The Official 99th Tour de France thread, 2012.

[Stat Brother]

I don't think ITV will look to get much more.
They have also shown highlights of the Spring Classics and Paris Tours, about a week after the event.
Although I doubt they'll be showing them at 8am on Sunday mornings!

I think Sky will these as it's way in, while leaving Le Tour mainstream as it's bloody good advertising.

I'm really surprised about The Vuelta, I bet ITV are scrabbling to get it back, esp with Froome riding.

 

[1066familyman]

Froome, Contador and AS potentially all riding the Vuelta this year.

Now that is a Grand Tour worth covering....surely!?

 

[Stat Brother]

As Boardman said today.
This could really mark a massive shift in culture.
Sadly everything is in place with this recession.

Money, petrol prices, taxes, health, congestion, pollution.

Sky do seem to be working hard at grass roots, and this top level success will only encourage them.

The ball is definitely rolling, fingers crossed it gets some momentum behind it.

 

[Stat Brother]

Froome, Contador and AS potentially all riding the Vuelta this year.

Now that is a Grand Tour worth covering....surely!?

I didn't realise it's starting straight after the Olympics finish.
I thought it was a September thing.

Even though CF has hardly raced this year, that's going to be a very long 3 months.

 

[1066familyman]

Yep, Contador's ban ends beginning of August, Vuelta starts Aug 18th.

I always thought it only ever took place in September too.

 

[1066familyman]

To whet our appetite :

Vuelta a España 2012

Running from Saturday Agust 18th to Sunday September 9th 2012, the 67th Vuelta a España will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,300 kilometres. These stages have the following profiles:

6 flat stages
13 mountain stages
1 team time-trial stage
1 individual time-trial stage

Distinctive aspects of the race

6 summit finishes
2 rest days
16 km. team time-trial
40 km. individual time-trial stage
37 mountain passes and hills

J Rod will be rather popular in the fantasy league then.

THPP might want to get on him now !

 

[Stoichkov]

Yep, Contador's ban ends beginning of August, Vuelta starts Aug 18th.

I always thought it only ever took place in September too.

Its seemed to move earlier and earlier into Aug these last few years

It used to be in May - the first Grand Tour of the year but moved to september in the early 90's as the organisers thought (correctly) they'd get a better quality field as most riders opted for the Giro and / or Tour.

I'm sure when it first moved to be the last Tour of the year, it used to finish early October. I think the earlier date now might be to allow riders to use the Vuelta as prep for the World Champs which are themselves now earlier in the calender.

Or something like that!

 

[Triggaaar]

Froome, Contador and AS potentially all riding the Vuelta this year.

Now that is a Grand Tour worth covering....surely!?

Yep, Contador's ban ends beginning of August, Vuelta starts Aug 18th.

So Contador has been done for doping. So if he was clean, would he really be good enough to challenge Froome? I suppose it would be fun to find out. Is Contador being tested at the moment?

 

[Stat Brother]

So Contador has been done for doping. So if he was clean, would he really be good enough to challenge Froome? I suppose it would be fun to find out. Is Contador being tested at the moment?

Yes Alberto C, has always been a strong TT'er who can ride in the mountains.

His climbing style smacks of doper, short sharp bursts of intense power, all the way up the mountain.
The question is how much of that was dope and how much was talent.

I think his abilities out weighed his need to dope, so it will be a fascinating watch.

Dopers have come back and performed clean, Basso, for one, but they are never quite the same.

As he has not 'retired' (an old Vino trick) he is still subject to doping control, from x amounts of weeks/months prior to his ban lifting.

 

[Triggaaar]

Cheers

PS - anyone watch that telly program thing on the 1988 Olympics 100m final? Amazing. Seems that I was one of the few people in the world that wasn't on drugs.

 

[Stat Brother]

We can fairly safely say you're not in your early 40's.

 

[Pat McCrotch]

Just watched Brad's post race interview from yesterday. What a dude.

 

[Triggaaar]

We can fairly safely say you're not in your early 40's.

Wrong

 

[Triggaaar]

Just watched Brad's post race interview from yesterday. What a dude.

I loved Cav's interview after Friday's race - I just put my hand and said please, just give me a chance. Bless.

 

[Stat Brother]

Wrong

Then you sir are a habitual liar

 

[Triggaaar]

Then you sir are a habitual liar

Well that's true, but not much of a druggie.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well that's true, but not much of a druggie.

That's good enough for me.

You're more chance of riding for Team Sky than Dave Millar!

 

[Stat Brother]

Driving back from the dog walk, listening to 5-live induced a perfect storm for Jnr Stat (7).

They were doing a piece on Wiggins and Herne Hill.

He's listening intently to tales of Brad while loudly booing every mention of Palarse once playing there.

Bless him.

 

[armchairclubber]

reassuring to see Eurosport have expert presenter Maurice Greene for this momentus occasion

 

[Stat Brother]

Stage 20:-