2012 Le Tour De France

[The Sleeping Giant]

Frank Schlek out of the tour after a positive drug test . Third in the tour last year.

He is doing it wrong obviously

[Grahaml]

Looking at the broad profile it looks all up or down after they hit the climbs. Cadel should look, IMHO, to keep the pace high on the first descent to avoid Sky getting back any of their riders dropped on the first climb then try to attack on the second, the Tourmalet. It's a long, long way to the finish so he'll need to send help up the road in an early breakaway to help him once he hits the summit but it should mean that Sky can't control him from the front of the Peloton so easily. If Wiggins can be caught without so many of his team fairly early it should force him to work more and possibly open him up to losing time on any of the descents or later climbs. If Wiggins can't go on the Tourmalet then Nibali, Van Den Broek, Evans and anyone else with them should be willing to work together to eliminate him as he'll lose bundles of time. It will also force Sky in that instance to make a quick decision on Froome. He will probably get asked to stay with Wiggins until it's too late so an early attack might see the top 2 dropping back.

Franck Schleck's positive test is a bitter blow. I expect given it's a diuretic that he will claim some innocent use as they all do, but with the information available and how careful they are he surely knew it was banned. It's always sad to hear of another high profile cheat, but at least they are catching them now. It's getting easier to believe that most of the top riders are clean now. I guess the major question, assuming he does return a positive B sample and can't explain it away, is how much mud sticks to his brother.

[Jim05]

Surely this sport has overtaken boxing as the most corrupt in the world.
They are never going to get them all as they seem to be always 2 steps ahead of the authorities.
Just suspending them and striping them of their titles is never going to stop these guys trying, needs to be harsher penalties

[heater31]

Surely this sport has overtaken boxing as the most corrupt in the world.
They are never going to get them all as they seem to be always 2 steps ahead of the authorities.
Just suspending them and striping them of their titles is never going to stop these guys trying, needs to be harsher penalties

In some countries it is a criminal offense. One rider (can't recall name) refuses to race in Italy fearing the police will detain him for questioning

[Jim05]

Surely this sport has overtaken boxing as the most corrupt in the world.
They are never going to get them all as they seem to be always 2 steps ahead of the authorities.
Just suspending them and striping them of their titles is never going to stop these guys trying, needs to be harsher penalties

In some countries it is a criminal offense. One rider (can't recall name) refuses to race in Italy fearing the police will detain him for questioning

Maybe it needs to be a criminal offence in more countries(especially France), see how many of the druggies turn up with the fear of jail time if caught

[am Bays]

Franck Schleck's positive test is a bitter blow. I expect given it's a diuretic that he will claim some innocent use as they all do, but with the information available and how careful they are he surely knew it was banned. It's always sad to hear of another high profile cheat, but at least they are catching them now. It's getting easier to believe that most of the top riders are clean now. I guess the major question, assuming he does return a positive B sample and can't explain it away, is how much mud sticks to his brother.

Schleck pulling out has to help Wiggins as he was another rider with the pedigree to work with Evans, Nebali and van den Broek to try and break Sky. Going to be an interesting night tonight. Will be hoping like hell Evans can break Sky tonight but I'm not confident.

[Jim05]

Surprise, Surprise
Frank Schleck claiming he was poisoned

[brod]

Next 2 nights are going to be great!

Crap to not have the whole stages on SBS..use bloody SBS2

[pels]

The next 2 days are going to be carnage, its going to be great viewing

[The Sleeping Giant]

2 BMC riders in the breakaway, including Hincapie.

[Grahaml]

Surely this sport has overtaken boxing as the most corrupt in the world.
They are never going to get them all as they seem to be always 2 steps ahead of the authorities.
Just suspending them and striping them of their titles is never going to stop these guys trying, needs to be harsher penalties

In some countries it is a criminal offense. One rider (can't recall name) refuses to race in Italy fearing the police will detain him for questioning

Maybe it needs to be a criminal offence in more countries(especially France), see how many of the druggies turn up with the fear of jail time if caught

No sport does more against doping than cycling. It's one reason why it's there are so many riders who test positive. Rasmussen didn't even test positive but was sacked and suspended for not being where they thought he was. Ulrich was hounded out of the sport because of the rumours he was dirty. Riders are more and more not able to return to the sport at all once they get done. I don't think they can relax but the penalties are huge and riders are now so likely to get caught.

It does open up the possibility of sabotaging someone. Add any banned substance (and some of these are very easy to get) to a drink bottle or food and the guy will get done almost certainly. Hopefully the teams and riders themselves are very, very careful with where they get their supplies all year round.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Penalties are huge? Schleck might only get a reprimand.

[Dutchy]

just turned it on, is Cadel in the peleton?

[mickey]

They havent said he isnt, so i assume he would be

[am Bays]

The next 2 days are going to be carnage, its going to be great viewing

Blokes are going to crack like Hall on Staker a few years ago....

[mickey]

Would make for an interesting community ride!

[am Bays]

Would make for an interesting community walk!

Edited for accuracy....

[mickey]

Im sure u would have no trouble getting up that little hill AM...

i know id prefer to get dropped off at the top and just do the descent

[am Bays]

Evans 40 s behind the Wiggins group, you've got some work to do son...

Voigt has finally listend to his legs, but he has told them to shut up again, Freak.

[am Bays]

Evans has recaught the Wiggins group but he doesn't look comfortable.