Tour de France 2007

[brownie]

Spain's Alberto Contador is the new overall leader and is already tagged as the next doping suspect nr. 1

Contador claims he is clean but didn't all the previous suspects say the same thing?

[B. Clugston]

Is Barry Bonds competing this year?

Piss off.

Roid rage?

[J.A.W.]

Many riders don't seem to be too bright... When a rider was asked by Dutch TV a few days ago what he thought of all the controls and everything, he answered that he was sick and tired of them because now the riders couldn't use anything anymore. He didn't seem to realize what he was saying; when the reporter said his answer would probably raise some questions he repeated what he had said... Another rider said on Dutch TV today the Tour officials and the press are to blame for everything. Some riders really are idiots in my view.

Edited July 26, 2007 by J.A.W.

[Jazzmoose]

Is Barry Bonds competing this year?

Piss off.

Roid rage?

Maybe. Preparation H might help...

[catesta]

Also I think a basic problem lies in the assumption man can get faster or whatever all the time. There might be a limit to human physical abilities - no more new best timings etc.

We should accept a certain level that can be achieved without any other enhancement than simple training.

Makes sense to me.

Hey Goodspeak, stop living in denial.

[P.L.M]

Is Barry Bonds competing this year?

Piss off.

The Tour has long been suspect in their drug checking practices and now it has finally caught up to their lying asses.

I fail to see how a baseball player, against whom absolutely nothing has been proved, has anything at all to do with the small-minded French and their hatred of American cyclists.

Time to exonerate Landis and get off of the back of the greatest cyclist in the history of Le Tour in Lance Armstrong.

Le Tour owes the cycling world and America an apology for their very existence....the morons.

If there's a moron here, it's you.

I think that you are a teacher ?

if it's what you are, I'm very sorry for your pupils because the "farce", as usual here, is you, blinded by your "stupid" patriotism.

Like Rasmussen, Landis was just a small thieves.

The real king of them all, is your idol, Lance Armstrong. If the guy is the greatest of something, it's the "greatest" cheater. Ever.

[Aggie87]

The real king of them all, is your idol, Lance Armstrong. If the guy is the greatest of something, it's the "greatest" cheater. Ever.

[J.A.W.]

The real king of them all, is your idol, Lance Armstrong. If the guy is the greatest of something, it's the "greatest" cheater. Ever.

He's got a point.

[porcy62]

The real king of them all, is your idol, Lance Armstrong. If the guy is the greatest of something, it's the "greatest" cheater. Ever.

Don't forget Carl Lewis and the goodfellas at Santa Monica.

Ah, yes, before someone start a nationalist fight, we have a lot of "greatest" of this kind over here in Italy. Just ask for the names if you're interested.

[brownie]

Many riders don't seem to be too bright...

The classic example here is former French rider Richard Virenque who won the best climber trophy seven times between 1994 and 2004 in the Tour de France.

Virenque was the star of the Festina team doping scandal of the 1998 Tour.

Virenque denied for years having used any illegal substances before finally relenting in 2000 and admitting he did.

He was one of the most popular rider in recent years and also became famous because of interviews where he uttered one stupidity after another!!

He is now a Tour commentator for the french chanel of Eurosport TV

[T.D.]

Many riders don't seem to be too bright...

The classic example here is former French rider Richard Virenque who won the best climber trophy seven times between 1994 and 2004 in the Tour de France.

Virenque was the star of the Festina team doping scandal of the 1998 Tour.

Virenque denied for years having used any illegal substances before finally relenting in 2000 and admitting he did.

He was one of the most popular rider in recent years and also became famous because of interviews where he uttered one stupidity after another!!

He is now a Tour commentator for the french chanel of Eurosport TV

I've read that one reason for Virenque's TV popularity is that he's a favorite of French housewives (apparently he's a handsome guy).

Is he doing the broadcasts this year? I believe that he recently had a very serious crash during a cyclotourist ride (the fork broke while going downhill - ouch!), and sustained major injuries (maybe including facial, I don't recall).

[Claude]

Virenque even has a "daily" column (though I couldn't find a more recent one) on the Eurosport site:

http://www.eurosport.fr/cyclisme/tour-de-f...to1257085.shtml

[brownie]

Is he doing the broadcasts this year? I believe that he recently had a very serious crash during a cyclotourist ride (the fork broke while going downhill - ouch!), and sustained major injuries (maybe including facial, I don't recall).

Yes, Virenque is doing the broadcasts for this year's Tour.

That crash you refer to happened last year in the French Alps. e looks like he has getting over the injuries.

[Jazzmoose]

The real king of them all, is your idol, Lance Armstrong. If the guy is the greatest of something, it's the "greatest" cheater. Ever.

He's got a point.

Heck, he's gotta lot of balls to suggest...er...I mean ball...uh...nevermind...

[Tim McG]

Is Barry Bonds competing this year?

Piss off.

The Tour has long been suspect in their drug checking practices and now it has finally caught up to their lying asses.

I fail to see how a baseball player, against whom absolutely nothing has been proved, has anything at all to do with the small-minded French and their hatred of American cyclists.

Time to exonerate Landis and get off of the back of the greatest cyclist in the history of Le Tour in Lance Armstrong.

Le Tour owes the cycling world and America an apology for their very existence....the morons.

If there's a moron here, it's you.

I think that you are a teacher ?

if it's what you are, I'm very sorry for your pupils because the "farce", as usual here, is you, blinded by your "stupid" patriotism.

Like Rasmussen, Landis was just a small thieves.

The real king of them all, is your idol, Lance Armstrong. If the guy is the greatest of something, it's the "greatest" cheater. Ever.

Oh?

So you swallowed all of the horseshit your tabloid pretend newspaper Le Snitch printed, eh? Nice.

Did you even bother to notice when the tests for Armstrong were proved to be a false positive? Now we know the truth of the matter: Le Tour's drug checking practices didn't work then and they still don't work today. It is an emabrrassment to the whole athletic world that such a pathetic practice can be used, manipulated and abused all in an effort to destroy a cyclist's career.

If you were my student I'd recommend remedial help and hold you back a grade. My Freshmen could run circles around such a baseless argument as yours.

Blind, stupid hatred of Americans is all this is....pure and simple. Now it's the European's turn to be embarrassed.

Shameful, absolutely shameful.

Edited July 27, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Tim McG]

At least, the Tour de France race organizers are doing their job. Wish organizers of other sports events would do the same.

Exactement!

Goodspeak... you think doping isn't rife in other sports?

In America....of course it is.

But our pinhead president uses his faux investigation of baseball to cover for his ilegal war in Iraq. The real culprit, if the truth be told, is in Amercan football...but nobody here seems the least bit concerned when linemen are 6' 7" and weighing in at over 350 pounds....all of it muscle.

My concern here is that Le Tour has been told before it's drug checking isn't up to standard yet they refused to acknowledge what a farce it is [especially when it can be used to target Lance Armstrong] until their guys get nailed. That is totral crap, IMO.

The French hate it that a mere American could dominate "their" sport.

Personally? I hope we boycott them and encourge other Nations to do the same...they deeserve nothing less.

[ASNL77]

At least, the Tour de France race organizers are doing their job. Wish organizers of other sports events would do the same.

Exactement!

Goodspeak... you think doping isn't rife in other sports?

In America....of course it is.

But our pinhead president uses his faux investigation of baseball to cover for his ilegal war in Iraq. The real culprit, if the truth be told, is in Amercan football...but nobody here seems the least bit concerned when linemen are 6' 7" and weighing in at over 350 pounds....all of it muscle.

My concern here is that Le Tour has been told before it's drug checking isn't up to standard yet they refused to acknowledge what a farce it is [especially when it can be used to target Lance Armstrong] until their guys get nailed. That is totral crap, IMO.

The French hate it that a mere American could dominate "their" sport.

Personally? I hope we boycott them and encourge other Nations to do the same...they deeserve nothing less.

I am not too sure where I should start with your post. Get over the American - French rivalry. If you are a teacher, I hope you can raise above this simplistic and childish debate.

Since when do French people hate 'their sport' being dominated by an American guy? Greg Lemond won the Tour a few times and he is one of the most popular cyclists in France despite having beaten Fignon in the last stage for 8 seconds in 1989. The guy gets a lot of respect from the public and the press.

Amstrong managed not to get caught. Fair play to him but being so positive about him and Landis being targeted by French anti-American officials is laughable. These two guys are cheats. The fact that they are American has nothing to do with their bad press in France. Do you have a French chip on your shoulder?

It seems to me that the Tour organisers are doing everything they can to make this event as clean as they can. I am sure they don't give a toss about the nationality of the guys they catch. The problem is that they don't have the support they should get from the UCI (Union cycliste Internationale). If the UCI were prepared to clean this sport, things would be much easier and more consistent. The rules are different from one country to the other and this needs to change.

Edited July 28, 2007 by ASNL77

[Tim McG]

At least, the Tour de France race organizers are doing their job. Wish organizers of other sports events would do the same.

Exactement!

Goodspeak... you think doping isn't rife in other sports?

In America....of course it is.

But our pinhead president uses his faux investigation of baseball to cover for his ilegal war in Iraq. The real culprit, if the truth be told, is in Amercan football...but nobody here seems the least bit concerned when linemen are 6' 7" and weighing in at over 350 pounds....all of it muscle.

My concern here is that Le Tour has been told before it's drug checking isn't up to standard yet they refused to acknowledge what a farce it is [especially when it can be used to target Lance Armstrong] until their guys get nailed. That is totral crap, IMO.

The French hate it that a mere American could dominate "their" sport.

Personally? I hope we boycott them and encourage other Nations to do the same...they deserve nothing less.

I am not too sure where I should start with your post. Get over the American - French rivalry. If you are a teacher, I hope you can raise above this simplistic and childish debate.

Since when do French people hate 'their sport' being dominated by an American guy? Greg Lemond won the Tour a few times and he is one of the most popular cyclists in France despite having beaten Fignon in the last stage for 8 seconds in 1989. The guy gets a lot of respect from the public and the press.

Amstrong managed not to get caught. Fair play to him but being so positive about him and Landis being targeted by French anti-American officials is laughable. These two guys are cheats. The fact that they are American has nothing to do with their bad press in France. Do you have a French chip on your shoulder?

It seems to me that the Tour organizers are doing everything they can to make this event as clean as they can. I am sure they don't give a toss about the nationality of the guys they catch. The problem is that they don't have the support they should get from the UCI (Union cyclist Internationale). If the UCI were prepared to clean this sport, things would be much easier and more consistent. The rules are different from one country to the other and this needs to change.

Please.

Have the French and the US had issues relative to war of late?

Do the French [in large part] see themselves as superior to Americans?

Americans don't "hate this sport" but the French HATE Americans.

They are INSANELY jealous of Lance Armstrong and want to see his dominance erased.

Buddy, I wouldn't visit this hate-filled country on a bet. Who wants to see people who have unreasonable hatred towards us Americans? I sure as hell don't.

The French need to grow the hell up and get a clue about dealing with people who don't share their opinions. France is a bigoted state...and you can quote me.

To wit:

The French are the biggest bunch of self-centered jackasses on this or any other planet.

And you can bank on it.

Edited July 28, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[clifford_thornton]

Need I remind people that performance-enhancing drugs have been used since before the days of Merckx?

Hell, even among the first few Tours, riders were using nicotine and cocaine to boost power!

And though the French have not had a winner in the race for some time, I wouldn't call the whole thing mere vindictiveness - the sport is crooked, but fixing it is going to be very hard indeed!

[Tim McG]

Need I remind people that performance-enhancing drugs have been used since before the days of Merckx?

Hell, even among the first few Tours, riders were using nicotine and cocaine to boost power!

And though the French have not had a winner in the race for some time, I wouldn't call the whole thing mere vindictiveness - the sport is crooked, but fixing it is going to be very hard indeed!

And the French pretend press will make sure an American is blamed.

[ASNL77]

At least, the Tour de France race organizers are doing their job. Wish organizers of other sports events would do the same.

Exactement!

Goodspeak... you think doping isn't rife in other sports?

In America....of course it is.

But our pinhead president uses his faux investigation of baseball to cover for his ilegal war in Iraq. The real culprit, if the truth be told, is in Amercan football...but nobody here seems the least bit concerned when linemen are 6' 7" and weighing in at over 350 pounds....all of it muscle.

My concern here is that Le Tour has been told before it's drug checking isn't up to standard yet they refused to acknowledge what a farce it is [especially when it can be used to target Lance Armstrong] until their guys get nailed. That is totral crap, IMO.

The French hate it that a mere American could dominate "their" sport.

Personally? I hope we boycott them and encourage other Nations to do the same...they deserve nothing less.

I am not too sure where I should start with your post. Get over the American - French rivalry. If you are a teacher, I hope you can raise above this simplistic and childish debate.

Since when do French people hate 'their sport' being dominated by an American guy? Greg Lemond won the Tour a few times and he is one of the most popular cyclists in France despite having beaten Fignon in the last stage for 8 seconds in 1989. The guy gets a lot of respect from the public and the press.

Amstrong managed not to get caught. Fair play to him but being so positive about him and Landis being targeted by French anti-American officials is laughable. These two guys are cheats. The fact that they are American has nothing to do with their bad press in France. Do you have a French chip on your shoulder?

It seems to me that the Tour organizers are doing everything they can to make this event as clean as they can. I am sure they don't give a toss about the nationality of the guys they catch. The problem is that they don't have the support they should get from the UCI (Union cyclist Internationale). If the UCI were prepared to clean this sport, things would be much easier and more consistent. The rules are different from one country to the other and this needs to change.

Please.

Have the French and the US had issues relative to war of late?

Do the French [in large part] see themselves as superior to Americans?

Americans don't "hate this sport" but the French HATE Americans.

They are INSANELY jealous of Lance Armstrong and want to see his dominance erased.

Buddy, I wouldn't visit this hate-filled country on a bet. Who wants to see people who have unreasonable hatred towards us Americans? I sure as hell don't.

The French need to grow the hell up and get a clue about dealing with people who don't share their opinions. France is a bigoted state...and you can quote me.

To wit:

The French are the biggest bunch of self-centered jackasses on this or any other planet.

And you can bank on it.

Come on! Grow up!

Edited July 28, 2007 by ASNL77

[Tim McG]

Right after the bigoted French do.

[ASNL77]

2 sites that may be helpful to you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Country...ns_Iraq_war.png

http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandwar...chedWelcomePage

[Aggie87]

Personally? I hope we boycott them and encourge other Nations to do the same...they deeserve nothing less.

The French are the biggest bunch of self-centered jackasses on this or any other planet.

You are completely out of your gourd.

[clifford_thornton]

Perfect attitude for the matter at hand!