtf I had a hard time believing that when I heard it.

 

[mjh]

Go Levi!

 

[DaShen]

There was a raid in Spain a month and a half to two month ago. A list came out that had Basso and Ullrich's names on it. Confiscated were steroids and other drugs as well as clean blood packs. Scary.

I guess they had to do something to compete with the inhuman physique of Lance (he started pro Triathlons when he was 15) :Q

 

[DaShen]

What is really stupid is that the whole Astana-Wurth team was named for doping (except Vino who is a new guy :thumbsup: ), but they get to race. Why is that? Other than it doesn't get any name recognition.

And Tyler Hamilton is very suspect too.

I hope Vino doesn't get his name smirched by the screwed up team he joined. He is a great cyclist.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: DaShen
What is really stupid is that the whole Astana-Wurth team was named for doping, but they get to race. Why is that? Other than it doesn't get any name recognition.

And Tyler Hamilton is very suspect too.

They're not officially off the hook yet and TH is as good a toast in light of all this.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Fausto

Originally posted by: DaShen
What is really stupid is that the whole Astana-Wurth team was named for doping, but they get to race. Why is that? Other than it doesn't get any name recognition.

And Tyler Hamilton is very suspect too.

They're not officially off the hook yet and TH is as good a toast in light of all this.

Serves him right. WTH. Why dope? It is all about hard work and cycling as much as you can, like Lance did. What an athlete!

I hope Vino can still race though. He seems like a stand up guy.

 

[bigrash]

omg I can't believe Basso and Ulrich are disqualified. :Q

 

[D1gger]

This could be the most interesting Tour in a long time. It appears that none of the pre-race favourites will even be allowed to start, so it could be a completely different race than expected with an unknown rider rising to the top.

Or it could be real bore, with no recognizable figures riding and no public interest.

Personally, I am such a big fan of the sport, I'll go with choice #1.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

Well, Basso and Ullrich have been suspended by their teams, not by the TdF or the UCI, and are not banned (yet). But it still means they won't start tomorrow.

Disco must be happy about this....Savoldelli on the podium? He took 4th in the giro, after having problems with allergies.

And Floyd must be happy, he's got a chance at winning now!

 

[Dirigible]

This bums me out.

I wonder if Vino will race even though he's not named. The Tour is still making noise about kicking the whole Wurth team out, and even if they don't, so many of the team members are out that he won't have any support. So even though he hasn't been banned, his tour hopes are effectively gone.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: vegetation
It's official now, Basso will be watching the Tour from the sidelines, along with Ullrich and many other riders. The prospective winner of the Tour is now wide open, place your bets people..

Dammit!! :| This sport needs to be cleaned up!! I'm tired of these scandals!! Of course, if Ullrich and Basso and others are actually cheats, they need to be gone.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: DaShen

Originally posted by: Mursilis

Originally posted by: Dirigible
I think you're right: Basso, followed by Ulrich with the best chances to win. After all his crazy attacks last year, I'm rooting for Vino.

In the OLN thingy yesterday Johan Bruyneel basically conceded they won't win, as did Danielson. That was pretty entertaining, and preferable to them lying about it.

Hincapie could surprise; after all, he won a mountain stage last year (stunningly). Discovery also has Popovych and Salvodelli, so I wouldn't say they're out of it. I think Bruyneel was just playing a little poker. Still, the favorite has to be Basso, assuming he's recovered from the Giro.

Hincapie is good, but lets be realistic here. Vino is cool. :thumbsup:

Years ago, I'd have thought the same way, but apparently he's climbing and time-trialing much better now. You never know. Last year was a pretty strong performance by him.