Anyone watching? Its not the easiest sport to watch, but if you've biked before it can be somewhat cool to watch.

Levi Leipheimer Discoery Channel, USA is closest American and is 3:42 back. He keeps saying wait till the Pyrenees stages. We'll see.

One more stage in the Alps so he could gain some ground there, but still a couple more stages till the Pyrenees.

Its on VS Versus, if you get that on the tube and here is a pretty good link.

http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/0,6805,s1-7-0-0-0,00.html?location=_*topnav*

I can't decide if I'd rather watch NASCAR or the TdF.

Gun please?

Blame this thread on Matt...after he posted about Mountain biking, I went to the shed and dusted off the dirt on my bikes...kind of got psyched. Then realized the TDF was on. All Matts fault.

I like watching the Mountain stages, but theres too much of just one big group riding down the French countryside.

The first stage in the Alps they had a couple of good breakaways on the descent. It reminded me of Giant Slalom racing. They were hauling butt.

Today was a rest day but tommorow is the last day in the Alps so check out the downhills, if you get a chance.

The US has dominated this race for almost 10 years. I doubt Levi will be able to continue the domination. And actually the Tour doesn't even recognize Landis as the winner last year. Its still in the courts I think but the Tour peeps think Landis doped.

I do enjoy one aspect of the TdF, when they put the yellow jersey on the leader each day, the two chicks standing next to him are pretty much always smoking hot.

Leipheimer (US) moved into 4th place but lost about a minute. So he is 4 mins back with about 6 stages left.

Team Discovery...Alberto Contador, Spain, is in 2nd place. Maybe Levi and Alberto can get together and make a move on Rasmussen.

The leader Rasmussen has been accused of missing a couple of drug tests and Alexandre Vinokourov the pre-race favorite by bookies, has failed a drug test and his team Astana all quit after a police raid.

Who says the Tour isn't fun?

At this point I just assume whoever is winning the Tour is doping.

This is getting better and better. Rasmussen, the overall leader, has been booted off the team and sent home. He missed some drug tests just before the race and now they say he lied about his whereabouts. So they booted him.

Levi had a pretty good shot at catching Evans to make the podium but now Levi is in third and should catch Evans in the trials in the next couple of days for 2nd place.

The overall lead now goes to Contador riding for USA's Dicovery Channel team. I don't think anyone can beat him especially with Levi, his teamate in 3rd. Contador is Spanish but rides for US DC.

Yesterday was pretty interesting as the last stage in the Pyranesse and the highest climb. Levi and Contador were constantly attacking Rasmussen but he fought everything off, then took off with 500 metres to go to win the stage. But a couple minutes ago the team kicked him off. ba bye.

The team statement said he was removed for violating team rules and sent home to Denmark. I think its Denmark.

Sounds like something is rotten in Denmark.

Shakespeare ho!

Not much has changed.

Contador DC Spain
Evans Aus
Leipheimer DC USA

So tomorrow is the big day. I think they'll finish the way the set now. Pretty amazing for those of us that like this thing that they can ride roughly 90 hours through the Alps, Pyraneese, London, etc and the leaders are seperated by a couple of minutes.

The Tour is really cracking down on doping. Rasmussen was kicked off for missing 2 tests, NOT testing positive. You are pretty much assumed guilty and you have to prove your innocent. The Tour tests year around. Not sure if other sports do that. They know they let things go in the late 70s early 80s and are changing or trying to get rid of the cheaters.

I know y'all are setting on the the edge of your seats on this so I wanted to let you know it starts at 5am not 5:30am, or 8 not 8:30 in Michigan.

Evans is a better timetrialer, it will just be up to Contador. If he stays on his bike and rides reasonably he should win, but watch out for Evans.

I was wrong to say that Levi 'will' catch Evans, but you think Evans is better than Levi in the timetrials?

I think I'd go Evans and Levi tied, and Contador close to them.

But with Contador and Levi on the same team, it could make it really tough on Evans.

And Team Discovery has Hincapie who was at Lance's side and the guy who I like is Popovych for a team member. It seems he'll do most anything for the team. I have to give the experience factor to DC. And with them running 1 and 3, I like their chances.

EDIT Leggit said that the Discovery team has controlled this race for almost a decade. I'm hoping that Evans is a sandwich that will get eaten :)

I think out of the whole group in timetrials it goes Evans, Levi, and Contador. Cadel would have won that first time trial had vino not won it. The question will be whether Cadel is fast enough to wear Yellow. If I had to predict it I would go Evans, Leipheimer, Contador in that order.

They said the top 4 tt were the fastest ever(?) Let the speculation begin. If they were juicing (I don't think they were)they'll be caught.

First time ever that the top 3 were only seperated by 30ish seconds.

I've never really understood why they don't really race on stage 20 pulling into Paris.

So they should finish
Contador
Evans
Leipheimer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLxOMcUqD3I