Le Tour!

**brianhos** · 07-01-2009, 12:41 PM

It is almost time!

Who is your pick to win this year?

Alberto Contador is my pick.

The good news is the team time trial is back this year.

**Clones85'** · 07-01-2009, 12:41 PM

You have to pick Tiger. He wins more on the tour than anyone else

**spk123** · 07-01-2009, 12:42 PM

Yeah Contador is a stud... definitely the favorite. His team is stacked (in fact, perhaps TOO stacked with Armstrong, Leipheimer, et al... hopefully teamwork doesn't become an issue with them)

**HiltonMagic** · 07-01-2009, 01:29 PM

Lance is in it, right? Gotta go with him until someone proves otherwise.

**C.John** · 07-01-2009, 01:31 PM

Cadel Evans will yet again be the bridesmaid and not the bride

Could be Andy Schleck's year, he can easily challenge Contador in the mountains.

But how about Denis Menchov. He won the Giro d'Italia last month thanks to an impressive time trial and finished fourth last year in The Tour. He's my dark horse.

And I whole heartily agree with Brian about the team time trial, one of the most enjoyable stages.

21 days of racing, 21 days listening to Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen..forget DickieV and March Madness, this is Le Tour baby..

**jmb** · 07-01-2009, 01:32 PM

Watch out for the Schlecks.

**brianhos** · 07-01-2009, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by HiltonMagic

Lance is in it, right? Gotta go with him until someone proves otherwise.

Yeah, but he is not even the leader of his own team.

**brianhos** · 07-01-2009, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by C.John

Cadel Evans will yet again be the bridesmaid and not the bride

Could be Andy Schleck's year, he can easily challenge Contador in the mountains.

But how about Denis Menchov. He won the Giro d'Italia last month thanks to an impressive time trial and finished fourth last year in The Tour. He's my dark horse.

And I whole heartily agree with Brian about the team time trial, one of the most enjoyable stages.

21 days of racing, 21 days listening to Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen..forget DickieV and March Madness, this is Le Tour baby..

Will it be in HD this year???

Now THAT would be cool to see, all those bright jerseys in HD.

**C.John** · 07-01-2009, 01:38 PM

(June 24, 2009)- VERSUS, the exclusive television home of the Tour de France in the
U.S., will kick-off its ninth year of wall-to-wall coverage of the most intense and grueling
competition in all of sports on Sat., July 4, at 9:30 a.m. ET. The network will begin its first day
of Tour coverage at 8:30 a.m. ET with a one-hour special chronicling Lance Armstrong's career and
his 2009 comeback season. For the first time ever, each stage of the Tour will be produced in full
HD.

**loki8838** · 07-02-2009, 10:14 PM

Carlos Sastre anyone?? You know the defending champion??

Actually he doesn't stand a chance of defending his yellow jersey. He should challenge for a top 5, maybe the 3rd place spot on the podium, but unless Contador, Armstrong, Leipheimer, Evans, and Menchov all crash out/abandon the tour, I can't see him in yellow.

Honestly, I see an Astana sweep of the podium spots, with Contador/Armstrong or Armstrong/Contador followed by Leipheimer. Evans/Menchov battling for 4th and 5th. Moreau, Voeckler, Sastre, Kloden, and Andy Schleck in some order for 6-10.

The first two weeks are just the warm-up act for what should be an epic final week. The final individual time trial in Stage 18, and the Stage 20 finish on top of Mont Ventoux will decide the ultimate winner. My head says that Contador is the favorite, but my heart says how can you choose against Armstrong.

**NobodyBeatsCy** · 07-02-2009, 10:42 PM

I think Contador is positioned well and has to be considered the favorite. Keep in mind that Lance is there to build awareness and support for his cause first and the race second. He has said that there is one bit of unfinished business for him on the second to last stage - Mont Ventoux. He wants that stage. Otherwise, and as he put it himself, he will be the strongest "domestique" on any team in the TDF.

**ketelmeister** · 07-02-2009, 11:12 PM

The pressure will get to Contador...he's a selfish jerk imo. Lance all the way!

**ffelknirznarf** · 07-02-2009, 11:43 PM

who will be the first to test positive?

**loki8838** · 07-02-2009, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by NobodyBeatsCy

I think Contador is positioned well and has to be considered the favorite. Keep in mind that Lance is there to build awareness and support for his cause first and the race second. He has said that there is one bit of unfinished business for him on the second to last stage - Mont Ventoux. He wants that stage. Otherwise, and as he put it himself, he will be the strongest "domestique" on any team in the TDF.

Lance keeps saying the bit about him "just raising awareness". I don't believe that for a minute. He didn't come out of retirement, train like he does, and submit himself to the torture he receives in France, to be a domestique. He is saying all the right things prior to the tour to avoid causing a rift on the Astana bus, but he wouldn't be there if he didn't plan on winning (at least going into it). If he gets a week into the tour, and he doesn't have "it", then maybe he changes his tune. Even then, I see him maybe helping Levi get a grand tour win, as opposed to Alberto. Lance is fiercely loyal to guys who have helped him win over the years (Hincapie's stage win in 2005, trying to get Levi and Heras wins in previous years), and he has no particular allegiance to Contador.

I agree with your point on Lance wanting badly to win atop the Ventoux. If the Ventoux came earlier in the tour, I can see the peloton maybe letting Lance have the victory, but the Ventoux comes is the last stage before the ride into Paris, and for all intents and purposes is the only stage that matters in this year's tour.

Also, the news came out today that Vinokourov will probably back with Astana when his doping suspension is lifted on July 24th. Astana is starting to look like the Yankees, is Steinbrenner in charge??