The 2005 Tour de France thread!

[djbombscare]

BOLLOX Its the first year I missed the first two days.

Still managed to catch it last night and at last it feels like summer is properly here.

ahhhhhhhhh

 

[g force]

Just caught a bit of action...my god Cofidis were all over the place and were almost caught by Davitamon!

Liberty currently fastest at 46km...T-Mobile second...Discovery have started well.

 

[richsaint]

CSC now fastest throught the second time check, 6 seconds ahead of Discovery, T-Mobile only a further second behind them.

Team time trial stage in excitement shocker!

Still 20km to go mind.

 

[g force]

Yep...Liberty were pretty quick in the final stages, taking a big chunk out of Credit Agricole,but I suspect will finish about 4th if they continue that pace.

 

[richsaint]

WTF?

Zabriskie has crashed 1km from the line

CSC were on course to take the stage, now they've dropped to second. What a balls up.

Discovery have taken it 2 seconds ahead of CSC, 35 ahead of T-Mobile.

Salvoldelli now in yellow.

 

[g force]

Yep he's lost the Yellow...absolutely bonkers...now he's 1:26 behing Lance, with Hincapie in second.

Le Monde are going to be loving this US domination!

Disappointed by Illes on that stage..never goign to suit them but that's a poor result.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

spare a thought for Iban Mayo - four days gone and he's 5'48" behind Armstrong.

I would love to see a tour less focussed on time trials

 

[stavros]

They were good when we had Boardman.

Boonen looks a class apart at the moment but can he climb and make it to Paris? We know McEwan can so he's going to be there this week. Incidently why have the Aussies got so many sprinters? There's Robbie, Stewie and Baden Cooke and hardly anyone else in the whole peloton.

Who's our tip for the King Of The Mountains? No Virenque now so who'll take over? I've read Cunego is useful but I've yet to see him. Mayo?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

They were good when we had Boardman.

Boonen looks a class apart at the moment but can he climb and make it to Paris? We know McEwan can so he's going to be there this week. Incidently why have the Aussies got so many sprinters? There's Robbie, Stewie and Baden Cooke and hardly anyone else in the whole peloton.

don't forget Alan Davis, the Liberty-Seguros sprinter, he's been lurking.

Theres also Cadel Evans and Michael Rogers - both are immense Aussie GC prospects for the future.

Who's our tip for the King Of The Mountains? No Virenque now so who'll take over? I've read Cunego is useful but I've yet to see him. Mayo?

Cunego didn't make the cut - he's ill. Mayo despite being almost 6 minutes down is too marked a man I reckon, the KOM winner needs to be able to go on a long breakaway over several cols and rack up a big lead which he can then defend. I can't see Armstrong or Ullrich letting Mayo off the leash for that long, he's too dangerous. I said Contador at the start of the thread for KOM but Rasmussen or Moncutie are also possibilities. But its a bit of a lottery tbh, nobodys come out and said they want to win it. A challenger will emerge!

 

[g force]

Mayo might do it you know...i'm keeping the faith. But I think you're right, he can't do a Virenque and just power ahead - people will know what he can do. Plus T-Mobile have a decent set of climbers that will probably keep him in check.

Just looking at this result makes me want to cry

1. Discovery Channel 1hr 10mins 39secs
2. Team CSC +2secs
3. T-Mobile +35
4. Liberty Seguros +53
5. Phonak +1:31
6. Credit Agricole +1:41
7. Illes Balears +2:05 ...could have done better
7. Gerolsteiner +2:05
9. Fassa Bortolo +2:19
10. Liquigas +2:26
11. Davitamon - Lotto +2:32
12. Rabobank +2:48
13. Domina Vacanze +3:04
14. Quick-Step +3:05
15. Bouygues Telecom +3:08
16. Euskaltel +3:59
17. Lampre - Caffita +4:09
18. Cofidis +4:28
19. Francaise des Jeux +4:46
20. Saunier Duval +5:06
21. AG2R +5:23

 

[g force]

Boonen wins the first sprint from Hushvod and O'Grady...good stuff.

 

[richsaint]

Booo...

McEwan takes the stage from Boonen. I was just getting ready to post about Boonen winning four successive road stages if you carry on from last year. Maybe I jinxed him?

Boonen looks a class apart at the moment but can he climb and make it to Paris?

Well, he proved he could last year by winning the final stage on the Champs Elysee, and he is a far fitter rider now.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Damn that McEwen

I want the mighty Thor Hushovd to get a stage before the race is run - he's been there or thereabouts so far.

Quite suprised that so far Nazon and Kirsipuu haven't figured more in the sprints.

 

[souljacker]

Damn that McEwen

He should have been disqualified after that head butting nonsense the other day. What was all that about? He wasnt even really penalised IMO.

 

[richsaint]

I want the mighty Thor Hushovd to get a stage before the race is run - he's been there or thereabouts so far.

Quite suprised that so far Nazon and Kirsipuu haven't figured more in the sprints.

It would be nice to see him grab one. I think Kirsipuu is acting as his lead out man so the chances of him (Kirsipuu) grabbing a stage are pretty slim. He's way past his best these days anyway.

I always have Nazon down as one of the under acheivers in the peloton, allways there or thereabouts, but never really in the running.

 

[g force]

Anyone called Thor should win a stage by right

Arrgghhh I hate McEwen...still he's got little chance of winning the sprint overall. Having seen the pcitures it's just ridiculous they didn't give him a fine - it was a danger to other riders. God knows why i'm surprised he'd stoop to such a level

 

[richsaint]

I'm looking forward to watching todays stage on TV.

Apparently there was a massive pile up on one of the final corners that took most of the bunch out. Vinokourov then attacked and was chased down and pipped by unknown Lorenzo Bernucci.

Vino's clawed 16 seconds back on Armstrong, exciting stuff!

 

[stavros]

Are we going to see a change in leadership of T-mobile? Vino's beaten Jan in the prolouge and Ullrich hasn't shown at all, although remained safe. Or are the team just going to work to get both of them up the mountains?

 

[Juice Terry]

Are we going to see a change in leadership of T-mobile? Vino's beaten Jan in the prolouge and Ullrich hasn't shown at all, although remained safe. Or are the team just going to work to get both of them up the mountains?

I don't think they actually have a leader atm. I saw the manager interviewed and he said they wouldn't decide who it was until they get to the mountains and see whos climbing the best.

 

[stavros]

Vino looked ready today, and Kloden's obviously back on form so I reckon we're going to see a T-Mobile triple teaming on LA in the mountains. Jan seems to be playing it softly so far.

 

[stavros]

Vino looked ready today, and Kloden's obviously back on form so I reckon we're going to see a T-Mobile triple teaming on LA in the mountains. Jan seems to be playing it softly so far.

 

[Juice Terry]

Its the only way they're going to beat Lance. Vino looks the strongest opposition to me, he has that lightening uphill acceleration that can cause real pain. Ullrich I don't think will be too much of a threat, I can see him just grinding away all day in his big gears playing catch up but I don't think he has what it takes to get away.

How the Discovery team perform as a whole will decide Lance's fate, if they blow up again like they did on Saturday he's going to look very exposed.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Rasmussen looks like he has the polkadot jersey sewn up - good, he was excellent in the mountains last year and I can't see anyone taking it off him - a proper climber he is too and not one of these Virenque style cat 4 heroes.

Something tells me O'Grady might still nick the green - Toxteth has been in impressively consistent form and has the experience to last all the way to Paris. Hushovd and Boonen stand in his way though.

T-Mobile are an enigma. Kloden is being used to draw out the Discos I reckon. Funny how Lance sticks to Jan's wheel when Kloden and Vino are up the road...could this strategy make him come unstuck? Vino looks super agressive and if Disco don't recover from their TTT in time for Wednesdays Briancon-Coucheval stage (complete with the Telegraphe and Galibier) then I can see him doing some real damage on what will be a pivotal stage...

 

[stavros]

Lance does seem to want to keep more of an eye on Jan so perhaps Vino can catch him out if Jan draws him into being boxed into the peloton, although I'm not sure T-Moible will sacrifice Jan quite so blatently.

On Virenque, did he perform outside of July? Or was he like Armstrong only working for one race a year? I struggle to keep up due to the Freeview channels' refusal to show much cycling.

 

[g force]

Nice to see Beloki slowly climbing the leaderboard...he's had a few decent-ish stages.

Vino and Kloden look in great form...but I suspect Lance is saving himself knowing he doesn't stand a chance ona few stages - pure damage limitation before he pushes.

 

[g force]

So first Cat 1 climb - Teh Coremt de Roselend.

Mayo is dropping off the Peloton and looks liek he's struggling with the pace, but Valverde is flying I can't see how he can possibly sustain this pace!

 

[twistedAM]

for the first time in about ten years I don;t have cable TV so no Eurosport

I have broadband though. Which is the best website for news coverage???

letour.fr is pretty crap; anything better than Eurosport?
indeed is there any live video footage online???

cheers

 

[stavros]

Fuck, I did not expect Vino and Ullrich to wilt so easily. Valverde looked fucking good though as did Rasmussun. Podium finish for either of them?

 

[g force]

Given this year's stages, I think Ras will beTop 5, but I can see Basso getting nearer. Maybe he'll get 3rd and he'd deserve it.

It's a bit too soon for Alejandro, but he showed what he's capable of - if he can keep that form up and stay injury free he'll be challenging for the yellow in 07 I reckon.

 

[stavros]

Who would you tip for next year though? Vino?