Tour de France 2009.

[Gunner]

Anyone care to make any bold statements or predictions regarding this years forthcoming Tour de France.

I read:

“Astana’s Alberto Contador says he considers seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong to be “just another member of the team””.

😕 😕 😕 😕

[grant]

To be honest he has a point he is just another member of the team just so happens he is a 7 time winner of the tour and i dont think anyone could write him off , i am saying he is going to win but you never know .

[Gunner]

So it seems Grants plumping for Lance Armstrong.

😯 😯

[HarryB]

Contador is the team leader but Astana will have a real problem if Lance is leading when the nitty gritty alpine stages start. They may have to have a rethink.

On the other hand my mate Roy is coached by Sean Yates who just happens to be the Astana director sportive and he reckons Contador will piss it.

[HarryB]

It will be interesting next week when the authorities will name another load of cheats. The word is there will be one or two big names in there. My money is on Denis Menchov getting nobbled. Cheating git who should have been banned years ago

[Gunner]

Contador is the team leader but Astana will have a real problem if Lance is leading when the nitty gritty alpine stages start. They may have to have a rethink.

Expand please, 😕 😕

[HarryB]

Contador is the team leader but Astana will have a real problem if Lance is leading when the nitty gritty alpine stages start. They may have to have a rethink.

Expand please, 😕 😕

Simple really. Racing at the top level is incredibly tactical and more so since the introduction of radios. The only way to win is to be a really good rider who is ideally a good climber and not too shabby on the time trials. This bloke is normally the team leader and the rest of the team support him. They chase when they need to, close down the moves that the top riders make and take it easy of there’s a break by someone who doesn’t matter. Above all the domestiques wirk their bollocks off to protect the team leader. last thing Astana will want is divided loyalties as this will put too much pressure on the domestiques.

Although Astana have a very strong team they wouldn’t be able to support TWO leaders in the event that Lance and Alberto were neck and neck at some point. They’d have to chose, otherwise they’d risk giving their opponents a huge advantage.

I don’t know if I’ve explained that very well

[tomlevell]

Contador, Evans, Menchov. A Schlek.

I’d like Schlek to win but I can’t see him beating Conador this year.

Evans won’t win as he’ll be too busy sucking wheels and whinging ;0)

Obviously depending if they get to the race or not ;0)

The only one of those 3 who hasm’t really been under major drug suspicion is Evans.

Lance doesn’t stand a chance against any of them this year. Next year maybe with a full years proper training and racing behind him. He was rather impressive in the Giro considering.

[Steve Kish]

Anyone care to make any bold statements or predictions regarding this years forthcoming Tour de France.

Hinault will not win! 😉 😀

If he’s riding, I’d like to see Sastre on that podium again. but will be content if Cadel Evans does badly – can’t stand the bloke!! 😕

[HarryB]

It will be really interesting if Lance beats Contador in the time trial. That will put the car among the pigeons in the Astana camp. Can’t see Alberto wanting to play second fiddle to Lance.

[ralf]

sastre for victory again.

[Gunner]

Although Astana have a very strong team they wouldn’t be able to support TWO leaders in the event that Lance and Alberto were neck and neck at some point. They’d have to chose, otherwise they’d risk giving their opponents a huge advantage.

I don’t know if I’ve explained that very well

Yes, I see…………. 😳