Le Tour 2015 [R]

Count me in. Should be a good one, what with Contador, Nibali, Froome and Quintana all looking to be in good form. Likewise, guys like Tejay and Talansky should be in contention as well.

 

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015...n-to-disrupt-tour-de-france-in-pay-row_374978

dutch police may be having their own group ride.

 

Been waiting for the "Big one" I just don't have the time to watch a lot of the races but I'll make time for the Tour. Means recording and late night viewing.

I guess the big news is "Armstrong" once more. This guy really thinks he did nothing wrong...to himself, the people (friends) he ruined or to the sport of cycling. He just won't go away. True it's a charity ride in just two sections, 13-14. But the sport is trying to move on and get away from that era.

Only 3 riders from the US this time around, lowest number in 20 years. Backlash from the Armstrong fiasco?????
Shame really. It's always fun to follow the boys and see how they're doing. There are a few good riders coming through for the future though.

Then team Sky have 4 more Brits backing up Chris Froome as well as Ausie Richie Porte. Britain have about 10 riders in all on the tour.

Winner...Well all the usual suspects or riding. I probably should have said winner or survivor. A couple of favourites didn't make the finish last time out. Like the man said, the people who pick the route are "Assassins"

 

There's three American riders, but ironically two of them (Talansky and Van Garderen) are likely to finish in the top ten. Likewise, Farrar has won several grand tour stages, including a couple of Tour stages. So while there isn't a lot of quantity there, there is plenty of quality. Personally, even though he's on the downside of his career, I'd love to see Tyler win another stage at this year's Tour. I've always liked that guy.

 

Nice interview with Tejay.

http://www.sbnation.com/2015/7/2/8881735/tejay-van-garderen-interview-tour-de-france-2015

 

And we're off!

Excellent preview show on telly. I like some of the camera shots and HD enhancements.
Then they over did it by doing another hour of preview before the start.

I like that they start with a time trial. I did enough of them in the old days. Got to push the whole way. Mental as well as the physical.

 

It's going to be a tough weekend. F1 is at Silverstone. The place it all started.

Then today is the start of the toughest of them all.
The 102nd running of Le Tour.
21 days on a bike. The preview show was excellent.
Now I'm set for the start of the first day. Loosened up by walking into the kitchen for a second cup of coffee. My wife usually gets it for me but I needed to warm up. Now I'm propped up in my pit ready for the start. From Utrecht, Holland. Across Belgium and Northern France into Brittany. Then the dreaded Pyrenees. I was hoping to be in Pau this year but not to be.

Then lets not talk about the football, men's and women's. Barbeque and beer, it's going to be a rough one.
I'm tired already. Phew! I need a nap.

 

It's day one and you're already gassed? Sounds like you need a different offseason training regimen.

 

I'm trying just that. The hot dog eating contest is on ESPN now.....yum!

 

That was brutal wasn't it?
Under the circumstances I'm inclined to agree with the race committee in the race delay.
It's always easy to say "You should have let us race" when you weren't the one wrapped around a light pole.

Still it was an exciting finish, Froome attacked the hill just a little too early (Doing a Cav) and paid for it.