The beginning of so many ends
A lot has happened in the last ten years of le Tour, and a lot of it stemmed from the race that took place in 2006. At the time it seemed like yet another “Tour of Redemption” as the organisers liked to claim every few years after something had happened to tarnish the race’s image, yet again. In 06, we were coming off the back of a seven year reign of very little in the way of competition, with most of those races decided in the Prologue and followed by a three week procession. 06 was anticipated as the start of a new era, we just didn’t know at the time how significant it would become many years further down the track.
The pre-Tour build-up had fans frothing with anticipation of an Ullrich vs Basso battle, but that was scuppered at the 11th hour by Operacion Puerto, just what incoming Director Christian Prudhomme didn’t need. Also ditched were Fransisco Mancebo, a young Alberto Contador (yet to be considered a GC contender), and one Alexandre Vinokourov (while not one of the Puerto accused, still unable to start as most of his Astana teammates were pulled, leaving him without a sufficient team). With the two favourites out, the race was anyone’s for the taking. Of course, there was more drama to come.
A crazy break was let go and produced a surprise leader in Oscar Pereiro, who then conceded the yellow to Floyd Landis, who then blew to bits and handed it back to Pereiro, before making the biggest comeback since Lazarus the next day and riding away from the race in a solo effort that still ranks as one of the best ever, no matter how juiced he was. I remember watching the stage live and talking to a mate on the phone, and his incredulity at what we were witnessing. As Landis drank with the fervour of an alcoholic and manically poured water over his head during his escapade, my friend (an ex-road racer at a high level himself) professed that Landis was “cooking” from some sort of drug cocktail and was doing his best to dilute whatever concoction he’d taken, and not blow a positive or do a Tommy Simpson on live tv. How prophetic his words proved.
Of course, that was just the beginning, and the resulting fallout became one of the biggest sporting stories of all time. Landis just about brought down the entire sport with his revelations, and no Tour since has been without some form of scuttlebutt, yet not on that scale. The last few years, while tame by comparison to those preceding them, have been pretty well dominated by each winner and not offering too much in the way of exciting competition; although last year’s end result was closer on paper than the actual race was… which once again leaves us in the same state of anticipation that grips us every year in the month leading up to the start, and then promptly lets us down about two weeks after that, and wondering when the Vuelta starts.
This Tour has all the hallmarks of potentially being a great one, with three guys who have to be considered genuine contenders, yet just one who is most likely to win. We really do need a positive test to liven this one up, or someone to juice themselves so comprehensively that the motor in their seat-tube can’t handle the power from their legs and melts the carbon around the bottom bracket and drops onto the road at the summit of Mont Ventoux. Maybe try and blame it on a chimera twin that drank too many whiskeys the night before and left their bike in the team truck with a bag of someone else’s piss strapped to it. That would bring the crowds back. But seriously, if each of the contenders is on form, we could have one of the best races of the last ten years with some real proper drama played out on the roads, not in the labs or courts and not two, three or seven years from now.
We’re giving you plenty of time to ponder the possibilities, and maybe come up with your own hare-brained scenarios as to what may unfold, or what will most likely bring you those precious VSP points and the honour of wearing the Maillot Jaune for the next year. Will you be daring and go out on a limb that doesn’t resemble that of an anorexic spider? Will you take short odds on a short-ass? Will you stake your claims on claims of a steak? Or will you tear yourself apart with internal conflict like a couple of bitchy Italians?
Whatever you do, there is absolutely no excuse to Delgado this one, we’re giving you plenty of time and it’s not like you can claim you didn’t realise that the race was this week… and don’t whinge if this Start List changes before the racing gets underway, it is provisional after all. Good luck and may the best, or second best, man win.
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Here's how I see it, and I'm seeing it for real because I got to Ventoux about this time yesterday. Its Rule #9 wind for sure. *Shameless boast* I rode all three major routes from town to summit today (136kms, 4400m vertical, 8hrs45 elapsed #truehero) and the wind was very strong on the exposed sections. But with the switchbacks you'd get a tailwind for every headwind. Definitely the worst winds were from the section they've canned - the final 6k from Chalet Reynard to the summit. I guess the organisers have good forecasts for tomorrow but to make the call based on rider safety is BS. I saw no accidents today despite riders going up & down, walkers going up & down, vehicles going up & down. The pros know how to handle a bike in wind n'est-ce pas? More likely the organisers are worried about their logistics. Red kite crew, I'm looking at you. It would be a hard task to set that all up. Its a shame for all those campervan people camped up there. I shot some gopro. Will try to link to it. Flapping flags, rows of campers. But the Ventoux!!!
I think Froome has effectively silenced most of his critics. The guy really is damn good at this bike riding hobby. It wasn't that long ago that he helped with the sprint leadout while wearing yellow and when does that ever happen? So far, this has been way more fun to watch than in previous years. Now all we need is for Movistar to gamble a little and maybe have a few shots and watch 300 or Braveheart or something to get them motivated. I'd rather see them go out in a blaze of glory.
By the way, how much fun are the OBE Greenedge backtage pass shows? especially after a win? Those guys really seem to be enjoying themselves.
Movistar moved down a ton of notches on the respect scale here. I hope this is just a mistranslation.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/quintana-and-movistar-blast-tour-de-france-organisers-for-dangerous-stage-11/?utm_content=buffer18ccd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Froome has changed my opinion of him. I thought he would be more mechanical. He is proving that he is not. I think Quintana has serious work cut out for him, especially with the shortening of Ventoux.
@Teocalli
Agreed. There doesn't seem to be much peloton support for their gripes, a bit like when Andy Schleck moaned about riders attacking him on descents. They are a strange bunch of characters though I think.
THAT. WAS. AWESOME.
@Steve Trice
What are they on about? Bluster because they know they are getting beat and don't have an answer?
Would have been fun to be a fly on the wall of the Movistar or BMC team buses. Or the Etixx one for that matter; where were the blue jerseys trying to pull the break back for Dan Martin? Who lets the green and yellow jerseys ride away together on a flat stage?
Brilliant though.
@Harminator
Very entertaining post! And chapeau on the rides/climbs; #truehero indeed.
@oldensteel
I watched the OGE show. Seeing Matt White tear up was just great. It really brought home how special a Tour win is for a team and ALL the personnel.