For all the cyclists: A discussion on the upcoming TdF.

Wide open this year.

Jono

quote:

Originally posted by Jono 13:
Wide open this year.

Jono

Absolutely. I think (hope?) it will come down to Evans and Valverde. Menchov deserves a good result after the fiasco last year. Kloden seems to be coming into some form. Is he riding the Tour? (Just looked - no - he's still with Astana; so no invite - a pity)

The Tour de France is a testament to the human spirit.

I mean, I doubt I'd want to ride a bike if my testosterone was at 40 times the normal level.

Tour de France - the greatest annual sporting event?

No, but certainly the greatest annual doping event.

Don't kid yourselves that drugs cheats aren't also present in other sports, the UCI are working hard to stamp (quite rightly) it out hence a high number of people get caught. Pro cyclists have to push themselves to levels of exhaustion every day that pro footballers wouldn't believe possible without a month of rest. Whilst sponsors and fans demand hilly, long races, ten months of the year then the temptation to cheat is going to be too much for some, I'm not condoning or defending drugs cheats but as an amateur cyclist I can have some appreciation of what they go through and the extreme levels of fitness these guys need. Let's hope we can have a drugs and scandal free Tour this year and Le Tour can start to shed it's tarnished image and will be undisputed greatest annual sporting event!

quote:

Don't kid yourselves that drugs cheats aren't also present in other sports ...

I don't think anyone is Dave,
but I feel the new London 2012 Olympics logo has gone too far ...

Tour De Chemist labs, I'm afraid it has lost any credibility as sporting event to me.

Ah well, you can watch somthing really sporting, like Golf, Snooker, Bowls....

quote:

Originally posted by davereay:
Ah well, you can watch somthing really sporting, like Golf, Snooker, Bowls....

Darts?

Jono

I nearly wrote Darts then considered the alchohol and nicotine intake, probably higher than any pro cyclists!

Is there anything in the rules to prevent a cyclist taking part in the tour pissed out of his brain?

Yes, it is against the basic rules of the road therefore it is against UCI rules, besides being damn dangerous being pissed riding shoulder to shoulder with 180 other cyclists of course!

BigH47,

Drugs have been a part of the Tour since its inception, cocaine on its own and with heroin, amphetamines, digitalis ... Frankly, given what they go through I would be surprised if they weren't on drugs.

A sportsman/woman can be considered a cheat if they have a painkilling injection. At that moment in time their performance will be greater with the injection than without. It may even be the difference between competing and sitting on the sideline. Seems two faced to me to allow some drugs and not others. Although there is the protecting the athlete's health arguement.

Who has the highlights coverage? Kinda liked Channel 4 at 6 PM to 7PM.

Cheers,
OW

quote:

Originally posted by OscillateWildly:
Who has the highlights coverage? Kinda liked Channel 4 at 6 PM to 7PM.

I have fond memories of the C4 coverage, but I don't think they've had it for years. Last time I saw any it was one of the more minor ITV channels, which couldn't seem to show more than about two minutes of the race without cutting away to the studio or an advert break.

regards, Tam