Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:12 pm Post subject: Tour de France 2009
Hello all,
A friend of mine does a TDF competition each year. It takes a bit of time sorting out your choices, but once done it does add to the enjoyment of the three weeks. So if interested just drop me a pm with your email address and I'll forward you the info. You have until 10pm Friday night to enter a team.
Anyway I've just caught up on the first two stages... how easy was that for Cavendish today! The crash near the end took a few challengers out but High Road had the lead out to perfection, he was never going to lose. I can see him getting 6 or 7 stage wins.
Yesterday... Cancellara is an absolute monster in time trials! Good performance too from Wiggins in 3rd.
Has been really interesting I think, although maybe lacking a bit of action on th GC so far... although it's definitely all about the Alps for that. I'm fascinated by what's happening at Astana. Contador and Armstrong clearly don't see eye to eye, I wonder what the team meals are like every night, especially after Contador's mini attack in the Pyrenees last week. He did look good then but did only pull about 20seconds was it? Can't wait to see what happens. The race organisers have obviously tried to set it up for a showdown on Mont Ventoux which will be great, but has rendered the rest of the race a bit boring in that respect.
But it's still been good... Cavendish is in a real fight now for the green jersey and isnt having it all his own way. I must admit, listening to his interviews I feel he is coming across a bit arrogant at times, I know cyclists and sprinters in particular can generally have rather large egos, but I think Thor Hushovd is a top bloke so I can't really say I'm fully behind Cav at the moment!
Wiggins has been brilliant... holding his own in the mountains with the top boys. Shame about that silly 15s he lost yesterday but a top ten finish is definitely on. I wonder what his aspirations will be for future Tours.
I am fancying Sylvain Chavanel for a stage win at some point... Boonen has been shocking so far so Chavanel should go for his own win rather than try and lead him out. Had a quid on him to win the last two days at 22s
I would comp agree with you, with the way they have done the race this year the pyrenees were a bit pointless to be honest and its clear that they want to keep it as close as possible until the penultimate day when the go up to the Ventoux. If you and I have seen it that way it's clear that it must be a popular feeling so not sure it's worked out well for them. It depends how it day unfolds tho I suppose.
Contador took about 20 seconds and you could clearly see that Armstrong wasn't happy about that as he couldn't react to the attack as he couldn't drag any of the opposition with him. Sunday is the first of two mountain top finishes so we should see attacks from Evans, Schleck etc etc to see what Astana have got. Leipheimer is a big loss not just for Armstrong but for Astana as a whole.
You get the feeling that all that Cavendish needs to do is survive the mountains as he's clearly got Hushovd's measure when they are together. He's not a great person to interview, just not been taught well in my opinion.
Wiggins is clearly looking at the GC for years to come and although I believe he was dropped a bit today I just hope he can continue his good form and get that top 10 which would be a great transformation from a track cyclist.
Chavanel funnily enough had a chance today but his legs went completely, can't see him competing in any other stages now.
Yep, Chavanel forgot to have his Weetabix! Fine by me though as I didnt back him today. Quickstep have had an awful race so far. Great win for Haussler and the young Feillu looks very good too... funnily enough I have been fancying Txurruka for a win too so glad he only came in second today! Stage wins not exactly a realistic betting proposition anyway...
Getting fed up waiting for the Alps now, no action on the GC front again... although the other jerseys are getting pretty interesting. Can't see Pelizotti losing the KOTM now, looks too good... and Thor gets green again, but clearly it will be a bit of a travesty if Cav doesnt win it, as long as he starts mucking in on the intermediate sprints. Wiggins up to fourth now, interested to see how well he hangs on to the others in the Alps...
Have you ever been to see the Tour in the flesh SP? One of these years I'm gonna do a road trip and follow the race... I'd love to be up there on the mountain top finishes with the crowds, reckon it would be great fun.
Great video I found, worth a watch... an example of all the little stories going on in the race behind the headlines.
Unfortunately for van Hummell he crashed out today
Also good to hear Voigt is ok after his crash yesterday, man that was nasty... face first into road at 40mph. Must admit I was worried when ITV didnt show the full crash or any aftermath, and then had no further information. Jens is a lucky boy but he's hard as nails.
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