MAQM: Tour de France
Me Asking Questions from Me: the Tour de France
Q. What's up with Lance? I hear he's basically finished?
Yup. He got mixed up in three crashes, falling hard on the second and banging his hip. That one occurred at the worst possible moment, right at the bottom of a significant climb and just as the top contenders were ramping up their speed. Lance never recovered.
Q. Ah, I see. What about all those Floyd Landis allegations?
I feel like Landis is the Jose Canseco of bike racing. Eventually, we'll realize a lot of what he's said is true. Actually, Landis might even be more vilified than Canseco ever was (at least in America) because Lance has so many high-profile supporters amongst the media. (See: Reilly, Rick; Caple, Jim)
For the record, I think Lance doped. I think practically everyone was doping though. So I also think Lance was as brilliant a rider as his seven victories would suggest. A cheater, yes. But I'm kind of over that. I'm disappointed in him, but I don't despise him. (sigh) It's complicated...
Q. Do you think the race is clean now?
Clean-er. Like baseball. Actually, significantly more clean than baseball. The Tour de France is powerful enough to mandate some pretty strict vigilance over its riders. Blood tests. Biological passports. The works.
Q. Cool. So if Lance is toast, I guess I don't have to pay attention to the Tour de France anymore, eh? Unless...are any Americans in contention?
It's been a rough ride for American cyclists. Tyler Farrar has had a great year winning individual stages with his sprint ability. Unfortunately, he broke his wrist early in the Tour. He's still riding, and even finished second in Friday's stage, but he's still not 100%.
Another American rider, Christian Vande Velde, a podium contender who finished fourth overall in 2008, crashed out of the Tour last week with broken ribs.
The best American podium contender left is actually Lance's teammate, Levi Leipheimer. Ultimately, Lance is going to find himself in the same position last year, when he was a super-domestique helping Alberto Contador to victory. In eighth place, Leipheimer is 2:14 behind the leader.
Q. Who is the leader?
That would be Australian Cadel Evans. Cadel is the reigning World Champion, but he's had a frustrating history in the Tour de France. He finished second in 2007 and 2008 (when he was the pre-race favorite), and then raced miserably last year. He's definitely on form this year.
Q. Anything else I should know about Cadel?
His nickname is Cuddles. It's ironic. He's a bit of a grouch.
Q. So is Cuddles the favorite now?
Wellll... coming into Sunday, everyone agreed that Spanish rider Alberto Contador was the clear favorite.
Q. Oh right! Contador! He won last year, right?
Right, and in 2007. He didn't race in 2008 because his team, Astana, was banned from the race for doping violations. (Contador was never implicated. He joined the team after the violations occurred but before the ban was announced.)
Anyway... as I was saying before you RUDELY interrupted me... Contador was the clear favorite coming in to Sunday. His team controlled the race through the Alps almost the whole way. However in the last kilometer of the final climb Andy Schleck raced away from him and Contador couldn't catch back up. In 2007, Contador ALWAYS caught up. In 2009, Contador ALWAYS caught up. So this was a blow to his perceived invulnerability.
Q. "Andy Schleck." That's fun to say!
I know! The Luxemburg rider is my favorite. His older brother and key teammate Frank crashed out of the tour a few days ago, but Schleck's team is still strong. On Sunday he gained 10 seconds on Contador and Evans. That might not sound like a lot, but every chunk helps. Schleck is not as good a time trialist as those two, so he'll have to be leading by a nice margin going into the individual time trial on stage 19.
The larger significance of Schleck's late breakaway on Sunday is he seems to be riding the mountains well - better than anyone else. The mountains, even more than the time trial, is where the Tour is won.
Q. So Schleck is going to Schleck his way to victory?
Actually, it feels as wide open as any tour. Steady Evans in first, gangly young climber Schleck 20 seconds behind, Contador 1:01 back. And those three might not make up the final podium. Quiet Russian Denis Menchov lurks in fifth. Leipheimer is back there in 8th. Solid Michael Rogers is in 10th. 2008 Tour winner Carlos Sastre is in 12th. And potential contenders Ivan Basso and Bradley Wiggins are both within 2:45 of the lead in 13th and 14th. Anything could happen.
Q. Neat! (Not really..I'm just humoring you.) So what else is going on in this 3 week bike race?
The third stage went over a series of cobbled roads. That type of surface is common in the one-day classic races, but aside from a few random patches here and there, is rarely seen in the Tour de France. In fact, a few riders complained. Andy Schleck even said it didn't belong in the Tour de France. Ironically, Schleck rode great while Lance had an unlucky flat tire on a stage he was expected to excel in.
Q. Didn't I hear something about a fight between two riders?
Yup. A couple cyclists were pushing on the road, and mixed it up right after the stage. Here's the video:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2490-Endurance-Sports-Examiner~y2010m7d10-Video-ugly-Tour-de-France-fight-leads-to-fines-and-more-questions
Q. Ha ha! He whacked him with his wheel!
Speaking of getting whacked, the riders are about to get pummeled by the famous Col de la Madelaine on Tuesday, which should further sort out the contenders. Contador, Schleck, Evans, and perhaps others will cross swords.
Q. Wait, I'm watching this video again... ha ha ha! That's hilarious!
Wednesday is the final day in the Alps, although the climbs aren't quite as substantial. Sunday, the race returns to the mountains - the Pyrenees. That stage ends with two brutal climbs. Monday is tough as well. But Tuesday...WOW. Tuesday is the hardest stage of the Tour. Two first category climbs (the lower the number, from 4 to 1, the harder the climb), followed by two hors categorie climbs. "Hors categorie" means beyond category; it's the toughest possible climb. To go 1, 1, H, H...that's ridiculous.
Q. Why didn't they just have categories 1 through 5 and make 1 the hardest?
...um...these go to hors...
Q. I see.
This is one of the most mountainous Tours I can remember. Stage 17 tacks on a couple more first category climbs before the race returns to lower ground. Sometimes there is a team time trial or more individual time trial. This year, only the short prelude stage and stage 19 are time trials. So if Schleck is riding well in the mountains, his time trial deficiency might not be insurmountable.
Q. Schleck it up, Schleck!
I agree. Anyway. I'll try to check back in with you in a week when the race is in the Pyrenees. And feel free to come by and watch some of the race with me!
Q. Ummm... Paul... you realize you're talking to yourself right?
Yes. Well... I will continue to watch alone.
Q. Go Schleck!
Go Schleck!
Q. What's up with Lance? I hear he's basically finished?
Yup. He got mixed up in three crashes, falling hard on the second and banging his hip. That one occurred at the worst possible moment, right at the bottom of a significant climb and just as the top contenders were ramping up their speed. Lance never recovered.
Q. Ah, I see. What about all those Floyd Landis allegations?
I feel like Landis is the Jose Canseco of bike racing. Eventually, we'll realize a lot of what he's said is true. Actually, Landis might even be more vilified than Canseco ever was (at least in America) because Lance has so many high-profile supporters amongst the media. (See: Reilly, Rick; Caple, Jim)
For the record, I think Lance doped. I think practically everyone was doping though. So I also think Lance was as brilliant a rider as his seven victories would suggest. A cheater, yes. But I'm kind of over that. I'm disappointed in him, but I don't despise him. (sigh) It's complicated...
Q. Do you think the race is clean now?
Clean-er. Like baseball. Actually, significantly more clean than baseball. The Tour de France is powerful enough to mandate some pretty strict vigilance over its riders. Blood tests. Biological passports. The works.
Q. Cool. So if Lance is toast, I guess I don't have to pay attention to the Tour de France anymore, eh? Unless...are any Americans in contention?
It's been a rough ride for American cyclists. Tyler Farrar has had a great year winning individual stages with his sprint ability. Unfortunately, he broke his wrist early in the Tour. He's still riding, and even finished second in Friday's stage, but he's still not 100%.
Another American rider, Christian Vande Velde, a podium contender who finished fourth overall in 2008, crashed out of the Tour last week with broken ribs.
The best American podium contender left is actually Lance's teammate, Levi Leipheimer. Ultimately, Lance is going to find himself in the same position last year, when he was a super-domestique helping Alberto Contador to victory. In eighth place, Leipheimer is 2:14 behind the leader.
Q. Who is the leader?
That would be Australian Cadel Evans. Cadel is the reigning World Champion, but he's had a frustrating history in the Tour de France. He finished second in 2007 and 2008 (when he was the pre-race favorite), and then raced miserably last year. He's definitely on form this year.
Q. Anything else I should know about Cadel?
His nickname is Cuddles. It's ironic. He's a bit of a grouch.
Q. So is Cuddles the favorite now?
Wellll... coming into Sunday, everyone agreed that Spanish rider Alberto Contador was the clear favorite.
Q. Oh right! Contador! He won last year, right?
Right, and in 2007. He didn't race in 2008 because his team, Astana, was banned from the race for doping violations. (Contador was never implicated. He joined the team after the violations occurred but before the ban was announced.)
Anyway... as I was saying before you RUDELY interrupted me... Contador was the clear favorite coming in to Sunday. His team controlled the race through the Alps almost the whole way. However in the last kilometer of the final climb Andy Schleck raced away from him and Contador couldn't catch back up. In 2007, Contador ALWAYS caught up. In 2009, Contador ALWAYS caught up. So this was a blow to his perceived invulnerability.
Q. "Andy Schleck." That's fun to say!
I know! The Luxemburg rider is my favorite. His older brother and key teammate Frank crashed out of the tour a few days ago, but Schleck's team is still strong. On Sunday he gained 10 seconds on Contador and Evans. That might not sound like a lot, but every chunk helps. Schleck is not as good a time trialist as those two, so he'll have to be leading by a nice margin going into the individual time trial on stage 19.
The larger significance of Schleck's late breakaway on Sunday is he seems to be riding the mountains well - better than anyone else. The mountains, even more than the time trial, is where the Tour is won.
Q. So Schleck is going to Schleck his way to victory?
Actually, it feels as wide open as any tour. Steady Evans in first, gangly young climber Schleck 20 seconds behind, Contador 1:01 back. And those three might not make up the final podium. Quiet Russian Denis Menchov lurks in fifth. Leipheimer is back there in 8th. Solid Michael Rogers is in 10th. 2008 Tour winner Carlos Sastre is in 12th. And potential contenders Ivan Basso and Bradley Wiggins are both within 2:45 of the lead in 13th and 14th. Anything could happen.
Q. Neat! (Not really..I'm just humoring you.) So what else is going on in this 3 week bike race?
The third stage went over a series of cobbled roads. That type of surface is common in the one-day classic races, but aside from a few random patches here and there, is rarely seen in the Tour de France. In fact, a few riders complained. Andy Schleck even said it didn't belong in the Tour de France. Ironically, Schleck rode great while Lance had an unlucky flat tire on a stage he was expected to excel in.
Q. Didn't I hear something about a fight between two riders?
Yup. A couple cyclists were pushing on the road, and mixed it up right after the stage. Here's the video:
http://www.examiner.com/x-2490-Endurance-Sports-Examiner~y2010m7d10-Video-ugly-Tour-de-France-fight-leads-to-fines-and-more-questions
Q. Ha ha! He whacked him with his wheel!
Speaking of getting whacked, the riders are about to get pummeled by the famous Col de la Madelaine on Tuesday, which should further sort out the contenders. Contador, Schleck, Evans, and perhaps others will cross swords.
Q. Wait, I'm watching this video again... ha ha ha! That's hilarious!
Wednesday is the final day in the Alps, although the climbs aren't quite as substantial. Sunday, the race returns to the mountains - the Pyrenees. That stage ends with two brutal climbs. Monday is tough as well. But Tuesday...WOW. Tuesday is the hardest stage of the Tour. Two first category climbs (the lower the number, from 4 to 1, the harder the climb), followed by two hors categorie climbs. "Hors categorie" means beyond category; it's the toughest possible climb. To go 1, 1, H, H...that's ridiculous.
Q. Why didn't they just have categories 1 through 5 and make 1 the hardest?
...um...these go to hors...
Q. I see.
This is one of the most mountainous Tours I can remember. Stage 17 tacks on a couple more first category climbs before the race returns to lower ground. Sometimes there is a team time trial or more individual time trial. This year, only the short prelude stage and stage 19 are time trials. So if Schleck is riding well in the mountains, his time trial deficiency might not be insurmountable.
Q. Schleck it up, Schleck!
I agree. Anyway. I'll try to check back in with you in a week when the race is in the Pyrenees. And feel free to come by and watch some of the race with me!
Q. Ummm... Paul... you realize you're talking to yourself right?
Yes. Well... I will continue to watch alone.
Q. Go Schleck!
Go Schleck!
Labels: Tour de France
posted by Prof. A at 11:07 PM
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