It's Floyd's race now

[tcklyde]

I think that Alejandro Valverde will win this TDF.

Landis, judging by his Dauphine form, is not a threat.
He struggled very badly.

Well, if Valverde does win, my somewhat ridiculous prediction that he will win the 2006 Tour, made in August 2005, will come true. I'll be pretty amazed I'll have to dig up that post if it happens.

 

[dm69]

My tips
Cadel Evans
Floyd Landis*
Alejandro Valverde*
Paolo Salvodelli
Dennis Menchov*
Andreas Kloden
Levi Leipheimer
Gilberto Simoni
Michael Rogers
George Hincapie

*Dopers (IN MY OPINION), thats not saying some of the others guys in that top 10 couldn't be dopers aswell.

Moreau to win climbers
McEwen to win points
Boonen to win the most stages

This will be a very interesting year for all Americans and Australians in particular with the GC. Guys like George, Levi, Floyd, Cadel & Mick Rogers (if T-Mobile support him) could dominate the traditional countries. Of course Australia will get a few Stages and maybe finish in Green with Robbie and Stuart O'grady.

Guys like Simoni, Honchar, Guerini, Mayo, Di Luca, Cunego, Zubeldia & Rujano will spice things up in the hills because of there new freedom due to the lack of Ivan, Vino, Francisco & Jan. You never know one of those guys could surprise them all and win the whole thing.

In conclusion nearly anyone can win, except maybe Maggy Backstedt

 

[azdroptop]

Honestly, given what is going on right now, it is almost beyond belief that posters are rushing to defend riders from "unsubstantiated accusations." Give me a break. Professional cycling is in the midst of a crisis. It should be abundantly clear at this point that doping is widespread, normal, and basically accepted as perfectly fine behavior by the peloton. What should be obvious is doping controls do not reflect the reality of PED use.

I know that in the world of LA's fans, Frankie Andreau, his wife, Greg Lemond, Emma O'Reilly, Stephan Swart, Mike Anderson, etc., etc. are all liars and LA is an honest, clean athlete. Fine. I doubt anything will ever change that impression. But even if Armstrong was clean -- which I confess to find essentially ludicrous, but for the sake of argument... -- he has set a terrible example. From his podium speech in 2005, to his attack on VeloNews for running an article on doping, to his work with Ferrari, to his fight with Simeoni, to his comments to Jean-Cyril Robin and other critics of doping, LA has denied that there has ever been a problem with doping in the peloton. He has intimidated riders and journalists who have raised red flags -- both verbally and with threats of legal action. In short, he has used his consideral media and legal power to create the impression that the sport is clean.

Now, quite obviously, this is completely untrue. The peloton is packed with dopers. By denying the obvious, he has worked against the forces that seek to clean up the sport. All the fans will suffer in the long run, especially as the sponsors, like Liberty and Phonak, decide that they have had enough.

I'll be clear about this: I won't argue that LA -- other than the doping -- is a bad guy. Heck, he is a great guy in many respects. I wish just 5% of professional athletes would dedicate as much energy, talent, and money to causes as worthy as the ones he addresses. But people are more complicated than simply good or bad. Heck, I'll still bet that Tyler Hamilton is a really nice guy despite being a cheater and a liar.

Well thought out and nice post. I basically got into cycling during Lance's run of 7 and I am a fan. Part of me still wants to believe he is clean, but only he knows the answer...and as you say it seems unlikely. On a side note I was watching cycling.tv/ today and they had a exersice physiologist on there discussing blood doping and epo. Very interesting stuff: He said an athlete can gain a 6% increase in power in 4 weeks on EPO; And an 18% increase with blood doping along with about a 12% decrease in HR at a given work load. He did make the point which I have always agreed with, that the best guys are still on top because of their genetics and training lifestyle. Drugs 'improve' the athlete, they don't make him/her.

 

[DV1976]

Honestly, given what is going on right now, it is almost beyond belief that posters are rushing to defend riders from "unsubstantiated accusations." Give me a break. Professional cycling is in the midst of a crisis. It should be abundantly clear at this point that doping is widespread, normal, and basically accepted as perfectly fine behavior by the peloton. What should be obvious is doping controls do not reflect the reality of PED use.

.

EXACTLY!!!
Doping (in various forms) has been an integral part of cycling since essentially Day 1. It's ingrained in its culture and tradition. People spend a few quid and read a bit about the history of the sport. It's an eye opener on how cyclists view doping. Also take into consideration that is most likely the hardest sport that exists...
Nice post tcklyde!!

 

[wolfix]

ak. Professional cycling is in the midst of a crisis.
I
Now, quite obviously, this is completely untrue. The peloton is packed with dopers. By denying the obvious, he has worked against the forces that seek to clean up the sport. All the fans will suffer in the long run, especially as the sponsors, like Liberty and Phonak, decide that they have had enough.

Professional cycling just hit a small bump in the road. When you became a fan of this sport, what did you think you were watching? No one can claim to be a fan of this sport for many years and also claim they want the sport cleaned up. If watching a clean sport was important to you, you would have stopped watching this sport after about 3 years.

The Festina affair? The following years was the most widely watched TDF's in history. It was because of LA, but the sport actually hit a popularity never before seen for cycling.
The Festina affair did not even slow cycling down.

Fans decide they have enough? If that was the case we would have never heard of the TDF. The fans love the dopers..... Look at the sports most populor rider......Merckx. He is the poster boy of dope. And yet everyone on here will make the claim to his greatness.

Doping is seen as a problem by the media only to sell newspapers and keep chaos alive. The fans and riders really don't care.

And the fans that scream that "they are all doped up, that the sport is a farce." They need to move on. Why are they still interested in th e sport if they believe it is a farce?

 

[limerickman]

Professional cycling just hit a small bump in the road. When you became a fan of this sport, what did you think you were watching? No one can claim to be a fan of this sport for many years and also claim they want the sport cleaned up. If watching a clean sport was important to you, you would have stopped watching this sport after about 3 years.

Watching the sport and wanting it to be clean - aren't mutually exclusive, Wolf.

The Festina affair? The following years was the most widely watched TDF's in history. It was because of LA, but the sport actually hit a popularity never before seen for cycling.
The Festina affair did not even slow cycling down.

The TDF was always followed closely here in Europe - the interest level was always very very high.

It may be the case that the TDF coverage has increased in the USA.

But don't generalise : the TDF coverage was always very high long before Festina, here in Europe.

Doping is seen as a problem by the media only to sell newspapers and keep chaos alive. The fans and riders really don't care.

And the fans that scream that "they are all doped up, that the sport is a farce." They need to move on. Why are they still interested in th e sport if they believe it is a farce?

Valid point.

 

[tcklyde]

Fans decide they have enough? If that was the case we would have never heard of the TDF. The fans love the dopers..... Look at the sports most populor rider......Merckx. He is the poster boy of dope. And yet everyone on here will make the claim to his greatness.

Doping is seen as a problem by the media only to sell newspapers and keep chaos alive. The fans and riders really don't care.

And the fans that scream that "they are all doped up, that the sport is a farce." They need to move on. Why are they still interested in th e sport if they believe it is a farce?

I never said that the fans will decide they have had enough ... and indeed, for the most part, you may be correct that the fans don't really care... or at least most. Afterall, I still watched the TdF this morning. What I said is that the sponsors will decide they have had enough. Sponsors put millions in cash into cycling for the image is creates and, as we have seen, many sponsors don't want to be associated with doped up athletes, even if the fans don't care. And who can blame them?

Now, yes, it is true that I am still watching the racing. But there is a difference between remaining a fan of cycling and excusing the doping. Some fans will do everything in their power to believe that their favorites are clean, even to the point of continuing to reject the obvious. And even to the point of denying the existence of a major doping problem in the peloton. You are right, the sport will probably survive either way, but the question we must face is whether it is to survive as a clean sport that has integrity or as the endurance version of American professional "wrestling." I, for one, would prefer a sport that took its problems seriously -- not as a "bump on the road" or as a silly mistake.

LATE UPDATE: Valceniana pulls sponsorship of Comunidad Valceniana...

 

[Eldrack]

As much as I hate the cheating etc, all the doping. As much as I want all those who cheat to get caught. Even though, most of the time they don't get caught I think I am still going to be watching every day of this years TdF. The spectacle will still be there, the tension as the GC riders fight tooth and nail for every second, the possibility of GB winning a pro tour point (ok, well maybe not that one).

 

[lwedge]

Relax guys, no one has ever won or lost the tour by just 8 seconds.
Get a grip.

Actually someone won by 8 seconds and someone lost by 8 seconds in the same day. That's right..... the same day.


Floyd has to stay on the bike as well, I think he was involved in the crash today (Stage 2). He will be cleaning strawberries tonight.