Author Topic: Tour de France  (Read 757 times)

meput

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Tour de France
« on: July 02, 2011, 04:47:35 am »
The Tour starts today - whoopie  ;D.  Can't wait for the mountain stages.

I'm rooting for Andy Schleck. Leipheimmer too old. Would like to see Contador get stomped. :-X

The Tour and the Red Sox - only decent things on the TV during the summer. :P

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jim-ratliff

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2011, 07:33:53 am »
Thanks for the reminder. I'm on the Schleck bus as well. Much more appealing personality than   Contador.

I'm an Orioles fan, however. Sort of like being a Sox fan before they got good.
"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."

midwif

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2011, 08:34:06 am »
The Tour starts today - whoopie  ;D.  Can't wait for the mountain stages.

I'm rooting for Andy Schleck. Leipheimmer too old. Would like to see Contador get stomped. :-X

The Tour and the Red Sox - only decent things on the TV during the summer. :P
Agreed!

Contador is quite the pr**k personality wise. Rumor has it so was Lance, but learned to put on a better face
publicly.

Go Andy!
"Play it Sam"

bushwacka

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2011, 12:06:41 pm »
Schleck is likable sure, but likable has never won a bike race. You have to be brutal, you have to attack at the right moment with out thinking of any negative consquences, you have to put a hurt on your opponent while not making yourself hurt so bad you have to quit.  Shleck has the aggression of a bowl full of pudding, he will not win this tour.

You guys see that finish today? Gilbert was my man today and he delivered! i think he can do at least 2 more times in the first week.

http://tdfchallenge.nbcsports.com/cycling/draft/draft.asp

if you guys want some fun pick your team and lets race!

meput

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2011, 03:54:54 pm »
Lance was a real pr**k before he had cancer. A pompous you know what as a teenage triathlete. Sad to say but cancer did wonders for a dose of humility. Post cancer, still a big time alpha male, even with only one nad. Still he was a hoot to watch during his Tour run. Poor Ullrich never knew what hit him.

Never been into fantasy sports. I'll have to check it out.

LivingProof

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2011, 08:34:36 am »
The Tour starts today - whoopie  ;D.  Can't wait for the mountain stages.

I'm rooting for Andy Schleck. Leipheimmer too old. Would like to see Contador get stomped. :-X

The Tour and the Red Sox - only decent things on the TV during the summer. :P

Meput,
We have something in common, I really enjoyed watching the Red Sox as they lost 2 of 3 to the Phils. ;D

The 3 weeks of the TDF are just a special part of July. I love the event and respect those that ride (clean). Don't really follow pro cycling, so I don't have attachment to any rider or team. For sure, I'm anti-Contator...to bad he's riding and loved hearing Mr. Bad Beef get booed.

Can't imagine even completing one mountain stage let alone doing the entire 3 weeks.

I did read a Lance bio titled  "LA - The World's Greatest Champion". The author was so pro-LA that it just destroyed the credibility of the book. For sure, LA was, and continues to be one tough SOB. But it was this competitiveness and goal orientation that got him where he is at.  My belief is that he would do dope to obtain his goals, but, until it's proven that he did, he remains innocent under a very dark cloud. To his credit, his work with cancer is a inspiration to those fighting for survival. The cynic in me does think that he is also a major beneficiary of $$$$ so he's not Mother Theresa. While he rode the TDF, he was the king of the world.

So, let's enjoy watching the "boys of cycling summer" do their magic in the TDF.

meput

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2011, 03:45:55 pm »
Really enjoyed the team time trial today. The American based teams really showed how the team time trial is done (hats off to Team Sky from Great Britain as well). Was also impressed with Cancellara pulling Schleck's team to a decent finish.

Jim, if you watched today, you can see how easy pace lines are  ;). You have my pity for being an Orioles fan. Until '04, I used to be a long term baseball sufferer.

Mike, I think the Phillies are the favorites for winning the World Series. Best starting pitching in baseball & solid offense. Huge disappointment if they do not represent the National League in the Series. I am not a fan of interleague play. Who do the Red Sox get - the Phillies. Who do the Yankees get - the Mets  :-X.

Jim

meput

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2011, 04:15:19 pm »
Wow, what a day in sports. Fantastic day at the Tour. Crashes, cars hitting riders, Voekler was great to take the yellow.

Then the US win over Brazil in the womens World Cup. Talk about last minute goals. Playing one man (woman) down and still dominating.

No miles for me, but I finally had the maiden voyage of my Hobie Wave. ~12 - 15 wind speed. Great wind to get a feel of how she sails.

Good day,

meput

PS Jim, I will leave out the Orioles and Red Sox  ;D ;D


LivingProof

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2011, 07:46:23 am »
le velo = the bike

Today is a TDF rest day, same for me. I rode 145 miles last week, they rode about the same each day. Amazing! Put's me in "wannabe" status. I'm really tired today, they are out riding on their rest day. A typical day during the TDF is that I watch the opening on TV, then go ride for 2 hours and still plenty of time to see the live ending.

Last week, the TDF showed what rain can do to the world's best riders. Large Peloton and narrow, wet roads puts a whole different spin on the race. Can Contador recover from all the time he's spent on the ground? Funny that everyone just gave the race to him in predictions, but, it just goes to show that you have to ride and take your chances over 3 weeks.

Is there any scenery in the world that rivals France for a bike tour? Just spectacular.

Ride on!


jim-ratliff

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2011, 11:41:57 am »
le velo = the bike

Today is a TDF rest day, same for me. I rode 145 miles last week, they rode about the same each day. Amazing! Put's me in "wannabe" status. I'm really tired today, they are out riding on their rest day. A typical day during the TDF is that I watch the opening on TV, then go ride for 2 hours and still plenty of time to see the live ending.

Last week, the TDF showed what rain can do to the world's best riders. Large Peloton and narrow, wet roads puts a whole different spin on the race. Can Contador recover from all the time he's spent on the ground? Funny that everyone just gave the race to him in predictions, but, it just goes to show that you have to ride and take your chances over 3 weeks.

Is there any scenery in the world that rivals France for a bike tour? Just spectacular.

Ride on!

145 miles?  Well done sir Michael (at least by my standards).

Yes, pretty amazing to have someone get hit by a car in the race.  I think the race organizers have to take credit for some of this.  Seems like they have had the Tour on a lot of routes where the roads were inadequate for the velo/auto traffic that is part of the le Tour.

Contador seems to be having the kind of "luck" that Lance had last year.  I find it interesting that Schleck hasn't been heard from much, but it seems he was the one announcing the "cease fire" after the big crash yesterday.  I doubt that he made the decision unilaterally, but it was interesting that it was him and not Contador or any of the current Jersey wearers.

After my simple fall (effects just now completely going away, I can finally sneeze and breathe deeply painfree), I really empathized with the guy sitting along the side of the road with broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a broken scapula (AND the knowledge that his Tour for the year was over).  WOW.
At least I still made it to work the next day.


« Last Edit: July 12, 2011, 07:10:32 am by jim-ratliff »
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jim-ratliff

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2011, 11:49:24 am »
le velo = the bike

Today is a TDF rest day, same for me. I rode 145 miles last week, they rode about the same each day.

Is there any scenery in the world that rivals France for a bike tour? Just spectacular.

Ride on!


Would love to be able to take one ride through the Lavendar fields, the smell permeating the air.  The hills, I can pass on those.


So for the recent 145 mile week, how many rides and how many miles per ride.


I need to start getting some longer distances.  Been having too much fun exploring off-road on the mountain bike -- however, we reached 38 mph on mtb yesterday, downhill on asphalt and it felt more exhilirating than on road bike or maybe just surprising that it would go that fast with squishy tires and lots of frontal area.
   ;D  Guess those Aero spokes really work   ;D
« Last Edit: July 11, 2011, 02:02:48 pm by jim-ratliff »
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bushwacka

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #12 on: July 13, 2011, 06:27:40 am »
riding off road is a more complete work out than road biking, IMO every 1 road miles is = to 2-3 mtb miles. Not to mention off road riding on singletrack is one of the best ways mentally to prepare for skiing.

Plus if want to train do not worry about distance, worry more about how long you can go in time. If that means riding slower to go longer so be it.

jim-ratliff

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Re: Tour de France
« Reply #13 on: July 13, 2011, 08:14:36 am »
riding off road is a more complete work out than road biking, IMO every 1 road miles is = to 2-3 mtb miles. Not to mention off road riding on singletrack is one of the best ways mentally to prepare for skiing.

Plus if want to train do not worry about distance, worry more about how long you can go in time. If that means riding slower to go longer so be it.


Bushwacka:  You meant that the other way around, right?  One mile on mtb is as much work as 2-3 road bike miles.

For my level and style of riding, I don't think the difference is that dramatic.  Lynn and I did a couple of 15 mile rides this past weekend, I would say they were equivalent to 20 miles on the road bike.  I find the road bike more aerobic, since the terrain never really limits speed I can work as hard as I want against wind resistance.  For your faster, harder riding style I can believe your ratio.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2011, 11:29:29 am by jim-ratliff »
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jim-ratliff

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Into the Barbed wire fence
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2011, 08:32:18 am »

My hat is off to those guys.  33 stitches from getting thrown into a barbed wire fence, and he's back on his bike after the rest day.

Very gratifying to see his teammates working to keep the polka-dot jersey for him by not allowing competitors to get climbing points.  And, seemingly, very respectful of the others not to try to take advantage of the situation.  More admirable than Contador's behavior last year when Schleck had problems.

And another great sprint finish yesterday.  I'm even beginning to understand that there actually strategy in getting the sprinter to the point where he has a chance to do what he excels at just as there is mountain stages and getting the GC guy to the point where he can do what he does best from the front of the pack -- but the culmination of the sprint is over with so quickly.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2011, 11:29:15 am by jim-ratliff »
"If you're gonna play the game boy, ya gotta learn to play it right."