Topic Title

There's no one left. Basso out, Ullrich out.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id= ... jun30news2

I really should have taken the 50:1 on Landis to win that was on offer earlier in the year.

Professional cycling is dead.

If I lose another half stone or two and do a bit more training, I reckon I could win next years tour because there will be no-one left.

The list of implacted is:

Astaná Wurth:
MICHELE SCARPONI (ITA)
MARCOS ANTONIO SERRANO RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
DAVID ETXEBARRIA ALCORTA (ESP)
JOSEBA BELOKI DORRONSORO (ESP)
ANGEL VICIOSO ARCOS (ESP)
ISIDRO NOZAL VEGA (ESP)
UNAI OSA EIZAGUIRRE (ESP)
JAKSCHE JOORG (GER)
GIAMPAOLO CARUSO (ITA)

C.S.C.: IVAN BASSO (ITA)

Caisse D'Espagne Illes Balears:
CONSTANTINO ZABALLA GUTIERREZ (ESP)

Saunier Duval:
CARLOS ZARATE FERNANDEZ (ESP)

AG2 R:
FRANCISCO MANCEBO PEREZ (ESP)

T-Mobile:
JAN ULLRICH (GER)
OSCAR SEVILLA RIVERA (ESP)

Phonak:
JOSE ENRIQUE GUTIERREZ CATALUÑA (ESP) JOSE IGNACIO GUTIERREZ CATALUÑA (ESP)

Comunitat Valenciana:
VICENTE BALLESTER MARTINEZ (ESP)
DAVID BERNABEU ARMENGOL (ESP)
DAVID BLANCO RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
JOSE ADRIAN BONILLA (ESP)
JUAN GOMIS LOPEZ (ESP)
ELADIO JIMENEZ SANCHEZ (ESP)
DAVID LATASA LASA (ESP)
JAVIER PASCUAL RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
RUBEN PLAZA MOLINA (ESP)
JOSE LUIS MARTINEZ JIMENEZ (ESP)
MANUEL LLORENT (ESP)
ANTONIO OLMO (ESP)
DAVID MUÑOZ (ESP)
JAVIER CHERRO (ESP)
JAVIER PASCUAL (ESP, ex rider, actual assistant manager)

Unibet.com:
CARLOS GARCIA QUESADA (ESP)

Retired riders or suspended riders for doping,
ROBERTO HERAS (ESP)
ANGEL CASERO (ESP)
IGOR GONZALEZ GALDEANO (ESP)
SANTIAGO PEREZ (ESP)
TYLER HAMILTON (USA)

Ha! You'll have to beat me first, Colin! Mind you, I indulge in medicinal use of tonic water, and I've just checked and there are giblets in the fridge (tho the name appears coded:- "chicken"? Is that Rasmussen?).

Looks like I'm bang to rights then. It'll be you and David Millar, Col!

I'm starting the Ullrich "Der Kaiser Diet" today in readiness for next year - Pukka Pies and Pot Noodles, with a visit to the disco once a week to dance any unburned calories off and get a good leg workout. Bring it on!

For any of you stuck in front of a PC during the day, I've just found a couple of free live feeds for live video coverage of le Tour - go to www.cyclingfans.com and try the links to Serbian TV(!) or RTL.

After watching yesterday's stage I just had to add to this thread!

Three weeks ago I agreed with FS; "Proffessional Cycling is dead". I barely took a passing interest in the first week, saw the Pyrenean stages then all of this week.

Then what a ride from Landis yesterday! The pundits were all talking of the bizarre socialogy going in in the pelaton - "you chase", "no I insist, after you". But let's be honest, even when panic set in they were hardly taking back time in spade fulls were they? Fantastic stuff, and its not over yet.

The Tour lives!

Indeed. I was watching it via Phil's infamous Danish TV video feed and it was amazing to watch.

It's been a cracking few days - we should have a major drugs bust to wipe out the half-dozen favourites every year! Voigt and Periero's breakaway, Schleck's win on the Alpe, Landis' collapse and Rasmussen's amazing ride, and then Landis' extraordinary fightback yesterday. And the emotion.. ..did you see the interview with Rasmussen just after he'd won? Interviewer (in Danish):- "herbubublerblesomethingorother?" Rasmussen:- "sob... choke... sob..." The phone will be off the hook and the shutters down tomorrow afternoon. It's been SO much more of a spectacle than any of the recent few years.

Shame about Ullrich's career coming to an end like that, though. Drugs or no drugs - Lance Armstrong or not he is still a great athlete. Hope he doesn't end up like Pantani.

Totally agree with the previous replies - this year's TdF was an absolute cracker from the spectator's point of view. Probably the best I've seen since I started watching in 1990 (back in the Channel 4 days!); hope next year's turns out to be every bit as good, and of course there's the opportunity to witness the action at first hand here in the UK - I've already earmarked the time off I'm taking to watch the first road stage in Kent! Might pop up to London for the prologue TT too....

Dave B

Of course 2003 was compulsive viewing also, but in a different way (remember the descent across the ploughed field and plaggybags at 5 paces, literally, at Luz Ardiden!?) 1989 was also breathtaking stuff; worth borrowing a copy of the video if possible.

That said, the greatest cycling video of all time must be Boardman's "Final Hour". If that can't inspire then nothing can!

OK, I drifted away from Le Tour there, but there was some logic

On the issue of hour records i have just finished Hutchs book based around his Hour Record attempt

Its a good read and quite inspirational in its own way
Also a reminder of how good he and the likes of Dangerfield are/were at what they do

He wrote a book? What it's called?