Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
2006 Tour De France
- Thread starter lexus
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I think it is wide open as to who will take it this year....I am not sure about Ulrich..he did not perform as expected last year, and may be just getting too old, I would like to see some non-scandalous fresh blood in the front. The Tour really needs some fresh faces after all that has gone on the last couple of years...I sure with Tyler Hamilton had been able to stay in...I still don't think he did anything.
Man, is it just me, or does it seem like the Tour is starting every few months... I swear it was just 3 weeks ago that we found out Lance won again 
Aside from that, I honestly have no idea what is going on in the biking world...
Aside from that, I honestly have no idea what is going on in the biking world...
I've been so absorbed in the World Cup I'd forgotten about the tour!
I hope Ulrich wins...he deserves it after all those years of 2nd and third places...but there are quite a few great young riders...we'll have to wait and see.
I hope Ulrich wins...he deserves it after all those years of 2nd and third places...but there are quite a few great young riders...we'll have to wait and see.
Ivan Basso or Alexander Vinokourov, though T-mobile has yet to prove that they know how to manage an team effectively...
My three pics are Ulrich, Basso and the underdog I'm really rooting for Hincapie. History repeats itself though and in the past after a dominant player leaves the tour the next couple of years get hectic and the winers are pretty random. Anybody can win this one.
Although I would love nothing more than to see Hincapie win it, I am not sure about that...I don't think he is strong enough for a win, although he will be a leader...Mayo is pretty good...Don't forget about Floyd Landis hanging out there in Tyler's old spot for Phonak.
I wont be watching the tour de france or any more cycling until they all agree that everyone eats spinach and natural foods only and dont lie and cheat their deluded way to the top. For me, the latest scandals in Spain spoil the illusion for fans like myself who cycle the mountains and identify with the effort they put into the races. But not knowing who is taking what, not trusting a word from their lips any more, saddened by just what puppets those cyclists are in the hands of their distorted trainers, they can be content impressing each other for all I care.
That is so apologist, if you dont mind me saying. Little consolation that cycling has such rigid testing. All the cleverer their doctors have to be, and they are clever. It isnt sport when there has to be such control, if you ask me.Transic said:
You know there were blood bags from about 100 top cyclists in that raid! 200 top pros in the tour. Maybe those dopers wont all be in the tour or have retired, but there will be a significant number de toxing themselves for the tour. Great spectacle.
I would rather let them get on with it. Maybe harsh, unfair, generalising, but hey, they asked for it, not the millions of cycling fans. I cant beleive we want our heroes to win at any cost. Heras lives a few doors down from me, you just dont know what to think from this gentleman, and I mean that sincerely, he is a lovely guy, but, who knows, he has a livelihood worth millions at stake. So I would rather not get involved in speculating or supporting, but just looking at the facts on the tv, i will reserve the right not to get sucked into a potential farce. Already looked a **** once saying what a fantastic cyclist Pantani was when he won the tour. He is a disgraced athlete and dead now, poor bloke.
It is a cycling thing due to the nature of the support, I believe. With the right preparation, the Tour de France, any tour really, is doable and winnable without taking drugs, I suggest. The problem is, these guys are mostly used and abused by their teams and they have to race pretty much 8 months a year. Cyclists are not pampered soccer players, their training is second only to what boxers and swimmers go through, yet they perform infinitely more times a season than these athletes.Transic said:No offense at all, I'm in serious denial.
Now to get off topic just once more -- the last time, I promise! Do you think that cycling has an epidemic drug problem or are more dopers uncovered due to the UCI's policies?
They love to cycle, they want to win, they dont want to die either, but they are put in a position by their team managers that gives them the choice, either keep up to speed throughout the schedule we give you, or they are out. And the cyclists now the score before they go in. Santi Blanco, Roberto Heras and AN Other from Béjar all had the chance to go pro, AN Other did not because he did not want to do what was expected of him by the managers and doctors. A friend of mine has just made it as fulltime professional, again, a really neat lad, we are just praying his managers nurture him as a pro like they did when he was coming up through the ranks, selecting just a few key races per season, not pushing him past his already unbelievable limits from training since he was 14.
It is this idea that being superhuman through natural development is still not good enough to be at the top. So as with all things, it is the top people in cycling who hold the key, and the authorities have to take a real stand, not just slap wrists of the users like Tyler hamilton and co, but find the dealers and sanction them out the game, set a maximum for racing in each cyclists calendar. I am of course peeing on the wind here, because there is too much money for them that matter to do the right thing. Hence, I wont be watching any more cycling.
billyboy said:
I understand your sentiment, but I am curious why you are just stopping now? Doping has been in this sport for decades. Cycling deity Merckx was a doper back in the early 70's. Then of course we have 1998.
Funny thing. It is so wide-spread now that it is almost not cheating anymore.
I suppose when it finally gets so close to home and you see the actors in the flesh?hmmfe said:
Maybe they should just say, win however you want, at least that is honest in a perverted way
hmmfe said:
It makes sense to get rid of restrictions till a batch of cyclists die in the cause for victory. I am sure the cyclists would think "It wouldnt happen to them" but there have to be rules for everyone's benefits, not just the sponsors or managers. Anyway, I will continue watching the odd bit of soccer til that gets drug scandalised on a wide scale!
As usual, I'm rooting for Ulrich. Between his own issues and those of the teams he's ridden for it's been a tough few years for him. I can't imagine that he has many more years so here's hoping he makes it this time around.
I hear ya billyboy on the doping issue but hopefully the scandals of the past, especially now that Lance is out of the picture will fade away. There's no hope that any sport will ever be dope free because there's simply too much money at stake.
I hear ya billyboy on the doping issue but hopefully the scandals of the past, especially now that Lance is out of the picture will fade away. There's no hope that any sport will ever be dope free because there's simply too much money at stake.