[chappers]

Well I've just read that Mr Armstrong is going to ride le tour next year with Astana -

So is he mad?

Will Contador want to ride as a team rider rather than the leader?

im pretty sure that armstrong would have sat down and done the math - could he have won this year, the answer is probably yes. there is no way he would go into this without the knowledge that he can win.

i just read an interview with lance inwhich he talks about the teams strength (three potential tour winners inc Levi). and it looks like it is clear, and he agrees that they will ride for the strongest rider - surely contador!

i just cant see it working like that...

anyone else??

[fatkid2000]

According to Spanish reports Contador is looking to leave Astana, but can't - he's tied in until 2010. I doubt he will be happy working for an Armstrong win.

Mind you, the French will probably prevent Armstrong starting the race, they seem to be intent on finding him guilty of doping at any cost. I know alot of cyclist are adamant that Lance is clean, I'm just not sure, he was around when EPO use was rife in the pro-peleton. Greg LeMond is convinced he doped, so who do we beleive???

We'll probably never truely know if Lance used, he'll probably not win Le Tour in 09, and even if he did the critics won't be silenced.

So Percy have you tired you Wife's source of EPO yet????

[Percy B]

Natures EPO is strictly reserved for mini-me!

Its interesting that both Armstrong and Contador have recovered from very serious life-threatening illnesses to achieve way better endurance and power on a bike than they had previously had. Maybe you don't need drugs, but just need to get very advanced and agressive forms of cancer, or spend time in a coma with cavernoma (some hideous problem with the veins in your spinal cord that cause you to have fits, die, etc) in order to be the best road racer! I can now see why the drugs route may be more popular with those who want to win races.....or maybe NOT.

I reckon Astana will loose Contador if Armstrong is signed up by them. Latest news in Vinokurov has his ban lifted next year and wants to ride for Astana again! Astana could be the team with 6 potential tour winners on it, none of whom will ride for one another. What a mess!

[Plattsy]

CSC will be quite happy if Astana return to the Tour in a mess.

According to the BBC Piepoli and Schumacher have tested positive for Cera using samples taken during this years Tour. Ricco tested positive for this advanced blood doping product too.

They're retesting all samples for Cera so other positive results may follow.

Another day where pro cyclists drag their sport through the gutter.

[fatdoc]

CSC will be quite happy if Astana return to the Tour in a mess.

According to the BBC Piepoli and Schumacher have tested positive for Cera using samples taken during this years Tour. Ricco tested positive for this advanced blood doping product too.

They're retesting all samples for Cera so other positive results may follow.

Another day where pro cyclists drag their sport through the gutter.

that's rare, not



I'm so fucked of with it all I'm now not gonna watch / follow any of the grand tours next year.... mark my words if the *big 6* all ride for astana it will leave a stangnated field rife with drug rumour and bitching all season.




ahhhh.... that''ll be like most years then

[Plattsy]

Wiggins has suggested a possibly team GB riding in the tour according to the beeb. Who would be involved there then. Wiggins, Cavendish, Millar who else?

[chappers]

what a fucking mess astana will be.
they need to sort out who will lead that team, maybe they could have a grand tour each? that will be crazy if vinakurov jumps on the band wagon.

i have problems believing that armstrong was clean. my reason: the majority of the riders that he destroyed so convincingly in his tour wins have admitted to doping, and he was so much stronger, i just figure how could he have not been on dope??

team GB, it has been public that they want a tour team for a while. by 2010 i think...

[chappers]

oh yeah, if team GB to get together for the tour, im not sure that cav et al would ride for them. he has got the best sprint in the sport, but i bet he would rather ride for a big team with a strong lead out train. he wouldnt win as much without that.

i was suspicious of schumacher when watching the tour, those time trials... (not like watching ricco and saying "he will test positive in the next few days"). he has been in a spot of bother with the law before and got quite pissed when questioned about it whilst in yellow at this years tour.

[Joepicalli]

Useful site if you like riding up hills .
http://www.salite.ch/struttura/default.asp?Ultime=10

[Percy B]

I'm flogging one of my bikes
Details on the For Sale section. Don't worry though, I'm keeping the other two

[clm]

apparently the manufacturers of cera told the doping authorities about a marker in the mmolecule.  This is why so many riders got caught - they thought noone had a test for the "new" drug.

[SteveM]

Interesting business case. Or were they performing a public service?

[fatkid2000]

According to WADA & the drug manufactuers, there is no molecule linked to drug to aid detection. The manufactuers did inform the doping authorities about the drug and helped develop a test to detect it, but its still possible to use it and not get caught. Apparently it can only be detected for 3 days after use & the test is not full proof. There's an interesting article about Greg Lemond's view on it & Mr Armstrong on bike radar.

The olympic aothorities are re-testing 1000s of sample as the test for CERA is now better.

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/interview-greg-lemond-18929

[Duma]

Polka dot too...

prick.

[chappers]

what a joke.
one rule for one, one for everyone else.

Armstrong has been cleared to ride in the tour down under - two weeks before his blood passport should allow him.

however, it seems the whole sport is in shit state and there is still a massive culture of doping...

[squeek]

What about Armstrong joins Astana, Vinikourov does too, then the tour doesn't let them back in?   It would amuse me.

They should just have 2 tours for a few years, one drug free, one take what ever you want, then keep the one that's most popular.

[webbo]

i thought they did already.tour de france and tour of itlay

[chappers]

im pretty sure that an astana team with armstrong in it will get a place. he has after all spoken to the french premiere about it!

webbo, i think that squeek was saying there should be a drug free tour, you cant say that the giro has been dope free?

[webbo]

what i was implying was that in some tours if you dope you will get caught but not in others.

[fatkid2000]

I wander whether the French would be so keen to get to the bottom of whether Armstrong had doped had he been French - I doubt it.

Its also quite strange how somebody like Pantani is still held in such high regard, especially in Italy even though its well known he was off his head on whatever the local drug reps could give him. Bianchi have one of his bikes on display at the Bike Show at Earls Court this year, and he is widely credited at saving the brand from collapse in the 90s.

[Percy B]

It's worth checking out the drug-free future of cycling - www.theafricancyclist.com

Check out the video of the guys destroying Alp d'Huez - go to the Press menu and click on the Daily Telegraph link at the top of the list.

[Plattsy]

For your information. Return of the team time trial and the Ventoux on the penultimate day. 

The 2009 Tour de France, 4-26 July:

Monaco - Monaco, 15 km (individual time trial)
Monaco - Brignoles, 182 km
Marseille - La Grande-Motte, 196 km
Montpellier, 38 km (team time-trial)
Le Cap d'Agde - Perpignan, 197 km
Girona (Spain) - Barcelona (Spain), 175 km
Barcelona - Andorra 224 km
Andorra-la-Vieille - Saint-Girons, 176 km
Saint-Gaudens - Tarbes, 160 km
Rest day at Limoges
Limoges - Issoudun, 193 km
Vatan - Saint-Fargeau, 192 km
Tonnerre - Vittel, 200 km
Vittel - Colmar, 200 km
Colmar - Besançon, 199 km
Pontarlier - Verbier (Suisse), 207 km
Rest day at Verbier
Martigny (Switzerland) - Bourg-Saint-Maurice, 160 km
Bourg-Saint-Maurice - Le Grand-Bornand, 169 km
Annecy - Annecy, 40 km (individual time trial)
Bourgoin-Jallieu - Aubenas, 195 km
Montélimar - Mont Ventoux, 167 km
Montereau-Fault-Yonne - Paris Champs-Elysées, 160 km

[fatkid2000]

So what's the drug of choice for 2009? Now CERA can be tested for?? There must be seomething out there the riders have up their sleeves or am I just cynical??

[fatkid2000]

This makes for interesting reading for all the cycle commuters now that dark morning / evenings have arrived. Especially the pedal reflectors - have DfT never seen modern pedals. You can just imagine some lawyer get a motorist off due to not riding with pedal reflectors. http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/guidanceaboutlightsonpedalbi4556

[fatkid2000]

Cheshire Cat entries are out for those interested. The 102 mile one has an up-hill cobbled section - nice...