Pro Cycling (inc Tour de France) 2008

[Bluebeard]

I really hope Evans cleans up on the time trial and wins this years tour. Living in Oz they are quite arrogant about what they achieve in all sports - some idiots seriously felt they should have won the 2006 world cup - Evans winning however would go some way to rebuilding the reputation of the TDF and pro cycling in general, there has never been any hint of him using drugs and he is so modest and down to earth in interviews that it beggars belief. The man is a machine, even more determined than Armstrong and it is obvious that a win would mean everything to him. I'm no expert on the sport so was just wondering how you guys felt about his chances?

I'd been against until earlier this week when I had a moment of clarity. The man is clean, determined, works with what he was given, tactically astute, has no team about him, doesn't complain, wears a "Free Tibet" T-shirt and really wants it. He may not be the most exciting cyclist ever, and is Australian, but damnit, he is a really good example in so many ways. Hope he wipes the floor with Riis's vascillating superstars today (Cancellara & Voigt excepted, of course).

[Macy]

Sastre pulled it off, or perhaps more Evans didn't have enough left in the tank. He never looked comfortable in the time trial. Having a weaker team, along with the crash took it out of him in the end. It's good that the winner came from one of the teams that have all the independent testing too, although never much of question mark around Evans either. Hopefully all sponsors will insist on such an approach from now on, which with the UCI passport system can only improve the sport. Looking forward to the Tour of Ireland now, and also hoping that there's decent coverage of the Olympic races on BBC.

[Dodge]

The track races will get great coverage on the BBC as they have 8-10 genuine medal shouts.

Agree re the independent testing. Despite the late positive tests (****ing Kazakhs...) good to see that the tour is generally being seen as a good one, and a much needed boost.

Only recently found out Sastre's nickname in Spanish cycling is Mr Clean. Hopefully that isn't sarcasm.

I'd say his ride meant Evans would've had to win the ITT to claim yellow and I'm not sure he'd ever be on that kind of pace. Personally I'm glad that the only contender to have made a solo break in the whole tour (on Alp D'Huez no less) went on to claim victory.

[Dodge]

Nicholas Roche going well in the Tour of Wallonia. He's placed 6th overall after a couple of top 5 finishes (He was one place ahead of Bettini in the sprint yesterday)

[Bluebeard]

Nicholas Roche going well in the Tour of Wallonia. He's placed 6th overall after a couple of top 5 finishes (He was one place ahead of Bettini in the sprint yesterday)

Fingers crossed that he might pick up a stage win, and keep in the top of the GC - Boonen and Bettini are both in it, but I reckon they'll be tapering down for the Olympics.

[Dodge]

No reason to think Roche isn't doing the same (and by no means am I saying he's in their league). Read a piece on bettini at the weekend where he said he's not ruling out coming abck next season. His dream is to win his second Olympics though so I'd guess if he won that he'd retire

[Macy]

Ricco has admitted taking epo and doesn't want his B sample tested. Although I read it as him trying to make out he was clean for the Giro...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...l08/jul30news3

[Macy]

No reason to think Roche isn't doing the same (and by no means am I saying he's in their league).

Nice timing, with Credit Agricole pulling out and no sign of a sponsor yet.

[Dodge]

Nice timing, with Credit Agricole pulling out and no sign of a sponsor yet.

In fairness his sprinting has been much improved this year and has several top tens (and of course his first win in portugal in may)

[Dodge]

He Finished 7th overall

1 Sergei Ivanov (Rus) Astana 22.32.08
2 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto 0.19
3 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step 0.23
4 Marco Marcato (Ita) Cycle Collstrop 0.39
5 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux
6 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC-Saxo Bank - Saxo Bank 0.41
7 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crédit Agricole 0.42

[Dodge]

Daniel Martin finished 5th in todays stage of the Tour of Denmark (the first hilly stage). He was a late replacement in the Garmin team

[paudie]

Daniel Martin finished 5th in todays stage of the Tour of Denmark (the first hilly stage). He was a late replacement in the Garmin team

In Denmark does that mean they went over a speed bump?

[Dodge]

Will he wear it though - previous continental pro's haven't bothered...

Pic of Martin in his National champrion jersey on the page below

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2008...-hardest-stage

[Bluebeard]

Pic of Martin in his National champrion jersey on the page below

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2008...-hardest-stage

Good to see it: while the argyle is toned down a lot, unfortunately the shamrock thing is a bit too kitsch for my liking. I dread to see what this year's version of the national jersey is at the Olympics. Plain green was good enough for Roche to win the Worlds, so let's go back to that.

Speaking of the Olympics, what do people reckon? Hopefully Deignan will put in a good show, but I cannot see beyond Italy, Spain and Luxembourg for the medals. My money will be on Bettini. Outside him, Kirchen and Valverde are looking very good for a win.

[Dodge]

Agree on Kirchen and Valverde. I think the big climb in Beijing will be too much for Bettini IMO (although he has based his whole season on it, and willl have the whole italian tema working for him). If Deignan or Roche can get into an early breakaway with some of the top teams involved like Ciaran Power in Athens, who knows?

Oh and I think they had to change the national champion's jersey as it was too close to several of the green points jersies around. I'd imagine the jersey at the Worlds will be,at least, more green

[Dodge]

So a climber won the Olympics anyway. Shame O'Loughlin wasn't on top form in the pursuit.

Meanwhile... Dan martin had a good opening prologue in the Tour of Portugal. He finished 24th, and now lies in 17th overall after 2 full stages. He's 3rd in the young rider classement

Oh and the Sean Kelly An post team had a big win lat week, winning the 2.2 ranked Tour of the Pyrnees. British rider Daniel Fleeman taking the jersey. He was second on stge 2. 3 of the 6 lads on the team are Irish

[Dodge]

Martin finished 11th yesterday in what looked to be a very hilly stage. He's 11th overall now too

[Bluebeard]

Teams are mostly announced now, and listed here.

Provisional time itineraries and route profiles are here.

No sign of either Nicolas Roche or Deignan, sadly. I thought that they might get a guest call up to the National side, like McCann did. Decent Pezula and An Post teams might be our best chances of home glory, aside Dan Martin of course. And Malcolm Elliot at 47 will be there, having been in the Nissan Classic in 1987 and 88, racing against Boy Van Poppel, who's father Jean-Paul just beat him in the sprint at the Champs Elysée in the Tour 20 years ago this year!

I'm coming back watch the end of the first stage and then the Cork finalé. Anyone know what time the RTÉ highlights of it will be on, or is there any chance of live coverage (even on radio)?

[Macy]

I'm coming back watch the end of the first stage and then the Cork finalé. Anyone know what time the RTÉ highlights of it will be on, or is there any chance of live coverage (even on radio)?

Not sure the times have been annouced for RTE, but ITV4 appears to have an hours highlights a night at 7.

I'll be watching the first stage through Roundwood anyway at the sprint. Doubt it'll be as fractured as the Ras was by the time it made it up to us earlier in the year.

[Stuttgart88]

Regarding the Irish jersey, is there a retro version of Roche's jersey available?

Here's a current version from PBK, presumably unofficial.

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=C10025