The 2014 Tour shall henceforth be known as the Tour de Zzzz

alihisgreat

Its been entertaining watching the Frenchies battle for podium spots.. its quite nice because its a bit different from the norm?

Its also been entertaining watching the Tinkov and OPQS domestiques step up to the plate.

But obviously we all wanted to see a proper battle in the mountains between Froome, Contador, and Nibali (and maybe Talansky). Especially in hindsight when the Astana and Tinkov teams look strong, whereas Sky have been Anonymous.

philbar72

morstar wrote:

OK, challenge for you. Aside from '87 and '89, tell me which TdFs have been the best and explain how and why? Apart from those two, I really can't recall a genuinely close gc battle with a flip flopping lead. Most GC battles are pretty clear cut after the first mountains. I.e.by the first rest day.
Frame of reference,'87 was the first Tour I followed.

2011. class. the ponderous Cadel Evans dieseling his way up various mountains. The Schlecks doing the old 1-2 then ending up 2nd and 3rd when they realised they couldn't TT. Tommy Voeckler gurning his way to yellow and then theatrically keeping it using facial expressions alone. Cavendish smashing the sprints. all good.

RichN95.

2006 was pretty good (ignoring what happened after) and that was a race which lost plenty of favourites before the race even started. 2008 was good too. The worst were the Indurain years.

symo

Sorry is this a thread resurrection from 2013,2012,2011,2010..............

trekker12

It's been great. Yes Nibali won two weeks ago but it's been through canny riding and panache with four proper stage wins. Wiggo winning in 2012 was entirely about power numbers, winning the timetrials and having the domestiques sap all of the energy from the peleton so no-one could attack.

There's been weather, cobbles, Yorkshire, a French revival (I'm English and loved having a winner for the past two years but I would like to see a Frenchman win it next), A close fight for the polka dots, a close fight for the white jersey.

I'm addicted to all grand tours but this one is definitely not boring!

eh

Been a good tour or me, been some great battles along the way. It doesn't really bother me top guys crashing out, that's just racing, it's happened before e.g. Beloki or Ocana. It's very rare in top sport now that you have everyone fit at the same time, that's why big teams try and build strength in depth. On a GC front Nabili has been a class above from start to finish, putting pressure on at the right times. For me he well deserves his TDF win (assuming nothing untoward happens over the next couple of days).

josame

Bikes`n`guns wrote:

josame wrote:

True

get a mountain bike

No thanks I don't have a cleaning fetish

meagain

A good Tour I reckon. Nibali top class, I do not believe result would have been any different irrespective of F and C.

Kelly has yet to utter "unbelievable" so Nibali might well KEEP the win!

josame

symo wrote:

Sorry is this a thread resurrection from 2013,2012,2011,2010..............

I'm not really into comparing, but just generally overall the big unsurmountable time gap made it less interesting
- I am trying to enjoy the french fight etc but I am left with a dejected feeling of what might have been

Nibs - Froome - Bertie .. I want to see how the best in the world compare, the also rans are that for a reason they cannot sustain dynamic riding or they choose not to (for positioning purposes).

above_the_cows

It must have been a good Tour all in all, I feel like I've been through the wringer emotionally so it's certainly not been boring although I would have liked to have seen more ding dongs in the mountains.

Disappointed with the lack of roadside attractions and overall lack of funny bits though. I think 2013 Mt Ventoux was peak roadside attraction point and funny bit all rolled into one with Boar Man. We will not see it's like again.

slim_boy_fat

I think it's been a great tour but then again I seem to find enjoyment in most sporting endeavours that others complain are boring. I don't really understand how anyone can find such an event boring. Fair enough the three way fight for GC didn't happen but there is so much that goes on in the tour that I can always find plenty of stuff to keep me entertained.

dennisn

I've been enjoying it. Every morning for 2 or 3 hours I've been entertained, surprised, in suspense, and generally having a good time. Could do with a bit less of the commercials.
I'm thinking you need to be pretty jaded not to enjoy it. :?

antsmithmk

It's been the worst tour since 2009 in my opinion.

FocusZing

Disappointed the protagonists were poleaxed.

verylonglegs

As said, it was a shame having GC favourites having to quit so early but equally there have been tours in the not so distant past with the first 6-7 days taken up with a prologue and flat sprinters stages, jesus were they dull. So considering the action from the start it's been reasonable entertainment.

Yellow Peril

Slim Boy Fat wrote:

I think it's been a great tour but then again I seem to find enjoyment in most sporting endeavours that others complain are boring. I don't really understand how anyone can find such an event boring. Fair enough the three way fight for GC didn't happen but there is so much that goes on in the tour that I can always find plenty of stuff to keep me entertained.

This.

I think some people should take up watching another sport.

RichN95.

Yellow Peril wrote:

I think some people should take up watching another sport.

Maybe the ones who think it's been a bit flat are the ones who do watch other sports.

thomthom

It just shouldn't have had any mountain stages and it would have been one to remember.

Bakunin

I thought the frenchies saved it -- there has been some really cool racing for second place.

Just think how exciting the show would be tomorrow if Nibs had joined the club and had crashed out.

The TT tomorrow is going to be wild -- the podium (2 & 3) is still to be written.

Also, Nibs rode very smart and deserves to be celebrated.

ddraver

RichN95 wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

I think some people should take up watching another sport.

Maybe the ones who think it's been a bit flat are the ones who do watch other sports.

Agree with the thread of these quotes...some people only seem to watch these races for the Top Spot only whereas there is a whole load of other things going on at GTs that are worth following too. Only caring about the race for the top step of GC seems to be like watching a film with your eyes closed and your fingers in your ears to me...

2012 was the best example of this. Because Sky had the GC so completely wrapped up, all the other bit players got a chance and they put on a great show...

ugo.santalucia

Some say it's been the best World Cup ever... admittedly I have only watched 5-6 matches, but didn't find any of them brilliant.
The Tour has been "eventful" which is all you can ask to a bike race, really... if eventful is not enough and you want more battle until the last minute, you should look elsewhere... something like the NBA, maybe?

smithy21

I love the gentle patronising in this thread. Maybe if you didn't like it you should look elsewhere. Jesus Christ- what sort of attitude is that.

People commenting on a cycling forum are probably here because they like cycling. They can have a different opinion on a race. It's their opinion- it doesn't mean they are wrong.

iainf72

The TdF is about the battle for the yellow jersey. This year there wasn't a battle for it. That doesn't take anything away from Nibali, but it does mean the GC race was turgid overall. I'm not someone who can get excited about who comes 2nd (YMMV)

There have been a number of good stages and I enjoyed those very much.

No_Ta_Doctor

iainf72 wrote:

The TdF is about the battle for the yellow jersey. This year there wasn't a battle for it. That doesn't take anything away from Nibali, but it does mean the GC race was turgid overall. I'm not someone who can get excited about who comes 2nd (YMMV)

There have been a number of good stages and I enjoyed those very much.

Having been on holiday I've mainly been following through the spoiler threads and stage reports.
I can't help thinking that the podium battle and kom jersey are sideshows that have been promoted in status due to the lack of a main bill. In other years most of what people have got excited about would be footnotes to the main action. I'm sure there's been some great racing, fantastic stage wins etc, but this tour was billed as the big showdown, and that's not happened. If it had, I'd have made more of an effort to catch the highlights.

I'm happy for those that have enjoyed the tour despite the lack of a challenge to the yellow, but it's churlish to suggest that those that think it's been a bit if a snoozefest shouldn't be cycling fans.

clanton

I have been very disappointed in this tour after being very excited about it in the lead up. In fact I can't remember when last I was this disinterested in a Tour - and I include the Indurain years.

The only minor saving grace for me is the strong desire to see Valverde knocked off the podium. Otherwise a resounding "meh".

DeVlaeminck

No tA Doctor wrote:

I'm happy for those that have enjoyed the tour despite the lack of a challenge to the yellow, but it's churlish to suggest that those that think it's been a bit if a snoozefest shouldn't be cycling fans.

I can see their point, is a football fan only interested in a match if it impacts on who wins the league? Most stages have been good racing. The sprint stages have been a bit less straightforward than usual and the mountain stages haven't been controlled by a train neutralising the attacks.

If you were watching just to determine the best GC rider and the best sprinter in the world then you'd be disappointed but the individual stages have been eventful, open, attacking races.

dennisn

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Some say it's been the best World Cup ever... admittedly I have only watched 5-6 matches, but didn't find any of them brilliant.
The Tour has been "eventful" which is all you can ask to a bike race, really... if eventful is not enough and you want more battle until the last minute, you should look elsewhere... something like the NBA, maybe?

The NBA? Only thing worth watching in that IS the final minute. :roll:

dennisn

clanton wrote:

I have been very disappointed in this tour after being very excited about it in the lead up. In fact I can't remember when last I was this disinterested in a Tour - and I include the Indurain years.

The only minor saving grace for me is the strong desire to see Valverde knocked off the podium. Otherwise a resounding "meh".

Your post reminds me of something someone once told me. "If you wait for the perfect day to go skiing you'll never go". :?

Tom BB

I must say, I've really enjoyed this year! Maybe it's because I missed most of last years but I've found the battles from 2nd all the way down to 12th (Schleck whom has ridden pretty well imo) have been pretty compelling.

BenderRodriguez

For me this has been one of the best Tours in years. Fate took out 2 riders who might have been vying for a podium place, but who it is very hard to believe offer much in the way of authenticity: old 'dodgy meat' Contador and 'comedy motorbike impressions' Froome. This left the way open for the new wave of French riders to shine, will some good old-fashioned suffering being much in evidence, especially on the part of Péraud. Some great, combative racing and plenty of 'panache', with the 2nd - 6th places not been decided until the final TT. Overall, I think only a 'Sky fan' could be disappointed by this years race.