Tour de France: Stage 18 Live Thread (Friday, July 21, 2006) Morzine-Avoriaz to Mâcon

Tour de France website ^ | 7/21/06

[Ready4Freddy]

Was thinking some handlebars were involved.... geez, my memory sux! Was it leilani, luv2ski, or nutmeg that mentioned a couple of days ago that it seemed like the Tour had been going on for months now?

[BaBaStooey]

Levi has nothing left to shoot for but to win a stage. He would have preferred it to be in the mountains, but a stage win is a stage win.

[leilani]

Pas moi! I was thinking until yesterday that it had flown by. But after the total emotional exhaustion of yesterday's stage, I am soooo ready for Sunday.

[leilani]

I don't race but I stick chocolate in the freezer & put it in a thermal case aboard for the same purpose. (I bike so I can eat chocolate so I can bike more so I can eat....)

[Eurotwit]

I cross country skiing, skiiers often drink a coffe and coke mix for a bit of ekstra boost at the end of the race.

[af_vet_rr]

We would mix it with water for a "booster bottle" to be consumed in the last part of the race.

I would assume it's toward the very end of the race, as drinking it to early would lead to you coming down off of the sugar rush while still racing (assuming that's what it's for), correct?

[BaBaStooey]

This is the TT position Floyd would like to use:



However, the UCI has decided to not allow it. They ruled that the angle must be smaller, so in the TT two weeks ago, it looked like this:

[Vision]

McEwen is chasing the cameras away. Hostile?

[Ready4Freddy]

LOL!! Touche....

[Ready4Freddy]

OK, it was Floyd whose position they had a problem with. I was thinking that's what led to a late start, and/or handlebar problems because of a last min adjustment?

[Ready4Freddy]

Dunno. Did he look.... grouchy?

[luv2ski]

Nope. It was Landis. Apparently he had a flat tire right before the start. Then in the ITT, his aerobars broke off b/c the race organizers had made him lower them just before his start. He also had to switch out his bike. IIRC, he rode the remainder of the ITT on a 3rd bike.

[Vision]

Yea, he sped up 20 yards to the cameras and swiped his arm at them. Leggett said he thought the riders felt cramped, but that didn't seem to make sense to me.

[leilani]

Coffee-cola!Dang,wish I'd tried that before I swore off coca-cola. My 2 favorite bevs in one gulp!

[green iguana]

Poor Jan...

T-Mobile Team has terminated its contract with Jan Ullrich, effective July 20, the rider announced today. ...

Ullrich showed himself hurt by the process. "The termination from T-Mobile is not acceptable to me. I'm very disappointed that they didn't inform me of this decision personally, but that the T-Mobile attorneys simply sent me a fax.

"They should be ashamed of themselves - after so many years of good work together and after everything I have done for the team, they just handle me like a fax number."

TMo must think there's some pretty good evidence...

[Ready4Freddy]

Has Coca Cola Black made it to Norge, eurotwit? Been on the shelves in the States for at least 3-4 months, comes in a small Coke-shaped bottle. It's Cola & Coffee, think they describe it as a 'caffiene fusion beverage', LOL.

We also have 17 bazillion kinds of 'energy drinks' here, Red Bull, Monster, etc. Lotsa sugar/caffiene, I guess. Never had one myself, I stick with the 'Original Energy Drink', aka coffee! ;>)

skiiers often drink a coffe and coke mix

[Ready4Freddy]

So it was Landis who started 7-8" late, and then had mech problems on the road? Maybe another 15-20" between mech causing problems, identify, slow down to wave down team car, switch bikes, get back up to speed, shake off distraction?