Pro Cycling (inc Tour de France) 2008

**Macy** · 14/07/2008, 3:33 PM

Great stage today by the looks of the updates, if anyone was thinking of giving the highlights a miss!

**Bluebeard** · 14/07/2008, 5:12 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

Great stage today by the looks of the updates, if anyone was thinking of giving the highlights a miss!

Was watching on Eurosport via JustinTV to the bottom of the Hautacamp, and had to go to a meeting - just read the updates on getting in - sounded as good as the third or fourth last Giro stage this year - the really great one. Anyone any clue where I might be able to watch the highlights online tomorrow morning while pretending to be working?

**Dodge** · 14/07/2008, 7:48 PM

BTW for those who can access it, TG4 stream it live

**Macy** · 15/07/2008, 8:05 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Anyone any clue where I might be able to watch the highlights online tomorrow morning while pretending to be working?

It's blocked in work, but cyclingnews.com are advertising highlights - no idea whether it's any good. Try ITV as well. No broadband at home, and everything's locked down in work...

**Billsthoughts** · 15/07/2008, 9:56 PM

yesterdays stage nearly got me fired...as i spent most of afternoon hitting the canteen with the flat screen for ever more spurious reasons...great stage tho.

**Dodge** · 15/07/2008, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

yesterdays stage nearly got me fired...as i spent most of afternoon hitting the canteen with the flat screen for ever more spurious reasons...great stage tho.

****!!!! Forgot we had a tv in the canteen...

**TheBoss** · 15/07/2008, 11:03 PM

New Station: Eurosport HD - Ch 412 on Sky: Should be great to watch it in HD.

From my observations and maybe you lot too, I think Ricco looks quite comfortable when he was with Menchov, Evans, Sastre etc. Also with Peipoli and Cobo looking strong on Monday and previous stage, Saunier Duval look to best team in the mountains and I think that help Ricco to gain some time before the dreaded 2 time trials.

**Dodge** · 16/07/2008, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by TheBoss

From my observations and maybe you lot too, I think Ricco looks quite comfortable when he was with Menchov, Evans, Sastre etc. Also with Peipoli and Cobo looking strong on Monday and previous stage, Saunier Duval look to best team in the mountains and I think that help Ricco to gain some time before the dreaded 2 time trials.

Ricco was ridiculously comfortable in the Pyranees but he has stated he "knows" he can't win the tour this year. He said on Monday that he would do everything for Piepoli to win that day, and sure enough...

However in the short time trial he lost 3 minutes so who knows what he'll lose on the longer TT

**Billsthoughts** · 16/07/2008, 10:49 AM

another positive doping test today...Mois�s Due�as (I think.)

**Bluebeard** · 16/07/2008, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

another positive doping test today...Mois�s Due�as (I think.)

Young guy this time, only 27. He's also Spanish, so the toungues will wag, especially seeing as how Operacion Puerto was handled by Spanish authorities.

One guy on another site (can't remember which one) suggests that its a little suss that there haven't been a few more caught, and implied a cover up.

Meanwhile, apparently an Irish guy, David McCann, is second in the Tour of Qinghai Lake. Anyone here heard of him before?

**Macy** · 16/07/2008, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Young guy this time, only 27. He's also Spanish, so the toungues will wag, especially seeing as how Operacion Puerto was handled by Spanish authorities.

Well, I'd say there was a huge sigh of relief when a couple of "favourite" from another spanish team were shot out the back on the Tourmalet... The Saunier Duval performances also raise eyebrows, but it's good that some of the teams that are clearly anti-doping are doing well - Columbia, Garmin & CSC all do lots of independent testing.

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

One guy on another site (can't remember which one) suggests that its a little suss that there haven't been a few more caught, and implied a cover up.

I doubt it - sure they're flagging it as a success.

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Meanwhile, apparently an Irish guy, David McCann, is second in the Tour of Qinghai Lake. Anyone here heard of him before?

McCann has been around a long time, iirc he's ridden a lot in America, but I could be mistaken (as there were a few other Irish riders out there)

**Bluebeard** · 16/07/2008, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

McCann has been around a long time, iirc he's ridden a lot in America, but I could be mistaken (as there were a few other Irish riders out there)

I thought that he'd retired!

(I also though he was called Daniel McCann for some reason - wiki suggests otherwise

)

**Bluebeard** · 17/07/2008, 11:41 AM

Ricco just tested positive. A right pain as I'd really enjoyed watching him in the tour. Better that he's caught though, but still, a body really does feel cheated by him, having been so elated on his "triumph".

Saunier Duval have withdrawn as a result, so the KOM falls to Sebastian Lang who finished yesterday ranked third in that category. De La Fuente and Piepoli must be enraged to a great degree.

**Schumi** · 17/07/2008, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Ricco just tested positive.

FFS. Really enjoyed his win last weekend.

**Macy** · 17/07/2008, 1:12 PM

Not really much of a surprise, considering their dominance in the mountains. That type of performance as to Hautacam raises eyebrows, so it's a good thing that he was positive. Also good that the test picked up 3rd generation EPO. The way they dominated all the mountain stages wasn't good for the image. Naturally high heamocrit me arse. btw I think that's the third targetted test that has resulted in a non-negative result.

**TheBoss** · 17/07/2008, 1:56 PM

It is just annoying to see a talented rider have to do this, I was really impressed like many but this justs questions you own judgement about it.

**Bluebeard** · 18/07/2008, 2:07 PM

Just in case any of us had faith in Piepoli's win, apparently he's been sacked by Saunier Duval, along with Ricco, for doping practices.

**Dodge** · 18/07/2008, 8:34 PM

It really is heartbreaking stuff...

BTW Dave McCann rode the Road Race for the North a few years ago. Raced in Asia and I think won stages on Tour de Langkawi (or possibly Korea). Won the national championship a couple of times too I think

**Macy** · 21/07/2008, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Just in case any of us had faith in Piepoli's win, apparently he's been sacked by Saunier Duval, along with Ricco, for doping practices.

No non-negative yet, but admitted to the team manager after Ricco was busted apparently. Cobo so far appears to be clean, but remains to be seen. I've no time for the managers that say they trusted the riders - they could all be implementing testing like CSC, Columbia and Garmin and be sure. It's good that Dan Martin is with one of the clean teams.

Another great stage yesterday, pity Menchov crashed when he launched the attack. Probably better for Evans to be out of yellow - he simply doesn't have the team to defend it. Interesting how CSC play it - they've so many options...