Viva le Tour

Originally Posted by VO2Max

Yup, small (cycling) world indeed! It's a funny thing, the cycling world is small, so you seem to know everyone, and every time you go to say, the Worlds, Ghent 6 or the Tour to watch, you always see people you know!

Was a guy called Tim Gill at CC Bowland while you were there?

Yes, i think tim joined towards the end of the time i was there, but i'm sure we rode some events together, if you see him, tell him Pete Halligan says hello

Originally Posted by Chill

The thing with cycling is is doesn't attract the same type of groupies as motorsports.

...but it's a good habit to get into...

No, I don't normally tend to get to the events they ride. Ben is 'rider-manager' on the road so to speak. I rode in a race with 3 of them last weekend though, Grant went up the road in the 1st mile and was away all day, Dave got across in a chasing group, and Ben was back in the bunch pushing me up the hill round the back of the circuit .

Does anyone remember Dave Lloyd from the eighties, when he was released from Raleigh, because of a heart condition, and proceeded to thrash everyone over here in time trials. I bet a lot of the top time trialists never forgave Peter Post. Dave came down to Kent on his "funny bike", and knocked out a 53 minute 25 on a country course with two dead turns in the road - awesome!!!!

Sorry about this, but I am getting nostalgic about the "old" days, back when Lycra shorts first appeared, and you felt like a dodgy porn star every time you went out
Graeme Obree - fantastic!!! (better than cheesy peas!!!!).
I believe that Obree's first attempt at the World Hour record, was to be at Herne Hill track in South London. Apparently, he rode to the stadium, from where he was staying, on "old faithful", with his race wheels on. He was to many, the "Alf Tupper" (I hope someone knows who this character was) of cycling.

So Nev, you weren't far wrong in a way! F*cking arseholes, messing up the sport I love .

I have no doubt that Evans is clean, as are the other favourites - but the 3rd 'positive' of this year's Grand Boucle was Riccardo Ricco, a possible future Tour winner and 2nd at this year's Giro d'Italia.

It seems I was right, these guys were taking the latest generation of EPO to boost their blood - and unbeknownst to them, the authorities have a test for it. In the past, the new generation of whatever drugs would be exposed on the rumour-mill and then the UCI would say 'ooh, we must develop a test for that' - then they would say 'ah, now we have a test, watch out!' and everyone would stop taking it! Finally the UCI have got a bit cuter at last! And also it seems, even though the UCI (International governing body) and the ASO (who run the Tour de France and other big races) have had a spat, the 'blood passport' details of all the riders are being provided to the ASO and they know who to target - bloody good job too!

Ban these b4stards for life is all I can say, they are killing my sport at professional level because the sponsors have had enough and are pulling out. And put them in jail for sporting fraud! Not to mention the fact that good amateurs feel they have to take stuff and will kill themselves without the top medical support the pros have - we've seen it all before.

Moderation has to be applied of course, athletes will always get caught out by the very stringent 'proscribed drugs' list which even bans stuff like ephedrine, found in cough medicines - it's easy to quite innocently take something you shouldn't. But stuff like that is a world away from heavy-duty stuff like EPO, human growth hormone, gonadotropin, nandrolone etc. These things should ellicit a LIFE BAN!

And lets not forget, the drug problem is just as big in other sports, they just don't have the enormous detection machine that cycling has - and is now beginning to root out the idiots with great accuracy and effectiveness.

Finally on a good note, how about Brit Mark Cavendish, eh? 3 STAGE WINS SO FAR!!

Wasn't yesterdays stage amazing? I'd like to see anyone bar Evans win it.

Why?

Originally Posted by VO2Max

So Nev, you weren't far wrong in a way! F*cking arseholes, messing up the sport I love .

Sorry.

Not your fault feller!

And it has to be said, the French are doing most of the work in cleaning up the Sport, the Italians and (in particular) the Spaniards are lagging way behind. They have most of the cheats.

All Protour riders have 'blood passports' now, with blood tests taken independently at at least 2 week intervals (this is in addition to in-competition drug tests and random out-of-competition drug tests). Any anomolies or peculiar 'trends' in blood make-up are picked up.

This is how the idiots at the Tour got caught, strange/erratic haemocrit values alert the authorities to potential cheats and they can then be targeted in drug tests. EPO is undetectable only 3 days after taking it (the benefits last a lot longer!) so this is the only way of catching them - and it's working!

Yesterday was good - and the "Best of" programme was a real bonus.

Too right Fraser, the best Tour in ages!

Everything hingeing on Evans trying to limit his losses in the mountains and then take back time in the TT.

Sastre did a super ride yesterday, today will be another day of painful mayhem before settling down until Saturday. Edge of seat stuff!

Originally Posted by VO2Max

Why?

I'm just not a fan of him, he does nothing in my opinion, he lets others do the work to drag him back up, and just sits on wheels. Plus he looks like a cartoon! He reminds me or George Jetson

Yes, he's not particularly dynamic or inspiring, is he?

Mind you, did you see him go for that Aussie reporter when he touched his bad shoulder? Wow!

Looking good for an exciting finish this year though!

God I hope Sastre rides the TT of his life tomorrow

I hope Sastre's done enough to win. I'd have had no objection to Evans winning at the start, but his public behaviour ain't going to win him friends and he is not a good ambassador for the sport. I know cycling is a tough sport, but it's the same for all competitors. His best move was falling off and letting his helmet do the interview.

Yes, the montage of his weirdness that ITV4 put together was a bit of an eye-opener!

He's lost.

Muy felicidades Carlos.

Dice el caballo grande

Only 49 weeks till the next one

Thanks god Sastre won. What a spoilt little eejit Evans proved to be.