2008 Tour de France Stage 20 - Sat July 26: Cerilly-St. Amand-Montrond (ITT), 53 km

[ad9898]

Any news on Potatohead? Surely they must have analyzed his sample from the 1st TT by now? And wtf happened to Kohl? Admittedly, Evans didn't well today, but to have Kohl within a few seconds? Anyway, great ride by Sastre and a well deserved yellow in Paris. The Schlecks need to practice TT. Abysmal.

I honestly think the Schlecks are always going to be weak in TT's, they are tall and gangly, which doesn't bode well for the power required to put in good times.

 

[Crankyfeet]

Evans was the only one who had pain on his face. That means he doesn't dope. Sastre even forgot to take the intravenous tube out of his arm. He was lucky it didn't tangle in his chain.

 

[earth_dweller]

Evans was the only one who had pain on his face. That means he doesn't dope. Sastre even forgot to take the intravenous tube out of his arm. He was lucky it didn't tangle in his chain.

oh oops

ignore my previous comment

 

[missile]

Evans was the only one who had pain on his face. That means he doesn't dope. Sastre even forgot to take the intravenous tube out of his arm. He was lucky it didn't tangle in his chain.

Schumacher seemed to be actually grinning when he crossed the line!

 

[Crankyfeet]

I'm watching the Versus replay of the TT now. I'm hoping Evans can do better this time round.

 

[classic1]

Evans was the only one who had pain on his face. That means he doesn't dope. Sastre even forgot to take the intravenous tube out of his arm. He was lucky it didn't tangle in his chain.

I also saw him with a syringe taped to his guts, slap himself on the thigh to get the underskin amphetimine shot going and he also stuck a suppository up his **** at the 20km mark. Plus he was motorpacing the team car. I can't believe nobody else saw all that.

 

[ad9898]

I also saw him with a syringe taped to his guts, slap himself on the thigh to get the underskin amphetimine shot going and he also stuck a suppository up his **** at the 20km mark. Plus he was motorpacing the team car. I can't believe nobody else saw all that.

How could you have seen that ???, at the 16k mark I saw him put his bike on the roof of the team car and hitch a lift to 1 km kite, FFS, nobody saw ??

 

[earth_dweller]

and of course Schumacher was applying testosterone patches to his head by mistake, it would explain the size of the noggin

 

[Cobblestones]

and of course Schumacher was applying testosterone patches to his head by mistake, it would explain the size of the noggin

Shouldn't it shrink though? Balls for brains etc.?

 

[limerickman]

What a time trial!

Sastre really did the ITT of his life and managed to lose only a small amount to
Evans and to retain and probably win overall GC for TDF 2008.
Sastre’s TT’ing was very impressive.
I think the fact that the CSC team tactic throughout TDF 2008, probably helped
make Sastre a bit fresher than either Evans and Menchov.

Evans?
He didn’t do as well as expected.
I reckon that it was down to the fact that LOTTO as a team are not as strong as CSC
and that Evans had to expend more energy to protect his position in the race.

Eurosport were saying that the CSC team tactic, throughout the Tour, was probably the difference in both riders performance today.

What about Kohl though!
Superb performance – he gave it everything.

I don’t know if people picked up the podium presentation.
Kohl could barely standup on the podium so much so that Badger Hinault had to stand beside him just in case he passed out.
On Irish TV you could clearly see Hinault asking Kohl “are you okay”?
The camera followed Kohl off the podium and he was helped down by two Gerolsteiner soigneurs and helped in to the Gerolsteiner van.
Great ride Bernhard.

 

[RdBiker]

Evans rode out of his socks today. All the other riders had transfusions and improved their times by two and a half minutes.

Or then he just didnt get the dope he was meant to get. That would explain why the rest of the team rode an abysmal tour. Even popo. Evans must be so ****** that he didnt get the support he needed this year either... But I still cant believe sastre only lost half a minute. I think now I know how all the lance haters felt for seven years even though I have nothing especially against Sastre.

 

[Crankyfeet]

I'm watching the replay for more evidence. Kohl looked like he fell off the start ramp. But Gerolsteiner had transfusion equipment under the ramp. The hotel must be too risky.

 

[RdBiker]

I'm watching the replay for more evidence. Kohl looked like he fell off the start ramp. But Gerolsteiner had transfusion equipment under the ramp. The hotel must be too risky.

Is evans doing any better?

 

[earth_dweller]

What a time trial!

Sastre really did the ITT of his life and managed to lose only a small amount to
Evans and to retain and probably win overall GC for TDF 2008.
Sastre’s TT’ing was very impressive.
I think the fact that the CSC team tactic throughout TDF 2008, probably helped
make Sastre a bit fresher than either Evans and Menchov.

Evans?
He didn’t do as well as expected.
I reckon that it was down to the fact that LOTTO as a team are not as strong as CSC
and that Evans had to expend more energy to protect his position in the race.

Eurosport were saying that the CSC team tactic, throughout the Tour, was probably the difference in both riders performance today.

What about Kohl though!
Superb performance – he gave it everything.

I don’t know if people picked up the podium presentation.
Kohl could barely standup on the podium so much so that Badger Hinault had to stand beside him just in case he passed out.
On Irish TV you could clearly see Hinault asking Kohl “are you okay”?
The camera followed Kohl off the podium and he was helped down by two Gerolsteiner soigneurs and helped in to the Gerolsteiner van.
Great ride Bernhard.

agreed. CSC played on Sastre's history of getting stronger in the last week, and protected him perfectly to keep him fresher.

Didn't see the Kohl podium here but the eurosport.fr commentators were saying that they had to wait for him because he collapsed and couldn't walk. He really put it all on the line.

Evans' team was well lousy, and I think the pressure got to him. Signs were showing up with his tantrums with the press, crascking under pressure.

Very good ride by Vandevelde too who I think is just realizing that he's a better rider than he thought - is it too late?

Schumacher's ride? well, raised eyebrows on that one.

 

[Capt.Injury]

What a time trial!

Sastre really did the ITT of his life and managed to lose only a small amount to
Evans and to retain and probably win overall GC for TDF 2008.
Sastre’s TT’ing was very impressive.
I think the fact that the CSC team tactic throughout TDF 2008, probably helped
make Sastre a bit fresher than either Evans and Menchov.

Evans?
He didn’t do as well as expected.
I reckon that it was down to the fact that LOTTO as a team are not as strong as CSC
and that Evans had to expend more energy to protect his position in the race.

Eurosport were saying that the CSC team tactic, throughout the Tour, was probably the difference in both riders performance today.

What about Kohl though!
Superb performance – he gave it everything.

I don’t know if people picked up the podium presentation.
Kohl could barely standup on the podium so much so that Badger Hinault had to stand beside him just in case he passed out.
On Irish TV you could clearly see Hinault asking Kohl “are you okay”?
The camera followed Kohl off the podium and he was helped down by two Gerolsteiner soigneurs and helped in to the Gerolsteiner van.
Great ride Bernhard.

I missed that, i am going to go back and see if I can watch it. That is excellent observation. I thought Kohl time sounded strange, but from what it sound like he would have been unable to make it even an extra km on the TT.

 

[classic1]

and of course Schumacher was applying testosterone patches to his head by mistake, it would explain the size of the noggin

LOL. He looks like he has filled his head with expandable foam so he doesn't need to wear a helmet.

 

[Bro Deal]

I honestly think the Schlecks are always going to be weak in TT's, they are tall and gangly, which doesn't bode well for the power required to put in good times.

F. Schleck has never struck me as a real contender. I said before that he was fragile. He looks like a stage winner, mountain jersey winner, short stage race winner, but I don't think he is good enough to ride well every day for three weeks.

His little bro looks like he has what it takes. He still needs to improve his ITT. He will be a good enough climber to compensate for his deficiency in the time trial. I don't think Frank can climb consistently well enough to compenstate for his time trialing.

 

[Crankyfeet]

Is evans doing any better?

I think so... but Sastre looks real fresh this time around. I thought he'd be stuffed after his herculean effort earlier.

He must have had another transfusion...

 

[classic1]

I'm watching the replay for more evidence. Kohl looked like he fell off the start ramp. But Gerolsteiner had transfusion equipment under the ramp. The hotel must be too risky.

Those 'mineral water' bottles are not what you think. A little too convenient having a mineral water sponsor with all those bottles lying around. They are actually filled with plasma products and EPO..

 

[limerickman]

I'm watching the replay for more evidence. Kohl looked like he fell off the start ramp. But Gerolsteiner had transfusion equipment under the ramp. The hotel must be too risky.

Kohl did fall when he tried to get on to the start ramp.