Tour De France 2014

[SAVORY100]

As well as being a keen marathon runner, I have general interest in most sports and fitness, within that I have always (long before taking up running), had a great interest in cycling, both out on the roads myself and watching the tour on TV.

I think I started watching it on the TV in around 1989. Lived and breathed the (eventual lies) of :evil: Lance Armstrong's :evil: career (no avoiding this subject, so lets get it out of the way); who even now we all know the truth, I still consider to have had a huge positive impact for the sport overall due to the international sponsorship and media crazy roller coaster he helped turn the sport into. The sport was on its arse financially before he started winning multiple tours, without the 1990's huge cash injections into the sport caused by his 'achievements', multichannel sponsored teams such as the much later developed Team SKY might never have come in to being. To be fair (not that he apparently ever was), he was a cheat in a field of cheats, literally everyone was doing exactly the same thing, he just did it better, in a more devious way and his body worked harder while doing it I guess. I'll never forgive him for shattering my memories and the hero status I'd given him growing up, but I can at least see what was left in his wake as a positive on a sport I love. Right back to the potential thread....

My personal favourite racer is Cavendish, prefer the tactics and aggression of the sprint finishers over the cat and mouse game of the mountain climbing GC winners, so seeing him crash out during the sprint yesterday was not what I'd expected or hoped for... in fact it looks like he's out at the first stage

So for me Le Tour starting yesterday was a big event in my house... Does anyone else on here have a passing interest (or more) in The Tour De France? If not, this is going to be a very short and lonely topic! :wink:

 

[Michael Sith]

I don't cycle but the TDF is an iconic sporting occasion especially with the Brits having such success recently which has obviously raised the profile here

The local to me TDF in Yorkshire has brought some immense short term tourism to the area which is well received, I have though never followed cycling, and don't pretend to understand the concept of how the race works.

Was a shame to see the crash out of MC yesterday though.

Got to admit it has made me think of looking at cycling ( in its more sedate form) as a fitness and health method for me.

Great that That TDF has come here though

 

[SAVORY100]

I'm not sure if cycling would ever be that sedate in Lancs... a touch tough on the hills around there isn't it? It certainly is a great way to exercise, although I love running, on a nice sunny day, to see the countryside by bike at a more leisurely pace can hardly be beaten... its so often rushed through in a car, but when you take a day out (and know a pub or two to 'refuel') you can easily cover 30/40 or even 50 miles without needing to be super fit or having to have the most expensive kit to do it!

 

[Michael Sith]

Yep, I was thinking more of strapping bikes to the back of the freelander and driving to designated forest trails, there are a few round here, with routes mapped out for beginners not taxing and a lot of flat riding, but awesome surroundings.

Anything that can get you out and about into the countryside in the fresh air has to be a good thing!

 

[Rebel_Runner]

Big cycling Fan here, I went to watch the TdF on the Champs Elysees last year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the race. Was tempted to head up to Yorkshire to watch but in all honesty the logistics and the fact that the peleton fly past in a matter of seconds put me off a little. Even on the climbs (mole hills in Yorkshire when compared to the Giant Cols in France) they gun past at a blistering pace.

Love riding and racing my bikes. I'm from a triathlon back ground so I'm OK at the TT's ( I have won all TT's I've entered this year ) and have Just started to do a few Criterium races. The pace is mind blowing and not for the faint hearted it's wheel to wheel, shoulder to shoulder at 30+mph heading into hairpin blind turns. Honestly the night after my first Crit race I couldn't sleep a wink due to the massive amounts of Adrenaline still in my system.

I have massive respect for the sprinters as it's a right Bun fight at the front. Even at a low level you get a sense of how crazy it must be for the pro's. Just think When Cav sprints he is already at 60km/h lord knows what his peak is, when I sprint I'm probably doing well to get to 50km/h at peak. The difference is massive.

 

[mr_palitoy]

Saw them all shoot past the highway:-

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152545341575149&l=5466292141575029014



Jason

 

[jabbawokkie]

I like going out on mountain bike but after it took me more then 2 hoyrs to do 40 min drive home from leeds on Thursday .I hope they all get punchers and it should be called tour de france starting in yorkshire

 

[SAVORY100]

Saw them all shoot past the highway:-

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152545341575149&l=5466292141575029014



Jason

I've seen two TDF stages and yes, as a spectator, its all over very, very quickly!
As a family we all went to the top of Box Hill for the Olympic Road Race though and as they had to complete 6(?) loops at that point, we did at least get a good period of seeing them all each time rising up a crazy steep climb... tough enough on foot, wouldn't race back to tackle it on my bike! :lol: