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The 2006 Tour in Review |
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Written by Sean Weide
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Sunday, 20 August 2006 |
 Sunday, Aug. 20 - I've purposely waited awhile to wrap up my 2006 Tour de France commentary series. Unless you've been in a spider hole the past month, you know that American Floyd Landis tested positive for abnormal levels of testerone. As of this writing, he is no longer considered the winner of this year's Tour and faces a two-year ban from the sport.
Just typing those words evokes a flood of emotions: celebration (when Landis crossed the finish line in Champs-Elysees), disbelief (when first word came down that a "high profile" rider in this year's Tour had a positive test result), anger (not long after the "disbelief") and frustration (at the thought that cycling is receiving more attention for doping than for the spectacular achievements of Americans in what was once a primarily-European sport).
So where do things stand today? Another American, Tyler Hamilton, is poised to return from a two-year doping ban, still shrouded in a cloud of suspicion thanks to his own efforts to fight the test result rather than swallow hard and accept the result as evidence against him mounted.
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TdF Commentary, Stage 18: Changing Times |
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Written by Sean Weide
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Friday, 21 July 2006 |
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Friday, July 19 – It will all come down to the final time trial at this year’s Tour de France. It’s hard to believe that after 3445.6 kilometers and 84 hours of racing, only 30 seconds separate the top three riders on general classification.
In tomorrow’s time trial at the Cornhusker State Games, I’d venture to guess that more than 30 seconds will separate first from second place in many categories. And that’s over a 13-mile distance. I doubt, though, that the final standings will wind up as close as Greg LeMond’s eight-second margin over Laurent Fignon or Jacques Anquentil’s 55-second margin of victory at the 1964 Tour. Rather, I predict Floyd Landis will come out of the 57km time trial with at least a 1:30 lead over second place.
I wanted to use some of today’s commentary to provide some additional background on the Cornhusker State Games. The first edition of the Games occurred in 1985. I had just graduated from high school and was headed to Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska-Kearney) in the fall.
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TdF Commentary, Stage 17: Legendary Landis |
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Written by Sean Weide
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Thursday, 20 July 2006 |
 Thursday, July 20 – After yesterday, there was 8:08 between the yellow jersey and Floyd Landis. We all thought that was going to be it. Even Landis told the press, “I don't expect to win this Tour anymore.”
Who could have possibly predicted the heroics to follow in today’s stage? Landis going off on his own after the first climb and eventually solo in for the victory, putting himself within 31 seconds of the overall lead. What a way to win your first Tour de France stage.
It almost makes some of Lance Armstrong’s greatest rides in seven Tour victories look tame by comparison.
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TdF Commentary, Stage 16: Pedaling Squares |
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Written by Sean Weide
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Wednesday, 19 July 2006 |
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Wednesday, July 19 - There are a lot of ways to explain what happened to Floyd Landis today at the Tour de France.
I'm not talking about the reasons for his collapse on the final climb. Rather, I'm referring to the phrases or terms used to describe a bike racer's failure to finish strong.
Over the 25 years I have been involved in the sport, I've heard quite a few. Todd Herriott, who raced for the former Kinko's Copies team in 1991 and now captains the Colavita-Sutter Homes team, is always good for a few of these.
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TdF Commentary, Stage 14: In The Blink of An Eye |
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Written by Sean Weide
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Sunday, 16 July 2006 |
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Sunday, July 16 – Watching the horrendous crash today that put a pair of riders out of the Tour de France reminded me of the time a rider came up to me before the start of a road race around the Branched Oak Lake State Recreation Area near Lincoln, Neb.
“You might want to have someone sweep some of the corners,” the rider told me.
It immediately occurred to me that he was making a request that was in the best interests of everyone’s safety, but certainly not something the race officials or promoter was obliged to do. After all, it was a road race – not a criterium.
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