HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!
What is Bastille Day? Back in the day before democracy, France was ruled by kings and queens. The Bastille was a large prison in the center of Paris.
On July 14th, in 1789, the French stormed the Bastill, freeing all the prisoners, and then overthrew the King, cut his head off, and formed the first democratic Republic.
Unlike America, The French are already on their FIFTH republic, but no one talks about that because no one got their head chopped off with a guillotine since then.
Is the Bastille still there? No. It was torn down because it was a symbol of depression. Now there is a monument in its place. The are is littered with cafes and bars and a lot of little salsa bars where people steal your girlfriend if you take her there because you can't dance.
Back to the tour...
On this day in the tour we saw some mountains. No one in the GC attacked today. There has been a little animation however.
Richard Virenque has attacked heavily and won all nine climbs today. And the race. At one point he alone had He currently has a 7 minute lead on the peleton with only 9k to go. It's always great to see a French rider win on Bastille Day.
THEN TOUR IS HEATING UP.
Tour de Lance
On the second day of the mountains it was all Armstrong.
Today was a 200 km category 1 climb up to La Mongie. Ivan Basso won the big stage with Lance right on his wheel. Lance is now in second overall 5 minutes behind Voeckler.
Ivan Basso is about 5 minutes behind Lance in the overall race, but he surely looks strong.
The rest of the favorites could not keep up the pace. Jan Ulrich looked tired and unable to keep up. The other America Tyler Hamilton looked like his tongue was dragging behind him. Barring a high speed crash or a similar catastrophe, it is beginning to look like Lance is going to win his 6th tour.
I knew you could do it, Lance. I always had faith in you.
No really, unless the rest of the riders are saving themselves for some other day and doing a good impression of tired riders, I am shocked that no one can compete with Lance. He is obviously the superior athlete.
Today was a 200 km category 1 climb up to La Mongie. Ivan Basso won the big stage with Lance right on his wheel. Lance is now in second overall 5 minutes behind Voeckler.
Ivan Basso is about 5 minutes behind Lance in the overall race, but he surely looks strong.
The rest of the favorites could not keep up the pace. Jan Ulrich looked tired and unable to keep up. The other America Tyler Hamilton looked like his tongue was dragging behind him. Barring a high speed crash or a similar catastrophe, it is beginning to look like Lance is going to win his 6th tour.
I knew you could do it, Lance. I always had faith in you.
No really, unless the rest of the riders are saving themselves for some other day and doing a good impression of tired riders, I am shocked that no one can compete with Lance. He is obviously the superior athlete.
-
mccutcheon
- New York Scribbler
- Posts: 4996
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2000 8:01 am
- Location: NYC
- Contact:
Allez
June 14th (and June 15th) I was in a dark French bar drinkng and smoking-- yes smoking - and laughing and talking football and love and life with real French people who gave me booze and kisses on the cheek and the real French kisses as well. I really felt like I was in a bar not far from the Bastille.
-
Tommy Martyn
- Mile High Club
- Posts: 887
- Joined: Mon May 19, 2003 8:01 am
- Location: a desk
Yeah, Lance dominated the race. I gave up my commentary because no one could even challenge him.
It was like a 35-0 at halftime kind of race.
It looked like the other teams weren't even TRYING. And remember some people said they made the course specifically so Lance wouldn't win his 6th.
The worst part of the Tour was GREG LEMOND, 3 time Tour champion, accusing Lance of taking drugs.
"Lance is ready to do anything to keep his secret," LeMond told France's Le Monde newspaper. "I don't know how he can continue to convince everybody of his innocence."
Greg hinted it was impossible to come back to form after a near-death experience like that without taking drugs. Let's remember at one point the doctors gave Lance 6 months to live.
Strangely, Lemond too came back from a near death experience. He was shot in the back by his brother in law in a hunting accident and almost died.
If Greg wants to make a confession, then he should make one. But he shouldn't be blowing the whistle on Lance when there is NO evidence (and we're talking zilch here folks).
Anyone who has taken drugs knows that performing enhancing drugs may be useful for a short amount of time... but 6 years in a row? No drug can make you win the tour 6 times in row.
So why do people accuse him? Jealousy probably. Lemond actually said he could lose his business (he owns a bicycle factory) if Lance is seen as the king of American cycling.
And from the performance of Jan Ulrich and Simeoni, it looks like they were on the wrong kind of drugs for bicycle racing anyway (ecstasy and cocaine respectively) again.
Next year Lance may not ride the Tour de France. He might do the Tour of Italy and the Tour of Spain instead. I think he realizes he is bigger than the Tour itself now. He has to be sick of the lack of challenge and the way he is being treated by the French press.
After all, he must feel like Obi-Wan Kenobi now. "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
It was like a 35-0 at halftime kind of race.
It looked like the other teams weren't even TRYING. And remember some people said they made the course specifically so Lance wouldn't win his 6th.
The worst part of the Tour was GREG LEMOND, 3 time Tour champion, accusing Lance of taking drugs.
"Lance is ready to do anything to keep his secret," LeMond told France's Le Monde newspaper. "I don't know how he can continue to convince everybody of his innocence."
Greg hinted it was impossible to come back to form after a near-death experience like that without taking drugs. Let's remember at one point the doctors gave Lance 6 months to live.
Strangely, Lemond too came back from a near death experience. He was shot in the back by his brother in law in a hunting accident and almost died.
If Greg wants to make a confession, then he should make one. But he shouldn't be blowing the whistle on Lance when there is NO evidence (and we're talking zilch here folks).
Anyone who has taken drugs knows that performing enhancing drugs may be useful for a short amount of time... but 6 years in a row? No drug can make you win the tour 6 times in row.
So why do people accuse him? Jealousy probably. Lemond actually said he could lose his business (he owns a bicycle factory) if Lance is seen as the king of American cycling.
And from the performance of Jan Ulrich and Simeoni, it looks like they were on the wrong kind of drugs for bicycle racing anyway (ecstasy and cocaine respectively) again.
Next year Lance may not ride the Tour de France. He might do the Tour of Italy and the Tour of Spain instead. I think he realizes he is bigger than the Tour itself now. He has to be sick of the lack of challenge and the way he is being treated by the French press.
After all, he must feel like Obi-Wan Kenobi now. "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
As if we didn't have enoguh stories of drug abuse... a famous cyclist Marco Pantani who missed the Tour for 'health reasons' just died of a cocaine overdose.
http://www.supercycling.co.za/default.a ... ernational
Now I've done a lot of cocaine before. Enough to go bananas on blow. But at no point did I feel I was going to die.
That's a lot of charlie.
http://www.supercycling.co.za/default.a ... ernational
Now I've done a lot of cocaine before. Enough to go bananas on blow. But at no point did I feel I was going to die.
That's a lot of charlie.
-
mccutcheon
- New York Scribbler
- Posts: 4996
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2000 8:01 am
- Location: NYC
- Contact: