End of Blog

Recently, not able to keep up with cycling news or with blog.
I will be removing blog off line until further notice.
If unable to continue when fees are due for domain name, I will permanently remove
blog.
If there is anybody that would like to own this domain name, please contact.
joeshico@gmail.com.

PS:  Congrats to Cadel Evans for winning and all others who participated in a memorable Tour de France.

USA Wins Stage.

Not getting much time to even watch most of the stages in this years Tour, but would like to keep this blog up and running.  I will post as many of the stages as possible with pre-stage predictions.
Today belonged to the USA with Tyler Farrar finally winning a TDF stage.  He now is only 6 points out of the lead in the points classification, and will have to win one or two more sprints if he is to wear the green jersey in Paris.
I still think that will be a three way battle between Farrar, Cavendish and Greipel.  I will still stick with Cavendish to win in the end.
Stage 4 will not be easy with a series of short climbs and a sprinters nightmare uphill sprint to the line.
I don't think the specialist will be there at the finish.  This would be a great stage for a breakaway to succeed.  It could also be a win for a much better looking Cadel Evans.  Others that can surprise may be Tony Martin, Vinokourov or Danny Pate.

Top 10 Finishers Stage 3

1. Tyler Farrar, USA, (Garmin Cervelo)                                                  4:40:21
2. Romain Feillu, FRA (Vacansoleil-DCM)
3. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil, ESP, (Movistar) 
4. Sebastien Hinault, FRA, (AG2R La Mondiale)
5. Mark Cavendish, GBR, HTC Highroad
6.Thor Hushovd, NOR, (Garmin Cervelo)
7. Julian Dean, NZL, (Garmin Cervelo)
8. Borut Bozic, SLO, (Vacansoleil-DCM)
9. Andre Greipel, GER, (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
10.Jimmy Engoulvent, FRA, (Saur-Sojason)

Tour de France 2011 Team

The following 18 teams have been selected in compliance with International Cycling Union rules:
OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO (BEL)
QUICKSTEP CYCLING TEAM (BEL)
SAXO BANK SUNGARD (DEN)
EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI (ESP)
MOVISTAR TEAM (ESP)
AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA)
SKY PROCYCLING (GBR)
LAMPRE - ISD (ITA)
LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE (ITA)
PRO TEAM ASTANA (KAZ)
TEAM LEOPARD - TREK (LUX)
RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM (HOL)
VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM (HOL)
KATUSHA TEAM (RUS)
BMC RACING TEAM (USA)
HTC-HIGHROAD (USA)
TEAM GARMIN-CERVELO (USA)
TEAM RADIOSHACK (USA)
4 other teams, invited by the organisers, will make up the field for the 98th edition of Le Tour:
COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE (FRA)
FDJ (FRA)
SAUR - SOJASUN (FRA)
TEAM EUROPCAR (FRA)

Tour de France 2012 Starts In Liège

The 2012 Tour de France will set off from the Parc d’Avroy, in the heart of Liège. The launch ramp for this prologue will be set up on the Avenue Rogier. On a 6.1 km long flat course marked out in the city centre, identical to the one where the Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara was the winner in 2004, the cyclists will head north on the Boulevard d’Avroy and then on the Boulevard de la Sauvenière. They will then join the Quai Roosevelt, which runs alongside the River Meuse, and will then turn left at La Batte to pass through the Place Saint-Lambert in front of the Palais des Princes-Évêques. Then they will take the Boulevard de la Sauvenière and the Boulevard d’Avroy again, in the opposite direction, to reach the finish

Route Stages Announced for 2011 Tour de France

Running from Saturday July 2^rd to Sunday July 24^th 2011, the 98^th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,471 kilometres.
These stages have the following profiles:

• · 10 flat stages,
• · 6 mountain stages and 4 summit finishes,
• · 1 individual time-trial stage (41 km).
• · 1 team time-trial stage (23 km).

Distinctive aspects of the race

• · le Galibier climbed twice,
• · 2 rest days,
• · 23 level 2, 1 or highest level mountain passes or summit finishes,
• · no bonuses will be awarded during the intermediate sprints and stage finishes.

The 2011 Tour de France stages:
July 2, stage 1: Passage du Gois-Mont des Alouettes, 191km
July 3, stage 2: Les Essarts-Les Essarts, TTT, 23km
July 4, stage 3: Olonne-sur-Mer-Redon, 198km
July 5, stage 4: Lorient-Mûr-de-Bretagne, 172km
July 6, stage 5: Carhaix-Cap Fréhel, 158km
July 7, stage 6: Dinan-Lisieux, 226km
July 8, stage 7: Le Mans-Châteauroux, 215km
July 9, stage 8: Aigurande-Super Besse Sancy, 190km
July 10, stage 9: Issoire-St-Flour, 208km
July 11, rest day at Le Lioran/Cantal
July 12, stage 10: Aurillac-Carmaux, 161km
July 13, stage 11: Blaye-les-Mines-Lavaur, 168km
July 14, stage 12: Cugnaux-Luz Ardiden, 209km
July 15, stage 13: Pau-Lourdes, 156km
July 16, stage 14: Saint-Gaudens-Plateau de Beille, 168km
July 17, stage 15: Limous-Montpellier, 187km
July 18, rest day at province of Drôme
July 19, stage 16: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux-Gap, 163km
July 20, stage 17: Gap-Pinerolo, 179km
July 21, stage 18: Pinerolo-Galibier/Serre-Chevalier, 189km
July 22, stage 19: Modane-Alpe d’Huez, 109km
July 23, stage 20: Grenoble-Grenoble, ITT, 41km
July 24, stage 21: Créteil-Paris/Champs-Elysées, 160km

Tour de France 2011 Mountain Stages

Two of the most famous climbs in the Alps return to the Tour de France in 2011; The Col du Galibier and Alpe d'Huez.
The Col du Galibier was introduced in the Tour 100 years ago and is set to be the highlight of the 2011 Tour.
Just as the Tourmalet was climbed twice in 2010, the Galibier may be climbed twice in 2011 with one of the stages being a finish on the summit.
Returning after a two year absence is the Alpe d'Huez. This has always been my favorite climb.  Not the absolute toughest but most fun to watch.

The Pyrenees will also have two big mountain stages with a possible summit finish on the Plateau de Beille and another hard climb over the Aubisque.

The official route will be announced on October 19th.