[cheddarlove]

Some sort of sh*t hits the fan 2 days before the Tour and 4 to 6 guys get kicked out!!

 

[ZoSoSwiM]

Almost a given.. I'd like to see a clean drama free race this year though. Should be a glorious battle all the way to Paris.

 

[il sogno]

Yeah, no kidding. I'm waiting to see who gets it this year.

 

[MG537]

Yeah, no kidding. I'm waiting to see who gets it this year.

1) Cadel Evans
2) Fabian Cancellara and his little 100W motor?
3) Alberto Contador (Once Lance gives his buddy Pat a "doping 101" course)
4) Some domestique from Footon-Servetto

 

[Coolhand]

Some sort of sh*t hits the fan 2 days before the Tour and 4 to 6 guys get kicked out!!

Whole lotta nothing happens is my prediction. Both before and during.

/illness and crashes are going to be the story. Flat stages are more and more dangerous now with all the crap and painted lines, islands and assorted nonsense in the roads now.

We will lose 2-3 GC riders to crashes this year before the mountains is my bet.

 

[Dan Gerous]

Whole lotta nothing happens is my prediction. Both before and during.

/illness and crashes are going to be the story. Flat stages are more and more dangerous now with all the crap and painted lines, islands and assorted nonsense in the roads now.

We will lose 2-3 GC riders to crashes this year before the mountains is my bet.

Agreed.

Who does the tests this year? UCI? AFLD? If the AFLD is not, no one there wants to really have doping cases so... maybe another passport bust before, small names, just for the 'we are doing something' marketing claims and make everyone feel good about the ethics... But with the Floyd thing, officials looking into it, if they really wanted dopers out like a few years ago, the Shack would not be racing but they don't really care now.

 

[JohnHenry]

basso.



edit: grillo

 

[AJL]

Whole lotta nothing happens is my prediction. Both before and during.

/illness and crashes are going to be the story.

Yeah, the small fish will likely be nailed after the race ends (don't want to spoil the party) - unless someone suddenly goes from pack fodder to superman.

Crashes for sure - it's becoming insane in Urup. I drove through France in 2000, I would not want to do it again today (though South France was comparatively less weird).

 

[ToF]

basso.



edit: grillo

Ivan or Elisa?

 

[grrrah]

I think it will be relatively quiet, with the exception of some carefully timed press release from phloyd.

 

[eyebob]

RE: the flat stages

"Don't forget the pave sections this year. That's gonna be ugly with the whole peloton trying to squeeze onto those roads.

bt

 

[iliveonnitro]

My bet is on it being the most boring Tour since Lance in 2001-2002, 2004-2005.

 

[RRRoubaix]

Some sort of sh*t hits the fan 2 days before the Tour and 4 to 6 guys get kicked out!!

Impossible!! Such a thing has never happened!

1) Cadel Evans
2) Fabian Cancellara and his little 100W motor?
3) Alberto Contador (Once Lance gives his buddy Pat a "doping 101" course)
4) Some domestique from Footon-Servetto

I agree w/ #4, but not the others. I'm seeing Basso instead.
MAN, did he look strong in the Giro... a little too strong.

 

[SicBith]

How much are we gonna bet? Looks like the vampires didn't come up with anything to exciting eh...... I don't think we'll see much until August, and nothing with Lance until the Feds are done with their inquiries.

 

[mtbbmet]

Well, Florencio is out. Does that count?

 

[ragweed]

Tomorrow should be interesting -- per the Cyclingnews story, "Kimmage calls for UCI transparency" the Wall Street Journal will be publishing some more Landis dirt on Saturday..

"Landis allegations continue to rumble on. The Wall Street Journal are set to publish an article tomorrow in which the disgraced 2006 Tour de France winner goes into details about his relationship with Armstrong and the doping practices he encountered.​

I'm not expecting much more than continuing to stir the same pot but it should ruffle some feathers which will make for a good the off-the-bike show. Really looking forward to this year's tour, it will have everything!

 

[AJL]

I'm not expecting much more than continuing to stir the same pot but it should ruffle some feathers which will make for a good the off-the-bike show. Really looking forward to this year's tour, it will have everything!

Landis is just trying punk Armstrong as the race starts...

 

[Mootsie]

Boom

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704911704575326753200584006.html

 

[vandalbob]

Le Tour wouldn't be THE TOUR without drama. This could be big. This could be a side show. This could be ignored. Personally I don't think it is going to go away.Viva le tour!

 

[Coolhand]

Boom

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704911704575326753200584006.html

Same Floyd crap in a new bag.