Tour de France is PANTS!!

jerry3571
jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
edited March 2008 in Campaign
Thankyou very much for choosing to ban the top riders from this years Tour. My girlfriend has booked a room in Paris to see the finish on the Sunday as an Xmas present. I was hoping to see some bike riders I recognised but "Le Tour" has since banned the best of the rest; except Cadel Evans from riding. I expect that if the new Astana Team has gone then High Road should be gone in the near future too.
Why can't they pull thier fingers out before everyone books thier trips to France.
I might get Watchdog on it and say that I've booked my Hols and now feel ripped off. 180 odd riders who I haven't a clue who they are?? I'm off to Skeggy next year for sure.
Cheers Jerry.
“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

Comments

  • top_bhoy
    top_bhoy Posts: 1,424
    They heard that you were getting a Xmas present in July and decided to boycott such blatant commercialism :shock: I hope you enjoy Skeggy then when you go there next year - I prefer Paris myself any day of the week. Being able to watch Le Tour is just an added bonus. :twisted:
  • Don't worry about it Jerry,

    I wanted to go to see the tour for about 15 years and eventually booked up to go to the Alps in 2006. I was excited about going to the first post armstrong race and to watch the favourites battle it out. The week before the tour puerto broke and all of the favourites were banned. I still enjoyed the experience of witnessing the tour and went back last year and will be going again in 2008.

    having gone to skeegy last year too, i would stick with Paris
  • 1892
    1892 Posts: 1,690
    Get yourself an Astana cycling shirt & go in that just to p155 them off :lol:
    Justice for the 96
  • matthewbradford - do you have much trouble going to the alps to watch stages? I really want to, is it expensive?
  • I always my ambition to get a motorhome and follow the tour, but due to the expense couldn't afford it. My wife talked me into buying a caravan and we take this every year, combining the tour with the family holiday. I watched seven mountain stages in the last 2 years.

    This year we've got our crossing free, courtesy of tesco clubcard points. then its the cost of diesel and site fees. The whole lot will probably come to well under a grand for the 4 of us for two weeks.

    There are plenty of good campsites in the Alps and a trip can be done reasonably cheaply if you don't want 5* luxury. I'm staying in Bourg D'Oisans this year for the stage finish to Alpe D'huez. Will probably try and ride it a couple of times myself. :D

    If you drive I would.
    1. Get a Tent
    2. Price a crossing
    3. Work out driving costs (including tolls) on http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/ ... mePage.htm
    4. Book a campsite.

    The more friends/family you can persuade to go. the cheaper it becomes
  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    Alpe D'Huez is a good bet when the Tour goes up there but you have to book ASAP after the Tour presentation is held otherwise things will be booked up.
    Duex Alpes resort would be a good bet if you're late booking. Other skiing resorts provide accommadation too.Sestriere, Courchevel Val d'Isere.
    Lakes and Moutain brochures can help too from Travel Agents.
    Cheers Jerry
    “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
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Jerry - you have 4 months to learn all about the new riders. Easy.
  • Jeff Jones
    Jeff Jones Posts: 1,865
    The first year I went to the Tour was 1998. I quite enjoyed it, although it was perhaps more for the riding I did rather than the racing.
    Jeff Jones

    Product manager, Sports
  • SamWise72
    SamWise72 Posts: 453
    I managed to meet Contador on the eve of the Tour Prologue last year, without trying! I was running a training session for local council workers in the Novotel at Excel, in the docklands, and the Discovery team were using it as their team hotel (as were a couple of others). I totally neglected my arriving delegates, because Giro decided to deliver their helmets, and have a fitting in the reception area, so Hincapie, Contador et al were all out there, trying on the awesome TT helmets with the teeth on them!

    Anyway, a little later, my workshop was underway, and Contador walks in, having got the wrong door for a photoshoot! He speaks almost no English, so it took a bit of figuring, but I walked him to the correct room. Lo and behold, he then went on and won the tour!
    MiniLogo-1.jpg
    http://www.velochocolate.co.uk Special Treats for Lifestyle Cyclists

    From FCN from 8 (road bike, beard, bag, work clothes) to 15 (on my Brompton)
  • Mark Alexander
    Mark Alexander Posts: 2,277
    jerry3571 wrote:
    Thankyou very much for choosing to ban the top riders from this years Tour. My girlfriend has booked a room in Paris to see the finish on the Sunday as an Xmas present. I was hoping to see some bike riders I recognised but "Le Tour" has since banned the best of the rest; except Cadel Evans from riding. I expect that if the new Astana Team has gone then High Road should be gone in the near future too.
    Why can't they pull thier fingers out before everyone books thier trips to France.
    I might get Watchdog on it and say that I've booked my Hols and now feel ripped off. 180 odd riders who I haven't a clue who they are?? I'm off to Skeggy next year for sure.
    Cheers Jerry.

    Just as a thought, will you recognize any of them sprinting at 40+ anyway?
    http://twitter.com/mgalex
    www.ogmorevalleywheelers.co.uk

    10TT 24:36 25TT: 57:59 50TT: 2:08:11, 100TT: 4:30:05 12hr 204.... unfinished business
  • System_1
    System_1 Posts: 513
    If you want to see famous people why don't you just take a holiday in London and hang about outside some of the more upmarket bars. Think yourself lucky you have both the time and finances to go see the greatest race on the planet. I wouldn't really care if the top riders were there or not, the rest of them will hardly be pootling about at 15mph. It'll be just as exciting without the top riders. Don't worry about it, just go and enjoy.
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    There will be top riders in the Tour, because anyone who finishes on the podium will automatically become one.

    I wouldn't care if it was only first cats riding, the spectacle and the drama will be just as good.