OT tour de France. Whats the big deal!

[Guest24]

Rique, you can't offend anyone on this forum with an attack on NASCAR. It has become more Hollywood glitz than racing. If someone isn't winning enough, they go crying to the powers that be about it and before you can say ''stock Car Racing" they get a special air dam adjustment or rear wing movement and they get to win for a little while. NASCAR is in the same class as professional wrestling.

[Corky]

Originally Posted by JonyRR

watching that $hit is as boring as watching paint dry.

If I wanted so see a line of men sniffing each other's butts in formation I could go to a gay bar in Seattle:0

Did I mention how BORING bicycle street racing is?

Don't tell me your a NASCAR fan..

[ricky racer]

Bicycle racing would be cool it you strapped a 50 HP engine in them. Replace the spandex with leather and let them go!!!

[turboflyer]

Originally Posted by RIQUE

I did'nt mean to diminish Nascar. I actually do watch it now and then but only when they don't go round n round in circles. I recall Michael Schumacher comments where in the same line. Someone asked him if after retiring from F1 he would consider Nascar...

Ok I love cycling, do a tandem ride almost every day but what is driving me crazy is how to get you avtar enlarged. Can we paypay you some money. Come on.

[squall_line]

If certain riders are better at certain stages than others, then how does "wait for your opponent" really work? I mean, if you're ahead of your opponent by 30 seconds and your opponent's chain breaks, does someone wave a flag and tell you to stop and wait so that you don't put any more distance between the two of you? I suppose I can see not passing someone in that situation, but pulling up if you're already in the lead?

I watch the Tour for the chase bikes and escort bikes, myself. It's one of the few times I get to see BMW bikes anywhere other than in front of my house or at the dealership.

[EenyBear]

A big shout out to home boy Ryder Hesjedel who has moved up to 8th place overall. Not bad for a gangly kid from down the street. All of Victoria (and Canada, I suspect) is very proud of you Ryder!!!

Pelicans may wish to note that he is currently the top rider from North America as well (and the Commonwealth for that matter).

So Contador (yellow jersey, overall) acquitted himself well today. When Schleck (white jersey, youth) broke away, he stayed on his tail... then he tried a break-away. Schleck dug deep into a wellspring of passion and determination... and managed to get a half a wheel ahead of Contador. At this point Contador, secure in his overall standing as the leader, simply let Schleck continue with his half wheel lead across the line for the stage win. The overall time difference between him and Schleck was not affected. Excellent sportsmanship. Very polite. Very generous. Very respectful of Schleck's efforts. Proper form. Congratulations to all.

Yes, a bit quirky perhaps to those who favor the "winning everything all the time is all the matters" point of view. But these athletes have a tremendous affection for the sport, the Tour specifically... and (in many cases) for each other - and a deep respect for the traditions that enable the finest cyclists in the world to challenge each other in the most challenging long-distance bicycle race in the world.

Peace.

[hawkeyejohn14]

Hey I am all for Jonny going to gay bars and sniffing butts if that is what gets him off, just not my thing. I like Mark's thoughts and agree that if the riders can get over it, the fans should to.

Today was a great example Alberto could of continued to race Andy to the line but deferred and let Andy take the stage win after a great battle between the two even though it means he will probably become the 7th man to win the overall without winning a single stage. Great race today, very exciting.

I too don't enjoy watching all sports on tv or even live but have found that once I went to a few live events and learned the history and strategy or experienced a little of what it takes my appreciation grew.

I didn't used to enjoy Hockey until I went to some professional games when I lived in ATL and saw the speed, agility and power of the players, it made the Olympic games that much better this year. Same goes for swimming, when my daughter was swimming, I learned to enjoy her racing her past times as much as the competitors and then watched the Olympics with a whole new appreciation. The last three years my son has run track and I have become a big fan, now he is transitioning into triathlons and while watching isn't that great, I still appreciate what these athletes go through.

Nascar: Ricky Bobby is still my favorite driver.

[RIQUE]

Turboflyer, you crack me up dude. word! so you wanna see the naked lady heh. naughty naughty. Anybody notice we got censored too?

[hawkeyejohn14]

Congrats to your man Ryder (great name for a bike racer) I was thinking of you when I watched him come across today. Great year for the Canadians. I agree it was a nice finish today.

Originally Posted by EenyBear

A big shout out to home boy Ryder Hesjedel who has moved up to 8th place overall. Not bad for a gangly kid from down the street. All of Victoria (and Canada, I suspect) is very proud of you Ryder!!!

Pelicans may wish to note that he is currently the top rider from North America as well (and the Commonwealth for that matter).

So Contador (yellow jersey, overall) acquitted himself well today. When Schleck (white jersey, youth) broke away, he stayed on his tail... then he tried a break-away. Schleck dug deep into a wellspring of passion and determination... and managed to get a half a wheel ahead of Contador. At this point Contador, secure in his overall standing as the leader, simply let Schleck continue with his half wheel lead across the line for the stage win. The overall time difference between him and Schleck was not affected. Excellent sportsmanship. Very polite. Very generous. Very respectful of Schleck's efforts. Proper form. Congratulations to all.

Yes, a bit quirky perhaps to those who favor the "winning everything all the time is all the matters" point of view. But these athletes have a tremendous affection for the sport, the Tour specifically... and (in many cases) for each other - and a deep respect for the traditions that enable the finest cyclists in the world to challenge each other in the most challenging long-distance bicycle race in the world.

Peace.

[hawkeyejohn14]

Just watching a part of the race I missed when I went to the physical therapist, when I watched a herd of sheep come climbing up the side of the mountain and onto the road in front of the riders and then running down the road. Luckily no one went down! Very funny, one doesn't see that in any other sport.

[AntonLargiader]

From one POV it would have been very gentlemanly for Contador to wait, but there was a break forming and he was going for it. I didn't watch that stage and I don't know if anyone in the break was significant but there were still long and hard stages ahead so I can see Contador not wanting to let them get away.

Besides, who would think that a dropped chain would be such a big time loss? In the later stages Saxo Bank showed that they had the power to pull Andy wherever he needed to be; I guess they didn't realize what was happening in time.

Oh, and Cancellara rocks.

[hawkeyejohn14]

Congratulations to Alberto, nice race. Sanchez was in the break but I don't think he would of kept going, who knows, it's over over now and as long as Andy and Alberto are good, it shouldn't matter to us mere fans. It is funny how Andy pushed him in the TT though, I believe with Frank back Andy will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Great race and I miss it, nothing like human beings being the engines that drive the machines, especially up those mountain roads, unbelievable.

[Rapid Dog]

...ahh go ahead and diminish NASCAR....please!

[RIQUE]

OK. Nascar sucks

[JonyRR]

All I was doing was being a gadfly and stirring things up.
I was bored
And Bark-o is no longer around to generate ire, so I had to throw that out there.
It worked, too....

[Rapid Dog]

...no JRR, your just bored...

[bradzdotcom]

Originally Posted by Rapid Dog

...ahh go ahead and diminish NASCAR....please!

okay.
i have two friends in nascar, one in a car and one in a truck.
at best, i'll watch the highlights if either of them do something memorable.

other than that, if i feel the nascar urge, i go in the bathroom, dump a bag of skittles in the toilet and flush it.

taa daa! a nascar race from start to finish, performed in fast forward.

[Guest24]

I only read this because I get a kick out of what Brad will post. NASCAR=Anything BUT a stock car. I'm still looking for that 2dr Taurus they ran or that rear wheel drive Toyota. I've come to the conclusion that their drivers have only a right brain because they can only turn left.

Do you think that if they had right-hand drive cars they'd quit scraping the wall.

Brad, it took me a while to remember what Skittles look like. Gummy Bears or M&M's would have been easier for me in grasping the concept. However, our Aussie friends will have to pretend that they a re in the northern hemisphere. Or view the flush in a mirror.

I was up late last night. Forgive the drivel.

[RIQUE]

Bradz, what a great example you gave. Lucky for us you used skittles...

[hawkeyejohn14]

LMAO Brad, thanks for visual it works for me. That said my son was picked out of his drivers ed class to take the Richard Petty safe driving school for free today a $349 value, plus he can win tickets for the Nationwide races this weekend over in Newton, which I would go to for free. So Thanks to Richard Petty and Nascar for helping make my son a better driver.