I'm the only one, aren't I?

ms_tree

I enjoyed it! Cliff hanger to the end although would have liked more attacks in the mountains. Think no prologue was a good idea and definitely pleased no TTT as GC gets swamped with guys from same team.

sing_for_absolution

I enjoyed the first week. Different to how they normally do it and so it was interesting.

RichN95.

Arkibal wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

Some people on here really would rather watched doped up half humans racing like motorbikes :shock:

Now that must the most dumbest post I've ever read....... :shock:

Did you follow the race? Vande Velde blaiming others just sitting in, Andy S. barely broke a sweat, etc. Clearly the riders were not giving it all in some stages/mountains.
Saying that I'd rather watch doped up riders in not only insulting, that is incredibly stupid.

The problem was that the Tour is in a cleaning up stage. There were clean riders up the top of GC and they knew their limits and the limits of any other clean riders. But they didn't know for sure whether the others were clean. If they did, maybe they would have been more prepared to lay it all on the line. But as it was they could have put in a crippling effort only to be destroyed by a doper, so they rode within their limit as much as they could. When the clean riders can be sure that their rivals are clean then more adventure will return.

And I don't think Arkibal's comment was stupid. There have been comments on here looking forward to Basso's return (presumably at his previous level) and saying Ricco added excitment.

iainf72

flattythehurdler wrote:

I think it was absolutely fantastic. The best tour in 30 years. I loved every minute of it. A worthy winner and a very gallant second place. Only the suspicious form of GST riders (who were cheating at the giro) made it less than perfect.

ROFL.

Seriously, I think I might have to get the ROFL-copter fueled up and ready to fly. Pick any of Lemond's victories for far far better races.

Thanks for giving me a chuckle.

Kléber

Iain, I'm genuinely curious. What makes an exciting Tour?

In 2008 we started with several favourites. We then had many riders in yellow. We had a short TT to keep the gaps narrow, then an early incursion into the Massif Central. By the time we left the Pyrenees, we ended up with more GC candidates than at the start. The race went down to the final TT. In between, the stages were good, whether Cavendish's awesome display of skills and speed, or the for once successful French attacks. You even had some scandal and impressive/horrifying crashes.

ridgerider

sing_for_absolution wrote:

I enjoyed the first week. Different to how they normally do it and so it was interesting.

I would second that. It made a change from an endless string of anonymous sprint finishes.

I would go along with the statement that some of the mountain stages were nulified by having long downhill finishes.

Apart from that, I thought it was an OK tour that was ridden to one teams agenda. The same route would have produced a different story if there had been other teams to challenge CSCs tactics.

iainf72

Kléber wrote:

By the time we left the Pyrenees, we ended up with more GC candidates than at the start. The race went down to the final TT. In between, the stages were good, whether Cavendish's awesome display of skills and speed, or the for once successful French attacks. You even had some scandal and impressive/horrifying crashes.

Sure, but did anyone who was a serious GC challenger put in any decent attacks aside from Menchov? I would've liked to have seen some more attempts out of them. Aside from Ricco's dope fueled ride and Sastre's attack on ADH there were no solo rides to victory in the mountains (will he hold them off, etc etc)

My ideal tour would have no sprints and a lack of big groups in the moutains - The leaders duking it out a bit more with more splintering on the climbs.

deejay

SecretSqirrel wrote:

.

Best bit was the HD coverage on Eurosport, I could have watched those mountain stages over and over, on those days the quality and excitiment of the race did not seem to matter. Even though I had to shut my eyes a couple of times when the camera motorbike was following on the big downhills! :shock:

HD eh, did you mention to any one you had HD.

The only few times those 2 Idiot "Lead" motor bike cameramen get behind the riders is in the mountains or any narrow road and then we rely on the fantastic "Heli" shots.
The rest of the time it's "Nodding Heads", Chainsets, wheels on tarmac and the backside of a rider, etc,etc.
A wide road and as the rider cuts a corner on the other side, the camera then gives a glimse of the road ahead as he dashes round the other side to show his other "Earhole".

I have spent many years on club runs and in the racing Bunch and what I need to see is the "Body Language" of the riders and the road ahead, and this "1" rider on screen begs the question is he on his own and oh dear the whole bunch is with him. (heli shots).

The "Director" or whatever his title is no better (and not a racing cyclist) as the times he cuts to another boring camera shot.
Last year the heli shot, showed Rassmus going on the attack of bertie and cut to "Evans" and the loosers at the back. Whoops they then realise he is up the road on his own and wins the stage and they have to show a rerun of the action.
They did it again this year as Ricco attacked.

The French designed a Tour in 1994 and thought it would put Induran in trouble with 2 stages in the Pyrenees, then Mont Ventoux, followed by "5" stages in the Alpes.
The last of these was a TT from Cluses to Morzine and then up to the mountain top finish at Avoriaz. (won by Ugrumov)
With 5 to go Indurain wasn't sweating and a stroll in the park,maybe.

I found the Tour this year a great disappointment with the failure of Menchov and Cunego and what a difference there would have been if poor little "Frank" had got his precious yellow jersey by 1 second instead. Look at the interviews when he had it on and with hindsight you can see that was his tour ambition.
All that buggering about with Evans who wasted energy watching him doing "Track Stands" on the mountain.

Anybody found TV coverage of this Saturday's San Sebastian Classic.

Earthbound

inseine wrote:

I'm obviously in the minority but I thought it was a great Tour!
4 stage wins by Cavendish (edge of my seat every time)
Winner in doubt 'till penultimate day.
KoM third overall.
etc
In the Lance days it was usually all over after the first mountain stage and it was nice to see riders actually struggling, not a Disco train driving till the last few Kms.
I liked the fact that the GC riders weren't winning the TTs and the mountains.
Above all I believed that, rightly or wrongly, there were less drugs around and accept that because of that it's harder for the riders. You can't wont less doping but also want superhuman rides.

Good point inseine. In the Arsmtrong days USPS/Discovery's tactics made for dull tours with 8 guys busting a gut (or get sacked) to carry Armstrong to the last 2ks. Really nullifying for the other teams/riders.

CSC were much the stronger team this year but the way theyused that strength was more dynamic to watch. Putting Schleck out in yellow, attacking on the climbs and launching Sastre as the real team leader. They didn't 'control' the race in that monotonous way USPS did.

Also agree it was good to see non GC riders wnining the TTs and mountains. Schumacher and Cancellara battling out against the clock.

A much more even race with different riders having different opportunitues in different types of stage rather than one or two noticeable 'Supermen'. Makes it almost seem like a human contest. Desgrange would be proud.

Sun Dodger

Have to say I enjoyed it myself. Especially good:

More breaks staying away - In years gone by, I can't see Chavanel's effort having worked.

When guys were dropped on the summit finishes, quite often they managed to work back - looked like the lead group couldn't keep the pace as high as usual.

secretsqirrel

deejay wrote:

SecretSqirrel wrote:

.

Best bit was the HD coverage on Eurosport, I could have watched those mountain stages over and over, on those days the quality and excitiment of the race did not seem to matter. Even though I had to shut my eyes a couple of times when the camera motorbike was following on the big downhills! :shock:

HD eh, did you mention to any one you had HD.

Shhh.............Don't tell everyone. I didn't want everybody coming round the Sqirrel House, drinking the beer and eating me nuts. 8)

wildmoustache

andy schleck blew his chances on hautacam so from then on was riding for frank and then sastre.

anyone who saw him on the pratto navoso climb can hardly say he wasn't giving it his all.

cadel is a tenacious rider. CSC had to throw absolute everything at him to beat him. he obviously would have beaten either of the schlecks. Sastre's two attacks on AD were brilliant ... he gave it absolutely everything and put enough time into a very evenly matched rival to win the tour.

i thought it was a great tour, but i agree with some of the suggestions for improvements.

i'd say have another couple of mountain stages and perhaps another TT to balance it - maybe a TTT and one more mountain stage. make the additional mountain stage a summit finish ... and make it a biggy ... how about pic du midi??! Don't limit the summit finishes to ski stations.

I'd also like the Tour to go to more places it hasn't been to before or rarely goes to in spain and italy.

Titanium

deejay wrote:

The "Director" or whatever his title is no better (and not a racing cyclist) as the times he cuts to another boring camera shot.
Last year the heli shot, showed Rassmus going on the attack of bertie and cut to "Evans" and the loosers at the back. Whoops they then realise he is up the road on his own and wins the stage and they have to show a rerun of the action.
They did it again this year as Ricco attacked.

Look at soccer games where in 90 minutes and inside a stadium, they can miss crucial tackles, kicks and off the ball moves.
Now try sitting in a hot truck with 6 live feeds coming in, with at any time, two of these feeds are cracking up. Then pick the right image. It's gotta be hard and if in three weeks they make the odd mistake, it happens.

flattythehurdler

Arkibal wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

Some people on here really would rather watched doped up half humans racing like motorbikes :shock:

Now that must the most dumbest post I've ever read....... :shock:

Did you follow the race? Vande Velde blaiming others just sitting in, Andy S. barely broke a sweat, etc. Clearly the riders were not giving it all in some stages/mountains.
Saying that I'd rather watch doped up riders in not only insulting, that is incredibly stupid.

Get her

thamacdaddy

See I think one crucial point is missing here.

People are saying that it wasn't exciting because it lacked attacks etc or truely great efforts to win. However using something from another sport of boxing styles make fights etc.

Isn't it more the case here cadel thought he had it in the bag with the final TT and so didn't feel he needed to, or possibly couldn't go all out in the mountains. CSC felt they were doing enough by wearing down evans and put themselves into a decent position without needing to do anything over the top. In this case its tactics and winning vs all out exciting racing.

If no one is prepared to make a bigtime race of it for whatever reasons then why should the others just for the camera's. I agree its exciting but for what is a tough race then its about doing what you need to do to win first. Its a shame it impacts on the entertainment value (i understand some will say its up to the riders to make it exciting) but again looking at something like boxing where promoters have to match people for a truely great fight ASO have to make sure they make the race and the teams mix the way that will more than likely produce an exciting race.

IMO having only one really strong team there made this race what it was and although I can sort of see their point in disallowing astana I think maybe next years with contador, shleck etc all out might be a bit more exciting. Maybe if sastre and some of CSC do the spanish tour this year we might get to see if that happens or not.

That being said I can't say it was a bad tour, I still loved the three weeks of cycling I got to watch and can't wait for next years.

flattythehurdler

iainf72 wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

I think it was absolutely fantastic. The best tour in 30 years. I loved every minute of it. A worthy winner and a very gallant second place. Only the suspicious form of GST riders (who were cheating at the giro) made it less than perfect.

ROFL.

Seriously, I think I might have to get the ROFL-copter fueled up and ready to fly. Pick any of Lemond's victories for far far better races.

Thanks for giving me a chuckle.

Glad I brightened your day. Sorry it took so little.

pedalpower

I thought it was great to watch because it seemed a genuine battle of endurance, as it should be. We're used to seeing a certain few riders suspiciously improve their performance on vital stages, like the final ITT, in spite of what they've been through and you never know whether its because they've been able to boost their blood when others haven't or what. This time we saw Evans being worn down and unable to produce the ITT he should have been capable of normally.