Posted on 07/20/2007 2:25:30 AM PDT by Aeronaut
Tour de France ping!
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TV schedule on “Versus”
Stage 12: Friday, July 20, 2007 Montpellier to Castres
8:30am to 11:30am: LIVE Daily Coverage
12:00pm to 2:00pm: Race Action Replay
2:30pm to 4:30pm: Race Action Replay
5:00pm to 7:00pm: Race Action Replay
8:00pm to 11:00pm: Expanded Primetime Coverage
12:00am to 3:00am: Race Action Replay
Have they DQ’d an American yet this year?
(I’m guessing the next step is to just go ahead and do it before the race in over to avoid that embarrassing sting of defeat each year)
You referring to Floyd Landis who was fond cheating with a testosterone patch on his scrotum ?
Yep - that’s the guy who was nixed.
In fact they are cleaning out the stables at the moment - many good athlets who helped their performance a bit where sorted out - like jan ullrich and I don’t know who else.
The major german new stations left the tour after doping control elimited another one of team telekom.
It’s now pretty clear that the he-man of past times where all - without any exception - doped.
Interesting this year how many times have you heard Phil and Paul mention Bjarne Riis, Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso or Tyler Hamilton? They are non-people as far as the Tour reporting is concerned, which is just fine with me. As far as the Tour DQ’ing only Americans, lets not forget about Ullrich (Germany), Sinkivitz (Germany), Basso (Italy), several Spanish riders, Richard Verinck (years ago, France), and an entire Spanish riding team.
I don’t think many Americans would want to live under the rules the riders are forced to follow. They have to know where a rider is 24/7.
How would a person like to be out eating with his wife at a fancy joint and have an official come up to the table and say “Give me your arm, time for a blood sample.”
Calzati and Anton abandoned, Zabriskie finished outside the time limit.
I though Bob would be a little sad looking when they cut back but he was almost laughing his way out of the chair. He had some wild hair back then.
Phil and Paul on Versus were building up Zabriskie as the American hope and Cavendish as the British hope. Both fizzled pretty quickly; have no idea who is going to win this thing, but the individual time trials tomorrow should be an indicator.
And some pre-race stage analysis compiled from various sources:
Tim Maloney, Cycling News' European Editor:
Friday will be another hot day that starts from Montpellier, capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, and another transitional stage as the Tour heads inland from the Mediterranean coast to the textile town of Castres. Although an early break should get away in the flat first half of the stage, a counter-attack on the tough 10.4-kilometres climb of Montée de la Jeante with 60 kilometres to go could be successful.
The Versus crew:
Although the terrain may offer some opportunities for the attackers, the leaders and their teams will have to be particularly attentive in order to favor a sprint at the finish line. Because, the day before the Tour's great time trial, it's out of the question to let anybody take the slightest advantage.
Velonews:
This stage is one that could suit riders who are either defending a break for their team leaders (such as Predictor-Lotto's Horner) or a non-climber trying to get a win for his team before the upcoming time trial and three mountain stages. Riders falling in to this category include Juan Mercado (Agritubel), Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) and Flecha (Rabobank).
Stéphane Goubert of Team Ag2r-Prévoyance:
The main bit of this stage will be the climbing of the Jeante. It is actually the beginning of the Cabaretou pass, except that at 2-3km from the peak you turn left. At the bottom of the pass the road is a very large national road, then you turn left on to a narrow road. As it takes place on the eve of the Albi chrono, this stage is likely to see a long breakaway which could go to the end. The favourites and the time-trial specialists will try to spare themselves. On top of the Jeante there is less than 50km to the finish, on a plateau with inclines and declines. A contestant who attacks at 5km to the top can get ahead enough to impose himself in Castres.
Edward Pickering & Nigel Wynn of Cycling Weekly:
[T]hings get interesting with the crossing of the second category Montee de la Jeante, a 12km climb taking the riders up to almost 1,000 metres. Exactly the kind of energy-sapping day the riders do not want before tomorrow's time trial. Our prediction: Oscar Friere will gain 30 minutes in a break. You can bet your house on that.
Km 27.5: Côte de Cantagal: 1.6 km climb @ 4.3 % grade / 4th Cat.
Km 58: Côte du Mas-Rouet: 2.4 km climb @ 4.3 % grade / 4th Cat.
Km 74.5: Col du Buis: 2.6 km climb @ 4.8 % grade / 4th Cat.
Km 130.5: Montée de la Jeante: 10.4 km climb @ 6.1 % grade / 2nd Cat.
Sprints:
Km 81.5: Herepian
Km 101: Olargues
I got the impression they were touting Levi more than Dave Z. Levi's still in the mix.
He was cleared to race this morning. I'm pretty sure it must just be a "technical foul" for failing to notify the drug monitors of his whereabouts at all times.
“...Oscar Friere will gain 30 minutes in a break.”
At 1h 10’ 58” off the leader I don’t think the peloton would be too interested in chasing him down - it all depends on who goes with him :-).
Yes. That bold prediction seems a bit off (& probably written a while ago).
"Yellow jersey Michael Rasmussen admitted before the stage that he had made an "administrative error" in failing to notify the UCI of his whereabouts for two out of competition drug tests he missed. He has now been dropped by the Danish cycling federation for the upcoming World Championships and the Olympics."
I wonder if the UCI handles monitoring for all his teams (Denmark nat'l, Robobank etc)? If so, why didn't Robobank dump him too?
Has anybody else noticed that during that HP commercial featuring Michel Gandry (french video director) being run incessantly during Versus’ TdF coverage, there is a sound effect in the background which is exactly the same sound we get for FR’s ping notification?(At least it sounds the same on my HP). It’s driving me crazy!
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