Le Tour de France 2007
Jul. 14th, 2007 01:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gridloreYes, the Tour is on again, without last year's winner who is still embedded in cycling's biggest soap opera in decades.
I've been following the tour, but haven't commented on it until today. Why?
The first six stages were all in level terrain. Fans of cycling know that the Tour de France doesn't really begin until you hit the climbs, especially in the Alps. Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, who held the yellow jersey for the first six stages, freely admitted that he was out of the race once they hit the mountains. At the end of Stage 6, he led by 33 seconds. After Stage 7 (the first climb) he was 22 minutes behind the overall leader.
American riders have traditionally done well in climbs. The next few stages should be interesting.
It wouldn't be a Tour without doping. The big story here is that four Spanish riders have withdrawn or disqualified for not starting a stage at the assigned time. With Spaniards in second and third overall, People are starting to wonder if the notoriously loose with the rules Spanish cyclists are up to something. Of course, we've yet to have SWAT teams raiding a team's hotel rooms, or the mysterious suicide of a team "doctor" (who turned out to be a Mafia thug), but the event is young!
International Tour Cycling. Come for the spandex shorts, stay for the drama. Shit, this would make a good opera.
I've been following the tour, but haven't commented on it until today. Why?
The first six stages were all in level terrain. Fans of cycling know that the Tour de France doesn't really begin until you hit the climbs, especially in the Alps. Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, who held the yellow jersey for the first six stages, freely admitted that he was out of the race once they hit the mountains. At the end of Stage 6, he led by 33 seconds. After Stage 7 (the first climb) he was 22 minutes behind the overall leader.
American riders have traditionally done well in climbs. The next few stages should be interesting.
It wouldn't be a Tour without doping. The big story here is that four Spanish riders have withdrawn or disqualified for not starting a stage at the assigned time. With Spaniards in second and third overall, People are starting to wonder if the notoriously loose with the rules Spanish cyclists are up to something. Of course, we've yet to have SWAT teams raiding a team's hotel rooms, or the mysterious suicide of a team "doctor" (who turned out to be a Mafia thug), but the event is young!
International Tour Cycling. Come for the spandex shorts, stay for the drama. Shit, this would make a good opera.
