Azazello1313 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 In the interest of making Azz happy...you can't say these guys aren't tough. first a video of a man crying because he gets to wear a polka dot shirt, now a picture of a man's ass. please quit while you are ahead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 just looked at the profiles for the remaining stages....man, there are some brutal stages from here on out. I refuse to give this sport as much attention as I have in the past, just because it has become so increasingly obvious how corrupt the entire sport is top to bottom. but I just can't NOT keep an eye on a stage like tomorrow's. the drama of watching those little dopemonkeys race each other up a mountain pulls me in every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 They just showed the replay of that car hitting the riders. Damn, if you didn't know any better, you'd think he was trying to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulzale Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 The mountain rides blow my mind, I don't care what they are hopped up on, it is still IMPRESSIVE!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 They just showed the replay of that car hitting the riders. Damn, if you didn't know any better, you'd think he was trying to. guy was riding the shoulder, then he realized he was about to hit a f'n tree, so he swerved into the road and clipped the riders. he shoulda slammed on the brakes, he probably had time. definitely would have had time to clear the riders before he swerved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 guy was riding the shoulder, then he realized he was about to hit a f'n tree, so he swerved into the road and clipped the riders. he shoulda slammed on the brakes, he probably had time. definitely would have had time to clear the riders before he swerved. To me, it really summed it up - you're LEADING THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BIKE RACE and some jackass in a car sideswipes you. Yep. That's about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Well, the Tour is getting a gift from its riders if it's looking to win back fans. I can't remember a more competitive tour. Voekler is a freaking stud. Everyone assumed he'd drop back once they hit the mountains and the big boys took over, but dude is hanging tough. You just don't see a pack that large of contenders finishing out a grueling stage like today. Today was supposed to be the day where someone took control but nobody blinked. And it wasn't for a lack of attacks, it's just that every one of them was answered. And the kid in yellow was there every time. I went into the tour rooting for Andy, mostly because I thought he got hosed by Contador last year. But now it's getting harder and harder to not root for Voekler. 5 passes and finishing up with 10 miles of 7% grade? Unreal. Let's just hope that none of these guys end up testing positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Let's just hope that none of these guys end up testing positive. And there's the rub...I just have no confidence that the sport is clean at all. Not saying I would be into cycling if not but no way I plan on learning to like it when it seems there's been rampant PED use for quite some time. While it may seem contradictory that I'm a baseball fan, I absolutely loathe the steroid era and hope that none of the guys who cheated are recognized for their accomplishments as the tarnished records that stood for so long by cheating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 And there's the rub...I just have no confidence that the sport is clean at all. Not saying I would be into cycling if not but no way I plan on learning to like it when it seems there's been rampant PED use for quite some time. While it may seem contradictory that I'm a baseball fan, I absolutely loathe the steroid era and hope that none of the guys who cheated are recognized for their accomplishments as the tarnished records that stood for so long by cheating. I get the blackeye with the PEDs and all, but not in as much as they have appeared to have tainted the two biggest sports in the US and yet few are "refusing to take these sports seriously until they clean up their act". I mean, one top-notch baseball player after another has been found guilty and we just bash the individuals. I can't help but wonder if the main reason we're not seeing more names in football is because they're not taking drug testing seriously. Honestly, when it comes to football, I don't think we actually want to know. However, given the freakish nature of these guys, it would amaze me that football was the one place where dudes weren't doping. I mean, Tiger Woods' name is being brought up with the shady dude from Canada. You think golfers are doping but not football players? Football just played it smart. Ignore the situation for the most part and throw us a guy every now and then who's tested for high levels of some random drug that is really not that bad. Slap a 4 game suspension and keep the machine rolling. It's not as if cycling turns a blind eye to this. Dude cheats, dude gets caught, dude gets punished. There's questions about Armstrong and I'd, frankly be surprised to find out he's totally clean, but dude has managed to pass the tests. I mean, it beats the hell out how baseball policed themselves for so long. Now we have Bonds and Clemmens, who everyone is basically certain doped, but it's all he said/ he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Well, the Tour is getting a gift from its riders if it's looking to win back fans. I can't remember a more competitive tour. Voekler is a freaking stud. Everyone assumed he'd drop back once they hit the mountains and the big boys took over, but dude is hanging tough. You just don't see a pack that large of contenders finishing out a grueling stage like today. Today was supposed to be the day where someone took control but nobody blinked. And it wasn't for a lack of attacks, it's just that every one of them was answered. And the kid in yellow was there every time. I went into the tour rooting for Andy, mostly because I thought he got hosed by Contador last year. But now it's getting harder and harder to not root for Voekler. meh, I have kind of an opposite reaction. today's stage sucked. they were not going up that last climb particularly fast (for them, as tour riders at the top of their game). some belgian dude nobody's ever heard of broke away from that "select group" lower on the climb and was never reeled back in -- that tells you the leaders' group wasn't exactly crushing it. andy schleck tried to attack a few times, and they were all brought back pretty easily. nobody wanted to push a hard pace, so it was pretty easy to pull back whatever attacks there were. makes you long for the days of a badass team riding for a badass contender -- like postal driving those big climbs at a scorching pace, peeling off one by one, keeping everybody on edge so that when one of the big boys DID move, it was decisive. now it's just a bunch of psuedo-contenders basically playing defense. again, andy and frank attacked a few times, not much else you can expect them to do. and cadel evans, his game in the mountains is just going to be to try to mark the attacks of contador and the schlecks. but what the hell is contador doing? he's down pretty big chunks of time to the other contenders, you'd think he'd feel some urgency to attack? saving it for the alps I guess? I expected this to be a big stage, but it was a dud. as for voekler....guess when he got in yellow again, he decided to celebrate by getting a transfusion. otherwise it's pretty tough to explain how such a middling rider is riding stronger than contador. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 meh, I have kind of an opposite reaction. today's stage sucked. they were not going up that last climb particularly fast (for them, as tour riders at the top of their game). some belgian dude nobody's ever heard of broke away from that "select group" lower on the climb and was never reeled back in -- that tells you the leaders' group wasn't exactly crushing it. andy schleck tried to attack a few times, and they were all brought back pretty easily. nobody wanted to push a hard pace, so it was pretty easy to pull back whatever attacks there were. makes you long for the days of a badass team riding for a badass contender -- like postal driving those big climbs at a scorching pace, peeling off one by one, keeping everybody on edge so that when one of the big boys DID move, it was decisive. now it's just a bunch of psuedo-contenders basically playing defense. again, andy and frank attacked a few times, not much else you can expect them to do. and cadel evans, his game in the mountains is just going to be to try to mark the attacks of contador and the schlecks. but what the hell is contador doing? he's down pretty big chunks of time to the other contenders, you'd think he'd feel some urgency to attack? saving it for the alps I guess? I expected this to be a big stage, but it was a dud. as for voekler....guess when he got in yellow again, he decided to celebrate by getting a transfusion. otherwise it's pretty tough to explain how such a middling rider is riding stronger than contador. They did drop the rest of the field, so it couldn't have been that slow of a pace. And, in years past, there have been important mountain stages where one of the main dudes distanced himself from his rivals but still some random dude actually won the stage itself. Not all the time, but this is hardly without precedent. As for Contador, it's puzzling, unless there's something wrong with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Voekler is a freaking stud. Everyone assumed he'd drop back once they hit the mountains and the big boys took over, but dude is hanging tough. You just don't see a pack that large of contenders finishing out a grueling stage like today. Today was supposed to be the day where someone took control but nobody blinked. And it wasn't for a lack of attacks, it's just that every one of them was answered. And the kid in yellow was there every time. Both Voeckler and Hushovd have ridden way beyond what everyone (possibly including themselves) assumed they were capable of. I saw someone mention that Garmin has gotten grief for not winning tour stages since they jumped up to the big leagues, and they have 3 this year....then I thought about it, realized that in the 3 wins Hushovd won 2 and gave a big pull to help Farrar nip Cav, and feel like shooting him an email saying "Hey Thor, you should go ask for a raise" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I get the blackeye with the PEDs and all, but not in as much as they have appeared to have tainted the two biggest sports in the US and yet few are "refusing to take these sports seriously until they clean up their act". I mean, one top-notch baseball player after another has been found guilty and we just bash the individuals. I can't help but wonder if the main reason we're not seeing more names in football is because they're not taking drug testing seriously. Honestly, when it comes to football, I don't think we actually want to know. However, given the freakish nature of these guys, it would amaze me that football was the one place where dudes weren't doping. I mean, Tiger Woods' name is being brought up with the shady dude from Canada. You think golfers are doping but not football players? Football just played it smart. Ignore the situation for the most part and throw us a guy every now and then who's tested for high levels of some random drug that is really not that bad. Slap a 4 game suspension and keep the machine rolling. It's not as if cycling turns a blind eye to this. Dude cheats, dude gets caught, dude gets punished. Yeah, since Operation Puerto it seems like they've done a good job of stamping it out. And when it comes down to it, no sport appears to be taking it as seriously as cycling does - there is NO WAY some of the stuff they do would fly for US pro athletes. Heck, NBA players won't cave on blood tests for PEDs; cyclists get doping control knocking on their doors a few hrs before competition, and have to take a whiz quiz immediately after as well. Riders who've won major stages or are wearing the yellow jersey are drummed out IMMEDIATELY. When Operation Puerto hit, a good half-dozen serous contenders didn't even start due to that. I'd like to think we're through the worst of it. Or it could be that the dopers have found something new that's way ahead of the curve, if you wan't to be depressively cynical about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Yeah, since Operation Puerto it seems like they've done a good job of stamping it out. are you kidding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 are you kidding? What? Every year, fewer and fewer guys get nabbed. Like I said above, that either means they've got a handle on it, or there's something new that's under the radar. Even in the latter case, no sport does more than cycling to chase down the dopers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 interesting stage today. wasn't supposed to be a big GC day, but contador put in an attack on the last climb that only cadel evans and sami sanchez could follow. those guys only gained 20 seconds or so on the schlecks, but it is an interesting result nonetheless. cadel is sitting pretty at this point. contador is finally showing strength. you know he has to attack with all he's got on thursday and/or friday on the alp d'huez. can cadel follow him? can the schlecks counter and/or launch their own attacks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 interesting stage today. wasn't supposed to be a big GC day, but contador put in an attack on the last climb that only cadel evans and sami sanchez could follow. those guys only gained 20 seconds or so on the schlecks, but it is an interesting result nonetheless. cadel is sitting pretty at this point. contador is finally showing strength. you know he has to attack with all he's got on thursday and/or friday on the alp d'huez. can cadel follow him? can the schlecks counter and/or launch their own attacks? Suddenly, they all stopped pedaling, ditched their bikes and formed a mile-long nude daisy chain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Isnt this like a really long marathon without bikes? Do you guys follow marathon running as assiduously? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 interesting stage today. wasn't supposed to be a big GC day, but contador put in an attack on the last climb that only cadel evans and sami sanchez could follow. those guys only gained 20 seconds or so on the schlecks, but it is an interesting result nonetheless. cadel is sitting pretty at this point. contador is finally showing strength. you know he has to attack with all he's got on thursday and/or friday on the alp d'huez. can cadel follow him? can the schlecks counter and/or launch their own attacks? Cadel not only followed him, he put time into him on the descent and flats. Plus he has time on him in the GC. The Schlecks look to be thinking that meek is the best way to go; they probably could have buried Contador in the Pyrenees if they'd pushed it, but they would attack and if they didn't IMMEDIATELY open up a gap, give up - even though Contador was hurting. Now Contador is rounding into form and they are on the defensive. My man Sammy Sanchez is kind of staying under the radar, and just keeps chipping away at the time advantage of those in front of him. Right now, I'd tab Evans as the favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Isnt this like a really long marathon without bikes? Do you guys follow marathon running as assiduously? Actually, a really long marathon without bikes would just be a really long marathon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Actually, a really long marathon without bikes would just be a really long marathon. And the answer to what he really meant is "no, it's quite different." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Actually, a really long marathon without bikes would just be a really long marathon. a really long marathon would be like a really heavy ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Dude, gnarly downhill claiming dudes right and left today. Nothing major, but a lot of guys are leaving the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Dude, gnarly downhill claiming dudes right and left today. Nothing major, but a lot of guys are leaving the road. Hmm, I was expecting total carnage but mainly it was Hivert (?) and Voeckler getting a little too antsy on some curves. At least Contador and Sanchez are attacking and putting some life into the race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Hmm, I was expecting total carnage but mainly it was Hivert (?) and Voeckler getting a little too antsy on some curves. At least Contador and Sanchez are attacking and putting some life into the race. Schleck is now the virtual leader of the tour as they begin the final climb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.