Worst Tour Ever?

Moller

Just watched the DVd of the 2002 Tour and I have to say it's the worst Tour I can remember (following it from '86).
The total lack of any opposition to Armstrong (while not his fault) is the main problem and the sterility of the racing.
The sight of Hincapie dropping climbers on the Tourmalet is also fairly gut-churning.
Second might be 1988, what do you think?.

whiteboytrash

thunder

and people think a clean tour would be boring because of the speeds.

Please.

The dope just neutralises any entertainment.

TheDarkLord

It was only a few people like Saluki who were putting forth that argument. I like tours that are closely contested like last years (although we could have done without the drama of Chicken being pulled and all that).

thoughtforfood

I am halfway through "Hell on Wheels" about '03 and so far, it is pretty good because they leave out the "Blue Train" in the first half. It does make me sick to know that they weren't able to film the doping that was going on in the hours of footage they shot.

I sincerely hope we have a great season this year. We need a year where we can watch the races for the competition.

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

poulidor

Nothing better than bonk! Landis' bonk was great even if it was a PED mistake, his recovering was desastrous just after our brains becoming in order.

limerickman

Hard one to call : I presume that you're referring to the TDF.

For me the TDF in recent years has been the poor relative of the Giro and Vuelta : those recent Giri and Vuelta have been great.

The worst TDF?
From an entertainment viewpoint, i thought 2004 was poor :

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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.

Wayne666

You haven't gotten to the part where Klodi crashes yet then. Because they show him getting shot up with some stuff at least once if not a couple of times. Not sure what kind of legal drugs they could have been giving him, I assume they were legal or it wouldn't have made it into the movie. Interesting that it didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary for him to be getting an injection. Also I'm pretty sure when the show the scenes about the dope controls after the stages, they contact the team Doc first.

helmutRoole2

The thing about the Bonk was, can you imagine how clean people would have thought him to be had he not come back the next day and KO'ed the field?

I mean, if he just gracefully took his defeat and then came back the next year to win, he'd be considered as clean as Simoni.

It's all perception, isn't it?

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

TheDarkLord

The question is if he had gracefully accepted defeat, would he still have somehow triggered a positive test later. But yes, I agree that it would have been easier to give an illusion of being clean. People said the same thing for Vino when he bonked the first stage in the Pyrenees after the time trial, but he got booted anyway (although in his case, he won the next stage in the Pyrenees which can in some way be seen as a parallel to Landis' performance).

thoughtforfood

Yea, got to that part, but assumed the same as you, that they were legal. However, your observation that it seemed routine is very true now that you mention it.

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

Scotttri

The tour this year might be great without Astana. A good chance for evans to win, and dispite what people think I think he is clean and deserves it.

thunder

47 out of 189 riders at the Tour with manipulated blood. 80% on growth hormone. Rode with Mapei, Saeco, and T-Mobile. Had links to Ferrari. His manager is Rominger who made sure Saiz went back to Fuentes.

If you add it up, there is no reason to think he would be part of the 20% not taking growth hormone (assuming none of those take the blood, and are part of the clean quotient).

Just why would you think he is clean.

He said "the UCI is doing a good job, they are catching the cheaters".

Now, if I put myself third on GC, and I answered a question like that, knowing Rasmussen was doing god knows what experimental drugs, and Discovery were getting blood deliveries, you think I would answer so diplomatically?

Evans has never been one to be the diplomat and hold his tongue. He has always had the character of being a whiner, and shooting from the hip.

Now, if he was clean, go fuck me.

Crankyfeet

Thunder... you are changing religion here... you've convinced me. Good points.

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