2007 Tour de France thread (SPOILERS!!!)

[Staredge]

With the prologue and first stage in the books, the 2007 Tour bids farewell to jolly auld England and returns to the country of it's birth.......just to leave again into Belgium!!!!!!

The prologue through the streets of London was capped off by a FANTASTIC ride courtesy of your Time Trial World Champion, CSC's Fabian Cancellara. An absolutely blistering pace, turning in the only sub 9 minute ride.

Stage one from London to Canterbury had it's share of fireworks as well. David Millar goes out on a break, reeling in sprint AND King of the Mountain points until finally realizing that he has 22 more days left. David holds on (barely) to take the KOM jersey, which he'll get to hold on to for another day or two as there are no KOM points available tomorrow.

The stage ended with Aussie Robbie McEwen doing his best Harry Potter impersonation. McEwen gets caught up behind a crash with only a few kilometres to go, then gets run over in the melee spraining his wrist and losing a great deal of time. Predictor/Lotto does a team time trial to get him back to the peleton, and then Robbie unleashes what has to be the greatest kick in the peleton today. Robbie Hunter thinks he has a win coming....Erik Zabel lining up to compete as well......Tom Boonen's Quick Step team freight trains him to the front..........and then McEwen throws off the invisibility cloak (quickly becoming a patented RM move) and comes storming in from the back of the building at warp speed to win the stage by 3 or 3 lengths!!!! Quite possibly one of the greatest stage finishes EVER!!!!!!!


If the next 3 weeks holds to this course, we could have a really good time!!!!!!

[Big Jimmy]

any positive steroid tests come through yet?

[East Texas Parrothead]

any positive steroid tests come through yet?

As a matter of fact, the test results were released last week. Everyone was clean. Now, hush. Really. Don't take the fun out of the sport for us. And, yes, I am aware that the sport is not clean ... so, as my mother says, if you can't say anything nice, just keep still.

[East Texas Parrothead]

Staredge: Great recap.

I thought it was a great finish ... I love me some Robbie at the finish line ... he's the man ....

Yesterday blew me away .... Fabulous Cancellara blew the doors off that one ... liked that there were two Disco boys in the top 5. Don't know much about the new boy, but was glad to see George back in fighting form after last year. He was such a skeleton ... it was so sad to see him that thin.

Who do you like this year?

[Triathlete-Parakeet2]

And I just finished my first metric century ride yesterday!! It's a good thing I got Direct TV, because now I can actually WAtch the tour instead of just hearing about it.

[East Texas Parrothead]

And I just finished my first metric century ride yesterday!! It's a good thing I got Direct TV, because now I can actually WAtch the tour instead of just hearing about it.

Good for you, TP2. Good for you.

It was a great stage ... just watched it again ... McEwen's got a great, huge heart ... amazing ...

[ragtopW]

And I just finished my first metric century ride yesterday!! It's a good thing I got Direct TV, because now I can actually WAtch the tour instead of just hearing about it.

and i am glad.. (you help me with my paycheck)

wow this time again...

[East Texas Parrothead]

Here's my account for the newspaper ... I think the sports editor might blog it ...

And so it begins ... the 2007 Tour de France is rolling ... not through the French countryside, but right past Buckingham Palace and through the heart of London. The prologue may not set everyone's heart on fire, but that doesn't mean it's boring. World Champion Team Trial specialist Fabian Cancellara (CSC) flew through the 7.9km (4.9 mile) course in under nine minutes. I can't even imagine how his body was screaming as he crossed the tape. I'll bet his toes were curled. No one else got there in under nine. It was incredible. His closest rival was Andres Kloden (Astana) and he was a long 13 seconds back.

The Disco Boys (Discovery Team - post-Lance) had three riders in the top ten. Georgie Hincapie placed third, at 23 seconds behind Cancellara. Vladimir Gusev (Rus), a relatively new kid who rode for CSC before coming to Discovery in 2006. Also notable in the top five was Alexandre Vinokourov (Kz), Astana. A lot of pre-race hype has been focused on Vino. He looks better than ever and he can gut it out with the best of 'em on the road.

Being in the top five behind Cancellera's blistering pace is commendable.

Even though there were no big hills in the run from London to Canterbury, Sunday's 203km (126 mile) Stage One was not without its drama, either

Englishman David Millar broke away (left the peleton and no one rode out to get him). Must have been a matter of pride because Millar's not really a break-away guy. He's one of my favorite riders, not just because of what he does on the road, but because he admitted to using steroids and was banned for two years. He's a walking, talking billboard for riding clean. And riding clean is what this sport so desperately needs right now. The peleton caught Millar (Saunier Duval-Prodir) at 44km, but that's okay. He made his point. Good for him.

Robbie McEwen (Predictor/Lotto), a brilliant Australian sprinter, was caught in a crash with about 21km (about 13 miles) to go. The peleton was at a standstill when a rider crashed into McEwen, sending him over his handlbars. Crashes are prevalent during the first days of a tour, as the peleton (the group of riders) is twitchy and prone to making crucial mistakes, especially at the end of a stage when everyone's lining up for the sprint. McEwen ended up with a sprained wrist and a lot of lost time. Nevermind. Nothing stands between McEwen and the finish line.

Somehow his team got themselves organized and pulled him up and gave him the slingshot he needed to finish first, from almost nowhere. It was as if he put on Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility and he just slipped through. It was an incredible show of grit and guts and why teamwork is so important in cycling. Sprinters use every single muscle in their bodies to storm through the last kilometer of a race. They pull on the handlebars. I wonder how McEwen was able to do it with an injured wrist.

I'll bet Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Innergetic) and Norway's Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) were stunned when McEwen flew by them and won by three lengths! How does he do it?

Disco boy Thomas Vaitkus from Lithuania rounded out the top ten. Up until this season, Disco really hasn't been known for its sprinting abilities. During the melee that comes with an all-out sprint, Disco has always seemed more concerned with a safe crossing. It will be interesting to see how this part of the tour unfolds for Disco. They've always been great on the road and in the mountains, but they've lacked a sprint

The tour heads to the continent today. The 168.5km (104 miles) flat stage from Dunkirk to Ghent should give us another spectacular sprinting finish. I hope McEwen recovers to ride on ... he was quoted after the stage as being in a lot of pain.

I love le Tour ... warts and all ...

[Staredge]

any positive steroid tests come through yet?

No, but there was a troll sighting.

ETP: Look great, although I might have brought up Millar actually sitting up and letting the peloton catch him, and why. It's amazing the amount of tactical action going on that the average person might never notice.

TP2: Good on ya. Done two metrics, planning for two fulls this fall, or maybe one of each. Hafta tell ya about Seagull 2006 some time. 63 miles of Belgian weather.

Lessee, who do I like........my favorite team is Liquigas, because of Magnus Backstedt. He's not riding Le Tour though. Pretty well over Disco.....not that they're bad or anything but the continued sycophantic ravings of Versus have sorta soured me. Still hoping George will win Roubaix. Riders I'll follow:
McEwen
Cancellara (Roubaix winner)
Stuey O'Grady (another Roubaix winner...notice a trend?)
Rasmussen (KOM is my favorite jersey)
Bettini
Zabriskie
Zabel (if McEwen can't win the Green, I hope it's Erik in his last Tour)

and a few others I forgot. Looks like it'll be a good Tour though. Hope so.

[unclejohn]

any positive steroid tests come through yet?

As a matter of fact, the test results were released last week. Everyone was clean. Now, hush. Really. Don't take the fun out of the sport for us. And, yes, I am aware that the sport is not clean ... so, as my mother says, if you can't say anything nice, just keep still.

Did you see the quote from Lance Armstrong last week, he said he believes Landis is innocent but will probably be found guilty anyhow, because everything is set up against the athletes. He also said can you imagine pro football and baseball players being tested randomly, and the reason that the doping is so noticeable in cycling is because of how often the cyclists are tested, so much more than any other sport.

[Staredge]

There's something to that. Cycling does more than any other sport to fight it, but attitudes like BJ's are prevalent among the uninitiated. These guys (actually, any Olympic class athlete) has to keep their licensing agency posted as to their location AT ALL TIMES. Failure to do so is considered a failed test. Think about a 2 year ban from your job because you forgot to tell work you were going to the bookstore. Armstrong is entitled to his opinions. I am a fan enough to think that Landis didn't do it.......not nearly naive enough to believe he couldn't have......and genuinely troubled at the problems that occured with this situation. AS badly as I hate when people get off on technicalities, if half of what he said happened actually did he should be in France right now.

Cycling has a problem. All sports have problems. Cycling is trying to eliminate the problem. BIBOMO.

So..........who's gonna win tomorrow?????

McEwen takes it again!!!!!

[East Texas Parrothead]

any positive steroid tests come through yet?

As a matter of fact, the test results were released last week. Everyone was clean. Now, hush. Really. Don't take the fun out of the sport for us. And, yes, I am aware that the sport is not clean ... so, as my mother says, if you can't say anything nice, just keep still.

Did you see the quote from Lance Armstrong last week, he said he believes Landis is innocent but will probably be found guilty anyhow, because everything is set up against the athletes. He also said can you imagine pro football and baseball players being tested randomly, and the reason that the doping is so noticeable in cycling is because of how often the cyclists are tested, so much more than any other sport.

Buddy! So good to see you again! Rain clouds look serious right now ... maybe they'll hold off until the finish .... It's been pretty unremarkable today ... lfat roads .... 3 on the break, but they're pulling them back ... am SOOOO happy to see Frankie back. I love that kid.

Yeah. I saw Lance's quote ... I know there's doping .... but I still love the sport.

RAIN! the three guys in the break are in the rain ... Slick roads ... twitchy riders ... first days of the tour ... could spell disaster with a sprinters' finish.

[East Texas Parrothead]

Staredge: I don't have a favorite yet ... I love George and am glad to see him a little heavier than last year. I think the Disco boys are smart in keeping a lower profile. I like their new sprinter ... the Russian kid. Am hoping this brings a deeper dimension to the team ...

And, I'm really trying to learn more about the sprinters. They are balls to the walls guys and must have the quickest reflexes on the planet. The explosion factor astounds me. McEwen flying by the others yesterday is still one of the best finishes I've seen in my 20 years of watching le Tour.

[Capt.Flock]

wooo hooo i love these daily recaps plus i can watch the race on my lunch break

[East Texas Parrothead]

Quick-Step Belgian rider won ... with teammate Boonen in 2nd ...

Huge crash ... Cancellara's holding his shoulder, which is never a good sign for a cyclist.

I'll have more tonight ...

[INeverGoAnywhere]

OOOOOPS, Lance Fell Again.......

[East Texas Parrothead]

OOOOOPS, Lance Fell Again.......

Hush!




This is NEVER a good thing .... Cancellera holding his arm like that is just plain scary ... after that smokin' prologue, it would be a shame for him to go out like this ...

[Staredge]

Yet another early stage ending with a mass pile-up. Likely as not they'll settle down before we hit the mountains. Usually do. Big Tom Boonen gets a textbook leadout from the Quick Step Express, only to be kipped at the line by teammate and diesel engine Gert Steegmans. Gert did a bang-up job as Robbie McEwen's leadout man last season, and seems to have remembered how it's done. Tommeke says in the interviews that when you can hook up a teammate you should. Aerial footage looks an awful lot like Gert puttin' the hurt on Tornado Tom. Not convinced he had it to beat Steegmans but I could be wrong. Seems to me (in my thouroughly amateur opinion) that Tom isn't set up for Le Tour. Hasn't done badly, but never lived up to the expectations of the fans. Tom's Tours seem to end on a sour note.

No word on Cancellara yet. Only definite is that Disco starts stage three one rider down. Vaitkus out with multiple unstable fractures to the right thumb. McEwen riding well, ending up I believe 6th after not being sure he'd manage to ride the stage. The Aussie Pocket Rocket looked decent in the sprint, hampered by (it seemed to me) traffic in front of him. McEwen is known (rightly or not) for making a hole when one is needed. Perhaps Robbie is mellowing in his old age....or just realizes its a long road to Paris.

JERSEYS
Yellow: Cancellara-CSC
Green: Boonen-Quick Step
KOM: Millar-Saunier Duval
White (Best Young Rider): Gusev-Discovery

Lanterne Rouge: Kuchynski-Liquigas

[Staredge]

Late word is Cancellara is fine. Says he hurt but after he got warmed up & fed he felt fine. No word on Big George. Robbie McEwen just missed being caught up in it, taking a hit to the arm from a set of handlebars. Problem is his knee is hurting from his crash yesterday.

[East Texas Parrothead]

I just watched the re-run ... egads. That had to hurt. A lot.

I found this on VeloNews:

According to Discovery spokesman P.J. Rabice, Vaitkus was diagnosed with "five unstable fractures of the right thumb, which will require surgery, including a plate. Vaitkus is expected to have surgery this evening and will not start (Tuesday's) third stage."

Hincapie's injuries were described as "minor," including a slight contusion and scrapes. He will be back in the peloton on Tuesday to continue in his 13th Tour.

I hate that about Vaitkus. He was the sprinter they needed. Dadgum.

Flat stage tomorrow ... should be another sprinters' paradise.

Wonder how Boonen really feels about his mate winning the stage?