O/T Tour de France

[Christies Child]

I just can't get enough of the Tour....

The Isle of Man Rocket (not Keith ) has today won his second stage.

At least one British Sportsman is at the top of his sport and delivers when asked.

Keep it going Mark.

[outsider]

The boy did good again, i just hope he can make Paris this year, in that nice green jersey

[durhamshrimp]

Amazing stage today for a flat stage. He's a bit of an arse but I like to see Cav win as he's British. Armstrong coming home in that breakaway has made things interesting.

[ockers]

and the times could only squeeze a paragraph...shameful
like you neil its the best thing on all summer
the best and most informed commentating team after quinny and myself of course
brilliant coverage im like you neil cant get enough of it

[durhamshrimp]

Has anyone else noticed that the commentators on both ITV and Eurosport will mention 'Big' George Hincapie at every possible oppurtunity? It's not just this race, its all the time. "Big George Hincapie in the peloton there."

To be fair though both sets of commentators do a great job. ITV's coverage is only spoilt by the pun-tastic Ned Boulting always trying to be clever.

[matty]

Cavendish is a very talented young man - shame he's also an arrogant sulky little shit.

[Keith]

I watched it on Sunday to try and work out what all the fuss was about.



I must admit, France is stunningly beautiful*...


Appropriately enough, July 5th is our national day. When it falls at a weekend, the following Monday is the celebration day (Tynwald Day), so it was a bank holiday Monday. Cav won on both days.


*Actually, I quite enjoyed it, so much so that I phoned a friend up who is in to cycling and asked him what the f*** it was all about! I asked him why the guy who was leading about twenty metres from the line just moved over and let ten people pass. He said that he really was so close to exhaustion that simply remaining upright on the bike was enough! He told me all about the blokes in the team whose job is simply to pick up water and stuff from the support car, then ride as fast as they can to join the top lads, hand the stuff over, then free wheel until the car catches up, before doing it all again! A lot more to this cycling game than meets the eye!

Oh, and he explained that despite Cav winning two stages, he's a mile off the yellow jersey and hasn't a hope of winning the tour. Still, he's 24 and on €2,000,000+ per year, so that will help soften the blow...

[ockers]

cavendish is a brilliant sprinter
he will never win the yellow jersey unles she can develop his climbing and endurance
his competition is the sprint competition the green jersey
looks to me this year he will be th emain contender and for a good few more years like sean kelly
lets hope he can climb though and get to paris
and win the last sprint on the champs elysees

[Christies Child]

I watched it on Sunday to try and work out what all the fuss was about.



I must admit, France is stunningly beautiful*...


Appropriately enough, July 5th is our national day. When it falls at a weekend, the following Monday is the celebration day (Tynwald Day), so it was a bank holiday Monday. Cav won on both days.


*Actually, I quite enjoyed it, so much so that I phoned a friend up who is in to cycling and asked him what the f*** it was all about! I asked him why the guy who was leading about twenty metres from the line just moved over and let ten people pass. He said that he really was so close to exhaustion that simply remaining upright on the bike was enough! He told me all about the blokes in the team whose job is simply to pick up water and stuff from the support car, then ride as fast as they can to join the top lads, hand the stuff over, then free wheel until the car catches up, before doing it all again! A lot more to this cycling game than meets the eye!

Oh, and he explained that despite Cav winning two stages, he's a mile off the yellow jersey and hasn't a hope of winning the tour. Still, he's 24 and on €2,000,000+ per year, so that will help soften the blow...

Still way below the salary of some Premiership players, but excellent value in terms of sponsorship and exposure for his sponsors.

[Keith]

Still way above the salary of some motorcycle riders, like John McGuinness get for risking their life, but excellent value in terms of sponsorship and exposure for his sponsors.

I've given your views an alternative angle...

[Christies Child]

Still way above the salary of some motorcycle riders, like John McGuinness get for risking their life, but excellent value in terms of sponsorship and exposure for his sponsors.

I've given your views an alternative angle...

The average riders in both sports probably receive a reasonable living wage but nothing like that of an average Premiership player.

[shrimper]

despite Cav winning two stages, he's a mile off the yellow jersey and hasn't a hope of winning the tour. Still, he's 24 and on €2,000,000+ per year, so that will help soften the blow...

Yeah, that's why I always get frustrated about the Tour.

I see news reports about Cav, or David Millar, winning stages and rush to check out the overall placings, and they're 146th!

(Wiggins in with a shout?)

[durhamshrimp]

Its sort of missing the point really. There's no 'blow' to be softend for Cavendish. Cavendish knows he's not there to win the tour, other riders in the team know that they're there to support him. Other riders, such as Cancellara are time trial specialists, so his goal will have been to wear yellow for a few days whereas the likes of Andy Schleck in his team will go for the overall win. Some people don't like this and think the the tour should all be about who wins overall, personally I like all the different layers and different situations and tactics it throws up.

[durhamshrimp]

Still way above the salary of some motorcycle riders, like John McGuinness get for risking their life, but excellent value in terms of sponsorship and exposure for his sponsors.

I've given your views an alternative angle...

The average riders in both sports probably receive a reasonable living wage but nothing like that of an average Premiership player.

John McGuiness risks his life out of choice (as do pro cyclists for that matter, but that's a different discussion). He's doing it out of choice, its something he enjoys doing so there's no reason to expect he should get paid any better just because the sport he CHOSES to do is a dangerous one.

[Keith]

John McGuiness risks his life out of choice (as do pro cyclists for that matter, but that's a different discussion). He's doing it out of choice, its something he enjoys doing so there's no reason to expect he should get paid any better just because the sport he CHOSES to do is a dangerous one.

but the original comparison was Cavendish with Premiership footballers. I was simply putting a different perspective upon things.

[durhamshrimp]

John McGuiness risks his life out of choice (as do pro cyclists for that matter, but that's a different discussion). He's doing it out of choice, its something he enjoys doing so there's no reason to expect he should get paid any better just because the sport he CHOSES to do is a dangerous one.

but the original comparison was Cavendish with Premiership footballers. I was simply putting a different perspective upon things.

I agree. Suppose how much sports stars get paid eventually comes down to how many people want to watch, and pay to watch, their chosen sport or how much their profile can make sponsors. In my opinion, the likes the of John McGuiness and Mark Cavendish do a job worth more than premiership footballs.

[outsider]

Also merchandising, unfortunately how many kids do you see wearing Cavendish/McGuiness gear compared to Rooney/Gerrard/Terry shirts?

[durhamshrimp]

I suppose you can't blame the players really. If their clubs are making a fortune through selling shirts and people people paying to see them perform then they are going to expect a big slice of that money. I just personally think that what they do isn't as impressive as what some other sports stars do.

[Keith]

I just personally think that what they do isn't as impressive as what some other sports stars do.

...and that is why so many football clubs are close to going out of business. If all the insolvent ones go under in a couple of years time, we'll be in the Premiership!

[shrimper]

"I just personally think that what they do isn't as impressive as what some other sports stars do."



But if you took that to its logical conclusion, you could make a case for decathletes or triathlon champions being the best paid. It is, as you say, more about supply and demand with regards to branding, paying customers etc.

[Keith]

not sure I agree that it is supply & demand. McGuinness is in a group of perhaps five road racers worldwide, Cavandish is in a very small group too. There are far more players capable of playing Premiership football, including a fair few outside the Premiership who have the quality to play there if opportunity came along. As a 'product' football in general and Premiership football in particular have mass market appeal where as the other sports are all niche.

I watched the Red Bull Air Race after Sunday's tour, I bet there is only a handfull of guys who can do that and I bet they are on less than Premiership footballers too!

[Richard Head]

I doubt very much that Cavendish is earning anything like the money mentioned on here. When he signed his present deal with Team Columbia, although he had won quite a few races the only big ones he had won were 2 stages in the Giro D'Italia. It is only since signing that deal that he has won multiple Tour de France stages and Milan - San Remo. He is under contract until the end of 2010 when no doubt his new contract will reflect his superstar status

[trueshrimp]

great to see the tour de france on again, i watch it every year, high lights during the week, and at week end live during the day.
this year is special as i am flying out to paris to watch them on the - champs elysees,
i hope to see all the main stars- i.e. lance armstrong

[shrimper]

not sure I agree that it is supply & demand. McGuinness is in a group of perhaps five road racers worldwide, Cavandish is in a very small group too. There are far more players capable of playing Premiership football, including a fair few outside the Premiership who have the quality to play there if opportunity came along. As a 'product' football in general and Premiership football in particular have mass market appeal where as the other sports are all niche.

I watched the Red Bull Air Race after Sunday's tour, I bet there is only a handfull of guys who can do that and I bet they are on less than Premiership footballers too!

Supply of paid-for entertainment and the demand from fans who are prepared to pay to watch it live or on TV and buy associated merchandise.

How much have you paid to watch John? How many Padgett's Honda shirts have you bought in the past few years? How much do you pay for your ITV4 subscription?

How much do people pay to watch the Tour de France?

That's all I meant.

There's no argument about the things these blokes go through for their sports, nor their status in world rankings, compared to their income. But what dictates how much they get paid has little to do with that.

(On that, I once took my step-daughter ski-ing in Alp d'Huez and the coach had to crawl back down the winding road which is about a one-in-two incline. These lads cycle UP it! Unbelievable.)

[Christies Child]

great to see the tour de france on again, i watch it every year, high lights during the week, and at week end live during the day.
this year is special as i am flying out to paris to watch them on the - champs elysees,
i hope to see all the main stars- i.e. lance armstrong

You lucky sod!