Stage 1 Results and Thoughts

As I've told Bob a bunch of times on the BeanCast, the Tour de France is a promotional vehicle. Yes, it's a sporting event (and one I hold near and dear to my heart), but it's also a grand way for companies and brands to get their name out there and connect with a very qualified audience.

Trouble is, the folks using the Tour to market are not really following the first tenet of content or communication - KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

I've seen more ads for stuff that just doesn't fit with a cycling-fan demographic this year and I think we've reached the point where it's now just a 'throw-stuff-at-the-wall' practice. Kinda sad, but was bound to happen as all branding people try to get ahead.

That said, here's the result from Stage 1 and some thoughts on the Tour so far...

1 - The pack is jittery - as happens in the first three or four stages of every Tour de France. Hoping that crashes don't know any of my favorites out of the race. As you saw within 25KM of the finish on today's stage, there were two big crashes. First one had four or five riders down. Second had about 15-20 riders down.

2 - There are really just two teams in the hunt for the Yellow jersey in Paris in a few weeks. These are team BMC and team Sky.

3 - I love how Phil Ligget says 'movie star' when he pronounces Movistar.

4 - At 8KM (after 190KM of a breakaway) the peloton got all back together. Five mere miles from the finish line. When you watch the stages, I urge you to pay attention to the jockeying for postion within the last 3-5 miles of each stage. It really is a chess match.

5 - Amazing finish for this stage - a mad sprint uphill to the finish - AND I'm astonished that Fabian Cancellara of team has kept the Yellow Jersey! Peter Sagan of Liquigas- Cannondale won the stage, but Cancellar came in second and the rest of the peloton was just behind.

Great stuff. I thought the pack would break apart today and once again the Tour de France is a learning process for me.

OH! By the way. If you're DVRing the stages for watching later, do yourself a favor. Add 10-15 minutes to the end of the taping so you don't miss the end of any stage. OR set your DVR to record the second or third broadcast of the stage. As this is a live event, the number of times I've missed the last three minutes of a stage because my DVR stopped is numerous. I'd say it happens at least half a dozen times in the course of a Tour de France.

Thanks for reading. I welcome your thoughts!

Watching the Time Trial - 2011 Tour de France

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

I'm watching the final time trial in this year's Tour de France and the podium is set. It's going to be three men - of course - but the order isn't decided yet.

It will be Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck and Frank Schleck up on the podium tomorrow in Paris. But the three are jammed so close together it's too tough to tell who will pull on yellow tomorrow.

With 20KM to go, the computers say Cadel Evans is pulling back all the time he's lost over the past few days. He started down 57 seconds to Andy Schleck and now the timers say that he's only down nine seconds.

If this happens, Cadel will be the first ever Australian winner of the Tour de France. And for the second year in a row, Andy Schleck will have finished second by seconds. Last year he lost by 39 seconds to Alberto Contador.

I am shaking right now with excitement. How about you?

86.5KM to go - Stage 14

With almost 90KM to go in Stage 14, there are three riders off the front at 7:12 in front of the peloton. It might be a break that stays away for a bit because in it are Millar, Casar and El Fares, the best placed of these is Sandy Casar at only 8:47 back of the Yellow Jersey.

The other reason this break might stay away for a bit is that they'll have seven minutes with which to start climbing the next couple peaks.

Thoughts?

Stage 9 - The Tour is a Shambles

A car knocks down some riders.

A famous rider breaks his hip and femur.

Somebody purportedly pushes Contador off his bike.

And the Yellow Jersey is NOT on the back of Thor Hushovd anymore.

I'll be blogging later and into tomorrow's rest day to bring you the details....stay tuned.

Cycling Cutlets

In some of my other column gigs, I have created a column format called Cutlets. Just little pieces of Jeff Cutler's mind for you to gnaw on.

So here are some little cycling Cutlets for you...

37.2KM to go. Dry roads. Peloton is only 2:20 behind the nine-rider breakaway.

Cervelo is the code word for today in the IZOD Sweeps. Go here to enter.

I really like the yellow jumpsuits on the guys on the timing motorcycle - a bright yellow BMW.

It's odd how so many of the motorbike riders and passengers drag their feet. Also, I don't think I could ever balance on the back of one of those bikes to wield a TV camera or even a DSLR.

The big climb is coming and I expect that the peloton will blow apart today. Riders are anxious. Commentators are saying Vinokourov could be the winner today. Interesting.

Getting Ready for Stage 6 - 2011 Tour de France

Watching the Tour coverage and they gave the complete carnage info in a graphic on Versus TV. Here's a photo of that graphic...

Wow. Two more abandons and a lot of people aching today for the longest stage in the 2011 Tour de France.

Also, Thor Hushovd is still in yellow.

Next post will have stage 6 info.

Getting Ready for Stage 6 - 2011 Tour de France

Watching the Tour coverage and they gave the complete carnage info in a graphic on Versus TV. Here's a photo of that graphic...

Wow. Two more abandons and a lot of people aching today for the longest stage in the 2011 Tour de France.

Also, Thor Hushovd is still in yellow.

Next post will have stage 6 info.

Yikers - another eventful stage in the 2011 Tour de France - SPOILERS

SPOILERS IN THIS POST

Well, there was nothing happening for 149KM of the 173KM race and then Cadel Evans had a flat. A camera guy fell in front of him and legions of BMC fans were poised to cry conspiracy!

Well, it all shook out. Cadel got himself paced back to the group with 22KM to go, the cameraman was shunned by his colleagues and the sprint we were waiting for at the end eventually took place.

Here's how it shook out...

I'm A GENIUS! With less than a few KM to go, Contador attacked, then was swallowed back. Then Contador attacked again and Cadel Evans responded.

Cat and mouse and cat and mouse until at the line it was too close to call. AND CADEL EVANS got his first official stage win.

According to race radio, Andy Schleck lost eight seconds. Thor Hushovd remains in the Yellow Jersey. Alberto Contador didn't gain back much time. Cadel Evans is whisker close to being the leader of the 2011 Tour de France.

Next post will have the top 10 riders in the overall as well as an update on where Contador sits.

Hold please.

Stage 3 - Olonne sur Mer to Redon

Flat. Fast. Open.

Today's stage 3 is 198KM of flat terrain that will likely see a sprinter take the win. This won't mean much for the overall classification. It also won't help Alberto Contador get any closer to the yellow jersey. But it will be fun to watch.

My predictions for the stage are as follows...

Winner will be Mark Cavendish. Thor Hushovd will come in moments behind and retain the yellow jersey for a second day.

There will be two breakaways, but neither will stay away.

There will be one horrific crash where a rider has to abandon - but it won't be any of the contenders.

What say you about today's third stage of the 2011 Tour de France?

*Will blog more after the stage has been decided. Here in the United States I have an Independence Day party to attend. Chat later!

Team Time Trial - Stage 2 - 2011 Tour de France

Let me catch my breath before giving you the lowdown on today's results.

Contrary to my predictions, the ride of the day was turned in by Team BMC with Cadel Evans and George Hincapie. They finished a mere four seconds behind Garmin-Cervelo in the stage (which puts Thor Hushovd in Yellow tonight).

The gaps - if you can believe it - are about 1:40 to Contador from the other contenders. Cadel is just one second behind Thor and Andy Schleck is lingering just a bit behind him.

Here is the overall classification...with the top ten and Alberto Contador's spot...

HUSHOVD Thor

MILLAR David

EVANS Cadel + 00' 01"

THOMAS Geraint + 00' 04"

GERDEMANN Linus + 00' 04"

SCHLECK Frank + 00' 04"

CANCELLARA Fabian + 00' 04"

HAGEN Edvald Boasson + 00' 04"

QUINZIATO Manuel + 00' 04"

SCHLECK Andy + 00' 04"

and in 75th place...

CONTADOR Alberto + 01' 42"

Stage 1 - Nice Little Shake-up in the Field - SPOILER ALERT

I don't have all the details yet, but the stage today has already created implications for the podium in Paris. During most of the 192KM stage there wasn't much to see, but then about 10KM from the end there was a crash....

SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT

It has been reported that Contador and Andy Schleck were both caught in that crash and lost about 1:40 to the eventual stage winner and now Yellow Jersey wearer Gilbert of the Omega Pharma-Lotto squad. In his career, Philippe Gilbert has worn the Yellow Jersey nine times (not counting today) and has never had a green or polka dot on his back.

Before tomorrow's Team Time Trial, I'll get you another update on today's stage 1.

Did your favorite rider finish in good stead after today's event?

Stage 1 - Tour de France 2011

Traveling 192KM from La Barre de Monts to Mont des Alouttes, stage 1 is a flat one with one category 4 climb near the end.

Sprinters should take this stage - and as I write this the riders are about 50KM into the day's race and there hasn't been anything major to change the facet of the 2011 Tour de France.

As some pundits say, the quest of the prospective leaders is to win at the end and not crash in the beginning. Therefore, riders like Evans and Contador will try to stay near the front of the field during most stages to avoid getting hung up in madness if there's a large kerfuffle near the back or middle of the peleton.

I'm wearing my yellow Tour de France shirt and following the tour on an iPhone app. Will review that app in the next post.

Leapfrog is the name of the game - 2010 Tour de France

Stage 9 in the 2010 Tour de France was the most difficult so far in terms of categorized climbs and pack splitting. It showed that not even the yellow jersey on Cadel Evans' back could keep him in the lead. And it made very clear how well Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador were riding this season.

My hope is that my previous thoughts that the pack was all together is not a pipe dream. But watching Andy and Alberto joust up the steepest slopes so far in this grand tour, the rest of the cyclists might just be kids playing a man's game.

Even Lance - who put in a heroic effort today and pulled himself back into the race...a little* - didn't stay with the leaders. *No real hope of him getting on the podium but he might actually crack the top 10 if he rides this way all the way home.

So here's where we stand after Stage 9. These are the top guys in the stage and then I'll give you the new shaken standings overall in my next post.

ALSO - if you're in the Boston area, there's a Tour de France breakfast at Redbones BBQ in Somerville, MA tomorrow morning. It runs from 9AM to noon and is wildly popular each year. (They do two of these each Tour.)

I plan to attend. If you want more details, go see WithJeff and click on the calendar at the top of that blog.

Now for the top racers in the stage today (and I've made it plain text so you can read it more easily...


CASAR Sandy
62
FDJ
5h 38' 10"

SANCHEZ Luis-Leon
161
CAISSE D’EPARGNE
5h 38' 10"
+ 00' 00"

CUNEGO Damiano
201
LAMPRE - FARNESE
5h 38' 10"
+ 00' 00"

MOREAU Christophe
166
CAISSE D’EPARGNE
5h 38' 12"
+ 00' 02"

CHARTEAU Anthony
153
BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM
5h 38' 12"
+ 00' 02"

CONTADOR Alberto
1
ASTANA
5h 38' 12"
+ 00' 02"

SCHLECK Andy
11
TEAM SAXO BANK
5h 38' 12"
+ 00' 02"

SANCHEZ Samuel
181
EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI
5h 39' 02"
+ 00' 52"

RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin
77
KATUSHA TEAM
5h 40' 17"
+ 02' 07"

LEIPHEIMER Levi
25
TEAM RADIOSHACK
5h 40' 17"
+ 02' 07"

Armstrong Out - Cadel in Yellow - Leipheimer in the Mix

Today's Stage 8 was brilliant. It was amazing to see Armstrong crash twice. To see Andy Schleck win the stage. To see Contador have a chink in his armor. And to see Cadel Evans go into the Yellow Jersey as the leader of the 2010 Tour de France.

This was amazing. Here are the top six stage finishers and an explanation of the headline.

Andy Schleck with the win - Saxo Bank
Samuel Sanchez - Euskaltel
Robert Gesink - Rabobank
Roman Kreuziger - Liquigas
Alberto Contador - Atana
Cadel Evans - BMC

Explaining the headline - Armstrong is going to end the stage at least seven minutes behind the yellow jersey. He will be about six minutes behind Contador. He is effectively out of the Tour as it relates to his chances for winning his eighth title.

What it also means is that he can now concentrate (if he doesn't abandon) on putting Levi Leipheimer into yellow and onto the podium.

We saw today that Contador is fallible and that the leaders in this year's 2010 Tour de France are MUCH closer in skill than in many past races.

Tomorrow is a rest day. I know I need it. Hope you're enjoying the blog. Feel free to leave your comments and predictions here.

GC after Stage 6 - 2010 Tour de France

Like I said in my most recent post - short and sweet. With many more details to come during Sunday's Stage 8. But after six stages of this year's race, here are the top five riders. *Cadel Evans is in there!

Fabian Cancellara - Saxo Bank
Geraint Thomas - Sky Pro Cycling
Cadel Evans - BMC
Ryder Hesjedal - Garmin
Sylvain Chavanel - Quick Step

You can expect that the folks here in the top five will be shuffled in the next couple days except for Evans. The only possibility is that the power of the yellow jersey might keep Fabian Cancellara around for a few extra days before he's spit out the back.

Prediction for tomorrow's Stage 7... again I'm going with a breakaway including Cadel Evans with him winning it and getting into yellow. Could be wrong.

Sylvain Chavanel - Stage 2 Carnage in the 2010 Tour de France

After a rider went down, and took at least one motorcycle with him - and about 20% of the peleton - Sylvain Chavanel on team Quick•Step took the win in Stage 2 of the 2010 Tour de France.

He was in the lead for a hundred kilometers and he finished ahead of the GC by about 2:30.

This is Chavenel's FIRST yellow jersey in a 10 years of riding the Tour de France.

Exciting!

Tomorrow we get onto the Paves (cobblestones) and there could very well be more carnage.

Look for a couple posts later today with GC standings and Stage 2 standings. AND I'll see what I can find out about abandons after the massive crash today.

Cancellara keeps yellow - 2010 Tour de France

Alessandro Petacchi took the stage, but Fabian Cancellara keeps the overall lead because of the mayhem in the final 3KM.

Crashes, madness, etc.

I love this sport.

More posts coming with my prediction for tomorrow's Stage 2 and the overall standings after Stage 1.

Predictions for the 2010 Tour de France

You realize that since 1998 I have been making predictions about this race. I spent the 1998 Tour de France in Ireland and have seen subsequent Tours de France in person in 2004, 2005 and 2007. In 2009, I went through Paris, but at the wrong season - so my plan is to get back over there next year for the 2011 Tour and then again for the 100th Tour in 2013 (if that's right...I think it is).

But what about 2010? What about the riders? What about Contador and Lance and Levi and Cadel and Andy and others? Let me tell you my top five riders in the Tour and then I'll pick the podium. Feel free to share your picks as well.

Top Five Tour de France riders for 2010

Alberto Contador - Team Astana
He's no longer sharing the spotlight and his new team is focused on Alberto as a leader. He is in great form and is still hungry and young.

Andy Schleck - Team Saxo Bank
Podium last year. He should be there again this year. There are questions about his team's strength, but he's gotten better in the time trial and now is poised to give Alberto - or anyone - a run for their money.

Lance Armstrong - Team Radio Shack
He's focused on the cancer message more than ever. He's created a team around him with an American brand. He's raced a lot this year and has skyrocketed in the standings at each successive race. He's peaking at the right time and all the controversy will serve to light a monstrous fire inside his 38-year-old body. Everyone says it might not be enough to be angry and tactical and focused. They wonder if his body - 11 years older than Alberto's - will hold up. I think it will and that's why he's on this list.

Cadel Evans - Team BMC Racing
I like this guy. He's a mountain biker turned pro roadie. He's good. Really good. AND he has my favorite rider on his team. No longer is big George Hincapie working with Lance, but with Cadel I think George could prove to be the wild card in the race. Cadel is talented and skilled. George is brilliant and driven. This could be the year that George delivers another teammate to a yellow jersey on the Champs-Elysees.

Ivan Basso - Team Liquigas
He last rode in the Tour two years ago when he finished 2nd. If he's stayed on form, he could win it all. All the sporting minds say he may be peaking at just the right time and has the confidence borne of a Giro win under his belt. I'm not certain, but if I were riding the race I would definitely watch for him in every stage.

OK - there's a group of guys. Here's my podium...

3rd - Cadel Evans

2nd - Andy Schleck

1st - Lance Armstrong

Lax

Not Los Angeles airport, but my state of mind when it comes to cycling news. I have been lax in my efforts. But that's about to change.

Recently, I went to Lance's bike shop in Austin, Texas while covering the South by Southwest festival. The shop - Mellow Johnny's - is a play on the French word for the yellow jersey, the maillot jaune.

With that energy in mind, I'm about ready to start feeding you the news you can use about the 2010 Tour de France. Got anything you think I should mention or focus on? Please leave it in the comments.

More coming soon!

Snuggie and The Final GC -SPOILERS

What an amazing stage. I probably only needed to watch the time Trials and Stage 20 to get the real feel for how this year's Tour would turn out.

According to Phil Liggett, "We've had a great Tour de France." But he said that about five minutes ago after commentating at the end of Stage 20.

Well, the Tour de France has 21 stages and doesn't officially go into the books until after tomorrow. But he was right. The Tour is essentially over. Contador, Schleck and Armstrong are expected to be 1, 2, and 3 on the Podium in Paris.

Why is that? Well, the unwritten rules of the Tour de France dictate that nobody attack the Yellow Jersey or the top riders on the final stage of the race.

So as we go into Paris tomorrow, the GC shapes up as follows - current as of 10:53AM EST in the United States... (and the reason I put Snuggie in the title is because VERSUS is running Snuggie ads - in JULY!)

1. CONTADOR Alberto 21 ASTANA 81h 46' 17"
2. SCHLECK Andy 31 TEAM SAXO BANK 81h 50' 28" + 04' 11"
3. ARMSTRONG Lance 22 ASTANA 81h 51' 41" + 05' 24"
4. WIGGINS Bradley 58 GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM 81h 52' 18" + 06' 01"
5. SCHLECK Frank 36 TEAM SAXO BANK 81h 52' 21" + 06' 04"
6. KLÖDEN Andréas 23 ASTANA 81h 52' 59" + 06' 42"
7. NIBALI Vincenzo 95 LIQUIGAS 81h 53' 52" + 07' 35"
8. VANDE VELDE Christian 51 GARMIN - SLIPSTREAM 81h 58' 21" + 12' 04"
9. KREUZIGER Roman 93 LIQUIGAS 82h 00' 33" + 14' 16"
10. LE MEVEL Christophe 106 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 82h 00' 42" + 14' 25"
11. ASTARLOZA Mikel 61 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 82h 01' 01" + 14' 44"
12. CASAR Sandy 101 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 82h 03' 36" + 17' 19"
13. KARPETS Vladimir 161 TEAM KATUSHA 82h 04' 51" + 18' 34"
14. NOCENTINI Rinaldo 87 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 07' 02" + 20' 45"
15. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 17 SILENCE - LOTTO 82h 07' 07" + 20' 50"
16. GOUBERT Stephane 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 08' 46" + 22' 29"
17. SASTRE Carlos 1 CERVELO TEST TEAM 82h 12' 38" + 26' 21"
18. BOTCHAROV Alexandre 162 TEAM KATUSHA 82h 15' 50" + 29' 33"
19. HINCAPIE George 74 TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC 82h 19' 44" + 33' 27"
20. CHAVANEL Sylvain 151 QUICK STEP 82h 20' 26" + 34' 09"
21. KNEES Christian 185 TEAM MILRAM 82h 21' 05" + 34' 48"
22. ROLLAND Pierre 148 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 82h 24' 01" + 37' 44"
23. ROCHE Nicolas 89 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 24' 37" + 38' 20"
24. GERDEMANN Linus 181 TEAM MILRAM 82h 24' 52" + 38' 35"
25. FEILLU Brice 174 AGRITUBEL 82h 27' 31" + 41' 14"
26. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 118 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 82h 27' 44" + 41' 27"
27. MONFORT Maxime 77 TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC 82h 29' 37" + 43' 20"
28. ZUBELDIA Haimar 29 ASTANA 82h 29' 51" + 43' 34"
29. MOREAU Christophe 171 AGRITUBEL 82h 30' 50" + 44' 33"
30. EVANS Cadel 11 SILENCE - LOTTO 82h 31' 41" + 45' 24"
31. SORENSEN Nicki 38 TEAM SAXO BANK 82h 32' 51" + 46' 34"
32. VELITS Peter 187 TEAM MILRAM 82h 32' 52" + 46' 35"
33. DUPONT Hubert 84 AG2R LA MONDIALE 82h 36' 00" + 49' 43"
34. SORENSEN Chris 37 TEAM SAXO BANK 82h 36' 04" + 49' 47"
35. PAULINHO Sergio 26 ASTANA 82h 40' 17" + 54' 00"
36. MARTIN Tony 76 TEAM COLUMBIA - HTC 82h 41' 21" + 55' 04"
37. PELLIZOTTI Franco 91 LIQUIGAS 82h 41' 50" + 55' 33"
38. MINARD Sébastien 127 COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 82h 43' 54" + 57' 37"
39. PASAMONTES Luis 116 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 82h 44' 04" + 57' 47"

Sometime after tomorrow I'll give a wrap-up post. Thanks for reading.