Lance Armstrong looking good!

[KelvinKDX]

This is what makes life great - Le Tour de France with American Lance Armstrong looking good for his 5th consecutive win.  :worship:

I've been watching the race every day that i can live (mornings) or dealyed at night on OLN. 

http://www.olntv.com/

Quote from Bob Roll on Stage 15 of the race (July 21, 2003):

Today was the day of days. Zero hour. Go time. And Lance Armstrong more than anyone, recognizes the monumental moment where champions are formed.

Lance has an innate ability to make his biggest efforts at the most important time -- that was today. And that’s how you win big races. Of course, it did not come without an incredible amount of drama.

And just like most monuments, his win today was built on true pain and suffering.

Cycling provides us with our most powerful allegories, because when Lance fell on the ground, that was the bolt of lightening that illuminated what’s at the heart of the struggle -- when we crash, we follow that with our most powerful effort.

What Lance did today will be remembered forever … as long as he goes on to win the Tour … and Lance Armstrong is not likely to let that opportunity slip away.

This has been Lance’s most difficult Tour, and if he wins, he will look back, and cherish this one more than any other.

 :cool:

 

[Okiewan]

Put 40 seconds on Ulrich :)
Lance truely is THE MAN.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

He is awesome :thumb:

 

[G. Gearloose]

:worship:

 

[Smitty]

Originally posted by Okiewan
Put 40 seconds on Ulrich :)
Lance truely is THE MAN.

After taking a header and slipping a pedal.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

He didn't even seem upset about that spectator taking him out!

That was pretty cool for the others to wait for him when he crashed.

 

[trout]

It sure was.

I wish someone would wait for me when I crash. :confused:

 

[Enduro_Nut]

"His second mishap about cost him his manlyhood" :scream: - he almost went down twice - ouch!

Yesterday was really good!

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Originally posted by trout
I wish someone would wait for me when I crash. :confused:

We would, but... but....

 

 

...it just happens so damn often!

:p

 

[trout]

Chris told me you fell some too...
I figured she was just trying to make me feel better.

Although when we got home Sunday, she was online trying to find me the most padded pants available. ;)

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I fell putting across the wet, slippery grass! :o

I found that it was easer to just grow the required padding myself.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Originally posted by High Lord Gomer
I found that it was easer to just grow the required padding myself.

... and now Gomer is fully prepared to crash at Bonneville during a land speed record attempt. :eek:

 

[BunduBasher]

Ulrich still has a very good chance.

Armstrong looks incredible - I like the way Ulrich waited for him when he fell, like armstrong did for him in 2001 - what great sportsmanship :thumb:

 

[Bill Hibbs]

Yesterday was an Awesome Stage! Go Lance!!

Poor Tyler Hamilton with his broken collar bone. I guess last year when he rode with a broken shoulder the pain was so bad he ground his teeth to the point he needed to get them capped! That's dedication...

Did anyone see the Cross Country shortcut Lance was forced to take. Very cool... This has been an amazing tour..

 

[KelvinKDX]

Originally posted by BunduBasher
Ulrich still has a very good chance.

Armstrong looks incredible - I like the way Ulrich waited for him when he fell, like armstrong did for him in 2001 - what great sportsmanship :thumb:

That's one thing that is making this years race so enthralling to watch.  It's not Lance blowing everyone away like he has in years past.  It's Lance struggling and in the face of adversity raising his head and kicking some butt!

The fact that Ulrich and even Vinokourov (until yesterday) are close and still have a chance make it an "edge of the seat" type race.

... and the sportsmanship  ...  very cool indeed.  You would not see that in too many sports.  The honor that the leader of the race gets is amazing.

Sadly - i lived in France for four years and only saw the Tour come down the Champs once - and even that was by coincidence as i was not into cycling at the time.

 

[whyzee]

The 19th stage (time trials) are going to be the real test for Lance. No team support and the performance by Ullrich in the last individual time trial (12th stage) might take the yellow jersey away. I hope not, I think Lance is a machine and should win the mountains tomorrow with a big enough lead to wrap it up.

 

[JasonJ]

This has been the most exciting tour I have ever watched. The drama is awesome!
It is an unwriten rule that if the yellow jersey goes down due to a crash the leaders should wait. Lance also when in the yellow waited for Ulrich when he went off the road.
Lance admitts to being out of form at the start of the race due to illness just before the race started, and its been a hard tour with temparatures in the high 80's into the high 90's in France where 85 is considered unusally hot. He lost 8% of his body weight in dehydration in the last indivdual time trial where Ulrich gapped him, but in true Lance form he has not paniced and recovered wich is amaziing considering the level of compitition. The race is still not decided but its Lance's to lose.
Go Lance go! Heyaheya heya!
Dont ya love Bob Roll, I think he is totaly trying to get with that Kirstin chick that has NO idea whats going on, if he hasnt already :) .

 

[KelvinKDX]

Originally posted by JasonJ
... high 80's into the high 90's in France where 85 is considered unusally hot.

...Dont ya love Bob Roll, I think he is totaly trying to get with that Kirstin chick that has NO idea whats going on, if he hasnt already :) .

In stage 12 it hit 369.96 Kelvin!! :scream:

Bob Roll (ha ha) did you hear his comment about the Brits in their finishing line press box?  Classic.

 

[oldandslo]

Tyler won todays stage. Unbelieveable. Can't wait for the time trial.

 

[Pokie]

had Tyler kept one more minute of his advance, he would make a second American on the podium in Paris on Sunday....
Lance was the first of the riders to congratulate and hug Tyler upon arrival... great stuff!
Kelvin: what was Bob Roll's comment about the Brits?

 

[slideways11]

I think Lance was just sandbagging them the other day, making them think he had run out gas....then demorilized them in the mountains...kind of like his look back move a few years ago. Lance is the man . Nothing makes me happier than Lance kickin' butt on French soil.

 

[Pokie]

Amen, companero! stuck it to them franchutes!
Saturday is another vicious day of time trials..... hijole!

 

[Pokie]

a vicious day it was.... many crashes. Ullrich's front wheel slid out in a slippery rain-covered turn which made him crash into the haybales and lost about 10 seconds. Lance had lost about 6 seconds in the first half of th 49KM race against the clock, but gained in the second half, ending with an 11-second gain in the overall classification. 99% certainty of a 5th consecutive win, joining a small exclusive club, the first American to do so. Is it now "Sir Lance-a-lot" or "lord Lance-a-lot"? Will he go for a 6th?
Today's stage was won by a Brit, David Millar, with three Americans in the top ten. Tyler Hamilton even beat Ullrich's time, putting him into 4th in the overall. The other American doing well today is George Hincapie of Lance's team.... GO YANKS!

 

[KelvinKDX]

 :cool: 

SUNDAY!  SUNDAY!   SUNDAY!

Pretty Cool to see Lance go into Paris with the Yellow Jersey and a practically insurmountable lead.  I doubt Jan will even try to contend tomorrow.

It was a shame to see Jan go down today but i'm not sure how much it would have really effected the end result had he not.

Lance keeps mentioning how tough this race has been for reasons known and unknown.  Wonder what those unknown reasons are??

Go Lance!  :aj:

 

[BunduBasher]

and Armstrong wants to make it a 6th next year - looks like Tyler Himilton is set to take over the rigns - go Lance.

I would think Ulrich would go all out tomorow - gotta race to the end.