I know I'm a grumpy old sod

iainf72

But boy oh boy, am I underwhelmed by the start of the Tour this year.

It's the whole Bert situation, combined with opening with a road stage instead of prologue (I hate that format) and the lack of inspiring racing this year so far.

Hopefully the TdS indicated the racing was on the up....

calvjones

I'm hoping the relative lumpiness will offset the Ennui in the first week.

inkyfingers

Yes Iain, you are a grumpy old sod! Normally I am as well, but i'm actually quite excited about the start of the tour this year.

I kind of miss the prologue format as well, but the stage in 2008 with an uphill finish gave us quite an exciting finale so i'm optimistic about tomorrow. I always enjoy the TTTs, if only to watch teams that do badly and self combust on the road. Then you have another uphill finish in the forst week and a spattering of the normal sprint stages before we get to the mountains, which are proper mountains this year. Once again it will be up to the riders to make it an exciting tour. My hope is that Alberto has a bad day or a crash (though without getting hurt, just that causes him to lose time) and is out of ther GC race which would open things up and also remove the possiblity of him winning then getting banned.

I'm also hoping that Gilbert will help to light up some of the stages.

Gazzaputt

I cannot wait for it to start so excited.

F*ck Bernie I say I cannot give a monkeys what he does I won't let the cheat tarnish an event I love. So glad he got the bird yesterday at the presentation.

petemadoc

inkyfingers wrote:

My hope is that Alberto has a bad day or a crash (though without getting hurt, just that causes him to lose time) and is out of ther GC race which would open things up and also remove the possiblity of him winning then getting banned.

Yes ^^^^ this would be great

cogidubnus

I'm a young sod and I'm excited about the tour. Im quite pleased Bertie is riding (whether he should is another matter) otherwise I could just see Twiddledee and twiddledum from Leopard Trek producing a zzz fest of "no after you..."

RichN95.

Iain and friend take their seats for stage 1:




"This race isn't half bad"
"No... It's all bad"

afx237vi

I'd have 21 road stages if I was designing a GT route, so the lack of a prologue is fine by me.

patchy

afx237vi wrote:

I'd have 21 road stages if I was designing a GT route, so the lack of a prologue is fine by me.

I'm fairly sure, actually, that at some point fairly soon we'll get a TT-heavy Tour to balance out all the climbers' Tours of recent years. I guarantee it'll be billed as the 'race of truth'.

First Tour TT was in 1934 - perhaps 2014?

iainf72

Rumour says something Lance related will happen today to make sure there is something to discuss during the opening stage.

smithy21

I am very excited about it. I like the fact its not a prologue start as that generally gives us a first few days of Chinny in yellow. Not saying he wont have a crack at the win tomorrow though.

My hopes may be dashed if Bertie makes it a procession but f*ck it- lets start out with a bit of optimism.

smithy21

patchy wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

I'd have 21 road stages if I was designing a GT route, so the lack of a prologue is fine by me.

I'm fairly sure, actually, that at some point fairly soon we'll get a TT-heavy Tour to balance out all the climbers' Tours of recent years. I guarantee it'll be billed as the 'race of truth'.

First Tour TT was in 1934 - perhaps 2014?

Batten down the hatches when that happens. Half the BR forum think its tantamount to cheating to win the GC by being good at TT's and hanging on in the mountains!

cogidubnus

2014 is that with in Sky's 5 year plan? Wiggo or G for the GC then lol

LangerDan

iainf72 wrote:

Rumour says something Lance related will happen today to make sure there is something to discuss during the opening stage.

Lance is coming to visit the Grenoble TT. (Just in case those damned Europeans are letting their cancer awareness slip)

LangerDan

Things I'm looking forward to:

1) ASO having read their tide tables ass-backwards and the peleton getting to the end of the Passage Du Gois covered in seaweed and their pockets full of mackerel.

2) Everyone on electronic gear systems blaming the saltwater for why they made a complete bobbins of the sprint.

3) Leipheimer buying Thor's opening-ceremony wig for a tenner and wearing it for the next 3 weeks.

RichN95.

LangerDan wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Rumour says something Lance related will happen today to make sure there is something to discuss during the opening stage.

Lance is coming to visit the Grenoble TT. (Just in case those damned Europeans are letting their cancer awareness slip)

He's going to claim political asylum in France (or maybe Switzerland) due to being persecuted by his government

TheBigBean

I'm quite looking forward to it. The race for third should be interesting.

Without wishing to kick-off a tired debate, if CAS finds in favour of Contador will his presence be more welcome with hindsight? Personally, I'm quite glad he is riding - a Giro / Tour double is no mean feat.

dougzz

I'm proper excited about it, come on Iain, it's still THE TOUR.......

As for the Bertie crash, it would be more ironic if he hit a lose cow on the road, rather like the dog incidents of recent years.

iainf72

dougzz wrote:

I'm proper excited about it, come on Iain, it's still THE TOUR.......

Sure, but when was the Tour last any good?

Exactly....

smithy21

dougzz wrote:

I'm proper excited about it, come on Iain, it's still THE TOUR.......

As for the Bertie crash, it would be more ironic if he hit a lose cow on the road, rather like the dog incidents of recent years.

There were a couple of cows in the Dauphine werent there. Maybe they were just using the it as a training race before the main event.

rick_chasey

iainf72 wrote:

But boy oh boy, am I underwhelmed by the start of the Tour this year.

It's the whole Bert situation, combined with opening with a road stage instead of prologue (I hate that format) and the lack of inspiring racing this year so far.

Hopefully the TdS indicated the racing was on the up....

A certain forumite of the Irish persuasion who I bumped into on the tube yesterday predicted this exact thread would occur.

Now where's that tinfoil hat....

fidbod

there is lots to look forward to in this year's TDF I reckon. Will Bertie go pop after his Giro exertions?

Will Goss beat out Cav for top points scorer in HTC.

Can the time triallers who climb (Wiggens and Martin) do enough for a top five.

there has got to be a couple of do or die breaks from Vino in his final TDF.

Anyway thats what I am looking forward to.

afx237vi

fidbod wrote:

there is lots to look forward to in this year's TDF I reckon. Will Bertie go pop after his Giro exertions?

Will Goss beat out Cav for top points scorer in HTC.

Can the time triallers who climb (Wiggens and Martin) do enough for a top five.

there has got to be a couple of do or die breaks from Vino in his final TDF.

Anyway thats what I am looking forward to.

No, no, no, yes.

When's the Vuelta start?

Also, is "bumping into an Irishman on the tube" some kind of weird Dutch euphemism, because I thought Rick had a girlfriend...

iainf72

Rick Chasey wrote:

A certain forumite of the Irish persuasion who I bumped into on the tube yesterday predicted this exact thread would occur.

Now where's that tinfoil hat....

Oh no, I'm Captain Predictable.

Ummm, Go Cav! You rock and wear your heart on your sleeve....

CyclingBantam

iainf72 wrote:

dougzz wrote:

I'm proper excited about it, come on Iain, it's still THE TOUR.......

Sure, but when was the Tour last any good?

Exactly....

Coe on Iain, you have two options.

A) _ Wish it was the Giro and not enjoy it or;
- Embrace the madness, once a year fans and the plethora of useless information and LOVE IT!!!

Like Dougzz said - ITS THE TOUR!!!

RichN95.

CyclingBantam wrote:

Coe on Iain, you have two options.

A) _ Wish it was the Giro and not enjoy it or;

Iain didn't like the Giro either.

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

CyclingBantam wrote:

Coe on Iain, you have two options.

A) _ Wish it was the Giro and not enjoy it or;

Iain didn't like the Giro either.

Shun the three weekers and embrace the dirty grimy one-dayers Ian.

There is no room for both in your life.

Monty Dog

Love the comments about the Passage du Gois, perhaps the moon will fall of it's axis and screw things up a bit tide-wise?
I reckon Bertie will get the OK from CAS pending revision of 'allowable' traces of clen.
The Schleck bros will conspire to make LeTour an exciting race very boring like the finish of L-B-L by towing Bertie up all the mountains.

frenchfighter

You dont like bike racing...nothing new there.

Bring on the best GT riders in the World battling it out along with the suicidal French riders, the fastest sprinting in the World and some lovely climbs. Should be good.

ms_tree

Yes Iain you are. That said, I sort of know what you mean but am excited -got start list pinned up, map on wall, official guide ready ( also finding something to knit while nothing much is going on).
I just hope - like B Hinault - that people ATTACK this year and not just follow in the wheels.

Tom BB

I'm quite looking forward to it-I'll only catch the first week, but I've got a pretty slck week at work so should catch every stage until Friday.......sitting at home with a Belgian beer watching dull racing beats sitting at work any day

........sitting on a beach in Rhodes for two weeks on my honeymoon will hopefully beat watching a dull final two weeks of the tour though 8)