Tour de France 2009

moby125 · 18-06-2009, 8:48 PM

Not long to go now. Starting in Monaco this year. Running from Saturday July 4th to Sunday July 26th 2009, the 96th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,500 kilometres.

These 21 stages have the following profiles:

•10 flat stages,
•7 mountain stages,
•1 medium mountain stage,
•2 individual time-trial stages,
•1 team time-trial stage.

Distinctive aspects of the race
•3 mountain finishes,
•2 rest days,
•55 kilometres of individual time-trials,
•20 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes will be climbed.

Stage 20 looks very interesting a climb up Mont Ventoux on the day before the Champs-Élysées.

Coverage on Eurosport as usual, looks like ITV4 are also covering the event.

Tour de France - 2009
Tour de France 2009 | Le Tour de France Route - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
Cycling - ITV Sport

So who's your favourite to win??

JohnG · 19-06-2009, 7:45 AM

I've lost touch with cycling over the last couple of years but I think I'll give it a go this year again. Looks like Eurosport will get it's first viewing in ages from me

arthurdentpc · 19-06-2009, 8:25 AM

Used to watch this avidly, even managed to see it live once - but with all the drugs problems in recent years it's got to the point where it's not worth watching (imo).

Dony · 19-06-2009, 8:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arthurdentpc

Used to watch this avidly, even managed to see it live once - but with all the drugs problems in recent years it's got to the point where it's not worth watching (imo).

I feel the same as you do...used to love it, but now I'm too suspicious of what the riders may have taken beforehand.

Is Lance Armstrong back this year?

JohnG · 19-06-2009, 9:54 AM

There was an announcement on Talk Sport this morning saying that Lance will be riding this year.

mickevh · 19-06-2009, 11:00 AM

That's been known for a while: Isn't the line that "he came out of retirement to do the TDF again" and he's been using the "other" tours to prepare...?

Hope ITV's "interactive" coverage is better than the postage stamp sized box they did did last year: Perhaps they can "borrow" some bandwidth from ITV HD when it's not doing anything better.

Anyone know whether Cavendish is going to try and ride the whole event this year?

Dony · 19-06-2009, 6:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickevh

That's been known for a while: Isn't the line that "he came out of retirement to do the TDF again" and he's been using the "other" tours to prepare...?

I knew that he was intending to ride, but I wasn't sure if he'd recovered from his recent shoulder injury.

mickevh · 19-06-2009, 6:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dony

I knew that he was intending to ride, but I wasn't sure if he'd recovered from his recent shoulder injury.

He had a shoulder injury? Evidently, you know more about it than me

hdsport · 19-06-2009, 7:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dony

I knew that he was intending to ride, but I wasn't sure if he'd recovered from his recent shoulder injury.

Yeah he [Armstrong] rode (and completed the Giro) which was IMO a great race coming down to the final day time trial when Menchov fell in the final kilometer when he was cruising to victory picked himself up and still won!

To those who go on about drugs, you can look at it negatively or that every positive test is one for the system. You could also look at other sports e.g. football one of the last Olympic sports to sign up to the WADA code (and whose clubs indulge in 'blood spinning') or golf that has only just started drug testing! This of course pales to US Sports especially the NFL and Baseball.

Dony · 19-06-2009, 8:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdsport

To those who go on about drugs, you can look at it negatively or that every positive test is one for the system. You could also look at other sports e.g. football one of the last Olympic sports to sign up to the WADA code (and whose clubs indulge in 'blood spinning') or golf that has only just started drug testing! This of course pales to US Sports especially the NFL and Baseball.

One of my greatest sporting memories is when Stephen Roche came from no-where to catch Pedro Delgado, when it looked liked his tour was over. He went on to win the tour that year (my father flew to Paris to watch he come in)

Stephen Roche 1987

I really hope it was a super human effort by him, but I'll always have my doubts.

I do agree with you that cycling is way ahead of other sports in terms of drug test, and for that it has to be commended.

moby125 · 19-06-2009, 9:25 PM

Eurosport have been showing a lot of cycling as of late and have been following Lance Armstrong's return too competition. Looking forward too seeing how he and Alberto Contador get on this year.

As for the drug cheats, like last year if anyone gets caught cheating they are thrown out of the tour immediately and usually their team withdraws within hours.

hdsport · 20-06-2009, 7:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickevh

Anyone know whether Cavendish is going to try and ride the whole event this year?

Should be, he's said that he's targeting the Green Jersey this year.

rjohnso · 24-06-2009, 1:45 PM

cavendish for green
wiggins for prologue
millar for time trial

Kristian · 01-07-2009, 1:56 PM

I've not been interested in cycling before but have just finished Lance's two books, 'It's not about the bike' and 'Every second counts'. They have piqued my interest so I'll probably follow this years event. Who's the favorite team this year?

Se777eN · 01-07-2009, 2:20 PM

been watching this for about 10 years don't watch any other tours only the de france i watched the start from london 2 years ago and loved it. Just got the officail tour de france mag today for 10 notes not read threw it yet or watched the dvd that come with it so will let you know who i think will win 2moz or friday.

Be interesting to see what cadel evens does this year he is always up there.

mickevh · 04-07-2009, 12:07 PM

For the benefit of those of us that only watch one bike race per year, can someone explain the climb categories. I get the impression that "4" is easiest, "1" hardest and HC is an extra special uber-hard cat.

But what's the classification based on - is it steepness, duration/length or is there some kind of jury that says "blimey, that looks tough, better call it a 1."

Also, are descents categoried too?

Ta.

**inzaman** · 04-07-2009, 1:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickevh

For the benefit of those of us that only watch one bike race per year, can someone explain the climb categories. I get the impression that "4" is easiest, "1" hardest and HC is an extra special uber-hard cat.

But what's the classification based on - is it steepness, duration/length or is there some kind of jury that says "blimey, that looks tough, better call it a 1."

Also, are descents categoried too?

Ta.

It is quite subjective but this should give you some idea. Also the Hors category climbs include an altitude difference of at least 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) from start to finish and usually have an average grade of at least 7 percent.

Se777eN · 04-07-2009, 4:55 PM

Rite am going for andy schleck for the tour this year just put a few quid on him at 9/1 on betfair.

hdsport · 05-07-2009, 3:23 PM

Well done Cav, good work by Columbia-HTC and an absolute formality once that little gap formed in the last few hundred meters.

Se777eN · 05-07-2009, 4:02 PM

Man they was some crash's today what was all that about near the end??

moby125 · 06-07-2009, 8:30 PM

Good team work by Columbia today and another excellant win for Cav!!

**inzaman** · 06-07-2009, 8:43 PM

I thought today was an amazing stage, great win for Cav, and Team Columbia were awesome; what amazing team work.

Also how Lance's experience shone through, totally amazing

you could also see the determination on his face when it was his turn to lead the breakaway; there was no way the peleton was going to catch the breakaway as they just didnt seem organised

rjohnso · 07-07-2009, 9:28 AM

Cavendish is BOSS!!

Kristian · 08-07-2009, 9:34 AM

Armstrong was soooo close to getting the yellow jersey! It'll be interesting to see how the team organise themselves around Contador and Armstrong over this tour.

hdsport · 10-07-2009, 3:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrisLee

Armstrong was soooo close to getting the yellow jersey! It'll be interesting to see how the team organise themselves around Contador and Armstrong over this tour.

Think Contador has asserted his authority today what an attack..

Also a fantastic ride by Bradley Wiggins to finish in the group with Armstrong et al.

Se777eN · 10-07-2009, 3:32 PM

What a ride from Bradley Wiggins great to see him up there.

hdsport · 10-07-2009, 3:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Se777eN

What a ride from Bradley Wiggins great to see him up there.

Yeah he said he's 5kgs lighter this year and targeting top 20 and is doing a great job.

**inzaman** · 10-07-2009, 9:02 PM

It was a great ride by Bradley Wiggins and it will be interesting to see how he goes over the next couple of days.

I dont know what to make of Astana, Contador, and Lance, who knows what's going off. It was a great attack by Contador and Lance did what a team mate should do and hold the rest of the GC back. Did you see Lance's interview after where he said it didnt go to team plan but wasnt a bad result, or words to that effect. This is a great tour so far, let's hope it continues

dardruba · 10-07-2009, 10:16 PM

Inzaman re climbing grades
David Duffield once explained it was based on the gear that cars in those early days needed to be in to clear the climb.

scrapbook · 11-07-2009, 10:36 AM

Are they in the mountains today?