GrumpyOldGuy Posted June 20, 2016 Posted June 20, 2016 less than a fortnight to go :-)Yah, somehow I am just not that interested this year, seems very low key to me. ha! love it! I would recommend anyone who gets the chance, to go along and catch a stage at least once in a lifetime. Even if it's part of a normal holiday. Well worth it. And as much as I'm enjoying the Giro, Le Tour really is something else .. . ;-)Yah, I hear you but in all honesty if you really want to watch an event, any event really, its always better on your TV (well in my humble opinion ) I was in London for the start of the TDF, it was a nightmare, restaurants were overfilled, coffee shops had lines 50 deep, the underground was packed to capacity, you had to line up 6 hours ahead of the start to get within 4 people rows of the barriers, everyone was hot and bothered and irritable, I got as far as the underground, people were almost fighting to force their way in and those squeezed up like sardines inside were fighting to keep them out. I turned around and went back and watched it in my hotel with a cold beer and some nuts in comfort. Not for me I am afraid. Maybe I am just old.
Bonus Posted June 20, 2016 Author Posted June 20, 2016 Yah, somehow I am just not that interested this year, seems very low key to me. Yah, I hear you but in all honesty if you really want to watch an event, any event really, its always better on your TV (well in my humble opinion ) I was in London for the start of the TDF, it was a nightmare, restaurants were overfilled, coffee shops had lines 50 deep, the underground was packed to capacity, you had to line up 6 hours ahead of the start to get within 4 people rows of the barriers, everyone was hot and bothered and irritable, I got as far as the underground, people were almost fighting to force their way in and those squeezed up like sardines inside were fighting to keep them out. I turned around and went back and watched it in my hotel with a cold beer and some nuts in comfort. Not for me I am afraid. Maybe I am just old. 2007 GOG? London was busy but I thought it was worth seeing. The prologue went past Buckingham Palace - that doesn't happen every day :-)
'Dale Posted June 20, 2016 Posted June 20, 2016 The Giro was just awesomeSo too Vuelta Reason: greater risk-taking, bravado, thrilling I'll be watching le Tour and hoping for real thrilling stuff
'Dale Posted June 20, 2016 Posted June 20, 2016 Cool analysis: GC favourites http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-analysing-the-favourites-and-their-seasons-so-far/
Mntboy Posted June 20, 2016 Posted June 20, 2016 Cool analysis: GC favourites http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-analysing-the-favourites-and-their-seasons-so-far/As always CN does a good job reviewing the main contenders to date although I'm none too sure of their assessment of Porte. He's a good rider but I felt he went a bit missing in the last two days of the Dauphine. AC and Niaro is most likely to be CF's biggest competition. Bardet, Pinot and TvG will be racing to complete the remaining top half of the top ten GC placings imho!
'Dale Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 As always CN does a good job reviewing the main contenders to date although I'm none too sure of their assessment of Porte. He's a good rider but I felt he went a bit missing in the last two days of the Dauphine. AC and Niaro is most likely to be CF's biggest competition. Bardet, Pinot and TvG will be racing to complete the remaining top half of the top ten GC placings imho! Porte is still under a doubt cloud about his capabilities over three weeksHe's damn good over a weekAll to be revealed And Tejay, the other co-leader for BMC, is also under pressureFelt ill during last year's tour, didn't somehow disclose it to the team and rolled to a dramatic halt on the road somewhere, I think, Stage 19.
GrumpyOldGuy Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 2007 GOG? London was busy but I thought it was worth seeing. The prologue went past Buckingham Palace - that doesn't happen every day :-)Yah 2007 Prologue, was great, I flopped on the bed and ordered up room service, was a little slow but then I understand, this is London after all. ..but Yeah, just kidding, I know what you mean, there is a certain electricity in the air, but as with any event where its moving, too me its just not worth the hassle, in effect you see a few minutes of the event at best, all sorts of things go on in other areas you cant see, and until you go watch the highlights later on TV you dont really know what went on!. I used to be a great Formula 1 fan, I still follow it, but over the years I have been to almost all the race tracks world wide, it was much the same, chaotic and overcrowded and in my opinion best watched on TV.Actually the track I enjoyed most was the one in Hungary because no one went there, so it was always a pleasure and there was space to move, but again they whizz past and then they are gone,.... then when they whizz past again you note there is a mysterious disappearance of one car..... Sports like Soccer, Rugby, Cricket, etc which are played in a stadium are great to go visit live because you see the entire event, in moving sports like bike racing, car racing etc you just see the bit where you are, and in my case thats mostly the wrong spot.
GrumpyOldGuy Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 Porte is still under a doubt cloud about his capabilities over three weeksHe's damn good over a weekAll to be revealed And Tejay, the other co-leader for BMC, is also under pressureFelt ill during last year's tour, didn't somehow disclose it to the team and rolled to a dramatic halt on the road somewhere, I think, Stage 19.Yah, I have never been a Porte fan, I dont think he has what it takes to win a GT. He is a great "wingman" but as a solo flyer like 'Berto, Froome, Valverde etc .........I doubt he cuts the mustard.
EmptyB Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 I'll put my head on a block that Porte will blow up on at least one stage....I don't wish it upon the guy but he will loose HUGE time somewhere.
Gen Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 I'll put my head on a block that Porte will blow up on at least one stage....I don't wish it upon the guy but he will loose HUGE time somewhere.That's a given he always has at least 1 really bad day. Plus we have seen that he is tactically inept.
Shebeen Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 Looking at our local boys. Impey - oricaMain cheese - meridaventer,janse van rensburg x2 - DD (not confirmed) 5 okes riding - would that be a record? 2015 - there were 4 ridingeven in the barloworld days most we got was 2!
Gen Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 Looking at our local boys. Impey - oricaMain cheese - meridaventer,janse van rensburg x2 - DD (not confirmed) 5 okes riding - would that be a record? 2015 - there were 4 ridingeven in the barloworld days most we got was 2!Plenty of DD guys in good form.. I actually thought Farrar did some really good work for Eddie B during the spring classics hey..
Mntboy Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 Porte is still under a doubt cloud about his capabilities over three weeksHe's damn good over a weekAll to be revealed And Tejay, the other co-leader for BMC, is also under pressureFelt ill during last year's tour, didn't somehow disclose it to the team and rolled to a dramatic halt on the road somewhere, I think, Stage 19. IIRC it was about two day's after the second rest day that TvG abandoned. In second place too, again iirc. Was very disappointed because he was riding so well up until that point. I really hope TvG can put in the same display this year. Really like the Yankee with a Vlaandren sounding name! Porte I like as well but I don't think he's as capable a GT rider as TvG or the other heads of state. Good for stage win maybe? We'll have to wait and see!
Mntboy Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 Yah, I have never been a Porte fan, I dont think he has what it takes to win a GT. He is a great "wingman" but as a solo flyer like 'Berto, Froome, Valverde etc .........I doubt he cuts the mustard.Also not convinced that Porte is GC potential at GT level.
'Dale Posted June 21, 2016 Posted June 21, 2016 Stage by stage analysis from cyclingnews : http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-stage-by-stage-guide/
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