J.4knee Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Amid all the scandal and all pomp and circumstance the worlds greatest race is once again underway. Congrats Thor Hushovd on the first Maillot Jaune (sp?)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capo72 Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Maillot Jaune (sp?)! Yellow jersey? Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardP Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 This year's scandal is bigger than the 1998 Festina affair, when whole teams were evicted or chose to withdraw. Last year's #2 finisher (Ivan Basso), #3 (Jan Ullrich), and #4 (Francesco Mancebo) were all dismissed, along with a few others, from the Tour on Friday. Though not proven guilty by a long shot, they were withdrawn because of their apparent or reported connection with a Spanish sports doctor now under investigation for illegal dispensing of performance enhancing drugs, such as EPO and steroids. I find it incredible that any major rider would even consider using such drugs or associating with doctors who do so, given the tremendous scrutiny on riders by police, the media, and the sports organizations. What is interesting is that the withdrawal of those riders was done by consensus of all team managers, not by the Tour de France organization. With Basso and Ullrich out, who were the clear favorites for the overall win, the door is wide open for American riders Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, and George Hincapie. Imagine if one of them wins, the American domination would continue even after Lance Armstrong's retirement. I am guessing that would really p-off the French even more. Oh, and kudos to OLN for broadcasting the Tour for 14 hours each day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capo72 Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Go Hincapie! I think he won his 1st ever stage last year. Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted July 24, 2006 Author Share Posted July 24, 2006 Congratulations Floyd Landis on your first TDF win, the 8th in a row and 11th out of the last 21 for the good old USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Geeze, why's it always have to be in France? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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