TdF Stage 1 (Spoilers)

[emily_in_nc]

WOW! is all I can say - Robbie McEwen came out of nowhere to win that sprint, and in amazing form, especially considering he crashed earlier in the race. He said in an interview that he hurt all over, especially his right wrist. Hopefully it won't bother him going forward - he might be really sore tomorrow. George H. is my perennial fave, but I loved the end of that sprint today! :p

Emily

[Suzi-Sue]

YES! what a performance!
Great stuff on the last leg of the stage, he really did appear from no-where:eek: with such power too!

Can't wait for tommorrow:p

[snapdragen]

Are we sure he's not some sort of witch? WTH did he come from, must be teleportation! :D :cool:

[Kalidurga]

Didn't Paul Sherwen or one of the other Versus guys say last year that Robbie had popped out of another rider's pocket during one sprint? I'm just waiting for the UCI to slap him with a fine because teleporting's just gotta be against one of their many silly restrictions ;)

[Popoki_Nui]

....would someone please 'splain to Bob Roll that it isn't the Tour DAY France?? :(
ok...it's a little thing, but after all these years....sheesh! :D

[MM_QFC!]

....would someone please 'splain to Bob Roll that it isn't the Tour DAY France?? :(
ok...it's a little thing, but after all these years....sheesh! :D


He's committed to continue that now...as he's been razzed about it for years...he came to Bike Expo in Seattle a couple of years ago and grinned BIG when someone asked him about it, saying that 'if that's what gets you riled, buddy, then there is more bugging you in your life than lil ol' me'...

don't let him get to you, as I doubt he'll quit that annoying habit anytime soon...and also, I heard him kidding that he assumed he'd be able to understand everyone in for the first couple of days this year, since the TdF is currently in England and he still made a joke about not understanding the Queen's English...oh well, that's Bob!

[snapdragen]

Bobke does that on purpose, I believe he actually speaks French very well.

[MM_QFC!]

WOW! is all I can say - Robbie McEwen came out of nowhere to win that sprint, and in amazing form, especially considering he crashed earlier in the race. He said in an interview that he hurt all over, especially his right wrist. Hopefully it won't bother him going forward - he might be really sore tomorrow. George H. is my perennial fave, but I loved the end of that sprint today! :p

Emily


Yep, Robbie is amazing...he comes out of nowhere all of the time! Never count him out, for sure!

[margo49]

Are we sure he's not some sort of witch? WTH did he come from, must be teleportation! :D :cool:

Nope, he's just from Down Under.
We're all like that there.
And did you see the lead-out New Zealander Julian Dean gave Thor to get him into second over the line!
A brilliant day - watched every second of the pre-race and stage itself. London was perfect and the English countryside "green and pleasant".
At 20 km Robbie fell, at 10 km he was still stuck with 3 teammates in amongst the team-cars and written off by the commentators. Then 5 seconds from the line he appears at the bottom of the screen and just ate them up like Pac-man. Bet he puked once he got back to the bus

Moral of the story: "Never give up" and its corollary "Never write anyone off"

[snapdragen]

Nope, he's just from Down Under.
We're all like that there.


So you're all wizards then? :D :D

[margo49]

'specially the cyclists

[xeney]

I can't stand McEwan; he's the one I'm always cheering against, but man, that was a great finish. I wonder how he'll be feeling tomorrow, though.

[RoadRaven]

OK
I read the results, then I hopped on the trainer and zoomed through the whole race (we recorded it live on SKY and slept through it) before work this morning... watched Robbie's "hiccup" and then prepared to watch him come through and sprint... I knew it was coming... I knew who won...

And then... what the??? he was crossing the line???

where the heck did he come from? I knew to watch, I knew he was there and still I didn't see him!!!

It doesn't really matter what you think of Robbie - that finish has to be one of the absolute best rides and finishes of his career. It took guts and determination.

Kudos to you Robbie...

[Aggie_Ama]

That was an awesome finish, a little spoiled for me because someone posted he won in the daily ride thread. :( Still, it was great to see how he pulled that one off.

I like Robbie, don't know why but he is just amusing. I never get tired of the clip of him in the green jersey swinging his arms like he is running or something. :D

Hopefully I can manage not to find out who wins today before we watch the recording. I would love to see Big George return to his sprinting days but he will probably play it safe.

[Kimmyt]

You guys are making me sad that I don't have cable. I think thats the only time I've ever said that.... :(

[Aggie_Ama]

You guys are making me sad that I don't have cable. I think thats the only time I've ever said that.... :(


Maybe there is a highlight clip at verus.com? I haven't looked but I am sure there is one somewhere. :D

[margo49]

a little spoiled for me because someone posted he won in the daily ride thread. .

I watch it live and it was really hard yesterday not to start a TdF-Stage One thread after watching that finish. It was just awesome. I'm so glad I was able to restrain myself .

On a personal note I just have to add that I wish my father had been alive to see it. Or that I could have told him about it. (He died in '97) He loved the way sport imitates life (not being one for art at all!) and would for sure have used this as a lesson for years about not giving up and never writing anyone off. ( I know I said that last bit before but I can't get Dad out of my mind after that finish)

Back to Belgium...

[rij73]

It was stupendous!!! This is the first year I'm obsessing over the tour. Really enjoying it. Don't think I've ever had the tv on in the morning before. :D

[Popoki_Nui]

don't let him get to you, as I doubt he'll quit that annoying habit anytime soon.....

O'l Bob doesn't really get to me; in fact we get a good chuckle at his unfailing doofus~ness every time he says that. But it does get old over time. Just thinking it might be time for him to pick another word or phrase to mangle, just for a change. ;)

[Kimmyt]

We are busy searching for a bar to spend the evening at on saturday watching the tour. Unfortunately conversations tend to be like this:

Us: "Excuse me, but do you happen to carry the channel Versus?"
Waitress: [blank look] "Versus? Uhmm what is that?"
Us: "Well it's this channel, used to be OLN/Outdoor Life Network..."
Waitress: "No, uh, I think we only get like special sporting events on pay per view, what do you want to watch on that?"
Us: "Well, the Tour de France is on now"
Waitress: "Tour de whuuuh?"
Us: "You know, skinny men on bikes? The things with two wheels, no motors?"

Sigh. And the versus videos won't load on my computer at work, I'll have to try and get them to work this evening once I'm home. I did content myself with reading the play-by-play on the website.

[RoadRaven]

And wasn't Robbie generous and humble in his post-race interview?

I am well-impressed...

[DirtDiva]

Definitely. The thanks he gave his team was well and truly earned and deserved.

Have added my photos from stage one. They were taken a few hundred metres before, but out of sight of the start-line proper, so the riders were still pretty relaxed, cruising along faster than I can even ride without gravitational assistance...

Clicky-clicky. (http://dirtdiva.fotopic.net/c1321178_25.html)

[margo49]

DD, You snapped Julian Dean again. Well done!