2021 Tour de France

[ScriptOhio]

It had been 10 years since an American had won a stage in the Tour De France:

Sepp Kuss speaks....It’s incredible. I am lost for words. I was really suffering in this Tour. I didn’t feel I had the spice in the legs. Today I knew we were finishing in the place where I live, and I am so happy. It was a hard day in the breakaway. I don’t know the climb so much from training because it’s really hard. It means a lot, I can’t believe I am in the Tour, much less winning a stage.

 

[Oh8ch]

Wonderful stage to watch and a wonderful tour. Going into the last week and there is a four way battle both for the polka dot jersey and two podium spots. Plus Cavendish with more sprint opportunities.

An American win is just a cherry on top.

Interesting as well that two stage winners in this tour are riders whose GC contender was out of the race, thus opening things up for them to go for stage wins.

Thank you Lance Armstrong. Cheater that he was, were it not for him I would be among those asking why anyone would want to watch a bicycle race.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Merckx is right though.

I am surprised that the announcers aren't emphasizing that point more. Merckx was a complete rider with 5 yellows and wins in all types of stages.

I'm not, the announcers are not going to "down play" anyone's accomplishments in the current tour; it's their job to hype the show and keep viewers tuned in for the full 4 - 5 hours. In addition, to tuning in again for all the other stage too.

Thank you Lance Armstrong. Cheater that he was, were it not for him I would be among those asking why anyone would want to watch a bicycle race.

I agree, NBC owes Lance for a good portion of the US viewers. Yeah, Armstrong was stripped of his 7 Tour De France titles; however, they were not awarded to anyone else as during that period all the other top finishers were doping (i.e. cheating) too.

1. Lance Armstrong
2. Alex Zülle (‘98 busted for EPO)
3. Fernando Escartín (Systematic team doping exposed in ‘04)
4. Laurent Dufaux (‘98 busted for EPO)
5. Ángel Casero (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)

2000
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Jan Ullrich (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
3. Joseba Beloki (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
4. Christophe Moraue (‘98 busted for EPO)
5. Roberto Heras (‘05 busted for EPO)

2001
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Jan Ullrich (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
3. Joseba Beloki (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
4. Andrey Kivilev
5. Igor González de Galdeano (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)

2002
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Joseba Beloki (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
3. Raimondas Rumšas (Suspended in ‘03 for doping)
4. Santiago Botero (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
5. Igor González de Galdeano (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)

2003
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Jan Ullrich (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
3. Alexander Vinokourov (Suspended in ‘07 for CERA)
4. Tyler Hamilton (Suspended ‘04 for blood doping)
5. Haimar Zubeldia

2004
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Andreas Kloden (Named in doping case in ‘08)
3. Ivan Basso (Suspended in ‘07 for Operacion Puerto ties)
4. Jan Ullrich (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
5. Jose Azevedo (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)

2005
1. Lance Armstrong
2. Ivan Basso (Suspended in ‘07 for Operacion Puerto ties)
3. Jan Ullrich (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
4. Fransico Mancebo (‘06 implicated in Operacion Puerto)
5. Alexander Vinokourov (Suspended in ‘07 for CERA)

https://www.quora.com/Why-has-no-one-been-appointed-the-winner-of-Lance-Armstrongs-seven-tours-Shouldn’t-the-second-place-cyclists-be-given-the-win

Lance just cheated a little better than all the others. Doping in cycling was even more prevalent than steroids were in baseball during baseball's "steroid era".

 

[BB73]

Thank you Lance Armstrong. Cheater that he was, were it not for him I would be among those asking why anyone would want to watch a bicycle race.

Newbie. I was watching in the ‘80s because of Greg LeMond. He won in ‘86, then missed two tours after being shot while turkey hunting. His win in 1989, a year in which the final stage was an individual time trial, was the most exciting Tour in history. He was 50 seconds behind starting the 24.5km stage, and won by 8 seconds over Frenchman Laurent Fignon, whom virtually everybody had assumed to have the Yellow Jersey locked up.

Of course, back then it was almost impossible to see any stages live in the USA. That was even before the race was shown on the Versus channel.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Newbie. I was watching in the ‘80s because of Greg LeMond. He won in ‘86, then missed two tours after being shot while turkey hunting. His win in 1989, a year in which the final stage was an individual time trial, was the most exciting Tour in history. He was 50 seconds behind starting the 24.5km stage, and won by 8 seconds over Frenchman Laurent Fignon, whom virtually everybody had assumed to have the Yellow Jersey locked up.

Of course, back then it was almost impossible to see any stages live in the USA. That was even before the race was shown on the Versus channel.

Cycling Legend Greg LeMond Launches A New Signature Bike Brand
Feb 16, 2021
Greg LeMond is a living legend in American cycling, though his brand is even more recognized and revered outside the States. He remains the only American to win the Tour de France, and he did that on three occasions. His story is one of humble beginnings and overcoming adversity. First, he had to break through and prove himself in Europe, something no American cyclist had done before. He battled his teammate and five-time Tour winner Berdarnd Hinault, along with the French cycling establishment, to claim his first Tour victory. Then he was the tragic victim of a hunting accident that left him fighting for his life. But he fought back and won two more Tours in ‘89 and ‘90.

LeMond is currently living in Knoxville, Tennessee

LEMOND BIKES
LeMond retired from professional cycling in 1994, in part because the practice of doping had become so widespread. His reputation was attacked throughout the Lance Armstrong era for expressing doubts, only to be vindicated when the largest doping scandal in cycling history was finally exposed. But not before his partnership with Trek Bicycles was ended in the process.

Entire article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robree...s-a-new-signature-bike-brand/?sh=c091b301c833

 

[BB73]

Cycling Legend Greg LeMond Launches A New Signature Bike Brand
Feb 16, 2021
Greg LeMond is a living legend in American cycling, though his brand is even more recognized and revered outside the States. He remains the only American to win the Tour de France, and he did that on three occasions. His story is one of humble beginnings and overcoming adversity. First, he had to break through and prove himself in Europe, something no American cyclist had done before. He battled his teammate and five-time Tour winner Berdarnd Hinault, along with the French cycling establishment, to claim his first Tour victory. Then he was the tragic victim of a hunting accident that left him fighting for his life. But he fought back and won two more Tours in ‘89 and ‘90.

LeMond is currently living in Knoxville, Tennessee

LEMOND BIKES
LeMond retired from professional cycling in 1994, in part because the practice of doping had become so widespread. His reputation was attacked throughout the Lance Armstrong era for expressing doubts, only to be vindicated when the largest doping scandal in cycling history was finally exposed. But not before his partnership with Trek Bicycles was ended in the process.

Entire article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robree...s-a-new-signature-bike-brand/?sh=c091b301c833

32 years ago, and it was Phil Liggett calling the race, just like now. Along with the late Paul Sherwen.

 

[Steve19]

And let's not forget to mention the great François Faber. One wonders what he might have done had his life not been cut short by WWI.

 

[BB73]

And let's not forget to mention the great François Faber. One wonders what he might have done had his life not been cut short by WWI.

It was difficult for me to get the same level of excitement, always waiting days for those first newsreels of Francois’ exploits in 1914.

 

[Oh8ch]

32 years ago, and it Phil Liggett calling the race, just like now. Along with the late Paul Sherwen.

Love Phil. He and Paul are another big reason I started following the tour.

But I'm not sure how many more times I can listen to him describe the yellow jersey going on a break away, only to have Bob Roll correct him by pointing out that it is actually a golden retriever romping in a nearby playground.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Lance just cheated a little better than all the others. Doping in cycling was even more prevalent than steroids were in baseball during baseball's "steroid era".

Are the bike riders still doping?

Tour de France 2021: French authorities open investigation into doping allegations against Bahrain-Victorious team

French prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into doping allegations against Bahrain-Victorious after their team hotel was searched.

Riders' rooms and the team bus were searched on Wednesday at the Tour de France but no arrests were made.

The Bahrain-based team confirmed they had provided copies of their riders' training files to police.

The team's technical director Vladimir Miholjevic said they had "complied with all the officers' requests".

He added the team were committed to adhering to "all regulatory requirements".

The prosecutor's office in Marseille said the investigation was into the possible "acquisition, transport, possession, import of a prohibited substance or prohibited method for use by an athlete without medical justification".

"The preliminary investigation is continuing to determine the reality or not of the offenses that justified its initiation," added the prosecutor office's statement.

"The existence of this investigation and the operations carried out do not in any way predict the existence of criminal offenses. Anyone suspected or prosecuted is presumed innocent until proven guilty."

Miholjevic said the situation had disturbed his riders' recovery for stage 18 on Thursday, the 129.7km-route from Pau to Luz Ardiden, which is the final mountain stage and arguably the most punishing day of this year's race.

Bahrain-Victorious have enjoyed a successful Tour so far, despite the loss of their main general classification hope Jack Haig in a crash on stage three.

Spanish all-rounder Pello Bilbao is currently 10th in the general classification of the race, while they have also claimed two stage victories, with Matej Mohoric winning stage seven and Dylan Teuns taking stage eight.

Dutch climber Wout Poels has also starred at the Tour and currently leads the King of the Mountains competition, while Italian sprinter Sonny Colbrelli, twice in the top three on mountain stages, sits third in the points classification.

Entire article: https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/57850494

 

[ScriptOhio]

Back to back mountain stages for Pogacar. He looked unstoppable today, there was just simply nothing anyone could do to drop him or attack him. Once he wanted to go all the others could do was try and follow as best they could.

That's almost certainly the yellow, white, and the polka-dots for Pogacar for the second year in a row.

1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, in 75-00-02
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma, at 5-45
3. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers, at 5-51
4. Ben O'Connor (Aus) Ag2r Citroën Team, at 8-18
5. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 8-50
6. Enric Mas (Esp) Movistar Team, at 10-11
7. Alexey Lusenko (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech, at 11-22
8. Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis, at 12-46
9. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious, at 13-48
10. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 18-42

Entire article: https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/live/tour-de-france-stage-18-live-pau-to-luz-ardiden

 

[BB73]

Well, Cavendish tied but didn’t break Eddie Merckx’s record of 34 stage wins. And Tadej Pogacar dominated the GC, staying in yellow for the last two weeks of the Tour, and winning the KOM jersey with 2 straight HC (beyond category) uphill finishes in the Pyrenees; making him the first rider to win 3 jerseys in the Tour for two straight years, as well as the first guy to win both yellow and white in back-to-back years.

But the most impressive rider was Wout van Aert. He won the first ever stage that had 2 climbs of Mont Ventoux, then won yesterday’s Individual Time Trial, and finished it off by winning the final sprint on the Champs Elysees. He’s catching a plane for Japan about now, after doing a fellow Belgian a favor by allowing him to keep a share of that stage win record.

All in all, a great Tour, with the bonus of the first American in 10 years winning a Tour stage when Sepp Kuss won the finish in Andorra.

 

[Oh8ch]

Pogacar is either going to eclipse everything that Merckx ever did, or follow the path of Lance Armstrong.

I hope it is the former.

It was disappointing not to see Cavendish get the win. Looked more like positioning than an ability to do the deed. Would be a hell of a feat for his to come back next year.

 

[Oh8ch]

For bicycle racing fans there was an interesting result in the Women's road race today.

The peloton last track of an unheralded rider who escaped the pack and won the race. When second place crossed the line she was celebrating her "gold" medal win.