The Tour de France can get back to normal. After Lance Armstrong's seven-year stranglehold on the yellow jersey came to an end when the American cyclist retired after the 2005 race, this year's Tour will be wide-open and the yellow jersey will be draped on someone's else shoulder on the Champs d'Elysees in two weeks time.
A major doping scandal threw the first Tour de France of the post-Lance Armstrong era into chaosy, with favorites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso forced out of the world's premier cycling race under a cloud of suspicion. With the ouster of several top riders, Levi Leipheimer and Floyd Landis, both former teammates of Armstrong, are contenders.
Landis is one rider to be reckoned with. Landis, 30, will try to become the third American after Greg LeMond (1986, '89, '90) and Armstrong to win the Tour de France. But Landis' quest for a Tour win is hampered by some hip pains which will require surgery after the Tour. Landis, a former team-mate of seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, said the pain is worse in time trials and climbing steep hills.
Leipheimer finished eighth, ninth and sixth in the three Tours he completed in 2002, 2004 and 2005. He is the highest-placed finisher left from last year. Armstrong following his record seventh straight crown. The consistently high-performing Butte, Mont., native has reason to fancy his chances of becoming Armstrong?s heir: Of the 172 racers still left in cycling?s showpiece race that lost top contenders to doping allegations, a crash and illness, only four have ever finished above Leipheimer - and one of those is now his teammate.
Other Americans looking good so far are Armstrong?s former Tour support riders, Landis and George Hincapie. Hincapie has worn the race leader?s yellow jersey for a day so far and previously was third overall, behind Tom Boonen and world time trial champion Michael Rogers from Australia.
Who will succeed Lance Armstrong? Get all your Sports Betting odds and lines at Bodog Sportsbook! Whatever sport or bet type is your passion, Bodog Sportsbook takes you front and center with fast and easy online sports betting.
A major doping scandal threw the first Tour de France of the post-Lance Armstrong era into chaosy, with favorites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso forced out of the world's premier cycling race under a cloud of suspicion. With the ouster of several top riders, Levi Leipheimer and Floyd Landis, both former teammates of Armstrong, are contenders.
Landis is one rider to be reckoned with. Landis, 30, will try to become the third American after Greg LeMond (1986, '89, '90) and Armstrong to win the Tour de France. But Landis' quest for a Tour win is hampered by some hip pains which will require surgery after the Tour. Landis, a former team-mate of seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, said the pain is worse in time trials and climbing steep hills.
Leipheimer finished eighth, ninth and sixth in the three Tours he completed in 2002, 2004 and 2005. He is the highest-placed finisher left from last year. Armstrong following his record seventh straight crown. The consistently high-performing Butte, Mont., native has reason to fancy his chances of becoming Armstrong?s heir: Of the 172 racers still left in cycling?s showpiece race that lost top contenders to doping allegations, a crash and illness, only four have ever finished above Leipheimer - and one of those is now his teammate.
Other Americans looking good so far are Armstrong?s former Tour support riders, Landis and George Hincapie. Hincapie has worn the race leader?s yellow jersey for a day so far and previously was third overall, behind Tom Boonen and world time trial champion Michael Rogers from Australia.
Who will succeed Lance Armstrong? Get all your Sports Betting odds and lines at Bodog Sportsbook! Whatever sport or bet type is your passion, Bodog Sportsbook takes you front and center with fast and easy online sports betting.
