Tour de France 2005

[spazzdog]

Here you go grrls... a place for all the droolin', bettin' , speculating' and reviewin'.

Who's gonna win?
Who's gonna blow up?
What's your dream podium?
Who are your up front picks to podium?

Turn 'em loose grrls! It's time to slap chamois butter on your favorite chair and buckle up for the big rodeo!

spazz-signing up for a room at betty ford for cycling withdrawal come August-dog

[SadieKate]

Should we have the word "SPOILER" in the title so everyone knows that results will be discussed? Don't want anyone upset because they're waiting to see the recorded version.

[mikki]

The only time of year I need TV - darn it!!! Anyone know of a web site that will have video? I'm willing to sit at the computer and watch it.

[tatormc]

Is anybody else besides me just on the edge of their seat waiting waiting for the tour? I really enjoy watching it and can't wait!! The Discovery channels are playing different cycling shows each night this week and I'm just dying for the tour to start. I'm rooting for Lance to win again as it's his last year and it would be cool for him to win 7.

[spazzdog]

Good point SK.

If you are discussing the results please make sure you put SPOILER followed by the stage number in the title block as a courtesy to those who have not yet viewed that days stage.

All bets are off the day after each stage though.

[caligurl]

i want lance to win.... not sure about the rest of the podium right now!

as far as spoilers in the title... it's dangerous to be on the internet at all if you don't want info.. you know that yahoo will have it as a headline.. as will other sites (msn, etc) since lance is so newsworthy..... whether it's good news or bad

i personally wouldn't post a spoiler in the title.. but i also don't wait til i get to watch it that evening to get the results!

heck.. even on survivor, etc nights.. i stay OFF the internet cuz it got ruined for my by yahoo one year!

[spazzdog]

OLN just magicly appeared in my channel lineup. Comcast has done it again... they only "give" OLN access in my neck of the woods during the TdF.

spazz, off to do a happy dance

[jobob]

you'll hate me, but ...

I want Ivan Basso to win, and Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt to each win a stage. And I want CSC to win the TTT.

And I want Levi Leipheimer and Floyd Landis to finish in the top 5.


- Jo "well, maybe something from this list will pan out" bob

[emily_in_nc]

The only time of year I need TV - darn it!!! Anyone know of a web site that will have video? I'm willing to sit at the computer and watch it.

Mikki, I believe that OLN will do streaming video for the tour - I seem to remember them advertising it last year. It is an extra charge but not excessive, as I recall. Check their website (http://www.olntv.com/). Hope I'm right about this!

Emily

P.S. I'm rooting for Lance to win lucky number 7! The announcers on "Road to the Tour" last weekend seem to think he's in his best form ever and will be very hard to beat. I do hope it's not a romp, though. Would like to see it close and exciting, but with Lance prevailing in the end.

[CorsairMac]

The only time of year I need TV - darn it!!! Anyone know of a web site that will have video? I'm willing to sit at the computer and watch it.

OLN did a live video for the Giro - total package was like $5.99 so I'm sure they'll do the same for the TdF.

You can also go to cyclingnews.com. Since France is ahead of us, the stage results will usually be posted mid-late afternoon our time.

as for spoiler - yes please either put it in the title or understand results will be discussed here. I just keep thinking of that poor guy over on bikejournal that posted a result unintentionally and was Lamblasted so bad he quit his membership. I can't imagine us doing that here - but we tend to take our TdF's very seriously!

as for mine:

Yellow: Lance

the rest: I'd like to see Ivan Basso on the podium somewhere, he's a tough kid. It'd be nice to see Levi place high, and Azevado place high and/or KOM. He placed like 6th last year and deserved it!!
I'd love to see Bobby and Paolo take some stages and get more of the recognition I think they deserve.
and of course I LOVE to see the Aussies in the green jerseys!!

and I'd like to see the Discovery boys win the TTT just for the sake of Discovery and their new sponsership but if for some reason they don't quite make it, my 2nd choice would CSC. They're a good team and deserve accolades!!

[Deanna]

The only time of year I need TV - darn it!!! Anyone know of a web site that will have video? I'm willing to sit at the computer and watch it.

Mikki,
Check the OLN-TV website. They offered a streaming video package of the Giro that was pretty reasonable. It didn't have any of the commentators you get on the "Cyclysm" but it also doesn't edit much out.

[abarensfeld7]

My pick for winner = Vinokourov
Landis is gonna tank!
And Armstrong will get 3rd behind Vino and Ullrich. Sad.
But I think Discovery will reprise the Postal blue train in the TTT and win that stage.

[jobob]

Yes indeed, Bobke's new, um, "look" is a trip.

And 'fess up, how may jaws dropped when Kirsten Gum showed up as a brunette ???

- Jo "I likes to dish" bob

[nuthatch]

And 'fess up, how may jaws dropped when Kirsten Gum showed up as a brunette ???

- Jo "I likes to dish" bob

Yes! It was like a brown animal had crawled onto her head and died - so flat and dead-looking. I guess it's hard to strike just the right color to be taken seriously as a journalist (not toooo blond) and still have a bit of zing to your appearance - maybe she should try red?

[profàvélo]

Last year, I was able to listen to the Tour live on this site, for free: http://www.eurosport.co.uk/
Sadly, it was not Paul and Phil doing the commentary, but the accents were lovely just the same.

Don't forget to check out the official Tour site: http://www.letour.fr/
(Visit the French site occasionally, even if you don't know a word of French...you can often figure it out anyway, and sometimes the French version has things that the English version does not.)

Also...anyone else going to actually be at the Tour? Specifically stages 15 (July 17), 16 (19th) or 17 (20th), or the rest day in Pau on the 18th?