IRW
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A pretty straightforward day although two crashes near the end spiced it up a bit..and didnt the leading teams put the hammer down to get clear of that. It was a reminder of the tension that must be in the Peleton most of the time,no matter how it looks.Nice to see a bit of a BMC 'train' going,hopefully this year they can do that in the mts because Cadel wont want to do it alone uphill again
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Thanks for that.I reckon Wiggins made a statement yesterday,Cadel will probably ignore him for a while but he wont be able to rely on the last time trial this time.
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Hincapie is the American of course and the the two new climbers are from Belgium.Given that there isnt much to do in Belgium beyond drinking good beer and riding I guess they will be pretty useful. Cadel did seem very exposed last year when the Schleks were ganging up on him
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I read somwhere that Evans had added two solid climbers to help him in the mountains as well as keeping Lances old team mate from Radio Shack. (the one who didnt do drugs). I guess there are two favourites baring the accidents which seem to happen early in the tour.
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Here we go,only a couple of hours away now.Blokes in funny costumes are checking tbemselves out in the mirror before their fleeting moment of .....fame?...Hopefully the man in the lime green mankini from the Giro Italia isnt around. I know nothing but Wiggins for the Yellow with Cadel brave in defeat. Sky gets a double with Crenshaw winning Green and Thomas De Gente (my smokey) to win a mountain stage somewhere.....All baring accidents and blood tests of course
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You're probably right,.I couldnt work out what team De Gante was riding for anyway because he was just grinding up the mountain solo,having left the leaders and his team mates wobbling in his wake. All the talk is Evans v Wiggins but there is always a wildcard and all the obvious ones might crash at any time.Toughest sport outside of the real Rugby I reckon, but even so injuries do matter
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Yep I immediately thought it was a chemical powered assault myself but the commentators ran through his years results and you could make a case that he was just 'stepping up',breakout year and all that. Who knows? I assume they all have dabbled at some stage ,they all know it and they have their own secret set of 'rules' over whats right and wrong. Getting caught is wrong because the whole team suffers and the sponsors are right [censored] off. A bit like with Tiger in the golf. Lance would be vilified because of the effect on the sport as a whole, unlike deadset cheats like Contador who are just small fish at the end of the day. Of course the Great Eddie Merkxx (sp?) was caught but that was way back when and everyone is happy to ' forget' about it. ........Matt Goss announced as Green Edges designated sprinter with Stuey O'Ogrady doing a Junior MacDonald to keep the new team organised
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Did anyone see De Gant plunder the field in the Giro Italia? He made a nearly 10 minute turn around on the race in one stage,first on the flat then he broke away and buried them in the brutal climb to a snowy finish and penultimate Stage win.He's a gun Time Trialer as well apparantly and his form recently has been a quantum step up over previous years. Maybe a smokey for the Yellow Jersey in Le Tour.
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Thats good to know..I read recently that Gilbert sledged Cadel ruthlessly back in about 2005, in his first tour, when he brazenly joine a break away group...told him to 'F off'. Evans ignored him and the two were enemies for some years. No longer apparantly and now that he's a proven winner they will all be riding to support him.
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Team support is obviously so important.....lead out riders for the sprinters and domestiques to burn tbemselves out for the yellow jersey chance. Armstrong always obviously had great support and the Schleks always seem to threaten just on the basis of their partnership. Even last year Cadel seemed to be doing a lot of the work himself,though he had varicose vein man to help him. I hope you're correct that BMC is even stronger this year....another year older ,the lad is going to need support.
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Remembering,and reading about 1964 is a wonderful memory.I dont know that it means the Dees will win on Sunday,though the odds are better than 50/50 I guess. In any case I wouldnt want to be kicking into this Northerly tonight......or riding into it either. If Cadel is a once only winner it seems that he is at least a 'clean' winner
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Hun reports Thomas Voeckler is doubtful through injury.. Wiggins vs Evans looking the matchup from here.
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He's appealing I think so who knows. Sammy Sanchez seems to be thereabouts whenever I turn on Eurosports TV........I suspect the team set up will be what makes the difference in the end even though the pr machine focuses on the leaders......Cadel was quite an old winner last year,he may be 'past it'.......btw I suspect they all need at least a bit of 'big head' and a lot of crazy.....hard head as well just to keep going........a few pills possibly wont hurt and all the other riders seem to understand.Its just the getting caught that upsets their team mates.
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Thomas Voeckler wore yellow before Andy Schlek.Big Thor Hushovd had it for a while though he's a sprinter....and really smart I reckon .The current favourite seems to be pommie Bradley Wiggins who apparantly is in form at the right time.Frank Schlek might be be a shot he always looks ominous to me,but then I have no idea what I'm talking about and it might just be the brotjer helping brother thing...the Radio Shack team always looks really well organised. Frank probably falls down at the time trial stage when up against Cadel. But Wiggins for me and he has a couple of Aussies in his team along with Mark Cavendish for stage end excitement
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Just as interesting as Cadel going for Yellow back to back will be Oz's Orica/Green Edge team.They wont be chasing Yellow as I understand it but they do have a sprinter who might chase Green..Mat Goss with the experience of Stuey O'Grady to hold the show together out on the road................... Add a climber or two to protect Goss and I imagine they will be hoping for at least one stage win. .................. The Tour reminds me of yachting in the way that the Winner the muppet punter knows about (Line Honours /Yellow Jersey) isnt always the big story that the cognescenti value.....stage wins,climbers and heroic 'domestiques/ handicap winners or division two performance in light and shifty air).. Bring it on I reckon,along with the 'kissing clapping girls at the end of each stage....do you think they draw straws to see who has to wear the polka dot dress?
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Just a heads up. .Le Tour beckons ....only a couple of weeks away now.. No Andy Schlek,no Big Thor or Robbie McEwen but Stuey is back with Green Edge and Cadel will be looking to go back to back.. Great viewing even for those like me with no posting or cycling 'acumen' and the timing means it doesnt clash with the footy. On a slightly tangental note, during the wee hours following the pelleton afficianados and muppets can debate whether Lance Armstrong is the greatest cyclist since Eddy Merckx or the biggest drug cheat since Marion Jones. Thats the thing about Le Tour its not just about the bike. FWIW IRW doubts that Cadel will win but has no idea who will,other than that they will ride for a team full of blokes with interesting names