The 2009 Tour de France runs July 4 to 26. Versus will carry live coverage on cable (go to Versus for a schedule and full coverage).
By Jason Gay
The Wild Card
LANCE ARMSTRONG
Strengths: Won seven Tours, excellent climber, time trialist
Weaknesses: 37, three years off, collarbone-breaking crash in March
Will win if: He finds the old magic — and those legs.
The Second Banana
LEVI LEIPHEIMER
Strengths: Superb time trialist, mountain goat
Weaknesses: Has yet to win a Grand Tour
Will win if: Lance decides Levi’s the man, and works to put him in the maillot jaune.
The Favorite
ALBERTO CONTADOR
Strengths: Outstanding climber, Armstrong-level confidence
Weaknesses: Can put ego ahead of pacing himself
Will win if: Lance defers to him, or he gets a new team.
The Bullet
MARK CAVENDISH
Strengths: The greatest sprinter on the planet
Weaknesses: Struggles to get his butt over the climbs
Will win if: All of the climbers decide to take a left turn and go to Euro Disney.
The Nice Guy
CHRISTIAN VANDE VELDE
Strengths: Excellent all-rounder, took fourth last year
Weaknesses: A crash at the Giro d’Italia broke two ribs and his pelvic bone, setting him back
Will win if: He catches a few breaks.
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August 2nd, 2010 at 3:46 pm
It’s interesting reading back about Lance’s chances and hyperbole in light of Floyd Landis’ allegations that are currently being investigated.
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