Anyone want to bet on a winner?
I've had a tough time deciding for myself--but after today, Contador.
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Anyone want to bet on a winner?
I've had a tough time deciding for myself--but after today, Contador.
Contador sure looked good.
I think Andy Schleck might be a contender...
But I can't count Lance out! Old age and treachery...
It's gonna be a great tour!
Andy is so cute, I could never bet against him!
Whee!
I got up late this morning and I just finished watching about five hours of tour coverage I had recorded from early this morning on Versus (thank gawd for DVRs and being able to zip past commercials - oh lookie, it's Bob again ... :rolleyes:)
That was a fascinating time trial, it seemed to depend nearly as much on bike handling skills as on raw speed. I was wondering if we would even possibly lose a contender in a crash today, yikes.
Heh, I didn't dare check my computer before I finished watching it, I wanted the outcome to be a surprise. :cool:
I don't have anyone in particular I'm rooting for, yet, but I'd love to see Evans do well, and Andy Shleck, and Sastre, and Menchov, and especially Vandevelde (back injury recoverers unite!!), and Levi & Lance (hey, what the heck), but I do think Contador might be head and shoulders above them all. Which is very cool IMHO.
In heart, I'd love to see ol' George win (but that's not going to happen), so I have to put my money on Lance. How can I bet against Lance? :)
Really, no matter who wins, I just LOVE TDF time of the year. :):):)
I like Cavendish.. But what do I know??
He isn't too hard on the eyes either.
For the overall? Sprinters in general (unless you are Eddy, the cannibal, Merckx) and Cav definitely doesn't have the climbing ability to make it over the mountains without losing massive amounts of time. He'll have to work hard to just not get time cut. Also, most overall contenders these days don't want to mix it up in the sprints for fear of being crashed out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly728
Barring accident or incident, I'd put my money on Contador. He's got the climbing legs and a great team to back him up. The only fear I have is that the team may have too many chiefs and not enough indians.... unless the team gets 100% behind him, he will struggle.
I put my money on Contador, but i'm hoping for Cancellara. I'm conviced he can do it, but I'm not sure he thinks the same. :D
It is not a climbers tour, so...
If I had to pick someone it would be Cancellara. I'd love to see him win.
Plus, he looks like a long lost member of my Dad's side of the family :D
http://kennettron.files.wordpress.co...y__334x400.jpg
http://lesoftparade.com/boards/image...s/thinlove.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eden
Thats why I said what do I know, because I really have no clue!
I'm rooting for Cavendish to win the green jersey, and for Vandevelde to win the overall. I know CVV is a bit of a dark horse, but I think he can do it.
I am for Levi! But, I think that Lance can pull it off. I actually hope he does!;)
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I would love to see Lance win #8.
I dunno. I think the sport neeeeeeeds a new generation of heroes, especially here where most non-cyclists and non-TdF fans think Lance IS the be all and end all of cycling.
We like to see our heroes leave on top "yeah, he had another Tour in him". I don't think see him bonk in the Alps or dropped, I think he'll do well. he could even win. I'm not saying he's over the hill, but the sport needs to go on and have new heroes. People act like cycling stopped when Lance left, it went on, other riders won.
Let the Tour continue without Lance, and let Lance live on without the Tour.
Honestly I really hope that Lance helps Contador (or Levi for that matter) to win or at least make a great bid for a win, in a really obvious way and is really obviously happy to do it. It would be nice to see a graceful passing on of the torch - unlike the feud that erupted between Hinault and Lemond or a frustrated, desperate bid to hold onto glory, like Lemond before he retired. So far I haven't seen any sign of this though....
I was a little disappointed (though not entirely surprised) when Lance came out of retirement. I had thought here was finally someone who stepped out at the right time. I hope he can surprise me and make good on the idea that he came back to spread the word about Livestrong and not to be the uber competitive cyclist he used to be.
I'd have to bet on Contador ... although I'd really love to see Andy Schleck take the GC. Most of all I LOVE seeing Fabian in the yellow right now. Don't know why, but I'm crazy about that guy! :)
I am just so excited it is on. 3 weeks of something to watch (and occassionaly watch while spinning away on my trainer).
I just hope it is excited and maybe there will be a real surprise on who wins!
:)
hahaha do you imagine you're racing along with them? It was after watching Stage 2 that I decided to ride 30 something miles yesterday. :D
I enjoyed watching the first two stages at a friend's house. This will be my biggest test of no TV--if I can handle not having a TV during the Tour, I know I will be fine. Hopefully I can find video coverage on the internet. Live would be even better.
I must say, though, that Versus really is putting on a heavy Lance show. I would rather watch Eurosport and have a more balanced coverage.
No bets on winners. I'm just enjoying it.
Lots of online options here. http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/
Goodness, you have that right! Eh, they have to try to draw in as big an audience as they can, and they have sponsors to appease. Ergo the All Lance All The Time slant.Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
The coverage looks very nice in high def, though. :)
We hung the new 60" plasma just in time to watch the Tour in HD-
Team Astana . . . preferably a boy from Plano Texas-
Less lance, more Linus!
He's just so pretty :o:D
:eek: That Mark Cavendish!!!! http://lesoftparade.com/boards/image...s/thinlove.gif
It was always my understanding that Versus just gets the feed given to them from the French coverage. If it's all Lance all the time, blame the French cameramen.Quote:
Originally Posted by jobob
I haven't noticed an excessive discussion of Lance. They spend a lot of time talking to the other hopefuls. I mean, they occasionally point him out-- but it's a point of interest as much as anyone else, but especially since he's a veteran winner of the Tour de France. Of course I'm interested to see the kind of strategy he uses. I didn't think the coverage was Lance heavy at all so far. Time will tell though I think!
No, the images are not all Lance all the time, but the commentary is. Like yesterday, there was a big crash, but VS was busy with a Lancemercial. They eventually put up a split screen but the audio was still the Lance bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedal Wench
In fact, the images show lots of riders that I would like to know about, and not just the leaders. I would like to believe that Phil and Paul would like to cover it more evenly, but VS requires them to focus on Lance. But I have no idea.
Their lead-in graphics tend to be of Lance, too.
I've noticed that Versus has an icon of a "blue jersey" that looks like the Astana jersey, and, if I understand it right, that icon tells us where Lance is at all times. They pointed it out today when the large group split from the peloton. Seems a bit much, to me.
I believe that icon is for the Leading team, not Lance in particular. Right now Astana is the leading team. If another team takes the lead from them their jersey would be displayed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flur
The announcers actually said that we could see, with the blue jersey icon, that Lance was in the lead group.Quote:
Originally Posted by ttaylor508
I think that most media programs report what they think the majority of the audience wants to hear.
I for one am amazed by all of them, but haven't really picked a favorite to win. I think Cavendish is amazing with his sprinting ability but Lance still amazes me.
I don't know why he came back or if he'll win, but that he is able to still do as well as he is, just absolutely amazes me.
I think it will be Contador.
Nope, the commentators specifically mentioned it is to indicate where Lance is.Quote:
Originally Posted by ttaylor508
(Plus if you think about it, at any given moment not all the members of a team are going to be in the same location...)
Yep, Versus has icons along the bottom of the screen indicating the location in the peleton of the yellow jersey wearer, the green jersey wearer, the polka dot jersey wearer, the white jersey wearer ... and Lance. :rolleyes:
'nuff said. :D
Makes sense to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
Well, he's kind of a Tour establishment by now ain't he? :D
Regardless of whether he's pointed out, I still look for him. Of course I'm rooting for him. I'm rooting for them all, whether they've one an entire tour, a single stage or none at all. It's just so dang exciting!
I saw the race yesterday and I think that because of the competition within astana, no Astana rider will win the tour.
Bruyneel always claims that Contador is number one in the team, but then no-one waits for him in the final break away... :eek: That is not good for the moral within the team. A very very stupid move if you ask me.
Sure lance can end in the top 3, but he won't win.
I'm not watching the tour but with lance in, it reminds me of the williams sisters in women's tennis. Why not just hand him the trophy & call it a day. Same with Wimbledon-just give the stupid trophy to Serena or Venus and call it a day. :rolleyes:
I am only curious about how the Australians fare.
Much more exciting things going on in sport in the next few weeks :D-The Ashes but more importantly the Bledisloe Cup :)
Yeah, I agree...I have not noticed it over-Lanced at all. They do little blurbs and stuff about him, but they do that with all the favored riders. I saw him in that breakaway yesterday before the commentators even remarked that he was there!Quote:
Originally Posted by Reesha
He is a great rider, there is no doubting that. But great strategist as well, yesterday proved that. If there is some focus on him, well, for Heaven's sake, there is a reason. Again, hello! Stage 3.
yesterday's stage was great....quite exciting near the end for a flat stage. Lance and Fabian (can't spell his last name, sorry!) were just plain ole smart. They are experience enough to wathc and they jump on that break away when it happened. Not sure why Contador didn't...either he was pinned in (not a good place to be) or didnt' see it happen. It is not just talent that is needed to win...lots of strategy...Lance has always been a master tactician. I wonder how Team Columbia/HCT will do in teh team time trail today...the sure used a LOT of energy yesterday.
I just love the Tour! :D (Ok, back to work now!)