Tour de France 2009

[Sark79]

This starts on Saturday in Monaco.  Alberto Contador is the favorite, however if Armstrong is as fast as in previous tours, will he be allowed to compete against Contador or will team orders come into play?

Should be a great tour 

[Delboy]

Armstrong will be riding for publicity. He hasn't shown, this year to be a threat to the top guys.

Contador will have to come into form to win it. He will, however have the world's most deorated domestique

[Ironside]

cant wait for this to start

this year is the first year i havent watched any cycling due to all the drugs scandals for past few years

but i love the TdF

bring on the mountains so i can watch all day live

[Sark79]

Andreas Kloden is one of my favorite riders as well,  hope he does well.   I am looking forward to this.   

[TheChipPrince]

yep should be great, Contador seems to short for me at 2.16, worth laying...

Would love Armstrong to do well, don't believe that he doesn't want to win, this is one of the most focused sportsman ever, anyone who weighs his pasta in the morning down to the last gram must be 

Lance will support Contador to the hilt, only if he knows he is the best rider to win as the race reaches the important stages.

What better way to promote LiveStrong than to win though...

[Longy]

Looking forward to it, hope it doesn't get tainted by drugs again. As it is truly one of the sporting events of the year imo.

[Sark79]

Lance Armstrong is one of the all time greats and he has never failed a drug test, however he still has to put up with accusations.  I just read this link,  how can she be allowed to single out an innocent rider and get away with it?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jul/03/lance-armstrong-tour-de-france

[thetank]

Dunno about the drugs but Lance Armstrong is defo a kiddy fiddler

[ACE2M]

i used to absolutely love the tour but i just feel cheated after every scandal so can't really be bothered with it. I respect them for trying to truly purge the sport of cheats though, just a shame that it takes the shine off for the public so regularly.

[TheChipPrince]

LA looking good, why is Cav 115 out of 119 at the split?

[Gamblor21]

LA looking good, why is Cav 115 out of 119 at the split?

He only does sprinting and flat short time trials... Hills are his enemy!

[TheChipPrince]

LA looking good, why is Cav 115 out of 119 at the split?

He only does sprinting and flat short time trials... Hills are his enemy!

Of course, forgot it had a tincy wincy hill at the start   

[david3103]

Looking forward to it, hope it doesn't get tainted by drugs again. As it is truly one of the sporting events of the year imo.

How can it not be tainted by drugs given it's history?

Is there a spread for how many days it takes for the first scandal?

[gatso]

interesting story about the guy whose name escapes me who tested positive for coke so was asked by the tour organisers not to ride but he is anyway and they can't stop him as it was in the off season

[fatshaft]

LA looking good, why is Cav 115 out of 119 at the split?

He only does sprinting and flat short time trials... Hills are his enemy!

Of course, forgot it had a tincy wincy hill at the start   

It's not that, it's becasue he had no chance of the stage, and will be going for sprint stage wins and the green jersey, today was about saving energy for him.