Who will win the 2005 Tour de France?
- Thread starter cwcbiker
- Start date
I think that a healthy and focused Lance Armstrong is still the favorite to win.
Here's why:
1. He has the experience to win, even when he's not 100%
2. He has a singular focus on this race and dedicates himself to winning it.
3. He has the best team as they are ALL there to help LA win.
4. He has the best manager in the sport
5. He has a mental edge as no-one has managed to crack him in 6 years.
I think he will want to win this last one and then walk away from the TdF forever. Perhaps then he will focus on another challenge (Vuelta, Giro.. etc) or leave cycling all together.
My bet is that #7 is on it's way!
Here's why:
1. He has the experience to win, even when he's not 100%
2. He has a singular focus on this race and dedicates himself to winning it.
3. He has the best team as they are ALL there to help LA win.
4. He has the best manager in the sport
5. He has a mental edge as no-one has managed to crack him in 6 years.
I think he will want to win this last one and then walk away from the TdF forever. Perhaps then he will focus on another challenge (Vuelta, Giro.. etc) or leave cycling all together.
My bet is that #7 is on it's way!
cwcbiker said:
The reigning champion is always favourite - so it has to be Lance Armstrong as favourite, all things being equal.
I just hope the TDF provides a good exciting challenging racing this year.
I can only recall three really rivetting tours since 1988.
1989 ranks as the most exciting that I have seen.
1996 because the era changed from the Indurain era.
2003 because the reigning champion was in trouble - albeit for only a day or two.
It's a pretty paltry return for 17 years viewing.
Pre 1988, the TDF was more exciting and contested more openly.
Just my view.
bspeedy00 said:
Then pray to God that the WADA observers partner with the Paris Doping Unit in order to canvass the mobile home camper activities post stage---until 10:00pm each night. And especially on the eve of a time trial event. The problem is, there are hundreds of such mobile camper MASH units--so it won't be a simple task. Maybe if WADA required the GC riders to wear ankle braclets, that might work.
If this bubble lock sealer can be accomplished you may see a random result.
Maybe 2005 will be different than 2004 insofar as dope controls & police assistance.
Chuckle now. It is legal today. Only the silly UCI/WADA/IOC rules to dodge. Getting into the best doping channel may determine a TDF winner more than anything else.bspeedy00 said:
If it were not for customs agents, police, a very few whistleblowers, ex-TDF Champions, we would not even have 10% of the public exposure.
And despite this legal research drug motivation----the drug firms/and their proxies do NOT share doping research. So doping remains an ANTI-COMPETITIVE and unfair practice.
Corporate advertising fuels one budget, the pharmaceutical industry, another.
It's is one terrific fraud. Hopefully some great new trauma and anemia drugs will come out of so many wasted lives.
We've got mice, hamsters, dogs, ponies and humans all helping make corporations more profit. All the while fooling fans into believing in miracles. Hollywood ought to grant an Academy Award.
Isn't it wonderful?
Cadel EVANS for Yellow, Robbie McEwan for Green, Mike Rogers for the spots, Baden Cooke for the Prologue - and my other eye will be on Lance
I think you need a vacation, everything is so intense to you. So I am gonna go ahead and keep loving the sport of cycling, and you can go on hating it. Let see who gets an ulcer first. Get my point? You also seem to think that belief in miricles is a bad thing, I for one like the idea, and it is a good thing for the youth to believe in as well, give people hope. Have fun with you rage.Flyer said:
Obviously Lance is favorite. But obviously, I voted for Basso, and am secretly hoping for a good showing by Cunego (who is being taken to the tour to 'learn' this year because Lance is there, his DS says).
Whatever happens I do hope it is a close race until the last day in the mountains, and not just until the top of the first climb in the first day in the hills...
Whatever happens I do hope it is a close race until the last day in the mountains, and not just until the top of the first climb in the first day in the hills...
Another nod for Basso ... really too early to tell but it's fun to toss some chips one way or another none the less.
fallensparrow
fallensparrow
limerickman said:
No question, I'm a LA fan. But I like the sport of cycling more than any one person and I'm tired of LA winning all the time. The next great Tour will be one that LA doesn't win. I, like others, realy hope Cunego rides a strong Tour. And Michael Rogers.
