Even his teammate, Alberto Contador, got a little stylish with his aero wheel.
*** SPOILERS ***
Contador's amazing performance today is prompting questions on doping, which Contador declines to answer. Alberto Contador is known for his climbing prowess and dominates on the hills in the same way Lance Armstrong did in 1999. For him to beat time trialist Fabian Cancellara at his own game, however, invites suspicion. The riders are being tested daily and The Tour de France has so far remained free of doping controversy, though it can take a few weeks for some tests to be run.
Cancellara can't figure out how he lost by six seconds and now claims Contador drafted for the win.
Team Radio Shack
As you all know, Team Radio Shack was announced today. Here they are on Twitter.
Elsewhere on Tour de France Stage 18
TdFBlog: Team Radio Shack.
Bike World News: Stage 18 Results.
Bike Rumor: Contador smokes 'em. See also How to enter the Tour to France in six easy steps.
Bicycle.net: Contador crushes.
It doesn't take much to prompt a question on doping from LeMond. According to his twitter feed, Levi was getting tested constantly before he had to abandon. An Astana team vehicle was searched a couple days ago and was clean. The presumption that a winner has to be doping by a former TDF winner is just as bad for the sport as a positive doping test.
ReplyDeleteGo away, Greg.
re: "Contador's amazing performance today is prompting questions on doping"
ReplyDeleteIt was Contador's Verbier climbing performance last Sunday that prompted LeMonds' comments. And what was so amazing about Contador's performance today?
Contador has been winning/ placing high in TTs all year. Also, it's well known that light cyclists do relatively better in TTs in the third week of a arduous Grand Tour. In the 2007 Tour de France, Contador beat Cancellara by 40 seconds during a final week TT on a flat course that didn't have a climb like today's.
Nobody can say for sure whether he is or isn't without a shred of evidence.
...lemond whining about it is par for the course but i gotta admit, senor contador seems to be handling any & all situations w/ no problem whatsoever...kinda superman-ish...hmmm...
ReplyDelete..personally, i hope to bejeebus that the man is just better prepared than anyone else but to clobber spartacus at his specialty after 'toying' w/ the schleck's the day before, well gosh, fingers crossed...
...& when i say toying, i had the feeling that 'berto held himself in check when it looked like he coulda seriously clobbered everyone, not just taken time...
Frank: That search was asinine, IMO. But maybe I should try some olive oil :-)
ReplyDeleteSteep: Yep, good points. I like that "wife beater" retweet you did. I'm of the opinion that only a fool would dope in this TdF, and Contador's no fool.
BGW: Me too.
Nice links thank you Fritz.
ReplyDeleteOh no. Lemond complaining? What's new? Hey, rememeber the handlebar tape named after him? Hee haw.
Conty smoked indeed. Time for a documentary and some books on how he does it. He's kind of in the media blacklight, totally. How ridiculous.
Btw Fritz, there's an analysis on Contador's TT performance today over at Science of Sport. Now those two are some intelligent people. I would direct Fabian Cancellara there.
ReplyDeleteAmazing performance. congrats!!!! good going............
ReplyDeleteRon -- thanks for that Science of Sport link. Promoted it to a real link today and with props to you.
ReplyDelete