Le Tour

[Il Pirate]

Anyone interested? As an ex racer meself, I've always been interested, so wondered if there are any other cycling fans out there. The first week has been very good, Cav winning yesterday, and G Thomas second on GC, having the ride of his life. I met Geraint Thomas at the grand depart in London a couple of years ago, just before he began the prologue TT. He took the time to chat, pose for photo's and was a real top fella, along with Jens Voight, who was chatting that much his team director Bjarni Riis had to come and get him and tell him to get on the rollers to warm up. Following earlier posts on here about BA's, I checked the website (never knew it existed) and Sluffy had posted a very informative piece about the tour, so thought I'd try one on here.

PS. I didn't hang around on BA, as I got the impression that you leave that site to come on here; a bit like leaving school and going onto uni.................

[seanworth]

I usually enjoy but this season I completely forgot with the WC and all. Thanks for the look out and just in time as the stages get more interesting starting tomorrow.

[Gravedigger]

I remember once buying a bike. Took me four days to cycle to Brighton (from London). Flogged the bike and came back on the train. These guys make it look so easy and I salute them every year.

[Bruce Rioja]

I remember my first ride - it was in a field, but I fell off and scratched my helmet on a thistle!

[seanworth]

I remember my first ride - it was in a field, but I fell off and scratched my helmet on a thistle!

consider yourself lucky that thistle could have come in contact with so many other parts of your body.

[Worthy4England]

I remember my first ride - it was in a field, but I fell off and scratched my helmet on a thistle!

consider yourself lucky that thistle could have come in contact with so many other parts of your body.

I dunno, a thistle on your helmet sounds pretty painful to me...

[TANGODANCER]

I remember my first ride - it was in a field, but I fell off and scratched my helmet on a thistle!

consider yourself lucky that thistle could have come in contact with so many other parts of your body.

Woooooooosh. The sound of a Brucie screaming right over your head.

[seanworth]

I remember my first ride - it was in a field, but I fell off and scratched my helmet on a thistle!

consider yourself lucky that thistle could have come in contact with so many other parts of your body.

I dunno, a thistle on your helmet sounds pretty painful to me...

Bollocks. Or which helmet are you talking about? Guess I missed something again.

[seanworth]

Head butting at the tour de france. Hell this sport keeps getting better.

[Dujon]

I've been watching bits and pieces of this year's 'Le Tour' as I have in years now past.

Like others I find it hard to believe the fitness of competition cyclists. Who else but a masochist would wake in the morning, don a bit of advertising gear and tell themselves 'what a wonderful day this will be, 200+ kilometres of wonderful scenery and a couple or three lactic acid producing climbs'? They are mad, totally and utterly mad. If you add to that the quite high risk of coming a cropper through no fault of your own and the behaviour of spectators, then you're not mad, you are stupid!

Ah, spectators. In what sport would you find a more undisciplined mob of individuals purporting to support a team or individual? Not that I would ever have been in the position of having to suffer the 'adulation' of such cretins, but if I had I suspect that I'd be sorely tempted to hop off my bike and deck some of them.

[Prufrock]

Whilst in Rhodes this year, I went for a wander alone for some food and beer or four. I saw the Tour de France stage between Rotterdam and Brussels. What is this? A few years ago I saw it in London.

[sweetas]

Yeh i love watching the tour ,i used to race as well so now how awesome it is ,cycling from darwen to bolton and back every day to work in my best days in the building game not in an office .
them guys all of them deserve every penny some of the injurys they get and the way they treat them its scary .
Armstrong is one hard bugger

[fatshaft]

Whilst in Rhodes this year, I went for a wander alone for some food and beer or four. I saw the Tour de France stage between Rotterdam and Brussels. What is this? A few years ago I saw it in London.

Rarely starts in France now, often farmed out to neighbouring countries as a PR exercise.

Anyway, very poor show yesterday from Cuntador, taking advanatge of Schlek's chain coming off was surely the sign of a desperate guy.

[Il Pirate]

It's been a funny old tour to date. The usual suspects on GC, Wiggins failing spectacularly in his bid for a podium place; though historicaly the tour is littered with 'one hit wonders'. Contador IMO, broke the unwritten rule yesterday, attacking the yellow jersey when Schleck had a mechanical. Todays stage should shake things up, because Shleck must attack. Four major climbs, including the mighty Tourmalet, it's ideal ground for Schleck, as it is for Contador, but Contador doesn't look as comfortable as he has in the past on the major climbs, especialy when he is left alone without team mates. But that cheating, blood doping, unrepentant bstrd Vinokourov will be like Contador's shadow today, and things will be difficult for Schleck. I'm hoping it all kicks off on the Tourmalet, or maybe earlier on the Aubisque, but one things for sure, it won't be an easy day for anybody. Then tomorrow, those compasionate organisers of the race make 'em go up the Tourmalet again! But this time from the other side. Rider of the tour so far? for me, either Nicolas Roche or Samuel Sanchez.

[Bruce Rioja]

Seeing that bloke's chain come off was a bit like seeing Tiger Woods shank one into the forest.

[The Ghost of Burnden]

Following earlier posts on here about BA's, I checked the website (never knew it existed) and Sluffy had posted a very informative piece about the tour, so thought I'd try one on here.

PS. I didn't hang around on BA, as I got the impression that you leave that site to come on here; a bit like leaving school and going onto uni.................

I agree with Sluffy's informative peice - it is the only reason I still go on that site as a guest.

Now if Sluffy moved here full time and away from that rabble - it would be even better!

[Athers]

So Contador has won it by the same margin he took off Schlek with 'Chain-gate'

What a prick.

[fatshaft]

So Contador has won it by the same margin he took off Schlek with 'Chain-gate'

What a prick.

It will sour his vistory for many, especially me as I backed Schlek pre-Tour with what for me is a decent sum. So yes, prick.

[Il Pirate]

It's professional sport. I know the protocol, but would SKD wait whilst a fullback stopped to tie his laces? If anything involves large sums of money, rules go out of the window. And Contador will beat Schleck any day any race.........misfortune or not.

[fatshaft]

It's professional sport. I know the protocol, but would SKD wait whilst a fullback stopped to tie his laces? If anything involves large sums of money, rules go out of the window. And Contador will beat Schleck any day any race.........misfortune or not.

Rubbish. There's etiquette in every sport, just that it's different in each one. In football, when a ball goes out for an injured player, the ball is given back to the side in possession. In the NFL, it's not running up a score when a game is already won by a large margin. In golf the list is endless.

In cycling, one of the few is you don't takie advantage of mechanical misfortune!

And Contador will beat Schleck any day any race.........misfortune or not.

Yeah, that'll be why he won by 39 seconds. You know, that 39 seconds.