Tour de France 2009

Fantastic end of race. Contador is the new Bahamontes !
Sad to see his team, one more time, against him : as he escaped, Kloden tried to bring back Armstrong on him. Stupid, really.

Contador has demostrated he doesn't really need his team to win Le Tour. At least, this team. I hope he gets out of it at the end of this season...taking the Number 1 with him to a new team next year. And watch out cause this is going to be his second victory and he is still young...

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While it's a bit sad (for an American) to see Armstrong with his best years behind him, that was the first exciting day of racing this year. Not bad for an old man but Contador is clearly stronger. The king is dead, long live the king.

To be fair, what Armstrong is doing is absolutely amazing. He is 37, soon will be 38.

3 years since he retired, without racing or competing at any official race.

He comes back, and he is on top. He won´t win cause Contador is the real deal now, but if Contador wasn´t here, Lance would have serious chances to win again.

So... even though I can´t wait for Contador to win his second Tour in a row (last year the organizers banned him with NO reason), I must admit that Lance is setting a great example. I just hope none of them give a positive at any doping control.

The exact moment when Contador "jumps", gets full speed going up-hill, and pretty much makes clear who is the best of the moment:




Here, at the podium, with his well-deserved yellow shirt.






Contador´s attack!

Yesterday will stay as one of the "big time" the Tour already knows since more than 100 years (the first Tour was in 1903 !). Contador was really brilliant and it was the first "failure's day" for Armstrong. This failure gives him an "human" face and that probably helps him to be more liked by french people on the road.
Tuesday, wednesday and saturday could be hot too...

ChooChooHotHub wrote:

Yesterday will stay as one of the "big time" the Tour already knows since more than 100 years (the first Tour was in 1903 !). Contador was really brilliant and it was the first "failure's day" for Armstrong. This failure gives him an "human" face and that probably helps him to be more liked by french people on the road.
Tuesday, wednesday and saturday could be hot too...

Because the French appreciate failure?

I am sure you have understood.
This failure probably helps "suspicious minds" to slowdown a little.
A second place could produce an Armstrong less arrogant and, then, more liked. But, as Armstrong himself said it yesterday, the race is not over...

Yes, it is not over. Even though it would be better for him that it was.... cause all he can do now is loose his second place. The Sleck brothers have said they are ready to fight.

Spanishdavid wrote:

Yes, it is not over...The Sleck brothers have said they are ready to fight.

And they do it today, trying to let Armstrong behind but he came back in a very amazing way !
Nice race today. Glad for Astarloza and Euskaltel team.

And the winner is.....

Saturday's race was beautiful. The Schlek bros tried to break Astana's fortress. Contador was easy, Armstrong has resist well but Kloden fell. Wiggins is the revelation for me this year.

Contador has proven that he doesn´t need ANYBODY. He just needs and sponsor and a pair of wheels, and he will be the next big champion. This guy is gonna make history.

He already has

1 Giro de Italia
1 Vuelta a España
2 Tour de France

and he is still 26.

So, the Tour is over now.
I just hope we wont' hear later that some of the bigs has cheat as it happened many times this last years.
Let's wait the next one...