Who's Watching the Tour?

[darkman]

All they have this year is cyclismo sunday on OLN. They'll recap races like the giro. In some instances they will also show the last hour or so of the race. No live coverage.

Most of the americans at the tdf were juniors when I began racing in my 20's. Back then, I was older than most people racing. We considered Kent Bostic the "bostosaurus" because he was in his 30's.

Now I'm 40 and I'm younger than most people racing! You can check the usa cycling statistics on age. I was just at Iron Horse. The vet categories outnumber senior men like 10:1. Michael Carter won the pro 1,2 race. He was an Andy Hampsten Motorolla teamate in the early 90's. Kudo's to him for winning. I won't take anything away from him (though I have posted a faster time than his in the past, for what it's worth it only got me 7th). However, a 40+ year old ex pro winning a race like iron horse states the level of competition. When I read other results they are mostly the same people that were consistantly winning when I was serious.

I've raced against several of the guys at the tour (including lance). I still remember gettting to the top of mogulon after the hottest most brutal day racing I can recall to hear Chris H. outsprinted S. Van Court for the win. Sprinting1?!?!?

Lance himself, among others at the tour, has made comments about who's going to replace them because of the lack of young riders racing in the US. Danielson and Zabrisky are the up and comers. Still, they are in their cycling prime (~26-28yrs old), not necessarily young bucks like a tom boonen.

Hopefully this will change and the sport will pick up. Even if it is "only" mtbing

[opus]

Just saw the big crash. Still not sure of the standings. Who's in the top ten right now?

[mtbbrian]

Top Ten after Stage Six:

1 001 Lance ARMSTRONG USA DSC 17h58'11.000'' 00.000''
2 004 George HINCAPIE USA DSC 17h59'06.000'' 55.000''
3 019 Alexandre VINOKOUROV KAZ TMO 17h59'13.000'' 1'02.000''
4 028 Jens VOIGT GER CSC 17h59'15.000'' 1'04.000''
5 023 Bobby JULICH USA CSC 17h59'18.000'' 1'07.000''
6 008 José*Œuis RUBIERA ESP DSC 17h59'25.000'' 1'14.000''
7 007 Yaroslav POPOVYCH UKR DSC 17h59'27.000'' 1'16.000''
8 005 Benjamin NOVAL GONZALEZ ESP DSC 17h59'37.000'' 1'26.000''
9 021 Ivan BASSO ITA CSC 17h59'37.000'' 1'26.000''
10 022 Kurt-Asle ARVESEN NOR CSC 17h59'43.000'' 1'32.000''

GO LANCE!!!!!!! (x7)

[Photo-John]

Yesterday I told my boss that I'll be coming in late so that I can watch the Tour every morning without getting up at 5 AM. In our office, everyonen understands that decision

Since I watched the first day, I've been hooked. I've never watched it consistently and I am absolutely loving it. I was always interested and thought it was cool. But watching it every day is different. I've started to see some of the subtlety and recognize more riders. I'm interested in the sprints, the breakaways, and all of the peleton strategizing and jockeying. And now I really want to make the trip and shoot the Tour. Maybe in a couple of years. I think I'll try Paris-Roubais first.

And now I think it's time to move this thread to the off-topic board. Can't be showing any favoritism...

[mtbbrian]

And now I really want to make the trip and shoot the Tour. Maybe in a couple of years. I think I'll try Paris-Roubais first.

And now I think it's time to move this thread to the off-topic board. Can't be showing any favoritism...

I am with you John, I would love to photograph "The Tour", it would be cool to assist Graham Watson!

I figured you'd move this thread eventually.

I have been watching "The Tour" since I was a kid.
I used have this "course" I'd ride in and around my neighborhood, it could have been a mile long, it could have been 10..
I would "race" this course in the summer racing the likes of LeMond, DelGado, Fignon, Hinault, etc, in tow. I would cross the finish line with them sprinting behind me, my arms raised victoriously.
I LOVE THE TOUR!
Brian

GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)

[Asylum Steve]

I thought OLN covered the Giro this year?

...but it wasn't on TV. They offered a live daily (M-F) webcast. All three weeks for only $6! Each weekday during the tour I had one of my monitors with the Giro on while I did work on the other. Their TV coverage was on the weekends...

[mtbbrian]

...but it wasn't on TV. They offered a live daily (M-F) webcast. All three weeks for only $6! Each weekday during the tour I had one of my monitors with the Giro on while I did work on the other. Their TV coverage was on the weekends...

OK, I thought I saw something about it then.

Brian

GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)

[darkman]

I want to follow, and photo, the giro! It's lower key so you can get closer. Plus, I'd be standing on the road side with mostly Italians! I think it would make a fun 3 week vacation.

The MAIN thing I want to know is what Lance and Bernard talk about! Hinault is one of my all time favorite riders. The guy won on the Champs wearing the yellow jersey. Twice! If the opportunity showed itself, I'm sure Lance would try and win a flat stage. Maybe just to avoid a crash? Hah! Remember when Indurain caught the pack sleeping in Belgium and attacked?

John, you may want to consider the Tour of Flanders (Rhonde Vlaanderan) or Liege-Baston-Leige. Both 1 day 170+ mile classics with some cobbles too. What's neat with these is the courses fold back on themselves so you can just keep going from cobbled hill to cobbled hill while the race takes the long route.

Mike

[mtbbrian]

I had heard that Hinault, "welcomed" Lance to the club back in 2003. The Five Time Winner Club, that is.

Brian

[darkman]

I had heard that Hinault, "welcomed" Lance to the club back in 2003. The Five Time Winner Club, that is.

Brian

They seem to get along well. Cheryl was even invited to ride in the car with Hinault the other day.

Mike

[Asylum Steve]

Welcome to the club, MB man. For me, the best thing about the Tour is not simply the team and individual strategies, but rather how those strategies CHANGE as the race goes from the flat coastal stages to the mountain stages.

Team Discovery is arguably the best overall team in the tour, but their true talent reveals itself in the mountains. Their main goal now is to get Lance safely through these crazy early flat stages without allowing any of his main rivals to gain much time on him.

Defend or don't defend the yellow jersey now; it all depends on what the other teams and rivals do.

But when Team Discovery gets to the mountains, they will become like a highly trained combat unit, with Lance and Team Director Johan Bruyneel the commanders, George Hincapie the field general, and the group of top mountain specialists (Azevedo, Beltran, Rubiera, etc.) the lieutenants. This team was specifically assembled with the mountain stages in mind.

If all goes according to plan, the team will work together like surgeons to slowly dismantle the competition one by one and set Lance up for incredibly strong finishes and substantial time gaps in these stages.

Last year it was a thing of beauty...

[opus]

The trouble is there are only nine Amercian riders, when compared to the 35 Germans and so on.

Cycling in general is so much more accessible in Europe. If only it could be more accessible here. I truly wish there were more (and safer) ways to bike from place to place in America ... seems only the big cities are bike-friendly ... and that suburban/rural drivers knew how to drive safely around cyclists.

[darkman]

Last year Azevedo took 5th overall. Putting things into perspective, that bad ass! A result most can only wish for.

[darkman]

Cycling in general is so much more accessible in Europe. If only it could be more accessible here. I truly wish there were more (and safer) ways to bike from place to place in America ... seems only the big cities are bike-friendly ... and that suburban/rural drivers knew how to drive safely around cyclists.

Part of this has to do with the popularity of the sport. This is even more true in the rural areas. People know who the stars are by name even if they don't follow cycling. You will see these guys on billboards and commercials. It's analogous to people in the US knowing who Michael Jordan is. Even people who aren't BB fans know him. Therefore, nobody in belgium would want to run over Tom Boonen.

At least that's how a friend of mine who raced proffesionally in europe put it.

[mtbbrian]

Well said Steve, but I have a point of contention of your post...
It's not "if things go as planned, it's they will go as planned!
;)
Under Lance's leadership Discovery will slowly and meticulously wear down the peleton. Yesterday's crash at the end shows how thought out and rehearsed Discovery is, George and Popovych did their jobs and did them well!
I can't wait for the "mountain stages", I will as I am sure Lance will to Alp de Huez.
Brian
GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)

[mtbbrian]

Well said Kelly.
Even then, cycling here in the USA is still looked upon as recreational rather than utilitarian.
Brian

[mtbbrian]

They seem to get along well. Cheryl was even invited to ride in the car with Hinault the other day.

Mike

¿Yeah?
I just don't care for Cheryl Crow..
Brian
GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)

[mtbbrian]

Back In YELLOW!
Because He's Baaack, Baaack, Back In YELLOW!
He's Back In Yellow!
Brian
GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)

[another view]

I have to admit that I don't know much about it, but have heard a lot lately on NPR. They interview a lot of people who have some interesting insight in what's going on. Obviously, it takes a crew to do what he's doing, but the guy is just a machine. Incredible. Go Lance!

Is it OK to admit that I like Sheryl Crow? She has been seen playing bass, after all! ;)

[mtbbrian]

Is it OK to admit that I like Sheryl Crow? She has been seen playing bass, after all! ;)

No sorry Steve, not acceptable whatsoever!
;)
Brian


GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)

[drg]

The satellite wasn't working right this morning, so a friend and I resorted to shortwave, the internet feeds, and hoping that our language skills were still good enough!

The announcers were rather excited! The final sprint ( I'd love to have seen it) really seems to tell the tale that Lance is up to the task!

Tomorrow should separate Le Tour winner from the field. Check out the profile for tomorrow, Stage 15, 4 cat 1climbs and and ending climb Beyond Category. Ouch.

http://www.letour.fr/2005/TDF/LIVE/us/1500/dprofil.html

Go Lance!

au revoir

[mtbbrian]

Today's stage was INCREDIBLE!!!
Lance increased his lead, AGAIN, and...
An American and fellow Discovery Channel team member, won the stage!
You Go George!!
I hope Lance wins a stage! I know it's been done before that a TDF winner has won without winning a stage, but It's just the same!
Brian
GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)

[Asylum Steve]

The historical irony and significance of this stage was so thick today, I don't think anyone could have scripted it any better.

This marked the ten year anniversary of the death of cyclist Fabio Casartelli, and this was the stage where he had his fatal crash in 1995. He was a teammate of Lance's at the time (on Team Motorola), and Lance has always paid a special tribute to Fabio when the Tour passes through this part of France.

Besides the usual extra motivation for Lance to win this stage, Fabio's wife and child were also at the race today.

Well, as we know, the early break prevented Lance from taking the win on this emotional day, but it did leave the door open for George Hincapie, and with team director Johan Bruyneel's blessing, he had an amazing finish and was able to take his first Tour stage victory.

BTW, in 1995, when Casartelli made the Motorola team for the Tour, he got the final slot. That meant a young American rider was left off the squad.

His name? George Hincapie...

[Asylum Steve]

I hope Lance wins a stage!

Brian,

Lance obviously has a shot at winning Tuesday's final day in the Pyrenees, but it's likely that many will try to attack and break away again, and he has very little incentive at this point to chase them down (doubtful they will be GC contenders). He's more apt to spend the day marking Ivan Basso to make sure he doesn't gain any time.

His best chance for a stage win will come Saturday with the Individual Time Trial in St. Etienne (which, btw is French for Saint Steven!). The ITT is one of Lance's specialties, and with it's length (55.5km), plus the fact that he will go last and know the times of all the other riders, he's got a great shot.

And in case he needed any additional motivation, he would absolutely love to win the final ITT of his career, and put the hammer down emphatically for Sunday's ride into Paris...

[mtbbrian]

BTW, in 1995, when Casartelli made the Motorola team for the Tour, he got the final slot. That meant a young American rider was left off the squad.

His name? George Hincapie...

You are right about all of that Steve.
Fabio and Lance were very close.
I remember reading about his crash, and how Lance was very distraught.

I didn't know that about George, it makes today even more memorable.
I hope that Lance wins a stage! There are a few real opportunities for a stage win for Lance, including the Time Trial on Saturday!
Brian

GO LANCE!!!!!!!(x7)
Go George!
God Bless You Fabio!