2009 Tour de France

[Moses Botbol]

It’s going to be a real battle to maintain the yellow for Astana. I think it’s going to be an attack-fest at every opportunity. Luckily Astana has the best in the business to reel in any attack and hopefully set the tempo. Everyone Astana is really going to earn their pay, regardless of who wears the yellow in Paris.

What Contador did in Verbier was one of most awesome mountain stage feats in decade. The pace was already very quick and to take off like a scalded cat was as incredible as any attack Pantani or Armstrong have ever done. Does Contador have a turbo button like an old 486 PC?

A lot of things can happen between now and then. Imagine an all Astana podium? Has that ever happened in the Tour before?

[Glenn E.]

What Contador did in Verbier was one of most awesome mountain stage feats in decade.

Yeah, it reminded me very much of a couple of Lance's previous moves... "The Look" being most prominent. When it was time to go, he just went. And no one could do anything about it.

Alberto does very much appear to be Lance's heir. He doesn't yet seem to have Lance's presence in the peloton, but he sure seems to have Lance's ability. If he stays with Johan I think he probably has 5+ wins in his career (including this year and 2007).

[Moses Botbol]

What Contador did in Verbier was one of most awesome mountain stage feats in decade.

Yeah, it reminded me very much of a couple of Lance's previous moves... "The Look" being most prominent. When it was time to go, he just went. And no one could do anything about it.

Alberto does very much appear to be Lance's heir. He doesn't yet seem to have Lance's presence in the peloton, but he sure seems to have Lance's ability. If he stays with Johan I think he probably has 5+ wins in his career (including this year and 2007).

The Spanish riders are quiet killers. It's better off for them as well. Why carry all that overhead when the results end up being the same? Look at Sastre, Perreiro, Delgado, or even Indurain... None of them won with celebrity status and limelight, yet they won.

I do not think Lance was ever as explosive on steep climb as Contador. Lance picks up speed and leaves the other, but not like down shifting a Ducati and cranking the throttle. If you have the legs, you can keep up with Armstrong like Basso did, but Contador attacks, he's 50 yards ahead before you realize you have to step on it.

[Glenn E.]

None of them won with celebrity status and limelight, yet they won.

That's not what I meant... Lance has a presence in the peloton. He commands the attention and respect of the other riders. Despite his protests to the contrary, he is the patron of the peloton. There may not ever truly be another, and he may not have the same power as the patrons of yore did, but it'd be tough to claim that any other rider in the peloton has more influence during the ride. Whether he is winning or not - and that's what makes him the patron.

I agree that Lance wasn't ever quite as explosive as Alberto is now, but he was close. L'Alpe d'Huez in 2001 what pretty dominating, and he just blew past Ulrich on the ascent. Luz Ardiden in 2003 was similarly dominating, especially coming after a crash.

[Andy Velebil]

Wow what a great race. Saxo was hammering the pace and try as they might, could not drop Contador. Then LA puts the hammer down and catches back up...did you see the surprised look on Schlecks face when he looked back to see LA back with him. He did a second long look just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. That was awesome.

So sad about Voit, that was a horrific crash. It looks like there was a bump in the road that the others made it over and he hit it with loose hands on the handlebars, causing the front wheel to come out from under him. I hope he is OK, but he was unconsious for a short bit, not good.

[Moses Botbol]

So sad about Voit, that was a horrific crash. It looks like there was a bump in the road that the others made it over and he hit it with loose hands on the handlebars, causing the front wheel to come out from under him. I hope he is OK, but he was unconsious for a short bit, not good.

Jens is one of my favorites, oh my... I haven't watched the stage yet, but plan to tonight. Any rider that can hammer in the classics is OK in my books. I hope this is not a career ender, as he is no spring chicken.

Now that Astana as we know will end this season. I think Bruyneel will go with Contador and with big name sponsors lined up; watch out! Perhaps Lance will tag along (if he wasn't part of the plan for this team from the begining)?

[Glenn E.]

I read about the crash but haven't watched my recording yet... it sounds pretty scary. I'm also looking forward to seeing the big "brawl" between Saxo and Contador, and then see how that all unfolds with Lance having to bridge a 30+ second gap to catch back up. Sounds amazing!

[Moses Botbol]

Will Contador be found a doper? That seems to be the rumor mill now.

Cycling is at the point that any decisive victory has been judged in suspicion. Critics think stages should end like a NASCAR race in that the top half of the contenders should be neck and neck on a mountain stage because someone thinks ability is a math formula and that's that... There's no such thing as magical performance or sporting greatness...

I sure hope Contador is clean. I have a knack for picking dopers as my favorite cyclists...

[Glenn E.]

I hope he's clean. I hope cyclists aren't idiots. Given the crackdown in cycling, you'd have to be an idiot to still be doping. But at the very least he's made some poor choices in the people around him, so that causes some suspicion.

I tend to believe that Lance has always been clean, but I'm pretty confident that he's clean now. He'd have to really be an idiot to come back to cycling and give the French another chance to catch him if he wasn't clean. And he's sitting in 3rd - at 37 years old after 4 years of retirement - so it's clearly possible to do well without doping.

Ventoux tomorrow... that's going to be epic. I hope that Lance can fend off the Schleck brothers and keep a podium spot. Maybe Alberto will actually be a team player for once and help Lance keep his position.

Yeah... like that's gonna happen.

[Moses Botbol]

Tomorrow will be an all out slugfest I am hoping.

Who knows if Armstrong doped or is doping? As long as the tests and those who give are without repute; let the tests speak for themselves. I do not think either are above repute, so there where lies this grey area of suspicion on both sides. Armstrong and Contador have passed the test, and there's been plenty of them so let that be the judge.

It would be a big blow if either were caught. For me, seeing Vino caught was a big let down, and I still do not believe it

[Glenn E.]

French drug labs above repute?

But that in and of itself, to me, adds serious weight to the argument that Lance is clean. The French would love nothing more than to be able to prove that Lance was a doper, and have gone to ludicrous lengths to slander him and implicate him. As badly biased as they - and their labs - are, I think that if Lance had ever taken any sort of PED that they would have found it. He's the most tested athlete in the history of sport, and by a wide margin.

To a lesser extent, the same applies to Contador. But the French don't seem to care as much when a Spanish rider does well... it's just Lance that they love to watch but secretly want to bring down.

Tomorrow's going to be amazing. I re-arranged my exercise schedule so that I don't have to run tomorrow because I want to get up and watch the climb live.

Contador was even making all the right noises today, so maybe he's not the arrogant prick that he often seems to be. He's right - his #1 job is to protect the yellow jersey, but he did say that his second goal for tomorrow is to protect Lance's podium finish.

It seems like a small margin in an 80+ hour race, but the 4 seconds Lance snagged today might end up being important.

[Roy Hersh]

So today is the grand finale, the final stage?

[Andy Velebil]

So today is the grand finale, the final stage?

well, yes and no. Tomorrow is the actual grand finale and today was the final mountain accent stage where a possible change in overall general classification could occur.

Tomorrow, although an actual stage, is typical ridden at a slow pace where the current overall leader passed around some champagne with his teammates and others in the peloton. The end of the stage speeds up so the sprinters can have one last chance at winning the stage on the Champs-Élysées. usually at that point the main leaders hang at the back and stay at out trouble at that point. As the only real thing that could happen to them would be a crash.

[Roy Hersh]

Interesting, thanks Andy!

[Glenn E.]

Great ride up Mont Ventoux today!

It wasn't as exciting (to me) as Verbier, but it was still a good race. I particularly enjoyed it since I have been to Ventoux and recognized most of the roads.

Props to Alberto today for riding for the team instead of personal glory. I think he probably could have easily won the stage if he'd wanted to, but instead he sat on Andy Schleck's wheel the entire climb and denied Saxobank the opportunity to attack Lance, thus ensuring that Lance could protect his podium finish.

Well done, Alberto!

[Moses Botbol]

Great ride up Mont Ventoux today!

Well done, Alberto!

Indeed.

Pure climbing excellence at its best. Hats off to Wiggins for this TdF; amazing performance.

[Moses Botbol]

Now, all the bashing between Armstrong and Contador are surfacing. Armstrong sounds like a sore loser of sorts. He did not celebrate Contador’s win with the team. Contador says he never had admiration for Armstrong. Armstrong says Contador is not a team player.

I would certainly be upset if I were Contador. He started the season as assuming he’d lead the team. Johan and Armstrong kept thwarting his attempts, and when he showed he was the strongest; Armstrong became bitter and said Contador broke rank. I would break rank too, if I was the strongest and lesser guy felt there was entitlement because of what he did 4 years ago…

I am actually a little surprised Johan is sticking with Armstrong and Radio Shack vs. starting a new team around Contador. It would seem that Santander and Renault have deeper pockets than Radio Shack and that Contador can win more races than Armstrong.

I sure hope Contador is able to keep winning like has as he’s the most exciting rider to emerge in cycling since Armstrong or Pantani.

[Jonathan S]

Armstrong sounds like a sore loser of sorts. He did not celebrate Contador’s win with the team.

I agree with you, and, because of his poor attitude, I am very disappointed in him right now...

[Glenn E.]

Contador says he never had admiration for Armstrong.

Apparently that quote was mis-translated yesterday. The new translation is that Contador says that Armstrong is a great rider but that he has no admiration for him on a personal level. That I'll believe... someone can be your idol (as Contador has said of Armstrong) for many years, but when you finally meet the guy you can realize that you don't like him as a person.

Still... they both need to grow up a little bit. Armstrong should have gone out with the team; his Radio Shack dinner could have waited one night. And Contador should lose the sore winner attitude and be gracious, because right now he just looks bad every time he opens his mouth about Armstrong. I can't imagine that his current attitude is going to help him find another team.

I am actually a little surprised Johan is sticking with Armstrong and Radio Shack vs. starting a new team around Contador.

I'm not. Johan builds teams, and whether or not you believe Armstrong's account of the behind-the-scenes drama it's pretty clear that Contador is a bit of a loose cannon. That doesn't suit Johan's style, and I'm guessing that he thinks he can build a better team around Armstrong than he would be able to build around Contador.

[Moses Botbol]

I do not think we'll see Armstrong win an individual time trial in a Grand Tour again. Cancellara and Contador are just too fast.

He will be a contender, but Contador is just amazing. Imagine if he did not have to hold back his attacks? With the right team, he will beat out Armstrong's records. Contador is 4 for 4 in more than just the TdF. Even Johan said he's never seen a hill climbing talen like Contador and now that he is national time trialiing champion, he's the complete Grand Tour package.

I wish Armstrong would concentrate on the Classics and giving the Giro another goal.