The Tour de France for the Rest of Us: LANCE IS BACK

Saturday, September 13, 2008

LANCE IS BACK

DRAMA DEVELOPING. You've likely heard one of leading stories in sporting news this week: Lance Armstrong is planning to make a comeback as a professional cyclist, hoping to ride and win the Tour de France in 2009. This will be a dramatic story to follow as it develops.

AGE FACTOR. Is he crazy? Is he too old? Will he actually win? I will post developing story lines and comments here.

NUMBER EIGHT? Armstrong is a phenomenon already. The Texan came back from a devastating range of cancer, surgery and chemotherapy to win the grueling three-week, 2,000-mile Tour de France an unprecedented seven consecutive times. After his 2006 win at age 34, Armstrong "retired." But, apparently, he still feels like he's got a win in him. Certainly, he's got a cause burning within him. He's dedicating his effort to raising further awareness and funds for cancer research.

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Top 10 GC after Stage 18

1	Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana	88:09:48
2	Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank	0:00:08
3	Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	0:03:32
4	Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank	0:03:53
5	Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	0:05:27
6	Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank	0:06:41
7	Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha	0:07:03
8	Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions	0:09:18
9	Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo	0:10:12
10	Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack	0:10:37

TdF Lingo

ATTACK THE PELOTON - one or more cyclists launching an effort to move ahead of the peloton and try win the stage on a solo or small group effort
BONKING - running out of energy amid a critical part of a stage; a/k/a "hit the wall"
BREAKAWAY - another way to describe a successful "attack" by "escapees"
CATEGORIZED CLIMBS - mountain climbs are categorized (abbreviated "Cat") for degree of difficulty. Categories are determined by length of the climb, height to be climbed, and degree of gradient. In lay terms, a Cat 4 is hard; Cat 3 is harder; Cat 2 is more difficult; Cat 1 is most difficult; HC is means, literally, "beyond categorization," or incredibly difficult, usually a mountain at or over 5,000 feet above sea level
DOMESTIQUE - team riders who work for the advantage of the designated team leader, sacrificing their own chances to win the race or a stage
DRAFTING - multiple cyclists riding in a line, so as to have the benefit of the wind break and pacing created by the leading rider in the group
ESCAPEES - the riders who succeed in their attack on the peloton, riding ahead in a breakaway effort to win the stage apart from the peloton
FEED ZONE - a designated part of the course in which riders may eat, usually at least 50 km after the start but not less than 20 km from the end of the stage; race etiquette provides that no rider may attack or gain advantage over the peloton during a designated feed zone.
GREEN JERSEY - jersey worn by the top sprinter or points leader; in French - "maillot vert"; points awarded for designated sprints during each stage and at the finish line
LINING UP THE TRAIN - when a team gets its top rider behind the slip stream of three or four of its fastest riders, building speed and helping to springboard their top sprinter to an explosive acceleration at the finish line
MULE - a rider designated to fetch food, water and supplies for the other members of the team while riding
ON THE POINT - the leading rider of the peloton or a small group of riders; the cyclist on the point is doing hard work, taking the wind, setting the pace, while he creates a slipstream or draft for his teammates or other riders to follow in with relative ease
PELOTON - the main group of cyclists riding together
POLKA-DOT JERSEY - white with red polka-dots jersey worn by the top mountain climber; in Frenh - "maillot pois"; a/k/a "King of the Mountains"; points awarded for the first riders at the crest of any categorized peak
REEL IN / CHASE DOWN - the peloton picks up speed and begins to gradually close the time gap between "escapees" and the peloton
STAGE - a single-day course; there are 21 stages (racing days) in the Tdf
STAYING CLEAR - describes "escapees" on a "breakaway" who continue to maintain a lead over the peloton; they "stay clear" of the group
SUFFERING - suffering
TOUR DE FRANCE - a/k/a "Grand Tour," "Grand Boucle"
WHEEL SUCKER - a rider who takes advantage of your draft but does not take a turn in front of you on a breakaway or draft line
WHITE JERSEY - jersey worn by the best-placed rider no more than 25 years old
YELLOW JERSEY - jersey worn by the overall race leader, the rider with the lowest time; in French - "maillot jaune"; a/k/a "golden fleece," "Mellow Johnny"
More to come

The Tour de France for the Rest of Us

Saturday, September 13, 2008

LANCE IS BACK

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Essential sites for TdF 2010

El Diablo

Yellow jersey

Polka-dot jersey

Green jersey

White jersey

Indy Bikehiker

Bicycle India 2007

Top 10 GC after Stage 18

TdF Lingo