Tour de France anyone watching?

[guspech750]

Just curious if any members here are interested in the Tour de France? What an unbelievable last two days. Did anyone watch todays stage 15. As the riders were heading into the Alps, in the background of one of the camera shots was a Starsky and Hutch car. Anyone else see it? Other wise its been an awesome race this year!!:banana2:

[Vortex]

Watch it every year. Looks like Lance is going to be a good teammate and help the other guy win this year, thats good as many people helped Lance win his. On a related note, tonight at 8 pm central on Discovery HD is the Isle of Man TT.

[Bluerauder]

Nope. :P 890

[Joe Walsh]

I have lost almost all interest in the Tour de France.
It is similar to NASCAR...both have gotten too advanced for their own good.

Blood doping, blood transfusions, radios, pursuit cars, teams, team manager's deciding who leads and when...and who wins!

Who cares about 'breakaways' anymore?
They can carefully monitor exactly what the leaders are doing and how far ahead they are...:sleepy:.

Just let them ride the friggin' bikes and see who is best.

[Mike Poore]

I have lost almost all interest in the Tour de France.
It is similar to NASCAR...both have gotten too advanced for their own good.

Blood doping, blood transfusions, radios, pursuit cars, teams, team manager's deciding who leads and when...and who wins!

Who cares about 'breakaways' anymore?
They can carefully monitor exactly what the leaders are doing and how far ahead they are...:sleepy:.

Just let them ride the friggin' bikes and see who is best.

Joe, you've become so damned cynical, almost an old fart. :geezer:

I watch for the same reason I watch NASCAR....sometimes there's a really great crash. Especially the Alps....I mean, if the first guy goes over the cliff, the rest would surely follow.....how cool would that be? :D

[CBT]

Just curious if any members here are interested in the Tour de France? What an unbelievable last two days. Did anyone watch todays stage 15. As the riders were heading into the Alps, in the background of one of the camera shots was a Starsky and Hutch car. Anyone else see it? Other wise its been an awesome race this year!!:banana2:
The only way I'd watch it is if they were all racing Starsky and Hutch cars instead of bikes. I like riding bikes, but can't get into watching it for some reason. Like golf. Golf to me is like a visual sleeping aid, turn it on, sleepy sleepy time within minutes.

[Joe Walsh]

Joe, you've become so damned cynical, almost an old fart. :geezer:

I prefer the term: 'curmudgeon'

I watch for the same reason I watch NASCAR....sometimes there's a really great crash. Especially the Alps....I mean, if the first guy goes over the cliff, the rest would surely follow.....how cool would that be? :D

Mike!
Watching just for the sake of a crash and to witness someone else's problem and pains?....:shake:

OK... Sounds good to me!
.................

[guspech750]

It will be interesting to see if Lance plays the roll of a great teammate. If he does its going to be cool to see the Astana team come in 1, 2, and 3 on the final day. I can see him being the ultimate teammate since he wants to win one way or another and he is suposedly buying the Astana team next year. I too dont care for all the radios, blood doping, and managers calling the shots. Too bad for George Hincapie. I was really hoping he would take the yellow. Hes been such an awesome teammate for all those years. He really deserved to have a little glory.

[juno]

Yeah, I am sick of hearing the uninformed talk about blood doping in the tour. NASCAR has had more positive tests on their drivers this year then the Tour. :)
The Tour riders are the most tested of any other sport, by about 100 fold. They don't have a union that allows them to take steroids or League officials that look the other way or give them a slap on the wrist if they get caught.
So, you test positive on the Tour for PED or doping?

1. The gendarmes come knocking on your door and you are arrested and put in jail. You now face criminal charges also. What a concept! Steroids are illegal here too, but no one does anything about it.
2. All team equipment and facilities are treated as a crime scene.
3. You are immediately suspended for at least one year, likely more.
4. Your team is in jeapordy of being disqualified. It does not make the sponsors and teammates very happy. Teams have disqualified themselves in shame because of a teammate. Astana was not invited to the 2008 tour despite the fact that they fired everybody and hired Bruyneel and all new riders and support (basically the whole Discovery team). So Contador was not allowed to defend his title in 08.

Yes, they had problems in the past, but they have done more then any other sport to clean it up. The riders themselves are the most adamant. They want all their competition to be clean.

To ride in the Tour you have to sign a 'contract' for your 'passport'.
That means 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, you have to account for your whereabouts and a tester can come knocking on your door anytime, bottle in hand.

Lance Armstrong had 40 out-of-competion drug tests since August last year.

He had 3 in 48 hours during the first week of the tour.

In 2007 Michael Rasmussen was leading the tour and almost guaranteed a win. He had lied about his whereabouts for a few weeks of training. He said he was in Mexico when he was actually in Italy in the company of some suspect individuals.
His team disqualified him!
Imagine the Yankees releasing A-roid during a world series!!!!

BTW, you never hear a rider blame his bike after a bad day. It's not like NASCAR where the driver makes every single excuse except that he drove like crap.

[juno]

Oh, and back to the race! :)
Contador looks pretty unbeatable and I am sure Lance will support him.
But....if Lance sees an opportunity he will take it!!!! The next three mountains and the long time trial favor Lance more then Alberto, so we will see what kind of condition Lance is in.

The Tour is an incredible event. The scenery is unbelievable, the competition is incredible, and talk about fan friendly! Grab a lawn chair, and a coole r of your favorite adult beverage and enjoy being a few feet from them. On the mountain stages you can even run alongside them on the course if you wish!!!!
These guys are the best conditioned athletes in the world.
The strategy is overwhelming and confusing for casual observers. It is so far above any strategies involved in any other sport that it is hard to get into it. Once you get the basics though, it is fascinating.

Fake??? You have got to be kidding!!!! You never know what is going to happen. That is the best part.

[juno]

Yesterday was pretty boring because of the downhill finish, but there were some interesting moments.
Lance riding across that 30 second gap to catch the leaders was simply amazing!!!He made up the time in about 2k which means he was going twice as fast as them. And that's with the Schlecks trying to bury Contador!
I can imagine their thoughts when their race radios were saying "Lance is coming". The look on their faces when he sprinted up to them (and past some) was priceless!!
He is getting stronger everyday.
On a sad note, Jens Voigt crashed on the descent and broke his cheekbone. He is an awsome tempo rider and always on the breakaways. His loss hurts Andy Schleck's chances significantly.

[guspech750]

Up untill Lance took off like old times, the race was so so. I was happy to see Franco Pellizotti kick some but to keep the King of the Mountains jersey. It was refreshing to see someone with a jersey to attack so early yet keep the attack on for the whole day. I was hoping he would have won the stage. Jens Voigts crash was really horible. He looked knocked out as his momentum just draged his face on the asphalt. Watching Lance take off to make up the time gap was awesome. Reminded me of the "look" at Jan Ullrich. I think he maybe up to something...good. I agree that Lance seems to be getting stronger everyday. I am looking foreward to watch todays race. I watch the after work.

[Vortex]

Good race today thru the alps, looks like Lance is doing yeomans work for the team and helping Contadore win the yellow jersey. Lance doesnt need to win to prove his point. He won 7 times, then has been out of the sport almost 4 years and now comes back and is still in the top 5, all at an age at least 10 years older than most other riders. Enjoy watching the Jordan, the Palmer, the Ali of his sport, there wont be another one. If he does well in the sprint and the last climb he could still end up in the top 3, a podium finish.

[guspech750]

what an awsome tt. contadore just proved he is the best in the world. bad team yes. but i understand his anger of not being allowed in the tour last year and wanted to prove his worth as a champion again. but i think lance is going to train this time around like none before. i think deep down hes pissed. but what an incredible ride this year for lance. some marathons, mountain bike races some other big road tours and a broken colar bone. all in all. a really good season for lance.

[juno]

I agree. I would love to have seen Lance win, but he has ridden very well.
If Contador was on a diferent team, Lance would be in yellow. Fortunately Alberto will be on a team other then RADIO SHACK-LIVESTRONG next year.
Hopefully they keep Kloden and Levi and the rest of the cast.

I was hoping Lance would be in the break today, but he is still playing the team card. Unlike Alberto who disobeyed orders and ruined a 1-2-3 finish for Astana. :(
Hopefully he will get his come-uppance next year.

[Cheeseheadbob]

I watched Stage 17 in the Alps, and one thing really perplexed me. Why do the race officials let the jackasses run along side and even touch the riders? For their 15 seconds of fame, the "involved spectator" could affect the whole race. Also, do the fans who wear the whole riding get-up while standing on the side of the road wear it for the same reason the rest of the world wears the jerseys of their favorite team? Ok, one more question, in a spinning class at the gym, is it not a little dorky to wear a whole riding outfit?

[CBT]

I watched Stage 17 in the Alps, and one thing really perplexed me. Why do the race officials let the jackasses run along side and even touch the riders? For their 15 seconds of fame, the "involved spectator" could affect the whole race. Also, do the fans who wear the whole riding get-up while standing on the side of the road wear it for the same reason the rest of the world wears the jerseys of their favorite team? Ok, one more question, in a spinning class at the gym, is it not a little dorky to wear a whole riding outfit?

What in the hell is a spinning class? It makes me think of that scene from 'Ghost' when they make the clay sculpture. Which in turn makes me think of justbob.

[Cheeseheadbob]

A one hour session of interval training on a stationary bike. Not for the weak or faint of heart. My heart rate stays at about 150 bpm for 95% of the time. 10X better than running if you have bad knees and hips like me. Plus I get to stare at 25 hot and sweaty 20-30 year old females for two hours a week!
What in the hell is a spinning class?

[CBT]

A one hour session of interval training on a stationary bike. Not for the weak or faint of heart. My heart rate stays at about 150 bpm for 95% of the time. 10X better than running if you have bad knees and hips like me. Plus I get to stare at 25 hot and sweaty 20-30 years olds for two hours a week!

If you mean women, I'm sold, let's meet up and drive there together:beer:

[Cheeseheadbob]

I was editing as you were writing this.:D
If you mean women, I'm sold, let's meet up and drive there together:beer:

[CBT]

I was editing as you were writing this.:D

Yes you have to be specific or Phrog gunner will show up in his pink leotard, holding a water bottle and 2 straws.

[Phrog_gunner]

It's NOT pink its skin tone...and don't forget to mention you got whiplash trying to get a good look.......

[Haggis]

It's NOT pink its skin tone...and don't forget to mention you got whiplash trying to get a good look.......

Your lucky he did not go for the reach around.

[Phrog_gunner]

Your lucky he did not go for the reach around.

It was def a close call....

[CBT]

It was def a close call....

Haggis head was in the way, zoiks!

[Haggis]

Haggis head was in the way, zoiks!

Hey, you were picking my nose at the time. Finish with one job before you start another one.

[juno]

Yes, it takes a little getting used to the crowds. :) Fortunately they have never affected the outcome of a race. Pretty amazing that they allow it.
The crowds have been known to help riders who fall, get their bike reset and push start them (yes- it is legal). The officials will turn the other way if one of the crowd's countrymen (who is not in contention) needs a little push up the mountain also.
They will hand out water and occaisonally the riders will take it. They also hand out newspapers at the top so the riders can stuff them down the fronts of their shirts for the cold descents.
It's the nuances and cool **** that make the tour so amazing. Things they rarely show on TV, like the whole Peleton stopping for a "nature break" or the whole peleton zipping through the feed zone, grabbing mussette bags on the fly. That is probably the most dangerous section of the race.
Team 'feeders' will even feed other teams riders if they missed theirs and riders and teams share food and drink on the road if a team or neutral service car is not around.
The thing that was the hardest for me to get my head around were the deals that were made on the course. A rider on a break would offer another team's rider money or the stage victory to do most of the work. The money part doesn't happen anymore (not that I have heard anyway), but they still make deals.
I believe Contador and the Schlecks made a road deal a few stages ago to let Frank win the stage.
Armstrong is big on tradition. He alway's wants a frenchman to win on Bastille day, or at least be in the yellow jersey, or a Spaniard to win a stage in Spain, an Italian to win in Italy, etc.
A few years back David Zabriskie eeked him out in the prologue and wore the maillot jaune for a few days. During the team time trial, Discovery made up some time but Zabriskie would have still been in the lead except he crashed right near the end.
Lance refused to wear yellow the next day because he thought Zabriskie should keep it. Just before the stage the head of the Tour organization told Lance "There are several hundred thousand people lining up to watch the yellow jersey ride by. You wear it or you don't ride"

Oh, and the folks in full riding gear at the top of the mountain? Most of them likely rode their bikes up there. :bows:



I watched Stage 17 in the Alps, and one thing really perplexed me. Why do the race officials let the jackasses run along side and even touch the riders? For their 15 seconds of fame, the "involved spectator" could affect the whole race. Also, do the fans who wear the whole riding get-up while standing on the side of the road wear it for the same reason the rest of the world wears the jerseys of their favorite team? Ok, one more question, in a spinning class at the gym, is it not a little dorky to wear a whole riding outfit?

[Phrog_gunner]

Hey, you were picking my nose at the time. Finish with one job before you start another one.

He is known for blowing jobs left and right...

[juno]

Speaking of the crowds again, one year Lance got his handlebar stuck in a women's handbag and went down hard.
Jan Ulrich went right by him, but eventually the riders slowed down and let him catch back up.

BTW, Lance had set the precedent by waiting for Ulrich after a crash a year or two earlier.
Lance and Jan were fierce competitors for years, but they respected each other or at least Lance alway's respected him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQDjqAkLUB0

[Haggis]

He is known for blowing jobs left and right...

...or is that blow jobs?

IBTL........


















DOH!!!

[Phrog_gunner]

Speaking of the crowds again, one year Lance got his handlebar stuck in a women's handbag and went down hard.
Jan Ulrich went right by him, but eventually the riders slowed down and let him catch back up.

BTW, Lance had set the precedent by waiting for Ulrich after a crash a year or two earlier.
Lance and Jan were fierce competitors for years, but they respected each other or at least Lance alway's respected him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQDjqAkLUB0


That is the epitome of sportsmanship....and the general lack thereof is why I dont want most American pro sports. Now its all about rubbing it in with touchdown dances and taunting players after a dunk.

[juno]

That is the epitome of sportsmanship....and the general lack thereof is why I dont want most American pro sports. Now its all about rubbing it in with touchdown dances and taunting players after a dunk.
Yes, that stuff gets annoying.
They sure as heck still have thier differences in the Tour though. :)
The other day Astana brought the break down to just under 9 minutes... enough to let their old pal George Hincapie be in yellow by over 2 minutes.
But the other american team (and then his own) decided to run him down.
I am pretty sure Astana was not expecting that and would have left it higher if they had known. In any event it sucked for Hincapie. :(
And they will occaisonally show the riders on the break yelling at each other about not taking their turn at the front or if a 'deal' can't be brokered. :)

[guspech750]

i have not watched todays race yet...and i will. but i think contador will not be on the radioshack team. i dont know if he should. i would think for lances livestrong campaigns he would want contador on his team since he will most likely finish 1st and some 2nds or 3rds in a lot off races. lance is not going to win many more races in the coming years. but on the flip side. contador is not a team player too. i am sure levi, popovych, kloden, horner and some others will be on the team. hincapie would be a sweet addition for possible his last year or so of professional riding. and to end it on lances team would be sweet.

[guspech750]

what an awesome sprint finish up today. just a great surprise that the sprinters had no choice but to battle it out till the end. Cavendesh deserves the green jersey without a doubt. damn race officials screwed him though. saturday should be awesome with the last real climb of the tour.

[juno]

Yes, Cavendish rode his ass off to get to the sprint, I loved his interview. Nothing but praise for his teammates who dragged him over the climb and killed themselves to get him to the sprint, He said his biggest motivation was not to let them down.
I had heard rumors of him being invited to Lance's new team, but I don' see how it makes sense. Maybe they will chase Wiggins though.
Yes, if Big George has anything left in the tank I would love to see him do one more tour with Lance.
Today will be an awsome stage, It won't affect yellow unless Contador blows up completely, but it will be one heck of a fight for the other two podium places.

Viva Le Tour!!!!

[guspech750]

What a great tour. Mark Cavendesh is a stud. In all his interviews, he seams to be so humble and soft spoken. He seams to be besides a great cyclist but a great rolemodel for how an athelet should be. To see Lance on the podium for 3rd place was a little funny. The look on his face seamed to say that this is wasting my time...wait till next year. Contador may be the best rider but not the smartest. Cant wait to see whos on Lances team and next season. Cant picture Cavendesh on Lances team, but if Cavendesh can increase his endurance and improve his mountain rides, he would not need the time trial to be the winner of the yellow jersey. he would make a great champion.

[juno]

I expect 90% of Astana will be on his team.
I am going to try very hard to be there next year. I saw a stage in 98, but have not been back since.
I cannot wait for the Team Armstrong (Radio shack), Team Contador (Euskatel????), Team Schlecks (Rabobank?) match-ups!!! That will be the most contested tour in years!!!!
I hope no one gets hurt between now and then!!!!