**Unofficial** Tour de France 2006

[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!

What I realistically believe the top three will look like:
1. Levi Leipheimer
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Floyd Landis

Your thoughts?

Assorted reading material:
CyclingNews
Velo News Tour de France 2006 Coverage
Yahoo! coverage

 

[CPA]

No Lance, No Care.

 

[jhayx7]

Jan will win this year. I also predict that the american team will be run over by a LeMond reporter and then accuse them all of doping.

 

[booger711]

tiger woods. must ... focus ... camera ... on ... tiger ....

 

[mcvickj]

It will be intersting to see what kind of media coverage the race will recieve with Armstrong not racing.

 

[david46675]

I agree that Jan will win. He's always had a rough time competing with the likes of Lance Armstrong and is definitely one of the better cyclists in the world.

 

[ed21x]

Originally posted by: jhayx7
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, B, A, Start.

i thought it was Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start?

 

[Riceball]

Ulrich window of opportunity has passed during lance's run. Basso is the new hotness.

 

[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.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: ed21x

Originally posted by: jhayx7
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, B, A, Start.

i thought it was Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start?

select only changed from one to two player mode in contra.

the code ends at A. just one A.

 

[mjh]

Vino's team asked to withdraw from Tour

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: jhayx7
Jan will win this year. I also predict that the american team will be run over by a LeMond reporter and then accuse them all of doping.

More than likely.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: mcvickj
It will be intersting to see what kind of media coverage the race will recieve with Armstrong not racing.

What is ironic is that this will probably be the most balanced Tour de France in about 10 years and also has the possibility for a lot of upsets, but sadly because a lot fo people watched for Lance, it might get less coverage. There are a lot of upstarts who people should be watching out for, too. It will definitely be a good Tour this year.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: mjh
Vino's team asked to withdraw from Tour

What is interesting about this scandal is that a record was kept by the group and a few other famous bikers were named as well, but nothing could be proven.

**EDIT**
Of course, Lance wasn't on that list because he didn't dope, but nobody hear's that stuff. BTW he was cleared of all accusations, but that didn't get on the news either.

 

[UTmtnbiker]

Basso, Ullrich, and my dark horse, Leipheimer.

Basso looked very good in the Giro, and the way Ullrich finished the Tour of Switzerland was very impressive with that come from behind time trial on the last day. Leipheimer just won the Dauphine Libere and he rides Specialized so I'm pulling for him.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'd like to see Levi Leipheimer win but more likely it will be Basso or Ullrich.

 

[boyRacer]

Basso... CSC will wipe the floor with everybody else, including Discovery.

 

[UTmtnbiker]

I think we know the favorites for GC, but who will be King of the Mountains and Points Leader?

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: UTmtnbiker
I think we know the favorites for GC, but who will be King of the Mountains and Points Leader?

KOTM will be the chicken again

 

[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.

 

[manly]

Great, a new cheater can finally win this year.

 

[mjh]

I believe Tom Boonen will end up winning the green jersey.

Seeing who wears the polka dot jersey should be pretty interesting. I don't know if teams are going to be willing to give Michael Rasmussen a lot of slack when he tries to get away in the mountains. I kind of want to see someone like Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) get away to grab some points in the mountains.

 

[vegetation]

From the news, it looks like neither Ullrich or Basso will be riding after all, among half the riders on the tour roster. If that's the case, it's a big dissapointment.

 

[boyRacer]

Lance must be pretty amused at all this.

 

[vegetation]

Yes, it's now official, Ullrich has been terminated by his team and is out of the race this year, and considering his age it's likely he's finished for good. Basso is likely to be removed real soon too.

So who's left? I think Landis (not implicated) might have a serious chance at a shot for the win.