The ruling on how they give out times to the riders is based on separation of being more than wheel to wheel in distance from one another. So even if you're just 2 feet behind a rider's back wheel, you will get a separate time. That's why a peloton gets the same time, they are all connected wheel to wheel with no discernible spacing.
That would make it a hell of a lot more interesting. But I think I am begining to understand. If the same rules applied to stock car racing then even if Hendricks Motorsports teamates Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Mark martin were running 1-2-3 and Stewart-Haas teamates Tony Stewart a nd Ryan Newman were in the 4-5 positions, Tony Stewart would still be the winner because the other Hendricks Motorsports teamate Dale Earnhardt Jr. was in 17th place. Those rules suck. The biker with the fastest overall time should be the winner. What if Usain Bolt's world record breaking 100 meter dash in the Olympics didn't count because his Jamaican teamates had run poorly? What if Michael Phelps had led 3 Austrailian swimmers to the finish line but his American teamates finished 5-6? Maybe Tom Watson should have been given an age handicap and declared the winner of the British Open? Should the underdog in the World Series only have to win 3 games? Should Floyd Mayweather's opponents be given a 10 punch advantige? How about if Kentucky and Arkansas were to be declared co National Champions in 2007 because they both beat LSU? Another thing I don't understand is that whoever is leading the Tour de France after the second to last stage is already the winner. Thats like baseball with no 9th inning or football with no 4th quarter. No wonder the French always need us to bail their sorry azzes out of being dominated by the Germans.
Great time trial race today. Lance didn't do quite as well as he had hoped I am sure, but he did put himself back on the podium in 3rd place overall. A great time trial today would have put him neck and neck with Schleck (yes, I just said that). Andy Schleck ran the best time trial of his life and kept 2nd comfortably and I don't believe Lance has any chance at catching him now. It is still a battle for 3rd as Bradley Wiggins, Frank Schleck and Andreas Kloden are just behind Lance. That will be the thing to watch from here on out. There is one more huge mountain climb, which would favor Frank Schleck in terms of trying to place 3rd. But we all know Lance can more than hold his own on the steep mountain climbs.
I dont think Lance can hold 3rd on Ventoux unless he shows something more than he has. His mind is capable but I dont think his 38 year old body can. He's been off for several years, started training late, broke his collarbone a couple months ago and these young guys are strong. He's had an admirable performance for someone with all those limitations and it still shows he's one of the best in the world, just not "the" best and for him thats not good enough. If he comes back next year with a strong team (Radio Shack?) and works the entire year to win the Tour maybe he has a chance but father time is a relentless demon to world championship athletes who try the "come back". I'll tell you whats eyebrow raising though, the time trial turned in by Contador. He has never TT'ed like that in his life before this Tour. Where did that come from?
Well Lance probably won't have to worry about either Wiggins or Kloden, it's only Frank Schleck, who he has a fairly significant 38 second advantage over. Lets hope Cantador doesn't let ego get in the way and actually rides for his fellow teammates to try to get them on the podium alongside him. Alberto certainly threw Kloden off the cliff the other day, let's hope we don't see a repeat of that tomorrow regarding Lance and company.
Contador knew he screwed up and it was a really dumb move on his part getting rid of Kloden that way. He put the brothers on the podium with that stupid move. I would think Contador is going to help Lance as long as the brothers dont go off on their own. If that happens Contador has to go with them and leave Lance and Kloden to manage on their own. I would love to see a sweep of the top 3 but I dont think its going to happen. It will be difficult enough for Armstrong to keep 3rd never mind take 2nd and drag Kloden with him to 3rd. That aint happening. The brothers are too strong and they will be attacking Armstrong.
Congratulations Lance Armstrong. What a performance on the Mont Ventoux today. Will finish on the podium in 3rd place. Not many would have counted on him to do that, especially after the injury and the lack of conditioning. What a bike rider. He will be back next year in what may me one for the ages, going up against Contador and Andy Schleck.
I just watched the climb and that is one brutal mountain. What Lance did on that climb was amazing and what he did overall was unexpected. Pretty good tour this year after the last 3 dogs.
Next year's tour may be the most anticipated in history if Lance can field a strong team and be physically ready to challenge Contador.
