Tour De France

[AlchemyGolf]

Hi everyone
Hope your seasons are going well.

The Tour De France starts tomorrow which means im glued to my T.V and Saddle for the next 3 weeks.

Is there another sporting event to compare as a test of endurance and the comeback of all comebacks is upon us.

2200 miles over 23 days with 2 rest days!
8 mountain stages

Ive ridden the beyond category mountains in the Pyrenees and they have to be seen to be believed.
each 1 Over 10 miles of going uphill,its an achievement to get to the top never mind race balls out over them.

I remember everyone speculating to how Tiger was going to fair on his return,well the whole cycling world is waiting to see if a certain Mr Armstrong can do the impossible in the next 3 weeks.
No one has won it at his age,never mind after 3 years out of the sport.
Personally I think he might podium but not win it but like Tiger you write him off at your peril.

I CANT WAIT!!!!!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

No interest in the sport as it has been seen to be littered with drugs cheats. No confidence the sport is clean

 

[AlchemyGolf]

Yes cycling has had its problems but you would be very naive to think any sport is clean.

Cycling has the most stringent testing programme and hence finds more positive tests which then gives the sport a bad rep,its a vicious circle.

If every sport had the same testing programme then it would be alaming the amount of sports and competitors that would suffer positive tests.

Gary Player certainly believes golf has a performance drug culture!

Anyway i have no desire for this thread to degenerate into a drug issue.

Its an awesome event if you understand whats truly involved in competing in it!

 

[mono217]

No sport is clean but I think the tour de france is one of the biggest claim to fame chances.

 

[andiritchie]

I watch most sports on tv and am looking forward to the Tour De France

Played your place a few weeks ago,Shaw Hill very nice course

 

[haplesshacker]

My father loves watching it. He does live in France for 6 months of the year though. The Tour De France is huge (as you'd expect) over there, but it's the carnival atmosphere that proceeds the pelaton, as it progresses through these tiny french villages and towns. Despite passing through in what must be the blink of an eye!

It's the whole atmosphere and strategy and tactics of the teams that he enjoys the most. No particular support for any one rider or team.

Though I do think the TV struggles to convey the speed that these guys ride at, not unlike motor racing. Mind you, the huge crashes are always interesting to watch! Was it last year when a cyclist, on one of the downhill mountain stages, went over the armco and landed in a tree. He just got back on his bike and carried on riding. Madness!

I've deliberately left the drug issue out.

The worst thing about The Tour being on is the number of lycra clad (to old for lycra) year olds that are out clogging up our roads right now on their bikes!

 

[Imurg]

Cycling has the most stringent testing programme and hence finds more positive tests which then gives the sport a bad rep,its a vicious circle.

Ermm... Then why do they keep doing it? If they're far more likely to get caught because the testing is more stringent, then it's not rocket science to think "Maybe I won't do this".
The vicious circle is perpetuated by people who want to be the best but clearly arn't have to cheat to get there. If you're not good enough, you're not good enough.

You can almost guarantee that riders will get caught in the TDF. It makes the race a farce. Until they really get it sorted, I can't be bothered with it. What is it? A competition to see who's the most drugged up?

 

[viscount17]

I like to watch Le Tour, from the comfort of an armchair, despite the druggies.

I always hope against hope that the breakaways will win the stages and force the stars to actually race. The stick in the pack and everybody get the same time seems daft to me, try breaking it up so that no more than 10 can have the same time.

but is Le Tour the original home of the idiot spectator, did the US golfing galleries catch the idiocy from them, will we see more cyclists brought low by a cretin in the crowd or better yet more cretins battered by a bleeding cyclist?

 

[Andy]

Give me MotoGP anyday.

Watch them tommorrow at Laguna Seca on the corkscrew and you'll know what racing on 2 wheels is about.

Andy

 

[Molly]

Looking forward to it. Fantastic sport. Plenty of people tipping Cavendish to win the green jersey too, so could be a home winner.

I have a lot of time for Armstrong and I hope he does get the fairytale victory, but on top of his 3 year break, he was injured a few weeks ago, so is not in the best shape, but good luck to him.

Read his books too - very good read. The guy is nothing short of indestructable! 4th stage cancer and then went on to win the Tour 7 times in total. Pretty spectacular that. Good luck for No.8 Lance.

I saw the tour live last year, when it came through our town! They were really motoring and went in a blur - blink and you'd have missed it. Very sedate being English crowd, no road painting or running in front of them....not enough mentalists to make it 'proper'

 

[haplesshacker]

Give me MotoGP anyday.

Watch them tommorrow at Laguna Seca on the corkscrew and you'll know what racing on 2 wheels is about.

Andy

So where do I see it on tv? Satelite I bet! Not that I'm much of a bike fan, but Laguna's corkscrew is a must watch!

 

[Andy]

BBC Red button m8. Qualifying tonight at 2145 and race tommorrow at 2200

Andy

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I actually enjoy the spectacle of the TDF and especially the mountain stages and the time trials. I couldn't honestly sit in front of Eurosport for four hours and watch a whole stage (prefer the ITV3 highlights) but I appreciate the pain and effort that goes into it and toa degree the skill each rider has to perform their own unique function within their team.

 

[Leftie]

"No interest in the sport as it has been seen to be littered with drugs cheats. No confidence the sport is clean"

"I actually enjoy the spectacle of the TDF and especially the mountain stages and the time trials."

Homer. Now I'm really

 

[AlchemyGolf]

The vicious circle is perpetuated by people who want to be the best but clearly arn't have to cheat to get there. If you're not good enough, you're not good enough.

This is actually not true in my opinion,the vicious circle is perpetuated by the payment structure in the sport.Every rider starts off as a domestique,effectively you work tirelessly for your team leaders 80% of the time and in sporting terms its a very hard way to earn peanuts.If you have a top 3 finish in 1 of the 3 grand tours,France,Italy or Spain you pretty much guarantee yourself a huge contract offer from a major team and you will be a millionare from this and endorsements with sponsors.The gap is so huge that these riders will always think the gamble is worth it to make the big money.

Someone mentioned Armstrongs books,they are inspiring,especially to you Homer with what we have shared in private posts in the past,A truley remarkable man!!!

How many of you are aware of Mark Cavendish as mentioned earlier,In europe this guy is a god,the fastest most successful sprinter in the world and he is BRITISH!!!
There is no British sportsman at the moment who can compare with his success in there own sport yet he gets no recognition whatsoever while Andy Murray is lorded for coming effectively fourth at Wimbledon.Seeing this guy at full pelt is really something,he touches 45mph as he goes for the line,Amazing!!!
Stage 2 tomorrow has all the makings of a sprint finish so the highlights on ITV4 should be focusing on him if any of you have a spare 1/2hr.
If he can get to Paris and win the green jersey it would be an incredible feat and one that should be recognised in his home country.

There is no way I can fully defend the sport I love and am passionate about because of its past.Riders who I looked up to and admired have let me down on to many occasions but I cant tar everyone with the same brush.

 

[USER1999]

I am into cycling, and the tdf is like no other. The most watched event on the planet.

However, it is tarnished by the cheats.

Still exciting though, and yes, I went to Canterbury to see the finish, and boy do these guys shift on a bike. Woosh, and they are gone.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

What I meant was I like the spectacle as a televisual event but I've no confidence in the legitimacy of the competitors.

Think that should clear the ambiguity

 

[USER1999]

Hmm, Miguel Indurain anyone? Drug taking cheat or national hero? God knows, they were all at it back then.

Hopefully more are clean now, although heck knows what Floyd Landis thought he was doing.

It would be nice if there were no scandals this time.

Go Contador (and Lance).

 

[Canfordhacker]

Personally i love wathcing it. Whatever drugs these guys take, they still have to pedal the bloody thing 2000 miles at breakneck speed. Love the tactics and also want the breakaway guys to win.

My brother in law is doing the etape du tour again this year - they pick one mountain stage and about 7000 fools have a go at it. It was in the Pyrenees last time he did it, and he said he's never seen so many grown men in "King of the Mountains" lycra crying when they realised how hard that one stage was.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I'm gobsmacked at the level of interest this seems to have developed as a spectator driven spectacle. I have massive admiration for anyone who can complete such a grueling event, however do I consider it enjoyable to watch this feat of excellent physical performance? Hell no! How can it be enjoyable seeing 50 people crowded together on bikes going red in the face as they slowly proceed up a mountain side? From what I have ever seen of it their is one fundamental which I look for in televised sport in order to gain my interest...'excitement'.

Just my opinion of course! But give me the golf, football, rugby, tennis, BBC news any day!