***Official Le Tour De France Thread***

[NaboCane]

Hincapie crowns great season with mountain win

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050717/sp_nm/cycling_tour_sunday_dc;_ylt=AgGIH36lbxT_64XCjhWerXAw.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

PLA-D'ADET, France (Reuters) - George Hincapie crowned a long and successful season when he won the 220.5-km 15th stage of the Tour de France between Lezat-sur-Leze and Pla-d'Adet on Sunday.

Lance Armstrong's best friend and closest team mate outsprinted his breakaway companion, Spain's Oscar Pereiro, for victory in the hardest mountain stage of this Tour.

Hincapie, winner of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in April, second in Paris Roubaix the same month and winner of two Dauphine Libere Stages in June, showed his team leader that it was possible to shine all year round.

But the Tour is Armstrong's only goal and the American, on course for a record seventh victory, comfortably controlled his two leading rivals, Italy's Ivan Basso and Germany's Jan Ullrich...

 

[NaboCane]

Armstrong Continues to Inspire Survivors

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=534&e=2&u=/ap/20050717/ap_on_he_me/cyc_armstrong_cancer_survivors

AUSTIN, Texas - Audra Outlaw wakes up each day with the infant son doctors told her she'd never be able to have. She scoops up 3-month-old Gage, clicks on the TV, and mother and son settle back into bed to watch for Lance Armstrong's yellow jersey streaking across the French countryside.

"He's such an inspiration," said Outlaw, who has closely followed Armstrong's career since she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. "We're nervous, but confident he will win."

A cancer survivor, Armstrong has inspired millions of patients with his six straight Tour de France titles. But for the 34-year-old Outlaw and others, Armstrong's quest for a seventh is bittersweet: this Tour de France will be his last race.

"It will be interesting to see what he does next," Outlaw said. "It's fun to watch the Tour, but I don't see us necessarily watching with as much enthusiasm as we do now."

 

[NaboCane]

Armstrong Exits Mountain Stages With Lead

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cyc_tour_de_france;_ylt=AtTWqA4qbwW2Y0OQRp3sYq3NaMYA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA--

PAU, France - Lance Armstrong defended his comfortable lead in the Tour de France's last day in the high mountains, finishing Tuesday with his main rivals behind stage winner Oscar Pereiro.

The only things standing between Armstrong and a seventh consecutive Tour title are a time trial, two medium mountain stages and two other mostly flat stages, including the last ride into Paris next Sunday.

Armstrong's main rivals, sensing that their chances of catching the American are slipping away, tried testing him again on two main climbs during the 16th stage from Mourenx to Pau, the last of three days in the Pyrenees.

But Armstrong comfortably matched their uphill accelerations  and cruised to the finish looking relaxed. He finished in a group with Ivan Basso, Jan Ullrich and other top riders  all 3 minutes, 24 seconds behind Pereiro.

 

[NaboCane]

Armstrong Poised for 79th Yellow Jersey

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cyc_tour_de_france;_ylt=AuybQR7twzZTE3hk3lqsA4nNaMYA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA--

REVEL, France - Lance Armstrong was still riding Wednesday when teammate Paolo Savoldelli won the longest stage of the Tour de France, finishing far ahead of the six-time champion and other top riders.

The main pack of riders took it easy over the 148.8-mile trek across southern France, trailing the Italian by about 24 minutes.

Savoldelli was part of a breakaway group that built up a huge lead, but because the riders ahead were all low down in the overall standings and not threats to his race lead, Armstrong did not chase.

Instead, he and the others in his pack, including his closest rivals, soaked up the scenery of rolling hills, picturesque villages and freshly harvested fields, chatting and occasionally joking with television crews.

Savoldelli's victory was the second individual stage win for Armstrong's Discovery Channel team. George Hincapie won another stage in the Pyrenees...

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

Not only is he the strongest rider, he surrounds himself with great teams every year. He is a special athlete, it does not matter if you don't like the sport. You may nevver see this again if he wins!

 

[NaboCane]

Not only is he the strongest rider, he surrounds himself with great teams every year. He is a special athlete, it does not matter if you don't like the sport. You may nevver see this again if he wins!

Excellent point. The confluence of talent and diligence is astounding, evidenced by the fact that not only is Armstrong's team protecting him and helping him win, but two different members have also won stages in this Tour.

You're right, whether you enjoy the sport or not - and I certainly have to count myself among those who follow it only at this time of year - this is a magical time.

And thank you, NJ, for assuaging my loneliness in this thread. After a while, I thought I was doing it just for me...

:D

 

[cnc66]

Excellent point. The confluence of talent and diligence is astounding, evidenced by the fact that not only is Armstrong's team protecting him and helping him win, but two different members have also won stages in this Tour.

You're right, whether you enjoy the sport or not - and I certainly have to count myself among those who follow it only at this time of year - this is a magical time.

And thank you, NJ, for assuaging my loneliness in this thread. After a while, I thought I was doing it just for me...

:D

we're out here...

 

[Den54]

we're out here...

Yes we are. :D

 

[NaboCane]

Welcome, audience!

 

[phunwin]

we're out here...

No we're not. :foundout:

 

[cnc66]

No we're not. :foundout:

I know, 'cause you're OUT there ! :goof:

 

[Pink_Dove]

Not only is he the strongest rider, he surrounds himself with great teams every year. He is a special athlete, it does not matter if you don't like the sport. You may nevver see this again if he wins!

Lance is probably the greatest athlete I've ever seen.
That being said, he doesn't surround himself with great teams every year. Johan Bruyneel is the one who's assembled a team year after year, going back to his US Postal days, to help Lance. He should get the credit for that and not Lance.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

Lance is probably the greatest athlete I've ever seen.
That being said, he doesn't surround himself with great teams every year. Johan Bruyneel is the one who's assembled a team year after year, going back to his US Postal days, to help Lance. He should get the credit for that and not Lance.

True, maybe I worded it wrong, but he surronds himself with very loyal riders. That sound better? And I think Lance has mellowed this year, he wants to win, but is having more fun, and does not care if others from his team get the spot light sometimes.

 

[Pink_Dove]

Here's my question for those who've followed Lance from the start.

When was he at his very best ?

IMO it isn't this year.
His biggest margin of victory was in '99, his first win. I remember he just blew the field that year. Biggest deficit was 54 seconds. Field wasn't the strongest but he definately turned heads.

His most impressive is probably in 2002, when he erased a 35 minute deficit :eek:. He notably took 15 minutes off the leader during the legendary Alpe D'Huez climb. Some will say this was when Lance was at this best.

But his best form? I have to go with last year, when he just pulverized the doubters. Finishing with a margin of victory of 6:19. Won the most stages in his career (5 with team trial) and beat out Kloden, Basso, Ullrich fairly easily.

 

[NaboCane]

Here's my question for those who've followed Lance from the start.

When was he at his very best ?

IMO it isn't this year.
His biggest margin of victory was in '99, his first win. I remember he just blew the field that year. Biggest deficit was 54 seconds. Field wasn't the strongest but he definately turned heads.

His most impressive is probably in 2002, when he erased a 35 minute deficit :eek:. He notably took 15 minutes off the leader during the legendary Alpe D'Huez climb. Some will say this was when Lance was at this best.

But his best form? I have to go with last year, when he just pulverized the doubters. Finishing with a margin of victory of 6:19. Won the most stages in his career (5 with team trial) and beat out Kloden, Basso, Ullrich fairly easily.

You know way more about it than I do, but I do remember at the time thinking that erasing that huge deficit, against the best riders in the world, was pretty friggin impressive.