Tour de France 2012

[TNT1]

Some interesting reading:

the accusations of it's been an easy/boring Tour. Let me tell you I did a few TdFs and none of them were easy. None. When it's was a flatter course the speed was ridiculous and when you did reach the mountains everyone was frazzled by the tension and the crashes.

 

Even hanging on has needed serious pain management. It might look boring at times but it's not easy to do and remember they didn't make the route, they just used it to their advantage.

 

So for the grumblers, remember as an outsider you don't see the dreary days in November doing hill repeats on a big gear or the gruelling sessions perfecting that time trial position. If it really was simple then everyone could be a pro bike rider. You are welcome to try.

 

And on Froome:

 

Admittedly Froome has thrown a couple of toy spanners into the machine but he signed up for position and no amount of arm waving and theatrical playing with the earpiece will change that. If anything he'll just come across as stroppy.

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/robert-millar-tommy-guns-of-the-tour-de-france

 

(For those of you new to the sport, those are the words of Robert Millar -> Robert Millar is a Scottish former professional cyclist who won the "King of the Mountains" competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall. He might have an idea of what he's talking about)

['Dale]

 

 

 

... I guess Schar will have a few scars

 

Yeah :-)

 

The irony is that he was run over by the doctor's car.

[TNT1]

fixed.

 

Silly lad. If you deserve it, go and win it. There are no gifts.

['Dale]

I know this is so yesterday, but a classic.

 

http://velonews.competitor.com/files/2012/07/gilbert-dog-problem1-654x421.jpg

 

Philippe Gilbert had to be restrained when he approached the family that let their dog run out in front of him, causing him to crash. Photo: Graham Watson

 

Look at that furball. No way to bunny hop that!

[Cav']

Look at that furball. No way to bunny hop that!

[Delgado]

Without doubt for me the most sterile tour ever......

[TNT1]

Without doubt for me the most sterile tour ever......

 

I wonder what people would have made of Merckx. '69 wins yellow, green and dotty shirts. '70 wins dotty and yellow, second in green. '71, yellow only. '72 yellow and green and second in dotty shirt.

 

And make no mistake, as much as he did, his team died for him.

 

I just wonder what these chaps commenting here would have said watching that with the half lidded eyes they watch, well, everything.

[T-Bob]

Without doubt for me the most sterile tour ever......

 

What tour would you have rated as the best one you've seen? Not being a smart arse, just wondering.

 

For me you couldn't beat Lemond vs Fignon or Roche vs Delgado but overall I loved watching Big Mig' rule it for 5 tours.

[BergForce]

What tour would you have rated as the best one you've seen? Not being a smart arse, just wondering.

 

For me you couldn't beat Lemond vs Fignon or Roche vs Delgado but overall I loved watching Big Mig' rule it for 5 tours.

 

I also liked the Indurain era, with the crazy maniac Djamolidine Abdoujaparov taking the sprint finishes.

[Delgado]

 

 

What tour would you have rated as the best one you've seen? Not being a smart arse, just wondering.

 

For me you couldn't beat Lemond vs Fignon or Roche vs Delgado but overall I loved watching Big Mig' rule it for 5 tours.

Agree with you on some of them 1989....2011....1987....1983....and 1988 but that one more because Perico won it. Can't say any of these were a procession......

[TNT1]

What tour would you have rated as the best one you've seen? Not being a smart arse, just wondering.

 

For me you couldn't beat Lemond vs Fignon or Roche vs Delgado but overall I loved watching Big Mig' rule it for 5 tours.

Agree with you on some of them 1989....2011....1987....1983....and 1988 but that one more because Perico won it. Can't say any of these were a procession......

 

Same. I liked the 98 edition somewhat. 03, lance on the back foot was worthy. I have to add 09, Cause I'm a Contador fan. That was an epic race.

 

I can't agree more on Indurain. As big, and determined as he was, he was still so fragile, human.

[flymango]

I wonder what people would have made of Merckx. '69 wins yellow, green and dotty shirts. '70 wins dotty and yellow, second in green. '71, yellow only. '72 yellow and green and second in dotty shirt.

 

And make no mistake, as much as he did, his team died for him.

 

I just wonder what these chaps commenting here would have said watching that with the half lidded eyes they watch, well, everything.

 

Do you think winning all three is achievable again in the modern era. Or was he one of a kind?

[Heckflosse]

I know this is so yesterday, but a classic.

 

http://velonews.competitor.com/files/2012/07/gilbert-dog-problem1-654x421.jpg

 

Philippe Gilbert had to be restrained when he approached the family that let their dog run out in front of him, causing him to crash. Photo: Graham Watson

Aggression!!

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Some interesting reading:

the accusations of it's been an easy/boring Tour. Let me tell you I did a few TdFs and none of them were easy. None. When it's was a flatter course the speed was ridiculous and when you did reach the mountains everyone was frazzled by the tension and the crashes.

 

Even hanging on has needed serious pain management. It might look boring at times but it's not easy to do and remember they didn't make the route, they just used it to their advantage.

 

So for the grumblers, remember as an outsider you don't see the dreary days in November doing hill repeats on a big gear or the gruelling sessions perfecting that time trial position. If it really was simple then everyone could be a pro bike rider. You are welcome to try.

 

And on Froome:

 

Admittedly Froome has thrown a couple of toy spanners into the machine but he signed up for position and no amount of arm waving and theatrical playing with the earpiece will change that. If anything he'll just come across as stroppy.

 

http://www.cyclingne...-tour-de-france

 

(For those of you new to the sport, those are the words of Robert Millar -> Robert Millar is a Scottish former professional cyclist who won the "King of the Mountains" competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall. He might have an idea of what he's talking about)

 

Gee, pro bike riders have such a hard life, maybe they should look to taking up a job at McDonalds flipping burgers.

 

I guess no one who has ever achieved anything be it as mundane as a trade (yeah no one sees all those dreary days perfecting your welding technique) or or as difficult as a neuro surgeon ( no one sees all those dreary days operating on cadavers either) has it so tough as a pro bike rider, I mean they are just a breed apart, lets all genuflect at his knees, I mean the rest of us all just woke up one morning and all the skill and the knowledge was there, lucky us I guess.

 

Give me a break, I dont know who said that but he is an idiot in my opinion, actually No, he is an "arrogant self centered idiot".

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Aggression!!

 

Should have left him, I think a few of those bystanders would have sorted him out quite quickly.

[TNT1]

Gee, pro bike riders have such a hard life, maybe they should look to taking up a job at McDonalds flipping burgers.

 

Give me a break, I dont know who said that but he is an idiot in my opinion, actually No, he is an "arrogant self centered idiot".

 

Gee. I quoted the source, and explicitly said who made the comment.

 

And you may step off of your high horse, and see that he was addressing a specific audience on a specific issue.

 

He wasn't commenting on the value a pro athlete adds to society, or comparing one chosen career with any other.

 

Geez, old fart, I expect more studied comment from you.