Le Tour de France - anyone into it?

[Kazza]

I absolutely love this race. I look forward to watching it from the luxury of my lounge every year

Those guys are absolute legends (except for the cheating ones like Mr Contador :spank.....

Last nights stage was amazing - the last 30kms - over in the blink of an eye but so good.

Our Aussie :aus: Cadel Evans finished the stage with his first official stage win - photo finish against the cheating Mr Contador. He is one second behind the Yellow Jersey. He could have taken the lead last night but that freak, Thor Hushovd, came out from the middle of the peleton and stayed with Cadel.

Awesome 2 wheeled, non motor entertainment :cheer:

BTW, the scenery is absolutely stunning. I've been to France but it was a long time ago.

I could handle living in a French Chateau

 

[Humperdinkel]

I dont watch it & have little to no interest but wanna see Cadel win :cheer:

Why is Alberto Contador a cheat , give me the goss ?? Or is he one of those typical steroid freaks like the rest of them :scared:... Highest case of performance enhancing drug use of any sport anywhere in the world :shakehead:

 

[Esra]

Yep, needs muscle and endurance which is pretty much impossible to achieve normally.

I'm not into it but as always want the Aussie to win!!

 

[Wolfman]

If they didnt wear Lycra i might be a bit more interested!

 

[Erci]

Being an avid cyclist, I never miss a stage of the tour (though I almost always have to record it and watch it later). The whole cheating thing is a downer and at this point I believe that the ones who don't cheat simply haven't been caught yet

Interesting fact about the early days of performance enhancing drugs for cyclists: resting heart rate of those who used them would be as low as 32 BPM and they had to wake up every 30 minutes and jump on a stationary bike for few minutes. If they didn't, they risked having their heart STOP and simply die in their sleep!
Amazing what some people will do for a bit of fame and money.

 

[Old Fart]

Love the tour. The worlds greatest sporting event.

 

[Davey]

I usually get into it when it's the mountain stages. It's incredible that these guys cycle over 250kms everyday for three weeks with only a couple of days rest. That's endurance! Of course, all those drugs help I'm sure! :BLAA:

I'll probably go and watch the finish on the Champs Elysées, still hoping Bradley Wiggins can get on the podium and that Mark Cavendish can win some stages and get the green jersey! :cheer: I do love seeing an Englishman win in France, it quietly annoys the locals....

 

[stpetemike]

Unfortunately ,in my opinion,a very very dirty sport. Those not caught are keeping one or two steps ahead of the testing. Pretty sure lots of $$ being spent to appear clean .


That being said I will not miss a single stage and will have withdrawls when it is over.
Love love love cycling and watching the TDF.

Go Cadel Go Big George

 

[The Dude]

They're a bunch of cheaters. Lance Armstrong is scum bag. If I see it on, I'd only watch hoping for a massive crash!

If they want to make it interesting, they should eliminate the stages. Just make it one super long endurance race. Riders can ride at their own pace, stopping to sleep whenever them deem necessary.

On a related note, I wonder how they select the motorcycle photographers? That looks like a fun gig.

 

[Erci]

They're a bunch of cheaters. Lance Armstrong is scum bag.

I'm just curious.. why do you think Lance is a scumbag? Sure it's entirely possible that he was doping when he was at his best, but the man did spread the word about testicular cancer and has raised large sums of money for a good cause.

Aren't there cheaters in pretty much every pro sport?
I hope you don't feel that way about all cyclists (especially the ones you encounter on the side of the road when you're passing them in your car).

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

They're a bunch of cheaters. Lance Armstrong is scum bag.

I was wondering how long it would take for Lance's name to be dragged through the mud...9 posts...congratulations.

Got some proof for that accusation, or are you just listening to the other (jealous) riders that could never catch him?

By all accounts, Lance Armstrong is a wonderful person and was an amazing cyclist. If they had proof that he'd doped, he'd have been stripped of his 7 STRAIGHT WINS. But they don't...so he still remains the greatest cyclist to ever live.

 

[The Dude]

I'm just curious.. why do you think Lance is a scumbag? Sure it's entirely possible that he was doping when he was at his best, but the man did spread the word about testicular cancer and has raised large sums of money for a good cause.

Aren't there cheaters in pretty much every pro sport?
I hope you don't feel that way about all cyclists (especially the ones you encounter on the side of the road when you're passing them in your car).

His doping is much more than a possibility at this point. He's a scum bag because he's a liar, not because he doped. The fact that he turned his celebrity status into a fundraising tool for cancer was nothing more than ploy for good will. But when your career and celebrity status are all based on dishonesty, you know it's going to blow up in your face eventually. If you've got that type of ticking time bomb stuck to you, don't associate yourself with causes that are going to be tarnished when the truth comes out.

The fact that other people cheated doesn't exonerate him. It just confirms that he is not a man of integrity. He doesn't live strong. I don't fault him so much for cheating, but for lying about it repeatedly. If he would have come clean, I could respect him. It's the difference between Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds; the difference between Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. Lance's greatness could still be respected. He competed in an era of rampant doping. It doesn't appear that he was doing anything worse than his competition, so he was still beating them on what was a reasonably level playing field. The difference is, he continues to lie about it. And I personally value an individual's character more than their ability to ride a bicycle.

I don't think the cyclists on the side of the road are scum bags, just slow. I wish they'd stick to roads with a shoulder to ride on. I rarely see them in my car, and they don't hold me up when I'm riding unless I get stuck behind cars waiting to pass them.

I was wondering how long it would take for Lance's name to be dragged through the mud...9 posts...congratulations.

Got some proof for that accusation, or are you just listening to the other (jealous) riders that could never catch him?

By all accounts, Lance Armstrong is a wonderful person and was an amazing cyclist. If they had proof that he'd doped, he'd have been stripped of his 7 STRAIGHT WINS. But they don't...so he still remains the greatest cyclist to ever live.

Lance Armstrong, Part 1 - 60 Minutes - CBS News
Lance Armstrong, Part 2 - 60 Minutes - CBS News

 

[Erci]

His doping is much more than a possibility at this point. He's a scum bag because he's a liar, not because he doped. The fact that he turned his celebrity status into a fundraising tool for cancer was nothing more than ploy for good will. But when your career and celebrity status are all based on dishonesty, you know it's going to blow up in your face eventually. If you've got that type of ticking time bomb stuck to you, don't associate yourself with causes that are going to be tarnished when the truth comes out.

The fact that other people cheated doesn't exonerate him. It just confirms that he is not a man of integrity. He doesn't live strong. I don't fault him so much for cheating, but for lying about it repeatedly. If he would have come clean, I could respect him. It's the difference between Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds; the difference between Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. Lance's greatness could still be respected. He competed in an era of rampant doping. It doesn't appear that he was doing anything worse than his competition, so he was still beating them on what was a reasonably level playing field. The difference is, he continues to lie about it. And I personally value an individual's character more than their ability to ride a bicycle.

I don't think the cyclists on the side of the road are scum bags, just slow. I wish they'd stick to roads with a shoulder to ride on. I rarely see them in my car, and they don't hold me up when I'm riding unless I get stuck behind cars waiting to pass them.

Fair enough. I won't argue your points since I have no proof of his guilt or innocence and everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Just please don't hate the slow cyclists out there on the road (25 feels fast to us on the flat, but clearly not fast enough for cars).. if you find yourself in situation where you may have to slow down for 30 seconds please be patient.

Believe me we would all LOVE to ride only on roads that have designated bike lanes. That is pretty much an impossibility if one wants to put together a nice route in NJ/PA.

I can't tell you how many times I've had cars pass me within 5-6" of clearance at relatively high speed.. most of the time there was zero reason for it (opposite lane was empty and there were no oncoming cars). There's never a reason for it, really. If the person behind me would wait for 5-10 seconds, oncoming cars would pass and he would have ample space to pass with plenty of clearance, but apparently taking 10 seconds from someone when they're driving is worse than making fun of their mother.

These people were clearly trying to make a point .. as in "get the eff off the road!"

I have to admit I've seen groups of cyclists behave discourteously on roads (take up nearly full lane on busy streets), but that's another story. I'd just give them a quick honk of the horn and give them few seconds to pull over to the right.

Sorry to kind of hi-jack the thread, but this issue is very close to heart for me.

 

[The Dude]

Most cyclists I encounter are Amish/Mennonite, so they're not on a joy ride. I give them a wide berth, whether in my car or on my bike. That's more out of respect for their lifestyle than the fact they're on a bike. They wear hats, not helmets... but they all have handlebar mirrors and most have flashing led tail lights. In my experience, they're the best cyclists when it comes to sharing the road and dealing with traffic.

When I see the weekend warriors out in their spandex, I give a double toot a few hundred yards before I reach them. They don't usually hear me coming with a stock exhaust. The only time they annoy me is when they're riding two or three abreast. If they took the time to slip on the spandex, they should at least be drafting!

 

[Evitzee]

I like to watch it, but it appears obvious that all of the top riders over the past years have been dopers, and that includes Armstrong. Tour organizers know this and put the facade that they won't tolerate it, but they do because of the business aspect of it. So I accept it for what it is, highly strung talented riders with chemical help.

 

[Erci]

If they took the time to slip on the spandex, they should at least be drafting!

LOL.. can't draft all the time.. doesn't help at all on climbs really. Riding 2 abreast is actually legal in NJ (not sure about PA), but I agree that it's unnecessary to stay in that formation (should only be used for passing, in my opinion.. on busy roads at least).

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

His doping is much more than a possibility at this point. He's a scum bag because he's a liar, not because he doped. The fact that he turned his celebrity status into a fundraising tool for cancer was nothing more than ploy for good will. But when your career and celebrity status are all based on dishonesty, you know it's going to blow up in your face eventually. If you've got that type of ticking time bomb stuck to you, don't associate yourself with causes that are going to be tarnished when the truth comes out.

The fact that other people cheated doesn't exonerate him. It just confirms that he is not a man of integrity. He doesn't live strong. I don't fault him so much for cheating, but for lying about it repeatedly. If he would have come clean, I could respect him. It's the difference between Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds; the difference between Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. Lance's greatness could still be respected. He competed in an era of rampant doping. It doesn't appear that he was doing anything worse than his competition, so he was still beating them on what was a reasonably level playing field. The difference is, he continues to lie about it. And I personally value an individual's character more than their ability to ride a bicycle.

I don't think the cyclists on the side of the road are scum bags, just slow. I wish they'd stick to roads with a shoulder to ride on. I rarely see them in my car, and they don't hold me up when I'm riding unless I get stuck behind cars waiting to pass them.



Lance Armstrong, Part 1 - 60 Minutes - CBS News
Lance Armstrong, Part 2 - 60 Minutes - CBS News

Fair points, and like Erci said, you're entitled to your opinion. I admit, I'm hoping it never comes out that he did dope. I look up to him way too much for that and it would devastate me.

As far as cyclist go, we've got a big time campaign here in Kentucky (and it may be the same in other states) call "Share The Road". It's all about giving bicyclists the same respect you give a car. I'm all for that. The problem I have is with cyclists here in the city. If you want to be treated like a vehicle, then you should have to obey the same traffic laws I do when I'm in my car or on my bike.

For instance...when they stop at a red light, as they see the light is about to change, they start through the intersection, effectively running the light. The other thing that annoys me to no end...when they come to a red light, they swing over into the crosswalk, ride through the intersection, then come back out into traffic on the other side.

Either you're a vehicle and obey the same rules of the road as cars and motorcycles, or you're not. You can't be both. That's why it's such a struggle for them to gain the respect of drivers.

 

[Andz]

I have no interest in the race at all, I watch it to see the country without actually having to go there and endure the population.

 

[The Dude]

LOL.. can't draft all the time.. doesn't help at all on climbs really. Riding 2 abreast is actually legal in NJ (not sure about PA), but I agree that it's unnecessary to stay in that formation (should only be used for passing, in my opinion.. on busy roads at least).

Yes, legally speaking, they have the whole lane. My real concern about them riding in a pack several bikes wide is blind corners. Most of the weekend warriors like to ride up in the mountains where I like to carve it up. Only, I'm traveling 60-80MPH and they're doing 15-30. My fear is that I'll round a bend or crest a hill and come upon a slow moving pack that is taking up the whole lane. Odds are, there won't be oncoming traffic in the other lane, but what if there is? Then I'm stuck trying to thread the needle. Cars, even at the 45MPH limit, are a threat to cyclists in those types of situations. So whenever I see one dude in spandex, I expect more and ride accordingly.

So tell your cyclist friends to think about traffic coming up behind them, and if they're in a spot where traffic will come up on them fast, keep to single file. Pass on the straights. Draft in the corners.

And if it were me, I'd always ride with at least one guy slower than me. He'd fall back from the pack and serve as a warning to approaching motorists. :sinister:

 

[Erci]

Yes, legally speaking, they have the whole lane. My real concern about them riding in a pack several bikes wide is blind corners. Most of the weekend warriors like to ride up in the mountains where I like to carve it up. Only, I'm traveling 60-80MPH and they're doing 15-30. My fear is that I'll round a bend or crest a hill and come upon a slow moving pack that is taking up the whole lane. Odds are, there won't be oncoming traffic in the other lane, but what if there is? Then I'm stuck trying to thread the needle. Cars, even at the 45MPH limit, are a threat to cyclists in those types of situations. So whenever I see one dude in spandex, I expect more and ride accordingly.

So tell your cyclist friends to think about traffic coming up behind them, and if they're in a spot where traffic will come up on them fast, keep to single file. Pass on the straights. Draft in the corners.

And if it were me, I'd always ride with at least one guy slower than me. He'd fall back from the pack and serve as a warning to approaching motorists. :sinister:

Very valid statements and I certainly try to ride like that when I'm out (keeping to the side as much as I can in general and especially in situations where the driver behind me may not have a clear view), BUT.. you should never charge blind corners on your moto faster than you can comfortably stop, be it group of cyclists or a dump truck standing in the middle of the road there to *surprise* you.