Anyone else watching??? I am hooked.

 

Stage 8 is just gone and today is a rest day. So tell me, who are your favourites???

 

I really hope either Cadel Evans or Alexandre Vinokourov win. Vinokourov is ranked 22 overall but he has been improving each day since his nasty fall during Stage 5. After Stage 8 Cadel is Australia's only hope and he has been riding very steadily so far with an overall ranking of 6th. The other Aussie riders, Stewart O'Grady, Michael Rogers and Robbie McEwan are all out after the last race! McEwan was too slow and the other 2 are injured badly. :( Linus Gerdemann rode amazingly during on Stage 7 so it would be good to see him win too. Michael Rasmussen flogged the others in the last race and is now ranked #1 overall. I'll be pretty happy as long David Arroyo doesn't do well... I'm still pissed off with him because he made Michael Rogers crash.

Let's hope they're not all doped this time.;)

After Patrik Sinkewitz tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone before the Tour de France, German state television channels ARD and ZDF just decided to cancel the whole broadcast of this year's Tour de France.

 

Best decision ever I think! I don't want to pay a commission, so that tv channels are broadcasting an event which includes doping offenders!

 

Poor cycling though...

I only watch it for the crashes.

Canine spectator falls for Tour de France rider

 

By DUNCAN ROBERTSON - More by this author » Last updated at 21:40pm on 17th July 2007 Comments (7)

Cyclists spend months training for the gruelling mountain climbs and tortuous distances of the Tour de France, aware that the slightest nudge by a competitor could send them crashing out of the race.

But it is unlikely that the course safety manual spends too much time detailing the potential hazards posed by wandering pets.

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The labrador bounds across the road oblivious to the oncoming rider

 

 

All of which will be of little consolation to German cyclist Marcus Burghardt whose race plans lay in tatters yesterday lunchtime after he collided with a large labrador.

Footage of the dramatic crash shows the dog ambling across the road straight into the path of Burghardt's speeding carbon fibre bike. The front wheel buckles on impact, sending the rider tumbling over the handlebars on to the confused animal.

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Cyclist Marcus Burghardt cannot swerve out of the way in time

 

The bike then up-ends before crashing on to the dog's back, while the pink-clad cyclist rolled around on the road.

Remarkably, the dog was unhurt by the battering and clambered to its feet wagging its tail with a rather bemused expression on its face.

It is was then grabbed by a spectator before it could cause any more damage to the cyclists.

Burghardt suffered nothing more damaging than cuts and bruises, and quickly replaced the faulty wheel with another one.

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Burghardt takes a tumble as the bike smashes into the dog's side

 

The 159.5km ninth stage was eventually won by Soler Hernandez.

The section between Val d'Isere and Briancon is considered one of the most gruelling parts of in the 3,550km race.

The cyclists climbed to the highest point of this year's race, the Col de l'Iseran at 2,770m, in temperatures over 30C with the road surface melting in places.

 

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The labrador looks fine after impact, if slightly bewildered, while Burghardt rolls into the grass verge

 

Burghardt's bicycle is made from expensive components from all over the world.

It is described as 'light, rigid and aerodynamic' by his race team T-Mobile - but proved to be little match for the bulky dog.

good mutt, here's a

 

 

:D

I only watch it for the crashes.

Haha, that's why I started watching too!

 

I can't bare to watch this stage any longer. My beloved Vinokourov is fading away. I thought he was going to improve after yesterdays race but I guess not. :cry: Rasmussen is going way too well, especially in the time trial. Apparently he avoided a drug test so I wouldn't be surprised if he is on drugs. Cadel is still going strong though!!! :D:D:D

any crashes today? Or drug stops?

Haha, that's why I started watching too!

 

I can't bare to watch this stage any longer. My beloved Vinokourov is fading away. I thought he was going to improve after yesterdays race but I guess not. :cry:

 

He obviously needs some drugs.:rolleyes:

Cycling is dying...i can't see this sport as regular anymore....

I watched the race today..and the only good thing was to see fans around the road....people who really loves and still believes on this FORMER sport!And i'm really sad thinking to some years ago..when i loved Cycling...going crazy for Marco Pantani

German Tvs decided well to stop their broadcasting on the Tour....this race is just an hypocrisy ( like the last Giro...it's not a matter of nationality)

Tour De FARCE?

 

Tour rocked by shame of Vino

 

By IVAN SPECK in Pau - More by this author » Last updated at 22:07pm on 24th July 2007 Comments

The Tour de France was thrown into disarray yesterday when pre-race favourite Alexandre Vinokourov, winner of two of the past three stages, was pulled out for failing a blood test.

The test, conducted after the Kazakh rider won Saturday's time trial in Albi, showed that Vinokourov, 33, had two distinctive types of red blood cells indicating that he had received an illegal blood transfusion from a compatible donor before the stage. As a result, his Astana team have withdrawn from the race.

Scroll down to read more:

 

More Tour shame: Vinokourov

 

 

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• Rasmussen regretful of another tarnished Tour
  
• Contador takes Tour stage 14
  
• Vinokourov upstages Wiggins in Tour time trial
  
• Tour reeling after new drugs blow
  
• German state TV shelves Tour coverage over doping
  
• Rasmussen targets Tour success
  
• Cavendish pulls out of Tour
  
• McEwen sprints to victory in Tour opener
  
• Tennis riding into a storm over Tour
  
• London puts on a show as it takes to the Tour
  
• Mysteries of the magical tour
  
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• Tour brings cash boost for London
  
• I fell in love with the tour de force
  
• I will prove you can win the Tour without using drugs
  
• Inside the Tour

It is the news the organisers dreaded most. The Tour was discredited last year when American Floyd Landis wore the famous yellow jersey in Paris only to be disqualified four days later after a doping test revealed that he had elevated testosterone levels. This year's leader, Dane Michael Rasmussen, has also been dogged by controversy over his failure to make his training schedule known to the controllers, missing two tests.

Britain's David Millar, who served a two-year suspension after confessing to EPO use before becoming a campaigner to clean up cycling, was appalled by Vinokourov's transgression.

Millar said: "Jesus Christ, I'm speechless. It makes me sad. I have the impression the riders will never understand. I'm shocked. I really wanted to have faith in Vino. I really wanted to be convinced that he was bringing new values to the Tour.

"With a guy of his stature and class, in cycling's current situation, we might as well pack our bags and go home. What are we going to tell young riders now? How are we going to convince them there's a future in the sport?"

The cloud hanging over the Tour, that was partially lifted by the joyous scenes in Britain just a fortnight ago when a million people lined London's streets for the prologue time trial, now threatens to envelop the race for good.

Last week, two German TV channels pulled the plug on coverage after a pre-Tour sample provided by German rider Patrik Sinkewitz showed levels of testosterone six times higher than normal.

German bottled water company Gerolsteiner had earlier threatened to withdraw its sponsorship, and the team its funds, if anything negative happened this year.

While they considered the damaging implications, Tour organisers let fly at Vinokourov and Sinkewitz.

Race director Christian Prudhomme said: "I told the riders before the start that this was a fantastic opportunity for renewal.

"That has failed. But the cheats must understand that they are playing Russian roulette. We are utterly determined.

"The Tour is not too difficult. You do not cheat because it is too difficult. You cheat because you want to be first. If there were sack races in the Olympics, with money and TV, people would cheat."

The blow to the Tour's image stings even more because Vinokourov's recovery from a stage-five crash to win Saturday's time trial, as well as Monday's Pyrenean stage after losing 29 minutes to the leaders the previous day, were this year's feelgood stories.

Those miraculous recoveries have now been exposed as a sham and Kazakhstan national hero Vinokourov will return home in disgrace.

The future of the Astana team — created in part by him after a doping scandal caused its forerunner, the Liberty Seguros team, to be barred from last year's race — must now be in serious doubt.

Both Vinokourov and his team signed the new code of practice imposed on all Tour participants this year by which a positive test means they have to pay a fine equivalent to a year's salary.

A team statement read: "According to the ethical code of the Astana cycling team, Alexandre Vinokourov has been suspended with immediate effect. Informed by the Astana management, the organisers of the Tour de France invited the team to withdraw, which was immediately accepted."!

The full frontal assault on doping adopted by Tour organisers ASO continued with its president, Patrice Clerc, stating that Rasmussen would have been banned from starting this year's race had they known he had been warned twice by the Danish federation for failing to provide them with details of his training schedule.

Clerc said: "We should have been aware of this failure to abide by the rules and he would not have been invited on the Tour because he is not a good example for the rest of the riders. A so-called champion has to act like a champion."

Earlier in the day, Rasmussen, who takes a 2min 23sec lead into today's final mountain stage, said: "Since the start of the Tour I've been tested 14 times, including today, and I've never been positive. I want to concentrate on the race."

Tour leader Rasmussen sacked

 

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Sacked: Rasmussen

 

Michael Rasmussen's Rabobank team have withdrawn the Tour de France leader and sacked him for lying about his whereabouts in the weeks leading up to the race.

A Rabobank spokesman confirmed on Wednesday night the Dane had 'broken team rules' - amid reports he was to be removed from the tour.

Subsequently, the team have posted a statement on their own website explaining the circumstances which led to Rasmussen's sacking.

 

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'On Wednesday night, Michael Rasmussen - the wearer of the yellow jersey - has been withdrawn from the Tour team by the management of the Rabo Cyclingteams, and has been dismissed on the spot.

'Rasmussen appeared to have lied about his true whereabouts in the training period before the Tour de France,' said the statement.

'Those whereabouts were a crucial part of the argumentation used by the team management to confront and counter the allegations with regard to the captain.

'Until now, it is unclear whether the other seven Rabo-team riders will appear at the start of the 17th stage on Thursday. The Rabo-staff leaves that up to the riders to decide.'

A statement from sponsors Rabobank made clear the disappointment with the actions of their highest-profile rider.

'Rabobank are shocked and extremely disappointed that Rasmussen has lied about his whereabouts,' they said.

'As it turns out now, he was not in the place he had filled in on his whereabouts papers and that he had handed in to the UCI, which he had already done too late.

'Rasmussen was rightly given a warning by the UCI for having been late with the handing in of his papers. An incorrect notification of one's whereabouts is a flagrant violation of UCI regulations and unacceptable.

'Rabobank fully supports the decision of the Rabo cycling team to directly withdraw Rasmussen from the race and to dismiss him on the spot.

'Rabobank understands the morale of the riders is now so low that it is hard for them to decide whether they will start tomorrow.

'This development with regard to the Rabo cycling team is a black page in the history of the Rabo cycling plan.'

 

- Metro, UK

I really didn't think Vino would do such a thing. He let his fans down big time. Damn, I'm really cut by this. I knew he would never win but I thought out of all the cyclists he had the most heart in it... guess not. :( The news of Rasmussen though isn't surprising at all. He would be an absolute freak to be going as well as he did without drugs. Still, I feel so cheated by Vinokourov... sounds stupid I know but my admiration for this guy was huge. Anyway, I wonder who'll be next... :worried: Cadel is still in it so GO CADEL!!!

Doesn't surprise me at all, as someone in the sport told me years ago that the vast majority of riders were "cheating" and that more and more would be caught.

It appears he was right.;)

Ugh. :disappointed: This is why I didn't want to talk about the Tour this year, even though I still follow it very closely. Couldn't handle everyone going on about doping instead of what was happening. Now it looks like a couple of idiot riders are trying to destroy the tour themselves. :veryangry2: I mean how desperate do you have to be to take a transfusion (with all it's risks) when it's obviously going to be caught? And now Rasmussen's been acting like a pighead.:veryangry2::veryangry2: At least that French guy had the decency to admit wrongdoing- pity it means that Cofidis is out too.

 

Personally, I think it's a sign that things are actually changing- that a team would throw themselves off the tour because of lying, with no actual proof that there was doping, and that having the yellow jersey with a good chance of still having it in Paris would make absolutly no difference. I hope the change is not too late for the tour.

 

On a completly different note, have there been any updates about how O'Grady is doing? He's been one of my favorites for years, but being Austrailian, I haven't heard anything since the day of the crash. I hope he's ok. I've seen my dad crash one too many times to have anything but nausea when there's a bad crash like that. Even worse when it's a favorite. :( :worried:

The fifth spanish that wins in Tour de France History: Alberto Contador. :dance:

 

Contador wins drug-tainted Tour de France

 

Doping scandals hand Contador Tour win by default

Bet he is on drugs as well