Pro Cycling Thread

[Craig]

1) Please don't go to CA. They've ruined about a century of French talents. Wouldn't mind Kristoff joining Hagen at T-Mobile though.

2) No, Der Spiegel is a most reputable publication. Think Newsweek or TIME. Bild is their Sun.

Considering Vino's reaction to Jaksche's interview about doping and claiming Jaksche was paid a lot of money gave me that idea.

 

[Craig]

No Petacchi - http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jul07/jul05news

And I believe he earns between 1.6-2m euros a year, so he may end up filing for bankruptcy.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

The Tour starts today!

Put a side in for the ifarm competition, mainly sprinters.

 

[Craig]

Start times

Enrico Degano (Ita) Barloworld 15:00
Ruben Lobato (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 15:01
Daniel Navarro (Spa) Astana 15:02
Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Team Milram 15:03
Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick Step - Innergetic 15:04
Lilian Jégou (Fra) Française Des Jeux 15:05
Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas 15:06
Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 15:07
Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel 15:08
Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bouygues Telecom 15:09
Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 15:10
William Bonnet (Fra) Credit Agricole 15:11
Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 15:12
Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 15:13
Gorka Verdugo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 15:14
Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 15:15
Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank 15:16
Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 15:17
Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 15:18
Bert Grabsch (Ger) T-Mobile Team 15:19
José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 15:20
Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Barloworld 15:21
Iker Camano Ortuzar (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 15:22
Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Astana 15:23
Enrico Poitschke (Ger) Team Milram 15:24
Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step - Innergetic 15:25
Mickael Delage (Fra) Française Des Jeux 15:26
Aleksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Liquigas 15:27
Stéphane Augé (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 15:28
Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel 15:29
Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 15:30
Sergio Paulinho (Por) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 15:31
Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Credit Agricole 15:32
Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 15:33
Francisco Vila (Spa) Lampre-Fondital 15:34
Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 15:35
Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 15:36
Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank 15:37
Chris Horner (USA) Predictor-Lotto 15:38
Stuart O'grady (Aus) Team CSC 15:39
Axel Merckx (Bel) T-Mobile Team 15:40
David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 15:41
Mauricio Soler (Col) Barloworld 15:42
David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 15:43
Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana 15:44
Ralf Grabsch (Ger) Team Milram 15:45
Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick Step - Innergetic 15:46
Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Française Des Jeux 15:47
Murilo Fischer (Bra) Liquigas 15:48
Ivan Parra (Col) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 15:49
Benoît Salmon (Fra) Agritubel 15:50
Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom 15:51
Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 15:52
Anthony Charteau (Fra) Credit Agricole 15:53
Ronny Scholz (Ger) Gerolsteiner 15:54
Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 15:55
Jorge Azanza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 15:56
Simon Gerrans (Aus) Ag2r Prevoyance 15:57
Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 15:58
Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 15:59
David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 16:00
Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) T-Mobile Team 16:01
Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne 16:02
Félix Rafael Cardenas Ravalo (Col) Barloworld 16:03
Juan Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 16:04
Antonio Colom (Spa) Astana 16:05
Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 16:06
Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step - Innergetic 16:07
Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française Des Jeux 16:08
Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 16:09
Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 16:10
Cédric Hervé (Fra) Agritubel 16:11
Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 16:12
Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 16:13
Julian Dean (NZl) Credit Agricole 16:14
Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 16:15
Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 16:16
Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 16:17
Martin Elmiger (Swi) Ag2r Prevoyance 16:18
Juan Flecha (Spa) Rabobank 16:19
Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 16:20
Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC 16:21
Bernhard Eisel (Aut) T-Mobile Team 16:22
Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 16:23
Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld 16:24
Christophe Rinero (Fra) Saunier Duval - Prodir 16:25
Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana 16:26
Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Team Milram 16:27
Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Quick Step - Innergetic 16:28
Mathieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux 16:29
Michael Albasini (Swi) Liquigas 16:30
Cristian Moreni (Ita) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 16:31
Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez (Spa) Agritubel 16:32
Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 16:33
Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 16:34
Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole 16:35
Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 16:36
Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 16:37
Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 16:38
John Gadret (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 16:39
Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 16:40
Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor - Lotto 16:41
Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC 16:42
Marcus Burghardt (Ger) T-Mobile Team 16:43
Ignacio Gutierrez Cataluna (Spa) Team L:P:R: 16:44
Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Barloworld 16:45
David Canada (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 16:46
Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana 16:47
Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Team Milram 16:48
Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step - Innergetic 16:49
Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française des Jeux 16:50
Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 16:51
Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 16:52
Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Agritubel 16:53
Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 16:54
Alberto Contador (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 16:55
Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole 16:56
Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 16:57
Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Lampre-Fondital 16:58
Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 16:59
José Arrieta (Spa) Ag2r Prevoyance 17:00
Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 17:01
Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 17:02
Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 17:03
Linus Gerdemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 17:04
Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 17:05
Kanstantin Siutsou (Blr) Barloworld 17:06
Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 17:07
Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana 17:08
Andry Grivko (Ukr) Team Milram 17:09
Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step - Innergetic 17:10
Rémy Di Grégorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux 17:11
Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 17:12
Nick Nuyens (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone 17:13
Juan Miguel Mercado Martin (Spa) Agritubel 17:14
Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 17:15
Benjamin Noval (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 17:16
Christophe Le Mével (Fra) Crédit Agricole 17:17
Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner 17:18
Daniele Bennati (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 17:19
Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 17:20
Sylvain Calzati (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 17:21
Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 17:22
Dario Cioni (Ita) Predictor-Lotto 17:23
Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 17:24
Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile Team 17:25
Francisco Perez Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 17:26
Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld 17:27
Iban Mayo (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 17:28
Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 17:29
Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram 17:30
Juan Garate (Spa) Quick Step - Innergetic 17:31
Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux 17:32
Manuel Beltran (Spa) Liquigas 17:33
Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 17:34
Moises Duenas Nevado (Spa) Agritubel 17:35
Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom 17:36
George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 17:37
Patrice Halgand (Fra) Credit Agricole 17:38
Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 17:39
Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 17:40
Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 17:41
Cyril Dessel (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 17:42
Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 17:43
Leif Hoste (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 17:44
Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 17:45
Mark Cavendish (GBr) T-Mobile Team 17:46
Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 17:47
Geraint Thomas (GBr) Barloworld 17:48
David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval - Prodir 17:49
Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 17:50
Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram 17:51
Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step - Innergetic 17:52
Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux 17:53
Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas 17:54
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 17:55
Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel 17:56
Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 17:57
Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 17:58
Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 17:59
Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner 18:00
Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 18:01
Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 18:02
Christophe Moreau (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 18:03
Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 18:04
Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 18:05
Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 18:06
Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile Team 18:07
Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 18:08

Three things, watch out for Romain Feillu of Agritubel during the raceand why is Pereiro starting last? Cancellara would of the perfect choice IMO. And Thomas starting one minute ahead of Millar is interesting.

BTW won my first ProTour classic, Paris-Tours with Max van Heeswijk.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Three things, watch out for Romain Feillu of Agritubel during the raceand why is Pereiro starting last? Cancellara would of the perfect choice IMO. And Thomas starting one minute ahead of Millar is interesting.

Indeed he would be.

 

[Matteh]

and why is Pereiro starting last?

Because he was the 'winner' of 2006.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Good call there Craig. I appear to have forgotten to enter the Fantasy again. Not that I've missed out on any more than about ten points.

 

[Matteh]

So yeah i was there, marshalling away.
Took over a hundred photos of riders riding up to the start ramp (which is where i was stationed all day), name a rider and i've probably got a photo, requests welcome, etc.
Was basically at the side and slightly behind the start ramp all afternoon from when the publicity caravan went through at 1pm. Good spot tbh even if i didn't get to see much actual time-trialling because all the riders were sidling up and signing in so could take a load of photos with ease.

 

[Matteh]

Good call there Craig. I appear to have forgotten to enter the Fantasy again. Not that I've missed out on any more than about ten points.

That fantasy thing i linked to doesn't actually start until the 2nd stage iirc, so you still have time to get a team in without losing out.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I was mildly amused at the speaker stating times and leaders in French...

 

[Matteh]

There was an English guy and a French guy in the same box at the start. The English guy seemed to just know the Name/Nationality and some Tour History, the French guy reeled off a load of information about a rider including age, amount of wins, results in various races. The French guy was also the one who was being told who was in the lead, the English guy would listen to his announcement and then translate it.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Obviously I'm coming at this as a non-cycling fan, but I'm really surprised at the amount coverage the tour has had over here. I thought it'd have about as much credibility as pro-wrestling now.

Admittedly a lot of the press has been of the "everyone's on drugs, you know" variety, but still.

 

[Matteh]

Obviously I'm coming at this as a non-cycling fan, but I'm really surprised at the amount coverage the tour has had over here. I thought it'd have about as much credibility as pro-wrestling now.

Admittedly a lot of the press has been of the "everyone's on drugs, you know" variety, but still.

I think the obvious thing in that it's starting in London helps, but also the fact that there's not one or two British guys to support, but actually there's five, means more people to support in a much more varied way instead of just looking for a prologue win.

 

[Matteh]

Itstl.

 

[Craig]

Itstl.

The Germans getting one early. I find it funny if Thomas, Wegelius, Cavendish, Miller or Wiggins do well they're British and if they are dire then they are either Welsh, Finnish (where Wegelius was born), Isle of Man, Scottish (or Malta where Miller was born IIRC) or from Ghent (where Wiggins was born).

According to the person on Eurosport news, more then a million people where at the start, so much for the sport dying. Oh and the latest rumour of heard is that Starbucks is being lined up as the new replacement sponsor for Discovery Channel.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Millar in a solo breakaway today, 1'40" ahead of four chasing men (Grivko MRM, Bichot AGR, Auge COF, Kuszynski LIQ) and way ahead of a sleeping pack.

 

[Craig]

Millar in a solo breakaway today, 1'40" ahead of four chasing men (Grivko MRM, Bichot AGR, Auge COF, Kuszynski LIQ) and way ahead of a sleeping pack.

Possible revenge for yeasterday? Last time I can remember such a solo move being successfull was Dave Zabriskie in the 2044 Vuelta. Rode from start to finish on his own and ended up hanging on by over a minute. Granted Valverde crashed pretty bad, but that is a fair effort.

 

[Matteh]

Picked up 6 seconds from the sprint as well, should pick up a few supporters from this break.

 

[Matteh]

The Germans getting one early. I find it funny if Thomas, Wegelius, Cavendish, Miller or Wiggins do well they're British and if they are dire then they are either Welsh, Finnish (where Wegelius was born), Isle of Man, Scottish (or Malta where Miller was born IIRC) or from Ghent (where Wiggins was born).

According to the person on Eurosport news, more then a million people where at the start, so much for the sport dying. Oh and the latest rumour of heard is that Starbucks is being lined up as the new replacement sponsor for Discovery Channel.

Millar's barely British from what i can see. Born in Malta, grew up in Hong Kong (Bit Dermot Reeve-esque...even down to the drugs), but i'm led to believe his mum is Scottish or something.

 

[Chubb]

The Germans getting one early. I find it funny if Thomas, Wegelius, Cavendish, Miller or Wiggins do well they're British and if they are dire then they are either Welsh, Finnish (where Wegelius was born), Isle of Man, Scottish (or Malta where Miller was born IIRC) or from Ghent (where Wiggins was born).

Yeah England is such a parochial little island isn't it? I can't stand it sometimes, the whole nation is run by ignorant, xenophobic Daily Mail readers. But you musn't think we are all like that. I mean I support whoever I like regardless of nationality and I think most people do. Such behaviour tends to be confined to the right-wing press.

The crowds have been really impressive. I normally make contributions to Tour threads but since this particular thread started I am going to look like a five-minute fan. Maybe I am, but I do love the Tour, ever since 1994 (when I was 8) I've watched it.