Le Tour de Pharmaceutical

Sadly, many of these "cheats" pay the ultimate price. There are a hell of a lot of American footballers (the Zoggy curse) and baseballers who drop dead well before 60. And then there's FloJo, of course.

Todays stage. Looks like another one for the sprinters.

Blimey, Oz has let itself go. The council wants to do something about the state of the yellow brick road.

Bradley Wiggins out of the Tour with a busted collarbone. That's bad luck as he would have been one of the big chances to be on the podium in Paris.

Just seeing the Sky riders and management being interviewed about the day's events in front of the team vehicles featuring "News Corporation" as one of the sponsors... not a good few days all round for them!

Cavendish within touching distance of green now, though not that many opportunities remaining for him to get big points. Apart from actually getting through the mountain stages within the time limits, I guess the major problem could be rivals who are stronger climbers picking up intermediate sprint points on the tougher stages.

Looks like its the turn of the climbers today. Perhaps Cadel into yellow?

That's more like it. Make those drug-adled farkers ride a vertical kilometre. Feel the burn.

Another climbing stage today. It will be interesting to see if BMC adopt the same tactics that they did yesterday that prevented Evans from challenging for the Yellow. It did, however, show that cadel will be in shape for the serious mountain stages next week.

Yesterday was funny - Cadel finished as close to Gilbert than Thor finished to Cadel (as far as distance on the road goes) yet Gilbert got 3 seconds on Cadel and Cadel and Thor had the same time.

Anyway, good to see that BMC aren't obsessed with the yellow. I still think Andy Shleck is going to win it all though.

Big Dog wrote:Another climbing stage today. It will be interesting to see if BMC adopt the same tactics that they did yesterday that prevented Evans from challenging for the Yellow. It did, however, show that cadel will be in shape for the serious mountain stages next week.

Huzzah, another vertical km. Pooey Mary looks a bitch.

Huge crash on the descent from Col du Perthus I think. The No 1 rider from Lotto looks like he's cactus. And Contador had a fall earlier as well.

Cadel OK?

Yep. Will switch back now that the GP is over.

OMG
A couple of riders (Flecha & Hoogerland) in the 5 man breakaway just got knocked off their bikes by a car.

FFS ... a car full of incompetent bogans knocks two riders out of the breakaway group.

new Tour leader, and he's French

Rest day today.

Sorry to jump ahead but FMD, here is the last 10km of Stage 19 up Alpe d'Huez. I just sent this to my boss who is cycling up it this week.

lardbucket wrote:FFS ... a car full of incompetent bogans knocks two riders out of the breakaway group.

I know Murdoch's not exactly popular right now, but taking out a Sky cyclist with a car is taking it to extremes!

Here's the first:

Alexandr Kolobnev became the first rider to be forced out of the Tour de France after an A sample from the Katusha rider tested positive for a banned substance

Another climbing stage today:

regarding the two riders who limped in after being mown down the other day ... it's hard to believe they can continue ... any word?

Shouldn't be too much movement at the top of the GC though.

Thursday's stage is going to be the cracker.

lardbucket wrote:regarding the two riders who limped in after being mown down the other day ... it's hard to believe they can continue ... any word?

Hoogerland had 33 stitches. Both riders are continuing according to the latest press.

Big Dog wrote:Another climbing stage today:

They're just small undulations. It should be a day for the sprinters unless a breakaway succeeds.

Agree about Thursday. Col du Tourmalet is the toughest climb in the Pyranees.