** 2009 Tour De France **

> Just getting ready People Cool

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_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Last edited by Drummer Dave on Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:57 pm; edited 1 time in total

Well its that time again.
Here is the map & stages for the 2009 Tour De France Cool

And Lance Armstrong is back in the game Surprised

it would be sweet to see him pull off an 8'th Win Twisted Evil

THE STAGES
Stage Type Date Start and Finish Distance
1 Individual time-trial Saturday 4 July Monaco > Monaco 15 km
2 Plain Sunday 5 July Monaco > Brignoles 182 km
3 Plain Monday 6 July Marseille > La Grande-Motte 196 km
4 Team TT Tuesday 7 July Montpellier > Montpellier 38 km
5 Plain Wednesday 8 July Le Cap d’Agde > Perpignan 197 km
6 Plain Thursday 9 July Gérone > Barcelone 175 km
7 High Mountains Friday 10 July Barcelone > Andorre Arcalis 224 km
8 High Mountains Saturday 11 July Andorre-la-Vieille > Saint-Girons 176 km
9 High Mountains Sunday 12 July Saint-Gaudens > Tarbes 160 km
R Rest Day Monday 13 July Limoges
10 Plain Tuesday 14 July Limoges > Issoudun 193 km
11 Plain Wednesday 15 July Vatan > Saint-Fargeau 192 km
12 Plain Thursday 16 July Tonnerre > Vittel 200 km
13 Medium mountains Friday 17 July Vittel > Colmar 200 km
14 Plain Saturday 18 July Colmar > Besançon 199 km
15 High Mountains Sunday 19 July Pontarlier > Verbier 207 km
R Rest Day Monday 20 July Verbier
16 High Mountains Tuesday 21 July Martigny > Bourg-Saint-Maurice 160 km
17 High Mountains Wednesday 22 July Bourg-Saint-Maurice > Le Grand-Bornand 169 km
18 Individual time-trial Thursday 23 July Annecy > Annecy 40 km
19 Plain Friday 24 July Bourgoin-Jallieu > Aubenas 195 km
20 High Mountains Saturday 25 July Montélimar > Mont Ventoux 167 km
21 Plain Sunday 26 July Montereau-Fault-Yonne > Paris Champs-Élysées 160 km

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

So it's just started today. Surprised

Is there going to be any tv coverage?

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

You Bet Bushrat, Full coverage everyday on OLN Very Happy

Check your times for it. I can watch it live here, it starts at 5am my time.
But it will be played through out the day, so you'll be able to catch it at some point. Cool

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

I'll check it out as I get time, starting tonight. Very Happy

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

yep watched it last nite and will today Very Happy

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Lance Readies for Stage 4 TTT
The team time trial played an important role in all seven of Lance Armstrong's Tour de France wins.
LA GRANDE MOTTE, July 6, 2009 (AFP) - Lance Armstrong will Tuesday get reacquainted with the Tour de France team time trial, an exercise which played a small but important role in his seven yellow-jersey triumphs.

During reign on the race between 1999 and 2005, a team time trial was held six times, over an average distance of 64km, and Armstrong's team came out top on the past three occasions.

Armstrong's former Discovery Channel team won the event the last time it was held in 2005, when organizers decided to help the weaker teams by limiting the amount of time they could lose on the stage.

In 2004 US Postal, another of Armstrong's teams, won the stage ahead of Phonak and Iles Balreas.

A year earlier US Postal beat Spanish outfit ONCE and the Bianchi team of Jan Ullrich, who lost the race to Armstrong by just 1min 03secs.

In 2002 ONCE beat US Postal to first place while in 2001 Credit Agricole won the race ahead of ONCE and Festina, a result which did not stop Armstrong from winning his third yellow jersey.

In 2000 US Postal finished second to ONCE, with the German Telekom team of Ullrich in third.

This year, given its relatively short distance of 39km, organizers have reverted to the old team time trial rules meaning all time gaps at the end of the stage around Montpellier will be applied to the riders' overall times.

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

thanks for the updates Very Happy

_________________

Armstrong, Contador Miss Yellow
Rinaldo Noncentini (Ag2r) sprung past the Tour's top racers in the overall standings, while Brice Feillu (Agritubel) won the stage.
By AFP Direct

ARCALIS, July 10, 2009 (AFP) - Italian Rinaldo Nocentini took over the Tour de France yellow jersey as Spaniard Alberto Contador dramatically replaced Astana teammate Lance Armstrong in second place overall on Friday.

On the first of three consecutive days in the Pyrenees mountains, Frenchman Brice Feillu claimed an impressive victory after 224km of racing from Barcelona.

However, it was Contador's attack of a small group containing all the main favorites inside the final 2km of the 10.1km climb to Arcalis that provided the most drama.

The Spaniard's effort moved him up from third to second place overall at only six seconds behind Nocentini, and well within sight of the race lead.

Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel said their principal strategy had been to allow an early breakaway to go all the way to the finish. But he played down suggestions that Contador's attack was designed to rubber stamp his status as the team's official leader.

"No one had specific instructions to attack," said Bruyneel, who added that he would have been happier if Nocentini had more of an advantage on Contador. "Six seconds is not a lot. We'd hoped for a bit more. Our second strategy was just to set the tempo and wait for the attacks. I thought a rider like (Carlos) Sastre, (Cadel) Evans or (Andy) Schleck might attack. But I think the wind was a factor. In the end it was good for us because it allowed us to keep the team more or less together."

Feillu, racing at the Tour for the first time and the brother of Agritubel teammate Romain, attacked a small group of frontrunners 5.8km from the finish of the 10.1km climb to the race's first summit finish. A second peloton including all the yellow jersey contenders at that point trailed the frontrunners by around 5 minutes. After a first attack from two-time Tour de France runner-up Cadel Evans, Armstrong and Contador's Astana team took things in hand.

Evans's brief acceleration was easily countered by Armstrong, and after an attempt by the Australian's teammate Jurgen Van den Broeck, Contador flew away from the group and went on to finish the race on his own.

It was initially announced that the Spaniard, the 2007 champion, had done enough to take over the yellow jersey after he came over the finish 3:26 behind Feillu and ahead of Armstrong's group. That honor, however, went to Nocentini, who rides for the French AG2R team.

"When I took off in the breakaway I had no thoughts of the yellow jersey," Nocentini told Bicycling after the stage. "I started considering the yellow jersey only in the last five or six kilometers. At the bottom of the hill we had 7 minutes and I thought that lead would not hold up against the favorites. This yellow jersey is for my mother and my sister."

Overnight leader Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team dropped down the overall standings after struggling to keep pace with the chasing peloton.

Feillu showed his ambition by jumping into an early breakaway that worked together to build a lead of over 13 minutes on the peloton.

Because it contained no real yellow jersey favorites - Nocentini started the day 3:13 behind Cancellara - they were allowed to race ahead.

At the end, a well-timed acceleration allowed him to distance his breakaway rivals and soon he was racing on his own towards the biggest win of his career.

"I can't believe it! It's my first Tour and now I've won a stage. In fact, it's my first victory of the year," said the 24-year-old.

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

{ A little up date on the Tour. It looks like Lance will not take the win for his come back after 4 years, but he should do second place. Which is unreal for a 37 year old rider }

Contador Climbs into Yellow
Astana's Alberto Contador finished the ascent to Verbier in first place. Lance Armstrong sits behind him in second place overall.
By AFP Direct

VERBIER, July 19, 2009 (AFP) - Alberto Contador of Astana took possession of the Tour de France yellow jersey after a superb solo attack and victory on the 15th stage in the Swiss Alps Sunday.

Contador, winning his first individual stage of this year's race, attacked a small group of favorites containing teammate Lance Armstrong 5.6km from the summit of the 8.8km climb to the summit finish of Verbier.

The Spaniard's move shook up the favorites, and yellow-jersey rival Andy Schleck was the only rider to try to counter his move.

Schleck, of Saxo Bank, battled hard to catch Contador but could not match the Spaniard's seemingly effortless rhythm. In the end the Luxembourger came over the finish line 43secs behind.

Seven-time champion Armstrong finished 1:35 behind, only a handful of seconds behind two-time race runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia who was at 1:26.

Contador now leads Astana teammate Armstrong by 1:37 in the overall standings, with Briton Bradley Wiggins of Garmin, continuing to impress, in third at 1:46.

German Andreas Kloden, also of Astana, is fourth at 2:17 while Andy Schleck's brother and teammate Frank is fifth at 2:26.

"I'm very happy with this result," said Contador, who since the start of the race has had to endure the extra pressure of Armstrong's presence in the team. "It wasn't a long climb, but we started it really fast and in the end I managed to do what I wanted to make the difference. If I wanted to leave my rivals behind me in the standings, that was the only way I could do it."

Armstrong admitted he was "on the limit" as early as the bottom of the climb and from then on had little else to give. But the American appeared to give his backing to his Spanish teammate. "I suffered. It was very hard. I was a little bit on the limit at the bottom, I think everybody was a bit on the limit," said Armstrong. "But Alberto showed he is the best rider in the race."

After a week of uninspired racing, the 15th stage finally lived up to its billing as a crucial player in the yellow-jersey battle.

A 12-man attack formed shortly after the 50km mark and they went on to build nearly a five-minute lead on the peloton. However, the attack's fate was virtually sealed when several teams with stakes in the general classification began working at the front of the chasing bunch.

Astana, Liquigas, Saxo Bank and even Milram took their turns pushing the pace to try to reduce the deficit on the leaders' group, which contained Spaniard Mikel Astarloza. Astarloza began the day only 3:02 off the pace of overnight leader Rinaldo Nocentini but he, and the rest of his companions, soon bent to the will of the peloton.

With 11km to race, Schleck's Saxo Bank teammates came defiantly to the front and put their feet on the pedals.

Slovenian Simon Spilak of Lampre, who had attacked his breakaway group 22.5km from the summit of the 8.8km climb to Verbier, was reeled in 6.5km from the finish.

Moments later, Frank Schleck tested Contador and Armstrong with a brief attack. Defending Tour champion Carlos Sastre was left trailing, and moments later he was given more food for thought when Contador emerged from the maelstrom of an eight-man group to pull away with apparent ease.

After a brief hesitation, Andy Schleck counter-attacked but struggled to match the Spaniard's pace.

Behind, Sastre had managed to join Armstrong's group, from which Wiggins, the Olympic pursuit champion, had accelerated to take Frank Schleck and Italian Vincenzo Nibali with him.

In their wake, an acceleration by Sastre prompted Evans to follow, and that move left Armstrong and Kloden on their own to finish the race together, the German coming over the finish a few seconds in front.

When Contador attacked, there was a pause before cheers and shouting erupted from the crowd watching the race on the giant screen at the finish. The vicious move seemed to cause the audience to suck its breath - it was a little as if of a group of bystanders had seen a train running over a gaggle of innocent pedestrians. There was something violent and shocking, and irretrievable, about the attack.

At the summit, walking out of dope control, Andy Schleck seemed to be caught between thrill and consternation. He had ridden nearly everyone off his wheel and put in a bravura performance, yet at the end of it seemed less of a favorite than ever before. Though his step was light - even after climbing Verbier - there were no smiles as he answered questions; he projected a serious, almost troubled manner.

In contrast, though Armstrong appeared to have lost more on the day, his mood seemed nearly friendly - at the least civil. With the TV crews and radio reporters, he was patient to the point of his handler's impatience; they finally pulled him from the media cluster.

The Garmin riders gathered past the finish were still in the process of assessing their day; it had been a success - the team plan to put a man in the break and later work for Wiggins and Vande Velde had been enacted; and Garmin suddenly had, in Wiggins, a darkhorse favorite for the podium. But at the same time, Vande Velde more or less dropped from contention.

One thing all the riders seemed aware of was that three more difficult mountain stages, and a time trial, remained in the Tour. If Contador remains at this level, he's the de factor victor. But beneath the first step of the podium, the race promises to be one of the most closely - and intensely - fought in years.

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Although Lance will not win this Tour, but he should place 3'rd.
Which is really good for a guy that retired for 4 years & will be turning 38 this year.

{ But as i suspected ! he will be getting his own team for 2010 & he will be back & he will Win the Tour for the 8'th time Twisted Evil

}

Team RadioShack Announced
RadioShack announced on Thursday that Lance Armstrong will lead its new American Pro-Tour cycling team. Lance Armstrong rides easy during the first rest day of the 2009 Tour de France
© Getty FORT WORTH, Texas and AUSTIN, Texas, July 23, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- RadioShack Corporation is proud to announce a partnership with seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong to form a new American Pro-Tour cycling team. Beginning in 2010, Lance Armstrong will compete for Team RadioShack as a cyclist, runner and triathlete in events around the world, including the 2010 Tour de France.

Lance Armstrong returned to the world stage of professional cycling in order to promote the efforts of the LIVESTRONG Foundation and their fight against cancer. From the start of the 2009 season at the Tour Down Under in Australia, Lance's return has generated significant attention and has allowed LIVESTRONG to step up awareness, grassroots action and fundraising in the global fight against cancer.

"This has been a great season so far - the response in the countries we've been to has been amazing and it's clear now that this was the right choice. Utilizing the massive media attention that the sport receives has been the perfect vehicle to help spread the LIVESTRONG message around the world," said Lance Armstrong. "To be able to compete for an American team comprised of the world's top cyclists, supported by the best coaches and staff - I couldn't be happier to partner with RadioShack, a truly iconic American brand," said Armstrong.

"Teaming up with RadioShack makes sense for a number of reasons. For one, it's very appealing to me that they have a huge base of stores throughout the U.S. and Mexico. We have an incredible opportunity to leverage RadioShack's connection to tens of millions of people to spread the LIVESTRONG message," said Armstrong. "Also, in cycling, the technology we use on our bikes matters - it allows us to compete at the highest level. It's important to me to partner with a brand that understands the role technology plays in people's lives."

"RadioShack keeps people connected in a highly mobile world through innovative technology from leading brands," said Lee Applbaum, RadioShack's Chief Marketing Officer. "As one of the greatest athletes of our generation, a father, a cancer survivor, and a tireless advocate in the fight against cancer, Lance Armstrong understands the power of keeping people connected and that's why we feel he's the perfect partner for our brand."

"This is an exciting time at RadioShack," added Applbaum. "We are re-launching our brand with a new creative platform in early August, and now having Lance on our team - an American icon who embodies the spirit of mobility, connectivity and philanthropy - really allows us to accelerate our brand's evolution."

RadioShack also plans to activate their 35,000 employees and almost 6,000 stores across the country to raise awareness and funding for the fight against cancer through the Lance Armstrong Foundation and LIVESTRONG. "We know that cancer research and survivorship is near to the hearts of many of our associates and customers, and together with Lance and his Foundation, we have the power to make a meaningful difference," said Julian Day, RadioShack's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

RadioShack will also sponsor the LIVESTRONG Foundation's signature fundraising event, the LIVESTRONG Challenge Series, a 5K run/walk and cycling ride held in four cities throughout the United States, providing support for an ongoing, self-sustaining fundraising vehicle to raise money for the fight against cancer.

"RadioShack's sponsorship will help spread the spirit of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign and fuel its efforts make cancer a global priority. The cancer community salutes RadioShack's efforts and the investment they are making in support of 28 million people living with this disease," said Doug Ulman, CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Wasserman Media Group managed the partnership process on behalf of Capital Sports & Entertainment and Lance Armstrong.

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Last edited by Drummer Dave on Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:47 am; edited 1 time in total

It's an accomplishment to get good sponsorship, especially in these tough times.

I've been watching the evening broadcasts off and on. Those stages in the Alps were insane. Shocked

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

Ya, the Alps this year were insane. Cant believe how well Lance bolted up them in stage 11 ? 12 ? ...
Bob the comentator was giggling at lances burst of energy. He closed the gap so fast up that mountain stage, Nuts !.

" The oldman still go it ! " Laughing

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Contador the Matador
At the 2009 Tour de France, Alberto defied competition--and Lance Armstrong.
By James Startt

For many Americans, it just doesn't seem right. In the year of Lance Armstrong's historic comeback, he was ousted by his own teammate, Alberto Contador. And any lack of enthusiasm surrounding the 27-year old Spaniard is understandable, for those of us who claim Armstrong as one of our own.

But in Europe, Contador's second victory at the Tour de France is hailed as one of the best Tour wins in recent years. "A Light Named Contador," the Spanish daily El Pais exclaimed the day after the Tour. Several French headlines hailed, "Contador The Conquistador."

Contador's supporters champion his most recent Tour victory as one of physical strength and mental grit. Not only did he beat his opponents on the road, he stood up to the challenges coming from within his own team.

Lance Armstrong came to this year's Tour de France to win. Armstrong's story is simply about nothing else. It's not about placing or being an also-ran; it's about victory.

To finish third, after more than three years out of competition, is in its own way an historic success. But as Armstrong's condition improved prior to the start of the Tour, he hoped for more.

And just as suddenly, the tables within the Astana team turned on Contador. In the name of objectivity, he was deprived of his friend and teammate Benjamin Noval, just days before the start. As Armstrong's scrappy style of racing moved him to within less than a second of the yellow jersey in the opening week, Contador appeared increasingly cornered.

Johan Bruyneel, the longtime coach and mentor to Armstrong acted confused. A master at building a team around one champion, he waffled, as both Contador and Armstrong attempted to impose their own sense of order.

Contador wanted to go on the attack early, capture the yellow jersey, and have the team defend it for the last two weeks of racing, a viable plan considering the great depth of talent within the Astana Armada. Bruyneel and Armstrong preferred restraint considering the daunting final week that was this year's Tour. Such a strategy also allowed Armstrong to ride into form later in the race.

"I'm the boss," Bruyneel told the French sports daily L'Equipe, on the day of the team time trial in Montpellier on stage four.

Contador was in no mood to listen.

His quiet eyes and gentle smile hide a very telling attribute--the killer inside him. He can appear conciliatory like his predecessor Miguel Indurain, but he is often confrontational. When team tactics demanded patience, he went on the attack, little matter the repercussions. When a journalist in the press conference in Annecy asked him on three occasions for his V02 max, he simply refused to answer, seemingly unconcerned by the criticism that could have ensued.

Like Armstrong, Contador was born a winner. Like Armstrong, Contador faced down death. The brain aneurism that nearly killed him in 2004 instead transformed him into the greatest stage race rider of his generation. Cleary he has little patience for anything or anyone that could get in his way.

After missing the 2008 Tour due to previous doping scandals on the Astana team, Contador had no intention of losing this year's race. After all, he has won every grand tour that he has entered since 2007.

And so he went on the attack, first in Andorra and then on the dreaded mountain stage to Le Grand Bornand. The attacks were often criticized within his own team. Quite visibly, the Astana plan and the Contador plan did not always go hand in hand. His attack on the Colombiere climb just before the finish in Le Grand Bornand cost his teammate Andreas Kloeden over two minutes and a shot at the podium; Contador later apologized. But few observers felt that he really regretted the move.

"Last year when I signed with Astana I did not know that I was returning with Lance. But it was that or nothing," he said in his final press conference after the 20th stage up Mont Ventoux. "It was very complicated," he said of his cohabitation with Armstrong. "A lot of things played against me. But I used them for motivation. This year's victory was a real combination of physical and mental strength. Every stage that I finished was one day less until we reached Paris."

After the race, his true feelings became completely clear. "My relationship with Lance is nonexistent," Contador said at a news conference in Madrid. "Even if he is a great champion, I have never had admiration for him and I never will."

And as he counted down the days until he reached Paris, he wasted little time in disposing his competition.

Like a matador in his nation's national sport of bullfighting, he brutalized his competition. His attacks in the mountains were nothing less than a mortal coup, a "pase de la muerte," the moment when the Matador strikes the bull with his deathblow.

On each occasion, be it on the slopes of the Pyrenees in Andorra or up the final climb to Verbier in the Swiss Alpes, they came with stunning efficiency. On each occasion he only needed to stab once. His opponents and Lance Armstrong withered instantly. And although the moves may not have always met with the stamp of approval within the Astana team, they were applauded by fans here, otherwise lulled by the lack of aggressive racing in the Tour.

The Tour de France is never a giveaway-the strongest rider always wins. This year, that was Alberto Contador.

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

I loved the tour this year maybe becouse Lance was in it or it was just a tour or both Very Happy

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This years Tour was good !.
Lance put a new " hype " to it & Contador was also riding very well.

And Lances new team " Radio Shack " will be back next year for another go at the Win.
I think that Lance has 1 more Win in him for sure Cool

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

I enjoyed it partly because what you saw was what you got. No doping scandals.

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

Ya ! ... another huge bonus Cool

Mind you, the storys do come out after about 2 weeks have passed.
Everyone gets tested & it takes at least 2 weeks to get them all done. Think positive ! Surprised

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

oh yeah so far no doping scandals
yeah I can hardly wait for next year I agree Lance has one more win in him for sure Very Happy

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