Stage 14 TDF : Agde - Ax-3 Domaines : Spoiler

rule62

Being the eternal optimist...I am going to go with Basso. Riis is finally going to unleash the team and cattle prod Ivan into action off the front.

Ullefan

Disco-CSC are still allies believe it or not. Basso doesn't have the ball, he's riding for second.

limerickman

I'm still sticking with Kloden !

I think Basso might have a go, perhaps.

In thinking a bit more about this Rasmussen will probably try to stay at the lead of the group and just pick up points in KOM.

Vino ?
Depending how he feels, he might try a breakaway but it's up to the other TM riders to try to do something if they can.

nonameboy

i thinktomorrow´s main rival for armstrong will be the heat and not the other guys.

infantrycak

OLN may have it wrong, but on today's broadcast they were only predicting about 75 F for the next two days. Frankly I think folks make too much out of Armstrong having a heat problem just because he had one bad stage when it happened to be "hot." Armstrong lives and trains in Austin for a good part of the year and grew up in Texas so he is used to temperatures exceeding 100 F.

Ullefan

Jan seems to think otherwise. http://www.t-mobile-team.com/cms/tm...8/id=61018.html

wolfix

My prediction ...... Ullrich , Armstrong . Basso , and maybe Rasmussen will go into the final kilometer together ...... All because of a Vino/Kloden attack. There might be a Discovery Spanish goat in there, and if the goat gets shaken by an explosive attack from LA or the others , Ullrich will falter too. I expect an attack from LA in the next few days. It will happen when a few of the contenders are shaken. I honestly believe that Vino will do nothing to help Ullrich unless it's in his own best interests. Vino may be the only one still that is a realistic contender barring a crash/ sickness of LA"s. When you are an attacker , and the slopes are steep, a few minutes mean nothing. He has the mindset to win.
"el Diablo !!!!!"
In my opinion Vino is the perfect fit for Discovery next year. With Vino's personality and Johanns guidance he will carry on the Texas swagger !!!!!
"Pantani lives !!!!!!!"

wolfix

Wow. Is LA's legacy going to be about one bad day in 7 Tours ????? Ullrich should have listened to what he said .. "the next day he [LA]came out firing...."
I saw a quote from Rasmussen on one of the websites where he thinks LA is beatable by Rasmussen...... Hasn't he ever noticed what happens to riders that question LA and says he is beatable ???? I bet the other contenders groaned when they read what Rasmussen said. They are thinking to themselves." That's all we need is another reason for LA to go and prove something to the cycling world." Contrary to what Flyer may think, LA boosts himself with the drug called "Driven Intensity ." It's available at birth for a select few individuals.

jhuskey

"Driven Intensity ." It's available at birth for a select few individuals.[/QUOTE]

I must have been asleep that day.

__________________
Sobriety is over rated!

nonameboy

so you think its wrong that rasmussen thinks he can beat lance it would be better that he like almost all the other guys just went in there racing for second place and not try to do nothing about lances dominance i mean if they think they have no chance might as well quit and go home.

Ullefan

So you would rather they admit they can't beat him like Basso does and never challenege?

mr tibbs

i think tmo will lead the attacks on dsc this weekend, but basso and lance have the best chance to reap the rewards.


tmo--and dsc, csc, rabbo etc--must be looking for jan to be the main gc contender in pink, but there is also the resurgent vino to deal with and kloden looked very strong on that cat 1 as he pulled jan up the hill. i suspect that sat will see vino go on a tear on the first climb and make dsc burn out to run him down. kloden, basso, rasmussen and jan will ride more conservatively until the final climb where they hope vino will have burned off some of lance's cronies, and then...who knows? i wouldn't mind seeing a "slugfest" between these guys--though i suspect lance will finish close on the winner's heels if he isn't first.


my pick is basso, who has proven he can finish up on lance in the mountains.

rule62

Lance, like every rider, is going to have his bad days. The trick is to spot them and make the most of the opportunity when it comes. At least Rasmussen is getting himself psyched up to be ready. Ullrich seems to be looking for the opening as well. That is to their credit. Luck favors the prepared.

And yeah, limerickman, Kloden still scares me. Vino too, but Kloden can take over the race given half an opening to it. To me, he is still the real wild card. Will Godefroot send him though, or still have him anchored to Ullrich if support is needed?

mr tibbs

oops, forgot to add: basso won't gain any time except a first place bonus on lance because he'll just ride wheels up to the final 500 meters.