Le Tour de Lance

[alva]

Stage 16-- L'Alpe d'Huez

I love this mountain and this stage has no down hill at all .. . just a 15.5 km time trial climb. Armstron should be riding last with the luxury of knowing how hard he needs to go. I wonder if one of the riders that is out of contention for the GC, might make a gut-busting effort to at least try to win a stage. I'm talking the kind of debilitating -hurt yourself kind of effort inconsistent with staying with the leaders in the following days I actually don't expect much in the GC to change on this stage except Voeckler dropping a bit more down.

It's a great name, but not all that diffucult mountain ( for them..it is for me )

[DanS]

I always remembered it as a tough mountain, but I guess that was when there was a complete stage of which it was a part. 15.5 km doesn't sound like much, when comparing it to the two stages in which Lance crushed his opposition last week.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by DanS
I always remembered it as a tough mountain, but I guess that was when there was a complete stage of which it was a part. 15.5 km doesn't sound like much, when comparing it to the two stages in which Lance crushed his opposition last week.

As part of a much longer stage, it has been a big part of previous victories by Armstrong-- But then it was at the end of some other big climbs. This time, the stage is too short to put major time on any other good climbers but the mountain with a 7.9% gradient, is not to be taken lightly.

[alva]

It's not really a mountain suited for the specialists, it's more suited for the powerboys.

[pchang]

Power Boys

And just how much power do the power boys have left? Ulrich looked sapped. I heard reports that Ulrich was a bit overweight and worked hard to lose about 5Kg in the 6 weeks leading up to the Tour. This could easily have robbed him of power and endurance. How much power does Kloden have? Mayo appears to be running on empty and Heras is not much better. Basso does not seem to be any more a power boy than Armstrong.

[Sava]

ha ha flubber responded to me troll!

[alva]

Re: Power Boys

Originally posted by pchang
And just how much power do the power boys have left? Ulrich looked sapped. I heard reports that Ulrich was a bit overweight and worked hard to lose about 5Kg in the 6 weeks leading up to the Tour. This could easily have robbed him of power and endurance. How much power does Kloden have? Mayo appears to be running on empty and Heras is not much better. Basso does not seem to be any more a power boy than Armstrong.

Let's not touch the mighty Armstrong..
-
You missed my point here, what I'm saying is that L'Alpe Duez is indeed the best known/most popular mountain but not the most difficult one.

[DanS]

Is it just me or does Ulrich always look like he's just barely hanging on and really suffering? Then you find out that he's always staying near the top in the general classification.

[Flubber]

Re: Re: Power Boys

Originally posted by alva

Let's not touch the mighty Armstrong..
-
You missed my point here, what I'm saying is that L'Alpe Duez is indeed the best known/most popular mountain but not the most difficult one.

Which is the most difficult??

In this tour just on length and gradient, it appears to be the Col de la madeline-- 19.5 km at 7.8 %...


But whichTour de France mountain is considered most difficult??

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Sava
ha ha flubber responded to me troll!

Yup-- figured it was a troll but responded anyway-- sue me . .. I was bored

The unfunny thing is that drug allegations are made against Armstrong in the media on a pretty regular basis.

[alva]

Re: Re: Re: Power Boys

Originally posted by Flubber


Which is the most difficult??

In this tour just on length and gradient, it appears to be the Col de la madeline-- 19.5 km at 7.8 %...


But whichTour de France mountain is considered most difficult??

The mont-Ventoux is generally feared by most, it's very long and usually hot and very windy, it's the one whereSimpson dropped of his bike several times and finally died.
-

Most dislike the Pyrenees because it's very hard to get into a rythm, you have very steep patches alternating with almost straight patches.
Temperature is on average higher and the roads are in worse condition than he Alps.

[pchang]

Re: Re: Power Boys

Originally posted by alva

Let's not touch the mighty Armstrong..
-
You missed my point here, what I'm saying is that L'Alpe Duez is indeed the best known/most popular mountain but not the most difficult one.

I think you missed my point. I really don't know. I am asking if there is someone with a decent shot of catching Armstrong. As for Ulrich, he should be better in the Alps, but I heard that weight loss thing and thought "he messed up his training and won't be able to win".

[pg]

what's the deal with the spectators... are they always so bad? especially on the mountains they had the whole road covered before they moved. it seems insane how close they get. i loved seeing all those americans running with the flag especially the one that almost hit lance. heh.

[pchang]

And the torch is passed

Ulrich has passed leadership of the team to Kloden on his website.

[alva]

Originally posted by pg
what's the deal with the spectators... are they always so bad? especially on the mountains they had the whole road covered before they moved. it seems insane how close they get. i loved seeing all those americans running with the flag especially the one that almost hit lance. heh.

It is getting worse each year, it won't be long before something happens.
The Basques(?) were especially bad this year against Armstrong. Something to do with him (and others) not waiting on Mayo when he fell in of the early stages, he got spat on several times etc.

I am asking if there is someone with a decent shot of catching Armstrong.

No, don't think so. I doubt he is going to win every stage from now on and he might even have a bad day and loose some time, but overall...no.