The Tour de France is over after stage 4

[hfer07]

After today's slaughter, I just can't see this tour anymore or expect anything else of what is evident to come !! even to the point that as much as I hate to see LA pulling his eight title, It seems inevitable-Contador will be second and Leech-aimer/Kloden third.
for those like me who still love & practice cycling, today is just a funeral--waiting a god damn year to watch the tour and the entire race is already decided.....
feel free to opine

 

[Delicato]

Certificate, anyone?

 

[mambo#5]

After today's slaughter, I just can't see this tour anymore or expect anything else of what is evident to come !! even to the point that as much as I hate to see LA pulling his eight title, It seems inevitable-Contador will be second and Leech-aimer/Kloden third.
for those like me who still love & practice cycling, today is just a funeral--waiting a good damn year to watch the tour and the entire race is already decided.....
feel free to opine

I disagree. I think this is by far one of the most interesting tours in years. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds in the mountain stages.

 

[frizzlefry]

Dominate and crush! It doesnt get any better than that.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why the majority of posts and threads here are so whiney in nature.

The tour is not over. Try to enjoy it.

 

[Pot Belgique]

The fat lady aint even clearing her throat yet !

One conselation is that if these sad sacks believe that the Tour is over they might just stop posting s***e and leave the adults amongst us to have some kind of informed discussion

Would the last sad sack to leave the forum please turn off their PC....Thanks, now where were we?

 

[ak-zaaf]

waiting a god damn year to watch the tour

really?
try sundays in april. way more fun.

 

[Escarabajo]

After today's slaughter, I just can't see this tour anymore or expect anything else of what is evident to come !! even to the point that as much as I hate to see LA pulling his eight title, It seems inevitable-Contador will be second and Leech-aimer/Kloden third.
for those like me who still love & practice cycling, today is just a funeral--waiting a god damn year to watch the tour and the entire race is already decided.....
feel free to opine

Relax and enjoy. Just a small rock on the road can change the destiny of the race.

I thought you were cheering for Uran just like I am.

So I don't care what the Astana boys are up to. There is still a long road ahead.

 

[pmcg76]

Agree with original post, Tour is over as a spectacle. Either Contador or Lance will win, we know this after 4 stages, how is that not obvious. TTT should be banned from Tour as it awards team strength over individuality even though the GC is an individual event.

If people cannot see that having Contador, Lance, Leipheimer, Kloeden on different teams would be far more ineteresting, then you really dont have a clue. The best Tours have always been closely contested affairs between riders and teams, this one is not even close.

Andy Schleck is the closest real non Astana GC contender at almost 2 minutes down and what rider is going to ride away from Astana in the mountains as Sastre did last year. Guys might be allowed to take stage victories, that will be it.

The only big question is the possible conflict between the Astana guys but if Contador takes time out of Lance on the first mountain stages, thats it.

Yeah, real exciting, all the people that have suddenly appeared on here the last few weeks should be made watch the 89 Tour to know what an exciting race is. If this Tour turns into a classic, then I will happily return in 3 weeks and grovel. In classic, I mean on the level of 89, 87, 86, 98, 06, 07, 08 or even 03, 90, 91.

The Spring Classics are much more fun and interesting but I guess most on here barely know what a Classic is.

 

[joeOrb55]

****y *******s

Ya'all sound like a bunch'a Cat 5 pack fodder...to call the race over before any mountain stage is sheer lunacy...a day earlier you were the same dweebs who said Lance wouldn't finish; now he's in Paree sip'n bubbly! Go back to your crack pipes and watch'n Man v. Mountain.

 

[hfer07]

really?
try sundays in april. way more fun.

Actually I do follow the spring classics -that's the only real cycling left nowadays. the Giro (without D-scandals), Paris-Nice & the Dauphine are interesting still -the Vuelta has created a conflict of being the left over of the tour.

 

[joeOrb55]

Post menstrual, it's time to reapply your steroid cream to your nads! Every fred like you who visits this site knows what the Spring Classics are...why in the heck would that be a mystery?

 

[Pot Belgique]

Agree with original post, Tour is over as a spectacle. Either Contador or Lance will win, we know this after 4 stages, how is that not obvious. TTT should be banned from Tour as it awards team strength over individuality even though the GC is an individual event.

If people cannot see that having Contador, Lance, Leipheimer, Kloeden on different teams would be far more ineteresting, then you really dont have a clue. The best Tours have always been closely contested affairs between riders and teams, this one is not even close.

Andy Schleck is the closest real non Astana GC contender at almost 2 minutes down and what rider is going to ride away from Astana in the mountains as Sastre did last year. Guys might be allowed to take stage victories, that will be it.

The only big question is the possible conflict between the Astana guys but if Contador takes time out of Lance on the first mountain stages, thats it.

Yeah, real exciting, all the people that have suddenly appeared on here the last few weeks should be made watch the 89 Tour to know what an exciting race is. If this Tour turns into a classic, then I will happily return in 3 weeks and grovel. In classic, I mean on the level of 89, 87, 86, 98, 06, 07, 08 or even 03, 90, 91.

The Spring Classics are much more fun and interesting but I guess most on here barely know what a Classic is.

I totally agree, lets get back to the close run excitement of 2003 when USPS wiped the floor with everyone in the TTT and put 8 of their guys into the top 10 after stage 4........putting 30' into Ullrich.......and nearly 2 minutes into.......Vino........hang on,.....can anyone see a pattern forming here?.....who finished on the podium that year again?.......LA.......Ullrich.....Vino.......wow, good job those 2 didn't follow the ''it's over as a spectacle after stage 4'' crowd eh?

The tour is for 3 weeks not 3 days.....stick with it, you may just be suprised with the outcome !

 

[dgodave]

Tour 2009 will be more fun for Lance haters and less fun for Lance lovers.
.
Problem is: no one seems to really give a crap either way about the other contenders... except for the Aussies who are dying for a yellow jersey.
.

 

[Anonymous]

Tour 2009 will be more fun for Lance haters and less fun for Lance lovers.
.
Problem is: no one seems to really give a crap either way about the other contenders... except for the Aussies who are dying for a yellow jersey.
.

And they will again have to wait another year. In fact, after today, there may not be an Aussie on the podium. Maybe Cadel should bag it (meaning finish with the autobus) Friday and look to go after the polka dot?

 

[BeachBum]

Agree with original post, Tour is over as a spectacle.

I'll agree with everything you say except for this.

I guess it depends on what your idea of a spectacle is. 86 was a spectacle in my mind. We had the the Hinault-LeMond battle, but even with that, La Vie Claire got 1, 2 and 4th overall, and the yellow, polka-dot and white jerseys.

Can Astana go one better and sweep the podium? That is going to be the question I am looking at. I'm not saying they WILL do it, but that they should TRY for it. Astana is well placed in positions 2-5 but 09 is already turning out to be the same sort of civil war as 86 for the top rung. My guess is that Alberto can drop Lance going uphill, but the TT is still an open question. Can Levi and Andreas stay ahead of everybody else as Lance and Alberto fight it out?

The podium sweep attempt plus Lance vs Alberto will be more than enough spectacle for me. For appetizers we have the green jersey fight plus Garmin vs Columbia in trash talking. LOADS of spectacle.

 

[anubisza]

it's far from over. this is a completely ridiculous thread.

 

[benpounder]

feel free to opine

Sounds like your prefered team/riders did not keep up with Astana today.

Astana certainly put all other teams in a bind today, for it is not just one rider they have to climb over, but four, all of whom have stood on the final podium. But those four may have ideas of climbing over their own teammates. I dont expect outright warfare a la Lemond/Hinault though. Rather all four will ride hard on Saturday just to see who they can drop. It should resemble CSC at L'Alpe D'Heuz last year.

 

[hfer07]

I totally agree, lets get back to the close run excitement of 2003 when USPS wiped the floor with everyone in the TTT and put 8 of their guys into the top 10 after stage 4........putting 30' into Ullrich.......and nearly 2 minutes into.......Vino........hang on,.....can anyone see a pattern forming here?.....who finished on the podium that year again?.......LA.......Ullrich.....Vino.......wow, good job those 2 didn't follow the ''it's over as a spectacle after stage 4'' crowd eh?

The tour is for 3 weeks not 3 days.....stick with it, you may just be suprised with the outcome !

-Well you just said it!! back in 03-the battle was to get SECOND PLACE- Beloki was out due to that crash & Ullrich was way behind after the TTT-- The only reason for all the attacks was based on LA suffering from dehydration- so anybody could get back time on him-- other than that-the tour was already over.
If you compare that with what's going on now- you must be naive not to realize what is evident, but just in case I'm going to spell it for you once more:
*Tour Winner: AC or LA-just don't even look further
*Team Winner: Astana
*Green Jersey: Cav already owns it-
*White Jersey: Roman Kreuziger
*Polka dot Jersey: it really matters?

 

[oogitaly]

I really can't believe some of these comments. If you really think the Tour is over then you have no faith in the 'new breed of cyclists' heralded post LA retirement. We havent got close to a mountain yet! Surely SaxoBank have the two prongged option of the Schlek brothers - send one off the front at the first mountain and let Astana chase then fire the other towards the stage end. Ok they are not going to take the time back in one go but surely the excitment will be there seeing them try over a number of stages. I know Cadel Evens has only just found that attacking bone in his body but surely this year he must see that he has to do something to recover time? Sastre? do you honestly think he is not going to attack at some point.

The only way this years Tour is dead and buried is if the riders resign themselves to losing. LA, like most aging stars has the knowledge to be at the right place at the right time but surely he cannot sustain his position once we get into the high mountains - I'm looking forward to seeing if he can still do it - he may for the first mountain stage, but the next and the next? is that not going to be good to watch? What about Contador - run away winner? isnt that what they said in March and it didnt work out did it. Was Paris-Nice boring? Not in my book. Contador will be under pressure from within as well as from other Teams. How will he cope - will that not be exciting to watch. If he wins with all of the expectation will that not make him a true champion and worthy of watching.

If you still think no then fine - your (slightly narrow) opinion. Turn off your TV do not log on to CN and just make note of the previous winner when you tune in again this time next year.

Goodbye

 

[Pot Belgique]

-Well you just said it!! back in 03-the battle was to get SECOND PLACE- Beloki was out due to that crash & Ullrich was way behind after the TTT-- The only reason for all the attacks was based on LA suffering from dehydration- so anybody could get back time on him-- other than that-the tour was already over.
If you compare that with what's going on now- you must be naive not to realize what is evident, but just in case I'm going to spell it for you once more:
*Tour Winner: AC or LA-just don't even look further
*Team Winner: Astana
*Green Jersey: Cav already owns it-
*White Jersey: Roman Kreuziger
*Polka dot Jersey: it really matters?

Ok, firstly Beloki had not crashed before the TTT in 03 which was stage 4 so quite obviously the tour was NOT all over !
Second, Ullrich was 39 secs behind after TTT....the same as LA was after stage 1 this year !
Third, I never debated the fact that LA or AC wouldn't win this year....I merely stated a fact.....that the tour was not over after 4 days !
Fourth, I am not the one who is naive....Cav already owns the Green Jersey?...please, the man has never finished a GT to date and I predict he still won't have come Paris !
Finally, Polka Dot don't matter? yeah sure cos its never been exciting to watch in previous Tours has it ?

you obviously know a lot more about this years Tour than I do;however, one thing that the last 30 odd years has taught me is that this sport is anything but predictable....if it was then Ullrich would be a multiple winner and 06, 07 & 08 would have been won by Landis, Rasmussen, and Contador.

Come back after the Ventoux and we'll see how many of your 'spellings' were right...........and how many mistakes you need to correct.

 

[melburnian]

astana roadshow

I agree... as much as I don't want to ...
I looked at the coming profiles, and there really aren't many mountain stages, full stop! that, combined with the dominance of 1 or 2 teams in the TTT, makes for a lesser tour. Doesn't it seem a bit wrong that last years winner, & runner up are almost out of the picture due to them being unlucky in the team stakes. I want to see battles, mano a mano, not just astana a astana!
cheers,
Martin

 

[LugHugger]

..... TTT should be banned from Tour as it awards team strength over individuality even though the GC is an individual event.

The only big question is the possible conflict between the Astana guys but if Contador takes time out of Lance on the first mountain stages, thats it.

The Spring Classics are much more fun and interesting but I guess most on here barely know what a Classic is.

+1 Perhaps the reason that the Lance-free tours have been compelling is due to the lack of TTT's

 

[Bagster]

Agree with original post, Tour is over as a spectacle. Either Contador or Lance will win, we know this after 4 stages, how is that not obvious. TTT should be banned from Tour as it awards team strength over individuality even though the GC is an individual event.

If people cannot see that having Contador, Lance, Leipheimer, Kloeden on different teams would be far more ineteresting, then you really dont have a clue. The best Tours have always been closely contested affairs between riders and teams, this one is not even close.

Andy Schleck is the closest real non Astana GC contender at almost 2 minutes down and what rider is going to ride away from Astana in the mountains as Sastre did last year. Guys might be allowed to take stage victories, that will be it.

The only big question is the possible conflict between the Astana guys but if Contador takes time out of Lance on the first mountain stages, thats it.

Yeah, real exciting, all the people that have suddenly appeared on here the last few weeks should be made watch the 89 Tour to know what an exciting race is. If this Tour turns into a classic, then I will happily return in 3 weeks and grovel. In classic, I mean on the level of 89, 87, 86, 98, 06, 07, 08 or even 03, 90, 91.

The Spring Classics are much more fun and interesting but I guess most on here barely know what a Classic is.

You are a classic.

If you are so learned regarding big tours you would know that it is stupid to talk about an overall winner until the major mountain stages are over. In this case that may not be until Ventoux. Speaking of not having a clue...since when is cycling a school yard 'pick me' contest, there never has been and never will be an even distribution of talent amongst teams, they call that professional sport! While I am no favorite of the TTT in grand tours, the overall GC is hardly an "individual event", it's a team event with an individual winner, though watching Cancellara drag Saxo's sorry asses around the course today it looked more like a an individual event!

As for excitement, that is not only found in the overall result, well not for me anyway. Each day is its own race with their own excitement. Think of it this way, you have the potential of watching an exciting spring classic every day!

 

[Bagster]

+1 Perhaps the reason that the Lance-free tours have been compelling is due to the lack of TTT's

More like they are more compelling because no one has dominated the field like he did during his tenure with everyone on the startline wondering who would be second. But that happens when you have a rider who is so much better than the others, no different to Jaques,Eddie, Bernie, Mig and even whiny Greg.

Or are you saying that it is Armstrongs fault that ASO included a TTT? Man that guy is just sooooo influential!