2008 Tour de France

[Oh8ch]

I recall driving my car through the mountains just outside Ogden, Utah several years ago and being passed by a bicycle on the downhill. Even if I had those kind of nerves they don't make a bicycle tire I trust that much.

I have also been working my way through a historical book about the tour. I am up to the 1940s and the roads they used through the mountains had still not been paved. Nor was anyone sissified enough to wear anything resembling a helmet.

Talk about something that will make your ass pucker up like Mili in a Hawaian jail with a cell full of 300 lb gay Samoans.

I heard about that incident. I wonder how much he paid to have them let him in.

 

[Taosman]

I limit my down hill speed to 40-ish. Higher than that wind gusts(it's windy here) will put you in the cactus! :( I haven't had any major get offs. Lucky or cautious?

Back to Le Tour; The Tour is still up for grabs with 6 riders in contention. The next 2 mountain stages will tell the tale! Time must be put on Evans or it comes down to the time trial and Evans is the best, still.

 

[Folanator]

I have also been working my way through a historical book about the tour. I am up to the 1940s and the roads they used through the mountains had still not been paved. Nor was anyone sissified enough to wear anything resembling a helmet.

They also used to smoke before the big climbs. They thought it used to "open up" their lungs.

 

[BUCKYLE]

They also used to smoke before the big climbs. They thought it used to "open up" their lungs.

Now that's a sport I can get on board with.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Now that's a sport I can get on board with.

Damn right. Iif I could get a little cart so they can pull my ass around while I smoke and drink, I'll be living right.

 

[Oh8ch]

Damn right. Iif I could get a little cart so they can pull my ass around while I smoke and drink, I'll be living right.

Alcohol was part of it also. They drank to help kill the pain of the long rides.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Alcohol was part of it also. They drank to help kill the pain of the long rides.

Awesome. Now I just have to convince one of these nuts that this is a far better bike for them to be riding:

 

[Folanator]

Here ya go BK...

 

[BB73]

Here ya go BK...

That thing's mobile, has alcohol, and is made of wood. BK would never get away from it.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I hit almost 55 at Ironman Lake Placid. Talk about something that will make your ass pucker up like Mili in a Hawaian jail with a cell full of 300 lb gay Samoans.

Hit 49.5 (by my speedometer anyway) near the bottom of a back hill heading down towards Wailua (North Shore)...I will eventually crack 50.

I always carry plenty of bail money...

 

[BUCKYLE]

Hit 49.5 (by my speedometer anyway) near the bottom of a back hill heading down towards Wailua (North Shore)...I will eventually crack 50.

I always carry plenty of bail money...

Cash, huh? Ever ride alone, through a remote area at night?

 

[BB73]

It was a good day for Cadel Evans. Menchov lost 35 seconds on the descent, Vande Velde lost 2:36 after dropping back on the second big climb.

Evans should easily gain more than a minute on Schleck and Kohl in Saturday's time trial, so he just needs to stay with them through tomorrow's stage, which includes Alpe D'Huez.

Once again, here are the riders relevant to this vbet:

00:01 Frank Schleck (leader)
00:07 Bernhard Kohl ("field")
00:08 Cadel Evans
00:49 Carlos Sastre
01:13 Denis Menchov
03:15 Christian Vande Velde ("field")
03:23 Kim Kirchen
04:11 Alejandro Valverde
07:43 Damiano Cunego
09:01 Andy Schleck
19:48 Yaroslav Popovych
22:05 Stefan Schumacher ("field")
60:29 Haimar Zubeldia
OUT- Riccardo Ricco (kicked out for doping)
OUT- Juan Jose Cobo (team pulled out after Ricco tested positive)
OUT- Oscar Pereiro - fell on the descent Sunday, broken arm
OUT- Stjin Devolder

Here were the standings of the first 6 before this stage started:

00:01 Frank Schleck (leader)
00:07 Bernhard Kohl ("field")
00:08 Cadel Evans (former leader)
00:38 Denis Menchov
00:39 Christian Vande Velde ("field")
00:49 Carlos Sastre

 

[Folanator]

I was dissapointed with today. I think the guys are scared to death about tomorrows stage to ADH.

If I was CSC I would tried to push Cadel a hell of a lot more than they did. They had 3 or maybe 4 guys in the Yellow group and they just rode hard tempo? WT fuck is that? Not a single attack by Sastre or either brother??? Grow a freeken pair and see if Schleck can stay behind his brother and ride then all off their wheel. At least get a little time.

Evans is going to beat them by 2-3 min on a 56 km time trial. That means that are betting their entire tour that Cadel will loose at least that ammount tomorrow.

Very risky game plan IMO. CSC is so strong, hell no other GC guys has more than one team mate in the front group. I think they are riding like chicken shits.

EDIT: Bad day for the Americans. Hencappie should have won the stage but he got dropped at the very top of the last hill. Also bad day for Vandevelde. Dissapointed to say the least.

 

[Oh8ch]

Vande Velde lost 2:36 after dropping back on the second big climb.

He actually lost 35 seconds on the climb and then crashed on the descent with two other riders.

I was dissapointed with today.

+1

I was hoping for more attacks, but I wonder if anyone had much more to give over the pace that was being set - and Evans has no reason to attack. Pretty dangerous for the non-time trialers to leave it to the last hill stage.

Hencappie should have won the stage but he got dropped at the very top of the last hill.

His comments were interesting. He thought he could get it back on the descent - but admitted he had problems with nerves.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Bike racing can be dangerous.