Tour de France 2009

[PLETTONIC]

Reading on a Cycling website it said Rogers was on the wheel of Haussler and Haussler went down first leaving Rogers nowhere to go but follow to the tarmac.
Totally agree with the comments about Cadel, although saying he plays it safe is not exactly true. 3 years ago when he wasnt that well known he was in a breakaway and as he was having a crack at the GC (He finished 5th that year) he lead the break for most of the last 10km to get as much time on the peleton as possible. It cost him the stage win but the time gaps he created that day was alot more than if he tried winning the stage. Also there have been several times in the last 2 years in the hills where the others sit on Cadels wheel and wait for him to chase down the leader of a stage, and these are GC contenders but they are obviously scared of what Cadel can do. In the hills Cadel doesnt have that explosive power of the other climbers but he can grind away, Lets hope Bastille day becomes Australia day and Cadel with no radios hits them hard.

[dedja]

Totally agree with the comments about Cadel, although saying he plays it safe is not exactly true.

It would be a different story if he had a better team to back him up ... the poor bastard has to do most of the work on his own which puts a greater toll on him that those in stronger teams.

There is absolutely no doubt that he is in the elite class and absolutely respected and feared on the tour.

[Squawk]

Cadel and Silence Lotto are a bit like Pavlich and Fremantle. I fear Cadel will have to win this game off his own boot without much help from the team. With plenty of stages left, I think he should have a crack between the first 2 mountain phases, and definitely on July 14 when there are no race radios.

[Squawk]

the Peleton have their iPods on.
Song of choice is "Climb every Mountain"
Big stage tonight. The GC will get a few changes - most likely times and some placings.

[dedja]

Squawk, did you hear Cadel's interview just then? ... pleased to hear that he knows that he has to take chances when in previous Tours he hasn't needed to and couldn't because of the 'controlled' evnvionment.

[Squawk]

Squawk, did you hear Cadel's interview just then? ... pleased to hear that he knows that he has to take chances when in previous Tours he hasn't needed to and couldn't because of the 'controlled' evnvionment.

Yes I did. I agree with him. Only difference is exactly what he said - that with 3 minutes to make up, the other teams/riders may pay less attention to chasing him down if he was able to get away and if he can claw back even 2 minutes, he is back in the mix somewhat.

Today will be a day of caution from most, but a few will be keen to make a statement. Hopefully Cadel is in the latter category and ready to make a statement!

[Squawk]

Has anyone else seen the riders take a natural break this year? I haven't.
I'm wondering if we will see the riders being offered newspapers at the summits today! That will be a first for 2009 as well.

[dedja]

It's only early ... it will happen.

[Squawk]

Who will bring home le Lanterne Rouge?

Now the fun begins......

[dedja]

Who will bring home le Lanterne Rouge?

Now the fun begins......

Well mate, definitely me if I was there

Time to meet Mr Pain ...

Did you spot Cancellara's pit stop when he changed his 2nd tyre?

[Squawk]

Missed his pit stop but heard about it. It was a tough little period - last qu of the footy, Ashes, TDF all at once

I'm tipping Igor Martinez will give it everything to get a stage victory for the (orange) Basque team, Euskatel-Euskadi. It's pretty close to their home country.

[Squawk]

Cadel too slow to launch an attack (again!).
Brice Fillieu wins the stage into Andorra for France.
Nagantini takes yellow, 6 seconds ahead of Contador and 8 ahead of Armstrong.
Looks like Rogers crashed again. The Kangaroo curse strikes once more - the aussies have had a bad run with accidents etc in this tour.

[dedja]

Cadel too slow to launch an attack (again!).
Brice Fillieu wins the stage into Andorra for France.
Nagantini takes yellow, 6 seconds ahead of Contador and 8 ahead of Armstrong.
Looks like Rogers crashed again. The Kangaroo curse strikes once more - the aussies have had a bad run with accidents etc in this tour.

Nocentini ...

Contador showed what a great climber he is and maybe Lance is human after all!

[dedja]

Good man Cadel ... keep taking those risks and anything may happen.

[dedja]

What a dick Cancellara is ... telling Cadel to piss off from the lead group, then once Cadel goes back Cancellara slows down to let the Peleton catchup.

Cadel, where the f*** is your team! FFS, piss these no hopers off next year.

[dedja]

Well, Nocentini must be thinking all his Christmases have come at once ... getting though unscathed today and will most likely be wearing yellow until the alps.

[Squawk]

No race radios in use for today's stage, could be an interesting stage as a result. (I hope so anyway). Watch for the French riders to try and get the stage win, being Bastille Day!

[dedja]

Nothing doing in this stage ... easy ride with an apparent protest being conducted re the radio ban.

[dedja]

Shocking weather for this stage ... hope all the big contenders get through OK.

Leipheimer would be shattered to have to pull out with a broken wrist from his crash yesterday, but slightly weakens Astana now.

[Squawk]

Aussie (and part-time German) Heinrich Haussler is looking the goods for a stage win!