Who's watching the Tour de France? How can this happen?

[jaydee]

I'm not into cycling but do enjoy watching this on TV.

Aussie Cadel EVANS is in the lead by 1 second.

Thats the 3rd night in a row he is in the lead by 1 second, how is this possible?

With the distances these guys travel each day, the terrain etc how can he be leading still by 1 second, I gotta admit I don't understand the mechanics of how they run the race, I just like watching it.

[xbgs351]

If you finish in the main bunch, you get credited with the same time as everybody else.

[g220ba]

basically whatever group you finish in you get credited with the first riders time in that bunch.

[V3RSAC3]

Confussing sport but not bad to watch ... even better when theres an accident :evil3:

[bf tubs]

cadel is an excellent individual time trail racer expect him to pull out a 30 plus second lead in about 3 or 4 stages time provided none of his main rivals get a good run up the alps tonight or tomorow and put some time on him there

[uranium_death]

That's why the time trials at the end are so important.

[64ORD]

cadel is an excellent individual time trail racer expect him to pull out a 30 plus second lead in about 3 or 4 stages time provided none of his main rivals get a good run up the alps tonight or tomorow and put some time on him there

BUT! he must lose very little time in the next 3 mountain stages to the guys placed around him. He has the edge on David Shleck in second place when it comes to the time trial but Denis Menchov could be the one to spoil the party. GO CADEL!! a few late nights coming up

[05MkIIFutura]

Cycling is prob the most tactic-based sport there is. All those guys in the pack have a very well thought out plan. At the moment, it is possibly Cadels plan to just cruize along with the pack and wait for the legs where he has the upper hand.

I dont know if this is the case, or what Cadel's strenghts or weaknesses are, but geezuz i am getting into the sport, shame it is only once per year!!

[jaydee]

I dont know if this is the case, or what Cadel's strenghts or weaknesses are, but geezuz i am getting into the sport, shame it is only once per year!![/QUOTE]

Now I get it, thanks for that everyone, it was doing my head in. :

Mk5, they do have the Italian tour and a few others, sometimes SBS show it but usually they concentrate on the French one.

I love the last leg when they get into Paris, seeing all those icons.

[pauljh74]

Cadel's strengths are time trialling and hill climbing - probably the 2 most important for the Tour de France. Sprinters usually aren't good climbers so they rarely if ever are in contention for overall victory.

Having the yellow jersey is like having a big target on your back. Cadel and his team are keeping a close eye on his main rivals, and those guys are watching him. Having the yellow jersey now isn't a bad thing, but it is who wears it after the last stage in Paris that matters. The guy in second lost time to Cadel in the last mountain stage - that's when Cadel got his 1 sec lead. It's a good bet he'll lose more in the upcoming mountain stages. That said, other climbers might break away and take time out of Cadel.

It doesn't matter if a group of guys who are 30 mins down in overall classification pull a 10 min lead and win the stage, but if it was one of Cadel's rivals, the team would start a chase and reel them in. A pack can be more efficient - whether that be due to aerodynamic advantage or simply having other riders there to set a pace. Sometimes when a few riders break away they will work together to maximise their efforts. If the pack catches them and the breakaway riders aren't sprinters, then their chance of stage victory is slim as the specialist sprinters will blow by them in the last few hundred metres.

[64ORD]

error in my previous post should be Frank Shleck not David.

shame it is only once per year!!

yeah its a fantastic spectacle and watching it becomes quite addictive and by all acounts even if you aren't a keen cyclist.

[RG]

Cadel is a very intelligent rider, I have followed his carrer ever since he was a 19 year old Mountain Biker and I knew even then he would amount to something special. I would be more surprised to see him lose than win this race, he can keep his own in the mountains but in the time trials he will eat most of his competitors.

[rodderz]

When I was running I used to run down the road when i was younger and always pass Cadel and his dog going for a ride, he lived just up the road. Great humble bloke, and very determined.

I've watched the tour every night since the start (bloody tired now!) and while it may seem boring to the outsider it's gripping stuff. The fitness levels and balls of these blokes on the downhill parts is amazing

All Cadel needs to do is mark his closest rivals and keep them in check if they break away, as long as he keeps them in the pelleton the lead will remain the same, where he can hopefully have a lead into the last time trial and come out best. Easier said than done, but he seems to have the strength to do what he needs to do.

There are some funny rules both official and unofficial in the race. It is a gentleman's agreement that whoever is winning after the 2nd last day (time trial) won't get passed on the last day

[fordomatic]

just flicked over to sbs now, i start work at 4, hmmm may as well stay up.
GO Cadel

[rodderz]

Team CSC are probably the danger at the moment coming stages throught alps, they have great climbers and will help their big hope in a breakaway. The teamwork of helping their biggest race hope is just as important, dragging them along in a pack

[AuFairlaneV8]

Tommorow nights stage could go a long way to determining the winner, Sastre and Evans will probably look to attack on the last climb of the day the Alpe d'Huez. I dont think Schlek can beat Evans but Menchov and Vandavelde are going to be tough to beat, aslo Valverde is dangerous but it seems he has lost too much time whilst recovering from his crash.

****ed off that Ricco turned out to be a drug cheat, he was exciting to watch some pretty wild attacks through the pyreness.

[FTE217]

I'm into it, great to watch !
Like others have said the balls and fitness levels these guys have is amazing.
The attacking the night before last was unreal, how Cadel hung in there without any team mates around him for help was big tikka stuff by him, I'm glad he has lost the yellow jersey for now and rapt another Aussie won the last stage !!
I just got back into cycling last winter with the biggest ride to date is 85k's and I'm stuffed !!! these guys do 180odd a day average speeds are amazing and still push to the finish line !!

Yes I too was impressed by Ricco but we know now eh !

[XlR8TED]

It's funny how much you guys enjoy watching the tour, but would swear, curse and swerve at the same people if they happened to be training on a road near you....:P

[Abacus]

Originally Posted by XRSex

It's funny how much you guys enjoy watching the tour, but would swear, curse and swerve at the same people if they happened to be training on a road near you....:P

I ride a bike and I always try to give riders some room on the road.

The only ones that really get my goolies are the guys who ride in stupid situations - like in heavy traffic on main roads when there's a perfectly useable bike lane or cycleway right next door. I passed a guy riding in heavy traffic in the car lanes over over the Anzac Bridge the other day, right next to a beautiful partitioned off cycle lane -WTF??

But back on topic, agree the TdF is gripping stuff. When I start watching it I can't pull myself away until the end of the stage, regardless of how early I have to be up the next morning.

[rodderz]

Originally Posted by Abacus

But back on topic, agree the TdF is gripping stuff. When I start watching it I can't pull myself away until the end of the stage, regardless of how early I have to be up the next morning.

This morning was a killer getting up, so was the other morning when it finished about 2.30am

Cadel rode brilliantly last night, he just stayed with his rivals the whole way setting himself up for the trial where he will be strongest. They even pulled back another 30secs on Menchov on the downhill section who is the biggest threat

[Fordman1]

Alp D'Huez tonight.

Awesome stage, and they're will be plenty of attacks as it's the last mountain stage .

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by XRSex

It's funny how much you guys enjoy watching the tour, but would swear, curse and swerve at the same people if they happened to be training on a road near you....:P

Mate you may have a point in general but how would you know how any of us here treat/respect cyclist's on the road :togo:

Back on topic tuff climbs last night, I couldn't last had to hit the bed by 12.30. What country side ! I have to watch it all tonight.

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by Bluedriver

Mate you may have a point in general but how would you know how any of us here treat/respect cyclist's on the road :togo:

He probably read this thread...http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...light=cyclists

It gives a very good indication of how people here treat/respect cyclists !

[rodderz]

A good effort by Sastre to win, paticular when his strength is the hills

Evans looked aa bit tired after a race fall in week 1 in which he said was still hurting from, and from doing all the work by himself and no teamates to really help him. Team CSC were that strong, they had 7 top class riders who all controlled most stages of the tour and Evans had to stick to any break aways, which helped Sastre as he was able to relax in the pack till the Alpe- De'Huez stage where he built the gap that he needed. Result was that he was much fresher for the time trial, and had the yellow jersey to help spur him on.

Silence Lotto need to get some better riders to help cadel next year if he is to have a chance, it just goes to show how much teamwork is needed to help the teams best rider be right up near the front yet have enough in reserve to kick at the end

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by MAGPIE

He probably read this thread...http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...light=cyclists

It gives a very good indication of how people here treat/respect cyclists !

Mmm yes I should have known.

rodderz I reckon he should leave Sil/Lotto. In a bike forum I frequent I read his team mates would not be impressed at press interviews saying they are not the best team,CSC has a much bigger budget etcetc.....also his team buing skills are being questioned.
That good commentator Leggit even said Cadel needs to work on improving his PR skills.
That said to me an absolutely gutsy performance by the Aussie ! take my hat off to him, he was dragged/drained along by CSC perfectly and I could tell by his face in the TT they had worn him out !
Its going to be harder next year,Contador comes back and just look at the hot young crop of riders who finished in the top 15.
Taking nothing away from Sastre good luck to him.....

Thankfully Cadel/Gerrans/OGrady put a hell of a lot of Aussie flavour in this years tour.

I say it's time for a TeamOz but what companys here can afford to support this to the end in this day and age ?
Maybe Murdochs/Packers/Lowys/Stokes should be approached so as the exposure would benefit their international business.

[rodderz]

Originally Posted by Bluedriver

Thankfully Cadel/Gerrans/OGrady put a hell of a lot of Aussie flavour in this years tour.

I say it's time for a TeamOz but what companys here can afford to support this to the end in this day and age ?
Maybe Murdochs/Packers/Lowys/Stokes should be approached so as the exposure would benefit their international business.

There was talk about this before this years tour, I think an all-aussie team with the guys you mentioned would go very well. The only thing is the teams have to be invited by the French organisers into the tour, which is why Contador wasn;t there this year to defend it, the team wasnt invited.

This year may of been Cadel's best hope, Sastre will be there next year, plus Andy Shlek will be much better. He hardly raised a sweat in the alps.

[ILLaViTaR]

Originally Posted by XRSex

It's funny how much you guys enjoy watching the tour, but would swear, curse and swerve at the same people if they happened to be training on a road near you....:P

I bet if Mathew Lloyd kicked a football through your front window you'd be ****ed off.

Just like I get ****ed off when they sit under the limit.

[XlR8TED]

Was more just a tongue in cheek remark guys. Of course I don't know how any individuals here treat people on the road.

I don't know about anyone else, but after seeing the scenery so far in this years tour, I think I want to visit France. I'm sure the tour is a massive advert for tourism over there!

[rodderz]

Tonights telecast starts at 9.30pm, live from the start. Other nights start the telecast with the race already started

[Director]

Hope Cadel does not loose any time again tonight, he had a brilliant ride last night and it was good to see him attack on the descent, menchov lost his nerve and half a minute