2014 Tour de France - Daily Updates for the two other people who give a damn

[The Analog Grownup]

I don't think we have seen the last rider quit due to crashes. Perhaps Nibali will be next? Seems like favorites are going down one at a time.

[alphseeker]

I don't think we have seen the last rider quit due to crashes. Perhaps Nibali will be next? Seems like favorites are going down one at a time.

This is the problem, too many teams. This should have been limited to 20 teams or less.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/bauhaus92/teams_zps281d4fe6.jpg

[alphseeker]

Conta-whore crashed big time - He's out of the race. I'm sure Mara is cheering right now. :P

 

I wasn't exactly cheering, mind you! Not terribly saddened, no, but I am glad he wasn't severely injured. Froome sent him a classy tweet - "Sorry mate, good luck, see you soon!"

 

Two weeks left, I know, but I think this one's going to belong to Nibali. Of course this does seem to be a particularly unpredictable Tour.

I'm very skeptical of Nibali's sudden climbing strength. Everytime I see someone do something they don't usually do I always wonder. In the last few TDF's Nibali had no legs to keep up with the major accelerations on the mountain top finishes and now all of a sudden he's the strongest?

 

I didn't want to say it but there you go. It's at least a slightly suspect reversal of past form. Plus - hello, anyone - Astana? Vinokourov? Not exactly squeaky clean legacies there.

 

Of course this is what cycling has done to itself with doping. :( Never again can they have a superstar without that cloud of suspicion.

Below is a Rodriguez quote from yesterday after Nibali flew past him - Can you guess what he was missing???

" “I thought that I could win, that was my intention. More or less I felt good but I was missing something to be able to follow Nibali. He passed me like an aeroplane,” Rodríguez said at the finish. :sarcastic:

Edited July 16, 2014 by alphseeker

[alphseeker]

French rider Gallopin wins on a solo breakaway just 1.5 km from the finish just two days after giving up his yellow Jersey. The peloton just sat their looking at each other to see who was going after him and that was it. The hero of the day has to go to Andrew Talansky. He suffered his fifth crash this tour and actually sat on the ground for 4 minutes until decided to try and finish in terrible pain. He finished 00:32:00 behind the group and just 4 minutes away from being disqualified for not finishing within time limit.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/bauhaus92/stage11_zps38ed7129.jpg

[Mara]

Conta-whore crashed big time - He's out of the race. I'm sure Mara is cheering right now. :P

 

I wasn't exactly cheering, mind you! Not terribly saddened, no, but I am glad he wasn't severely injured. Froome sent him a classy tweet - "Sorry mate, good luck, see you soon!"

 

Two weeks left, I know, but I think this one's going to belong to Nibali. Of course this does seem to be a particularly unpredictable Tour.

I'm very skeptical of Nibali's sudden climbing strength. Everytime I see someone do something they don't usually do I always wonder. In the last few TDF's Nibali had no legs to keep up with the major accelerations on the mountain top finishes and now all of a sudden he's the strongest?

 

I didn't want to say it but there you go. It's at least a slightly suspect reversal of past form. Plus - hello, anyone - Astana? Vinokourov? Not exactly squeaky clean legacies there.

 

Of course this is what cycling has done to itself with doping. :( Never again can they have a superstar without that cloud of suspicion.

Below is a Rodriguez quote from yesterday after Nibali flew past him - Can you guess what he was missing???

" “I thought that I could win, that was my intention. More or less I felt good but I was missing something to be able to follow Nibali. He passed me like an aeroplane,” Rodríguez said at the finish. :sarcastic:

 

Only question is - "Did it come in a syringe or in pill form?"

[alphseeker]

Kristoff takes the sprint win today. Sagan once again mistimed his attack. Kristoff first ever TDF stage win. Finally the tour hits the Alps. :drool:

 

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/bauhaus92/stage12_zps688f355c.png

[alphseeker]

Nibali once again blows away the field to win the mountain top finish. I can't believe he's not on something. I'd want to believe but he just blew past Valverde which is almost impossible.

[blackhawkrush]

Rafal Majka!

[alphseeker]

Rafal Majka!

Great ride today for Majka. I'm wondering if Nibali let him win so as not to bring to much attention for winning yet another stage without even trying. The way he attacked and blew by everyone I feel Nibali could have caught him. I can't help but be completely skeptical of Nibali's sudden greatness. Everyone else is gasping and he's riding like he's cruising on the beach blvd. with no cares in the world.

 

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/bauhaus92/stage14_zps239bb82b.jpg

[RushCanuck]

I don't follow the tour de France very much...I tune in for a few minutes here and there, but it's as much for the scenery as to watch the cyclists,. I do admire the tremendous athletic skill this event requires. Is anyone flunking drug tests this year (as In years past), or is it more clean these days?

[blackhawkrush]

Nice to see Kwiatkowski back in the top 10 after today's stage. Also, Majka takes the lead in the polka-dot competition. :)

[blackhawkrush]

"Magic Majka" wins another stage. Kwiatkowski sinks to 20th place. :(

[alphseeker]

"Magic Majka" wins another stage. Kwiatkowski sinks to 20th place. :(

Yeah he's the future at Tinkoff Saxo for sure. I love how he has the poise and energy to wink at the camera at the end. This tour is over for sure, Nibali is the winner and hopefully Majka holds on to the King of the mountains jersey tomorrow.

[Aikenrooster]

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

[Mara]

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

[alphseeker]

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

[g under p]

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

 

Yah damn right it ain't normal cause he was riding like that 8% grade nothing while riding away from others. We shall see, it was some impressive riding but quite unusual. I hope he's clean cause if he's not I find it hard in the future to watch TDF when riders can't ride clean in this beautiful race.

[blackhawkrush]

"Magic Majka" wins another stage. Kwiatkowski sinks to 20th place. :(

Yeah he's the future at Tinkoff Saxo for sure. I love how he has the poise and energy to wink at the camera at the end. This tour is over for sure, Nibali is the winner and hopefully Majka holds on to the King of the mountains jersey tomorrow.

He did! He did!

[alphseeker]

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

 

Yah damn right it ain't normal cause he was riding like that 8% grade nothing while riding away from others. We shall see, it was some impressive riding but quite unusual. I hope he's clean cause if he's not I find it hard in the future to watch TDF when riders can't ride clean in this beautiful race.

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

 

Yah damn right it ain't normal cause he was riding like that 8% grade nothing while riding away from others. We shall see, it was some impressive riding but quite unusual. I hope he's clean cause if he's not I find it hard in the future to watch TDF when riders can't ride clean in this beautiful race.

I have to laugh when I visit the bike forums and post a thread about my skepticism towards Nibali's perfect tour. When I raise the question that there is a possibility he's doping I get blasted. It's unbelievable members of that forum can be so naive to believe it still isn't happening and that Nibali is simply far superior. I was burned big time with Lance / Rasmussen / Landis / Pantini why would I allow myself to sit back and be burned again with the likes of Contador and Nibali. Everyone swore up and down Contador was clean when he showed the same superiority as Nibali in 2010 only to find out he was doping. Sad

[Mara]

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

 

Yah damn right it ain't normal cause he was riding like that 8% grade nothing while riding away from others. We shall see, it was some impressive riding but quite unusual. I hope he's clean cause if he's not I find it hard in the future to watch TDF when riders can't ride clean in this beautiful race.

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

 

Yah damn right it ain't normal cause he was riding like that 8% grade nothing while riding away from others. We shall see, it was some impressive riding but quite unusual. I hope he's clean cause if he's not I find it hard in the future to watch TDF when riders can't ride clean in this beautiful race.

I have to laugh when I visit the bike forums and post a thread about my skepticism towards Nibali's perfect tour. When I raise the question that there is a possibility he's doping I get blasted. It's unbelievable members of that forum can be so naive to believe it still isn't happening and that Nibali is simply far superior. I was burned big time with Lance / Rasmussen / Landis / Pantini why would I allow myself to sit back and be burned again with the likes of Contador and Nibali. Everyone swore up and down Contador was clean when he showed the same superiority as Nibali in 2010 only to find out he was doping. Sad

 

I don't go on the cycling forums but yeah, I was as naive as everyone. Call me jaded, but there you go. The biological passport was a huge step, but anyone who thinks that there's not another Eufemiano Fuentes/Michele Ferrari out there working to figure out how to stay one step of the testing protocols is, IMO, being willfully ignorant.

 

I also feel like the cycling world still owes Greg Lemond a huge collective apology. The vitriol hurled at him (I did the same) when he DARED to question Lance Armstrong's integrity is shameful. People said he was jealous and that it was a case of sour grapes. No, he just called it as he saw it and he was right all along.

[Aikenrooster]

As a sports spectator, I don't care what they're pumping in their bodies.

 

But, for the athletes, yes, it's not fair to have to feel like you have to dope in order to win.

[g under p]

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

 

Yah damn right it ain't normal cause he was riding like that 8% grade nothing while riding away from others. We shall see, it was some impressive riding but quite unusual. I hope he's clean cause if he's not I find it hard in the future to watch TDF when riders can't ride clean in this beautiful race.

Nibali schools them in the last climb of the Pyrennes' mountain called Hautacam. Impressive display of athleticism.

 

Or pharmaceutical knowledge. I hope he's clean and his performances in the mountains of late are due to a shift in his training/conditioning program. Another dirty Tour winner is something cycling cannot handle.

Usually, the norm with clean riders is that the winner of the tour has 1 bad day in the mountains. That is the norm. Nibali had no bad days in fact just the opposite, he killed everyone of his contenders handily, every single day. When he rides away with 00:01:35 stage win on the toughest climb going 20 miles an hour on 8-9% grade without dying at the end tells me "SOMETHING IS NOT NORMAL" and it really pisses me off.

 

Yah damn right it ain't normal cause he was riding like that 8% grade nothing while riding away from others. We shall see, it was some impressive riding but quite unusual. I hope he's clean cause if he's not I find it hard in the future to watch TDF when riders can't ride clean in this beautiful race.

I have to laugh when I visit the bike forums and post a thread about my skepticism towards Nibali's perfect tour. When I raise the question that there is a possibility he's doping I get blasted. It's unbelievable members of that forum can be so naive to believe it still isn't happening and that Nibali is simply far superior. I was burned big time with Lance / Rasmussen / Landis / Pantini why would I allow myself to sit back and be burned again with the likes of Contador and Nibali. Everyone swore up and down Contador was clean when he showed the same superiority as Nibali in 2010 only to find out he was doping. Sad

 

I don't go on the cycling forums but yeah, I was as naive as everyone. Call me jaded, but there you go. The biological passport was a huge step, but anyone who thinks that there's not another Eufemiano Fuentes/Michele Ferrari out there working to figure out how to stay one step of the testing protocols is, IMO, being willfully ignorant.

 

I also feel like the cycling world still owes Greg Lemond a huge collective apology. The vitriol hurled at him (I did the same) when he DARED to question Lance Armstrong's integrity is shameful. People said he was jealous and that it was a case of sour grapes. No, he just called it as he saw it and he was right all along.

 

I was one them that fell hook line and sinker for that Lance dominance was real. I despised Lemond for questioning what LA was doing at the TDF. Now I know better and this current TDF dominance by Nabali well, it should be questioned???

[The Analog Grownup]

When a rider doesn't even seem to be in pain I get suspicious.

[RushBoingo]

Well, new to posting for this forum. Big day today, it's the La Course by Le Tour De France, and my cousin Leah Kirchmann is in it. Thumbs crossed for a Canadian victory everyone.

[RushBoingo]

Well, Leah came in third, that's pretty huge, and with that, I'm out of this forum again.