best tour for years

This is a great race. I thought Ulrich was out of the race in the Alps. But he has battled back and it is making for a great finish in Paris next week. Just hope npothing happens to Mayo Lance ,or Ulrich this week. Hopefully will see a dead out sprint for the title down the main streets of Paris. THat would be great.

This is a race for the ages no matter what the outcome.

yeah its deffinately the best tour ive ever seen , beats the 89 one for me , and the 87 and 86 tours were pretty special too.

I agree, every stage has had some fantastic individual efforts. The team tactics and dynamics have been interesting.

I have a suspicion that Lance instructed his USP team to hold up the peleton to let his mate, Tyler secure the stage win yesterday. What do you reckon.

Quoted post said:

I have a suspicion that Lance instructed his USP team to hold up the peleton to let his mate, Tyler secure the stage win yesterday. What do you reckon.

I'm pretty sure that is what happened. It's a sort of [censored] for tat. USPS is good friends with CSC/Hamilton and also with Euskatel/Mayo.

Armstrong didn't chase Mayo on Alpe d'Huez, Mayo took the bonification seconds of Ullrich.
Hamilton worked for Armstrong for years, played a role in holding up the leading group after LA fall.

The opposite can be said about the relation between Rabobank/Boogerd and USPS.
Armstrong didn't really chase Boogerd last year when he whon the stage to La Plagne. A few days later, Rabobank supported an attack on the USPS team. They didn't appreciate it. It led to the situation that in the Amstel Gold Race, Armstrong let his team work to prevent Boogerd from escaping/winning. And still you see that when Boogerd tries to attack he's not allowed to.

Does anyone know more of these relationships/examples?