So, I don’t know that there is ever a bad time to be in Brussels but during the Tour has to be the absolute best time. My favorite athlete on the planet forever is shooting for a record eighth win. There were a bunch of nasty crashes, the route is crowded and narrow and blah blah. All that matters is Lance wasn’t involved in any of the accidents or injuries. I have no idea if he has a shot at this but if I were in charge of the world, he would win it every year forever and buy a tandem bike* and live happily ever after in Albuquerque. Anyway, some dude from Bicycling magazine who knows way more about all this is cautiously optimistic about his chances:
The layout of this year’s Tour favors an Armstrong miracle. Early in the race, the riders will be taken across 13.2 kilometers of bone-jarring, eye-shaking, crash-inducing cobblestone roads during Stage 3-a day that probably favors Armstrong’s heavier build and race experience over Contador’s lightness and youth. It could lead to a time gap similar to last year’s split in Stage 3, when Armstrong anticipated a change in headwind that Contador didn’t and finished in a group 41 seconds ahead. Besides the short, 8km prologue, which likely won’t impact the final standings, there’s only one time trial, the 52-km Stage 19. Both the lack of other time trials and this one’s late appearance favor Armstrong. He’s not as strong against the clock as Contador, and he tends to become stronger and fitter as the Tour goes on. Similarly, the key stages of the Tour are expected to come in the third and final week, starting on July 19 in the 15th stage, when the race enters the Pyrenees for three back-breaking days.
*That would be lame from anyone but him. You get that, right?
Why don’t you ever see any women in the Tour de France? I’d like to see a chick win it just once!
As much as I agree with you, not until Lance is retired for good. LOL
I didn’t realize the ‘most boring block quote of the year’ competition had started. I’d better get cracking on my plate tectonics post.
I was RIVETED by that analysis. HE HAS A CHANCE FOR THE 8TH TITLE!!!
How can that be boring?!
If you said anything about him or bike racing at any point I would probably know more about the sport. But you only ever talk about it at this time of year and it is just so you can post that naked pic of him. I’m wise to you!
Now I need to get to work on my “Milla Jovovich explains plate tectonics somehow” thing.
He is a part of my daily life and has more meaning to me than that amazing picture. But yes, I will do some sort of article about him every summer and I will use that picture. The defined musculature, the implied strength and determination on his face in that picture astounds and inspires me.
I read Playboy for the articles.
You don’t read.
*MARK MAGAZINE READ*
I hear the bike was photoshopped in, and that it’s actually a pic of him trying to find a quarter he lost under the couch. Why he felt the need to do so after getting out of the shower, I have no idea.
Can you imagine how uncomfortable the SEAT is for him in that picture…
Yeah… those seats aren’t comfortable normally. Naked? Yikes. I don’t even want to think about it.
Do yo think the Armstrong team will stand a chance this year?
tony, I really hope so. There’s a link up in the post to an article that explains why Armstrong might be able to pull this off.