Evil Inky Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Has anybody else been following today's news about the Tour De France ? ( Quick summary: the Tour De France is due to start on Sunday: Jan Ulrich and Ivan Basso, the two leading contenders, now Armstrong has retired, have been caught up in a doping inquiry, and suspended from the race. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomblands Posted June 30, 2006 Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Ulrich could have probably won it walking this year given the lack of Lance Armstrong. The race still amazes me, that kind of cycling require a tremendous amount of dedication. David Millar makes his return from a doping ban this year, it will be interesting to see how he does. I'm also interested to see if any of the members of Armstrong's old team can make an impression, they all seemed to fairly competent riders but their role was to "protect Lance" so they never really got a chance to shine. However... The doping scandal comes up every year, and there were the (unsubstantiated) rumours of Lance Armstrong being heavy user of performance enhancing drugs despite him passing ever test taken before and after his chemotherapy. Cycling and Baseball (see Barry Bonds) seem to be the 2 "last bastions" of widespread substance abuse in modern sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Inky Posted June 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2006 Ulrich could have probably won it walking this year given the lack of Lance Armstrong. I don't know: Basso's a better climber than Ulrich, and the Tour is won and lost on the mountains. However... The doping scandal comes up every year, and there were the (unsubstantiated) rumours of Lance Armstrong being heavy user of performance enhancing drugs despite him passing ever test taken before and after his chemotherapy. As I understand it, a telltale sign of doping is an athlete who suddenly increases in performance, then just as suddenly drops off again. Lance would have had to be doping for seven years on the trot ( and passing dozens of tests ) to achieve his consistent results. Cycling and Baseball (see Barry Bonds) seem to be the 2 "last bastions" of widespread substance abuse in modern sport. Body-building ? I believe there are well-founded doubts about American Football, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 I dunno about Ullrich as a contender (even before eviction). 1. He is in his thirties2. He never seems to have the "fight" in him3. His only victory in Le Tour now seems like an aberation during the transition from Indurain to Lance4. Surely his lack of dynanism is a serious disadvantage. Throwing the bike in the big gear and cycling at the same cadence, uphill or not, seems rather lacking. My tip: Kloden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penfold Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 those were the days, Pedro Delgado, Miguel Indurain, Roche, Robert Millars sojourns in the mountains, what was the name o his nemisis da peerie guy dat rode 4 da Kelme team? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 those were the days, Pedro Delgado, Miguel Indurain, Roche, Robert Millars sojourns in the mountains, what was the name o his nemisis da peerie guy dat rode 4 da Kelme team? Before my day I am afraid - I only took an interest during Indurain's final couple of tours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penfold Posted July 2, 2006 Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 I can mind some ding dong battles kind o got oot o da wye o watchin when armstrong wan his 5th, can mind him being a domestique on greg Lemonds team afore he got cancer o da stones. Sean Kelly was anidder irish man dat could fairly go push bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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