My "atta boy" picks 2009 TDF

Of course Contador was great and Armstrong's comback historic blah, blah, blah.
I was impressed by others also, the Schleck's attacks were ineffective but relentless and worth noting. Wiggins the most improved this year.
Atta boy to Hushovd for hanging in the mountains to secure the green jersey.
Atta boy to Cancellara for pulling his team and still maintaining second in the ITT.
Atta boy to Kloden for being a tireless workhorse for Astana and still getting 6th place.

My biggest disappointment was Sastre, second Evans.
Congratulations to Menchov for his Keystone Cop routine and Hincapie for consistency in crashing at least once and winning the ugliest sunglasses award each year.

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Dope,when training and talent just aren't enough.

First things first.
The fashion police will be out to get Andy Schleck - just where did he get those white rimmed shades that he wore climbing Ventoux?
He looked like something out of a 1960's holiday brochure.
Maybe Johnny handed them down to him with the words "they didn't work for me in the peloton, son".

Atta boy award - and I make no bones about being paraochial - has to go to Nicholas Roche, son of you know who.
First Tour de France and he finished 23rd on GC,
Atta boy.

Next award, must go to Kloden ; after following and working for Ully round 6 Tour de France routes, this time round he got to follow and work for Contador and Armstrong and still finished top10.

Atta boy award three, goes to Franco Pelizzotti.
First, he wins the KOM's.
Second, he wins the combativity award.
Third, and more importantly, he would get the fashion award for the best looking bike on the Champs Elyssee.
That polkadot frame looked really cool yesterday.
(Incidentally Franco, have a word with Andy Sch. about his sartorial elegance issues : a bit of Italian, je ne sais quoi, is badly needed there).

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Agree with most of your sediments. Except for Pelizotti's polka dot bike. Polka Dot may be a very prestigious symbol in the Tour. But from an esthetic point of view, it's also a ridiculous combination of colours and shapes. Accepted on a jersey through tradition, but ugly and joker-like when extended to the entire ensemble, bike and all. Outside of the Tour, guys who ride around in Polka Dot jerseys and on polka dot themed bikes are targets for bashings.

Also, what's the deal with that Starsky and Hutch 70's curls on Franco? It's like a more aerodynamic or "lite" version of what Cipo was sporting in the mid 90's during his "Lion King" phase.

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Live long, Ride far.

You've got me there.

I don't know what is going on with Franco's hair.
And I would wager that neither does Franco know what's going on with his hair!

Personally I thought Franco was going for the Eric Vanderaarden look of the mid-1980's.
Except Eric never won the KOM!

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Atta boy has to go to LiquiGas. They have some talent on that team and can make some noise in the future.
Atta boy goes to Manuel Garate for saving Rabobanks tour.

sticking to my guns and tipping the cap to milram. best assemblage of young talent taken as a whole. gerdemann, ciolek and especially peter velits kept sticking their noses in the mix on several stages. also have to give good marks to roman kreuziger.

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"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues

I have to say hat's off to Klodin. What a constant reliable teammate! Bravo. And to the French for winning some stages this year! Very nice. Cav is just insane. Yes his team was nearly perfect on his stage wins, but the guy is just plain fast!

I have to say Lim, other than the bike Lance road for most of the middle stages the artist that did the TT bike and that hideous thing he road on the final stage should be flogged and never allowed near a bike again. I agree on Franco's bike. cool.

I agree with you.
That TT bike looked dreadful.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.