Tour de France 2020

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Ricardodaforce

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10 days to go and the big news today is that Ineos won’t have past winners, Froome and Thomas in the team. Unsurprisingly the team will be led by current champion Egan Bernal.

Can’t wait for it to start.
 
benc98 said:
Shocked Thomas didn't make the team. Also, wonder if Carapaz would be happy with not targeting the Giro.

I think I'm team Roglic this year
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Thomas will captain the team at the Giro, and Froome will at the Vuelta.
 
I am looking forward to this race. It will be interesting to see if the Jumbo Visma team can challenge for the win, they have made some big investments in their riders.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
10 days to go and the big news today is that Ineos won’t have past winners, Froome and Thomas in the team. Unsurprisingly the team will be led by current champion Egan Bernal.

Can’t wait for it to start.
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.... Goodeee! Will it, or highlights, be televised on ITV4 / Ch4 (standard free TV channels) do you know please?
 
As usual those naughty people on Velorooms are sharing links to the official roadbook, which has a detailed description of every stage, predicted timings and points of interests, etc. As it's only intended for the riders and those working on the race, you definitely shouldn't go to the last page of this thread and download it:
This is how Ned Boulting knows so much about that chateau in the helicopter shot, and where all the cycling magazines get their maps and stage profiles from.
 
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Retune said:
I'll be watching, but...

The Tour de France starts next week, but should it?

Against a backdrop of steeply rising coronavirus rates in France, is the 2020 Tour de France cause for celebration, or cause for concern?
cyclingtips.com cyclingtips.com
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I love watching the TdF, but think it is a step too far this year. I think it is totally reckless to hold it this year. France has had around 4000 new cases each day for the past three days.
 
andya700 said:
I love watching the TdF, but think it is a step too far this year. I think it is totally reckless to hold it this year. France has had around 4000 new cases each day for the past three days.
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I think you have a point but are the French government going to admit that the virus is again a problem and stop a major event that publicises France ? :eek:
 
How are they going to cope with the fans in the mountain stages where they virtually block the roads in front of the riders?
 
huffy said:
I think you have a point but are the French government going to admit that the virus is again a problem and stop a major event that publicises France ? :eek:
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Absolutely agree.
Pride before lives IMHO.
 
CliveH said:
That can't even catch the cheats let alone test everyone for covid
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I was once accused of doping, because I used to ride 70 miles a day between Kent and London in the Summer instead of catching the train to work and then do two or three events a week on the national and local scene.
People who have never competed, always like to throw sh*t at people who keep themselves really fit. In the Winter I used to do indoor sessions on the indoor rowing machines at 8.40 for 2,500m.
 
andya700 said:
I was once accused of doping, because I used to ride 70 miles a day between Kent and London in the Summer instead of catching the train to work and then do two or three events a week on the national and local scene.
People who have never competed, always like to throw sh*t at people who keep themselves really fit. In the Winter I used to do indoor sessions on the indoor rowing machines at 8.40 for 2,500m.
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Respect to you. I stopped watching the tour after the Lance Armstrong fiasco. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe every stage winner and yellow jersey holder is tested as well as the random tests. Over the years Armstrong raced he must have been tested maybe 100 plus times, not one positive drug test, I believe the racing organisations must have been involved in the cover up for it to have been so successful. I A could be wrong but for me it made it a sport not worth watching. The Wiggins story didn't help.
Having Hinault at the top is also no help, a rider who won at a time when cheating was rife is not a good idea either.
 
CliveH said:
Respect to you. I stopped watching the tour after the Lance Armstrong fiasco. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe every stage winner and yellow jersey holder is tested as well as the random tests. Over the years Armstrong raced he must have been tested maybe 100 plus times, not one positive drug test, I believe the racing organisations must have been involved in the cover up for it to have been so successful. I A could be wrong but for me it made it a sport not worth watching. The Wiggins story didn't help.
Having Hinault at the top is also no help, a rider who won at a time when cheating was rife is not a good idea either.
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.... Like @andya700 Andy back in the day I used to train but for amateur Time Trialling and get in the miles but both solo and on the racing club chain gangs.

But although I do not condone taking the sort of substances which are classed as cheating, it has never stopped me enjoying the TdF and irrespective of the French Cvirus decisions I hope to enjoy watching it this year as well. A Mars bar in the closing stages of a long 100mile+ training ride was always worth 10 miles! And so did the drinks like Gatorade etc greatly assist performance.

I'm not going to cut off my nose to spite my face because an athlete has cheated.
 
I think I lost all respect for the sport and just stopped watching it as to me it became a competition of which team could get the best / easiest to cover up drugs, or worse which riders the organisers were going to allow to cheat. Shame really because I had been watching it since Greg Lemond won it.
 
CliveH said:
I think I lost all respect for the sport and just stopped watching it as to me it became a competition of which team could get the best / easiest to cover up drugs, or worse which riders the organisers were going to allow to cheat. Shame really because I had been watching it since Greg Lemond won it.
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I love watching the sport, because I recognise that the dope is an arms race, they are fantastic athletes without the dope.
One of the major problems at the moment (which affects other sports as well) is the TUE system - Therapeutic Use Exemption - which alows team doctors to prescribe medication for riders for certain conditions - chest infections, asthma etc. This has been used to blatantly cheat IMHO and wasn't just used by Team Sky in the past. Both Froome and Wiggo were given TUE's in the past, Froome most notably, where he was on death's door with a chest infection, but with the help of a TUE went on to win the stage race convincingly.
I do not think athletes should be able to take medication to compete, they are either too ill to compete or fit to compete.
 
I'm still looking forward to it but agree with the other comments about covid.

Thomas not going was a bit of a shock but on reflection does make some sense. I used to row a fair bit and there is a rowing phase that the fastest 8 (team of 8 rowers) wins, not the 8 fastest (individual strongest rowers). Important to ensure everyone is working together to the same goal.

CliveH said:
Respect to you. I stopped watching the tour after the Lance Armstrong fiasco. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe every stage winner and yellow jersey holder is tested as well as the random tests. Over the years Armstrong raced he must have been tested maybe 100 plus times, not one positive drug test, I believe the racing organisations must have been involved in the cover up for it to have been so successful. I A could be wrong but for me it made it a sport not worth watching. The Wiggins story didn't help.
Having Hinault at the top is also no help, a rider who won at a time when cheating was rife is not a good idea either.
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If you've not watched it, check out Icarus on Netflix!
 
CliveH said:
I used to enjoy seeing France, and picking places to visit, and really enjoyed watching the finish in Paris in 1995.
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.... Nothing quite like being there but the TV coverage just gets better and better and I include the helicopter narrative showing France itself.
 
RedRobin said:
.... Nothing quite like being there but the TV coverage just gets better and better and I include the helicopter narrative showing France itself.
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That’s always been there, even going back to the VTV-produced CH4 coverage with Liggett and Sherwen and Shelley’s iconic theme tune.

I still miss Liggett and Sherwen, I think they brought a lot to the coverage.
 
RedRobin said:
.... Nothing quite like being there but the TV coverage just gets better and better and I include the helicopter narrative showing France itself.
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When I belonged to a cycling club, we used to go over to see the stages in the North of France. My first trip involved the stage to Roubaix in 1981 where Paul Sherwen claimed 5th place. It was scorching hot, we cycled 80 miles to get there from Calais and I had left hospital two days earlier, where I had a large abcess removed from the part which is in contact with the saddle. The next morning was incredible, the square in Roubaix bathed in morning sunshine, the riders meandering around or sitting on steps chatting to each other - Sean Kelly, Freddy Maertens etc. The other trips included Chris Boardman's prologue win in Rouen in 1997, another scorching hot day, then 2001 for the Dunkirk prologue and the following day's stage from St Omer.
Happy days!
 
Ricardodaforce said:
That’s always been there, even going back to the VTV-produced CH4 coverage with Liggett and Sherwen and Shelley’s iconic theme tune.

I still miss Liggett and Sherwen, I think they brought a lot to the coverage.
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.... I particularly loved Liggett and Sherwin too but things have to move on and I have grown to like the current guys too.

I know it's always been there and not just a bike race - The clue is in the title 'Tour'.
 
CliveH said:
Leggett and Sherwin were great, when they bought Millar in it was a sign that being a cheat is ok
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.... Millar? Is that the Scottish ace climber who had a sex change? And must have taken a lot of drugs for that to happen!

Or are you referring to the Millar who is in the commentary box?

Quite honestly I accept that athletes take all sorts of substances and some which need not be banned and so I don't take much notice of that aspect - I just enjoy the racing and helicopter commentary.
 
I find David Millar a more convincing poacher turned gamekeeper that most other former dopers, as well as a good commentator with the insight you'd expect. His remorse seems genuine, and not just because he got caught. Jonathan Vaughters, whose Slipstream/Garmin (now EF Pro) team Millar rode with after his ban expired, would be in the same category. A lot of others just mumble something unconvincing about being sorry, remain silent, or (like Armstrong) are pretty much unrepentant because 'everyone was doing it', and would presumably do the same again if they thought they could get away with it.
 
Retune said:
I find David Millar a more convincing poacher turned gamekeeper that most other former dopers, as well as a good commentator with the insight you'd expect. His remorse seems genuine, and not just because he got caught. Jonathan Vaughters, whose Slipstream/Garmin (now EF Pro) team Millar rode with after his ban expired, would be in the same category. A lot of others just mumble something unconvincing about being sorry, remain silent, or (like Armstrong) are pretty much unrepentant because 'everyone was doing it', and would presumably do the same again if they thought they could get away with it.
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Agreed.
 
On the night in 2004 when he was arrested in Biarritz, David Millar was dining with Dave Brailsford.
Not a lot of people know that.
 
I love the TDF and I love the drug scandals, the two couldn't exist without each other
 
Mr Bump said:
I love the TDF and I love the drug scandals, the two couldn't exist without each other
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.... And other scandals too. The French have a different attitude (generally) towards things called scandals by the English.

I would have to research it to be more specific but cheating on the TdF has been going on since its very beginning with riders doing things like taking massive shortcuts etc.

As in F1 motor racing, teams will do everything they can to exploit and get around the rules. If its not performance enhancing substances* it's mechanical enhancements.

*The term 'drugs' is generally understood to imply antisocial addiction.

Hey! Anyone want any coca leaves to chew?
 
RedRobin said:
.... And other scandals too. The French have a different attitude (generally) towards things called scandals by the English.

I would have to research it to be more specific but cheating on the TdF has been going on since its very beginning with riders doing things like taking massive shortcuts etc.

As in F1 motor racing, teams will do everything they can to exploit and get around the rules. If its not performance enhancing substances* it's mechanical enhancements.

*The term 'drugs' is generally understood to imply antisocial addiction.

Hey! Anyone want any coca leaves to chew?
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its true the TDF just wouldn't be right without a few scandals and some strong words when one cuts one up on the sprint even mild fisticuffs
 
There has been a big spike in Covid-19 cases in the Coted'Azur, specifically Nice where the TdF is due to start. This is going to be an absolute nightmare.
 
View: https://BANNED/nedboulting/status/1299003865241616385
 
is this not on Ch4 anymore? i was hoping to watch some of the hilly stuff today
 
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