Tour of California - Spoiler thread

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  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    WTF is this Robbie Hatch on ? - Does he try and make everything sound SPANISH with a hint of a Tony Blackburn voice.It sounds F***ing ridiculous & Cringeworthy, and people have a cheek to complain about declan quigley.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    WTF is this Robbie Hatch on ? - Does he try and make everything sound SPANISH with a hint of a Tony Blackburn voice.It sounds F***ing ridiculous & Cringeworthy, and people have a cheek to complain about declan quigley.

    Sssh. No whinging allowed on the internet.

    Anyway... the first prize sure is... uhhh... something.

    BKLiubACEAELUrg.png
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    I'm a bit meh...devils advocate here

    don't turn up unless you are fit for the race and are acclimatised..its the tour of california. take it seriously. very seriously

    everyone knows the parcours and the possible conditions

    its going to be hot. has been every year since they have moved it to May
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    Its a scene from "Family Guy" pool party with "Guest DJ Robbie Hatch" in the corner in a bermuda shirt ?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    mididoctors wrote:
    I'm a bit meh...devils advocate here

    don't turn up unless you are fit for the race and are acclimatised..its the tour of california. take it seriously. very seriously

    everyone knows the parcours and the possible conditions

    its going to be hot. has been every year since they have moved it to May

    There was a blizzard two years ago
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    RichN95 wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    I'm a bit meh...devils advocate here

    don't turn up unless you are fit for the race and are acclimatised..its the tour of california. take it seriously. very seriously

    everyone knows the parcours and the possible conditions

    its going to be hot. has been every year since they have moved it to May

    There was a blizzard two years ago

    is it ridable?

    yea or nay?
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    RichN95 wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    I'm a bit meh...devils advocate here

    don't turn up unless you are fit for the race and are acclimatised..its the tour of california. take it seriously. very seriously

    everyone knows the parcours and the possible conditions

    its going to be hot. has been every year since they have moved it to May

    There was a blizzard two years ago

    +1

    It's only a bike race. :s
    “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

    "You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
    -Jacques Anquetil
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    mididoctors wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    I'm a bit meh...devils advocate here

    don't turn up unless you are fit for the race and are acclimatised..its the tour of california. take it seriously. very seriously

    everyone knows the parcours and the possible conditions

    its going to be hot. has been every year since they have moved it to May

    There was a blizzard two years ago

    is it ridable?

    yea or nay?

    Helmand Province is 'ridable'
    Just because you can do something, it doesn't mean you should.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    how likely is a blizzard in palm springs in may?

    not very...

    the average is 35 degrees with a average monthly precipitation of 0.5mm

    It was riders used to or Better at handling those conditions who prevailed. Its an outdoor sport. is watts per kilo the only measure of talent or training?
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    mididoctors wrote:
    how likely is a blizzard in palm springs in may?

    not very...

    the average is 35 degrees with a average monthly precipitation of 0.5mm

    It was riders used to or Better at handling those conditions who prevailed. Its an outdoor sport. is watts per kilo the only measure of talent or training?
    35 may be the average temperature. It was 44 though - with absolutely no shade. That's ridiculously hot. Dangerously hot. Do you really think there is no cause for complaint?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • wombly_knees
    wombly_knees Posts: 657
    No artificial showers in the middle of the stage? Common feature in Malaysia and Indonesia where the temperatures top 35-36 and humidity of 90+%. Least that can be done
  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    RichN95 wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    how likely is a blizzard in palm springs in may?

    not very...

    the average is 35 degrees with a average monthly precipitation of 0.5mm

    It was riders used to or Better at handling those conditions who prevailed. Its an outdoor sport. is watts per kilo the only measure of talent or training?
    35 may be the average temperature. It was 44 though - with absolutely no shade. That's ridiculously hot. Dangerously hot. Do you really think there is no cause for complaint?

    +1 I think this is a bike race and not at the Roman Colleseum.

    Also, even putting on a local bike events, there's a lot of work done to keep riders safe and it's frustrating seeing riders being put at risk in this race.
    I've rarely see riders put under this extreme heat, not good.

    I think if you follow bike racing then you'd remember the weather 2 years ago, link below-

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-of ... -cancelled
    “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

    "You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
    -Jacques Anquetil
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited May 2013
    I looked at the results and couldnt believe my eyes. Never seen anything as bad as that. I assumed it was due to the poor quality field but after reading this thread, am I to assume that the heat was so bad it destroyed the field?

    Deignan - great stuff; and an Irish guy at that, unfamiliar with these temperatures.
    151952DSC_0247.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    edited May 2013
    RichN95 wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    how likely is a blizzard in palm springs in may?

    not very...

    the average is 35 degrees with a average monthly precipitation of 0.5mm

    It was riders used to or Better at handling those conditions who prevailed. Its an outdoor sport. is watts per kilo the only measure of talent or training?
    35 may be the average temperature. It was 44 though - with absolutely no shade. That's ridiculously hot. Dangerously hot. Do you really think there is no cause for complaint?

    ok seriously.

    I think the notion of mist showers etc is a bit naff as riders were pouring water all over themselves anyway and any sort of water burns off real quick anyway in that inferno.

    I would suggest the stages in the desert regions are shorter/start earlier.. the problem yesterday was the exposure time of 5 hours... they hit that climb with 4 and half hours in the sun at the hottest time of day. which organisationally in hindsight was a bit daft. thou why everyone is surprised seems a bit odd to me.

    cycling in summer in the alps or Pyrenees as a cyclo-tourist, no support vehicle, whats the first thing you learn? start in the morning coolness. try and get the ride done before things get real hot by 2 pm. Or at least not be spending hours in it.

    however the trouble with southern california is it is common for night temperatures not to drop that much during the night and holds a near record in palm springs for the highest night time temperature ever recorded

    thou the contention that the sport is about the conditions stands... if you are not up for it don't go

    cyclesport is quite dangerous IMO

    since 2000 at least one rider per year as died on average during a race...which is quite a lot and doesn't include those who died during training, which is becoming a problem... are some of those race condition related?

    there were a lot of issues about that race yesterday.

    the lack of condition for the demands of the advent by many of the teams from europe being one. BMC excepted who looked to have prepared. lots of the US based teams got dropped due to lack of strength but they carried that heat better.

    I think there was a certain degree of hubris from many of the european squads who should carry some of the blame for sending ill prepared riders?

    you can blame the organisation[perhaps justly] why not the teams as well?

    I think this is really my point. its not just the organisation.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    frenchfighter wrote:

    Deignan - great stuff; and an Irish guy at that, unfamiliar with these temperatures.

    rides the us circuit was acclimatised... noticeably so
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    mididoctors wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:

    Deignan - great stuff; and an Irish guy at that, unfamiliar with these temperatures.

    rides the us circuit was acclimatised... noticeably so

    Yeah I guess.

    154624DSC_0728.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    On a safety point of view, coming straight from some unseasonably cold weather racing in Europe to that without an acclimatisation period is irresponsible by the teams but also riding through the desert in midday heat isn't very sensible by the organisers. Do they usually use that part of California as I can't recall it being an issue in previous years. It is also questionable whether it is sensible for riders who have their main aim for the season coming up in around 6 weeks to be hammering themselves to the point of collapse in what is quite a minor race. I actually think Schleck may have benefited by getting dropped early on the final climb.

    That said it was a really good, tough finish climb that would have tested the riders in any temperature. Deignan looked very good not just when he attacked but also to recover and ride so strongly after getting caught. Thought Mick Rogers would have stayed with TJ though but again that could have just been an issue of who dealt best with the heat.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Joe Lindsay's written what seems to me a level blog after yesterday's stage, addressing the question of what should happen when temps reach a certain level

    http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderrepor ... og-_-nasty
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    DeadCalm wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    DeadCalm wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Didn't see it, but I take it Rob Hatch does an American accent every time he pronounces "team 5 hour energy presented by Kenda", right?
    Personally, I prefer a commentator who is polite enough to try and pronounce someone's name correctly rather than one who panders to the sensibilities of the jingoistic locals but ymmv.

    It's not either/or. You can pronounce a name correctly without sounding like something from The Fast Show.
    Except, on the whole, he generally does pronounce the names correctly, certainly the French ones. But, whatever, if it upsets you so much, whinge away.

    I know we've had this debate before but for me it's not the pronunciation of foreign names correctly (which I agree is good manners) but the 'allo ' allo accent he uses and then the fairly pointless pronunciation of AG2R as ay jhay deux air. Also, some things such as place names it is surely acceptable to pronounce in your normal way e.g. I wouldn't expect an English speaking commentator to pronounce Paris as Paree, likewise I wouldn't expect a French commentator to say London rather than Londres (and do it in a Dick van Dyke accent). It's a shame as I think he is the best commentator on Eurosport.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Taking the heat factor in isolation, I would agree with those pointing out the difficulties in acclimatisation
    would constitute the greater safety issue.

    As for racing in +40C being irresponsible, I would point out that the Volta y Portugal regularly races in such temperatures, with higher humidity, over heavier roads.
    Several recent Tours, for example 2003, have experienced similar conditions.

    Expanding the race southwards and searching for climbs with more "punch", was necessary imo.

    Hard to try and second guess the weather. Bad luck to get record breaking temperatures at the first attempt.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    The Vuelta was also around that temperature for the first week at least last year - I remember watching jealously from a caravan in wet and windy Devon!
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Joe Lindsay's written what seems to me a level blog after yesterday's stage, addressing the question of what should happen when temps reach a certain level

    http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderrepor ... og-_-nasty

    changing the cut off time seems sensible.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    For the European squads this seems to be an exhibition race to please the US sponsors and a chance to get going again after their post classics break. I imagine the DSs will have a word with the organisers for the future.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    mididoctors wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Joe Lindsay's written what seems to me a level blog after yesterday's stage, addressing the question of what should happen when temps reach a certain level

    http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderrepor ... og-_-nasty

    changing the cut off time seems sensible.


    Shortening stages, bringing fnishing line further down the final climb, not riding the final sections at the max heat of the day, also sensible
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    TailWindHome wrote:
    For the European squads this seems to be an exhibition race to please the US sponsors and a chance to get going again after their post classics break. I imagine the DSs will have a word with the organisers for the future.


    Its already noticeable that the race cant attract many top names (and not just because they're riding the Giro either). ATOC better be worried about this for future.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    edited May 2013
    Pross wrote:

    That said it was a really good, tough finish climb that would have tested the riders in any temperature. Deignan looked very good not just when he attacked but also to recover and ride so strongly after getting caught. Thought Mick Rogers would have stayed with TJ though but again that could have just been an issue of who dealt best with the heat.

    In a way us fans carry part of blame. We formed part of a chorus demanding a harder race from the ATOC.

    This guy invented this ace in 1903 called the tour de france but it wasn't hard enough :roll: so in 1910 he stuck the aubisque and tourmalet into it just to spice things up

    "assassins!"

    "We have this 260km one day race with the back end surface packed with jagged cobbles the size of loaves"

    There is this constant upping the ante in cycle racing..... giro? too easy me thinks how about a bit of unmade gravel road and oh here's a hill we found called the Zoncalan... Its the fans who demand it.

    well the ATOC uped its game didn't it. The organizers need to remind those coming that it is serious business as you can be expected to race 200km through a blistering desert up some pretty stiff climbs. so don't turn up a few days early jet lagged with no acclimatisation :roll: thinking its some sort of holiday. If you think its too hard then fff off back to europe.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    mididoctors wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Joe Lindsay's written what seems to me a level blog after yesterday's stage, addressing the question of what should happen when temps reach a certain level

    http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderrepor ... og-_-nasty

    changing the cut off time seems sensible.


    Shortening stages, bringing fnishing line further down the final climb, not riding the final sections at the max heat of the day, also sensible

    yeah I already had those...the cut off was one I hadn't thought of
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    having said that I am more in favour of the stage design assuming the heat rather than modifying the stage mid race because of it... EG yesterdays stage being designed as a 160km rather than 200km affair starting at 9:20 am rather than 10:20... etc etc etc...

    if we are going to race epically through a desert to finish on the tramway (what a brute) then get the scenario right.

    I thought it was a great stage myself
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Highlights from Stage 2
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Why is no 'acclimatisation' to hot temperatures dangerous?

    What actually occurs doing said 'acclimatisation' process in the body, and what is missing that makes it dangerous?

    Sounds a bit bull to me.

    People race in 40 degree heat every year. I've played tennis matches in that heat.
    _

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