O/T Tour de France

[Christies Child]

For me the best sports event on TV.

Great stage this afternoon.

Riding in the centre of a bunch like that at speed put the shits up me....all those years ago!

Memories....Memories!

Remember those days Ian S ?????????

[slackAlice]

Could'nt agree more. I find 'De Tour' compulsive viewing - the amount of effort they put in is awesome. Keep promising myself I'll go and watch it one year - I'd like to go on those mountain stages where the road narrows and some clown always runs out with a flag and there's water flying around everywhere.
Its got to be the most demanding sporting event - the day in , day out demands of cycling those sorts of distances , speeds , gradients etc. The drugs issue tainted things - but its little wonder they take a bit of something to cope with the rigors of the tour. But I like to think the majority are cleanish and I'm awestruck at their efforts. Having done a little leisure cycling - throwing myself at that bloody big hill up Quernmore that takes you over the trough - you get an idea of how tough it must be and to do it day in , day out AWESOME

[Christies Child]

We've got to be careful when we discuss drugs in cycling.

Substances that you and i might take for a common cold such as Night Nurse are a complete No No in the world of cycling. As are nasal sprays which has seen a pre race favourite being refused entry because he used one for hay fever this last month.

Yes there are the blood enhancing drugs that are wrong, but in general drugs that Joe Public would take to aid recovery are in most cases regarded as illegal subatances in the world of a bike rider.

[Keith]

let me know when you hear the words "Isle of Man" won't you?

[Christies Child]

They interviewed Mark Cavendish but no mention of his birth place.

Suprisingly the IoM has had its fair share of cycling champions.

Nigel Dean and Phil Buckley to name two.

[mounse mk2]

I've got to agree it must surely be the most demanding of all sports events.

I thought while watching the tennis the other day that the fact that it's all year round and matches (in the mens game) can last 4 hours plus that should make it the most intense sport but you do have days off and when you're the likes of Nadal & Federer you can get to the final on cruise control anyway.

Just riding a bycycle for one day at the speeds they get to and the distance they travel is amazing. To do it for 2 weeks? is incredible.

[Shrimpsscene]

have to agree with you neil
been watching phil and pauls coverage since it started 1982 wasnt it?
essential viewing for me!!!!!
makes the summer
love the tour de france!!!

[trueshrimp]

great tour de france as started,good day today of cycling. a few accidents as always. cant wait for day 2. i love the music when it starts i always turn the telly up full blast. they are super sports men.

[Phoenix]

We've got to be careful when we discuss drugs in cycling.

Why? The drugs you & I take through prescriptions and even over the counter have serious impacts on our bodies. These guys know the rules, they know what exactly they can & can't take yet continue to do so.

Since my teens spent in France I used to enjoy the TDF but the recent drug issues have completely turned me off it.

[slackAlice]

We've got to be careful when we discuss drugs in cycling.

I'm not to sure about careful , I wasn't talking abot Night Nurse and over the counter products. There's been proven , high profile cases of cyclists using 'heavy duty' stuff and very sophisticated ways of taking it and 'dodging tests'.
Although I'm no expert on the subject race officials / medics allow essential drugs and I think Lance Armstrong was allowed to take certain things as part of his recovery from testicular cancer. I mean sometimes they race with broken bones and serious boils / abcessess on their backsides - certain things will be permitted. But when a podium placed cyclist has a positive test for a banned substance - it devalues the credibility of the whole thing. I can't see too much ambiguity there to be honest? A list of products you can't take full stop - A list of products you can take with the race medics say so and another list of products you can take freely.

[sumo]

Went to watch Tdf in Pau a couple of years ago, waited around a couple of hours, picked up the freebies they throw to the crowd before the cyclists come through, wait a bit more, blink, they fly past in 1 second. You don't realise their speeds until you see it firsthand. Good experience but i think it would be better watching it in the mountains, at least you would get time to see something.

[trueshrimp]

sunday afternoon - just finished watching day 2 of tour de france another great cycling race.
these cyclist are super fit. - roll on tomorrow night for highlights.-
p.s. glad i have got my username back, someone pinched it of me.

[Christies Child]

sunday afternoon - just finished watching day 2 of tour de france another great cycling race.
these cyclist are super fit. - roll on tomorrow night for highlights.-
p.s. glad i have got my username back, someone pinched it of me.

.....now you know how I felt AND I know the culprit.

[Keith]

it wasn't me MarkS! I didn't tell him honest!

[Keith]

D'oh!

[Number 1]

Bunch of druggies.

[Plain Peter]

Bunch of druggies.

Not very eloquent No.1! The sort of thing I'd say, but as you've beaten me to it

[Andy]

theres nothing hitting the local papers so I take it they ain't doing Kent this year !
I used to watch the old Milk Race and remember standing outside Carnforth High School at least we managed to see them come over the M6 bridge and then in about 10 secs they'd gone !!!! brilliant tho!

[trueshrimp]

For me the best sports event on TV.

Great stage this afternoon.

Riding in the centre of a bunch like that at speed put the shits up me....all those years ago!

Memories....Memories!

Remember those days Ian S ?????????

monday night -just watched hight liights of tour - great. also documentry about lance armstrong after the tour- that was also great.

[Number 1]

Bunch of druggies.

Not very eloquent No.1! The sort of thing I'd say, but as you've beaten me to it

You're quite right of course, not like me is it? But I can't take it seriously anymore.

[trueshrimp]

sunday -- tour de france -another great race italian rider riccardo ricco won. thats 4 wins this year for him. super fit riders.
shrimp players dont say your tired after a couple of laps on the pitch.

[CASS]

Cavendish x 3...The boy is fast

[slackAlice]

Cavendish x 3...The boy is fast

That is an absolutely amazing achievement in cycling terms - he's a bit special is this lad and BRITISH as well !!! Backed up by an excellent team but he still has to do a hell of a lot.

Does he prefer to be referred to as Manx ?

Or, Is it a bit like the motor racing fella Jackie Stewart always said ' if he won he was the British driver and if he lost he was the Scottish driver ?'

[Sam]

sunday -- tour de france -another great race italian rider riccardo ricco won. thats 4 wins this year for him. super fit riders.
shrimp players dont say your tired after a couple of laps on the pitch.

A bit too great a race, tested positive for a banned substance today, what a clown.

Good win for Cavendish today, shame his climbing is sh*t and he got knocked off by a football the other day!Still well in with a chance for the green jersey as he's no chance of winning the tour!

[Phoenix]

3rd positive test on this year's tour. Ban em, fine em, whatever. Scare the rest into not taking drugs. We might not have quite so fit cyclists but at least we'd have an honest race.