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Mountain Man
Trad climber
Outer space
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 20, 2006 - 11:11pm PT
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Stage 17 Report
By Bob Roll
Official Site: http://www.bobroll.com/
The Greatest Ride of All Time
Today we’ve seen the greatest single day ride in the history of the Tour de France. We’ve seen more dominant performances throughout the 3 weeks of the Tour than many times before.
Floyd Landis barely clinging to life at the start of today’s stage, has dragged himself through determination, through will and through true grid, in fact contention, he can win the Tour de France.
He’s a much better time trialists than either Sastre or Pereiro and his only 30 seconds behind Oscar Pereiro and only 18 seconds behind Carlos Sastre.
Floyd Landis poised now to win the Tour de France. He came to win. After the race he said “I will only be satisfied with the win.” That’s the first time we heard any of our contenders make that statement. Floyd Landis now needs a day to recover.
I could imagine him producing about a billion watts of power and burning up about a trillion calories on today’s stage, but that effort has dragged him within striking distance of the Yellow Jersey.
He can see it now, he can taste it, he can feel it and that one time trial of 54 Kilometers awaits for Floyd Landis. He’s realm the course, he’s pulled himself to within a few seconds of the man that doesn't do time trials as well. This is a 3-week contest of will power, determination, sometimes luck, but every single time it’s that man that decides.
Floyd Landis recognizing, this morning, that he would have to do everything in his power, not depend on his team, not worry about what Pereiro was capable of, or Sastre, or Kloden, or Evans, or anybody else, and do everything that he can do.
What he did was produce the single greatest effort in the history of the Tour de France on one day.
Floyd Landis, Congratulations!
Paris awaits and the Yellow Jersey can be yours. I never thought I would say it in this Tour, after yesterday, but the truth is, Floyd Landis can win the Tour de France now, and it’s as close enough to be tasted.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jul 20, 2006 - 11:32pm PT
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Yeah, that was something. Tomorrow will be interesting. CSC needs to punish the field and set Sastre up for that last climb tomorrow. He's got the team that Landis doesn't have. He'll need them to have any chance for yellow in Paris.
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Mountain Man
Trad climber
Outer space
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 20, 2006 - 11:34pm PT
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They're out of the Alps. It's probably not a stage that could provide a breakaway. It's Floyd's to lose.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jul 21, 2006 - 12:44am PT
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Will a European ever win a tour this century?
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jul 21, 2006 - 12:48am PT
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All credit to M. Landis for his stout effort. Whether or not he wins the Tour, he's injected some life into a dispirited and tainted event, and done his best.
The article might be better without all the superlative adjectives. Even if they're accurate, it's a bit excessive, even by the "standards" of the popular media.
One wonders what Bernard Hinault, Greg LeMond, Eddie Merckx, and Lance Armstrong would think about such an article. Not to mention all the other heroes, some genuine, in other sports.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jul 21, 2006 - 01:22am PT
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Bjarne Riis:
“I’m a bit disappointed that Landis was allowed to take so much time, but then we expected him to fade more than he did at the end. It’s difficult to explain how he came back after what happened yesterday…maybe Landis should explain. It’s a crazy Tour. I feel today that we’ve perhaps earned second place in Paris but lost the Tour. Should we have started working earlier? No, we don’t have the team for that; it would have meant leaving Carlos isolated a lot earlier in the stage. He didn’t take as many risks as some of the other riders on the last descent and lost some time; it’s hard to tell whether or not that time will be crucial. It’s not over yet, but I think that Landis will win the time trial and win the Tour. I don’t think that eighteen seconds will be enough... ”
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scuffy b
climber
Chalet Neva-Care
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Jul 21, 2006 - 11:24am PT
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One wonders what Bernard Hinault, Greg LeMond, Eddie Merckx, and Lance Armstrong would think about such an article. Not to mention all the other heroes, some genuine, in other sports.
The director of the Tour said it was the greatest ride he had seen in following the Tour for over 30 years. He mentioned Merckx, Hinault and Armstrong.
Hinault was on the podium with Landis with a grin. I haven't read his commentary.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jul 21, 2006 - 11:40am PT
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In today's L.A. Times:
After the stage, Pereiro told Spanish radio, "I thought Floyd was eliminated and after his big demonstration he now has the Tour de France in his hands. Landis was spectacular today. This has been one of the most incredible days in cycling."
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