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Sean Trane 
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Online
Points: 20251
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 Topic: Tour de France
Posted: June 22 2006 at 12:07 |
Now that Mr. " I have cancer therefore I can take products that nobody else can" Armstrong is gone, it looks like a wide-open race.
WHO WILL WIN IT THIS YEAR?
Not that it will produce a great and clean winner, though!
the first ten days appear plain boring!
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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NutterAlert
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 07 2005
Location: In transition
Status: Offline
Points: 2808
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Posted: June 22 2006 at 12:08 |
you forgot to include eddie merckx 
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Proud to be an un-banned member since 2005
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Dalezilla
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: July 28 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 5113
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Posted: June 22 2006 at 12:44 |
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Basso
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Padraic
Special Collaborator
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Joined: February 16 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: June 22 2006 at 12:47 |
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I vote Basso, but I think Ullrich and Vinokurov will be strong contenders.
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memowakeman
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Joined: May 19 2005
Location: Mexico City
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Posted: June 22 2006 at 22:21 |
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Basso, Ulrich will be in the top 5, but if Valverde is with good health etc, he could win..
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Follow me on twitter @memowakeman
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Online
Points: 20251
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Posted: June 23 2006 at 03:24 |
I do not trust Basso to be clean >> the way he won the Giro with 10 mins over everyone....
I'd be curious to see what Vinokourov's team will be since they are at theheart of the Madrid doping scandal
Ullrich's last chance, IMHO
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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|
Soul Dreamer
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 17 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 997
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Posted: June 23 2006 at 19:50 |
The big candidates for the victory (IMO) are: Basso, Ullrich, Mentchov and Valverde. Basso showed big form in the GIRO. Mentschov showed his form in the Dauphine Libere (sorry I can't type accents) by winning the stage to the Mont Ventoux. Ullrich showed his class in the Tour Of Swiss. Valverde is the "Dark Horse" of the next Tour.
I vote for Mentchov because he's good in Time trail and Excellent in mountains. Also RABO (his team) is quite good with Boogert and Rasmussen to help him in the mountain stages.
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Logos
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 08 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 2383
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Posted: June 24 2006 at 09:30 |
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Basso.
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Online
Points: 20251
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Posted: June 25 2006 at 05:41 |
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I hope Valverde if he is clean
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
|
|
mystic fred
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 13 2006
Location: Londinium
Status: Offline
Points: 4252
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Posted: June 26 2006 at 03:27 |
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I used to enjoy watching Tour de France when i had pay -TV, especially the mountain section, but there is hardly any coverage of it in this country, a few minutes here and there on the news, so i haven't a clue who's competing! i'd rather watch TdF than the Tennis!!!!.
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 Prog Archives Tour Van 
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Logos
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 08 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 2383
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Posted: June 30 2006 at 08:37 |
Wow. So Ullrich, Basso and Mancebo are out of the race. Possibly Vinokurov too. Seems Valverde is the favourite now. 
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Online
Points: 20251
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Posted: June 30 2006 at 08:44 |
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you sure Basso is out? Italians have their own doping schemes and will usually not resort to the Spanish scene.........
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
|
|
Logos
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 08 2005
Location: Finland
Status: Offline
Points: 2383
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Posted: June 30 2006 at 08:57 |
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Yes, there's been a press conference about this today and now it's in the news everywhere.
This is a huge blow, just one day before the start and the biggest favourites are out. Should be interesting now though.
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memowakeman
Special Collaborator
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Joined: May 19 2005
Location: Mexico City
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Points: 13032
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Posted: July 05 2006 at 21:18 |
And Valverde is out... Crap!!
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Follow me on twitter @memowakeman
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Online
Points: 20251
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Posted: July 06 2006 at 03:26 |
 memowakeman wrote:
And Valverde is out... Crap!!
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that was the only thing I did not need!
Now this TDF is really of no value
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
|
|
memowakeman
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: May 19 2005
Location: Mexico City
Status: Offline
Points: 13032
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Posted: July 20 2006 at 09:23 |
Haha Hugues, i think of the list only Menchov has any possibility to win...
I think this Tour is absent of "favorites" and natural leaders, but anyway i have watched the last 2 stages, and one more last week and i have noticed some good moments.
Now the leader is Oscar Pereiro Sio, with huge chance to win this Tour, but behind him dont forget Andreas Kloden, who is always in the top 20 and a worth T-Mobile member...
So lets see what happen this last days
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Follow me on twitter @memowakeman
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Online
Points: 20251
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Posted: July 20 2006 at 11:40 |
Yup, although what Landis has done today by regaining his time lost yesterday is quite impressive.
So it will be three man race saturday. 
But the way this tour has been run is crazy 
Landis is solely guilty of Pereiro still in the running for letting this monster escape with some 28 minutes gap one week ago. He should've made his team go reduce it.  So if Pereiro (who is fighting admirably) is in the running, he still does not desrve it that much.
Sastre is the man who made Landis lose yeterday by attacking and blowin,g things up , but today his team waited (and Peireiro's and Kloden's) waited way too long , before running after Landis.
Landis has panazche , but the suspense is full for saturday. He is the strongest against the clock I believe, but strats with a 30" handicap and will be riding in front of the other two.
Last time I saw a tour so exciting was in 89 when Fignon lost by 8" to Lemond, with some irregular equipment (the triathlete handle bar was not legal according to UCI)
I still think Valverde would've won this one; though!
This is messy running with a lot technical faults, but at least this tour is interesting  |
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
|
|
memowakeman
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: May 19 2005
Location: Mexico City
Status: Offline
Points: 13032
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Posted: July 20 2006 at 20:03 |
Yes it is!
Agreed with you, what Landis did today was great, and the other teams waited so much before attack him.
The list is reduced to % :
Pereiro, Sastre, Landis, Kloden and Evans
All depends of that stage against clock, also with some luck Menchov and other could join to the group of battle for the Tour...
After Amstrong retiring, Discovery Channel lost in every way, they are over 2 hours behind the leaders, about teams i hope T-Mobile wins, but CSC could be a nice "surprise" .
So lets see what happens next... interesting!
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Follow me on twitter @memowakeman
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Soul Dreamer
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 17 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 997
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Posted: July 20 2006 at 20:20 |
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The Tour is really great this year. Before the start, my fav. was Menchov. After the Pyrenees, it still was Menchov. I enjoy most of the important stages (Pyrenees, Alpes) very much. Every day another surprise! After Alpe d'Huez I thought Landis had won. After yesterday (the stage toToussuire) I didn't give a dime anymore for the chances of Landis. But what Landis showed today was great quality. Finally he went on the attack, and it payed off. Now I'm certain he'll win...but after tomorrow that can change again...that's how this Tour is..It's like a cliff-hanger...
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To be the one who seeks so I may find .. (Metallica)
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
Joined: April 29 2004
Location: Heart of Europe
Status: Online
Points: 20251
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Posted: July 21 2006 at 02:58 |
memowakeman wrote:
Yes it is!
Agreed with you, what Landis did today was great, and the other teams waited so much before attack him. >>> way too long a wait before waking up >>> they started reacting when Landis became virtual Yellow jersey agin with 9-minutes.
And it cost them dearly only Sastre (the man who provoked Landis's fall at Toussiure) managed to cut the loss yesterdauy , but obviously he (Sastre) is stronger than the rest of the pack (except maybe Landis)
The list is reduced to % :
Pereiro, Sastre, Landis, Kloden and Evans Nah!!! the winner is one of the three, the others are over two minutes behind and if one or two can have failings, it is inconceivable that all three will.
All depends of that stage against clock, also with some luck Menchov and other could join to the group of battle for the Tour... >>> too far behind! I give Landis some 45%, Sastre 35% and Pereiro 15% , the remaining 5% for the rest of the pack
After Amstrong retiring, Discovery Channel lost in every way, they are over 2 hours behind the leaders, about teams i hope T-Mobile wins, but CSC could be a nice "surprise" .
So lets see what happens next... interesting! >>> There is still attacking grounds for today, even if it is not likely to happen, as the hills are too far away from the finnish line, and most of the three first will likely want to take it easy for the time trial. But this is last chance for thosde that are two or three minutes behind
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The winner of this year will probably never win again a TDF, though! Once the other guys get back in the running (IF they do because I think Ullrich's career is now over)
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
|
|
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