Tour de France

[RussellEbertHandball]

Anyone pumped about watching the Tour this year? I am. Yeah I know all the drug cheat stories are disappointing, but it’s still a great event that requires real guts to complete the Tour let alone win it. I caught the second half of the SBS doco last night, Aussie Onslaught: 25 years of Le Tour. Missed the stuff on Phil Anderson in 1981, but its put me in the mood.

Also when I was in Norway in May I caught up with Norwegian mate who I did an MBA with in Australia. I had been saying to him and a colleague in Marseille France that we studied with, that I would visit them for the last 10 years, but never got around to visiting them. Having had to go to Sweden for my brother in laws funeral I could only get to Norway, and I figured you never know when your days are going to be over, so I promised my friends that I would be in Marseille next year for the Tour and I would try to get guys we studied with who now live in Oz, USA, UK, India, Vietnam and Singapore to get to the South of France next year for a couple of weeks and spend 3 or 4 days following the tour.

As a result, I will be watching the race this year even closer than I have for the last decade and a half. The race it self will be wide open this year given the withdrawals from all the doping dramas of the last 12 months. The experts give Cadel Evans and Michael Rogers a chance to get on the podium and some given Evans a chance to win the Yellow Jersey. The Green Jersey will see McEwen and Cooke give it a shake again this year. It will be interesting to see what role the old Port boy Stuey O’Grady takes this year. I don’t think he is fast enough to seriously challenge for the green jersey but he had a great win in April in the Paris-Roubaix a famous single-day professional bicycle road race held in northern France and it is regarded as one of the classics of the European pro cycling calendar. The races nickname is The Hell of the North. He was the first Aussie to win it.

SBS will have at least 2 hours coverage each night like last year and most of the race on the weekends. It starts with the Prologue this Saturday night in London. I look forward toMike Tomalaris chasing to get an interview with the Aussies and interviewing interesting guests, Gabrielle Gates quirky tastes of France, Phill Liggett and Paul Sherwen providing the best double act in sports commentary and the wonderful TV coverage supplied by the France 2 and France 3 TV production teams.

The websites worth checking out during this years tour are;

http://www.letour.fr/indexus.html the official Tour site English home page

http://tdf.sbs.com.au/ SBS’s Tour page. The forum is worth checking out to hear from the real Cycling tragics, some fun stories and people paying out Gabriel Gate.

These Wiki pages are full of info on this Tour and previous ones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France#Statistics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Tour_de_France

And the best internet cycling website in the world, Cycling News, acknowledged by the industry for almost a decade, is actually run out of a whare house offices in Sydney and apart from the Australian time zone clock at the top of the page you would never know it was Australian.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/

 

[Macca19]

Ah the ol' Tour de Pharmacy.

Yeah ill be watching a lot of it.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

Yep, I enjoy watching the tour. Those guys are unbelievably fit and the tactics, when you've got good commentators explaining them, like Phil Liggett and the guy he had with him last year, are fascinating.

The fact that a couple of Aussies are in with a rough chance only makes it more compelling.

Thanks for the links Russ. I didn't know some of them.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

If anyone missed last nights race see if you can catch the highlights package at 5.30pm.

McEwen had a crash with 23km to go. His team mates at Predictor Lotto came back to help him get back into the peleton. He hurt his hand and wrist, which for a sprinter is tough as you ride down hard on your hands at the finish. They got him back to the pelton with 7kms to go and he had to work his way thru 160 riders to have a chance to win or get some decent points. I had my doubts so did Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen. With 400m to go there was no sign of McEwen but out of nowhere he come on in the last 200m and won easy. The gas tank must have been on empty when he crossed the line. A truely great ride by Robbie. He made Hushovd and Boonen look second rate. It's his 12th stage win which equals Zarbel's record and is the most stage wins by any rider in this years tour.

All week he has been promoting SBS's coverage of "Watch Real Tough Guys, riding the Tour." Robbie McEwen you are one tough bastard!!

On Saturday Stuey O'Grady was in for a good time in the Prologue, but clipped a platic barrier with his back wheel on the turn just before the 1km to go kite. He finished 1 min 23 secs behind the leader and probably lost a minute in total. His injury affected him and he didn't even have a go at the sprint finish placing 88th.

And last night on TV, I had Roy and HG's too much sport is barely enough, in full play. At about 11pm to 12.30 am last night on the box;

SBS - Tour de France
ABC - Netball Aust v Jamacia test match
7 - Melb v Carlton game delayed as 7 Sydney had the Fox Sports Syd v Freo game on live in the arvo.
9 - Wimbledon
10 - Grand Prix race from Silverstone.

 

[Hodges 153!]

Anyone pumped about watching the Tour this year? I am.

Hell yes!

Look forward to it, every year.

I was in France in '97 during the race, and spewing because we never crossed paths with it.... We left Bordeux about the day before it came through I think....

The night porter in our Paris hotel was a cycling nut, and was completely blown away that we came from the same city as Stuart O'G!

Hopefully Cadel has a bit of luck and can be right up the pointy end in 3 weeks time.

Little Hodgey who turns 1 next week was going to be named after Cadel, except SHE came out minus the relevent bits....

 

[Macca19]

Was a great stage last night if anyone else watched it.

Ill be honest and say ive not a giant fan of cycling and I dont understand a lot of what goes on in these road races (hill climb leaders, sprint leaders, all the tactics etc) but I think last night showed just how important team tactics and working together as a team in these tours are.

Robbie came off his bike, was a fair way off the main group in the last 15km, but as a team they got him back up there and he literally came from nowhere to win. Was a great stage.

 

[Arsene Wenger]

twas awesome

Apart from the Aussies - Im really hanging for Andreas Kloden To do well - Ive always liked him

Now is a good time to pick your top 3 - here is mine

1 ) Vinikourov
2) Poppvych
3) Kloden

Tom Boonen to win the green jersey from Mcewen

I love the stages in the alps the most !!

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I'm not sure if having both Kloden and Vinokourov on the same team, Astana a Kazakh rescources team, will work to either riders advantage. Kloden has the ability to win and it will be interesting how much he has to sacrifice his own desires to help out Vinokourov to win who as a Kazakh is the team leader.

If any of you who will be watching the next 3 weeks but struggle a bit with all the info/tactics/stages etc about the Tour, may I recommend you to buy the Offical Guide Le Tour, with a green jerseyed Robbie McEwen on the cover, available at newsagents for $12.95. It's basically the official guide that has been translated to English and Australianised. I first bought a copy 2 years ago and it helps you understand the race, the riders, the teams, the history etc. It's great to have next to you as you watch the live coveage at night.

Well done to the Brits for organising such a great stage and Prologue. With the Live Earth concert, recent terrorist attacks, the second year anniversary of the London tube bombings, the officals, police etc would have been under enormous pressure, but they put on a great event that was wonderfully attended by those in SE England. I will try to get to the UK for the 2012 Olympics because I reckon the Poms will put on a great show and the spirit will be very similiar to what I experienced in Sydney.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Opphs nightly highlight packages as follows;

5.30pm Fox Sports
6.00pm SBS. Also for the first time SBS has a 7.20am highlights package every morning for 5 to 10 minutes.

And Baden Cooke isn't in this years Tour. not sure why not but I saw an interview with him a few weeks ago and he was all set to go.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

I bet Cwaigy is pumped.

 

[morell]

Tour de Put-me-to-sleep.

They should be given weapons, Road Rash style.

 

[portentous]

I can't believe that Robbie managed to win that stage-pure guts to come back from where he was. Hope it hasn't taken too much out of him-but I'd love to see SOG do well too.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

Quite an impressive pile up in the closing stages of yesterdays race. I haven't seen one for ages where a crash has prevented almost the whole peleton from riding past.

 

[RoosterLad]

I was gutted last night when I learnt Oz had been replaced by bike riding drug addicts.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Was a great stage last night if anyone else watched it.

Ill be honest and say ive not a giant fan of cycling and I dont understand a lot of what goes on in these road races (hill climb leaders, sprint leaders, all the tactics etc) but I think last night showed just how important team tactics and working together as a team in these tours are.

Robbie came off his bike, was a fair way off the main group in the last 15km, but as a team they got him back up there and he literally came from nowhere to win. Was a great stage.

Was an unbelievable effort by Robbie. His team only got him back to the main pack after his fall with 5 kms to go ... then he had to make his way through the field without his team ... only to blow them away.

It's fantastic now SBS are giving us extended coverage.

 

[Arsene Wenger]

wow last nights stage was awesome - the two belgians led for so long and were joined by two others and it looked as thought they would do the unthinkable and do a successful breakway all the way to the finish. They ****ed around and the peloton caught them on the final straight. Incredible win by the current yellow jersey holder Fabian Cancellara - stormed home!!!

Top 10 (after stage 3)

1. CANCELLARA Fabian 33 TEAM CSC 15:12:08
2. KLÖDEN Andréas 196 ASTANA 15:12:41 + 00:00:33
3. MILLAR David 201 SAUNIER DUVAL - PRODIR 15:12:49 + 00:00:41
4. HINCAPIE George 114 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 15:12:51 + 00:00:43
5. WIGGINS Bradley 149 COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 15:12:51 + 00:00:43
6. GUSEV Vladimir 113 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 15:12:53 + 00:00:45
7. BOONEN Tom 171 QUICK STEP - INNERGETIC 15:12:54 + 00:00:46
8. KARPETS Vladimir 15 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 15:12:54 + 00:00:46
9. HUSHOVD Thor 101 CREDIT AGRICOLE 15:12:57 + 00:00:49
10. ASTARLOZA Mikel 73 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI

http://www.letour.com/2007/TDF/LIVE/us/300/classement/index.html

My man Kloden is there !

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I'll have to watch the highlights, fell asleep with about 40kms to go and woke up about 2.30am. Did that a few times last year.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Was watching tonight's coverage where Phil Liggett and Mike Tomalaris reviewed yesterdays race and previewed todays. Phil Liggett made a very interesting comment. Yesterday's race was the slowest flat section since 1998. Liggett said it was probaly because of the drugs issue, ie lack of them. He said that the riders probably are conserving engery given that they have done an overnighter on the boat over from England, a couple of long stages and long drives at the end of the day to the start of the next stage. and are probably clean, so they don't have the extra energy.

It was the most blunt I have ever heard Liggett talk about drugs, he tends to dodge the issue.

 

[Butane]

I didn't hear those comments, but i was wondering the same thing last night when i was watching the race. Maybe the lack of drugs, will effect the the quality of break away's. I don't think anyone who watched Landis' massive break away last year will forget it, it wasn't human. I was confident he was on drugs then, but if a rider did that now, he would almost be found guilty of drugs before they even took a sample.

 

[thefamilyguy]

And Baden Cooke isn't in this years Tour. not sure why not but I saw an interview with him a few weeks ago and he was all set to go.

Baden Cooke hurt his back a few weeks ago which stopped him from riding.

My top three

1 Kloden
2 Michael Rasmussen
3 Cadel Evans

 

[Hodges 153!]

Ah crap....

STUART O'Grady has escaped serious spinal injuries after a horrendous eighth stage of the Tour de France which saw three Australians end their campaigns.

O'Grady and Michael Rogers both suffered injuries after separate crashes, while Robbie McEwan was forced to pull out of the event after finishing the stage late.

O'Grady's Tour ended when he crashed on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend climb, which took a costly toll on the peloton.

After being put on a special stretcher, used in case of eventual spinal injuries, he was taken immediately to hospital in nearby Moutiers where he underwent x-rays and was undergoing an MRI scan.

<snip>

Go Cadel!

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Yeah I was watching last night when Rogers decided to break away from the other top 10 GC riders and chased Rasmussen up the hill. He got so far ahead of the peleton that he actually was infront on the yellow jersey time and if he had stuck with Rasmussen he had a 40 second advantage over him. Flicked over for about a minute or two and then came back and saw that Rogers had a crash on a downhill after that first category one climb. Spaniard David Arroyo crashed behind him but he flipped over the barrier and down the hill, but his fall was broken by bushes. He was bloody lucky he didn't impale himself on that barrier. Rogers was the first back on his bike and eventually caught the other 4 riders on the downhill part and looked ok, but once they started the second climb you could see he was in trouble.

Then half an hour later Ligget and Sherwen tell me that O'Grady has crashed out. Looks like he might be in serious trouble, luckily no spinal damage as was the first concerns.

And this morning I heard a report that McEwen would be timed out of the race. You have to finish within about 15% of the 1st place rider or you are eliminated (this % varies for the amount of hill climbs and their gradings). It's confirmed that Robbie is out!!!

I think you have to go back to 1918 to find a worse day for Aussies on French soil.

http://tdf.sbs.com.au/index.php?pid=news&cid=364

Rogers joins list of Alps withdrawals

Downfall ... Rogers fell off his bike at 60km/h and despite a brave effort to ride on he was forced to withdraw during stage eight / AFP
Stage 8 - Le-Grand Bornand and Tignes


Australian Michael Rogers was forced to end his Tour de France bid prematurely after a crash during the eighth stage from Le-Grand Bornand and Tignes left him with a number of injuries.

Stage recap: For more action from Stage 8 of the Tour, click here.

Rogers was in the virtual yellow jersey and travelling in excess of 60km/h when a sudden braking manoeuvre brought him down on a left hand bend near the bottom of the tricky Cormet de Roselend descent.

His crash occurred at the 110km mark of the 165 km stage, which ends with the first summit finish of the race.

Spaniard David Arroyo, who rides for the Caisse d'Epargne team, also crashed but he ended up over a wooden railing at the side of the road.

Rogers avoided going over the barrier just in time, but was later seen complaining of a right hand injury. He also appeared to have an injured knee, and later told the race doctor he had a sore shoulder.

Arroyo was later seen getting treatment to an injured left hand from the race's official doctor, travelling alongside on a motorbike.

Rogers appeared at first unhurt but after he went on to chase the five other riders who had been with them at the front of the stage it was clear his right hand was in pain.

The Australian, a former three-time world time trial champion, came into the Tour nursing a knee injury.

He was later attended to by the official race doctor, Gerard Porte, who said that Rogers would likely finish the stage but was in pain.

"He says he's got a sore shoulder, and he's got cuts and grazes but they are largely superficial," said Porte.

"He's in pain obviously, but it looks like he will be able to finish the stage."

Moments later, Rogers decided enough was enough and got off his bike. He was immediately taken in to the T-Mobile team car.

Rogers was forced to abandon barely half an hour after his compatriot Stuart O'Grady, of CSC, was also forced out of the race due to a crash on the same descent.

Sunday's eighth stage is the second consecutive day of racing in the Alps, and includes six climbs in total - three of which are graded category one - and the race's first summit finish.

Monday is the first of two rest days on the Tour, while Tuesday's ninth stage featurs the first unclassified climbs of the race - the Col d'Iseran and the Col du Galibier.

http://tdf.sbs.com.au/index.php?pid=news&cid=355

Aussies out as Tour gets cruel

Crash and burn ... O'Grady's Tour de France is over after a crash that has left him with fractured ribs, a punctured lung and a shoulder fracture / AFP
Stage 8 - Le-Grand Bornand to Tignes


Stuart O'Grady was rushed to hospital with suspected spinal injuries while Michael Rogers dislocated a collarbone on a brutal Stage 8 of the Tour de France.

O'Grady was later found to have escaped serious spinal injuries, according to hospital officials who treated him after his crash .
Fellow Australian Michael Rogers was forced to end his Tour de France bid prematurely after a crash during the stage from Le-Grand Bornand and Tignes left him with a number of injuries, including a dislocated collarbone.

Horror descent decimates Tour field

O'Grady's Tour ended when he crashed on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend climb, which took a costly toll on the peloton.

After being put on a special stretcher, used in case of eventual spinal injuries, he was taken immediately to hospital in nearby Moutiers where he underwent x-rays and was undergoing an MRI scan.

According to hospital officials O'Grady suffered fractures on five of his front ribs, three fractures in his back lower ribs, a punctured lung and a shoulder fracture.

X-rays and an MRI scan ruled out any spinal damage.

Earlier, his compatriot Michael Rogers, of T-Mobile, was left with hand, knee and shoulder injuries after a crash near the bottom of the descent. He was also forced out of the race.

Rogers was in the virtual yellow jersey and travelling in excess of 60km/h when a sudden braking manoeuvre brought him down on a left hand bend.

He was later diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder.

The Canberra native later returned to the team hotel, where he was left lamenting what was a great chance to take control of the race.

"It's a real shame because I could see the yellow jersey," he said.

"One moment I was in the lead, the next I was lying on the ground with my back wheel where my front wheel should have been.

"But honestly, I can't complain because that's cycling."

O'Grady, the winner of the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic in April, was one of the team support riders for CSC's Spaniard Carlos Sastre.

http://tdf.sbs.com.au/index.php?pid=news&cid=362

Sprint king McEwen forced out of Tour

Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen was forced out of the Tour de France after finishing the tough eighth stage outside the race's permitted time limit on Sunday.

McEwen, of the Predictor-Lotto team, joined Italian Danilo Napolitano and Frenchman Cedric Herve in being disqualified for finishing the race outside the cut-off time of just over 40 minutes.

McEwen finished 1hr 9min 22sec behind stage winner Michael Rasmussen of Denmark, with Herve finishing 49 min 57sec adrift and Napolitano 1hr 16min 33sec.

McEwen, a former three-time winner of the race's green jersey for the points competition, won the first stage of the race in Canterbury, England after battling back from a crash late in the stage.

He had been riding with injuries since then, and admitted as late as Saturday that he had been competing at 80 percent.

According to the race organisers' co-effient for the race's eighth stage, which included six climbs in total and the first summit finish, the cut-off time was set at 40min 34sec.

Michael Rogers, of T-Mobile, was in the virtual race lead when he crashed out of the race while travelling in excess of 60km/h on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend.

He got back on his bike but less than an hour later he abandoned with apparent injuries to his right hand, shoulder and knee.

Compatriot Stuart O'Grady, of the CSC team, was taken to hospital after he also crashed on the descent of the Cormet de Roselend climb.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/?id=/features/2007/tour_images_rest07

Tales from the peloton, July 16, 2007
Rest day reasoning
By Greg Johnson

Crashes, music, Hollywood look-a-like stars, a devil, a hornet and dignitaries. With action that hot on Stage 8, it's little wonder le Tour de France is taking a rest day today to cool off. While El Diablo was dancing down the road, Australian cycling fans were sharing the pain of their countrymen contesting the Tour following one of the most devastating days in recent history to its competitors.

What looked to be Australian glory as Michael Rogers (T-Mobile) went down the road, soon turned to turmoil for the general classification rider. Rogers crashed out on the same bend where Johan Bruyneel found himself hanging over the cliff, holding on to a tree branch, in the early 90s. The 27 year-old was the virtual yellow jersey at the time of his fall, which has reportedly left the rider with hand, knee and shoulder injuries.

Shortly after Rogers' tumble, South Australian Stuart O'Grady hit the tarmac hard and impacted with a guard rail after sliding out on a bend. O'Grady, who experienced glory in France after becoming the first Australian Paris-Roubaix victor in April, is out of the Tour with fractures to five of his front ribs, three in his back lower ribs, a punctured lung and a fracture shoulder.

While the Tour de France felt a touch of Hollywood when Astana's leader Alexandre Vinokourov was escorted to the start by a Vinnie Jones look-a-like body guard, and riders got a glimpse of Borat along the stage, it was no star finish for Predictor-Lotto's Robbie McEwen. The second mountains stage proved too much for the Belgium-residing sprinter, with McEwen not able to make the time cut off.

The trio's loss from the field places Down Under's Tour hopes on McEwen's teammate Cadel Evans. The former mountainbiker who currently holds sixth on general classification is assured the full dedication of his remaining Predictor-Lotto teammates now that the squad's star sprinter has been sidelined. Evans and AG2r Prévoyance's Simon Gerrens, who holds 70th on GC, are the only remaining Australians in this year's field.

While the riders take a day to themselves, here's some of the colourful action from the second mountain's stage.

Here is a picture of Stuey in great pain.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2...tos/2007/features/tour_images_rest07/DV209413

 

[Arsene Wenger]

Really disappointing night for the Aussies. Gee you have to feel for both Stuey and Rogers - Rogers was flying and it was cruel to see him slide back through the pack and eventually retire.

Rasmussen showed again that he is probably the best climber. If only he could improve his time trailing hed be a general threat for the big prize. Cadel was solid as were Kloden and Vino. Much needed day off but boy last night was incident packed and great viewing.

 

[Hodges 153!]

Really disappointing night for the Aussies. Gee you have to feel for both Stuey and Rogers - Rogers was flying and it was cruel to see him slide back through the pack and eventually retire.

Rasmussen showed again that he is probably the best climber. If only he could improve his time trailing hed be a general threat for the big prize. Cadel was solid as were Kloden and Vino. Much needed day off but boy last night was incident packed and great viewing.

Was it he that put in a 'crash test dummy' effort a while back?

Couldnt do that again surely!

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Rasmussen has to improve his time trials and he is well aware of it. I guess he is a good example of why the polka dot jersey has some value. A bloke who can climb, probably can't win the yellow but is prepared to have a crack in the mountains. I wonder if the likely hood that there are no drugs or should I say a lot less than in previous years helps his cause. He is aware of his time trial problems.

http://www.letour.fr/2007/TDF/LIVE/us/800/journal_etape.html

Michael Rasmussen - "Everything is possible..."

He’s won the King of the Mountains crown for the last two years thanks largely to two days on powerful attacking and Michael Rasmussen found the energy for another coup today. The rider nicknamed ’Chicken’ flew away from the field on the Cormet de Roseland, into the lead on the final ascent and onward to victory at the summit in Tignes. The winner of stage eight now also owns the yellow and polka-dot jerseys.

“The goal at the start of the day was to get rid of all the frustration of not riding for the victory yesterday. I got caught a little off guard and today I made up for it. We tried to keep the race under control today. The break was always within striking distance and, at the bottom of the Roseland climb, so I saw my opportunity.

“It was quite surprising that I was able to put time into the peloton on the second last climb because it wasn’t really suitable for riding alone – there was a lot of wind and the ascent was not particularly steep – but at the end there was quite a big battle behind me and everybody was suffering as much as I did at the front.

“I have a very strong team, we’ve proven that in the last couple of days so everything is possible, including defending both jerseys. The Pyrenees are even harder than the Alpine stages so everything is still wide open and I still have to negotiate 110km of time trialing and that’s not exactly my specialty so I think I need to be realistic about yellow… but the polka-dot jersey is what I’m most interested in and I think I can defend that well.”