Most nights I drift off to sleep after reading some AP updates on my iPhone in bed. This was the case the other day when I noticed that in the news were a lot of pieces on cycling.
Well, it's cold out right now and cycling news is out of place. So I took a look.
Seems as if the government is now focusing on the doping allegations of one Floyd Landis against many of his ex-teammates. This means that the circus of allegations and tests and rumors is back in full swing.
Happy Holidays cycling!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
CONTADOR CHEATED!
So, what’s the big deal with doping and cycling? Hasn’t this been asked a million times before and hasn’t the issue been raised in concert with such names as Hamilton, Armstrong, Ulrich, Pantani and Landis.
Well now, according to a NY Times story, Alberto Contador has tested positive for a banned substance. And that might mean his title - and respect - and maybe his career - will all go away.
Is it such a big deal? Isn’t everyone doing it?
I don’t think so. I think the truly gifted are not cheating and have not cheated in their winning ways. I choose to believe that Lance Armstrong didn’t cheat during any of his Tour de France wins. I also choose to believe that Floyd Landis was clean for the bulk of his career as was Tyler Hamilton.
The difficulty comes with the pressure to perform and I don’t know anyone who isn’t in that position can relate. I’m a great empathizer, but even I don’t know what it’s like to feel the pressure of pro athletes breathing down my neck as I strive to complete a bike race, baseball or football game.
And the stakes are so high if you give it careful thought. So much money is on the line. So limited is the window of opportunity for a human athlete in regard to skill level. And there’s massive ego involved.
I don’t have the answers today and might never have them. But I wanted to get people thinking about this stuff. Especially as we look at Contador being accused of cheating and possibly losing his TDF title.
How do I feel about this? I am angry. If Contador played by the rules, maybe Lance would have his eighth title. Not saying Contador cheated in 2009, but if he cheated this year he could have cheated before.
What do you think?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Final Results and Thoughts - 2010 Tour de France
It could have been Schleck.
Contador rode very well, but not as impressively as in the past.
Lance went out with some bad luck - glad none of that similar luck occurred when he was winning.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on my coverage, on the race and also on whether you are planning to follow as closely now that Lance isn't going to be in this race. He's admitted that he's not retiring from cycling, but perhaps we also won't see him on the Euro circuit again either.
I haven't gotten word about whether George Hincapie is retiring or not. And I don't know what's going to happen with the Radio Shack team.
When I find out any of these things, I'll post that here. Finally, here is how the field ended up after 21 stages of the 2010 Tour de France... (get ready for some scrolling)
Standing Rider Rider number bib Team Time Gaps
1. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 91h 58' 48"
2. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 91h 59' 27" + 00' 39"
3. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 92h 00' 49" + 02' 01"
4. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 92h 02' 28" + 03' 40"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 92h 05' 42" + 06' 54"
6. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 92h 08' 19" + 09' 31"
7. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 92h 09' 03" + 10' 15"
8. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 92h 10' 25" + 11' 37"
9. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 92h 10' 42" + 11' 54"
10. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 10' 50" + 12' 02"
11. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 92h 13' 09" + 14' 21"
12. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 92h 13' 17" + 14' 29"
13. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 13' 28" + 14' 40"
14. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 15' 24" + 16' 36"
15. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 92h 15' 47" + 16' 59"
16. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 92h 16' 34" + 17' 46"
17. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 92h 19' 34" + 20' 46"
18. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 92h 20' 42" + 21' 54"
19. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 92h 22' 52" + 24' 04"
20. SASTRE Carlos 91 CERVELO TEST TEAM 92h 25' 25" + 26' 37"
21. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 92h 28' 26" + 29' 38"
22. MOREAU Christophe 166 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 92h 32' 49" + 34' 01"
23. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 38' 08" + 39' 20"
24. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 92h 38' 12" + 39' 24"
25. CASAR Sandy 62 FDJ 92h 44' 40" + 45' 52"
26. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 92h 49' 15" + 50' 27"
27. EL FARES Julien 174 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 92h 52' 10" + 53' 22"
28. RIBLON Christophe 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 92h 54' 01" + 55' 13"
29. CUNEGO Damiano 201 LAMPRE - FARNESE 92h 55' 41" + 56' 53"
30. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 92h 57' 41" + 58' 53"
31. CHAVANEL Sylvain 131 QUICK STEP 92h 58' 05" + 59' 17"
32. BASSO Ivan 41 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 92h 58' 21" + 59' 33"
33. AERTS Mario 102 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 93h 01' 24" + 1h 02' 36"
34. GUSTOV Volodymir 93 CERVELO TEST TEAM 93h 08' 39" + 1h 09' 51"
35. GARATE Juan Manuel 194 RABOBANK 93h 08' 51" + 1h 10' 03"
36. VERDUGO Gorka 189 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 93h 08' 57" + 1h 10' 09"
37. ROGERS Michael 118 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 93h 08' 59" + 1h 10' 11"
38. PAURIOL Rémi 179 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 93h 09' 40" + 1h 10' 52"
39. SIVTSOV Kanstantsin 119 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 93h 12' 07" + 1h 13' 19"
40. MARTINEZ Egoi 183 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 93h 17' 57" + 1h 19' 09"
41. BARREDO Carlos 132 QUICK STEP 93h 18' 59" + 1h 20' 11"
42. LE MEVEL Christophe 61 FDJ 93h 21' 26" + 1h 22' 38"
43. BRAJKOVIC Janez 22 TEAM RADIOSHACK 93h 22' 14" + 1h 23' 26"
44. CHARTEAU Anthony 153 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 23' 00" + 1h 24' 12"
45. GAUTIER Cyril 155 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 24' 00" + 1h 25' 12"
46. PAULINHO Sergio 27 TEAM RADIOSHACK 93h 24' 31" + 1h 25' 43"
47. LLOYD Matthew 106 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 93h 28' 50" + 1h 30' 02"
48. GUTIERREZ José Ivan 164 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 93h 37' 14" + 1h 38' 26"
49. NAVARRO Daniel 6 ASTANA 93h 37' 18" + 1h 38' 30"
50. FUGLSANG Jakob 14 TEAM SAXO BANK 93h 37' 20" + 1h 38' 32"
51. MORABITO Steve 128 BMC RACING TEAM 93h 37' 59" + 1h 39' 11"
52. MOERENHOUT Koos 196 RABOBANK 93h 39' 33" + 1h 40' 45"
53. VALLS FERRI Rafael 219 FOOTON-SERVETTO 93h 41' 15" + 1h 42' 27"
54. TIRALONGO Paolo 8 ASTANA 93h 43' 49" + 1h 45' 01"
55. MONFORT Maxime 116 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 93h 43' 49" + 1h 45' 01"
56. NIERMANN Grischa 197 RABOBANK 93h 45' 20" + 1h 46' 32"
57. FEDRIGO Pierrick 154 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 45' 25" + 1h 46' 37"
58. ROLLAND Pierre 156 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 45' 30" + 1h 46' 42"
59. HINCAPIE George 126 BMC RACING TEAM 93h 45' 38" + 1h 46' 50"
60. KIRYIENKA Vasil 165 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 93h 46' 42" + 1h 47' 54"
61. SZMYD Sylvester 48 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 93h 46' 50" + 1h 48' 02"
62. VELASCO Ivan 188 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 93h 48' 45" + 1h 49' 57"
63. VAN DE WALLE Jurgen 138 QUICK STEP 93h 50' 21" + 1h 51' 33"
64. PERGET Mathieu 167 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 93h 52' 27" + 1h 53' 39"
65. KOLOBNEV Alexandr 74 KATUSHA TEAM 93h 54' 01" + 1h 55' 13"
66. PINEAU Jérôme 135 QUICK STEP 93h 56' 46" + 1h 57' 58"
67. THOMAS Geraint 39 SKY PRO CYCLING 93h 58' 53" + 2h 00' 05"
68. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 169 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 94h 00' 46" + 2h 01' 58"
69. SORENSEN Chris 17 TEAM SAXO BANK 94h 03' 34" + 2h 04' 46"
70. MOINARD Amaël 177 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 03' 58" + 2h 05' 10"
71. MONIER Damien 178 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 08' 21" + 2h 09' 33"
72. DE GREEF Francis 103 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 94h 11' 10" + 2h 12' 22"
73. FARIA DA COSTA Rui Alberto 162 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 94h 11' 16" + 2h 12' 28"
74. ROHREGGER Thomas 147 TEAM MILRAM 94h 11' 45" + 2h 12' 57"
75. ELMIGER Martin 84 AG2R LA MONDIALE 94h 14' 21" + 2h 15' 33"
76. VOECKLER Thomas 151 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 94h 14' 55" + 2h 16' 07"
77. ERVITI Imanol 163 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 94h 18' 03" + 2h 19' 15"
78. DI GREGORIO Rémy 63 FDJ 94h 20' 22" + 2h 21' 34"
79. VORGANOV Eduard 79 KATUSHA TEAM 94h 26' 07" + 2h 27' 19"
80. LANG Sebastian 105 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 94h 28' 26" + 2h 29' 38"
81. DURAN AROCA Arkaitz 214 FOOTON-SERVETTO 94h 28' 37" + 2h 29' 49"
82. PEREZ ARRIETA Aitor 218 FOOTON-SERVETTO 94h 31' 05" + 2h 32' 17"
83. CAPECCHI Eros 211 FOOTON-SERVETTO 94h 33' 26" + 2h 34' 38"
84. GERDEMANN Linus 141 TEAM MILRAM 94h 35' 03" + 2h 36' 15"
85. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 28 TEAM RADIOSHACK 94h 36' 44" + 2h 37' 56"
86. KUCHYNSKI Aleksandr 45 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 94h 38' 28" + 2h 39' 40"
87. BALLAN Alessandro 122 BMC RACING TEAM 94h 41' 26" + 2h 42' 38"
88. VOGONDY Nicolas 159 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 94h 41' 30" + 2h 42' 42"
89. FLECHA Juan Antonio 34 SKY PRO CYCLING 94h 42' 28" + 2h 43' 40"
90. FRÖHLINGER Johannes 143 TEAM MILRAM 94h 48' 11" + 2h 49' 23"
91. KNEES Christian 145 TEAM MILRAM 94h 52' 26" + 2h 53' 38"
92. MINARD Sébastien 176 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 53' 18" + 2h 54' 30"
93. LADAGNOUS Matthieu 65 FDJ 94h 54' 24" + 2h 55' 36"
94. KOREN Kristjan 43 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 94h 55' 59" + 2h 57' 11"
95. PEREZ MORENO Ruben 186 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 94h 56' 05" + 2h 57' 17"
96. VAUGRENARD Benoît 69 FDJ 94h 56' 53" + 2h 58' 05"
97. KERN Christophe 175 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 57' 22" + 2h 58' 34"
98. NOCENTINI Rinaldo 88 AG2R LA MONDIALE 94h 59' 57" + 3h 01' 09"
99. BARRY Michaël 32 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 00' 22" + 3h 01' 34"
100. SPRICK Matthieu 157 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 95h 00' 28" + 3h 01' 40"
101. ZABRISKIE David 59 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 00' 36" + 3h 01' 48"
102. BRUTT Pavel 72 KATUSHA TEAM 95h 02' 00" + 3h 03' 12"
103. ROBERTS Luke 146 TEAM MILRAM 95h 02' 55" + 3h 04' 07"
104. NOVAL GONZALEZ Benjamin 7 ASTANA 95h 04' 10" + 3h 05' 22"
105. GAVAZZI Francesco 204 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 05' 32" + 3h 06' 44"
106. BOUET Maxime 82 AG2R LA MONDIALE 95h 06' 28" + 3h 07' 40"
107. PAUWELS Serge 38 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 07' 36" + 3h 08' 48"
108. PLIUSCHIN Alexandr 76 KATUSHA TEAM 95h 07' 53" + 3h 09' 05"
109. IVANOV Serguei 73 KATUSHA TEAM 95h 07' 58" + 3h 09' 10"
110. DE LA FUENTE David 2 ASTANA 95h 09' 52" + 3h 11' 04"
111. HUSHOVD Thor 95 CERVELO TEST TEAM 95h 11' 45" + 3h 12' 57"
112. ARASHIRO Yukiya 152 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 95h 12' 08" + 3h 13' 20"
113. TURGOT Sébastien 158 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 95h 12' 53" + 3h 14' 05"
114. RAST Gregory 29 TEAM RADIOSHACK 95h 12' 59" + 3h 14' 11"
115. ISASI Inaki 182 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 95h 13' 18" + 3h 14' 30"
116. HAGEN Edvald Boasson 36 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 13' 45" + 3h 14' 57"
117. WYNANTS Maarten 139 QUICK STEP 95h 14' 07" + 3h 15' 19"
118. MONDORY Lloyd 87 AG2R LA MONDIALE 95h 15' 08" + 3h 16' 20"
119. WEGMANN Fabian 149 TEAM MILRAM 95h 16' 41" + 3h 17' 53"
120. ROELANDTS Jürgen 108 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 95h 17' 15" + 3h 18' 27"
121. CANCELLARA Fabian 13 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 18' 31" + 3h 19' 43"
122. BELLOTTI Francesco 42 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 19' 14" + 3h 20' 26"
123. DA DALTO Mauro 203 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 20' 37" + 3h 21' 49"
124. OSS Daniel 46 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 21' 07" + 3h 22' 19"
125. BOLE Grega 202 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 21' 55" + 3h 23' 07"
126. VOIGT Jens 19 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 22' 19" + 3h 23' 31"
127. KONOVALOVAS Ignatas 97 CERVELO TEST TEAM 95h 22' 24" + 3h 23' 36"
128. VANDBORG Brian 49 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 23' 05" + 3h 24' 17"
129. PEREZ LEZAUN Alan 185 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 95h 23' 38" + 3h 24' 50"
130. BOOM Lars 192 RABOBANK 95h 25' 06" + 3h 26' 18"
131. IGLINSKIY Maxim 5 ASTANA 95h 25' 16" + 3h 26' 28"
132. TJALLINGII Maarten 199 RABOBANK 95h 26' 18" + 3h 27' 30"
133. CIOLEK Gerald 142 TEAM MILRAM 95h 26' 24" + 3h 27' 36"
134. SEELDRAYERS Kevin 137 QUICK STEP 95h 27' 49" + 3h 29' 01"
135. HONDO Danilo 205 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 28' 00" + 3h 29' 12"
136. GRIVKO Andriy 3 ASTANA 95h 28' 54" + 3h 30' 06"
137. MARTIN Tony 115 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 95h 29' 58" + 3h 31' 10"
138. KROON Karsten 127 BMC RACING TEAM 95h 30' 26" + 3h 31' 38"
139. MAASKANT Martijn 56 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 30' 44" + 3h 31' 56"
140. HERNANDEZ BLAZQUEZ Jesus 4 ASTANA 95h 30' 50" + 3h 32' 02"
141. FREIRE Oscar 193 RABOBANK 95h 32' 33" + 3h 33' 45"
142. BRESCHEL Matti 12 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 34' 19" + 3h 35' 31"
143. ROY Jérémy 67 FDJ 95h 36' 45" + 3h 37' 57"
144. DEVENYNS Dries 134 QUICK STEP 95h 37' 24" + 3h 38' 36"
145. BENITEZ José-Alberto 212 FOOTON-SERVETTO 95h 38' 00" + 3h 39' 12"
146. GESLIN Anthony 64 FDJ 95h 38' 25" + 3h 39' 37"
147. BOOKWALTER Brent 123 BMC RACING TEAM 95h 40' 25" + 3h 41' 37"
148. MURAVYEV Dmitriy 26 TEAM RADIOSHACK 95h 40' 35" + 3h 41' 47"
149. O’GRADY Stuart 15 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 41' 27" + 3h 42' 39"
150. PETACCHI Alessandro 208 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 43' 26" + 3h 44' 38"
151. CUMMINGS Stephen 33 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 44' 35" + 3h 45' 47"
152. SULZBERGER Wesley 68 FDJ 95h 45' 47" + 3h 46' 59"
153. AUGE Stéphane 172 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 95h 48' 38" + 3h 49' 50"
154. CAVENDISH Mark 111 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 95h 50' 11" + 3h 51' 23"
155. SORENSEN Nicki 18 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 53' 00" + 3h 54' 12"
156. EISEL Bernhard 112 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 95h 53' 04" + 3h 54' 16"
157. DEAN Julian 52 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 55' 01" + 3h 56' 13"
158. MILLAR David 57 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 55' 34" + 3h 56' 46"
159. LANCASTER Brett Daniel 98 CERVELO TEST TEAM 95h 55' 48" + 3h 57' 00"
160. CHAMPION Dimitri 83 AG2R LA MONDIALE 95h 58' 33" + 3h 59' 45"
161. BURGHARDT Marcus 124 BMC RACING TEAM 95h 59' 35" + 4h 00' 47"
162. QUINZIATO Manuel 47 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 59' 50" + 4h 01' 02"
163. HUNT Jérémy 94 CERVELO TEST TEAM 96h 01' 09" + 4h 02' 21"
164. LLOYD Daniel 99 CERVELO TEST TEAM 96h 01' 47" + 4h 02' 59"
165. MC EWEN Robbie 75 KATUSHA TEAM 96h 07' 16" + 4h 08' 28"
166. LORENZETTO Mirco 206 LAMPRE - FARNESE 96h 08' 00" + 4h 09' 12"
167. ROUX Anthony 66 FDJ 96h 12' 25" + 4h 13' 37"
168. KLIER Andreas 96 CERVELO TEST TEAM 96h 16' 04" + 4h 17' 16"
169. GRABSCH Bert 113 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 96h 21' 49" + 4h 23' 01"
170. MALORI Adriano 207 LAMPRE - FARNESE 96h 25' 51" + 4h 27' 03"
Au Revoir until next season.
Contador rode very well, but not as impressively as in the past.
Lance went out with some bad luck - glad none of that similar luck occurred when he was winning.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on my coverage, on the race and also on whether you are planning to follow as closely now that Lance isn't going to be in this race. He's admitted that he's not retiring from cycling, but perhaps we also won't see him on the Euro circuit again either.
I haven't gotten word about whether George Hincapie is retiring or not. And I don't know what's going to happen with the Radio Shack team.
When I find out any of these things, I'll post that here. Finally, here is how the field ended up after 21 stages of the 2010 Tour de France... (get ready for some scrolling)
Standing Rider Rider number bib Team Time Gaps
1. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 91h 58' 48"
2. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 91h 59' 27" + 00' 39"
3. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 92h 00' 49" + 02' 01"
4. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 92h 02' 28" + 03' 40"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 92h 05' 42" + 06' 54"
6. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 92h 08' 19" + 09' 31"
7. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 92h 09' 03" + 10' 15"
8. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 92h 10' 25" + 11' 37"
9. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 92h 10' 42" + 11' 54"
10. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 10' 50" + 12' 02"
11. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 92h 13' 09" + 14' 21"
12. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 92h 13' 17" + 14' 29"
13. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 13' 28" + 14' 40"
14. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 15' 24" + 16' 36"
15. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 92h 15' 47" + 16' 59"
16. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 92h 16' 34" + 17' 46"
17. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 92h 19' 34" + 20' 46"
18. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 92h 20' 42" + 21' 54"
19. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 92h 22' 52" + 24' 04"
20. SASTRE Carlos 91 CERVELO TEST TEAM 92h 25' 25" + 26' 37"
21. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 92h 28' 26" + 29' 38"
22. MOREAU Christophe 166 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 92h 32' 49" + 34' 01"
23. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 92h 38' 08" + 39' 20"
24. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 92h 38' 12" + 39' 24"
25. CASAR Sandy 62 FDJ 92h 44' 40" + 45' 52"
26. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 92h 49' 15" + 50' 27"
27. EL FARES Julien 174 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 92h 52' 10" + 53' 22"
28. RIBLON Christophe 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 92h 54' 01" + 55' 13"
29. CUNEGO Damiano 201 LAMPRE - FARNESE 92h 55' 41" + 56' 53"
30. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 92h 57' 41" + 58' 53"
31. CHAVANEL Sylvain 131 QUICK STEP 92h 58' 05" + 59' 17"
32. BASSO Ivan 41 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 92h 58' 21" + 59' 33"
33. AERTS Mario 102 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 93h 01' 24" + 1h 02' 36"
34. GUSTOV Volodymir 93 CERVELO TEST TEAM 93h 08' 39" + 1h 09' 51"
35. GARATE Juan Manuel 194 RABOBANK 93h 08' 51" + 1h 10' 03"
36. VERDUGO Gorka 189 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 93h 08' 57" + 1h 10' 09"
37. ROGERS Michael 118 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 93h 08' 59" + 1h 10' 11"
38. PAURIOL Rémi 179 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 93h 09' 40" + 1h 10' 52"
39. SIVTSOV Kanstantsin 119 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 93h 12' 07" + 1h 13' 19"
40. MARTINEZ Egoi 183 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 93h 17' 57" + 1h 19' 09"
41. BARREDO Carlos 132 QUICK STEP 93h 18' 59" + 1h 20' 11"
42. LE MEVEL Christophe 61 FDJ 93h 21' 26" + 1h 22' 38"
43. BRAJKOVIC Janez 22 TEAM RADIOSHACK 93h 22' 14" + 1h 23' 26"
44. CHARTEAU Anthony 153 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 23' 00" + 1h 24' 12"
45. GAUTIER Cyril 155 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 24' 00" + 1h 25' 12"
46. PAULINHO Sergio 27 TEAM RADIOSHACK 93h 24' 31" + 1h 25' 43"
47. LLOYD Matthew 106 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 93h 28' 50" + 1h 30' 02"
48. GUTIERREZ José Ivan 164 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 93h 37' 14" + 1h 38' 26"
49. NAVARRO Daniel 6 ASTANA 93h 37' 18" + 1h 38' 30"
50. FUGLSANG Jakob 14 TEAM SAXO BANK 93h 37' 20" + 1h 38' 32"
51. MORABITO Steve 128 BMC RACING TEAM 93h 37' 59" + 1h 39' 11"
52. MOERENHOUT Koos 196 RABOBANK 93h 39' 33" + 1h 40' 45"
53. VALLS FERRI Rafael 219 FOOTON-SERVETTO 93h 41' 15" + 1h 42' 27"
54. TIRALONGO Paolo 8 ASTANA 93h 43' 49" + 1h 45' 01"
55. MONFORT Maxime 116 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 93h 43' 49" + 1h 45' 01"
56. NIERMANN Grischa 197 RABOBANK 93h 45' 20" + 1h 46' 32"
57. FEDRIGO Pierrick 154 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 45' 25" + 1h 46' 37"
58. ROLLAND Pierre 156 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 93h 45' 30" + 1h 46' 42"
59. HINCAPIE George 126 BMC RACING TEAM 93h 45' 38" + 1h 46' 50"
60. KIRYIENKA Vasil 165 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 93h 46' 42" + 1h 47' 54"
61. SZMYD Sylvester 48 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 93h 46' 50" + 1h 48' 02"
62. VELASCO Ivan 188 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 93h 48' 45" + 1h 49' 57"
63. VAN DE WALLE Jurgen 138 QUICK STEP 93h 50' 21" + 1h 51' 33"
64. PERGET Mathieu 167 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 93h 52' 27" + 1h 53' 39"
65. KOLOBNEV Alexandr 74 KATUSHA TEAM 93h 54' 01" + 1h 55' 13"
66. PINEAU Jérôme 135 QUICK STEP 93h 56' 46" + 1h 57' 58"
67. THOMAS Geraint 39 SKY PRO CYCLING 93h 58' 53" + 2h 00' 05"
68. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 169 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 94h 00' 46" + 2h 01' 58"
69. SORENSEN Chris 17 TEAM SAXO BANK 94h 03' 34" + 2h 04' 46"
70. MOINARD Amaël 177 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 03' 58" + 2h 05' 10"
71. MONIER Damien 178 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 08' 21" + 2h 09' 33"
72. DE GREEF Francis 103 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 94h 11' 10" + 2h 12' 22"
73. FARIA DA COSTA Rui Alberto 162 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 94h 11' 16" + 2h 12' 28"
74. ROHREGGER Thomas 147 TEAM MILRAM 94h 11' 45" + 2h 12' 57"
75. ELMIGER Martin 84 AG2R LA MONDIALE 94h 14' 21" + 2h 15' 33"
76. VOECKLER Thomas 151 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 94h 14' 55" + 2h 16' 07"
77. ERVITI Imanol 163 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 94h 18' 03" + 2h 19' 15"
78. DI GREGORIO Rémy 63 FDJ 94h 20' 22" + 2h 21' 34"
79. VORGANOV Eduard 79 KATUSHA TEAM 94h 26' 07" + 2h 27' 19"
80. LANG Sebastian 105 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 94h 28' 26" + 2h 29' 38"
81. DURAN AROCA Arkaitz 214 FOOTON-SERVETTO 94h 28' 37" + 2h 29' 49"
82. PEREZ ARRIETA Aitor 218 FOOTON-SERVETTO 94h 31' 05" + 2h 32' 17"
83. CAPECCHI Eros 211 FOOTON-SERVETTO 94h 33' 26" + 2h 34' 38"
84. GERDEMANN Linus 141 TEAM MILRAM 94h 35' 03" + 2h 36' 15"
85. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 28 TEAM RADIOSHACK 94h 36' 44" + 2h 37' 56"
86. KUCHYNSKI Aleksandr 45 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 94h 38' 28" + 2h 39' 40"
87. BALLAN Alessandro 122 BMC RACING TEAM 94h 41' 26" + 2h 42' 38"
88. VOGONDY Nicolas 159 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 94h 41' 30" + 2h 42' 42"
89. FLECHA Juan Antonio 34 SKY PRO CYCLING 94h 42' 28" + 2h 43' 40"
90. FRÖHLINGER Johannes 143 TEAM MILRAM 94h 48' 11" + 2h 49' 23"
91. KNEES Christian 145 TEAM MILRAM 94h 52' 26" + 2h 53' 38"
92. MINARD Sébastien 176 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 53' 18" + 2h 54' 30"
93. LADAGNOUS Matthieu 65 FDJ 94h 54' 24" + 2h 55' 36"
94. KOREN Kristjan 43 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 94h 55' 59" + 2h 57' 11"
95. PEREZ MORENO Ruben 186 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 94h 56' 05" + 2h 57' 17"
96. VAUGRENARD Benoît 69 FDJ 94h 56' 53" + 2h 58' 05"
97. KERN Christophe 175 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 94h 57' 22" + 2h 58' 34"
98. NOCENTINI Rinaldo 88 AG2R LA MONDIALE 94h 59' 57" + 3h 01' 09"
99. BARRY Michaël 32 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 00' 22" + 3h 01' 34"
100. SPRICK Matthieu 157 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 95h 00' 28" + 3h 01' 40"
101. ZABRISKIE David 59 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 00' 36" + 3h 01' 48"
102. BRUTT Pavel 72 KATUSHA TEAM 95h 02' 00" + 3h 03' 12"
103. ROBERTS Luke 146 TEAM MILRAM 95h 02' 55" + 3h 04' 07"
104. NOVAL GONZALEZ Benjamin 7 ASTANA 95h 04' 10" + 3h 05' 22"
105. GAVAZZI Francesco 204 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 05' 32" + 3h 06' 44"
106. BOUET Maxime 82 AG2R LA MONDIALE 95h 06' 28" + 3h 07' 40"
107. PAUWELS Serge 38 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 07' 36" + 3h 08' 48"
108. PLIUSCHIN Alexandr 76 KATUSHA TEAM 95h 07' 53" + 3h 09' 05"
109. IVANOV Serguei 73 KATUSHA TEAM 95h 07' 58" + 3h 09' 10"
110. DE LA FUENTE David 2 ASTANA 95h 09' 52" + 3h 11' 04"
111. HUSHOVD Thor 95 CERVELO TEST TEAM 95h 11' 45" + 3h 12' 57"
112. ARASHIRO Yukiya 152 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 95h 12' 08" + 3h 13' 20"
113. TURGOT Sébastien 158 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 95h 12' 53" + 3h 14' 05"
114. RAST Gregory 29 TEAM RADIOSHACK 95h 12' 59" + 3h 14' 11"
115. ISASI Inaki 182 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 95h 13' 18" + 3h 14' 30"
116. HAGEN Edvald Boasson 36 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 13' 45" + 3h 14' 57"
117. WYNANTS Maarten 139 QUICK STEP 95h 14' 07" + 3h 15' 19"
118. MONDORY Lloyd 87 AG2R LA MONDIALE 95h 15' 08" + 3h 16' 20"
119. WEGMANN Fabian 149 TEAM MILRAM 95h 16' 41" + 3h 17' 53"
120. ROELANDTS Jürgen 108 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 95h 17' 15" + 3h 18' 27"
121. CANCELLARA Fabian 13 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 18' 31" + 3h 19' 43"
122. BELLOTTI Francesco 42 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 19' 14" + 3h 20' 26"
123. DA DALTO Mauro 203 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 20' 37" + 3h 21' 49"
124. OSS Daniel 46 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 21' 07" + 3h 22' 19"
125. BOLE Grega 202 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 21' 55" + 3h 23' 07"
126. VOIGT Jens 19 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 22' 19" + 3h 23' 31"
127. KONOVALOVAS Ignatas 97 CERVELO TEST TEAM 95h 22' 24" + 3h 23' 36"
128. VANDBORG Brian 49 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 23' 05" + 3h 24' 17"
129. PEREZ LEZAUN Alan 185 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 95h 23' 38" + 3h 24' 50"
130. BOOM Lars 192 RABOBANK 95h 25' 06" + 3h 26' 18"
131. IGLINSKIY Maxim 5 ASTANA 95h 25' 16" + 3h 26' 28"
132. TJALLINGII Maarten 199 RABOBANK 95h 26' 18" + 3h 27' 30"
133. CIOLEK Gerald 142 TEAM MILRAM 95h 26' 24" + 3h 27' 36"
134. SEELDRAYERS Kevin 137 QUICK STEP 95h 27' 49" + 3h 29' 01"
135. HONDO Danilo 205 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 28' 00" + 3h 29' 12"
136. GRIVKO Andriy 3 ASTANA 95h 28' 54" + 3h 30' 06"
137. MARTIN Tony 115 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 95h 29' 58" + 3h 31' 10"
138. KROON Karsten 127 BMC RACING TEAM 95h 30' 26" + 3h 31' 38"
139. MAASKANT Martijn 56 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 30' 44" + 3h 31' 56"
140. HERNANDEZ BLAZQUEZ Jesus 4 ASTANA 95h 30' 50" + 3h 32' 02"
141. FREIRE Oscar 193 RABOBANK 95h 32' 33" + 3h 33' 45"
142. BRESCHEL Matti 12 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 34' 19" + 3h 35' 31"
143. ROY Jérémy 67 FDJ 95h 36' 45" + 3h 37' 57"
144. DEVENYNS Dries 134 QUICK STEP 95h 37' 24" + 3h 38' 36"
145. BENITEZ José-Alberto 212 FOOTON-SERVETTO 95h 38' 00" + 3h 39' 12"
146. GESLIN Anthony 64 FDJ 95h 38' 25" + 3h 39' 37"
147. BOOKWALTER Brent 123 BMC RACING TEAM 95h 40' 25" + 3h 41' 37"
148. MURAVYEV Dmitriy 26 TEAM RADIOSHACK 95h 40' 35" + 3h 41' 47"
149. O’GRADY Stuart 15 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 41' 27" + 3h 42' 39"
150. PETACCHI Alessandro 208 LAMPRE - FARNESE 95h 43' 26" + 3h 44' 38"
151. CUMMINGS Stephen 33 SKY PRO CYCLING 95h 44' 35" + 3h 45' 47"
152. SULZBERGER Wesley 68 FDJ 95h 45' 47" + 3h 46' 59"
153. AUGE Stéphane 172 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 95h 48' 38" + 3h 49' 50"
154. CAVENDISH Mark 111 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 95h 50' 11" + 3h 51' 23"
155. SORENSEN Nicki 18 TEAM SAXO BANK 95h 53' 00" + 3h 54' 12"
156. EISEL Bernhard 112 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 95h 53' 04" + 3h 54' 16"
157. DEAN Julian 52 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 55' 01" + 3h 56' 13"
158. MILLAR David 57 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 95h 55' 34" + 3h 56' 46"
159. LANCASTER Brett Daniel 98 CERVELO TEST TEAM 95h 55' 48" + 3h 57' 00"
160. CHAMPION Dimitri 83 AG2R LA MONDIALE 95h 58' 33" + 3h 59' 45"
161. BURGHARDT Marcus 124 BMC RACING TEAM 95h 59' 35" + 4h 00' 47"
162. QUINZIATO Manuel 47 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 95h 59' 50" + 4h 01' 02"
163. HUNT Jérémy 94 CERVELO TEST TEAM 96h 01' 09" + 4h 02' 21"
164. LLOYD Daniel 99 CERVELO TEST TEAM 96h 01' 47" + 4h 02' 59"
165. MC EWEN Robbie 75 KATUSHA TEAM 96h 07' 16" + 4h 08' 28"
166. LORENZETTO Mirco 206 LAMPRE - FARNESE 96h 08' 00" + 4h 09' 12"
167. ROUX Anthony 66 FDJ 96h 12' 25" + 4h 13' 37"
168. KLIER Andreas 96 CERVELO TEST TEAM 96h 16' 04" + 4h 17' 16"
169. GRABSCH Bert 113 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 96h 21' 49" + 4h 23' 01"
170. MALORI Adriano 207 LAMPRE - FARNESE 96h 25' 51" + 4h 27' 03"
Au Revoir until next season.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Time and the 2010 Tour de France have been a Trial
Can you say absent? Or abandon? Well, I didn’t quite abandon the 2010 Tour de France but I have taken a long ride in the SAG wagon. You see, the combination of Lance’s diminishing chances for success along with a slew of content-creation projects have had me on the ropes.
Similar to the thousands of miles the peleton has traveled this year, I’m doing the same in the Gulf of Mexico for the next couple weeks. I’m actually watching the 52KM Time Trial from the seatback monitor on JetBlue Flight 401 to New Orleans.
As I type this, both Lance and Levi have finished and all the riders are on the road. Contador sits eight seconds ahead of Schleck after yesterday’s stage and today will tell what happens.
*I have two hours left in my flight, so I suspect I’ll be able to see the end of the stage before I land but this won’t get posted until Saturday afternoon.
What are my thoughts on the 2010 Tour? I’m queasy. I don’t like the fact that Contador is brash and perhaps uncouth when it comes to etiquette. I hate the fact that a cycling hero of mine (and presumably a great many other folks) is going out without a podium visit, looking human. And I wonder if going to Paris every other year will hold the same intrigue for me as it has in the past.
Similar to my baseball addiction of the early 1980s, cycling has been my drug of choice since 1998 or so. But as with our national pastime, I’m starting to not recognize a lot of the player names. George Hincapie might not ride next year. Cadel Evans might retire. Lance is done.
Further, what happens to the cycling opportunities I once chased? Without a lightning rod in the race light Lance, how will Versus maintain its advertising dollars and revenue. People tune in to see US riders. There are some left but few contenders.
Conversely, I would be thrilled to be able to follow the tour on a scooter around all of France. And in doing so not have to fight the crowds that have polluted the last ten years of the race. Ugly Americans being fat on international TV isn’t helping our brand as polite visitors who are there to enjoy a century-old sporting event.
Without competition for hotels and resources, I’ll likely be able to enjoy the Tour as never before. And perhaps bring you readers a more intriguing and fun recount of the race.
Melancholy, they name is the United States’ flirtation with cycling.
Stage 20 is tomorrow. Stage 19 still has about 40 minutes to go. At the end of today we’ll know how the podium looks. I hope Contador’s chain gets stuck for nine seconds and both he and Schleck finish today’s stage with the same stage time.
That would mean tomorrow as they ride into France, Contador would have to decide whether decorum or greed and the spotlight are his driving forces. Wouldn’t it be cool to see Schleck ahead by one second starting tomorrow’s final stage?
My fingers are crossed for a good result.
Thoughts?
Similar to the thousands of miles the peleton has traveled this year, I’m doing the same in the Gulf of Mexico for the next couple weeks. I’m actually watching the 52KM Time Trial from the seatback monitor on JetBlue Flight 401 to New Orleans.
As I type this, both Lance and Levi have finished and all the riders are on the road. Contador sits eight seconds ahead of Schleck after yesterday’s stage and today will tell what happens.
*I have two hours left in my flight, so I suspect I’ll be able to see the end of the stage before I land but this won’t get posted until Saturday afternoon.
What are my thoughts on the 2010 Tour? I’m queasy. I don’t like the fact that Contador is brash and perhaps uncouth when it comes to etiquette. I hate the fact that a cycling hero of mine (and presumably a great many other folks) is going out without a podium visit, looking human. And I wonder if going to Paris every other year will hold the same intrigue for me as it has in the past.
Similar to my baseball addiction of the early 1980s, cycling has been my drug of choice since 1998 or so. But as with our national pastime, I’m starting to not recognize a lot of the player names. George Hincapie might not ride next year. Cadel Evans might retire. Lance is done.
Further, what happens to the cycling opportunities I once chased? Without a lightning rod in the race light Lance, how will Versus maintain its advertising dollars and revenue. People tune in to see US riders. There are some left but few contenders.
Conversely, I would be thrilled to be able to follow the tour on a scooter around all of France. And in doing so not have to fight the crowds that have polluted the last ten years of the race. Ugly Americans being fat on international TV isn’t helping our brand as polite visitors who are there to enjoy a century-old sporting event.
Without competition for hotels and resources, I’ll likely be able to enjoy the Tour as never before. And perhaps bring you readers a more intriguing and fun recount of the race.
Melancholy, they name is the United States’ flirtation with cycling.
Stage 20 is tomorrow. Stage 19 still has about 40 minutes to go. At the end of today we’ll know how the podium looks. I hope Contador’s chain gets stuck for nine seconds and both he and Schleck finish today’s stage with the same stage time.
That would mean tomorrow as they ride into France, Contador would have to decide whether decorum or greed and the spotlight are his driving forces. Wouldn’t it be cool to see Schleck ahead by one second starting tomorrow’s final stage?
My fingers are crossed for a good result.
Thoughts?
Friday, July 16, 2010
Where are we now? 2010 Tour de France - Stage 12
Yikes.
Faster than Lance, Contador or even Andy Schleck spins the cranks, we've gotten bogged down and lost in a slew of stages, wild results, people actually getting disqualified from the Tour, and a leaderboard that is shaken harder than a James Bond martini each night.
That's right, that's my way of saying, "I'm sorry I've been a slug and haven't given you your daily Tour love on time each day."
I've been watching the Tour, but as I prepare for a two-week journey of my own in the Gulf of Mexico (no, I won't be on a bike), I've been working on other projects and updates here have been limited to a few per stage. That said, here are your wrap-ups for stages 11 and 12, and my prediction for tomorrow's stage 13 and Sunday's MASSIVE, TOUR-ENDING (or at least -rending) STAGE 14.
Stage 11 - The main field finishes together while a sprint at the end sees Mark Cavendish winning and his teammate getting tossed out for blocking the line and nearly crashing the entire sprint group. That's right. If you were watching the sprint and saw team HTC rider Mark Renshaw head butting another rider - that was OK.
The real reason Renshaw was booted from the 2010 Tour de France was because he endangered the entire field - and mostly Tyler Farrar - when a few seconds after the head butting, he swerved dramatically off-line and nearly put Farrar and a dozen other riders into the steel fence along the finishing stretch.
Needless to say, that would have been bloody and crazy. It wasn't. Renshaw was booted. Farrar abandoned in Stage 12 (reasons unknown to me so far). Cavendish got his 13th stage win in Tours de France. And Schleck remained in the lead by 41 seconds.
Stage 12 - Tough mountain finish. Brutal heat. Contador teammate Alexandre Vinokourov looked poised to take the stage but Contador is a baby and rides like one. So Alberto raced past Vino and finished second on the stage. This took about ten seconds out of Schleck and jumbled the field a little bit.
Here's how the overall GC stands now...
1. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 42' 01"
2. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 58h 42' 32" + 00' 31"
3. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 58h 44' 46" + 02' 45"
4. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 58h 44' 59" + 02' 58"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 58h 45' 32" + 03' 31"
6. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 58h 46' 07" + 04' 06"
7. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 58h 46' 28" + 04' 27"
8. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 58h 46' 59" + 04' 58"
9. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 58h 47' 03" + 05' 02"
10. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 58h 47' 17" + 05' 16"
11. BASSO Ivan 41 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 58h 47' 31" + 05' 30"
12. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 58h 48' 26" + 06' 25"
13. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 58h 48' 26" + 06' 25"
14. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 48' 45" + 06' 44"
15. SASTRE Carlos 91 CERVELO TEST TEAM 58h 49' 35" + 07' 34"
16. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 58h 49' 40" + 07' 39"
17. ROGERS Michael 118 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 58h 49' 48" + 07' 47"
18. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 58h 50' 09" + 08' 08"
19. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 58h 50' 25" + 08' 24"
20. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 58h 51' 06" + 09' 05"
21. MONIER Damien 178 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 58h 52' 32" + 10' 31"
22. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 58h 52' 42" + 10' 41"
23. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 58h 53' 28" + 11' 27"
24. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 58h 53' 57" + 11' 56"
25. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 54' 29" + 12' 28"
26. LE MEVEL Christophe 61 FDJ 58h 56' 10" + 14' 09"
27. CASAR Sandy 62 FDJ 58h 56' 12" + 14' 11"
28. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 58h 56' 34" + 14' 33"
29. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 58h 58' 45" + 16' 44"
30. RIBLON Christophe 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 59' 56" + 17' 55"
31. SIVTSOV Kanstantsin 119 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 59h 01' 55" + 19' 54"
32. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 59h 03' 17" + 21' 16"
Tomorrow and Sunday are big days too.
Saturday is Stage 13 and has the 196KM ride from Rodez to Revel. It's got a few climbs in it, but nothing compared to Sunday and stage 14.
Sunday is the 184.5KM ride from Revel to Ax 3 Domaines and it includes an HC climb that could shatter the field.
SO - here are my predictions.
Saturday will see someone like Levi Leipheimer finally win a stage by being in the breakaway all day. This will make all the riders tired because both Contador's and Schleck's teams will work all day to keep Levi within a few minutes. This will put Levi in third place and leave Alberto and Andy in the same spots.
Sunday will be the surprise of surprises. Similar to our former friend Floyd Landis' heroic but drug-induced efforts, one Lance Armstrong will duplicate the effort without the help of drugs and will astonish us all with his heart and bravado. He will be in a break that he will then shatter and go on to put himself back into the top 15 riders of this year's Tour de France.
It won't be enough to make him a contender. But it will be enough to cement in viewers' minds that nobody will ever come close to his dominance in this race.
That's it from here. I'll be back Sunday to chat about the week ahead. Please share your thoughts on all this in the comments.
Faster than Lance, Contador or even Andy Schleck spins the cranks, we've gotten bogged down and lost in a slew of stages, wild results, people actually getting disqualified from the Tour, and a leaderboard that is shaken harder than a James Bond martini each night.
That's right, that's my way of saying, "I'm sorry I've been a slug and haven't given you your daily Tour love on time each day."
I've been watching the Tour, but as I prepare for a two-week journey of my own in the Gulf of Mexico (no, I won't be on a bike), I've been working on other projects and updates here have been limited to a few per stage. That said, here are your wrap-ups for stages 11 and 12, and my prediction for tomorrow's stage 13 and Sunday's MASSIVE, TOUR-ENDING (or at least -rending) STAGE 14.
Stage 11 - The main field finishes together while a sprint at the end sees Mark Cavendish winning and his teammate getting tossed out for blocking the line and nearly crashing the entire sprint group. That's right. If you were watching the sprint and saw team HTC rider Mark Renshaw head butting another rider - that was OK.
The real reason Renshaw was booted from the 2010 Tour de France was because he endangered the entire field - and mostly Tyler Farrar - when a few seconds after the head butting, he swerved dramatically off-line and nearly put Farrar and a dozen other riders into the steel fence along the finishing stretch.
Needless to say, that would have been bloody and crazy. It wasn't. Renshaw was booted. Farrar abandoned in Stage 12 (reasons unknown to me so far). Cavendish got his 13th stage win in Tours de France. And Schleck remained in the lead by 41 seconds.
Stage 12 - Tough mountain finish. Brutal heat. Contador teammate Alexandre Vinokourov looked poised to take the stage but Contador is a baby and rides like one. So Alberto raced past Vino and finished second on the stage. This took about ten seconds out of Schleck and jumbled the field a little bit.
Here's how the overall GC stands now...
1. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 58h 42' 01"
2. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 58h 42' 32" + 00' 31"
3. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 58h 44' 46" + 02' 45"
4. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 58h 44' 59" + 02' 58"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 58h 45' 32" + 03' 31"
6. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 58h 46' 07" + 04' 06"
7. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 58h 46' 28" + 04' 27"
8. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 58h 46' 59" + 04' 58"
9. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 58h 47' 03" + 05' 02"
10. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 58h 47' 17" + 05' 16"
11. BASSO Ivan 41 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 58h 47' 31" + 05' 30"
12. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 58h 48' 26" + 06' 25"
13. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 58h 48' 26" + 06' 25"
14. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 48' 45" + 06' 44"
15. SASTRE Carlos 91 CERVELO TEST TEAM 58h 49' 35" + 07' 34"
16. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 58h 49' 40" + 07' 39"
17. ROGERS Michael 118 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 58h 49' 48" + 07' 47"
18. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 58h 50' 09" + 08' 08"
19. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 58h 50' 25" + 08' 24"
20. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 58h 51' 06" + 09' 05"
21. MONIER Damien 178 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 58h 52' 32" + 10' 31"
22. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 58h 52' 42" + 10' 41"
23. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 58h 53' 28" + 11' 27"
24. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 58h 53' 57" + 11' 56"
25. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 54' 29" + 12' 28"
26. LE MEVEL Christophe 61 FDJ 58h 56' 10" + 14' 09"
27. CASAR Sandy 62 FDJ 58h 56' 12" + 14' 11"
28. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 58h 56' 34" + 14' 33"
29. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 58h 58' 45" + 16' 44"
30. RIBLON Christophe 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 58h 59' 56" + 17' 55"
31. SIVTSOV Kanstantsin 119 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 59h 01' 55" + 19' 54"
32. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 59h 03' 17" + 21' 16"
Tomorrow and Sunday are big days too.
Saturday is Stage 13 and has the 196KM ride from Rodez to Revel. It's got a few climbs in it, but nothing compared to Sunday and stage 14.
Sunday is the 184.5KM ride from Revel to Ax 3 Domaines and it includes an HC climb that could shatter the field.
SO - here are my predictions.
Saturday will see someone like Levi Leipheimer finally win a stage by being in the breakaway all day. This will make all the riders tired because both Contador's and Schleck's teams will work all day to keep Levi within a few minutes. This will put Levi in third place and leave Alberto and Andy in the same spots.
Sunday will be the surprise of surprises. Similar to our former friend Floyd Landis' heroic but drug-induced efforts, one Lance Armstrong will duplicate the effort without the help of drugs and will astonish us all with his heart and bravado. He will be in a break that he will then shatter and go on to put himself back into the top 15 riders of this year's Tour de France.
It won't be enough to make him a contender. But it will be enough to cement in viewers' minds that nobody will ever come close to his dominance in this race.
That's it from here. I'll be back Sunday to chat about the week ahead. Please share your thoughts on all this in the comments.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
2010 Tour de France - Overall Standings after Stage 9
Here are the top guys after Stage 9 of the 2010 Tour de France. I'll go all the way down to Lance's new position. He's now in 31st and looking OK. Levi Leipheimer is only four minutes back. Comments welcome!
1. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 43h 35' 41"
2. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 43h 36' 22" + 00' 41"
3. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 43h 38' 26" + 02' 45"
4. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 43h 38' 39" + 02' 58"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 43h 39' 12" + 03' 31"
6. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 39' 40" + 03' 59"
7. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 43h 40' 03" + 04' 22"
8. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 43h 40' 22" + 04' 41"
9. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 43h 40' 49" + 05' 08"
10. BASSO Ivan 41 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 43h 40' 50" + 05' 09"
11. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 43h 40' 52" + 05' 11"
12. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 43h 41' 23" + 05' 42"
13. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 43h 42' 12" + 06' 31"
14. ROGERS Michael 118 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 43h 42' 45" + 07' 04"
15. SASTRE Carlos 91 CERVELO TEST TEAM 43h 42' 54" + 07' 13"
16. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 43h 42' 59" + 07' 18"
17. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 43h 43' 25" + 07' 44"
18. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 43h 43' 28" + 07' 47"
19. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 43h 43' 44" + 08' 03"
20. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 44' 46" + 09' 05"
21. MONIER Damien 178 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 43h 45' 29" + 09' 48"
22. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 43h 46' 01" + 10' 20"
23. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 43h 46' 07" + 10' 26"
24. CASAR Sandy 62 FDJ 43h 46' 27" + 10' 46"
25. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 46' 47" + 11' 06"
26. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 43h 47' 26" + 11' 45"
27. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 43h 48' 29" + 12' 48"
28. LE MEVEL Christophe 61 FDJ 43h 49' 07" + 13' 26"
29. RIBLON Christophe 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 43h 50' 11" + 14' 30"
30. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 43h 50' 56" + 15' 15"
31. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 51' 35" + 15' 54"
1. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 43h 35' 41"
2. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 43h 36' 22" + 00' 41"
3. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 43h 38' 26" + 02' 45"
4. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 43h 38' 39" + 02' 58"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 43h 39' 12" + 03' 31"
6. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 39' 40" + 03' 59"
7. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 43h 40' 03" + 04' 22"
8. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 43h 40' 22" + 04' 41"
9. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 43h 40' 49" + 05' 08"
10. BASSO Ivan 41 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 43h 40' 50" + 05' 09"
11. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 43h 40' 52" + 05' 11"
12. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 43h 41' 23" + 05' 42"
13. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 43h 42' 12" + 06' 31"
14. ROGERS Michael 118 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 43h 42' 45" + 07' 04"
15. SASTRE Carlos 91 CERVELO TEST TEAM 43h 42' 54" + 07' 13"
16. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 43h 42' 59" + 07' 18"
17. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 43h 43' 25" + 07' 44"
18. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 43h 43' 28" + 07' 47"
19. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 43h 43' 44" + 08' 03"
20. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 44' 46" + 09' 05"
21. MONIER Damien 178 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 43h 45' 29" + 09' 48"
22. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 43h 46' 01" + 10' 20"
23. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 43h 46' 07" + 10' 26"
24. CASAR Sandy 62 FDJ 43h 46' 27" + 10' 46"
25. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 46' 47" + 11' 06"
26. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 43h 47' 26" + 11' 45"
27. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 43h 48' 29" + 12' 48"
28. LE MEVEL Christophe 61 FDJ 43h 49' 07" + 13' 26"
29. RIBLON Christophe 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 43h 50' 11" + 14' 30"
30. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 43h 50' 56" + 15' 15"
31. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 43h 51' 35" + 15' 54"
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