MetaFilter posts tagged with tourdefrance

Raise one for the red lantern

ardgedee — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:32:09 -0800

As the Tour de France concludes, let's spend a moment commemorating the derrière garde of world-class cycling, those bad enough to come in last but never bad enough to fail, les Lanternes Rouge. If Wim Vansevenant can retain his tenacious hold on 145th place in Sunday's stage he will be the worst cyclist to complete the Tour de France for three consecutive years and set a Tour record. You can, indeed, win by losing. Vansevenant is currently 3 hours, 54 minutes and 51 seconds behind the leader but only 53 seconds behind the 144th placed rider, Bernhard Eisel. While Carlos Sastre and Cadel Evans fight tooth-and-nail for the yellow jersey on the final promenade through the Champs-Élysées fans will be eagerly rooting for Evan's teammate Vansevenant to strike a third blow for the good enough. Those fascinated by the slow end of the train can get their daily fill of news at the Tour de France Lanterne Rouge blog whose author gently reminds those who would mock anybody for finishing last in a 21 day long bike ride of 3,559 kilometers (2,211 mi): "You couldn't hang on his wheel for thirty seconds."

Landis Guilty

yhbc — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:38:34 -0800

Say It Ain't So, Floyd. Landis found guilty of doping, must surrender 2006 Tour de France title. previously on MeFi: the original thread about his apparently heroic stage comeback, and the first thread about the doping

"Addicted to speed, I mean"

ardgedee — Sun, 27 May 2007 05:47:13 -0800

Bjarne Riis, current coach of premier cycling squad Team CSC, used drugs to win the Tour in 1996. His protege, Ivan Basso, was suspended from Team CSC before last year's Tour for suspicion of doping. Team Discovery hired Basso to fill Lance Armstrong's seat as captain, but Basso quit shortly before he had a chance to win his second consecutive Giro d'Italia, and is out for the season, if not permanently. The conclusion of Floyd Landis's appeals to reinstate his 2006 Tour victory will wait until some time after this year's Tour de France. Jan Ullrich capped a good but unsatisfying career by retiring early and under a cloud. Several of Ullrich's former Deutch Telekom/T-Mobile teammates, including Erik Zabel, admitted to doping, and the team masseur claims to have personally administered EPO to Ullrich. Ullrich, Basso, numerous other leading riders, and the majority of some team rosters continue to be under suspicion as the Operación Puerto EPO lab investigation grinds onward. It might be the best time ever to market a competition road bike called the Addict. (previously, previously, oh-so-very previously, )

Floyd Landis sample might not be his

cccorlew — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:59:40 -0800

A wee bit of a problem More mistakes come to light in the French lab that screwed Floyd out of his Tour win

Floyd Landis' Defense Online

fixedgear — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:20:37 -0800

Floyd Landis' Defense Onilne. Two pdfs of his defense, one zip file with a dozen documents supporting his claim.

Tour de France Magnum Photo Essay

OmieWise — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 06:55:46 -0800

Magnum photos of previous Tours de France. A Flash (Friday) evocative photo essay of Tours gone by. With soothing accordian music and light narration to help you forget your doping woes.

Tour winner disgraced?

beagle — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 07:34:56 -0800

Landis tests positive for doping.

TdF Joux-Plane Spoiler

Wolfdog — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 11:03:11 -0800

Today's Tour de France stage was legend-making.

Rest is difficult.

OmieWise — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 10:39:53 -0800

The 10th day? A day of rest. Thank goodness for Caroline Yang's TdF photos. Ever wondered why McEwan rides so hard to stay in Green? What Ukrainian joy looks like? When you can wear socks with sandals? She's also got some decent shots of speed skating (oh, and real blood sports, like weddings).

"Doping Scandal Rocks Tour"

dizzycow — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 06:48:27 -0800

Big news in the cycling world. Favorites Basso, Ullrich out of the Tour de France. Should make for an interesting July.