Running Tour de France Thread

Lance Armstrong just started. Is anyone watching?

 

I'm just amazed he's in first after that layoff.

 

He was impressive; now he's third. Levi is now first, but there's lots more cycling to go.

 

What's the over/under on the number of riders disqualified for doping violations this year?

 

San Antonio Express-News had a big cover story yesterday (could have been wire copy) and explained that Armstrong was actually "second fiddle" to others in the race and on his team.

My prediction is that Lance won't win this time.
But as I told my wife, his just being there is boosting the coverage and recognition of the event ten-fold. Maybe 20-, 50-

 

I think it'll be low. The new testing procedures should have the peloton scared straight.

 

Fabian Cancellara has 19 seconds on the field. Just hammered the prologue. Astana has four of the top 10 (Contador 2nd, Klöden 4th, Leipheimer 6th, Armstrong 10th).

Yes, Armstrong is working for Contador this time around. He won't win but he'll bring attention to the race and make things awfully interesting.

 

If Armstrong works as the perfect domestique and gets Contador (or Leipheimer <crossing fingers>) into the yellow jersey in Paris, then he might, finally, win the admiration of the European cycling fans. And, honestly, I sometimes think that's why he's doing this, to win their hearts but not the race.

 

He's certainly never been this much of a non-favorite.
That's a good point, Ink. Unrequited love may be his overriding motivator.

 

Running Tour de France Thread?

Not Rolling Tour de France Thread?

 

the Tour is always a bigger deal with Lance than without. I'm still not buying he's going to play second fiddle to Cancellara or Leipheimer, but We'll see.

 

I'll bump this up since I'm wearing my Columbia Highroad "world's best cycling team" shirt to work today.

Great day again for the Manx Missile.

Gotta wonder if Lance has taken control of Team Astana now...gotta also wonder how the French media are going to say it was drugs that caused Lance to be smart enough to jump on the break away when he did, while the rest of his team dozed.