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Post by Henrik on Jul 4, 2003 8:02:38 GMT -5
So, the Tour de France is celebrating 100 years this year, and is about to kick of with the prologue tomorrow. Now, will Lance make it 5? Personally I don't really see who can beat him this year, and so I think I'll ask the question now.....will he be the first to take 6 victories next year? On a side note, I have been watching some programs about the history of the Tour. The first event, 1903, consisted of like 5 or six stages total. Problem was that the stages were extremely long! The first stage was Paris - Lyon, in one stage!!!!! Imagine if they went back to doing that P.S. Raptor, there is a stage at Morzine this year, great place and only like 45 minutes from Geneva. Any interest?
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Post by Henrik on Jul 4, 2003 8:11:08 GMT -5
Stage 7, Saturday 12th July:
Lyon - Morzine/Avoriaz
Stage 8, Sunday 13th July
Sallanche - Alpe d'Huez
Oh boy, this will be fun!
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Post by daSilva on Jul 4, 2003 8:35:20 GMT -5
I wonder which steroid laden jackass is caught first!
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Post by Henrik on Jul 4, 2003 9:03:55 GMT -5
I wonder which steroid laden jackass is caught first! ROFL!!! Indeed, but then, what else is new? Cheating goes on in all sports these days. Actually, it's not even a new thing. Jacques Acquetil, 5 time winner of the tour in the 60's declared that he doped himself back then, just like everybody else. Only difference then was that there were no tests.....
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Post by daSilva on Jul 4, 2003 9:06:10 GMT -5
ROFL!!! Indeed, but then, what else is new? Cheating goes on in all sports these days. Indeed but that don't make it right! Take Ferrari for example................
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Post by Henrik on Jul 4, 2003 9:21:39 GMT -5
Ferrari cheating! Huh!!!!! You can't be serious! Okay, now where did I put my beer? Oh yeah, here it is...
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Post by julio_montoya on Jul 4, 2003 10:02:44 GMT -5
The tour de France will be amazing this year. And guess who is leaving to France and spain in 2 days? ......Me! I will see them live in Marseille, it should be amazing to see the tour de France live. i wish i could see the arrival in Paris.
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Post by pabs on Jul 4, 2003 10:26:16 GMT -5
Alpe d'Huez is always such a good stage. Colombians have really good memories of that stage from back in the 80s when Luis Herrera won it.
Anyways, back to Lance. I think I have stated this before, but I really like the guy. He lives here in Austin and it really is amazing to see all the stuff he does for kids and for cancer victims (he almost died of cancer a few years ago). But I'm still hoping that Santiago Botero will beat him this year. Santiago has finally left Kelme and is now racing for Telekom. Provided he can be consistent in the mountain stages, I think he should be able to give Lance a run for his money.
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Post by Henrik on Jul 4, 2003 10:31:08 GMT -5
Actually Botero really surprised me in the time trials last year. His talent in the mountain stages I would say is a given. However, if he is new in a team as you say, how good will he be in managing the team? I think that is one area where Lance is really on top of the competition these days.
That said, I have always had a soft spot for the Colombians in the Tour.
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Post by pabs on Jul 5, 2003 14:42:30 GMT -5
Henrik,
I think part of Botero's problem last year was the fact that he wasn't the leader of Kelme. If memory serves me right, the team leader was Oscar Sevilla and he was getting all the support. Even in that awful stage when Botero lost something like 20 minutes, not one of his teammates wanted to help him. In the end, he ended up 4th out his own doing.
This year with Deutsche Telekom, he's supposed to be the team leader so maybe things will work out better for him. I still haven't seen the results of the prologue, but I expect this will be an exciting tour: 100 year anniversary and Lance looking for his 5th.
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Post by pabs on Jul 6, 2003 11:07:38 GMT -5
Massive pile-up in the final meters of the first stage of the Tour de France. It looked dangerous. Hope everyone is okay.
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Post by Topcontender on Jul 6, 2003 12:05:20 GMT -5
Ah Lance is 8th after that pileup. Well at least he will not get passed by this guy who won the stage.
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Post by pabs on Jul 6, 2003 12:34:42 GMT -5
Everyone got the same time as the stage winner TC.
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Post by Topcontender on Jul 7, 2003 8:21:33 GMT -5
yeah i saw that, but i admit i never really understood how they time that race.
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Post by raptor22 on Jul 7, 2003 8:36:30 GMT -5
the timing is very simple. In the event of an accident, everyone involved or held up by the accident, provided it occurs within 1 km of the finish line, gets teh same time as the winner.
Pabs i remeber Luis Herrera. Awesome climber, tinyfellow rode for Cafe de Colombia, It was awesome watching Herrera and Delgado racing up Luz Ardiden (??correct if needed??) in 1988. He was my favourite mountain rider. that guy could spend all day on his own and teh peloton would find it hard to catch him.
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