Tour de France 2011

[red-beard]

I am shocked there isn't a thread here on the 2011 TDF.



My take is how dangerous some of it has become.

[Joe Bob]

Is there an American in contention? Are the French whining about something?

[Baz]

I follow it every year, although admittedly got VERY spoiled by the years Lance was in it - still getting used to the event without him. He is supposed to attend though on July 23 in the time trial in Grenoble and then in Paris the last day in affiliation with Radio Shack.

What to me a VERY special aspect of the event is the outstanding commentating of Phil Liggett, Paul Sherman, and Bob Roll. IMO they are the best in the business for this sport when compared to other sport's commentators. Phil has a soft spot for the Americans too, which I think is really special. You can tell by his comments - he used to refer to Lance as the "young Texan" for example, when Lance was just starting out.

As for this year's event - I agree - MAJOR CARNAGE!!! AS has been discussed during the coverage, a lot of it had to do with the increased media involvement and their rabid thirst for coverage in and amongst the riders during the stage. But thankfully the organisers jumped in and throttled back some of the madness. But of course there has also been a lot of crashes that just happened normally without any outside influence.

I've really been impressed with some of the performances this year so far. Certainly Voekler is riding incredibly. Cavendish (with help from his team) is insane. So many more to be mentioned but I'll leave it there for now.

I think it's way too early to predict a winner - but at 4 min. back it doesn't look like Alberto will three-peat this year.

[Racerbvd]

I didn't watch like I useally do, and to be honest the extra CARNAGE is one reason I didn't, we have too much of that locally have had friends hurt on rides I just didn't want to see TV guys running cyclist over, anf there is the Lance factor too

[tevake]

I have been watching , its on very early in the morning here so have enjoyed it befor the day gets started. Yesterdays race was out standing, two big hills at the very end made for attack after attack. Just when you'd think they are ready to ease in to the finish. Unreal!!
I agree about the commentators excellent.
Great scenery as the flow thru the country side.

Cheers Richard

[Highlander179]

The racing has been fantastic! IMO, the extra carnage has a lot to do with LA NOT being there. When he was THE MAN, everybody knew it and the field was more settled. Now, there is no one guy... its actually 4 or more. It has made the peloton unsettled, and skittish. Its been chaos. Some fantastic racing moments tho... cant wait to see how it turns out. My money is on Cadel, but my heart pulls for Andy.

[rick-l]

Tour De Dopers.

It is no longer anything that I can compare my personal experience to that of the professionals you see in the race. Bunch of guys trading their future health for a job and cash.

[Laneco]

It would be pretty cool if the brothers Schleck both wound up on the podium.

I know that Voeckler will lose the jersey shortly (if he hasn't already today - didn't watch) but I love watching him race. He always rides well, but he truly becomes inspired when he wears the yellow.

angela

[red-beard]

He's still up by 1:49

[John Rogers]

I still have some really grainy videos of both the Tour and the Giro I recorded from the late 70's and early 80's off our old 12 foot C-band satellite dish when I was racing bicycles. Every now and then I pull one out or the one I shot of the 1984 Olympic road and track races. No live HD TV back then for sure......

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Baz

I follow it every year, although admittedly got VERY spoiled by the years Lance was in it - still getting used to the event without him. He is supposed to attend though on July 23 in the time trial in Grenoble and then in Paris the last day in affiliation with Radio Shack.

What to me a VERY special aspect of the event is the outstanding commentating of Phil Liggett, Paul Sherman, and Bob Roll. IMO they are the best in the business for this sport when compared to other sport's commentators. Phil has a soft spot for the Americans too, which I think is really special. You can tell by his comments - he used to refer to Lance as the "young Texan" for example, when Lance was just starting out.

As for this year's event - I agree - MAJOR CARNAGE!!! AS has been discussed during the coverage, a lot of it had to do with the increased media involvement and their rabid thirst for coverage in and amongst the riders during the stage. But thankfully the organisers jumped in and throttled back some of the madness. But of course there has also been a lot of crashes that just happened normally without any outside influence.

I've really been impressed with some of the performances this year so far. Certainly Voekler is riding incredibly. Cavendish (with help from his team) is insane. So many more to be mentioned but I'll leave it there for now.

I think it's way too early to predict a winner - but at 4 min. back it doesn't look like Alberto will three-peat this year.

Have you listen to his stuff way back when there were few Americans in the field. Until the past 15-20 years, American money started to flow into his pocket, that's when he started to really notice any American riders. he mention Johnathan Boyer once in a video I saw in the late mid to late 80s. I think it was 1985. I remember it was, "There goes the American Boyer riding for SEM, a French team." I was so happy to hear that. He was the only 3 US pros to ride for a European team way back in the dark ages of cycling.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by john rogers

I still have some really grainy videos of both the Tour and the Giro I recorded from the late 70's and early 80's off our old 12 foot C-band satellite dish when I was racing bicycles. Every now and then I pull one out or the one I shot of the 1984 Olympic road and track races. No live HD TV back then for sure......

Where were you when I needed to see anything cycling back then. It was Wild World of Sports with ABC. We get about 10 minute coverage on Sunday during the Tour. No date or naked women could pull my eyes from the tv. It was 83 when I started as a Jr. The only thing we get was Velonews. I waited for my postman every month for my issue. The news were a month late and 1-2 black and white pictures. Then came Winning, man was I a happy boy.

I was lucky to work the track and saw the road race. Even road with the Chilean team at our training ride at the Rose Bowl. They really were not interested in mixing it up with a bunch of us local riders.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by rick-l

Tour De Dopers.

It is no longer anything that I can compare my personal experience to that of the professionals you see in the race. Bunch of guys trading their future health for a job and cash.

You could say that about any professional sport. With or without the performance enhancing drugs....
I wasn't able to get coverage while away but have seen some of the crashes....
Did the French TV car driver get charged? Man that was nasty!

[ERH]

[red-beard]

That is determination. I hope someone had an extra set of shorts for him...

Extra points if he completed the course, as is..

[Baz]

Today's stage was a good one to watch - I won't comment specifically in case you have not viewed it yet. Discussion to follow later tonight or tomorrow.

The stages coming up in the Alps will be interesting. Things are heating up wrt contenders for the podium!

Shout out to George Hincapie!!!

[John Rogers]

Ahhhh, the good old days look 171, the 1984 Olympics and all the hoopla and work up to get ready for it such as:

- The US Olympic folks spent $$$$$$$ at Penn State to see the best setup for road and track cyclists and found..... The Italians had got it right all the time for how to setup a bike and rider!

- Mark Gorski (won the sprint gold medal) was a member of our La Jolla Cycle club and the weekend before the Olympics got a traffic ticket in La jolla for running a stop sign!

- The day before the road race was to take place we were camping on a side street with about 20 members of the La Jolla Cycling club and Marrianne Berglund of Sweden who at that time was the reigning women's road race champion stopped by and we all took a ride of the course. Many people were calling hello to my daughter, Lisa who had won her 4th state championship and no one even knew who Marianne was which made her really laugh!

- George Mount was also a member at times of our club and I remember his comment about eating for racing: "eat what makes you happy" and he said when racing in Europe he would have cheesecake from N.Y. brought over by friends so his stomach would be "happy"

- I remember when Greg Lemond, who had just won the junior world's championship road race lapped the Senior 1/2 and Pro field at the UCSD criterium and then sat at the back of the pack with his teammates and the rider that won the sprint was REALLY pissed when he found out he was actually second!

Ahhh yes, that is why my knees, hips and shoulders all ache today I guess from riding 400 or more miles a week.....

[red-beard]

For those who want to see it, here is the crash

[John Rogers]

I'll see if I can did out my old VHS tape and figure out a way to play it of the Itialian Giro that shows the mountain stage when Bernard Hinhault was leading over all and the spectators were jumping in front of him and he was starting to have to swerve to miss them. His team car pulled in front of him and opened the doors on both sides and sent scores of spectators flying until they finally got the idea to stay back! I could not tell what the Italian announcer was saying but he was really screaming, lots of swear words I figure.....

[look 171]

Originally Posted by john rogers

Ahhhh, the good old days look 171, the 1984 Olympics and all the hoopla and work up to get ready for it such as:

- The US Olympic folks spent $$$$$$$ at Penn State to see the best setup for road and track cyclists and found..... The Italians had got it right all the time for how to setup a bike and rider!

- Mark Gorski (won the sprint gold medal) was a member of our La Jolla Cycle club and the weekend before the Olympics got a traffic ticket in La jolla for running a stop sign!

- The day before the road race was to take place we were camping on a side street with about 20 members of the La Jolla Cycling club and Marrianne Berglund of Sweden who at that time was the reigning women's road race champion stopped by and we all took a ride of the course. Many people were calling hello to my daughter, Lisa who had won her 4th state championship and no one even knew who Marianne was which made her really laugh!

- George Mount was also a member at times of our club and I remember his comment about eating for racing: "eat what makes you happy" and he said when racing in Europe he would have cheesecake from N.Y. brought over by friends so his stomach would be "happy"

- I remember when Greg Lemond, who had just won the junior world's championship road race lapped the Senior 1/2 and Pro field at the UCSD criterium and then sat at the back of the pack with his teammates and the rider that won the sprint was REALLY pissed when he found out he was actually second!

Ahhh yes, that is why my knees, hips and shoulders all ache today I guess from riding 400 or more miles a week.....

Oh boy, the good old days is right. I remember Gorski beating Sergi Kopylov, the world champ, in the 7-11 velodrome in 1983. Michael Hubner of E. Ger. was the fast one. When those guys came around the corner, you could almost feel the ground shake. I was so pissed when they boycotted.

I hate to say it, its and American thing to be so scientific about everything. The Italians, Belgian, and such had a hundred years of experience. A few months ago I started to ride again after 15 years. This kid in a local bike shop kept trying to tell me I need a professional fitting on my bike. Things are not what they use to be 20 years ago. Buy a computer to log my miles and keep in check with my cadence. What happen to try and true? I refuse to have one of those large screen TV on my handle bar. I drink only water on all my rides. No need for sports drinks. The quality miles are what counts not the magic in the bottle. Riding, chasing, and doing tempo with your tongue hanging out will get us there. I am a loooong way from there

I rode for Montrose up here.

I was in love with that little blond in her pony tails. Deep down inside, I wanted Twigg to win because she was one of ours. Carpenter was ok too, she had my bike or maybe I had her Puch. Was your daughter state champ on the road or track? How old was she? Did you ride track at all down there?

Mount, wow. The first American to ride for a European pro team. I wish I can hear some of those stories. I read somewhere LeMond was riding 1/2 races all the time as a Jr and that he lapped them all the time.

I am in my mid 40s. I too put in lots of hard miles like you for about 15-20 years. Is that what I have to look forward to?

Jeff