The Tour de France thread

[tomblackwood]

@jimmy

If you asked after Stage 15 (Gap to l’Alpe-d’Huez) who was going to win the Tour, I would have said Landis. Then came Stage 16 (Le Bourg-d’Oisans to La Toussuire). Landis lost over 10 minutes in the stage, and about 9 minutes to Oscar Pererio (who was in second by 10 seconds).

Then came Stage 17 today, and Landis dominated, winning the stage and recouping all but about 30 seconds of his loss to climb from 11th to 3rd place. That is seriously kicking it.

Not sure what caused the meltdown in Stage 16, but after Stage 17 you have to give Floyd the edge based on Big Momentun. Assuming he didn’t fry himself in the recoup…

I think (hope) it will be a come-back for the ages.

[forget_your_life]

Landis will not win.

[tomblackwood]

@forget_your_life

Landis will not win.

Just curious what makes you so sure. Seems like he lost (and gained) nothing today, and has strong potential in the time trial. Do you predict another meltdown?

[red_rider]

Landis should win tomorrow in the ITT unless he crashes? I had really hoped that George Hincapie would have done much better. I have always been an Armstrong fan, so this tour has been somewhat different to watch. But regardless of who is on the podium Sunday, it has been a Historical tour nonetheless!

[UniBrier]

Standings going into the last stage:

1 071 LANDIS Floyd PHO USA
2 097 PEREIRO SIO Oscar CEI ESP 00’ 59"
3 021 KLÖDEN Andréas TMO GER 01’ 29"
4 014 SASTRE Carlos CSC ESP 03’ 13"

[forrestunifreak]

@markf

i’m pulling for levi leipheimer mostly because i work for a specialized dealer and hope they’d have a special deal on a sweet bike. but i also think landis and hincappie have good hsots, at least for americans.

Plus, he’s from Butte, MT, not too far from were I live!

[TheObieOne3226]

America FTW.

[harper]

Where was Eddy Merckx this year?

[DK1]

@harper

Where was Eddy Merckx this year?

here

[GhettoSmurf]

do you think perrero is going to make advances in paris, or will he let floyd win it?

there good friends so i unno

[harper]

@DK

here

Arm wrestling for toys and flowers?

[john_childs]

@GhettoSmurf

do you think perrero is going to make advances in paris, or will he let floyd win it?

there good friends so i unno

Pereiro will not even attempt to make up a 59 second deficit on the final stage. It’s just not done in the TDF.

If he was within say 10 seconds or so of the lead where a bonus sprint or two along the route (or even the final finishing sprint) could put him in yellow, then there is a chance that a rider would mount an attack on the yellow jersey during the final stage. Even then some would say it would be poor form to launch an attack on the yellow jersey, but I could see it happening.

A 59 second deficit would be impossible to make up on the final stage. The final stage is for sprinters. The peloton would never allow someone to break away on the final stage and get a solo stage win. The final stage is all about the sprint at the end and letting the yellow jersey parade around.

[forget_your_life]

Floyd Landis will win.

[MERCYME]

Once Flloyd Landis wins, do you think that he will have a cult of hip replacement survivors?
He’ll probably make a wrist band that says LIVEANDIS

[DK1]

@MERCYME

Once Flloyd Landis wins, do you think that he will have a cult of hip replacement survivors?
He’ll probably make a wrist band that says LIVEANDIS

haha

[underdog]

@john_childs

Pereiro will not even attempt to make up a 59 second deficit on the final stage. It’s just not done in the TDF.

If he was within say 10 seconds or so of the lead where a bonus sprint or two along the route (or even the final finishing sprint) could put him in yellow, then there is a chance that a rider would mount an attack on the yellow jersey during the final stage. Even then some would say it would be poor form to launch an attack on the yellow jersey, but I could see it happening.

A 59 second deficit would be impossible to make up on the final stage. The final stage is for sprinters. The peloton would never allow someone to break away on the final stage and get a solo stage win. The final stage is all about the sprint at the end and letting the yellow jersey parade around.

Essentially correct but, going way back to 1989, Greg LeMond launched an attack in the time trial on the final day of the tour to take the yellow jersey away from Laurent Fignon, who had a 50 second lead. An amazing and unprecedented feat. Fignon and the French people were, to say the least, rather upset with LeMond’s bold move. Maybe this is why the never conclude the tour with a time trial anymore.

Story here:Latest World & National News & Headlines - USATODAY.com

[forget_your_life]

@underdog

An amazing and unprecedented feat.

also only attained by the invention of the Scott “Aerobar”

[UniBrier]

Say it’s not true!

[forget_your_life]

@UniBrier

Say it’s not true!

there you have it…both my predictions are true.

[James_Potter]

http://tinyurl.com/glgu2
Landis might have been on steroids during the Tour!!

uuhh oh.