I've never been so nervous watching a sporting event. One of the greatest athletes Australia will ever produce.
I take my riding cap off to you Cadel.
Great work by Cadel for sure :)
One of the greatest might be a bit of a stretch though :-X
Quote from: Nails on July 24, 2011, 02:16:08 AM
Great work by Cadel for sure :)
One of the greatest might be a bit of a stretch though :-X
There is no greater single person race in the world than the tour de france. Not a stretch at all.
He has won it once though and only once...
Yes he has a couple second places that's nice...
But I think to be one of Australia's Greatest Athletes... you have to achieve greatness/win multiple times...
Like Ian Thorpe winning 1 trillion medals at the olympics, Don Bradman smashing 1 trillion runs, T. Lockett, kicking 1 trillion goals and well a few other athletes...
"greatest ever athlete (one of)" is a matter of personal opinion anyway for mine, I think he isn't, you think he is, that's my opinion and you can have your own :) but yeah, if he wins it next year, then maybe I'll consider him one of the greatest, but I don't... for now.
Perfectly timed, perfectly placed by his team, the ultimate performance in the ultimate sporting event.
Cadell Evans has become the Don Bradman of cycling, the Lionel Rose of cycling, the Greg Norman of cycling, the Alan Jones and Jack Brabham of cycling, absolutely the epitome of sporting achievement. He has out shone Mick Doohan and become instantly our greatest ever sporting hero.
Sublime, breath taking, words cannot describe......congratulations!
flowering legend simple as that ;D
You have to have him up there with the greats of Aussie sport!
Sheeds is over there on behalf of Skoda, Kevin buy the man a beer for me mate!
Cadell de Triumphe 8)
Monkey off the back 8)
Well deserved!!!
Congratulations to Cadel! Well deserved for sure....Barwon heads was going OFF last night!
Quote from: Sid on July 24, 2011, 08:14:39 AM
Congratulations to Cadel! Well deserved for sure....Barwon heads was going OFF last night!
:o Wish I was there.. :'(
I was awake when he was up by 45 seconds, how much did Cadel end up winning by?
Quote from: North Melbournes Finest on July 24, 2011, 10:39:57 AM
I was awake when he was up by 45 seconds, how much did Cadel end up winning by?
I think Cadel has a 1'34 lead over A. Schleck
(http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/2807768-3x2-700x467.jpg)
Uh, hate to burst everyone's bubble, but there's still one more stage left...
...so technically he hasn't won.....yet. :-\
And before people tell me he's too far in front, its an easy stage...etc. The last stage in the 1987 race saw Greg LeMond overtake (the yellow jersey holder at the time) Laurent Fignon to win by eight seconds (after starting 50 seconds behind). :o Everyone had expected Fignon to win, even the French newspapers had already prepared special editions with Fignon on the front page, preparing for his victory.
Remember, its not over until its over!
Quote from: c4v3m4n on July 24, 2011, 11:13:30 AM
Uh, hate to burst everyone's bubble, but there's still one more stage left...
...so technically he hasn't won.....yet. :-\
And before people tell me he's too far in front, its an easy stage...etc. The last stage in the 1987 race saw Greg LeMond overtake (the yellow jersey holder at the time) Laurent Fignon to win by eight seconds (after starting 50 seconds behind). :o Everyone had expected Fignon to win, even the French newspapers had already prepared special editions with Fignon on the front page, preparing for his victory.
Remember, its not over until its over!
They can't attack, it's a formality.
Cadel you legend!!!! Done everyone proud
Quote from: BOOMZ on July 24, 2011, 11:16:35 AM
Quote from: c4v3m4n on July 24, 2011, 11:13:30 AM
Uh, hate to burst everyone's bubble, but there's still one more stage left...
...so technically he hasn't won.....yet. :-\
And before people tell me he's too far in front, its an easy stage...etc. The last stage in the 1987 race saw Greg LeMond overtake (the yellow jersey holder at the time) Laurent Fignon to win by eight seconds (after starting 50 seconds behind). :o Everyone had expected Fignon to win, even the French newspapers had already prepared special editions with Fignon on the front page, preparing for his victory.
Remember, its not over until its over!
They can't attack, it's a formality.
yeah exacly, its a procession... i was spewing Cadel couldnt attack when in second years ago, now the roles r reversed im happy ;)
^ last stage is a traditional stage- if you go hard out they might even disqualify you :P
I don't understand, someone explain this last stage to me a bit more clearly.
It is essentially the closing ceremony.
It is traditional that positions are maintained for the final ride into Paris. Whilst it isn't technically in the rules (from my understanding) it is a bit like the honour system in soccer for injuries.
However, if he was unable to finish he wouldn't win.
my dad reckons they'll try to disqualify him in the final stage, because to quote him
'they all hate it when australians win something other than swimming/ cricket'
I wonder what the odds are if you bet on cadel not to win :P
Quote from: Zarts on July 24, 2011, 12:54:51 PM
my dad reckons they'll try to disqualify him in the final stage, because to quote him
'they all hate it when australians win something other than swimming/ cricket'
I wonder what the odds are if you bet on cadel not to win :P
if that were to happen u would think Soccer controls Cycling... and a rider from Qatar is going to bob up and win :-X
While there'll be no attacks. c4v3m4n is right. He can't BE champion till the final stage is run. We're talking about a race that's already had 4 riders wiped out by a camera car. He still has to finish tonight
Quote from: BratPack on July 24, 2011, 01:07:27 PM
While there'll be no attacks. c4v3m4n is right. He can't BE champion till the final stage is run. We're talking about a race that's already had 4 riders wiped out by a camera car. He still has to finish tonight.
It's true, can't win if you don't finish.
when is the final stage?
go cadel
I wonder if he will drink champagne like Armstrong used to do on the final stage ;D
Quote from: CrowsFan on July 24, 2011, 01:43:11 PM
I wonder if he will drink champagne like Armstrong used to do on the final stage ;D
(http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR0gjJ-MtRVG9dlvqQXYBTYixzikdvDVznhEhU4e-gZydTJmse3)
Quote from: c4v3m4n on July 24, 2011, 01:10:48 PM
Quote from: BratPack on July 24, 2011, 01:07:27 PM
While there'll be no attacks. c4v3m4n is right. He can't BE champion till the final stage is run. We're talking about a race that's already had 4 riders wiped out by a camera car. He still has to finish tonight.
It's true, can't win if you don't finish.
He'll finish.
Great to see such a tradition in modern sports. So refreshing from everything else. TDF is seriously the best sporting event in the world.
Quote from: c4v3m4n on July 24, 2011, 11:13:30 AM
Uh, hate to burst everyone's bubble, but there's still one more stage left...
...so technically he hasn't won.....yet. :-\
And before people tell me he's too far in front, its an easy stage...etc. The last stage in the 1987 race saw Greg LeMond overtake (the yellow jersey holder at the time) Laurent Fignon to win by eight seconds (after starting 50 seconds behind). :o Everyone had expected Fignon to win, even the French newspapers had already prepared special editions with Fignon on the front page, preparing for his victory.
Remember, its not over until its over!
Difference being the Lamond TDF ENDED with the Time Trial. Not the trip down the Champs
I dont like how they arent allowed to attack on the last stage. I don't see the point in having the stage
Quote from: reesbr on July 24, 2011, 04:22:31 PM
I dont like how they arent allowed to attack on the last stage. I don't see the point in having the stage
I agree, seems pretty pointless to me.
i think it is because they dont like finishing with a time trial but last night was great he slaughtered the schleks
Quote from: reesbr on July 24, 2011, 04:22:31 PM
I dont like how they arent allowed to attack on the last stage. I don't see the point in having the stage
It's part tradition. part because it's pointless. It's the one every sprinter wants to win. There's no way someone like Cavendish is going to let Schleck take off and steal it.
It's just there for the Sprinters. That's why. Plus it'd be bad finishing off with a time trial, in the last stage everyone celebrates together, the riders, the supporters, the world. Completing the Tour de France is a very massive achievement in it's self.
Cadel has won. The only way he can lose is if he falls off his bike, but as the commentators say BMC will surround him completely so he can't fall off.
Well Done Cadel!
The ride into immortality has begun, take the trip with him Australia - tune into SBS now :)
its a little more intense than i remember previously...
Its Official Cadel FTW 8)
feel a wind of pride as I cycle now :)
can he go back to back lol?
Its nice to feel proudly Australian, thanks Cadel.
(looks at the Australian cricket team who even when they win and hard to digest & Lleyton).
Just to clear things up on this thread cause a few seem a little bit confused. You are allowed to attack on the last stage, its just Cadel had an advantage of 1:34 and no-one is going to make that time up on a very easy ride when the peleton is right there. Say if shcleck did attack he would need to do it early in the race to make up that much time, and then eventually the peleton would drag him back in, as it is such an easy course. Only if someone is in within maybe 20 secs would you attempt an attack on the Champs.
Well yes it is allowed since it is not written in the rules, but it is "ungentlemany" to do it. You say that if someone was within 20 seconds you may attack, but if you recall Cadel lost by 2 seconds a few years ago and did not attack on the ride in to Paris
Quote from: Usman on August 14, 2011, 11:31:16 PM
Just to clear things up on this thread cause a few seem a little bit confused. You are allowed to attack on the last stage, its just Cadel had an advantage of 1:34 and no-one is going to make that time up on a very easy ride when the peleton is right there. Say if shcleck did attack he would need to do it early in the race to make up that much time, and then eventually the peleton would drag him back in, as it is such an easy course. Only if someone is in within maybe 20 secs would you attempt an attack on the Champs.
It has nothing to do with time. It is entirely an honour based system policed entirely by the riders, not the rules.
It is like in soccer when an injured player goes down, the team in possession kicks the ball out of bounds. When the natch is restarted, the team throwing in returns it to the team who originally had possession. Not in the rules, just the done thing.
Quote from: CrowsFan on August 14, 2011, 11:39:16 PM
Well yes it is allowed since it is not written in the rules, but it is "ungentlemany" to do it. You say that if someone was within 20 seconds you may attack, but if you recall Cadel lost by 2 seconds a few years ago and did not attack on the ride in to Paris
It wasn't 2 seconds CF, he lost by 23 seconds to Contadour in 07' then 57 seconds to Sastre in 08'