Official Tour de France Thread - DPChallenge Forums

07/19/2006 09:54:48 PM · #76

damn!

07/19/2006 09:57:37 PM · #77

Last I hear Verbrugghe was still in hospital, too. Nasty break requiring a pin in the femur. :(

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

07/19/2006 10:03:36 PM · #78

i wanna see that first crash... anyone got a link to that?

yanko

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

07/19/2006 10:19:00 PM · #79

What is this nascar? Everyone just watches for the crashes. :P

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/19/2006 10:35:16 PM · #80

I think the problem for me is that this is a regularly scheduled competitive sport. I just don't have the right mindset for appreciating this sort of thing.

I have this weird mental attitude that once a standard is established, it's established. Hence once a rider is established at being the best, it's done...

What breaks this up is a long period of successful wins (like lance), because it speaks more of his special endurance.

However, the general results to me are boring and totally silly. I don't understand what the benefit is of getting a bunch of numbers when they are just going to redo them next year. The 'win/lose' aspect becomes uninteresting because they invalidate that accomplishment as soon as they start speaking of next year. The same goes for all other professional sports.

What I do enjoy is the process of accomplishment. Anything requiring great skill or finesse (like watching a snooker match or something) is fascinating to me, and I will watch for that, with little interest in who wins or loses. Anything requiring endurance with repetitive tasks rather loses interest to me. For me, if I want to see a guy pumping his legs up and down to move forward and generate sweat through mediocre scenery, I'll hop on my ride and get exercise at the same time.

The appeal of watching a crash though is pretty universal though. I watch both for the 'ouch' and because I do care a bit about cyclists and safety in general as well.. (90% of my commuting is pedal powered)

blemt

Nikon D70

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

07/19/2006 10:59:08 PM · #81

Originally posted by yanko:

What is this nascar? Everyone just watches for the crashes. :P

Nah, but you gotta admit- that was a humdinger.

jasonmccarthy

Sony DSLR-A100

Sony 75-300 mm f/4.5-5.6

07/19/2006 11:21:45 PM · #82

Hey guy's hav read this thread. Why do americans have to win this race. Cadel EVens was 8 th last year going 5th so far this year plus micheal rogers another aussie is 7th he is also the the first person to win the world time trial jersy 3 years and still running lol
look outside the box i saw lance \'s comments saying it would be great for an americian to win to help the american riders what about if for the first time an aussie won the tour WOW. i like lance he the best rider i ever seen but the world doesn't just revolve america k look at the other rider's in the race and see how many stepped up the brit who owned up to doping was banned for two years and been riding great. also the other riders from spain for example. The doping issue people saying what happened if a person under suspician and being investigated won the tour then was proven to be a doper how would u like to get second then win by default would be pretty bad right the uci did the right thing if they want creditbility IMO
anyway that my say cheers jason
and go the aussie's go cadel and get green robbie

07/19/2006 11:27:57 PM · #83

I'm pretty sure Robbie has the green at this point. And the Aussies have done a great job hogging the green for a lot of years at the tour. Americans don't always have to win the race. It's nice for those of us who live here for that to happen, but hey, I like a lot of the riders who aren't from the US of A, too. I just really like the sport.

And I missed that first crash today. May have to check for the summary video tomorrow.

07/20/2006 10:35:10 AM · #84

holy moly! what a race this is this morning. hang on to your seats guys! we might just have Landis back in Yellow after today!

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

07/20/2006 12:32:53 PM · #85

Originally posted by Rikki:

holy moly! what a race this is this morning. hang on to your seats guys! we might just have Landis back in Yellow after today!

I've been in meetings all morning... should I go read the Cyclingnews update??

Holy freakin' cow! I think he felt better today...

Message edited by author 2006-07-20 12:38:38.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

07/20/2006 01:39:36 PM · #86

My God, what a race. That has to be one of the great rides in all history, right Rikki? GO, Floyd! Now if only my "Abstract Food" entry would follow his lead and shake off the hurtin' of the last 2 days...

R.

Message edited by author 2006-07-20 13:40:11.

07/20/2006 05:06:03 PM · #87

Yes Bear. This will be one of the best if not the best stages of the long history of the modern day Tour de France (the Tour was actually postponed one year so there's a little bit of history for ya).

From an 8 minute deficit, the Menonite from San Diego clawed his way back and is now poised to win the overall GC sitting comfortably in third position 30 seconds behind Yellow jersey Oscar Perreiro and second placed Carlos Sastre.

Of the 3 riders, Landis is the strongest in time trialing. He can easily put 5-6 minutes over Sastre and another 3-4 minutes over Perreiro.

Hang on to your seats folks. Saturday's time trial will be the deciding factor.

07/20/2006 05:10:12 PM · #88

Oh, but there's a whole 'nuther stage tomorrow before we even get to the time trial on Saturday... and with what's happened in the last two days (heck, the whole Tour for that matter) things could change all over again tomorrow! A friend and I were discussing at work - what if the time trial ISN'T decisive, and they actually have to *race* on Sunday?

Not to be partisan or anything, but go Floyd! :-)

07/20/2006 05:16:35 PM · #89

you're right. there is no "Patron" to control the race.

07/20/2006 10:47:26 PM · #90

Oh, too funny - there was an entire section of the coverage tonight when Bob and Al thought they were in commercial, and they weren't. Bob may get a wee bit of a handslap for a bad word at one point. :-)

07/20/2006 10:48:07 PM · #91

Originally posted by Melethia:

LOL! What word?

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

07/20/2006 10:53:28 PM · #92

On the last descent, Dessel took a corner just a wee bit too wide, did a flip off the road into the gravel, and Bob, upon seeing this, exclaimed "Gawddamn!", not knowning they were still on air, or course.

JeffryZ

Nikon D80

07/21/2006 02:09:52 AM · #93

That was an amazing ride by Landis. No help. Maybe they thought that if they sent another rider with him it would attract too much attention. A bold and risky move to go that early, but it certainly paid off! If he had not gone, he would have surrendered his shot at the title this year. I am wondering if any of the top three will try for any time bonuses on Friday or will just try to rest up for the time trial. I am sure they will keep a closer eye on each other.
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07/21/2006 09:01:44 PM · #94

If there's a stage to watch in this year's edition of the Tour de France, it'll be the one tomorrow.

This is a quote from today's interview with the Yellow jersey:
"Tomorrow is the most important time trial of my life," Pereiro said. "It's obvious that Floyd is the favorite for victory. I have good options to finish on the podium, but maybe I can still win the Tour. It's going to be complicated but I might lose the jersey to Floyd"

Tomorrow's 57km Indiovidual Time Trial could very well see Floyd back in Yellow. He is only 30 seconds behind the Yellow jersey.

I can't wait!

07/21/2006 09:03:31 PM · #95

I have to wait. I made plans with some friends to do a walk tomorrow (they do Volksmarch things) so I'll have to catch the second showing, or wait 'til the evening broadcast... Of course, I'll undoubtedly check the 'net for results the minute I get home!

07/22/2006 11:42:42 AM · #96

Floyd is in Yellow!