Official SJ.com Tour de France running thread

They couldn't get the phone away from that annoying cheerleader

 

Unless someone gets a wild idea and tries to break away, Landis has won it. Even if there is a break, no way the leaders let it happen unchallenged.

 

Idaho -- isn't it usually no breakaways when they right to Paris? I know that they often sprint to the finish, but I seem to recall that the unwritten rule is that the stage is mostly ceremonial.

As an aside, I found today's coverage very confusing. Given all of the landmarks on the course besides the 3 official time checks, OLN should have done a much better job letting us know where the top 4 stood. They kept on using Honchar's time as the benchmark, instead of the virtual yellow jersey. Plus, they didn't even report Pereiro's time at the final time check.

 

Well, my top six from the other day came to be true in exact order -- great ride by Kloden today, and Floyd was just a machine. This was a truly awesome Tour this year. So nice to have it so wide open after it was so thoroughly predictable for the better part of the past decade.

As for the final stage, Bobby Julich sums it up well in his ESPN.com diary from today. It's mostly ceremonial, then with a sprint at the end. The only way Floyd won't win is if he crashes and can't continue.

 

This is what I hate about the race. I love cycling and follow it to the best of my ability but if I'm within a minute of the lead, piss on "ceremony." I'm trying to win the damned race. Anyone know how this unwritten protocol came to be? And what happens to violators?

 

I've been disappointed in this year's coverage from the start. There have been too many graphics, too many cut-aways to useless reports by guys like Frankie who have no interview skills and I just don't feel like I've seen enough action compared to years past.

And Bob Roll is exceptionally annoying.

 

Didn't Lemond win on an attack on the final day? Am I imagining that?

 

I'm pretty sure that was in the time trial before the trip to Paris.

Edit: In fact, they showed video today of Fignon at the end of the stage where he lost it. Looked like just the end of a time trial.

 

It was a final-day charge. Forget "protocol" if you're close enough to catch Landis ... and to be clear, I'm pulling for the guy.

 

We're both right. It was a time trial on the final stage into Paris.

 

A-ha. It's definitely on if it's a last-day time trial.

One thing that was mentioned today on TV is that Landis and Pereiro are best friends. They said that might even further reduce the chance for a final-day strike.

 

I'm by no means a cycling expert, but from my limited experience, wouldn't a final-day breakaway be pretty dangerous? Don't they cover lots of cobblestone streets where one slip could produce cycling armageddon?

At the same time, if you're Pereiro, don't you have to figure you gave it your best shot today and be a man about it? Clearly Landis is the better time trial guy. Is there any reason to think a break would even be successful?