Tour de France 2010

[Meanwood Villa]

Didn't catch yesterday but seen most of it. I was rooting for Schleck so gutted about the whole chain thing. Not critical of Contador though, despite what he's said Schleck would've done the same. Only difference is he could've pretended more convincingly that he hadn't realised because he'd have been in front of him!

[UK Redsox]

Cav won the final stage but Petacchi finished second and so wins the Green Jersey

Lance has retired again

[UK Redsox]

Cav won the final stage but Petacchi finished second and so wins the Green Jersey

Lance has retired again

[TopDeck113]

All over for another year.  Overall it has been a very good Tour - GC and Points in the balance all the way to the end - and (so far at least) no doping controversies.

Always good to look back at one's predictions:

What IMO is the best annual sporting event starts on Saturday.

Predictions

Yellow - Can't see past Alberto Contador - it's a very mountainous Tour and he's a great climber.  My outset bet is Andy Schleck.  It'll be interesting to see how Bradley Wiggins and the new Sky team do.  If he can improve on last year's fourth I'll be amazed but delighted.

Green - Mark Cavendish's not to win. Might not secure as many wins as last year, but will hopefully have the nous to secure points on the days when he's not on the podium.

King of the Mountains - By right it should be Contador, but contenders for GC don't ruin their chances by contesting climbs that would jeopardise their chances of finishing in yellow on the Champs de Elysees.  I'll go for someone with unfulfilled potential on a team not having to contest anyother classification: Lampre's Damiano Cunego.

Young Rider - Andy Schleck.

Two out of four - not bad.

Cavendish second in the points competition, and if he'd started as he finished he'd have won it.

Cunego fifth in the King of the Mountains.  Note to self: this seems to be the competition that the French seem to go after, bear in mind when making predictions for 2011.

In the meantime, I've taken advantage of the blank Premier League weekend on 11th September and volunteered to be a marshal on the first stage of the Tour of Britain.  Hopefully get to see some of the up-and-coming stars of the future whizzing through Lancashire.

[VillaZogmariner]

Winner fails a drug test.

What a farce.

[damon loves JT]

Winner fails a drug test.

What a farce.

Watched his press conference right through. Didn't have the air of a guilty man. Cool and calm, answered every question at length

[N'Rexy]

This looks like food contamination, the amounts are absolutely tiny.  100s of times lower than the labs actually need to be able to detect. He blames it on a steak from Spain. Plenty of cows are given steriods and antibiotics to improve the meat texture and reduce fat content.

Worse is Mosquera who came second in the Vuelta. He tested positive for blood plasma and there is no doubting that.

[lovejoy]

They've always got an excuse. Too much coffee, ginseng tea, dog ate my homework. He fcking cheated when Schleck's chain slipped and he attacked and then lied about not seeing it. Nothing I've heard today surprises me.

[N'Rexy]

I take back my earlier post. He had a blood transfusion didnt he! The lab where they checked the blood wasn't hi-tech enough pick up the micro doses that the german WADA lab could:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5846/German-journalist-claims-UCI-denied-Alberto-Contador-positive-test-says-rider-may-have-received-transfusions.aspx

Bastard.

[villaross]

They won't never change ...sadly

[lovejoy]

Good article from David Walsh on the back of the Sunday Times too.

[villaross]

I agree with you