Pro Cycling Thread

[Spitfires_Fan]

Astana's withdrawal leaves the way a lot clearer for Millar and Wiggins in the TT. Zabriskie's long gone as well, so unless one of the GC guys put in a huge effort (Evans?) I think it'll be either one of them or Cancellara that wins it.

 

[Matteh]

I reckon Millar to win tomorrow's stage.

 

[Johnners]

nah Evans, either that, or Lotto will send one of their many crappy riders who can't help Cadel in the mountains to take out Rasmussen early on in the stage

 

[JBMAC]

Could someone explain to this l'il ole country boy what happens re the standings at this point of the race?
Does every one move up9 places?
What about any rider who did not finish in allotted time? Is it reassessed based on 2nd placing time?
What about any rider who was eliminated in TT? Are they reinstated?
Do Race Organisers make the assumption that ALL riders who finished behind Vini deserve readmission to race as they would not have been eliminated if Vini had not being using PH drugs?
Your explanations here would be appreciated.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Could someone explain to this l'il ole country boy what happens re the standings at this point of the race?
Does every one move up9 places?

Nah, everyone moves up as many places as there were Astanas ahead of them (if that made sense)

What about any rider who did not finish in allotted time? Is it reassessed based on 2nd placing time?
What about any rider who was eliminated in TT? Are they reinstated?

Nah, they can't do that except for the last stage, and IIRC no one were eliminated there even though 60 riders missed the time limit. Anyone eliminated at an earlier stage stay out of the race because they haven't run the next stage.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Looks like Rasumssen is in a bit of hot water, as is Contador. Contador has links with some dodgy Italian drugs doctor or something, the whole deal is rather suspicious.

 

[Matteh]

Christian Moreni you ****ing ****. He's tested positive for testosterone meaning Cofidis and therefore Wiggins are out of the race. When are the stupid ****ing idiots going to realise that the Tour of all things given the massive attempts by them to clean it up is not the place to do performance enhancing drugs.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I don't know whether to applaud the Tour authorities for their efforts to clean it up or laugh at the attempt in all honesty. Clearly bent as.

Saw in paper today Rasmussen in hot water over missed drugs tests too. Cycling's foot must be more bullet than bone now.

 

[open365]

Yeh i read in the paper that the tour organisers wouldn't have let him race if they knew he'd been warned twice by the Danish doping board.

Kind of takes away from the whole magic of the race when you know that everytime anyone does anything special that they're probably on drugs.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I reckon they should ban for life anyone that is found taking drugs. It would put a stop to all the nonsense once and for all I reckon.

 

[open365]

I agree totaly, but i still don't think they'd stop, the punishments already are harsh enough to put many older riders out of a career, yet they still take drugs(Landis being a prime example).

 

[PhoenixFire]

That was only becuase Landis was nearing the end of his career anyway. If you said to these 22 year olds who take drugs:'If you take drugs, you will never be allowed to cycle in any events ever again', then I'm sure that a lot of them would take notice.

 

[open365]

Ahhh, good point about Landis, hopefully it can only be a matter of time before they do give life bans out.

 

[Matteh]

I'm pretty sure that if you do your 2 year ban and then get caught again that you get life.

Hence why i'd be suprised if David Millar or Tyler Hamilton ever did it again.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

AP are reporting that Rasmussen and the rest of Rabobank have been removed from the race as well, nothing more that I can find yet.

Very, very sad. I feel somewhat cheated - I have watched the Tour for the last few weeks and really enjoyed it, mainly because I admired the human achievement involved. Now I just feel duped.

EDIT: Rabobank have removed Rasmussen; rest of the team is still in the race. Turns out that he informed them that he was in Mexico, while being in Italy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6916698.stm

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Wtf.

Might as well remove every winner from about 1989 now.

 

[open365]

AP are reporting that Rasmussen and the rest of Rabobank have been removed from the race as well, nothing more that I can find yet.

Very, very sad. I feel somewhat cheated - I have watched the Tour for the last few weeks and really enjoyed it, mainly because I admired the human achievement involved. Now I just feel duped.

EDIT: Rabobank have removed Rasmussen; rest of the team is still in the race. Turns out that he informed them that he was in Mexico, while being in Italy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6916698.stm

A bit like last year no?

 

[Neil Pickup]

Geraint Thomas to win it. The only rider who we can be absolutely sure has taken nothing.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

A bit like last year no?

Didn't watch much of it last year.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Wtf.

Might as well remove every winner from about 1989 now.

Pretty much have done up to 1995 haven't they?

1996 Bjarne Riis - admitted to EPO
1997 Jan Ullrich - discredited but in denial
1998 Marco Pantani - dead from cocaine overdose, failed test after winning Tour
1999-2005 Lance Armstrong - test from first win in 1999 allegedly showed traces of EPO
2006 Floyd Landis - tested positive for testosterone