With the last "news" of Lance being revolving around his break-up from rockstar singer, Sheryl Crow...there is no chance that 7-time champion will return for another trip around France. :(
And now for the preview:
'Course, I'll most likely be rooting for Team Discovery due to my allegiance from previous years...but as for a podium finish...it could be tricky.
The team is definitely in top shape with several returners from last year including stage winners, George Hincapie and Yaroslav "Popo" Popovych. "Popo" was also last year's white jersey winner for the best young rider. There is also Jose "Ace" Azevedo who was seen drafting Lance up the mountains the past two years. Paolo Salvodelli looks to also contribute, but he had a hard effort in the Giro d'Italia...so probably won't look for a podium spot this year. A couple of newcomers are on board, but I have not seen that much from them. The old stand-bys, Benjamin Noval and "Eki" will be back for another Tour.
In my opinion after reading the team report from the director, Johan Bruyneel, it seems that this year's team is much like the USPS team of '99 (Lance's first win)...so it is just a matter of who shows up to ride on July 1st.
Including...
Jan Ullrich, the German who since 1998 has yet to claim a second title at the Tour...although some of those finishes have been close! Who could forget the 61 second time difference between Ullrich and Armstrong at entry into Paris? He'll be ready, don't worry.
Ivan Basso...one of my favorites. He's the Italian that ended up in third last year...he's quite a time-trialer...but suffers in the mountains. Remember Lance passing him along L'alp d'Huez? Anyhow, last year he did have a great run and I fully expected him to come to this year's Tour rested and ready...but his win at the Giro d'Italia...could have cost him the top spot.
and then some Others:
Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, and Alexandre Vinokourov
Basically...
Here's the deal. As we learned the past 7 years of watching one man win the Tour over and over...it comes down to the team. Who's team will fight for the title? Who's team is loyal enough to draft their leader up a mountain allowing themselves to spend all their energy and ultimately fall in the general classification? Who's team has a leader that can do their job in the time-trials so that the efforts of his teammates isn't lost? Team USPS and Discovery have crafted the perfect model...can they do it again or is time for a new team to emerge as the Tour de France champion? As the poster shows...the Malliot Jaune is up for grabs...
Details:
Watch on OLN beginning live on Saturday, July 1st at 7:30am CST.
~mitzi
1 comment:
and if we don't have cable, then what?!?! oh, the agony of it all! that's probably the real reason you stayed at home this summer, huh? I just figured that out...how could I have missed that? of course you had to take a job that started so late in the summer...of course you had to be at home where they have cable...wow, I'm suprised you're not IN France this summer...if only you had really rich parents... =)
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