It is one of the few cycling events that I actually Tivo.....:-)

I am hoping that Leipheimer or Horner from Radioshack can make some noise.

In the end, it will be interesting to see how Cantador feels after winning the Giro(tired) or of A. Schleck can get to the top of the podium? Can Cadel Evans finally win?

http://www.letour.fr/us/homepage_horscourseTDF.html

P.S. I am sure Alberto can find some beef that can help him recover and be peaking at this years TdF.....:-)
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I am with you E.J, could give a crap about cycling but I do like the TdF :-)
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I'm sick of hearing about Contador, he should be suspended and not even riding in the Tour IMHO. I'm backing Andy Schleck all the way--he was robbed by a doping Contador last year and he deserves the win. I'm very excited for the Pyrenees this year, with Galibier making two appearances and l'Alpe d'Huez!
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You're not mentioning Robert Gesink, he's a dangerous outsider. I bet he will win the white jersey and finishes in the top 3
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Shouldn't it be called Tour de Doping. :-)
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No, Armstrong isn't competing anymore
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Love the TdF, could care less about any other cycling event...Are their other cycling events?
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I'm pulling for Chris Horner to be the best American finisher in this year's tour. I really would like Andy Schleck to beat Contador, but 3 weeks of racing will determine the winner. Looking forward to the TTT on Sunday to see how the Teams with the GC contendors will shake out. :-)
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There is very little chance an American will podium.

Cadel specifically aligned his training so he will peak for the tour. He will be good for a top 5 finish. Not sure how strong his team is. But, I still can't see keeping up with Contador and the Schlecks in the mountains. He is just not built that way.

It will be a Contador and Andy Schleck battle. Has Contador recovered enough to compete? How has Andy improved in his time trialing? We will know next week.
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Contador is still there and so are the majority of top professional racers. Everyone dopes one way or another.
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It depends on what you call dope. I think most riders are clean nowadays, with all the tests. But then again, they are on a special diet to preform better, isn't that doping too?

And what if they all take it, if they all use doping it isn't cheating anymore right? They still have to train and have to have skills. You can dope me up with the best stuff in the world, it would still take me 3 days to climb the Alpe 'd Huez.
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Lots.

Grand Tours
Giro d'Italia
Vuelta a Espana

I personally liked Giro better than TdF.

Classics
Paris Roubaix
Milan San Remo
Tour of Flanders
Liege Bastone Liege
Giro de Lombardia

Stateside
Tour of California
Philly Classic
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You can say the same thing about Armstrong. Majority of the pro were doping at that time. He is just better than everyone else. Access to better resources, a great supporting cast and that "attitude" that everyone hates about him, contributed to all those wins.
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The taking of performance enhancing drugs is still a problem in most professional sports including baseball, football and track, but cycling seems to get the most notoriety about it. :-)
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But you called the rider that has tested more than any rider in the history of the sport and never officially tested positive, a doper?:-)


I would prefer that this thread not turn into a dopers forum.... I think everyone could probably agree that every athlete in the sport has pushed the limits of what is "legal"....

When they are caught going over the edge, there is a price to pay.... (or you have the Spanish Cycling Federation declare you eligible, getting you another GT and then wait for the CAS to call you a doper....:-) )
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hey, I am an Armstrong fan, I was just joking around as he's the most suspected but never caught cyclist ever.
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And I'm not. But saying Contador clean is so naive. Tainted meat? Sounds like a **** movie.
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the amounts found in his blood were too low to have any effect. But then again, he was involved with Dr. Fuentes before, he has a sketchy past and I don't like him. He's not a fair sporter, the way he stole the tour from Schleck last year was weak and unfair, he could only beat Rasmussen because Rasmussen was taken out of competition. Contador isn't that great.
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Well, Cantador has his work cut out for him now....

He is probably pretty lucky that the TTT is so short, or he could be out of the race day 2.....:-)
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Although the principals of good sportsmanship prevent me from truly being happy about that huge crash at the end, there's a nasty little part of me that was glad to see Contador get trapped behind it--not just for personal reasons, but also because it's going to make him more aggressive for the rest of the Tour and make the entire thing even more exciting. Congrats to Gilbert for a good day of riding. I really thought Cancellara was going to win it with his final push, but he just didn't have the gas to maintain. I was also happy to see Andy Schleck come through in the first group.

On to the TTT tomorrow!
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