CONTADOR ON THE LOOSE

Big news, Contador is set to move rejecting Astana’s offer, placing the soon to be legend on the loose free of a contract, more here.

More series news on Contador and Andy’s developing relationship, ignited during the 2010 TDF, after their sickening displays of affection can be found here.

“"What we've seen on this Tour between the two favourites is inconceivable," ranted Fignon, who knew a thing or two about feisty duels in his time.

"Cycling can't be a thing between friends. The competition has to be merciless, especially once the race is started. Nothing should then stop it. I never fell into Bernard Hinault or Greg LeMond's arms. When you're rivals, you can't like each other, you mustn't like each other. It's not healthy."” @BlazingSaddles

In other news is just a coincidence that when you type ‘Contador’ Microsoft want to change it to ‘Contender’? Was his parents that wise?!?

Man love – it’s not healthy! FS

2010 TDF - BUT A MEMORY

See full gallery of some of the best tour pics here. Thank FYX

BIKE PORN - LOOK

See more via Bike Rumor

NOT BIKES BUT TO COOL TO PASS

Tarp Pits from www.KORDUROY.tv on Vimeo.

BG - BIG GEAR

via velonista

NCC CHAMPS 31/07/2010

For those racing inclined, and in need of a little punishment, the NCC champs are this weekend. Rego shuts tomorrow. See map above for the 13.8km course. FS

A+B 100km, 7 laps

C 82km, 6 laps

D 69km, 5 laps

E 55km, 4 laps

SKITCHING ILLEGAL!?

Thanks to FYX for putting me in know.

TDF TECH - Campag Di2??

Liquigas appears to be riding a version of battery powered Campag. I noticed that the Liquigas rider in the break last night had a package hanging off the seat post. Figured it wasn't a spare tyre. Not all Liquigas riders appear to be using the new system, I can find a battery on Basso's bike but this photo of Bellotti clearly shows the battery. Can't imagine it would be cheap, plus is it really needed? MG

NOT HAPPY DADDY!

Jack obviously not impressed with Dad’s efforts! FS

 

Via http://thefixedunion.tumblr.com/post/842461781

 

TDF ST 16

Yen's on a loan bike @www.bicycling.com

See this article by Yens on Saying no to the sag wagon - Yens GOLD! Looks like he had a tough day in the saddle!! He had company their with Robbie McEwen in struggle town too:

"McEwen was miles behind the groupetto at the base of the Tourmalet. He was riding in last place all alone. I have no idea how he climbed back up to 90th place at only 35mins down on the stage. He tweeted “What a day.rode 3hrs over 1st 3 mtns alone chasing grupetto.2nd half of stage simple in comparison.Aussie steel- bends but doesn’t break ;)” " @CyclingTips

BIKE PORN - SCOTT PLASMA

@BikeRumor

BIKE PORN - MORE IMPEC

Via Bike Rumor

See vid here

More photos of BMC's impec frame @bike rumor.

RENSHAW HEADBUT VID

Via http://www.versus.com/

@BikeRumor

TDF ST11 - RENSHAW OUT!!

'As HTC-Columbia wound up the speed inside the final kilometre in a bid to drop rivals and deliver Cavendish to the 200 metres to go mark, his lead-out man Renshaw tried to head-butt New Zealander Julian Dean three times.

Top race official Jean-Francois Pescheux said: "Renshaw was declassified immediately but we have decided to also throw him off the race.

"We've only seen the pictures once, but his actions are plain for all to see. They were blatant. This is a bike race, not a gladiator's arena. Everyone could have crashed today."

Tyler Farrar, whose Garmin-Transitions team promised to challenge Cavendish's domination prior to the stage, had tried to sneak up the barriers on the inside of Cavendish only to have Renshaw then veer to the left to block him.

"Everything was going great. I was on Julian's wheel and he took me up to Cavendish's wheel with 300 metres to go," said

"When Cavendish launched his sprint, Renshaw veered to the left and I had to put my hand on his back to steady myself. They just don't need to race like that."

Farrar admitted Cavendish's sprint was clean, but said he was more concerned about safety issues resulting from Renshaw's tactics.' -sbs

VIDEO - Renshaw on his DQ @ SBS
http://player.sbs.com.au/tdf#/tdf_08/interviews/interviews/playlist/Renshaw-and-team-on-his-DQ

Renshaw's punishment will be for changing his line in a sprint more so then jostling (head butting) with dean. Always hold your line!!! - FS

TDF ST10

via steephill.tv

TDF ST 09

What a battle - EPIC!!!!!!!!!!

Pics @SteepHill.Tv

VIDEO def worth a watch if you missed it:

SBS TDF VIDEO - Stage 09

AFTER THE FALL

via CT
http://player.sbs.com.au/tdf#/tdf_08/race_highlights/race_highlights/playlist/Cadel-cracks/

TDF ST9

It's on like donkey kong!! Go schleck-e!! Cadel not in the same class today!

Class specialized: first lesson- hauling ass up hill & dishing out a peleton ass whooping

Al: as long as there are no bears!
Andy: or wrestling - thats for girls!!

TDF ST8 - ROAR!!

Photos via CyclingNews, CyclingTips + SteephillTv

How ho was that podium girl - smoking!! - FS

STAGE 8

What a stage. Great racing by schleck, the boss is out!! Cadel did well!

Lance out
Basso looks good
Cadel holds ground
Rodgers struggle town
Contador not convincing
Schleck devastating attack

BIKE PORN - MAVIC WHEELS

More photos available of the 2011 range of mavic wheels @BikeRumor.

NOTE: Mavic tyres!!

BIKE PORN - ORBEA 2011 VID

Via @BikeRumor

I showed some first look images of this bike last month, know have a close look through this video.

BIKE PORN - BMC IMPEC VID

I posted pics of this new BMC IMPEC bike earlier in the tour thanks to CT. This video just makes me want one more! See images here.

CRY BABY CAV.

Photos via www.steephill.tv

Cry baby Cav proves me wrong and right. I may have hedged my bets but was not surprised when Cav pulled a couple of wins. Again the Columbia train hasn't been able to deliver him to the finish in the dominating fashion of last year. Cav owes his last two wins, to his lead out man, Renshaw. Renshaw has delivered cav to the line in real battles to the finish!! My prediction is the green jersey battle will go all the way to the champs élysées, riding on hushovs back most of the way - and i think the cervelo man will win it, with consistency!

TDF ST 6 HIGHLIGHTS

Via http://www.versus.com/

FIGHT'N IN LYCRA - NEVER LOOKS TOUGH!

via http://www.versus.com/cycling/

Bring back the biff!!

Gold!! Not every day you see a dust up in the sport of cycling. In the blue corner, Costa and in the red corner Barredo!

Carlos Barredo: (ESP) "Costa elbowed me in the stomach with 20km to go, nearly knocking me off the bike and it took my breath away"

TDF STAGE 5 HIGHLIGHTS

via http://www.versus.com/the-daily-line/videos/tdf-in-90-stage-5-recap/

WE'RE SMOKING!

Interesting reference to the "bear". Has to be the origin of the reference in specilized's new add! Interestingly Contador and Schleck don't like dutching it up with Yens after a hard stage - as this reference wasn't carried through to the add!

WHERE IS CAV?

images @CyclingTips

Photographers now have to take snaps of the manx man @ the start of the stages!

Cav's antics of causing crashes and spitting at his victims has won him no favours in the pack. This coupled with the columbia teams inability to hold there lead out train has shown the real Cav. Great sprinter when its handed to him on a plate, but when the going gets tough the manx man get beaten! It seems Cav's success last season has made him a marked man and other teams are mobilising to break the columbia train and putting the pressure on further out from the finish forcing columbia to try and control it form further out. they just have't been able to hold it together in the last km. The start of the tour has been harder this year, which no doubt is contributing to make it harder for columbia.

All this is just my opinion, and really what do i know, no doubt in publishing this the manx man will come good with a couple of wins! And being honest, I still have him in my fantasy team. - FS

TDF STAGE 3 - PAVE CLASSIC

photos via Cycling tips

Schleck collarbone broken in three places

"Luxembourg's Frank Schleck broke his collarbone in three places, his Saxo Bank team reported overnight, after the Tour de France hopeful crashed out of the race on the chaotic third stage." @SBS

PICS

@CylingTips

@SteephillTv

VIDEO

Stage 3 highlights @SBS

Frank out @SBS

Cadel interview here @SBS

PAVE = GREAT RACING

Fabian made up for yesterdays boring finish with some spectacular racing! Thor wins, with fab back in yellow after saxobank took the race to the peleton and chavanel punching twice. Great race from the power house team. Frank down and def out of GC if not the race. Contador loses a minute to schleck and cadel! The ozzie got himself up there in the front break of 7 riding a great race on the pave'.

Lance lost a further minute to contador with a flat on the pave'.

Thor wins - in green
Fab in yellow - ride of the day
Cadel in the right place
Frank out
Andy looked strong
Contador lost time
Lance lost more time
Cav - nothing!

LOL

Thank FYX

CLASSIC CARTOON!

CRASHES EARLY!!

via SBS tracker

The peleton is looking edgy and they haven't even got to the cobbles yet!

BEST TOUR ADD YET!

GAV'S TOUR SETUP

TDF STAGE 2 - CARNAGE

Photo here via @SteephillTv

"Spilled oil from a motorbike which crashed ahead of the Tour de France peloton on the second stage overnight is suspected to have been the main cause of crashes involving dozens of riders." SBS

See standings http://tdf.sbs.com.au/tdf2010/standings/

VIDEO

See SBS stage highlights video here.
SBS crash highlights
Cadel Evans post race Stage 2

BEST PIC GALLERIES

@CyclingTips

@SteephillTv

@Telegraph (good crash scene shoots)

WOW

More crashes in the tour st 2 and havoc in general resulting in a nullified race finish with Chavanel taking the win by 3 min after all day break and the peleton crossing the as one. Except for one idiot that Cancellara has since killed. Chavanel in yellow with big lead and will look to hold for many days to come!

TDF STAGE 1 - PILE UP

Photo here via @SteephillTv

See SBS story: Hansen breaks collarbone, abandons Tour

"HTC-Columbia suffered a blow even before the halfway stage of stage one on the Tour de France Sunday after Australian Adam Hansen fractured his collarbone in a crash forcing the rider to pull out of the race."SBS

Overall standings has seen no change. SEE full standings.

VIDEO
See SBS stage highlights video here.

Pile up and finish video

Mark-Renshaw-post-race interview

BEST PIC GALLERIES
@CyclingTips
@SteephillTv
@cyclingNews

TOP FIVE FINISH:

1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
2 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia
3 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team
4 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha
5 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux

CAOS, CAOS, CAOS.

Who the f#ck brought their dog to the tour! Dogs thoughts "yeah cyclist..chase...ohh shit!" dog takes out wiggins and basso half way through the stage, both remounted.

Massive pile up at the line in the TDF. Most of the peleton stopped by a pile up that covered the whole road about 800m out. Def worth checking out the highlights. Manx man no where to be seen crashed out in the sprint approach. Petacchi claimed it in a dirty sprint ahead of Renshaw and Thor.

SUNDAY RIDE 04/07

SUN RIDE photos on the BG flickr.

TOUR TRACKER - SBS

http://tdftourtracker.sbs.com.au/

Check out the tour tracker with live video streaming of the stage and commentary, GPS mapping, running text commentary highlighting events with in the peleton, stage profiles, twitter discussion, stage replays and at your fingertips.

The map and live profile are great for getting a sense of where the really is in the world and the real distances being covered and how big the breakaway gaps physically are. TIP: flick the background to satellite for a great view of the race

If you have a laptop makes a good companion on the lonely tour couch. Click here to launch

Another companion I can recommend on your tour couch:

"Willow"