Tour De France

[Tonji]

anyone been following this?

Its been a strange one this year. But some great mountain stages in the Alps. Landis suprised me on his comeback today, he's one tough rider with a bad hip and all, he should win now with the Trime Trial on Saturday.

I should pick up a decent return on backing Rasmussen for King of the Mountains.

I'm going for Caspers to win the final stage in Paris on Sunday.

[Longy]

Always liked watching the Tour de France in the past, IMO the ultimate test of physical endurance in the current sporting world. Unfortuantly in the past few years its been a procession following Armstrong.

This year has been a blinder though and today the best of the lot. Landis's performance today was amazing after cracking yesterday, add to that a complete outsider holding onto yellow after a breakaway on a flat stage it has been a breath of fresh air.

Im with you i think Landis will win the time trail and therefore the tour on Saturday but its still all up for grabs.

[Sark79]

I have been watching it. I love the Tour every year. Landis coming back was amazing, he looked almost dead the other day. What a comeback

[Graham C]

Landis has been suspended after a positive drugs test.

Is anyone clean in cycling now?

[Sark79]

Jesus, I didn't expect that.


Armstrong was clean

[Gryff]

Lol, I expect this is more of a French reaction "An american won again, well we couldnt smear Armstrong, maybe we can smear the new guy".

[Tonji]

Seems it the same old story, I guess he probably is guilty as his team dont seem to be providing him with any support. No surprise I guess, drugs have been part of cycling for so long that its gonna take years before its totally clean, & suspicion will always still be their. Such a shame as its a great sport

[Newportlad]

 

[boldie]

I have been watching it. I love the Tour every year. Landis coming back was amazing, he looked almost dead the other day. What a comeback

yes and now we know how he did it....he was found positive after stage 17...hos amazing comeback wasn't just inspired by God...allegedly...

[Sark79]

lol 

[ACE2M]

i'm a bit gutted about this, i was an avid fan of the tour from childhood and looked forward to it every year.

It was ruined for me by all the drugs scandals and just not being able to beleive the winners were capable of winning without drugs, bjarne riis is the prime example of this as his win quite probably came with the aid drugs but he didn't get caught, he his happy to walk around as a former tour winner getting interviewed and moaning about the drugs in the sport. I wonder how many actually did do it clean?

Then along came landis and did something spectacular and i have to say my interest was reignited and now it is just blown out of the water. I think this may be the nail in the coffin for cycling as a high profile sport unless they test every rider everday.

[Sark79]

There was a guy on R5 just now, he said  " is the Tour too physically demanding for anyones body to withstand without the use of drugs". He thinks the whole idea should be re-thought.   

I don't agree with this, Armstrong and Indurain never tested positive.  It annoys me when every cyclist is tainted by the cheats actions. My mate and myself have a long running debate over this.  I have the view that there is still decent and honest athletes in sport, he believes the massive money involved in world sport means everyone is using performance enhancing drugs.  Jan Ullrich in my opinion isn't a drugs cheat, he used a recreational drug which is different. David Miller on the other hand should have been banned for life

[Graham C]

I agree Sark, how can it be too demanding?  All that could happen in a clean event is that the times are slower - someone will still win. 

[ACE2M]

There was a guy on R5 just now, he said  " is the Tour too physically demanding for anyones body to withstand without the use of drugs". He thinks the whole idea should be re-thought.   

I don't agree with this, Armstrong and Indurain never tested positive.  It annoys me when every cyclist is tainted by the cheats actions. My mate and myself have a long running debate over this.  I have the view that there is still decent and honest athletes in sport, he believes the massive money involved in world sport means everyone is using performance enhancing drugs.  Jan Ullrich in my opinion isn't a drugs cheat, he used a recreational drug which is different. David Miller on the other hand should have been banned for life

i know it is just tainting indurains legacy but the year that epo tests came about is the year he stopped winning and blew up in the mountains. I hope he was clean but just too much has gone on now for the whole sport not to be tainted.

[Wardonkey]

Not testing positive is not proof of not taking drugs.

It is proof that you haven't been caught.

Only a fool would try to compete in the Tour de France without being doped up to the eyeballs.

Being skillful in avoiding positive tests is as important as the actual cycling.