Le Tour

[Mott the Hoople]

I agree it really has been disappointing this year.

Maybe things would have worked out differently if Schleck senior hadn't crashed out early on. We haven't seen those coordinated attacks this year as nobody outside Andy Schleck and Contador have had the legs to keep up. I don't think the organisers anticipated so many crashes in the early stages taking such a toll on the extremely mountainous route this year either.

At least we've still got Cav in the sprints. Could be on again for his fourth stage win today.

Today's stage will be the last chance for Cav and the mighty Thor.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

I agree it really has been disappointing this year.

Maybe things would have worked out differently if Schleck senior hadn't crashed out early on. We haven't seen those coordinated attacks this year as nobody outside Andy Schleck and Contador have had the legs to keep up. I don't think the organisers anticipated so many crashes in the early stages taking such a toll on the extremely mountainous route this year either.

At least we've still got Cav in the sprints. Could be on again for his fourth stage win today.

I think that was in a large part the organizers fault. Look at the routing early on. Not the kind of roads you expect to handle 220 riders chomping at the bit to win a stage. Those little goat paths aren't a problem in the mountain stages but they cause to many bottle necks that led up to so many crashes....that and France must be the round about capital of the universe. Go lord I've never seen so many.

 

[charver]

Today's stage will be the last chance for Cav and the mighty Thor.

Never any doubt.

It'll take an accident to avoid just missing out on the Green jersey but a win in Paris would be a nice consolation.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Never any doubt.

It'll take an accident to avoid just missing out on the Green jersey but a win in Paris would be a nice consolation.

Those Sprinters are a breed apart. Most people don't know what remarkable athletes they are but to try and put it into perspective. Cav can accelerate on a bike to 40 mph faster then a Toyotoa Corrolla can.

 

[Minister of Truth]

Lance should have stayed retired. Not everyone can pull a Brett Favre.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Lance should have stayed retired. Not everyone can pull a Brett Favre.

I disagree. If you can still compete, why not? Just like Favre, Lance isn't wining any championship but he's in the top 20 of a field of over 200 cyclist in the sports biggest and toughest event in a sport where the best athletes peak in their mid to late 20's. The oldest tour champion (which I think Lance is tied for) was 33 yo. So his competing the tour at 38 years of age is absolutely remarkable. I mean you pretty much have to be nuts to want to compete in the tour at any age so why not 38?

 

[Minister of Truth]

I disagree. If you can still compete, why not? Just like Favre, Lance isn't wining any championship but he's in the top 20 of a field of over 200 cyclist in the sports biggest and toughest event in a sport where the best athletes peak in their mid to late 20's. The oldest tour champion (which I think Lance is tied for) was 33 yo. So his competing the tour at 38 years of age is absolutely remarkable. I mean you pretty much have to be nuts to want to compete in the tour at any age so why not 38?

Its not a matter of proving that at 38, he can still finish in a high position, its that his legacy is winning the damn thing with a record-long streak, and coming back to play second-fiddle to other racers erodes that image he built. Favre doesn't need to win superbowls to keep his image up, he just needs to field teams to impressive seasons, which he has done with both the Jets and the Vikings.