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Tour de France: Stage 20 ITT Live Thread (7-23-05)
CyclingNews.com ^ | 7/23/05 | CyclingNews.com

Posted on 07/22/2005 10:14:20 PM PDT by nutmeg

Stage 20 - Saturday, July 23: Saint-Etienne - Saint-Etienne ITT, 55 km

The showdown! All things being equal (and even with a few inequalitites) the individual time trial should provide a great spectacle at the end of a gruelling three weeks - Armstrong thrives in this race against the clock, and his dominance is well documented. But if we have a situation like 2003, this could be the clincher for the leader going into the stage, or it could provide the challenger with a whisker of hope. Here's hoping the weather stays fine and we get Ullrich out firing and witness Basso's improvement in time trialling, which has also been well-documented. The distance suits Armstrong, but the undulating terrain suits Ullrich's ability to push the big gears and power along. A surprise may be in the works, but chances are it'll come down to these two, regardless of where they are on GC - but it's also likely they'll both be at the pointy end of the field.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: amd; cycling; france; lance; lancearmstrong; tourdefrance
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Comment #61 Removed by Moderator

To: nutmeg

Rasmussen just fell. Man, I hate to see that! (from any of them!) Be careful, Lance!


62 posted on 07/23/2005 7:20:58 AM PDT by luv2ski
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To: nutmeg

Kerry is in the team car today? Gag me with a spoon...


63 posted on 07/23/2005 7:24:16 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
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To: nutmeg
Lance: please stay out of politics!
My chiropractor is great friends with Lance's handler at Nike. Even though Kerry is supporting him, it sounds like Lance might run in the future as a Republican for national politics.
64 posted on 07/23/2005 7:24:30 AM PDT by Andy from Beaverton (I only vote Republican to stop the Democrats)
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To: nutmeg
Thanks nutmeg. I already glossed over that one before opening the stage thread. Will go back later to see if the usual suspects were frothing at the mouth again. I think I'll send a note to OLN too about JF'NK. GAG! I love OLN but that was absolutely disgusting to make us all wanna spew our cookies here on the most nerve-wracking day.

Poor Jan. My heart just aches for the guy. Had he been born five years earlier or later, he would have been known as one of the greatest ever. Really the absolute worst luck to be peaking when LA was too.

65 posted on 07/23/2005 7:24:35 AM PDT by leilani
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To: Baynative

Did you notice the lack of botox? His face is sagging toward China -- he'll have to go in for a humongous facelift by '08. I was enraged by this lying ham shoving his way into the spotlight. Nothing, new, however. Remember his leaping over the rope at the RR's funeral...with photog in tow? It looks as if he'll be right by Lance's side from now on, urging him to run for something and basking in reflected glory. Kerry will use him as Sheryl C. is using him. It might get ugly, however, if Hill decides to muscle in on Lanceomania.


66 posted on 07/23/2005 7:24:55 AM PDT by hershey
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To: luv2ski

Rasmussen has road rash. Basso may be able to go all out today with a 1:00 buffer.


67 posted on 07/23/2005 7:26:21 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
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To: SouthTexas

Rasmussen was leading Ullrich by 2:48 at the time check before that crash.


68 posted on 07/23/2005 7:27:35 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
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To: hershey

I will be contacting OLN, too.


69 posted on 07/23/2005 7:27:51 AM PDT by Aeronaut (2 Chronicles 7:14.)
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To: gopwinsin04
They said he only lost 10 seconds, but his riding didn't look good.

Hate to see that, but really would like to see Ullrich on the podium. I honestly think Ullrich has been part of Lance's motivation and it would be nice for him to be part of 7.

70 posted on 07/23/2005 7:31:41 AM PDT by SouthTexas
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To: Aeronaut
F Kerry. Back to the race.

The big boys are all up now.

I saw a 1:12 prediction earlier. Place your bets.....

71 posted on 07/23/2005 7:32:15 AM PDT by llevrok (Semper Conservitatus)
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To: Baynative; Aeronaut; SShultz460; gopwinsin04
I'm sorry but now my husband and I are really sick... John Effin' riding behind Lance in the team car. This was obviously orchestrated... I will just die if Effin' becomes Lance's political mentor. >:-(

We feel again as if we've been punched in the gut like after last year's World Series win. After cheering on our Boston Red Sox, they finally win the WS after 86 years... So what do the Sox owners do? Immediately take the WS trophy out on the road along with their guy John Kerry and shamelessly use the Boston Red Sox win to campaign for him.

Thank God most of the Red Sox players announced or indicated around the same time that they were supporters of GWB, NOT John Kerry. Star pitcher Curt Schilling even went so far as to make some campaign appearances with GWB, even though the Sox owners didn't really like it.

72 posted on 07/23/2005 7:32:24 AM PDT by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
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To: gopwinsin04
I want Basso to show some of that italian spirito here. Haven't seen it this year.

OT, but the aerial shot of Lance is very telling. He really has a very distinctive "gait" or cadence in the saddle. You can always tell from above that it is he, even if he weren't (always) wearing yellow. In a lot of ways, his stance reminds me of the way children ride their bikes. Wonder if that has anything to do with anything.

73 posted on 07/23/2005 7:34:11 AM PDT by leilani
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To: llevrok
I think Basso is going to try and press the advantage, he has nothing to lose right now.

His podium position seems secure in Paris, even with a crash.

74 posted on 07/23/2005 7:34:13 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
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To: Aeronaut; Baynative

On a lighter note: Has Paul Sherwen called Jan Ullrich a "great beast of a man" yet? One year he actually called him a "beastie boy"! LOL


75 posted on 07/23/2005 7:34:26 AM PDT by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
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To: nutmeg

John Zelig Kerry....


76 posted on 07/23/2005 7:34:29 AM PDT by freebilly (Go Manitowoc Bandits!)
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To: nutmeg

Kerry in the team car? Appalling, and yes, we're doomed to see Lance and Kerry attached at the hip from now on. Trust our junior senator to know what sells. I guess he's decided the war hero deal got old. Now it's sports. Again.


77 posted on 07/23/2005 7:34:53 AM PDT by hershey
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To: nutmeg

How about Botero earlier this morning? He looked like me going around that corner! And that hugh dog laying there uninterested was hilarious! I am guessing that Botero wasn't contesting the stage win today...


78 posted on 07/23/2005 7:35:25 AM PDT by luv2ski
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To: leilani
Jean Francois Kerry alert! (moving in at the last minute to steal the glory, as always)


79 posted on 07/23/2005 7:36:55 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
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To: gopwinsin04

Go away, John! You lost! No one wants to see your face! GO AWAY NOW!


80 posted on 07/23/2005 7:37:51 AM PDT by luv2ski
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