Tour de France 2006 - Ullrich won't start!

[AlexB]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/othe...ng/5132320.stm

German rider Jan Ullrich has been suspended by his T-Mobile team on the eve of this year's Tour de France.


Cycling's governing body the UCI has told T-Mobile that Ullrich has been named in an anti-doping probe in Spain.

Ullrich's Spanish team-mate Oscar Sevilla and team manager Rudy Pevenage have also been suspended.

A team spokesman said: "If we are presented with evidence which leads us to doubt the credibility of our riders, then we act upon it immediately."

Following the first reports of the scandal emanating from Spain, T-Mobile management asked all its riders to sign written declarations stating that they were not involved in any way.

Team manager Olaf Ludwig said: "We talked to the riders several times and even have their declarations of innocence in written form.

"At first we had no reason to doubt the riders' statements, but that situation has now changed profoundly."

Ullrich may not be the last big name to be suspended from the Tour de France after organisers ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) revealed that they have been given a list of more than 50 riders involved in the probe.

ASO spokesman Philippe Sudres said: "The Spanish Ministry of Sport handed the file to the cycling federation who passed it on to UCI and Tour organisers."

Denied wrong-doing

Reports emerged on Tuesday that Ullrich was part of the investigation but he immediately denied any wrong-doing.

Ullrich, the 1997 winner, had been among the favourites for this year's Tour, which starts on Saturday.

Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong retired after last year's triumph leaving the field wide open.

In addition to his win in 1997, the German has been runner-up five times and was third last year.
Italy's Lorenzo Bernucci and Germany's Stephan Schreck will now replace Ullrich and Sevilla in the T-Mobile team.

Wow. I like the Tour, but the drugs and smear campaigns in this sport are ridiculous

[Blade6119]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

Wow. I like the Tour, but the drugs and smear campaigns in this sport are ridiculous
edit: why can;t I get rid of the bold text?

Like baseball? Its just reporters searching for a story, and finding one. Most likely if you looked close at any sport you would find this.

[Northwood_DK]

Latest news in the Danish papers is that Giro Italia winner Ivan Basso is also out.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Blade6119

Like baseball? Its just reporters searching for a story, and finding one. Most likely if you looked close at any sport you would find this.

In baseball, would the bookies' favourite team suspend it's star pitcher on the eve of the World Series, if that player had not been banned by MLB?

This is what has happened here - Ullrich was the favourite, the Telekom team leader, and although he has not been banned by the governing bodies, he and his team-mate have been removed by Telekom themselves.

In the past there have been high profile doping convinctions (not allegations, convictions) of Marco Pantani, Richard Virenque, entire teams (most notably Festina, which was one of the leading two or three teams at the time) and every year two or three minimum seem to get caught at the Tour...

[Emiliano]

Originally Posted by Northwood_DK

Latest news in the Danish papers is that Giro Italia winner Ivan Basso is also out.

Yep, just heard that.

[MIJB#19]

Interesting. When one doctors phones anothert and mentions your name, it's enough reason to get you suspended until the official authorities can prove whether you were rightfully (or not) mentioned.

For good order, the riders who are being suspended today and denied starting in Le Tour de France are 'officially' mentioned on a list of 58 suspects. The teams all committed to a ruling that says all riders who are suspects in doping cases are not to be selected for races, even if they are never convicted before.

[wbatl1]

OK, time for my US bias to show...any US born riders or anyone of Discovery banned?

[Northwood_DK]

Originally Posted by wbatl1

OK, time for my US bias to show...any US born riders or anyone of Discovery banned?

Tyler Hamilton is the only US name I see on the list of 58 names.


Astana-Würth: Michele Scarponi (ITA), Marcos Antonio Serrano (ESP), David Etxebarria (ESP), Joseba Beloki (ESP), Angel Vicioso (ESP), Isidro Nozal (ESP), Unai Osa (ESP), Jörg Jaksche (GER), Giampaolo Caruso (ITA)

CSC: Ivan Basso (ITA)

Caisse d'Epargne-Iles Baleares: Constantino Zaballa (ESP)

Saunier Duval: Carlos Zarate (ESP)

AG2R: Francisco Mancebo (ESP)

T-Mobile : Jan Ullrich (GER), Oscar Sevilla (ESP)

Phonak : José Enrique Gutierrez (ESP), José Ignacio Gutierrez (ESP)

Comunidad Valenciana: Vicente Ballester (ESP), David Bernabeu (ESP), David Rodriguez (ESP), José Adrian Bonilla (ESP), Juan Gomis Lopez (ESP), Eladio Jimenez Sanchez (ESP), David Latasa (ESP), Ruben Plaza (ESP), José Luis Martinez (ESP), Manuel Llorent (ESP), Antonio Olmo (ESP), David Munoz (ESP), Javier Cherro (ESP), Javier Pascual (ESP, tidligere rytter, nuværende mekaniker)

Unibet.com: Carlos Garcia Quesada (ESP)

Other: Roberto Heras (ESP), Angel Casero (ESP), Santiago Perez (ESP), Tyler Hamilton (USA), Igor Gonzalez Galdeano (ESP)

[MIJB#19]

I see only 38 names, so there are still 20 missing. I'd also like to see the names of the about 150 non cyclists now. It's stupid that only cycling gets the bad name here.

[Alf]

cyclists are only mentionned there because tomorrow is starting day for "Le Tour".

[Critch]

Cycling is getting a bad name because it's the day before it's biggest event and half the field has been suspended for doping.

At least Robert Millar isn't on the list, he's not been back from his 2 year ban long enough to find a new suplier, I guess.

[King of New York]

Well, at least Jan Ullrich can now resume his career as drummer for Metallica.

[Maple Leafs]

Let me guess... he strongly denied the allegations, pointed out that he had never failed a test, and hinted at some dark conspiracy that he couldn't get into right now?

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Critch

Cycling is getting a bad name because it's the day before it's biggest event and half the field has been suspended for doping.

At least Robert Millar isn't on the list, he's not been back from his 2 year ban long enough to find a new suplier, I guess.

If Robert Millar was in this year's Tour I would be almost certain he was on drugs - he'd be in his mid 40's by now

I assume you mean David Millar

[Critch]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

If Robert Millar was in this year's Tour I would be almost certain he was on drugs - he'd be in his mid 40's by now

I assume you mean David Millar

Haha, getting my Millar's mixed up. Spent so long making sure that I spelt Millar right, I forgot about the first name

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Let me guess... he strongly denied the allegations, pointed out that he had never failed a test, and hinted at some dark conspiracy that he couldn't get into right now?

Well, what would you do when you were suspected of anything, but you know there's nothing proven at all?

[Critch]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

Well, what would you do when you were suspected of anything, but you know there's nothing proven at all?

I'd steal a white Bronco and make a break for it at 10 miles per hour. I believe it's worked in the past.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Critch

I'd steal a white Bronco and make a break for it at 10 miles per hour. I believe it's worked in the past.

[Solecismic]

Kevin Millar was suspended, too. Turns out "Cowboy Up" is some kind of code for blood doping. Not to mention those incessant fried chicken commercials. I'm sure there's something bannable at KFC.

The Tour is easily the most bizarre sporting event in the world. Where else could you have a 90-mile race where the difference between first and last is about two seconds? And everyone knows it beforehand.

The time trial stages are a lot more interesting.

Oh well. I don't get Nascar or the Kentucky Derby, either, and they're apparently more popular than hockey these days. At least in the Kentucky Derby, the credit goes to the right person. I mean animal.

It's too bad the referees in the World Cup haven't been caught with illegal drugs.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Critch

I'd steal a white Bronco and make a break for it at 10 miles per hour. I believe it's worked in the past.

LOL. I almost spit my drink all over my monitor because of you.

Originally Posted by Solecismic

Kevin Millar was suspended, too. Turns out "Cowboy Up" is some kind of code for blood doping. Not to mention those incessant fried chicken commercials. I'm sure there's something bannable at KFC

Yeah, you too.

[terpkristin]

For anybody who doesn't follow cycling regularly and wants some more info, this is a good synopsis/timeline of what happened: http://eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de...to917229.shtml (story pasted below).

Also, because the Astana-Wurth team had too many people have to be pulled due to the allegations, the team didn't have enough to compete so Vino is out.

Also, from another forum I subscribe to:
______________________________________________
...both Ulrich and Basso have a clause on their contract stating that they are NOT allowed to speak to ANY doctor of ANY kind outside of their team doctors WITHOUT the permission of the team.

Both teams were shown irrefutable evidence that their riders had been in constant contact with this doctor from Spain. That alone means they can suspend them from the race, without even mentioning that the alleged spanish doctor is supposed to have been supplying performance enhancing drugs.
_______________________________________________

And now, for the story...
_______________________________________________
T-Mobile have been crushed on the eve of the race, Bjarne Riis is missing his golden son, and the Tour de France is about to start without the two favourites. A disaster in the making for years, how did the sport's biggest doping scandal come to this?
Catastrophe in the making
"We've had doubts. We had heard comments. I always thought that this day had to come in order to clear up those doubts."
Fugencio Sanchez, the head of Spain's cycling federation, may have been talking about Spanish cycling specifically when he spoke to the associated press earlier this week.
But on the day before the opening of the Tour de France, Sanchez' words sound more like a foreboding epitaph for the sport itself.
"I know all of these people. They have spent their lives in Spanish cycling and all of them have an important career in cycling," Sanchez said of the principals involved in the country's doping probe. "I was always suspicious."
Sanchez' suspicions dated as far back as the 1998 Festina doping debacle, which broke on the eve of that year's Tour de France.
"The police operation was necessary. We had gone astray in anti-doping issues in Spain," he described the latest operation. "We had the duty to start persecuting those frauds."
The timeline
Jesus takes a stand - April 6, 2004: Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano testifies in Italy against team doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, accusing the doctor of administering EPO injections during the 2001 Giro and blood transfusions during the 2003 Tour de France.
Liberty start to suffer - November 8, 2005: Vuelta à Espana champion Roberto Heras of Liberty Seguros is suspended for a positive EPO test at the Tour of Spain. Team boss Manolo Saiz protests his rider's innocence.
Heras banished from the land - February 8, 2006: Heras handed two-year ban by Spanish Cycling Federation.
The Sting - February, 2006: The Spanish Civil Guard "learns that certain people are furnishing top-level athletes with doping products and practicing blood doping." A sting is set-up focused on a Madrid apartment and laboratory.
Operation Puerto in effect - May 23, 2006: Police arrest Dr. Fuentes, Saiz, Comunidad Valenciana sporting director Ignacio Labarta, Madrid doctor José Luis Merino, and former mountain biker Alberto Léon after raids uncover "more than 100 bags of frozen blood," "vast quantities of drugs," and several documents with names of riders and their training programmes. The probe becomes known as "Operation Puerto" in the press.
Basso nears Italy victory amidst rumours- May 24, 2006: Saiz is conditionally released. Spanish radio Cedena Ser first cites Tour of Italy leader Ivan Basso as one of Fuentes' clients. Basso affirms innocence.
Liberty decides it doesn't want to be Liberty - May 25, 2006: American Insurance company Liberty Seguros withdraws sponsorship of team of that same name, citing Saiz' arrest. Cedena Ser first reports Ullrich's involvement. T-Mobile and Ullrich deny charges.
Ullrich leaves Giro - May 26, 2006: Labarta and Léon are released on the condition that they visit a judge every 15 days. Ullrich pulls out of Giro with three stages left to go, saying the decision has no connection with Spanish reports.
Big bail for docs - May 27, 2006: The two doctors, Merino and Fuentes, exit prison as each are forced to pay 120,000 euros in bail. Fuentes is charged with endangering the public health.
Basso on top of the world - May 28, 2006: Basso wins first Tour of Italy.
Saiz steps down, sort of - June 9, 2006: Saiz temporarily quits as sporting director of Astana-Wurth, previously Liberty Seguros. He remains majority owner of the team.
Comunidad disinvited - June 13, 2006: The Tour de France rescinds the wild-card invitation of Comunidad (previously Kelme), citing Labarta's involvement in the scandal.
UCI back Astana-Wurth- June 22, 2006: Asked to rule on pro squad Astana-Wurth's participation in the Tour de France, the UCI Pro Tour lets the former Liberty squad keep its licence, and hence race.
Spanish riders protest innocence - June 25, 2006: The Spanish national championships are halted as riders protest the media's coverage of the case "Operation Puerto." Spanish newspaper El Pais says that an official judicial report lists 58 riders as being involved with Dr. Fuentes.
Tour politely asks Astana to leave - June 26, 2006: The Tour de France asks Astana-Wurth to pull out of the race, Astana refuses and the case goes to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Ullrich again denies charges, still backed by T-Mobile boss Rudy Pevenage.
The calm before the storm - June 28, 2006: Jan Ullrich's representatives say he is considering legal action against El Pais, which has said authorities found code names for Ullrich, including "Jan" and "Son of Rudy" amongst the documents it had seized.
Stuff hits the fan - June 29, 2006: Spanish press outlets report that the Spanish judicial sources had released the names of 58 riders involved in the affair, "many of them foreign and some part of the elite." Gag order on official report lifted by Spanish judge. Cacena Ser reveals the names of riders listed in the case, including Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, and Francisco Mancebo. Ullrich and T-Mobile communications director Christian Frommert again assert rider's innocence. CAS rule that Astana-Wurth and top contender Alexandre Vinoukorov can participate in 2006 Tour de France.
The beginning of the end - June 30, 2007, Overnight: Spanish Sports Minister Jaime Lissavetsky hands report to International Cycling Union (UCI), which turns over report to Tour de France organisers.
Shockwaves on Tour's eve - 9:30 CET: Jan Ullrich's T-Mobile team say that they have received "genuine proof" against their team leader, as the race favourite is suspended along with team-mate Oscar Sevilla and sporting director Rudy Pevenage.
LeBlanc: It's not over - 10:30 CET: Race organiser Jean Marie LeBlanc says that five or six riders would ultimately be implicated and suspended by day's end.
Marca: Basso is cooked - 11:30 CET: Spanish daily newspaper Marca reports that race favourite and 2005 runner-up Ivan Basso will be suspended from the Tour.
Press conference: Riders being informed - 12:00 CET: Tour director Christian Prudhomme says that the riders who are being asked to leave the Tour for citation in Spanish probe will not be replaced and are currently being informed. "Bjarne Riis has already warned Basso and AG2R team boss Vincent Lavenu is talking to Mancebo."
Riis makes it official - 14:00 CET: CSC team manager Bjarne Riis announces his star pupil Ivan Basso will not race in the 2006 Tour de France. Riis says he can hardly believe the news which led to the decision, but that he has an obligation to the team.
Mancebo disgraced - 15:15 CET: Fourth place in the 2005 Tour, Mancebo will not be allowed to seek a podium in this year's race. His AG2R sporting director calls Mancebo's involvement in the Spanish probe "an enormous deception" on the part of the rider.
UCI gets involved - 16:00 CET: The International Cycling Union says that three Astana-Wurth riders listed to start the Tour were included in the Spanish probe. If they are suspended, Vinokourov's team will not have enough riders to race.
And now we play the waiting game: No word on Astana's fate as the evening winds down. The Tour de France gets set to start on Saturday amidst the greatest doping crisis in its history.

/tk

[terpkristin]

Dola,
Here's the lineup slated to start the Prologue tomorrow:

Editor's Note:Changes in the rosters of several Tour de France teams reflect exclusions due to the Operación Puerto investigation report released late Thursday. Directors of all Tour de France teams voted not to allow those riders to be replaced.

---

Discovery Channel

• George Hincapie
• Yaroslav Popovych
• Paolo Savoldelli
• Jose Azevedo
• Egoi Martinez
• Pavel Padrnos
• Viatcheslav Ekimov
• Benjamin Noval
• Jose Luis Rubiera

Team CSC

• Ivan Basso (I)
• Carlos Sastre (Sp)
• Fränk Schleck (Lux)
• Jens Voigt (G)
• Giovanni Lombardi (I)
• Stuart O'Grady (Aus)
• Bobby Julich (USA)
• David Zabriskie (USA)
• Christian Vande Velde (USA)

T-Mobile

• Jan Ullrich (G)
• Giuseppe Guerini (I)
• Serhiy Honchar (Ukr)
• Matthias Kessler (G)
• Andreas Klöden (G)
• Eddy Mazzoleni (I)
• Michael Rogers (Aus)
• Patrik Sinkewitz (G)
• Oscar Sevilla (Sp)

Ag2r

• Francisco Mancebo (Sp)
• Christophe Moreau (F)
• Alexandre Usov (Blr)
• Simon Gerrans (Aus)
• Stephane Goubert (F)
• Samuel Dumoulin (F)
• Cyril Dessel (F)
• Mikel Astarloza (Sp)
• José Luis Arrieta (Sp)

Astaná-Würth
*The Astaná-Würth team has voluntarily withdrawn from the Tour de France after five of its riders were implicated in the Operación Puerto scandal .

• Joseba Beloki (Sp)
• Carlos Barredo (Sp)
• Luis León Sánchez (Sp)
• Allan Davis (Aus)
• Sergio Paulinho
• Alberto Contador (Sp)
• Andrey Kashechkin (Kz)
• Isidro Nozal (Sp)
• Alexandre Vinokourov (Kz)

Gerolsteiner

• Levi Leipheimer (USA)
• Georg Totschnig (A)
• Markus Fothen (G)
• David Kopp (G)
• Sebastian Lang (G)
• Ronny Scholz (G)
• Fabian Wegmann (G)
• Peter Wrolich (A)
• Beat Zberg (Swi)

Rabobank

• Oscar Freire (Spa)
• Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa)
• Denis Menchov (Rus)
• Michael Boogerd (Nl)
• Bram de Groot(Nl)
• Thomas Dekker (Nl)
• Joost Posthuma (Nl)
• Pieter Weening (Nl)
• Michael Rasmussen (Dk)

Davitamon-Lotto

• Johan Vansummeren (B)
• Leon Van Bon (Nl)
• Gert Steegmans (B)
• Fred Rodriguez (USA)
• Robbie McEwen (Aus)
• Chris Horner (USA)
• Christophe Brandt (B)
• Mario Aerts (B)
• Cadel Evans (Aus)

Phonak

• Victor Hugo Pena (Col)
• Alexandre Moos (Swi)
• Koos Moerenhout (Nl)
• M. Angel Martin Perdiguero (Sp)
• Nicolas Jalabert (F)
• Robert Hunter (RSA)
• Bert Grabsch (G)
• Floyd Landis (USA)

Lampre-Fondital

• Patxi Vila Errandonea (Sp)
• Tadej Valjavec
• Paolo Tiralongo (I)
• Daniele Righi (I)
• Salvatore Commesso (I)
• Marzio Bruseghin (I)
• Daniele Bennati (I)
• Alessandro Ballan (I)
• Damiano Cunego (I)

Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears

• Alejandro Valverde (Sp)
• David Arroyo (Sp)
• Isaac Galvez (Sp)
• Jose Vicente Garcia Acosta (Sp)
• Oscar Pereiro (Sp)
• Xabier Zandio (Sp)
• Florent Brard
• Nicolas Portal (F); Vladimir Karpets (Rus)

Quick Step-Innergetic

• Tom Boonen (Bel)
• Wilfried Cretskens (Bel)
• Steven De Jongh (Nl)
• Juan Manuel Garate (Spa)
• Filippo Pozzato (Ita)
• Bram Tankink (Nl)
• Mateo Tosatto (Ita)
• José Rujano (Col)
• Cedric Vasseur (Fra)

Crédit Agricole

• Christophe le Mevel (F)
• Thor Hushovd (N)
• Sébastien Hinault (F)Patrice Halgand (F)
• Jimmy Engoulvent (F)
• Julian Dean (NZ)
• Anthony Charteau (F)
• Pietro Caucchioli (I)
• Lazlo Bodrogi (H)

Euskaltel-Euskadi

• Iban Mayo (Sp)
• Haimar Zubeldia (Sp)
• Iñaki Isasi (Sp)
• Unai Etxebarria (Sp)
• Gorka Verdugo (Sp)
• Iñigo Landaluce (Sp)
• Aitor Hernández (Sp)
• David López (Sp)
• Iker Camaño (Sp)

Cofidis

• Stephane Auge (F)
• Jimmy Casper (F)
• Sylvain Chavanel (F)
• Arnaud Coyot (F)
• David Moncoutie (F)
• Critsian Moreni (I)
• Ivan Parra (Col)
• Rik Verbrugghe (B)
• Bradley Wiggins (GB)

Saunier Duval

• David Millar (GB)
• Jose Angel Gomez Marchante (Sp)
• David Cañada (Sp)
• David de la Fuente (Sp)
• Ruben Lobato (Sp)
• Francisco Ventoso (Sp)
• Riccardo Ricco (I)
• Gilberto Simoni (I)
• Christophe Rinero (F)

Francaise des Jeux

• Benoit Vaugrenard (F)
• Francis Mourey (F)
• Christophe Mengin (F)
• Thomas Lokvist (S)
• Sébastien Joly (F)
• Philippe Gilbert (F)
• Bernhard Eisel (A)
• Carlos Da Cruz (F)
• Sandy Casar (F)

Liquigas for Tour

• Danilo Di Luca (I)
• Stefano Garzelli (I)
• Magnus Bäckstedt (S)
• Luca Paolini (I)
• Manuel Quinziato (I)
• Michael Albasini (Swi)
• Patrick Calcagni (Swi)
• Kjell Carlström (Fin)
• Matej Mugerli (Slo)

Bouygues Telecom

• Walter Beneteau (F)
• Laurent Brochard (F)
• Pierrick Fedrigo (F)
• Anthony Geslin)
• Laurent Lefevre (F)
• Jerome Pineau (F)
• Didier Rous (F)
• Matthieu Sprick (F)
• Thomas Voeckler (F)

Milram

• Erik Zabel (G)
• Ralf Grabsch (G)
• Christian Knees (G)
• Bjorn Schroder(G)
• Andrej Grivko (Ukr)
• Marco Velo (I)
• Mirko Celestino (I)
• Fabio Sacchi (I)
• Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz)

Agritubel

• Benoit Salmon (F)
• Samuel Plouhinec (F)
• Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp)
• José Alberto Martinez
• Christophe Laurent (F)
• Eduardo Gonzalo Ramierez (Sp)
• Moises Duenas Nevado (Sp)
• Cedric Coutouy (F)
• Manuel Calvente (Sp)

/tk

[Glengoyne]

It looks to really be wide open with all those riders out.

Lots and lots of riders in the running. A handicapper's nightmare.

[amdaily]

I'm usually a huge cycing fan but fuck this shit. Remind me next year when it is about to start...

[fantastic flying froggies]

Originally Posted by amdaily

I'm usually a huge cycing fan but fuck this shit. Remind me next year when it is about to start...

Actually, this should make for a very interesting Tour.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Dola,
Here's the lineup slated to start the Prologue tomorrow:

For what it's worth, there are some errors in the list you posted.

Davitamon: Leon van Bon (Nl) isn't starting, instead Wim Vansevenant (B) does.
Phonak: missing on the list is Axel Merckx (B).
Credit Agricole: Laszlo Bodrogi (H) isn't starting, instead Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) is.
FDJeux.com: Francis Mourey (F) isn't starting, instead Gustav Larsson (S) is.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

For what it's worth, there are some errors in the list you posted.

Davitamon: Leon van Bon (Nl) isn't starting, instead Wim Vansevenant (B) does.
Phonak: missing on the list is Axel Merckx (B).
Credit Agricole: Laszlo Bodrogi (H) isn't starting, instead Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) is.
FDJeux.com: Francis Mourey (F) isn't starting, instead Gustav Larsson (S) is.

That was from Velonews as of last night.
They may not have had the final list but really, the changes you have I don't see impacting the bulk of the race...i.e. I don't see the "contenders" list really changing.

/tk

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

That was from Velonews as of last night.
They may not have had the final list but really, the changes you have I don't see impacting the bulk of the race...i.e. I don't see the "contenders" list really changing.

/tk

Yeah, the contenders list shouldn't change much. Botcharov used to be a top10 contender in the past, but he's a bit over the top already. And so is Merckx. But they're not expected to be in the realm of guys like Landis, Leipheimer, Menchov, Moreau and Valverde.

I figured you copy pasted the info. I just wanted to make the information complete. Still, these 'chances' were known for at least a week, but many sources had these errors.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

Yeah, the contenders list shouldn't change much. Botcharov used to be a top10 contender in the past, but he's a bit over the top already. And so is Merckx. But they're not expected to be in the realm of guys like Landis, Leipheimer, Menchov, Moreau and Valverde.

I figured you copy pasted the info. I just wanted to make the information complete. Still, these 'chances' were known for at least a week, but many sources had these errors.

Agreed.

Meanwhile, I miss having OLN cuz I can't see the race anymore.

Granted, it seems the Prologue finished more or less like I thought it would for the top finishers...at least, there were no surprises.

/tk

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Agreed.

Meanwhile, I miss having OLN cuz I can't see the race anymore.

Granted, it seems the Prologue finished more or less like I thought it would for the top finishers...at least, there were no surprises.

/tk

Denis Menchov disappointed a bit. Just like last year. As did the Dutch commentators. They missed the fact that our own Joost Posthuma took the lead in the young riders standings to earn wearing the white jersey.

[Craptacular]

I was thinking about upgrading my DISH package to get OLN for the month, but this made me reconsider. I'll just listen to the webcast at work in the mornings.

[Glengoyne]

Today's offering was fairly interesting. Hincappie's move to win the time bonus caught me by surprise. I thought that Boonen might make a run at it, but hadn't even considered Hincappie. I guess most of the rest of the field hadn't either.

Too bad about Hushovd, with damn fans crowding the riders. I hope he'll be able to continue tomorrow without it noticably effecting him.

[thealmighty]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

...Too bad about Hushovd, with damn fans crowding the riders. I hope he'll be able to continue tomorrow without it noticably effecting him.

What exactly happened? My Tivo taping went off several minutes before the end of the broadcast. Up to where I saw, he was up and coasting with everyone else after the finish.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

What exactly happened? My Tivo taping went off several minutes before the end of the broadcast. Up to where I saw, he was up and coasting with everyone else after the finish.

The sponsor of the Green Jersey competition passed out these green plastic/cardboard "hands" for the fans to wave about. With Hincappie's bonus to overcome, Hushovd had to finish top three to retain the yellow. He was going for it. He bolted inside to pass Boonen, I think, and in doing so he got too close to he crowd leaning over the railings, and waving those green hands. One of the hands caught him across the arm, and gave him what one could describe as the most serious paper cut you can imagine. He finished the stage of course, but he was bleeding pretty seriously. There was a shot of him on his back, blood all over the Yellow Jersey, with some guy applying pressure to the wound. It looked a lot worse than it apparently was. The team is saying he'll be fine.

[thealmighty]

Talk about bad luck...


...if he was an American, he'd sue.

[amdaily]

So, exactly how long is the poor Discovery Channel stuck sponsoring this pathetic group of losers?

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by amdaily

So, exactly how long is the poor Discovery Channel stuck sponsoring this pathetic group of losers?

Through 2008.

Actually, they aren't doing all that bad this year, they do rank 5th in the team world rankings right now. Losing Lance Armstrong wasn't something small. A new champion doesn't stand up like nothing happened.

Personally, I didn't understand the George Hincapie hype. I mean, he had great days last year, but until Tour 2005, he wasn't really tested/used as a winner type rider, especially not at this level. It'll take some time to find a new champion, but I doubt that Hincapie is that guy. From the riders riding this year, only one managed to finish top 10 before in the Tour de France. No, not Hincapie, not the touted future star Yaroslav Popovych, not Giro d'Italia winner Paolo Savoldelli. Nope, it's Jose Azevedo, who, oh surprise, was and is the best Discovery Channel rider so far this Tour.

[wbatl1]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

Through 2008.

Actually, they aren't doing all that bad this year, they do rank 5th in the team world rankings right now. Losing Lance Armstrong wasn't something small. A new champion doesn't stand up like nothing happened.

Personally, I didn't understand the George Hincapie hype. I mean, he had great days last year, but until Tour 2005, he wasn't really tested/used as a winner type rider, especially not at this level. It'll take some time to find a new champion, but I doubt that Hincapie is that guy. From the riders riding this year, only one managed to finish top 10 before in the Tour de France. No, not Hincapie, not the touted future star Yaroslav Popovych, not Giro d'Italia winner Paolo Savoldelli. Nope, it's Jose Azevedo, who, oh surprise, was and is the best Discovery Channel rider so far this Tour.

I completely agree about Hincapie. While a very good if not great classics rider, and a solid domestique to protect the leader in the stage races, Hincapie never showed the ability to stay near the top of any GC.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by amdaily

So, exactly how long is the poor Discovery Channel stuck sponsoring this pathetic group of losers?

Good timing Stage win for Popovich and Discovery this afternoon.

[Craptacular]

Well today was certainly interesting. I was listening to the Eurosport webcast for most of the last hour or two of the race. Even when they announced Landis fell off the pace, I was thinking he wouldn't lose THAT much. Uhh, good call there. I couldn't believe the time gaps they were announcing, or that I was seeing on the official TDF website. Before the final climb, the commentators were all talking about how it wasn't a real good climb to attack on (or worry about losing too much time on). They hit the nail on the head!!

Part of me thinks Landis is going to attack tomorrow, and have a shot at getting on the podium with a decent time trial. Remember, Floyd has generally been considered one of the best descenders in cycling. From the top of the Colombiere (2/3 of the way to the end), there is a very long descent, a small Cat 3 climb, then the Off-Category climb up the Joux-Plane, follwed by a tricky descent into Morzine. This was the same finish to a stage in 2000, where Lance cracked (and Marco Pantani had a Landis-type blowup) on the final climb, and Roberto Heras crashed on the descent into Morzine. The time trial is a hilly course that may suit him. Is he going to win? No. However, the podium is still an outside shot ... if his legs can recover, of course.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by wbatl1

I completely agree about Hincapie. While a very good if not great classics rider, and a solid domestique to protect the leader in the stage races, Hincapie never showed the ability to stay near the top of any GC.

I thought Hincappie had two top ten finishes in the Tour.

Don't get me wrong. I was surprised to hear him touted as a favorite by OLN, though I understand their motivation to do so. I felt that Lance's last Discovery team had lost too much from the year before. It made his last Tour win really all that more impressive in my book. The team didn't ride the field into the ground as it had in prevoius years, and Hincappie was the last rider to lead out Armstrong. He, well the whole team except for Lance, even got dropped on a climb midway through a stage last year.

Landis I felt differently about, as his defection to Phonak was one of the big factors in the weakening of Discovery.

[thealmighty]

I hope Oscar Pereiro wins. Giving someone 30 minutes in one stage, and the yellow jersey, and thinking you are going to get it back. Priceless!! Plus, all the others let him go. THey all know he has finished top ten (10th) twice, yet did nothing. Phonak just does not have the team to help a true champion (not that Landis would have won today anyway). Can you imagine Lance giving the jersey away with a week to go because he was worried about his team having to work.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

I hope Oscar Pereiro wins. Giving someone 30 minutes in one stage, and the yellow jersey, and thinking you are going to get it back. Priceless!! Plus, all the others let him go. THey all know he has finished top ten (10th) twice, yet did nothing. Phonak just does not have the team to help a true champion (not that Landis would have won today anyway). Can you imagine Lance giving the jersey away with a week to go because he was worried about his team having to work.

I did like Landis' take on this the day after the Pereiro stage. Essentially he said "well if I can't get it back, then I wasn't very likely to hold on to it anyway."

I think the idea was that once they hit the alps that Landis would regain the Yellow, and then would have two teams supporting him. Though I agree giving the Yellow to Pereiro was pretty questionable. The guy has top ten finishes and I believe he won a mountain stage a couple of years ago. That was the part that didn't make sense.

[Desnudo]

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

That has to be dissapointing for the big Russian.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Landis is having a great day so far, virtually back on the podium.

Let's see if he can make it up the final climb.

[Critch]

Bad though Landis was yesterday, you've got to give him mad props (as I believe the young people say) for his efforts so far today. He looks like he's going to make up a huge chunk of what he lost yesterday.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Critch

Bad though Landis was yesterday, you've got to give him mad props (as I believe the young people say) for his efforts so far today. He looks like he's going to make up a huge chunk of what he lost yesterday.

What an amazing 24 hours for Landis. After the horrid ride he had yesterday, to making up almost the entire 8 minute deficit today. Wow, that has to go down as one of the all-time greatest one day rides in tour history.

[Wolfpack]

That was the very definition of "No guts, no glory." To blow up on the last climb yesterday, then have the press say he's toast for the next 18 hours, and then find the will to just bury the field on another alpine stage after all that.... Just an unbelievable turnaround, especially given that the Tour is almost over. I don't think even Lance had anything like this during his run (of course, he didn't fail so spectacularly as to need a ride like this to recover with).

[Critch]

So Landis is a strong time trialer and is now the heavy favorite to win the Tour?