Re: Tour de France
 

He absolutely destroyed in the time trial today, he won it by over Jan Ulrich, by just over a minute. He now is 3.48 over 2nd place Basso, 5.03 over Kloden, and 7.55 over his biggest threat Ulrich.

With just 4 stages left, it looks like he will be able to coast his way to his sixth straight tour title.

Re: Tour de France
 

Re: Tour de France
 

After winning the 17th stage today, Armstrong is now 4.09 over Basso-whose in 2nd and 8.08 over Ulrich who is in 4th. So it is now pretty safe to say Lance Armstrong is the 2004 Tour de France Champion, the only way he can really lose now, is if he crashes, or some unforeseen event occurs.

Re: Tour de France
 

:ahh: Lance's Last Tour?! :ahh:

Re: Tour de France
 

Well, maybe not

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=1844916

He says he'll probably skip next year, but he wants to run it again

Re: Tour de France
 

He has said that he has considered retiring or skipping the TdF many times in the past. We'll see what happens.

Re: Tour de France
 

Quick update-he finished with the peloton today, he didnt lose any time. At one point he was up with the leaders, but dropped back so he could let some of the other guys get a win.

Re: Tour de France
 

To add to what Corey said...
A group of 7-8 took off in a break away, and the pelaton let them go because this is kind of a filler stage with no big climbs. Then, Filippo Simeoni, the 198 placed rider decided to go and chase the lead group. Apperently this guy made Lance really angry earlier in the day. It made Lance mad enough to go and chase this guy and catch up with the lead group. Lance NEVER goes in to break aways unless he is climbing. This makes everyone else in the lead group angry at Simeoni, because with them riding with the Race Leader, the pelaton is forcing themselves to catch the lead group. To sum up, the lead group yells at Simeoni to fall back to the pelaton, and lance goes back at the same time. Well like I said earlier, all Lance need is to get angry!!!

Re: Tour de France
 

To add to what Ben said...
Simeoni testified against Lance's friend, Michele Ferari-who is an athletic doctor-in court in a large case, with people he/she appearantly told to take performance enhancing drugs. So once Lance saw him pull away, he came with him-once the lead pack saw him-they told simeoni to leave, so they could try to win, so Simeoni eventually did.

Re: Tour de France
 

Todays stage-another time trial-was yet again won by Lance Armstrong, winning by just over a minute. Armstrong now leads 2nd place Kloden by 6.38, 3rd place Basso by 6.59, and 4th place Ulrich 9.09. Making the only major change of the day-Kloden overtaking the 1 minute deficeit to Basso for 2nd place. Tomorrow is the 20th and final stage, so i say again, the only way Lance loses, is if he gets seriously hurt in a crash and cannot finish.

Re: Tour de France
 

According to CNN, he won: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mor...e_france/2004/

:D

Re: Tour de France
 

He has won, pretty much regardless of anything that happens.

The last stage is entirely ceremonial. It's understood between all the riders that nobody attacks the leader during the stage, and lets the leader's entire team just cruise to the finish.

If Lance crashed, the peloton would stop and wait for him and let him get back in front.

Cory

Re: Tour de France
 

Most definitely, but as i said, only if he was seriously injured, this race was all but over after the 16th stage. I think we will probably see him drinking a glass of Champagne during the final stage, again.

Re: Tour de France
 

Well, its done-Lance has now won his 6th Tour in a row. Which is simply put, just amazing.

Re: Tour de France
 

And he had the champagne, that man is just an amazing athlete