K2 / Proflex Riders Group
General => Tech Forum => Topic started by: Ionit on July 08, 2004, 12:35:58 pm
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Has anyone been following the tour. It's been exciting watching since this could be Lance’s 6 time winning in a row.
Although The American postal service team is ultra fast (average speed for team time trial was 53.7 k/h.)
I want to see Tyler Hamilton, Iban Mayo or Jan Ulrich pressure Lance for the title.
My bets are on Jan this year.
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I definitely think we'll see some serious pressure toward the end of this one. However, I'm not sure any of it will come from Mayo after he got held back the other day.
I still think Lance will pull it off (barring some unforeseen accident, which is always a possibility). He's got a team that is just too good, and he ain't half bad himself. I really think all of the hype about him not being as fast as in previous years is just that - hype. He's too good a tactician to really let people know how good he is. If he hadn't gotten dehydrated/sick last year, he would have dominated just like in previous years. I think he's still got plenty of it in him.
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"chances favor the prepared mind" or in this case the prepared team.
Mayo's disasterous stage could have been minimized with better team work.
Lance's only weakness is his over confidence in his preparation itself. Details like forgeting to eat or drink nearly cost him the tour a couple times. I always felt it was team director whose is suppose to check on Lance about these things, but perhaps in the past Lance felt it was covered. Lets hope they've got it covered after the lapse again last year.
Oh yeah, Phonak and Tyler Hamilton are impressive so far. Jan is known to do better duing the later part of the tour so everything is still a toss up. ::)
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Watching the Postal Team and Lance is like watching the Ferrari Formula 1 team with Michael.
best driver (rider), best car (bike-maybe, not nearly as important in cycling), best team, best strategist and tactician, best preparation.
Mayo is basically out of the overall.
My bets:
1. Lance
2. Tyler (unless he falls off)
3. Jan
in that order.
we'll see what happens. its enjoyable to watch Lance try for six (I am also enjoying watching Michael Schumacher win almost every race), although I am sick of Sheryl Crow acting like they've been "in love" for a long time.
[smiley=groucho.gif]
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Anyone else having trouble accessing Tour-related websites? I can only get VeloNews right now. Cyclingnews, and even Roadbikereview haven't been available for 2 days now. Several other good sites as well. Kind of annoying.
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Matno.
another good site (which is up) is http://www.olntv.com.
they have short articles after every stage from Roll, Liggett, Sherwen, and Carmichael.
enjoy the tour!!
[smiley=groucho.gif]
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Defiantly OLN online is the best resource. It has allot of video footage to.
I Hope Ulich, Armtong, and tyler are executing some kind of strategy right now.
That crash on stage eight was miserable I wonder why Lance put himself so far back in the peleton to get held up in that way.
I have to admit he is still in a good position for the mountain stage.
Things are about to get more definite now.
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I have to giggle when the announcers say that this 205 KM stage is for sprinters.
The next couple of weeks of riding will tell the tale.
I :-* those Podium girls, too!
[smiley=beer.gif]
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I :-* those Podium girls, too!
[smiley=beer.gif]
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=distractions_jul04
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Watching the Postal Team and Lance is like watching the Ferrari Formula 1 team with Michael.
best driver (rider), best car (bike-maybe, not nearly as important in cycling),
[smiley=groucho.gif]
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=2341
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www.letour.fr
for live coverage of the tour
Sprucey
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What I want to know is what LeMond's problem is...http://www.velonews.com/tour2004/news/articles/6571.0.html
Why's he always badmouthing Lance?? Jealousy bug perhaps?
Anyhow the Tour starts tomorrow...we'll see how Voekler hangs...
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maybe LeMond has a point [smiley=disbelief.gif]
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Anybody have any evidence?? [smiley=blankstare.gif]
Maybe LeMond was doping...
I'd be curious to see if Trek sends a couple of thugs to explain to Greg that their TDF winner works for the same parent company as Greg's [smiley=laughing.gif]
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I am not trying to beat on Lance, although he should'nt be surprised or too upset that most of Europe is ! But cycling has not proven itself to be a particularly drug free sport over the years, and it would'nt surprise me if LeMond or other past greats did stuff they weren't supposed to, maybe he is relating his personal experiences to Lance. As for evidence, just because an individual hasn't been caught does not mean he is innocent. I guess I'm a little cynical after watching events unfold with track & field, Balco, Millar, Festina etc.
Still, Lance is a hero and I hope he wins again!
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Let's forget about the doping untill there is any proof. If I'm not too late I would like to place my bets on Armstrong. I'm no Armstrong fan at all (the tour has been won by more exciting riders) but I have to admit he is much better than the rest. And ofcourse: the rest is to blame. You can't blame Armstrong or his team for being the strongest, but you can blame the rest for being a lot weaker than last years.
Some competition would be nice... (Forza Basso! Allez Voeckler!)
Jeroen.
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well, I will admit I was wrong about Hamilton, although I did say he might crash. I was also wrong about Ullrich.
anyway, I hope Basso gives Armstrong a good run for his money, although I still believe Armstrong will win.
I don't know what LeMond's deal is, but I've read that he and Armstrong have never gotten along, although it is true as someone said above that they are both connected to the same company.
I am also happy to see Voeckler keep yellow for so long, I think its great to see young unknowns come to the fore.
well, go Lance! Forza Basso!
[smiley=groucho.gif]
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Bummer about Tyler...
ALLEZ VOEKLER [smiley=nod.gif]
Kloden isn't looking too bad either, and Basso looks great! Too bad he doesn't time trial well...we may see his deficit to Lance grow on the last two TT's.
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Jeroen, good points [smiley=beer.gif]
Voekler is riding as best he knows how. Ho rode the mountains very unconventional but still held onto his first place standings in GC.
Lance is Lance, incredible preparation, best team and support.
I do wish that Tyler and Jan and even Iban (Mayo) were still a threat or a challenge. Basso is there but someone said he doesn't TT well. Kloden is there, too, if something tragic happens.
Go Podium Girls :-*
[smiley=beer.gif]
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The "Blue Train" is rolling. US Postal has assembled a very well prepared team but I would personally like to see Basso press Lance greatly for the next week. The Tour is unpredictable, forecasts of winners are mirky at best......in Bob Roll's words...."that's why they have the bicycle race". Dan.
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Indeed: the final result of the Tour will always be unpredictable (therefor the game), but unfortunately the way some riders and teams are going to prepare for the Tour will become more and more predictable: build a team and year only for the Tour. I would love to get payed what the teammates of Lance get payed, but I would hate the fact that my one and only goal for the year then would be making pace for Lance for one or two days in the Tour, on some colls. That's a sad side effect, magnified by Lance and Bruyneel.
Jeroen
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I wonder how Basso or Jan would do with the support of US Postal. Perhaps the declared winner should be a team and not a single person. I think the last week is going to be VERY interesting. What a great sport. We have OLN and my nonriding wife is hooked on watching the stages each evening. She was really sadden by Tyler Hamiltons problems and is massively impressed by the young French rider wearing yellow for so long.
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lance has just won today's stage ( Monday) - the guy is invincible.
I might bring a TV to work tomorrow just to watch the individual time trial up to Alpe D'huez - it's hard in a car let alone on a bike!
Sprucey
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I wish I could see it at work. We have a TV but the local channels here don't broadcast the Tour.
I'm stuck getting the news each day when I get home.
lance really shot up the ranks a few stages back and it looks like he's still going. I'm really eating my words now.
I hoped Hamilton, Ulrich, or Mayo had more motive to win and dethrone lance. Now I'm beginning to doubt my first prediction.
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Jan is doing fine without his team. How can you get any better then 3rd just by giving him a better team. It's is all up to him now.
Along with Ivan Baso. He is trailing Lance by a hair. Where did he come from. He was never really high on my radar until this year.
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lance has just won today's stage ( Monday) - the guy is invincible.
I might bring a TV to work tomorrow just to watch the individual time trial up to Alpe D'huez - it's hard in a car let alone on a bike!
Sprucey
Mark, Didn't you ride a stage this year???
[smiley=beer.gif]
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Perhaps the declared winner should be a team and not a single person.
They have a team category too. It's just not as prestigious as the individual classification.
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Lance's preparation was shown last night.He took of on his sprint and knew exactly how fast he cold go round thatlast sweeper,got a couple of lengths on Basso right there.How does the team thicompetitipn work?Points based on eac individuals finish or a total accumulated time.Rasmussen is my hero,Voekler has the most unlikely style whilst Basso looks pretty stylish....
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I'm pretty sure the team competition is determined by the cumulative team time...
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"The Sopranos"
Wow, this year tour is almost like watching "The Sopranos" with Lance playing the part of Tony Soprano. A likeable patron leader who you don't want to get on the wrong side of by breaking the mob rules.
Poor Filippo Simeoni. He may use the legal system to fight Lance but he forgot that the Patron of the Tour can exercise his wrath in the tour with great effect. Lance appears to have a lot of peleton support for his actions.
"Forget about it"