2013 TdF talk - spoilers allowed!!!

[pll]

Malkin: I totally agree. Froome's attacks on mountains are stunning and one can only hope they are clean. I think a good portion of the media is trying to make amends for extolling so many dopers throughout the years. Yet, what we need are honest riders and better and timely tests, not speculation.

My random comments:

• I like Froome's personality much better then Wiggo's. I had liked Wiggo until he started opening his mouth in public. The last straw for me was his sexist remark about descending "like a girl" during the Giro. And then he followed with some nasty comments about his team mate, Rigoberto Urán, discussing his weaknesses with the media. How petty and self absorbed can a guy get?
• I still like Contador. I love that he won't quit attacking. He makes the race fun to watch.
• Teams work so hard on aero position, aero helmet, clothing, etc. You don't say facial hair does not add drag?

[ivorygorgon]

I heard Phil talk about "Ritchie Froome" the other day. Pretty funny, but apt.

[Skippyak]

The interest in cycling via doping is all publicity and there is no such thing as bad publicity. This is one expensive rolling picnic and I am sure that the riders get it. I wonder how soon it will all become boring to the public now there will be a different winner every year.

[ny biker]

Malkin: I totally agree. Froome's attacks on mountains are stunning and one can only hope they are clean. I think a good portion of the media is trying to make amends for extolling so many dopers throughout the years. Yet, what we need are honest riders and better and timely tests, not speculation.

My random comments:

• I like Froome's personality much better then Wiggo's. I had liked Wiggo until he started opening his mouth in public. The last straw for me was his sexist remark about descending "like a girl" during the Giro. And then he followed with some nasty comments about his team mate, Rigoberto Urán, discussing his weaknesses with the media. How petty and self absorbed can a guy get?
• I still like Contador. I love that he won't quit attacking. He makes the race fun to watch.
• Teams work so hard on aero position, aero helmet, clothing, etc. You don't say facial hair does not add drag?

I always wondered about Jan Ulrich's earrings. Don't they add weight???

I've never been a fan of Contador but I do appreciate his unwillingness to give up.

As for the doping, I read an interview with Jonathan Vaughters where he said that we really won't know for 10 years or so if a given rider is doping or not. But fwiw, he thinks Froome is clean. David Millar also thinks he's clean. Obviously they could be wrong, but I think their ability to spot signs that someone is doping is probably pretty good.

[Eden]

The interest in cycling via doping is all publicity and there is no such thing as bad publicity. This is one expensive rolling picnic and I am sure that the riders get it. I wonder how soon it will all become boring to the public now there will be a different winner every year.

Being as it's been happening and wildly popular for around 100 years now (100 races over 110 years), and over that time only a handful of riders have won more than twice, I doubt the public will be abandoning it anytime soon.... Americans may lose interest now that there isn't a dominant American rider or team, but much of the rest of the world still enjoys the TDF quite a bit....

And I'm sure the riders would describe it as anything but a picnic.... it can't be denied that no matter what a person is or is not doing that it's still a very difficult physical challenge.

[ny biker]

I think a major reason for the doping is that it is such a difficult physical challenge.

I personally find it more boring when the same person wins every year.

[AppleTree]

What the???! They penalized Ritchie Porte for bringing back food and water for Froome?? Are you kidding me? Can some explain what that reasoning was, I did not understand at all. Crazy.

Those guys absolutely suffer on that climb, how could you possibly do it without food and water?

[rebeccaC]

What the???! They penalized Ritchie Porte for bringing back food and water for Froome?? Are you kidding me? Can some explain what that reasoning was, I did not understand at all. Crazy.

Those guys absolutely suffer on that climb, how could you possibly do it without food and water?

I haven't watched todays stage yet but I assume it was towards the end of the stage during the time when you aren't allowed to pass food/gels etc. to your team riders.

edit...Just watched it and it was a pretty blatant breaking of the rule that was caught on camera and commented on by Phil.

[AppleTree]

I hadn't heard that rule before. Yes, it was the last few kilometers. Still...

[murielalex]

The crowds of loonies jumping in front of the cyclists were pretty scary. I'd think if I were at the end of one of those long climbs and faced with people jumping out directly in front of me and flags in my face, I'd be pissed if I weren't so exhausted. Of course, I'm exhausted just doing bridge repeats, but I was frightened for the riders just watching on tv. Poor Teejay had to actually push someone away:

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/29...yimonabike.gif


That's messed up.

[ny biker]

I haven't watched todays stage yet but I assume it was towards the end of the stage during the time when you aren't allowed to pass food/gels etc. to your team riders.

edit...Just watched it and it was a pretty blatant breaking of the rule that was caught on camera and commented on by Phil.

And they've done it before, on other stages.

I do not have time to watch 5.5 hours of bike racing on a weeknight. I had to fast forward through most of it. Still watching it now.

[pll]

The crowds of loonies jumping in front of the cyclists were pretty scary. I'd think if I were at the end of one of those long climbs and faced with people jumping out directly in front of me and flags in my face, I'd be pissed if I weren't so exhausted. Of course, I'm exhausted just doing bridge repeats, but I was frightened for the riders just watching on tv. Poor Teejay had to actually push someone away:

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/29...yimonabike.gif


That's messed up.

Happens all the time and it makes me so nervous. A fan got what he deserved (tripped while running behind van Garderen): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls3NxXSb1K0

[ny biker]

"My body tells me no. But I won't quit, 'cause I want mo."

I despise these commercials. Hated them the first time I saw them, hate them more now. Would not drink Michelob if you paid me a million dollars.

If only Dos Equis ran ads during bike races. His mother has a tatoo that reads... "Son."

[Bike Writer]

The crowds of loonies jumping in front of the cyclists were pretty scary. I'd think if I were at the end of one of those long climbs and faced with people jumping out directly in front of me and flags in my face, I'd be pissed if I weren't so exhausted. Of course, I'm exhausted just doing bridge repeats, but I was frightened for the riders just watching on tv. Poor Teejay had to actually push someone away:

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/29...yimonabike.gif


That's messed up.

That would drive me nuts!

[Bike Writer]

Happens all the time and it makes me so nervous. A fan got what he deserved (tripped while running behind van Garderen): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls3NxXSb1K0

Good video PLL