Azazello1313 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 wow, i was never a huge floyd landis fan until today. those of you who have been following know he was leading the race going into yesterday, but that he was leading a very conservative race. then yesterday, on probably the most difficult mountain stage of the whole tour, he just completely lost it on the last climb. i mean he had nothing. i think three year-olds on big wheels were passing him on that last climb, and he ended up losing over 8 minutes on the other contenders. everyone assumed he was out of the race for good. but then today, on the last mountain stage of the tour, he staged one of the most courageous, impressive solo rides i have ever seen. he broke away early in the stage and the race leaders tried to mark him but couldn't stay with him. he stayed away and built up a lead of up to 9+ minutes. : the main field was able to pull back a fair amount of that time on the flats before the last climb, and carlos sastre broke away frm everyone else and was able to pull back a minute and a half or so on the big final climb (but landis got about 40 seconds of that back on the descent). and the bottom line is now that landis is 30 seconds back of oscar pereiro's yellow jersey and 18 seconds back of sastre heading into saturday's time trial. which, since landis is a significantly better time trialer than either man, puts him back as the likely favorite to win the race. wow. talk about the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, on back to back days. way to go, floyd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgaddis Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I think Lance Armstrong will still win it his year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 wow--I thought Landis was done for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spain Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 That is nothing! Try doing that with only 1 ball like Lance "The Uni-baller" Armstrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildcat2334 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 ahh bike riding, what a nice activity. Landis developed his strong cycling while pedaling the family generator that provided electricity to his families Mennonite commune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 fellow american cyclist bobby julich's take... Now, that was a bike race! Floyd Landis' Stage 17 ride on Thursday was the most amazing ride I have ever seen in my life and will go down as one of the best rides of all time and Landis will go down as one of cycling's gutsiest riders. For him to bounce back like he did, after such a devastating blow to his confidence, it's nothing short of amazing, a) to just have the mind-set to give it a shot at all; and to maintain his advantage over the 200.5-kilometer stage and the brutal last climb (12 kilometers on an 8.5-percent gradient). Over the past few weeks, I was talking about how we were waiting for Landis to put the hammer down and deliver that death blow to the field. The French newspapers were even questioning whether Landis had that American warrior-like spirit in him. Thursday, the American delivered it. When I first started watching the stage on television, there was about 100 kilometers to go. I saw Landis out front and I said to myself, "Good for you Floyd. If you're going to go out, go out in style." But then, when I saw him continue to build an advantage and saw the Caisse d'Épargne-Illes Balears team (the team of overall leader Oscar Pereiro) stop pulling in riders, I said then and there Floyd would at least win the stage. On that last climb to Col de Joux-Plane, there's no tricks. You either have it in you, or you don't. And we saw that unfold pretty quickly Thursday. As a rider, you have to pick your speed and believe that you can get to the top. You can't crack mentally even though you have so many things going through your head -- it's the last big mountain of the Tour, you've already done 16 stages and you're just days away from Paris. That's why Landis' performance was just scary -- he was so focused out there. (It stunk to see my Team CSC mate Carlos Sastre come within just 10 seconds of the overall lead. I would have liked to have seen him be rewarded with the yellow jersey for at least a day after all of his hard work.) But Landis smoked all of them. He had a fire in his eyes. That American spirit showed and he just flew out there. It was so motivating to see someone who struggled as he did to come back and win the way he did Thursday. Floyd is a tough nut and no one can question his heart and guts after Thursday. What's even more impressive is how he handled the adversity. Wednesday night, I saw him in a television interview here in France and he had a smile on his face; this after he gave up the yellow jersey and faced an 8:08 deficit from the overall lead! He could have sulked and avoided the media and blamed his team, but he made no excuses for himself and said he just had a bad day. He put the disappointment behind him and stayed focused. Landis has received some criticism over the past few weeks and he was questioned by everyone after Wednesday's collapse, but he gave everyone what they wanted Thursday. We wanted to see someone win in dramatic fashion and we got it. I have learned now never to say never or talk in absolutes about this Tour because it has been one of the most unpredictable races in history, but if I had to make a prediction, I'd say you're top three finishers in Paris will be Landis, Sastre, then Pereiro in third. So, will it actually turn out that way? Friday's stage is a breakaway day, a mainly flat stage. There should be a group that finishes 15 minutes ahead of the peloton, which will contain all of the main leaders. For those riders, it's an active recovery day, as well. The overall team classification is up for grabs, so you might see some jockeying between Team CSC, T-Mobile and Rabobank. Then, we head into Saturday's crucial time trial. This is Landis' specialty. And what plays into his advantage is that it's a little longer time trial (56 kilometers) than our first one on July 8 (52K). And after almost three weeks of racing, it comes down to who has the freshest legs out there, and Landis and Sastre are those riders. Other riders are just trying to survive. I thought it was an impossibility just 24 hours ago, but barring an accident, Landis should win Saturday. Pereiro is better at those prologue-style time trials, not something at this distance. Sastre is a good time trialist and will be Floyd's biggest threat. I have nothing but praise for Floyd, and if I was in the peloton, I'd think the same thing. Every rider will congratulate him before Friday's stage. It was history. It doesn't happen often. If there was ever a miracle in cycling, it happened Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonk2 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 He must've changed out the fluids overnight...if you know what I mean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billay Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 (edited) Yesterday, the tour went through the very town where my wife and I go skiing with her family every year, La Toussuire! Pretty cool to see a place you know on the Tour de France! Edited July 20, 2006 by billay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 The tour went through the very town where my wife and I go skiing with her family every year, La Toussuire! Pretty cool to see a place you know on the Tour de France! Yep--it is cool. My wife and I drove a little bit more than a month ago on part of the Tuesday's route from Gap to L'Alpe d'Huez. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yukon Cornelius Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 didnt his team bail on him??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 20, 2006 Author Share Posted July 20, 2006 didnt his team bail on him??? his team sucked yesterday, but it really didn't matter as badly as landis cracked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 What was nails was when he turned around and looked Pereiro dead in the face before he just left everyone in the dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 his team sucked yesterday, but it really didn't matter as badly as landis cracked. Yeah, after yesterday it was like "forget the fork, jab the whole silverware drawer into him" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kung-fu Midgets Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Props to Landis. Think how pi$$ed the european bicycling community will be if an American ends up being the first person to win the Tour de France in the "post-Armstrong" world... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 and the bottom line is now that landis is 30 seconds back of oscar pereiro's yellow jersey and 18 seconds back of sastre heading into saturday's time trial. which, since landis is a significantly better time trialer than either man, puts him back as the likely favorite to win the race. wow. talk about the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, on back to back days. way to go, floyd! I recall the write-up on Landis being that he was "relentless" in the mountains. And really, he had a solid 1st stage in the Alps, completely crapped himself yesterday, and had one of those moments that keeps us watching sports today. If he's as good in the time trials as advertised, Pereiro and Sastre are going to have to kick it up a notch to keep ahead of him. But then again, this year has been weird since the suspensions handed down virtually on the eve of the race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxfactor Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 He must've changed out the fluids overnight...if you know what I mean As a matter of fact, after his lowest of lows ride, he talked about something cold to drink, preferably a beer. IT WAS THE BEER! BEER, BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Landis takes the overall lead in today's time-trial and (basically) wins the tour (although the radio guys at eurosport.com keep talking as if perhaps tomorrow's stage will be more than just a formality). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 (edited) Landis takes the overall lead in today's time-trial and (basically) wins the tour (although the radio guys at eurosport.com keep talking as if perhaps tomorrow's stage will be more than just a formality). Well, I'd assume that Pereiro will DEFINITELY attack early to try to make up the 59"; Kloden isn't that far back either. The last stage is pretty short (96.5 miles) and flat so it's tougher to make up chunks of time, but it doesn't look like it would be impossible. I don't know why they wouldn't try to break away, at least, and make Landis and Phonak defend the yellow jersey to the last mile. Edited July 22, 2006 by Chavez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zooty Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Never discount a Mennonite on a bike! The most awsome part is that its his last race. He needs a new hip. Plus he from about 20 miles away from where I grew-up. Go Floyd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Landis wins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 23, 2006 Author Share Posted July 23, 2006 (edited) Well, I'd assume that Pereiro will DEFINITELY attack early to try to make up the 59"; Kloden isn't that far back either. The last stage is pretty short (96.5 miles) and flat so it's tougher to make up chunks of time, but it doesn't look like it would be impossible. I don't know why they wouldn't try to break away, at least, and make Landis and Phonak defend the yellow jersey to the last mile. it's basically impossible to make up any significant time on the last day. too many teams totally committed to chasing down any breakway (the yellow jersey's team and every team with a good sprinter), and it's the last day so there's nothing to conserve. a motivated peloton will ALWAYS be faster than any breakaway on a flat stage. it's going to come down to the sprinters every time, unless someone (like vino last year) is able to break out in the last few K and beat the sprinters to the line. the most a move like that is going to pick up is a few seconds, along with the time bonuses. a minute lead, like landis had, is completely safe, short of a major fall or mechanical problem. edit to add: way to go, floyd! Edited July 23, 2006 by Azazello1313 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 it's basically impossible to make up any significant time on the last day. too many teams totally committed to chasing down any breakway (the yellow jersey's team and every team with a good sprinter), and it's the last day so there's nothing to conserve. a motivated peloton will ALWAYS be faster than any breakaway on a flat stage. it's going to come down to the sprinters every time, unless someone (like vino last year) is able to break out in the last few K and beat the sprinters to the line. the most a move like that is going to pick up is a few seconds, along with the time bonuses. a minute lead, like landis had, is completely safe, short of a major fall or mechanical problem. Thanks for the info; to me, it just doesn't make sense that Pereiro WOULDN'T make a desperate stab at breaking away. But what can I say, I'm probably the only person who loves the way Jens Voigt races. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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