Le Tour de France 2015

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Ricardodaforce

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I'm getting excited about this now. What a brilliant route we have this year.
I see Froome has admitted missing two drug tests now. But I'm guessing that a) he rides for Sky and b) he's not Spanish it's ok.
Anyone else looking forward to it?
 
Its amazing to see the athleticism of the competitors, especially on the mountain stage, but as a sport I find it boring. They passed a couple of miles from us last year but I didn't go watch, it really doesn't hold my interest. Plus there's the drugs issue I think there are still doubts in peoples minds as to whether the contestants are clean.
 
I'm really looking forward to it, as I do every year. Will need to get out and buy the official guide which usually has some good articles in it.
 
I'll probably watch it intermittently.

I used to watch it all the time when I was unmarried, saving my holidays so I could sit at home and watch the entire mountain stages. But nowadays I've got to use my holidays for, well, holidays. There were a few I remember clearly includiing the fateful Stage 15 of the '95 tour.

I've been to a few, including the Dublin start in '98 (also the weekend when France won the World Cup, memorable that was), London in 2007 and of course Yorkshire last year. Never seen it actually in France.

I'll try watch some weekend stages and the highlights, that's if I haven't got 'jobs to do'.
 
yup absolutely I have missed it the last few years due to last year taking all of July off to holiday in Greece (had to be done) and bad work patterns year before.

but this year I am working away in Scotland so its fill steam ahead :-)
 
jakeblu said:
Its amazing to see the athleticism of the competitors, especially on the mountain stage, but as a sport I find it boring. They passed a couple of miles from us last year but I didn't go watch, it really doesn't hold my interest. Plus there's the drugs issue I think there are still doubts in peoples minds as to whether the contestants are clean.
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To be fair Steve, that comment could be levelled at any sport nowadays, and is a sad reflection of what mega money and all the trappings of success does, and what it pushes people to do.
I would dearly love to see a mountain stage or two, because just seeing a big group of riders flash through in seconds doesn't really do it for me. I have been to see four prologue time trials though, and they were pretty exciting.
 
Gutted! Just read that due to a landslide the Galibier (the only HC climb I've cycled up) has been removed from this year's race.
 
andy700 said:
To be fair Steve, that comment could be levelled at any sport nowadays, and is a sad reflection of what mega money and all the trappings of success does, and what it pushes people to do.
I would dearly love to see a mountain stage or two, because just seeing a big group of riders flash through in seconds doesn't really do it for me. I have been to see four prologue time trials though, and they were pretty exciting.
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The mountains are my fave as well seeing constant attacks and sprint aways until someone crumbles :-)
 
To be honest, as "a big lad" i've a lot more affinity with the "Rouleurs" - the big double-hard-bastards that excel on the cobbles - so, frankly, I'm really looking forward to stage 4 and i'm praying for rain and 20mph crosswinds...
 
Look forward to watching on TV but imho its not much of a spectator sport standing on the side of the road
 
Ricardodaforce said:
As I mentioned above, that stage has been changed. Though does still end in Alpe d'Huez.
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do you have a link to the new route for that stage?
i would be interested in the change
 
Tour-de-France-profile-stage-20.jpg
 
Ricardodaforce said:
That's the original profile that shows the Galibier.....
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It's quite disappointing that the official site doesn't have the updated route yet. Not sure if that's because everyone at TdF headquarters is busy with other stuff just now or just because they're French?

Mr Bump said:
The mountains are my fave as well seeing constant attacks and sprint aways until someone crumbles :)
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I love the mountain stages as well.

I remember years ago watching the TdF for what may have been the first time (if it wasn't the first time it was pretty close to it) It was back in the days of Indurain, Abdujaparov and the like. It was a mountain stage and there was a lead group of three riders (can't remember any of the three!) and they all had a go at attacking but every move that they tried was easily covered. Then one of them cracked, leaving the other two to go and contest the stage win. Except that he hadn't cracked, it was an elaborate plan where he let them get about 20/30 meters ahead before turning on the gas and blasting past them. Once he was past them they were never catching him and he went on to win the stage. It was absolutely brilliant viewing.
 
The official site is pretty much useless.
 
Can't wait for that stage its going to be epic!
 
I don't know if anyone has read up on the history of the TdF, but in the twenties, they used to ride for twelve to fourteen hours per day on the long stages, and the mountain stages were totally unbuilt roads. Sometimes the riders managed to get to the top, but the cars carrying the officials (forget team cars in those days) couldn't make it.
 
Looking forward to listening to Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen again, they seem to have been commentating forever or is it just me:)
 
nog said:
Looking forward to listening to Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen again, they seem to have been commentating forever or is it just me:)
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They are a great team. That penultimate stage is good, but neutered somewhat. The Galibier tops out at over 2600m, the Croix de Fer, whilst categorised HC, is a lot lower.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
They are a great team. That penultimate stage is good, but neutered somewhat. The Galibier tops out at over 2600m, the Croix de Fer, whilst categorised HC, is a lot lower.
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Over 7% for the final 7km though!
 
i wish they had better time trials in this year.
 
I cannot wait for the start.
Probably because it is sunny and blistering hot - real TdF weather.
 
jakeblu said:
....I think there are still doubts in peoples minds as to whether the contestants are clean.
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It surprises me that there are still doubts in anyone's mind - for me at least we're clearly getting deeper into dark territory. I fully expect future tests to show PEDs in samples of today.

Not to say I won't love the Tour this year - looks a great setup - but I certainly won't be believing it's pan-y-agua :-) Rooting for Cavendish this year - would love to see Mercx record challenged.
 
Typical Billingham bag toting Canon user... /s (Read the comments in the link!)
 
Oooh
cracking stage steal by Martin yesterday
 
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Froome is looking....strange. History is not going to look back well on this era of cycling.

Froome_arm.png
 
Does look a bit odd but I suppose that arm muscle is to a large extent excess baggage on a cyclist. Veins just look pumped after strenuous exercise - presumably the editor used that shot precisely because it does look a bit odd.
 
That was some treacherous road surface towards the end of yesterdays stage. There was a shot from the rear of the peloton when the big crash happened and one of the riders was nowhere near anyone else and he must have hit the breaks as he seen what was happening and his front wheel just started going sideways!
 
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