2013 TdF talk - spoilers allowed!!!

**ny biker** · 07-08-2013, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by nuliajuk

Coverage is not that great on the one channel we can get it on here. We get only one hour this morning, maybe two in the evening... if formula 1 car racing doesn't pre-empt it.

No more F1 races for three weeks, so you shouldn't have that problem anymore (this year).

I finally just finished watching yesterday's stage, because yesterday I was busy with my own somewhat-epic bike ride. (It was a fun group ride but not without some mishaps as well as a few wrong turns due to nonexistent road signs, not to mention the kind of hot afternoon sun that sucks the energy out of you. But, fun nonetheless.)

**AppleTree** · 07-09-2013, 07:10 PM

What do you think? The shoulder Cavendish put out that took the other rider down sure looked intentional to me. The commentators say different though.

**ny biker** · 07-09-2013, 07:18 PM

Yeah I don't know. Most of what I've read says Cavendish didn't do anything wrong. (Until his little hissy fit while being interviewed.)

**mariacycle** · 07-09-2013, 07:27 PM

Definitely wasn't intentional in my opinion... they crashed on a bit of a turn at speeds of 40+mph and Cavendish should really have moved up his left (like Kittel was it?) rather than his right. I think it looks intentional because you see him sort of throw his shoulder into it but I think that was him sort of protecting himself a bit. I hate these sprint finishes with turns, you can really appreciate their athleticism and raw power when they have a straight sprint finish.

Also a good point made by the NBC Sports commentators was that these guys are racing against each other 30+ times a year and there is absolutely no reason for Cavendish to do something like that, which he hasn't done in the past. Just food for thought.

Haha Cavendish throwing a hissy fit seems pretty normal now... in the past I found Cavendish's riding to greatly outweigh his somewhat crappy personality but this tour he has been somewhat disappointing on both fronts.

**ny biker** · 07-09-2013, 07:35 PM

I prefer a domestique like Teddy King to a temperamental sprinter any day of the week.....

http://www.iamtedking.com/2013/07/in...h-of-humanity/

**AppleTree** · 07-09-2013, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by mariacycle

Haha Cavendish throwing a hissy fit seems pretty normal now... in the past I found Cavendish's riding to greatly outweigh his somewhat crappy personality but this tour he has been somewhat disappointing on both fronts.

Even his team director snorted when one of them suggested Mark was a little upset. I think he said something like "what else is new".

**AppleTree** · 07-09-2013, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by ny biker

I prefer a domestique like Teddy King to a temperamental sprinter any day of the week.....

http://www.iamtedking.com/2013/07/in...h-of-humanity/

This story made my heart hurt for him and his family. He is a very talented writer and cyclist.

**jobob** · 07-10-2013, 08:58 AM

How many ways does Phil pronounce Valverde's first name? I've lost count.

**AppleTree** · 07-10-2013, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by jobob

How many ways does Phil pronounce Valverde's first name? I've lost count.

As many ways as he pronounced (or mispronounced) Avila Beach in the TOC. LOL. That's okay, we still love him.

**Bike Writer** · 07-10-2013, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by ny biker

I prefer a domestique like Teddy King to a temperamental sprinter any day of the week.....

http://www.iamtedking.com/2013/07/in...h-of-humanity/

Thank you for posting that great article! I agree, I'm not fond of temperamental athletes no matter what the sport. Wishing all the best to Teddy King.

**jobob** · 07-10-2013, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by AppleTree

That's okay, we still love him.

"We"? Um, no.

**AppleTree** · 07-10-2013, 06:49 PM

Okay, maybe just me. I do love Phil, I admit.

**Norse** · 07-11-2013, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by AppleTree

Okay, maybe just me. I do love Phil, I admit.

In our household, we heart Phil too.

Froome is starting to make this year's Tour a bit boring.... At least the scenery is gorgeous.

**ny biker** · 07-11-2013, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Norse

In our household, we heart Phil too.

Froome is starting to make this year's Tour a bit boring.... At least the scenery is gorgeous.

Bike racing, particularly stage racing, is long periods of "at least the scenery is nice" punctuated with a few attacks and sprints to liven things up. Luckily we now have HDTV which gives us some really amazing footage from the helicopter.

One of my nephews wants to become a baseball play-by-play announcer. He practices at home by watching a game on TV with the sound off and recording his own commentary for the game. He was a bit surprised by how hard it is to find things to say for an entire game. And a typical baseball game is ~2 hours long, less than half the length of a stage in a bike race. I suggested that he watch some of the cycling coverage on NBCSN to see how hard it is to cover some other sports that he's not familiar with. One of the things I like about Phil and Paul is that they research the region the race goes through each day so they can talk about the history and the different buildings and landmarks that we see. Other announcers will just say something vague like "that's a nice castle."

**rebeccaC** · 07-11-2013, 10:48 AM

I’d like to think Phil has to know France well enough that the literary overtones to a lot of his comments on the scenery must already be in his mind. In any case I'd love to have Phil at a dinner table.....or as an extra grandfather

Scenery and mountain stages with summit finishes ftw!

Emma Pooley, a rebirth of the Tour de France Feminin.

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