4 ways to make the Tour more exciting - Page 2

Like good old Hofmann.

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"Soldiers! Heroes!

The supreme command has erased our regiment from its records. Our regiment has been sacrificed for the honor of Belgrade and the Fatherland. Therefore, you no longer have to worry for your lives - they do not exist anymore.
So, forward to glory! For King and country! Long live the king! Long live Belgrade! "

Interesting views.........especially those about naked women in the Tour de France.

On a serious note, it amazes me that 2008 Tour de France could be viewed as "boring".

For the displays of Mark Cavendish alone - Tour de France 2008 was great viewing.
I thought the changes in the format of the Tour de France made 2008 more interesting.
The dropping of the prologue was a good move and the fact that week 1 had less sprinters stage than previous years, made week 1 more interesting than in previous years.
It's obvious that the ASO have taken a leaf from the Giro in that respect.

Then include the fact that 2008 Tour de France GC was not finalised until the day before the final stage in to Paris, I think that we had a great 2008 Tour de France.

Personally I would like to see a return to the really old days of the Tour de France.
Back then riders had to start/finish in the same clothing, for example.
Given that stages began at 12.00 midnight in some cases, riders had to have the right clothing to be warm enough at night, but to be cool enough under a hot summers sun.
If a rider was caught getting some more clothing during a stage or was caught trying to discrad clothing, they would be booted off the Tour de France.
I'd love to see a return to the ultralong stages of the 1900-1920's : when riders rode 400+ kms per stage.
Picking up on that theme : the Tour de France should possibely look at the re-introduction of night stages.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

I'd offer time bonuses from 1 down to 20. 20 seconds for 1st and 1 second decrements down to place 20. Then you'll get riders fighting for position all the way to the line. Also if there is a breakaway taking up the first 10 spots the favourites will still race for the time bonuses. The bonuses are not big enough to create significant gaps but enhance racing.

Actually, no joke, at present, there some 40 of them running wild somewhere near Camargue. They ran out of their enclosure.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008...rance.wildlife

I have followed dictatorship by guys like Hinault, Indurain, Armstrong, so please please give me back the kind of Tour de France we had this year.

Fact, there was nobody, who stood out of the bunch. I hear everybody complaining about how boring Cadel was, I'm not a fan, I don't even find him a great rider, but couldn't you see he did 100% of what he could do???

"Why didn't he attack inj the Alps, why didn't he..., jesus, he COULDN'T !

Now you can change the rules of the Tour de France the way you like, if there is a strong team with a strong rider, everybody else is dead. Whatever you do.

You want to make the green jersey more interesting? WTF? Nobody from the public really cares about other jerseys other than the yellow. And stage victories, I repeat victories at the end of the stage, nobody cares about points given DURING the stage, apart from riders themselves.

Don't know how many of you come from the States, but why always complicate the rules, where you need to be a statistics expert to find out who won.

Here's my suggestion:

Put them all on 22kg heavy bikes, no gears, let them ride 500km per day, nobody is allowed to get help in repairing the bike, oh yes, and only cobblestone roads allowed please. Oh, but we had that already 100 years ago. Oh yes, please, give me back the good ol' days.

I say bravo to the organisation this year: they did a lot of changes ( no prologue, no TTT, shorter stages, no bonus seconds, etc)

And next year it will be different again: with a 15km time trial/prologue to start with, no Alpe d'Huez, and probably going clockwise this time with the Pyrenees at the end of week 1. Vive le Tour.

Regards

Good points. I read somewhere (can't remember where) that Prudhomme ripped up LeBlanc's contracts with certain cities. LeBlanc in exchange for funding had guaranteed certain towns the stage start and finish for some years. The only way to get more exciting terrain was to choose your own not those of the highest bidder.

About initial post

1st point- I think 20 teams are OK.
2nd point- I would prefer TTT on the first day (from 20km to 30km). Some contenders might be eliminated if TTT is very long. I hated 3 or 4 minutes gaps in LA era.
3rd point- I trust ASO more than UCI...
4th point- I mostly care about yellow...

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Why am I still a fan of dopers sport?

I was being serious.

Good points adamastor, and Lim as well. The format was essentially prologue, a few flat stages, TT, a few more flat stage, mountains, transition stages, mountains, TT, Paris for years and was tired IMO. Mix it up a bit like the Giro. How about a mountain stage or a climb to a finish like Mende or Causse Noir above Millau on stage 3? A mountain TT? A few more hill top finishes or a couple of climbs in the last 20km?

All team cars allowed to swerve in and out of the peloton at will and if the want they can put a few riders into the wall.

Cheerleaders for each stage

Podium girls should always be topless

Make at least one stage seatless. I got theat idea from watching Jens.

Have riders wear their bibs inside out. (I just threw that in to indicated that I may be slightly disturbed.)

Add a strong laxitive to water bottles.

Do away with the TT and replace it with a jousting on bikes, last man standing wins.

Throw in some more sex, some terrorists and a few extraterrestrials.

Blowing up the Arc de Triomphe on the final stage seems a bit much we can consider it for an alternative ending.

I personally enjoyed the tour.

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Dope,when training and talent just aren't enough.

How about having the riders ride a Pyrennian stage on seatless, unicycles?

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

and if there is no strong headwind , large fans could be placed along the stage.

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Dope,when training and talent just aren't enough.

Ok.

500km Pyrennean seatless fixed gear (60x3) unicycles stage - with fans blowing chips of ice straight in to the riders faces.

(as in my day.........did I ever tell you about the time we rode 800 miles on fixed gear, chrome frames, with picnic baskets, wearing woollen jerseys in 40 degree heat, wearing rubber waders...........continued on page 1,169)

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Yes, I can certainly understand the need for waders. I am about to put mine on.

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Dope,when training and talent just aren't enough.

The only problem I see with seatless unicycle riding is that physics dictates that there be a frame with a wheel added for stability, and that the frame must be controlled in some manner by the body. Without a seat, there is only one option that I see available. I think that the KY with the warming substance is pretty cool, so I would suggest picking up some ahead of time. I would also consider putting a stop somewhere on the frame, and I would suggest the higher the better unless you are a "take what I get" kind of person. Me, I think I will watch....but make no mistake, I will watch....and post the video somewhere.

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Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
-- Albert Einstein