Tour de France

[Corey]

I really cant tell you why, but I like watching the Tour de France on versus. I really got into it last summer when i was unemployed and watched it literally every morning. we'll see how much I can watch this year with me back to work full time. It would appear that the new Team Radioshack is gonna be tooouuuggghhh!

[Merlin Orr]

When I can break away from watching paint dry I watch the Tour de France too....

[xsniper]

I watch it every year. It is great now that I can record it and get rid of the commercials. It cuts it at least to 3/4 of the time. I'm glad the crashes today didn't take out any of the big names. The cobbles on Tuesday should be something to watch. ENJOY!!

[TreblePlink]

Classic photo of Tour de France in 1940:

http://orpci.org/1940_tour.jpg

[M118LR]

Yes Tour de France is here again. Hope Team Radioshack does well. This is suppose to be Lance's last Tour.

[xsniper]

Will anybody survive till the end . The crashes this year have been the worst I can remember....and today they head for the cobblestones . The winner could be who is not getting medical assistance.

[ExtremeShot]

If Lance wasn't in the race, it wouldn't be the same. He makes the race for me.

Did you see the post Stage 2 interview from Lance? He suggested that someone might have put something on the road to make it slick. I can see that happening, especially these days...there's a lot of sick people out there that would think that would be funny.

On another subject...has anyone found a FREE streaming video site? ...I'd love to hear the action in the background while I'm at work.

D

[Mbauer67]

I don't know why, But I also like watching the tour, but the crashes make me cringe, I can only imagine and don't ever want to know how much hitting the pavement going that fast hurts.

[Jake Di Vita]

Exciting stage today.

Anyone who wonders why cyclists shave their legs has never experienced road rash.

[Carmoney]

I might get interested in bicycle racing when they have a division for hot chicks in bikinis.

In the meantime, I will continue to fantasize about how far I could launch the local spandex-clad shaved-leg fruits off the hood of my 300C.

[xsniper]

I might get interested in bicycle racing when they have a division for hot chicks in bikinis.

In the meantime, I will continue to fantasize about how far I could launch the local spandex-clad shaved-leg fruits off the hood of my 300C.

The first part of your post was funny. The second has no humor. I am a hard working law enforcement officer that trys my best to not present the image of the "donut eater". I work hard to stay in shape and my bike is my aerobics. I work hard as a cop, I find much enjoyment in my shooting, but being purposefully "launched" for you entertainment is a little hard to swallow.

[Jake Di Vita]

You might not think it's so funny next time you are on a bike and some asshat gives you a near impact fly by.

I think cycling is worthless for cardio for anything outside of cycling, but I love the competitive sport.

[Carmoney]

Nothing personal.

I would prefer that the local cyclists find a way to get their oxygen deprivation buzz that doesn't create traffic delays and potential hazards for vehicle operators who are using the highways as they were intended. We have hundreds of miles of nice bike trails in this state, built with my tax dollars, and unfortunately they seem to be only very lightly used.

If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way about horses and tractors and everything else that travels on the public highways at speeds dramatically lower than the prevailing traffic. With you being a hard-working law enforcement officer and all, I would think you could see my point on the safety issue.

Anyway, I think it's pretty obvious I was just kidding about the launching thing. So.......

hulka.wav

[Jake Di Vita]

I guess it's just the fact that anyone who's ever ridden a bike for any length of time has run into idiots that would quite literally hurt them because of an extremely small inconvenience. The reason I'm touchy on the subject is I've had idiots like that actually go after me before. Not fun.

[Paul Burtchell]

Nothing personal.

I would prefer that the local cyclists find a way to get their oxygen deprivation buzz that doesn't create traffic delays and potential hazards for vehicle operators who are using the highways as they were intended. We have hundreds of miles of nice bike trails in this state, built with my tax dollars, and unfortunately they seem to be only very lightly used.

If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way about horses and tractors and everything else that travels on the public highways at speeds dramatically lower than the prevailing traffic. With you being a hard-working law enforcement officer and all, I would think you could see my point on the safety issue.

Anyway, I think it's pretty obvious I was just kidding about the launching thing. So.......

[Carmoney]

I guess it's just the fact that anyone who's ever ridden a bike for any length of time has run into idiots that would quite literally hurt them because of an extremely small inconvenience. The reason I'm touchy on the subject is I've had idiots like that actually go after me before. Not fun.

No excuse for idiot drivers like that. I would never want anything bad to happen to anyone, particularly to one of my many friends who are bicyclists. I would also hate to see somebody hurt in a car accident caused in part by a slow-moving vehicle being used on a highway where the majority of traffic is traveling at full highway speed.

A good friend of mine nearly launched a bike rider a few years back. He was driving west on a two-lane road and didn't see the guy until the very last second because of the glare of the evening sun. Thankfully there was no contact and it all turned out OK, but my buddy was really shaken up by it. He might have had a lapse of attention, but he's a skilled, experienced, and responsible driver--good thing for the cyclist it wasn't a 16-year-old kid or an old lady behind the wheel, 'cause it would have been ugly.

[Neomet]

I've been on the receiving side of Missouri hillbillies in their pickups on country roads playing "mirror tag" or tossing half empty PBRs at me as they drove by. Made me wonder if we actually evolved from apes or if it was the other way around. I've also been stuck in a car behind a group of cyclists 3-4 wide slogging up a 1/2 mile steep stretch of road at maybe 4mph and wondered at the entitlement of riding that way instead of in a single line so people can get by. Like all things in life there are decent folks and turdballs. Ya never know which you will meet. Because of that and the number of mutilated cyclists I knew and saw in cases I handled I quit riding on the road. Just not worth the risk.

I love to watch the Tour because of the sheer physical wonder of what these guys can do. You sort of get am impression of it when you see them cranking at 35-40 mph on the flats but when they still average around 20 mph up into the Pyrenees for hours at a stretch after having ridden 100 to 140 miles a day for a week, well that is freak of nature stuff . Then again, I am probably most impressed because it was a sport I was involved in. Others probably can't wait to watch the best in golf do their thing, which to me is only good for inducing a Sunday nap on the couch. Different strokes for different folks........

Edited July 7, 2010 by Neomet

[Corey]

i think that may be the reason i like to watch, it seems like what they do is near impossible. I remember a few years ago, it was Day 1 in the mountains and everybody expected Lance to pull away from the field. he was leading a climb, looked back over his shoulder and BAM, he found a higher gear and literally took off up the mountain. ive done a bit of bike riding (nothing serious) and climbs of a couple hundred feet about kill me, haha. I cant imagine the stuff they go through.

[Aristotle]

LOL, I love to watch golf and the tour, and I do both, aside from shooting, fishing, etc. I hover around a 9-10 handicap, and I cycle 3-4 times a week. I just love being outdoors and I excel at solo sports, have never been into team sports.

As with anything, you have to be into or partake in the sport to truly appreciate it. Believe it or not, I have "friends" that roll their eye's at me when they find out I run around and shoot at targets... that don't shoot back. They obviously have never shot a field course with an open gun before, or planned reloads around a 40 round course of fire with a single stack. Funny thing is, these guys are usually hobby-less know it all's.

Anyhow, I'm thoroughly enjoying the tour on versus as well. Talk about carnage thus far, so many have already dropped. Stage 2 was ugly. Funny thing is, watching stage 3 today, you would expect most of the crashes on the cobbles... not out on the straight flats! People were dropping all over the place. I'm enjoying the back and forth between Lance and Alberto, Schleck is looking strong as well.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Aristotle

[xsniper]

LOL, I love to watch golf and the tour, and I do both, aside from shooting, fishing, etc. I hover around a 9-10 handicap, and I cycle 3-4 times a week. I just love being outdoors and I excel at solo sports, have never been into team sports.

As with anything, you have to be into or partake in the sport to truly appreciate it. Believe it or not, I have "friends" that roll their eye's at me when they find out I run around and shoot at targets... that don't shoot back. They obviously have never shot a field course with an open gun before, or planned reloads around a 40 round course of fire with a single stack. Funny thing is, these guys are usually hobby-less know it all's.

Anyhow, I'm thoroughly enjoying the tour on versus as well. Talk about carnage thus far, so many have already dropped. Stage 2 was ugly. Funny thing is, watching stage 3 today, you would expect most of the crashes on the cobbles... not out on the straight flats! People were dropping all over the place. I'm enjoying the back and forth between Lance and Alberto, Schleck is looking strong as well.

You are so right. I was expecting the cobbles to throw them down (or a loose dog from the crowd), but they were dropping on the smooth flats. I think things will settle a bit after today, and then the mountains will space them out. The engines these guys have inside of themselves is pretty awesome.

[xsniper]

It was sort of refreshing in an era of such spoiled athletes with terrible attitudes to hear Lance Armstrong's interview after the last stage. He said he has had great luck in past Tours, but this time his luck ran out, and that is the nature of bike racing. Then he committed to work hard the rest of the race for his team.

That is a lot different than basketball players that set up their own TV specials, where everything is about them.

[Corey]

I really wanted to see Lance do well again this year, but yes luck was no where near him this year, at least not the kind you want to have (wrecks, 3 flat tires, etc).

On a side note as "what I hate" post in this thread, haha. I am getting sick of all teh commercials in the early part of coverage. I have to leave for work usually between 9-10 am and they are having commercials every 5 monutes so they can have a commercial free ending to the stage. but i havent seen a single finish yet b/c im always at work . stupid networks and commericals...

[xsniper]

I really wanted to see Lance do well again this year, but yes luck was no where near him this year, at least not the kind you want to have (wrecks, 3 flat tires, etc).

On a side note as "what I hate" post in this thread, haha. I am getting sick of all teh commercials in the early part of coverage. I have to leave for work usually between 9-10 am and they are having commercials every 5 monutes so they can have a commercial free ending to the stage. but i havent seen a single finish yet b/c im always at work . stupid networks and commericals...

I have been lucky enough to record the morning broadcaset and watch it TOTALLY commercial free at night. It takes only half the time.

[el pres]

I blame this all on Cheryl Crow ...

[xsniper]

The race is still very cool, but I was disappointed to see Contodor attack when his rival had that mechanical problem . Historically they don't attack when the yellow jersey is down. I guess he doesn't see it that way. Two big mountain stages and a critical time trial left.