Tour de France 2005 (Lance returning in 2006?)

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:54 pm

The Tour de France thread.

Racing starts this Saturday.

Can Lance go 7? Or is it Ullrich/Basso/Mayo/Vino's turn?

I know I'm the only one that cares about this. But it's my forum and I'll cry if I want to. Hehe.

great_magnet · Post by **great_magnet** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:55 pm

I'm on the Mayo band wagon, he's due. If he hadn't blown that tyre last year I reckon he would've pushed Lance all the way.

I miss Marco Pantani

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:57 pm

great_magnet wrote:I miss Marco Pantani

Word.

great_magnet · Post by **great_magnet** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:01 pm

And my all time fave:

Abdoujaparov... sprinter extrodinaire!

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:03 pm

Djamolidine!

That crash on the Champs Elysees. Rag doll styles. Truly sickening.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:53 pm

Indurain is King!!!! (well he used to be anyway)

I'm outta touch with it all these days... is it on SBS still?

Spherix · Post by **Spherix** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:52 pm

my uncle rode in it in the 80s

Rob M · Post by **Rob M** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:57 pm

my grandpa rode in the 50's. what a legend.

Spherix · Post by **Spherix** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:59 pm

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:01 pm

Spherix wrote:my uncle rode in it in the 80s

Cool! Is your uncle one of these guys?

Alan Pieper
Shane Sutton
Michael Wilson
Stephen Hodge
Neil Stephens

I can't remember any other Aussies that rode in the 80's. A bit before my time.

Rob M · Post by **Rob M** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:02 pm

^^ lol...I bet you had that waiting. come to think of it, that does look like 80s technology and if the haircut runs in the family

Spherix · Post by **Spherix** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:09 pm

hyuk hyuk hyuk

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:09 pm

AJ · Post by AJ » Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:01 pm

SBS showing every stage live has put a serious dent into my nightlife plans.

Vino could be a goer, but US Postal/Discovery Channel is filled with great riders who'll bust their gut for the team leader, whether it's Armstrong or someone else. Can't see Telekom/Bianchi/ONCE beating them, which is what it comes down to.

Post by **lucas** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:25 pm

Discovery/Postal has never really had any strong sprinters on their team, they've always focused on GC rather than stage wins (and obviously done very well).

It's interesting to note that T-Mobile did not include Zabel on their list this year. Admittedly Zabel is a little older these days, but I wonder if T-Mobile decided to just bring a team full of mountain goats to drag Ullrich up the climbs ala Discovery/Postal.

nic · Post by **nic** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:27 pm

sport thats worth watching on tv! like it.

AJ · Post by AJ » Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:36 pm

Actually, I tell a lie. Just checked out the competition and Telekom aka T-Mobile look pretty good. They've got Ullrich leading, and working for him will be Andreas Kloden, Vinokurov and several other possible team leaders. Apparently they've spent more money than anyone else and amassed an Armstrong beating team. Could be pretty close, what with Lance being 34 and all...

As long as Virenque wins a mountain stage, I'll be happy. Vive le France!

Post by **lucas** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 10:05 am

Zabriskie

Who'd a thunkit?

valuetime · Post by **valuetime** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 10:50 am

never heard of him.

so, armstrong caught ullrich in a 19km time trial? who's gonna beat him this year?

Post by **lucas** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:30 am

Tom Boonen
"I rock!"

First of many stage wins, I'm sure.

Post by **lucas** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:50 am

Tour de France
Stage 3 - Monday, July 4

Boonen wins agan. Robbie headbutts O'Grady.

tripongale · Post by **tripongale** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:22 pm

I remember seeing Stephen Pates head locked in Gary Neiwands arm at full speed home strait at northcote velodrome in the eighties .... that was kinda cool

10.15 · Post by **10.15** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:41 pm

Last night was awesome, Dekker deserves a medal for his effort. I think I'm hooked this year until Lance takes over. Such a beautiful sport/country.

Lucas you should go take photos

10.15 · Post by **10.15** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:15 am

omg...

Poor Zabriskie

Post by **lucas** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:26 am

Tour de France
Stage 4 - Tuesday, July 5
Tours - Blois (Team Time Trial)

Zabriskie limps home after crashing into the barriers.

What a way to lose the yellow jersey.

TimmyG · Post by **TimmyG** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:17 pm

Must have been a helluva knock. It looks like he's ripped half the top of his shoe off.

Polecat · Post by **Polecat** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:42 pm

damn! looks like i went to bed too early and i missed seeing that crash. he was just warming up when i crashed out ZZzzZZZZz

I'm excited about the tour this year and will be watching as much as I can. I finally get it after seeing the excellent Hell On Wheels doco on Sat night and learning all about the history, riders, and how it all works. Did anyone else see this doco?

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:19 am

Tour de France
Stage 5 - Wednesday, July 6
Chambord - Montargis (183km)

Robbie wins! What a legend.

"Check that shit out, Boonen!"

valuetime · Post by **valuetime** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:24 am

i want o'grady to win a stage. he's a much nicer guy than mcewen.

great_magnet · Post by **great_magnet** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:24 am

Go Robbie!!

Is that O'Grady on the far right??

How's the green jersey points total looking Lucas?

Mountain stages soon.... :drool:

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:43 am

O'Grady is 2nd from the right (in the red, white and blue). Definitely a much nicer guy that Robbie, I think he'll get himself a stage win for sure. I'm tipping Baden Cooke for a stage win too (raced against him a few times back in the juniors, also a very nice guy).

Boonen has quite a strong lead in the green at the moment. Lots of Aussies in the top 10 though.

Code: Select all

1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick.Step                                           106 pts
2 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole                                     77
3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone                  76
4 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto                                    61
5 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                       60
6 Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros-WÃ¼rth                                58
7 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Domina Vacanze                                     49
8 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) FranÃ§aise Des Jeux                                43
9 Baden Cooke (Aus) FranÃ§aise Des Jeux                                   37
10 Robert FÃ¶rster (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                     36

Interesting point about yesterday's stage. Armstrong started the race without the yellow jersey on (out of respect for Zabriskie). The officials stopped the race and told him to wear it or he would be disqualified.

Where's the respect?

valuetime · Post by **valuetime** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:48 am

are there any tour sites showing video clips?

letour.fr video is for the french only. the arrogance of it all!

great_magnet · Post by **great_magnet** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:49 am

Thanks Lucas, I'm with you on Stuie and Baden, hope they both pick up stage wins, particularly the final stage into Paris.

Agreed on the lack of respect, there has been a number of incidents over the past few years that have made me scratch my head.

Lance has a really strong sense of respect, great to see the interplay between him and Ulrich in the mountains last year.

Waiting for the inevitable Richard Virenque cameo in the mountains, he's regular as clockwork when it comes to taking out the big stages.

Gotta love Le Tour, gotta love Phil Liggett too...

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:55 am

great_magnet wrote:Waiting for the inevitable Richard Virenque cameo in the mountains, he's regular as clockwork when it comes to taking out the big stages.

No Virenque this year.

The mountains will still rock though.

great_magnet wrote:Gotta love Le Tour, gotta love Phil Liggett too...

Haha, yeah. There's some great Phil Liggett fan sites around.

"He's digging deep into the suitcase of courage!". Hehe, gets me every time.

great_magnet · Post by **great_magnet** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:57 am

No Virenque?

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:04 am

Retired after last years tour. =\

10.15 · Post by **10.15** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:31 pm

Zabriskie's webpage is funny, esp his mid-race on the bike interviews:

DZ wrote:Oh yeah I almost forgot I did an on the bike one question interview with Tom Danielson:

DZ: Tom if I could hook a stick to your helmet and hang something in front of you to make you chase for it, what would that be?

TD: Well, hmmmmmm how about Dave Zabriskie.

DZ: No I donâ€™t think so, people might get the wrong idea about us.

TD: Ok, how about Ferretti. (DS of Fassa Bartolo)

DZ: Ok, right on thanks for interview

http://www.davezabriskie.com

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:50 pm

Haha, that's great. What a cool guy.

I keep reading/hearing about how he's a total crack up in the peleton but when you get him in front of a tv camera he turns to absolute mush.

Hehe.

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:57 pm

DZ: Do you mind doing a one question interview with me?

MR: Go ahead ask me anything.

DZ: Ok, has anyone ever came up to you and called you the chicken, and you said â€œno Iâ€™m the rooster dammit.â€

MR: No.

10.15 · Post by **10.15** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:57 pm

He's even pretty funny when he's avoiding the camera... quirky sense of humour.

My mate on exchange at Berkeley got to go for a spin with him a couple months back... lucky bastard... he said he's hilarious

valuetime · Post by **valuetime** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 4:39 pm

When Cyclingnews asked David Zabriskie before Stage 9 in Firenze how it felt to enter the cycling stats as the third American in cycling history along with Andy Hampsten and Tyler Hamilton to win a Giro d'Italia time trial, he smiled and said: "rock and roll, dude".

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 4:58 pm

Gold.

drew · Post by **drew** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 5:14 pm

armstrong is a fuckin machine...ill say he's a very good chance for 7...anyone watching it at night?

Post by **lucas** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:10 am

The Alps have arrived. The real racing starts right now. (Like, right now. Tune into SBS if you've got some time to kill - worth watching for the beauty of the landscape alone).

Armstrong, Ullrich, Vino, Kloden, Basso, Mayo... and our Aussie hopes: Cadel Evans, Michael Rogers and Brad McGee.

What a line-up! Should be a great gig.

cobbernuts · Post by **cobbernuts** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:24 am

my flattie and his big bro hit the road a couple of months back and via a little s e asian detour have landed themselves in time to catch the mountain stages and the run home into paris.

bastards.

live sbs coverage is good. but not quite the same as being there.

Post by **lucas** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 9:45 am

Tour de France
Stage 10 - Tuesday, July 12
Brignoud - Courchevel (181km)

Valverde wins. Armstrong takes yellow.

Polecat · Post by **Polecat** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:33 am

cheers for the update. i gave up watching it last night because the coverage on sbs kept cutting out. it was breaking my heart and doing my head in at the same time, so i had to give up and go play on my computer instead.

Post by **lucas** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:39 pm

Polecat wrote:cheers for the update. i gave up watching it last night because the coverage on sbs kept cutting out. it was breaking my heart and doing my head in at the same time, so i had to give up and go play on my computer instead.

Yeah, I hear ya. They fixed it after a while but the first 20-30 minutes gave me a headache!

Post by **lucas** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 11:29 am

Tour de France
Stage 11 - Wednesday, July 13
Courchevel - BrianÃ§on (173km)

Vino wins. Armstrong retains yellow.

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 11:31 am

lucas wrote: Armstrong retains yellow.

yea and hes only on 80%!!! freak!

Melbourne Beats

Tour de France 2005 (Lance returning in 2006?)

Tour de France 2005 (Lance returning in 2006?)

headbuts