What to do on the rest day?
The Tour takes the day off, but we don’t. Our crackerjack investigative staff (i.e. my sister) has come up with 10 questions of interests for the TdF experts to take a stab at.
Before we get to that, a programming note. Keep following the website for a couple days after the Tour ends. We’ll have closing remarks on the teams, some best of/worst of, and an All-Star team.
1) Is this the best TdF since the LeMond–Fignon duel of 1989?
Gioia: Who’s writing these questions? Of course it is! The ‘96 Tour was big because someone finally beat Indurain, but it was really a one day coup by Bjarne Riis. The ‘98 Tour had a great battle between Ullrich and Pantani, Jan winning the time trials, but Pantani putting on a clinic in the mountains. But, that race was also the big doping fiasco. This Tour has been so close and the action has been furious. Attacks have come from everyone and at all time. Ullrich considered himself the virtual yellow jersey and attacked on the penultimate climb in stage 15! Armstrong has been out of form and feeling bad, but he finally managed to catch a good day and take the race by the throat. Despite his efforts, the great teamwork, and the great game plan, it’s still not in the bag.
Baker: This is the Tour we should have had in 2000. We did get the Lance-Ullrich-Beloki podium for the first and only time, but that Tour was merely an affirmation of Armstrong’s greatness. At that point, we just didn’t know he was that awesome. This Tour has been unbelievable, with constant attacking and a really vulnerable Armstrong. This easily the best Tour since 1991, when Indurain won his first, Abdoujaparov won the green, and Chiappucci finished third and won King of the Mountains. I really thought he was going to win that time. The 1989 Tour has been the gold standard, I think this one surpasses it if the time trial is close.
2) What stands in the way of Armstrong winning his fifth consecutive Tour de France?
Gioia: Who’s writing these questions? Look, Ullrich is down by 67 seconds, but he beat Lance by 96 in the first time trial. Yeah, Lance was dehydrated, but a win is a win. Ullrich still feels confident. He put his best spin on stage 15, saying he only lost a minute, when he used to lose two to Lance’s attacks.
It is feasible that Ullrich could ride the time trial of his life and pull this off, but it’s a tall order. As I said two weeks ago, Lance Armstrong plans his entire year so that he can win the final time trial while wearing yellow. Everyone else is broken and demoralized on that day. For him, it’s Christmas morning.
Baker: Stage 16 is the last day in the mountains, but for a mountain day, it’s pretty easy. That’s easy for me to say, sitting in a nice air-conditioned room playing on the internet. But you get the point. Stage 19 is the time trial, and Ullrich could have another huge day. But I think Armstrong just has to ride smart and he wins. However, always beware a crash in a group sprint, and there are going to be plenty of those since the Points title is still up for grabs.
3) But might there be any more wackiness?
Gioia: The way things have gone in this Tour, don’t bet against anything. I’ve heard Roberto Heras has a respiratory infection. Don’t tempt fate! If I were Lance I’d personally pay his carfare, room, board, and medical bills so that Heras could spend the week recovering in Paris.
Baker: I’m sure there is going to be more wackiness. It’s been a very bizarre Tour. For awhile it looked like this Tour would be the most brutal ever, as over 30 riders dropped in the Alps. However, the riders have hung tough in the Pyranees and now it might have the highest percentage of finishers ever. I can’t figure it out. Lance has won one stage and crashed three times. Yet he’s winning. I’m baffled. The only thing that makes sense is that David Millar is still whining.
4) Would things be different if Team Bianchi, not USPS-Berry Floor, had signed Manuel Beltran?
Gioia: I think so. Remember, Beltran set the tempo that blew away Rubiera and Ullrich at the start of Alpe d’Huez. He was huge in carrying Lance through the Pyrenees.
Baker: Way to take a stand, Gioia. Of course it would be different. Ullrich’s Stage 15 tactics would have been entirely different if he had support. He could really use a domestique, and probably wouldn’t have lost as much time in the Alps. Armstrong would be in deep trouble without Beltran since Heras has really had a mediocre Tour so far. Rubiera has picked up the slack as well, but Beltrtan has been the top domestique of any team in the Tour.
5) Was Beloki’s crash the worst you’ve ever seen?
Gioia: No. Remember, Fabio Cassertelli had a routine-looking crash until he hit his head on a concrete barricade and died. Beloki’s crash was awful, and it looked so bad because he swerved out of control for so long. He was going so fast that it had a devastating impact. His career is in jeopardy.
Baker: Nardello’s crash was pretty bad. But the memory of that crash isn’t the crash itself, but the Italian getting back on his bike and finishing the race a bloody mess. The Cassertelli crash was awful, but you didn’t know how bad it was until a few minutes later. Beloki’s crash was spectacular. You knew it was bad right away, and I had the worst gut reaction to it. So, yeah, it was the worst I’ve ever seen.
6) Where would Beloki be if he had not crashed out of the race?
Gioia: Well, he’s not as strong as Lance or Jan, so I think he’d be close to Vinokourov. They’d be in a huge battle for third.
Baker: He’s not quite the time trailer the other two are, but I don’t think he would have gotten dropped like Vino, but he would never be allowed to breakaway like Vino has. So he wouldn’t lose as much on Stage 15, but he wouldn’t gain on 14. About two minutes back.
7) Has Christophe Moreau won your respect yet?
Gioia: Surprisingly, yes. Moreau was such a wimp a couple years ago when the Great French Hope quit early in the mountains. This year he has had great form. He’s gone on the attack a few times. Look, we know he’s just not good enough to win it all. It seems like he’s accepted his limitations and is making the most of what he’s got. He’s not going to win the yellow jersey, but he can attack, ride strongly, and be the fastest Frenchman.
Baker: He’s been yellow jersey group every single day. If he wouldn’t have gotten his ass kicked in the time trial, he’d be about five minutes out. Then again, everybody got their ass kicked in the time trial. He’s always been among the last drops. He has been terrific.
8) Is Iban Mayo the second incarnation of Claudio Chiappucci?
Gioia: I wish! Maybe he’s a Basque knockoff of the original. He seems to attack on each and every big climb, regardless of the situation, and he just can’t hack it in the time trial. That’s Claudio-esque, but NO ONE has the personality of Chiappucci.
Baker: Claudio’s allure was two-fold: his outstanding personality and his complete disdain for tactics. It was all-out attack every single day. It really had to be seen to be believed. He is the greatest rider to never win the Tour, he just got on his bike and rode as hard as he could every day. It was like he had a personal vendetta against the mountains. Virenque is in polka dots now, but nobody fears him on the mountains. Mayo is close in his attack everyday mantra, but he is not nearly as colorful a personality. Then again, no one is.
9) Did you jump out of your chair and yell when Lance attacked again after falling off his bike?
Gioia: Yes. I had been waiting for him to throw the hammer down. It was gutsy, and vicious. Bruised, backed-up against the wall, so what! Go for it!
Baker: I started yelling at anyone within earshot. Of course, the only ones in the room were my two dogs. Lacey seemed excited, but Barney was rather non-plussed and went back to sleep. When Lance slipped on the pedal, it was the first time I thought he might lose the race. Ten minutes later, he was dominating.
10) Has Bob Roll grown on you?
Gioia: OLN has done well to limit his air time. His self-deprecating commercials are really funny. I loved it when Paul Sherwin started mocking his hand gestures. Bob Roll is now OLN’s TdF mascot, and he’s good in that role.
Baker: His commercials are very funny. Particularly the pronunciation of “de”. They put him next to some eye-candy and gave the two of them pretty much nothing to do. And that’s good. The more Leggitt and Sherwen, the better. So, Roll no longer makes me want to kick in my TV, so that’s a positive.
The Tour takes the day off, but we don’t. Our crackerjack investigative staff (i.e. my sister) has come up with 10 questions of interests for the TdF experts to take a stab at.
Before we get to that, a programming note. Keep following the website for a couple days after the Tour ends. We’ll have closing remarks on the teams, some best of/worst of, and an All-Star team.
1) Is this the best TdF since the LeMond–Fignon duel of 1989?
Gioia: Who’s writing these questions? Of course it is! The ‘96 Tour was big because someone finally beat Indurain, but it was really a one day coup by Bjarne Riis. The ‘98 Tour had a great battle between Ullrich and Pantani, Jan winning the time trials, but Pantani putting on a clinic in the mountains. But, that race was also the big doping fiasco. This Tour has been so close and the action has been furious. Attacks have come from everyone and at all time. Ullrich considered himself the virtual yellow jersey and attacked on the penultimate climb in stage 15! Armstrong has been out of form and feeling bad, but he finally managed to catch a good day and take the race by the throat. Despite his efforts, the great teamwork, and the great game plan, it’s still not in the bag.
Baker: This is the Tour we should have had in 2000. We did get the Lance-Ullrich-Beloki podium for the first and only time, but that Tour was merely an affirmation of Armstrong’s greatness. At that point, we just didn’t know he was that awesome. This Tour has been unbelievable, with constant attacking and a really vulnerable Armstrong. This easily the best Tour since 1991, when Indurain won his first, Abdoujaparov won the green, and Chiappucci finished third and won King of the Mountains. I really thought he was going to win that time. The 1989 Tour has been the gold standard, I think this one surpasses it if the time trial is close.
2) What stands in the way of Armstrong winning his fifth consecutive Tour de France?
Gioia: Who’s writing these questions? Look, Ullrich is down by 67 seconds, but he beat Lance by 96 in the first time trial. Yeah, Lance was dehydrated, but a win is a win. Ullrich still feels confident. He put his best spin on stage 15, saying he only lost a minute, when he used to lose two to Lance’s attacks.
It is feasible that Ullrich could ride the time trial of his life and pull this off, but it’s a tall order. As I said two weeks ago, Lance Armstrong plans his entire year so that he can win the final time trial while wearing yellow. Everyone else is broken and demoralized on that day. For him, it’s Christmas morning.
Baker: Stage 16 is the last day in the mountains, but for a mountain day, it’s pretty easy. That’s easy for me to say, sitting in a nice air-conditioned room playing on the internet. But you get the point. Stage 19 is the time trial, and Ullrich could have another huge day. But I think Armstrong just has to ride smart and he wins. However, always beware a crash in a group sprint, and there are going to be plenty of those since the Points title is still up for grabs.
3) But might there be any more wackiness?
Gioia: The way things have gone in this Tour, don’t bet against anything. I’ve heard Roberto Heras has a respiratory infection. Don’t tempt fate! If I were Lance I’d personally pay his carfare, room, board, and medical bills so that Heras could spend the week recovering in Paris.
Baker: I’m sure there is going to be more wackiness. It’s been a very bizarre Tour. For awhile it looked like this Tour would be the most brutal ever, as over 30 riders dropped in the Alps. However, the riders have hung tough in the Pyranees and now it might have the highest percentage of finishers ever. I can’t figure it out. Lance has won one stage and crashed three times. Yet he’s winning. I’m baffled. The only thing that makes sense is that David Millar is still whining.
4) Would things be different if Team Bianchi, not USPS-Berry Floor, had signed Manuel Beltran?
Gioia: I think so. Remember, Beltran set the tempo that blew away Rubiera and Ullrich at the start of Alpe d’Huez. He was huge in carrying Lance through the Pyrenees.
Baker: Way to take a stand, Gioia. Of course it would be different. Ullrich’s Stage 15 tactics would have been entirely different if he had support. He could really use a domestique, and probably wouldn’t have lost as much time in the Alps. Armstrong would be in deep trouble without Beltran since Heras has really had a mediocre Tour so far. Rubiera has picked up the slack as well, but Beltrtan has been the top domestique of any team in the Tour.
5) Was Beloki’s crash the worst you’ve ever seen?
Gioia: No. Remember, Fabio Cassertelli had a routine-looking crash until he hit his head on a concrete barricade and died. Beloki’s crash was awful, and it looked so bad because he swerved out of control for so long. He was going so fast that it had a devastating impact. His career is in jeopardy.
Baker: Nardello’s crash was pretty bad. But the memory of that crash isn’t the crash itself, but the Italian getting back on his bike and finishing the race a bloody mess. The Cassertelli crash was awful, but you didn’t know how bad it was until a few minutes later. Beloki’s crash was spectacular. You knew it was bad right away, and I had the worst gut reaction to it. So, yeah, it was the worst I’ve ever seen.
6) Where would Beloki be if he had not crashed out of the race?
Gioia: Well, he’s not as strong as Lance or Jan, so I think he’d be close to Vinokourov. They’d be in a huge battle for third.
Baker: He’s not quite the time trailer the other two are, but I don’t think he would have gotten dropped like Vino, but he would never be allowed to breakaway like Vino has. So he wouldn’t lose as much on Stage 15, but he wouldn’t gain on 14. About two minutes back.
7) Has Christophe Moreau won your respect yet?
Gioia: Surprisingly, yes. Moreau was such a wimp a couple years ago when the Great French Hope quit early in the mountains. This year he has had great form. He’s gone on the attack a few times. Look, we know he’s just not good enough to win it all. It seems like he’s accepted his limitations and is making the most of what he’s got. He’s not going to win the yellow jersey, but he can attack, ride strongly, and be the fastest Frenchman.
Baker: He’s been yellow jersey group every single day. If he wouldn’t have gotten his ass kicked in the time trial, he’d be about five minutes out. Then again, everybody got their ass kicked in the time trial. He’s always been among the last drops. He has been terrific.
8) Is Iban Mayo the second incarnation of Claudio Chiappucci?
Gioia: I wish! Maybe he’s a Basque knockoff of the original. He seems to attack on each and every big climb, regardless of the situation, and he just can’t hack it in the time trial. That’s Claudio-esque, but NO ONE has the personality of Chiappucci.
Baker: Claudio’s allure was two-fold: his outstanding personality and his complete disdain for tactics. It was all-out attack every single day. It really had to be seen to be believed. He is the greatest rider to never win the Tour, he just got on his bike and rode as hard as he could every day. It was like he had a personal vendetta against the mountains. Virenque is in polka dots now, but nobody fears him on the mountains. Mayo is close in his attack everyday mantra, but he is not nearly as colorful a personality. Then again, no one is.
9) Did you jump out of your chair and yell when Lance attacked again after falling off his bike?
Gioia: Yes. I had been waiting for him to throw the hammer down. It was gutsy, and vicious. Bruised, backed-up against the wall, so what! Go for it!
Baker: I started yelling at anyone within earshot. Of course, the only ones in the room were my two dogs. Lacey seemed excited, but Barney was rather non-plussed and went back to sleep. When Lance slipped on the pedal, it was the first time I thought he might lose the race. Ten minutes later, he was dominating.
10) Has Bob Roll grown on you?
Gioia: OLN has done well to limit his air time. His self-deprecating commercials are really funny. I loved it when Paul Sherwin started mocking his hand gestures. Bob Roll is now OLN’s TdF mascot, and he’s good in that role.
Baker: His commercials are very funny. Particularly the pronunciation of “de”. They put him next to some eye-candy and gave the two of them pretty much nothing to do. And that’s good. The more Leggitt and Sherwen, the better. So, Roll no longer makes me want to kick in my TV, so that’s a positive.
posted by Poseur at 11:03 AM
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