Tour De France 2008
Well the greatest three weeks in sports is about to start next weekend. That is right it is time for the Tour De France circa 2008. Versus once again has the coverage, and they recently retained the rights through 2013 or something so it looks like my Tour addiction due to Versus will not end soon. It also means the wife had better clear off all those Days Of Our Lives episodes on the DVR ASAP.
Garmin Chipolte (formerly Slipstream Chipolte) named their team, but have yet to show their Tour gear. I hope they keep the argyle as I like it. CSC-Saxo named their Tour team a week or so back - no surprise Bobby Jullich (one time 3rd place TDF finisher) was not on it as this is his last year but I still would have liked to see Jullich do the Tour the year he retired. Highroad named their team - of course George Hincapie (in his 12th Tour) is on it - and they are going to roll out Columbia’s new cycling line in the Tour. That could be interesting to see, I hope it is more lycra then wool (even if it is super Italian wicking wool like that $250 cycling jerseys I see in mag’s) though. A nice plaid to contrast with Chipolte’s argyle would be classic though.
The bad (utterly stupid and moronic) thing is that Team Astana (with the winner and 3rd placed riders of the 2007 TDF on it -oh yeah Contador also WON THE 2008 Giro and Levi rode solid in the 2008 Giro and looked good in the Dauphine) is NOT in the 2008 Tour because the ASO is run by idiots. That is right I said I D O I T S. To ban a team that resembles the 2007 Astana in name only - as the management and most of the riders of the 2008 Astana team came from the 2007 Discovery team which had no drug violations - because of the “damage” done by Astana in 2007 is foolish. I think it is because they are tired of seeing riders trained and managed by Johan Burneel OWN the TDF for almost a decade. Heck even Landis was a former Burneel rider before leaving for BMC. So, regardless of who wins the 2008 Tour it is a hollow win as two of the best riders are not in the race, much like the journalist at the time said of Lance Armstrong’s first TDF win when both Ullrich and Pantani were not in the race.
I have some friends that are refusing to watch the Tour this year due to the ASO’s decision out of protest. I am watching though, and I will gladly admit it, as I am not going to let the I D I O T S at the ASO take my joy of watching MOST of the greatest athletes in the world ride the GREATEST bike race in the world. Heck I want to see if the boys in argyle can get home too. Something tells me Jonathan V may have a few good days with his riders. It will be interesting to see how High Road in Columbia gear does as well. I also look forward to seeing Jens Voight - my favorite rider in the world - attack and charge DAY after DAY after DAY.
In Paris though I think it will be Cadel Evans of Silence Lotto or Frank / Andy Schleck of CSC -Saxo on the top step though. When Astana returns to the Tour in 2009 it will be a great race to see if Contador or Lepiheimer have a answer to whoever wins. The interesting thing will be if Contador wins the 2008 Vuelta (which he is riding) and takes 2 of 3 Grand Tours in a year he was not allowed into the third grand tour.
I think Robbie McEwen wins a few sprint stages, and Eric Zabel may get a stage win too, but I think a younger sprinter takes the green jersey this year.
