Professional Cycling For the Fans - Stage 7: Saint-Grégoire - Rennes ITT

Stage 7: Saint-Grégoire - Rennes ITT, 52 km

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Wow! That's my home town and I won't be there. I have ridden these roads a lot as a kid on a bike... and later on a moped.

Dave Z is the favorite no? He does better in the long ones than in the prolouges.

Will a leader for Disco emerge? or will it only get more confusing.

Roger Dodger to clean up.

I can't wait! I've been working, so I can't watch the full tour, but they at least let me tune in a television so I can watch the screen every now and then! But my dollar is going to Dave Z. Some may say George, but I think if Z sees he has the chance to be in yellow again, he'll go for it.

Koffee

It should be great. I'll be up and glued to the TV at the start.

Mike, are you Moving to Savannah? I live there, we have good cycling scene. Touring group, Tri Club, fast road group, organized prize paying training series, and the baddest ass masters team in the Southeast.

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Mike, are you Moving to Savannah? I live there, we have good cycling scene. Touring group, Tri Club, fast road group, organized prize paying training series, and the baddest ass masters team in the Southeast.

Hey Smoothie, when and where are your training series races? Savannah's not that far from Jacksonville.

I'd love to see Dave Z take it.
I know that they go in reverse order of the current GC, but have they posted starting times anywhere?

Hincapie is hungrier. Although he seems to be the team lead, there is still an unspoken competition amongst discovery to pick a team lead. A little competition will bring out a great race for George.

The TdF official site says that the first riders should go about 10:00 CET, and the rules say that riders will start every two minutes. I think Julich will go around 7:00 AM (MDT), Zabriskie about ten minutes later, with the last rider going around 7:40.

I think more attention should be paid to Landis. As much as I am pulling for Zabriskie, Landis beat Z in California and basically had the same time in the Prologue.

Between Hincapie, Michael Rogers, David Millar, Z, Landis, and maybe Julich, a lot of choices for who will be wearing yellow at the end of the day.

Landis is my first pick.

Hincapie needs a top time if he wants to have Discovery pulling him up the mountains in the later stages - that pressure will either motivate him to excel tomorrow, or we'll learn he's not team leader material.

Mike, are you Moving to Savannah? I live there, we have good cycling scene. Touring group, Tri Club, fast road group, organized prize paying training series, and the baddest ass masters team in the Southeast.

Ooookaaayyyy. :eek:

*edit*

Rogers in yellow tomorrow. No question. :D

What effect will the winds off the coast have on the riders in this ITT? Will the early starters have an advantage?

Dean

I agree, DZ is the favorite... but I'm surprised everyone overlooks Salvodelli. He won an ITT in the Giro. He could sneak up and surprise; if not now, then in the mountains.

As much as I like Hincapie, I think Landis will show up at the start gate on time and edge H and Z out.

The TdF official site says that the first riders should go about 10:00 CET, and the rules say that riders will start every two minutes. I think Julich will go around 7:00 AM (MDT), Zabriskie about ten minutes later, with the last rider going around 7:40.

I think more attention should be paid to Landis. As much as I am pulling for Zabriskie, Landis beat Z in California and basically had the same time in the Prologue.

Between Hincapie, Michael Rogers, David Millar, Z, Landis, and maybe Julich, a lot of choices for who will be wearing yellow at the end of the day.

We agree on the same six most likely. I'd pick Rogers, then Zabriske, Millar, Julich, Landis, Hincapie.

How much GC bonus time is available tommorrow?

Landis by six seconds over Zabriskie.

Rogers for mine. He is the current world champion and has visited and studied this course since april.

Isn't Pena a very strong climber? (sitting in 4th today so far)

Bobby Jullich(sp?) has crashed and is out of the Tour. Huge bummer. He hit the ground pretty hard.

I can't believe Jullich didn't break his hip hitting the curb with it at 25 mph. OUCH

oh **** about julich :(

Julich's crash hurt just looking at it. Siding what looked like face down for a good 10ft, though when I saw a shot of him after the crash I didn't see any road rash on the face. His wrist is likely broken from the way he was holding it. If that's the worse that came from the crash - he got lucky. Sad we won't see him through the rest of the Tour.

Did Levi get the wrong blood bag last night or what?

The favorites are not living up to expectations.

Maybe all the DS's got together and decided not to risk re infusing before the TT as they usually do, and then some guys lied and did it anyways.....

Hey Smoothie, when and where are your training series races? Savannah's not that far from Jacksonville.

www.nestorcup.com

Not looking like a good day for Discovery or Americans so far. Sastre looking pretty good, as well as Menchov and Kloden. And Gonchar, of course.

Considering that he flatted, that's a great time trial for Landis.

Darn, i was kind of hopeing boonen and robbie would have a big sprint to the finish.

T-Mobile domination today.

Landis had to change his bike since his handlebars fell down after he hit a bump. I just hope he has no mechanicals in the last time trial. He probably still wouldn't have made up the 1 minute gap behind Menchov. Wife and I both noticed that Floyd has a pretty large derriere in his TT position. I guess it makes a larger banner for iShares. I'll have to buy more EFA on Monday.

First Rodriguez and now Julich's out. I hope no other American's drop out.

T-Mobile has riders in 1st, 3rd and 4th and two stage victories. Not too bad without the Kaiser.

Without Basso and Julich to hit the mountains, CSC's in big trouble.

I'm looking for a shootout between Salvodelli and Landis in the mountains.

Wow I'm stunned. Aside from Landis and to some extent DZ there was a complete melt down of the American ITT and overall favorites. Right now you'd have to give Landis the best chance of the top step with Evans and Kloden in with a shout as well. Levi's done.

Levi said last night I need EPO. The team managers thought he said ESP, so they cooked up an herbal concoction to help him see the future, and it worked. No TDF win for him.

Richard

Right now you'd have to give Landis the best chance of the top step with Evans and Kloden in with a shout as well.

I forgot about Cadel in the mountains. He's a small light guy who might really turn it on in the mountains like he did in the Giro a few years ago. I'd love to see former mountain bikers Landis and Evans as number one and two at the end.

I picked Evans to win pre-race, and I feel good about that right now. :)

I'm also a huge Hincapie fan, and I don't feel good about that right now. :(

T-Mobile has four of the top ten on GC. This looks like an interesting turn of events. Will they attack and force other teams to chase them down, or will they pick one leader and let the others fall back on GC?

In addition, with Julich out, is Dave Z the best hope for CSC? Jens Voight is a decent climber, but if Dave Z had the team covering him, could he be put into the top 5?

Dave Z will lose tons of time in the mountains.

anyone know what happened to levi? losing 6 mintues is pretty bad.

I'm looking at the real GC top 6 so far as this:

2 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 1.00
6 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile
8 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
12 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance 2.07
13 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel 2.10
17 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel 2.30

Georgie isn't too bad off although I'm not sure I see him leapfrogging too many of those guys.

Hmmm according to OLN, UCI made Floyd lower his aerobars at the last minute, which ended up causing Floyd to crack his steerer tube. I can't think of why they would do this at the last minute other than to "mess with the americans". Kinda like eliminating the team time trial....

I'm looking at the real GC top 6 so far as this:

2 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 1.00
6 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile
8 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto
12 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance 2.07
13 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel 2.10
17 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel 2.30



Menchov belongs in there.

Menchov belongs in there.
So does Michael Rogers, I would think.

Hmmm according to OLN, UCI made Floyd lower his aerobars at the last minute, which ended up causing Floyd to crack his steerer tube. I can't think of why they would do this at the last minute other than to "mess with the americans".

it makes sense to examine the bikes just before the race instead of weeks before.

Was Levi riding a Specialized TT bike or a Walser? I think most of his teammates were riding Walsers. The Transition must suck a lot.

errr so is the praying mantis position illegal according to UCI?

Hmmm according to OLN, UCI made Floyd lower his aerobars at the last minute, which ended up causing Floyd to crack his steerer tube. I can't think of why they would do this at the last minute other than to "mess with the americans". Kinda like eliminating the team time trial....

In the Prologue, a cut mysteriously appears on Floyd's tire just prior to the start. In Stage 7, the UCI decides suddenly & the last minute to object to Floyd's signature aero bar angle (which was at its usual upright angle in the Prologue).



Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is Enemy Action

----Ian Fleming

... and the plot thickens...

What OLN reports about the Praying Mantis dispute:

Landis was prevented before the start from using his downhill skier position by the international governing body. I wonder why they invoke these rules 20 minutes before the start of race when Landis has been using this position all year.

It must have been a blow to him psychologically, but that blow was compounded when he had to change his bike as well when the adjustment didn't work and his handlebars came loose.

Mind you when you look at it from Floyd Landis's point of view he should be quite happy tonight reading the results as I don't see Gonchar as a long term favorite to win this race - he will loose time in the mountains I am sure. Floyd can take comfort from the fact that T-Mobile will work like mad until the mountains to keep Gonchar in the lead for as long as possible.

http://www.olntv.com/tdf/article/view/19608/?ss=report&tf=DailyReports_read.tpl


Overall the big disappointments were the American performances with Floyd Landis a notable exception. Landis finished second despite a dispute before the start with his high riding position with the referees.

He was forced to change his handlebar position and then found them coming loose a big change ensued.
http://www.olntv.com/tdf/


14:09:47 - Boardman’s Thoughts On Landis’ Position
One of the more unique time trial positions in the pro peloton is that of Floyd Landis. The Phonak team’s captain has a high hand position and he sit well forward on his saddle. We asked Chris Boardman for his appraisal on Landis’ approach. “I run all the equipment and clothing development for British cycling,” said Boardman. “I’m certainly not going to divulge any of that information but I can say that I understand what Landis is doing. I can understand why he’s adopted his position. It doesn’t work for everybody but it is one way divert the airflow – to use your arms as a kind of shield.

“He sits forward on the saddle and that also makes sense. You have three touch points on the bike: your butt, your feet and hands, so if you can take those three points and rotate them forward as far as the rules allow – because your saddle must be 5cm behind the bottom bracket – then that means you can get lower and lower is everything in time trialing.

“The bike is not such a big deal at all; it’s a minor component of the overall package. Position and physical size – just getting lower – is most important."

http://www.olntv.com/tdf/newsflashes/newsflashes.php?ss=newsflashes&e=0700