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Baroque Bloke |
Tour de France 2017 has begun! Geraint Thomas won the first stage – a time trial. Chris Froome, a GC favorite, was only 12 seconds down. I follow the tour on Tour Tracker, an iPhone app. There's a free version, but I bought the $6/year upgrade. Serious about crackers | ||
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Seeker of Clarity |
I used to sit on the edge of my seat the entire Tour. Year after year... I have a scar on my head from when I jumped with glee when Lance flicked "The Look", in real time, when it happened. Now I'm like, meh... It's a lot of things I guess. Not just "that one"... Anyway. Who's the favorites this year?  | |||
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always with a hat or sunscreen |
The continued doping BS killed this as entertainment for me as well. Meh... pass. Certifiable member of the gun toting, septuagenarian, bucket list workin', crazed retiree, bald is beautiful club! USN (RET), COTEP #192 | |||
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| Member |
Some years ago I worked a couple of pro races in the US as a Moto pilot carrying photographers and ran across several instances of rider getting some really big "vitamin" injections in the trailers that the saugniers (SP fancy French word for the guy that works the cramps out of your legs after the race) worked in before the race. I fully believe if you are in the top 20% of GC you are likely on some type of performance enhancing drug. Might be wrong but it is a dirty sport in more than one way. The “POLICE" Their job Is To Save Your Ass, Not Kiss It The muzzle end of a .45 pretty much says "go away" in any language - Clint Smith | |||
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Waiting for Hachiko |
Like you, I didn't miss a minute. I still do not despise Armstrong, because during his winnings, I was going through cancer, and he gave me so much inspiration at the time. We both were taking drugs. Nowdays, I watch it, because I like to see the scenery, and do not have a clue who the favorites are. 美しい犬 | |||
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Member |
I watch what I can of it. Not addicted. Place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark. “If in winning a race, you lose the respect of your fellow competitors, then you have won nothing” - Paul Elvstrom "The Great Dane" 1928 - 2016 | |||
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| Member |
Lance is podcasting the entire Tour this year. Love him or hate him, he still "won" it seven times and knows more about the ins and outs of the race than just about anybody. Worth listening to if you are a fan. | |||
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| Baroque Bloke |
I, too, like to see the pretty French countryside, quaint villages, and chateaus. And to watch those awesome guys powering up the climbs. The TV coverage is so good nowadays, even compared to five years ago. Chris Froome (GB, team Sky) won the two previous tours, and has four wins in the past five years. Sky is a strong team again this year, so Froome has to be considered a favorite. OTOH, the tour is different this year. Only two short individual time trials, and only three high mountain finishes. Those are Froome's strongly points. I suspect that the French don't want him to win again. Serious about crackers | |||
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| Go ahead punk, make my day |
I wonder how much doping or other bullshit happens. Used to watch it all the time... Greg Lamonde and the sprint to the finish... good times... These days? Pass. | |||
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| Go ahead punk, make my day |
Nah, he actually cheated and was stripped of his titles. He's a pompous lying prick, period. | |||
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Semper Fi - 1775 |
Lance Armstrong is a disgrace, and the single reason I gave up watching what used to be as important to me as The Masters. ___________________________ All it takes...is all you got. ____________________________ For those who have fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ | |||
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Member |
Turned it on and the first thing I saw was WIPE OUT!!!!  "If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24 | |||
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| Member |
I got a few good laughs last year, watching the racers slap camera phones out of their way when some asshole would try for a selfie while the Peloton was passing by. I didn't miss a minute when LeMond was racing, but these last few years, as doping became more obvious, I gave it up. A silicone-enhanced boob is still a boob, but it just isn't the same. -------------------------- Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. -- H L Mencken I always prefer reality when I can figure out what it is. -- JALLEN 10/18/18 | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process  |
I've been watching the Tour since the first US riders started. TV coverage was horrid. It was on channels nobody received well, that musician guy did all the announcing, nothing like the technical stuff today. One scene I recall was Eric Heiden sitting in the sag wagon while they removed his race numbers as he abandoned. "You can't believe how hard this is" he said to the camera. I didn't know whether he was talking about emotionally, giving up, or physically, or both. We have attended Tour stages many times. One memorable one was a team time trial around Futuroscope, near Poitier. It was very crowded, no crowd control, parking, tickets, etc. Those guys are FAST! Now, Phil and Paul seem to be on autopilot, saying the same things, in different order. I do enjoy seeing the sights of France, some of the most beautiful countryside there is. It is an odd route this year. We'll be watching.This message has been edited. Last edited by: JALLEN, Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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| Member |
I remember that moment, and understood it to be about giving up. -------------------------- Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. -- H L Mencken I always prefer reality when I can figure out what it is. -- JALLEN 10/18/18 | |||
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| stupid beyond all belief  |
I dont care to watch it, however, as i posted last year I enjoy seeing all of your reports to get a better understanding of the sport and like reading the enjoyment here about it. What man is a man that does not make the world better. -Balian of Ibelin Only boring people get bored. - Ruth Burke | |||
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| Member |
As an avid road biker, I'm addicted to watching UCI / World / Pro Tour bike racing. I sit on the edge of my seat with my stomach in knots. I get that most folks think it couldn't be more boring, but whatever!
Agreed.
Agreed.
I firmly believe the same could be said of most pro sports. Dirty then; dirty now. Sad, but true. | |||
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| Member |
Oops, double post | |||
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Recondite Raider |
I may watch highlights, but today I did a 51 mile ride in 95 degree temperatures. https://www.relive.cc/view/1063209200 I thought I was practicing to become a dromedary with the amount of water consumed... I would start to get Charlie horses in my legs and drinking the water with hydration tablets in it seemed to kill the Charlie horses. __________________________ More blessed than I deserve. http://davesphotography7055.zenfolio.com/f238091154 | |||
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| Seeker of Clarity |
Some would say they all do it, and I'd agree in my opinion. As I believe the same for all high dollar endurance sports. Make no mistake -- Doping or not, Lance was an amazing athlete. You could fill me with all the dope you want, and I couldn't hold a candle to him or any of those elite cyclists. For many, his comeback from Cancer was and is still an inspiring journey. For me, it was the American Hero element that I adored. It was just after 2001/Sept 11 and we were off to war. The world was against us, and Lance didn't give a shit. Fight on, he did. "Texas, Bigger n France". Finding out that his victory at that was through cheating and lying was very hard for me to take. I'd rather leave it all behind now. And now that I'm a runner, and not a cyclist, that plays a part as well. As this thread isn't to be about Lance, but the Tour, I mention it only in that this is why I've lost interest. It IS an AMAZING race event though. Historic and wonderful. | |||
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