My Soap Box rant for the month

Two things, I do apologise if they've been discussed before.
1) Why is there hardly any mention of David Millar's success in the Dauphine Libere in the media?
This is a major Tour de France buildup race, with some of the top cyclists in the world taking part. Ok, he
only managed 3rd, but a couple of minutes behind Lance can't be that bad, surely? Especially
remembering that the race included some pretty major hills. Anyway, congratulations to David, and
best of luck for the Tour de France - a high finish in the GC would be great for the sport in Britain.

2) The other, far more boring rant. http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/art..._cycling.shtml
about 20 seconds into the movie, the guy's cycling on the pavement. I don't want to create a
whole cycling on the pavement thread, but I certainly don't think that the BBC should be seen to
be recommending it?

my 2p Dave

---------------------
David Gillbe Merton College Oxford (Mobile) 07876 195761 (MSN) davidgillbe@hotmail.com

"David Gillbe" <david.NO^&$SPAMgillbe@merton.ox.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:bclb7c$5po$1@news.ox.ac.uk...
> Two things, I do apologise if they've been discussed before.
> 1) Why is there hardly any mention of David Millar's success in the
Dauphine
> Libere in the media? This is a major Tour de France buildup race, with some of the
top
> cyclists in the world taking part. Ok, he only managed 3rd, but a couple
of
> minutes behind Lance can't be that bad, surely? Especially remembering
that
> the race included some pretty major hills. Anyway, congratulations to
David,
> and best of luck for the Tour de France - a high finish in the GC would be great for the sport in Britain.
>
> 2) The other, far more boring rant. http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/art..._cycling.shtml
> about 20 seconds into the movie, the guy's cycling on the pavement. I don't want to create a
> whole cycling on the pavement thread, but I certainly don't think that the BBC should be seen
> to be recommending it?
>
> my 2p Dave
>
>
> ---------------------
> David Gillbe Merton College Oxford (Mobile) 07876 195761 (MSN) davidgillbe@hotmail.com
>
>

I was shocked to find a small article on Lance Armstrong and the tour in the Metro this morning, I
said to my mate that they must have run out of cricket or tennis stories, or fact and figures or
something!

---
Don't be shy, click on the link below. http://www.justgiving.com/letour

L'Etape du Tour 2003, rider number 3295, I must be mad!
http://www.letapedutour.com/2003/us/index.htm

David Gillbe deftly scribbled:

> Two things, I do apologise if they've been discussed before.
> 1) Why is there hardly any mention of David Millar's success in the Dauphine Libere in the media?
> This is a major Tour de France buildup race, with some of the top cyclists in the world taking part. Ok,
> he only managed 3rd, but a couple of minutes behind Lance can't be that bad, surely? Especially
> remembering that the race included some pretty major hills. Anyway, congratulations to David,
> and best of luck for the Tour de France - a high finish in the GC would be great for the sport in Britain.

It's a feat that may not be particularly relevant to many cyclists. Just because some folks ride a
bike doesn't mean they care about a professional racer and his exploits ..

Having said that, he did well ..

> 2) The other, far more boring rant. http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/art..._cycling.shtml
> about 20 seconds into the movie, the guy's cycling on the pavement. I don't want to create a
> whole cycling on the pavement thread, but I certainly don't think that the BBC should be seen
> to be recommending it?

Trouble is, the BBC still insist on making viewers use Real Player .. which I don't use ..

--
Digweed

"David Gillbe" wrote in message

>Ok, he only managed 3rd, but a couple ofn minutes behind Lance can't
be that >bad, surely?

Just think that if Tim Henman had got to the semi-finals of , say, the French Open we'd never have
heard the last of it (put out in the third round I believe).

Robert

On Mon, 16 Jun 2003 22:01:54 +0100, "David Gillbe" <david.NO^&$SPAMgillbe@merton.ox.ac.uk> wrote:

>2) The other, far more boring rant. http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/art..._cycling.shtml
> about 20 seconds into the movie, the guy's cycling on the pavement. I don't want to create a
> whole cycling on the pavement thread, but I certainly don't think that the BBC should be seen to
> be recommending it?

The guy's a barrister so he may have an ingenous defence, although I doubt it. The thing that
irritated me about this clip was that after extolling the virtues of cycling, the canal network and
the endorphin rush, he then admitted "it takes a really warm day to get me out on a bike". So we
have a pavement riding fair weather cycling barrister wearing a rain cover on his helmet on a warm
sunny day as our advocate.

--
Dave...

Not seen much coverage of Nicole Cooke either... I know that I'd swap some of David Beckhams new hair or appearance on MTV for some more coverage of the Welsh Wonder Girl.

__________________
www.cyclingforums.com

On Mon, 16 Jun 2003 22:01:54 +0100, "David Gillbe" <david.NO^&$SPAMgillbe@merton.ox.ac.uk> wrote:

>Two things, I do apologise if they've been discussed before.
>1) Why is there hardly any mention of David Millar's success in the Dauphine Libere in the media?
> This is a major Tour de France buildup race, with some of the top cyclists in the world taking part. Ok, he
> only managed 3rd, but a couple of minutes behind Lance can't be that bad, surely? Especially
> remembering that the race included some pretty major hills. Anyway, congratulations to David,
> and best of luck for the Tour de France - a high finish in the GC would be great for the sport in Britain.
>
Because the UK is a non(some might say anti)-cycling nation and the only times the media notice the
sport is during Tour de France or the Olympics - and then only if a UK rider is in yellow or wins a medal.

Regards! Stephen

Dave Kahn <dkahn400@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: ( So we have a pavement riding fair weather cycling
barrister ) wearing a rain cover on his helmet on a warm sunny day as our ( advocate.

Far be it from me to defend a barister who rides on the pavement, but although it might look like a
rain cover, it's not; it's what you need to stop the sunburn through the vents when you have as
little hair as he does on the top of your head but wear a helmet.

What was he wearing on the back of his shorts, then?

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 22:03:01 +0000 (UTC), Geraint.Jones@wolfson.oxford.ac-spam.uk.invalid (Geraint
Jones) wrote:

>What was he wearing on the back of his shorts, then?

At a guess I would say it was his mobile phone.

--
Dave...

> >
> Because the UK is a non(some might say anti)-cycling nation and the only times the media
> notice the sport is during Tour de France or the Olympics - and then only if a UK rider is in yellow or
> wins a medal.
>
>
1994 Tour de France on channel 4; Sean Yates in yellow jersey on first UK stage and what did we get for live
coverage? "I'm afraid we must leave the cycling coverage to show some jockey being put in an
ambulance and a load of divs walking over the course at Newmarket"

On Mon, 16 Jun 2003 22:01:54 +0100, contributor David Gillbe had scribed:
> 2) The other, far more boring rant. http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/art..._cycling.shtml
> about 20 seconds into the movie, the guy's cycling on the pavement. I don't want to create a
> whole cycling on the pavement thread, but I certainly don't think that the BBC should be seen
> to be recommending it?
>

That's nothing, who has seen the flagship publicity photo for the York Cycle Rally used in the past
year or two, in particular this year where it was used for the poster and the front cover of the
programme. It is of the parade of cyclists assembling to leave from York Minster for the Knavesmire
(rally venue). Notice the white Volvo estate with the large blue and yellow check pattern along the
side parked on the far side of the road in a vehicle turning bay. Also notice on the near side of
the road on the pavement, riding (or doing a very good trackstand) on a bicycle. What it the message
here? ;-) I have teased the York Rally secretary about this one and it is possible another
photograph may be used instead next year.

Gary - a little late on this one, back from jollies and behind on reading newsgroup anyway.

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On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 15:02:32 +0100, contributor Gary Knighton had scribed:
> That's nothing, who has seen the flagship publicity photo for the York Cycle Rally used in the
> past year or two, in particular this year where it was used for the poster and the front cover of
> the programme. It is of the parade of cyclists assembling to leave from York Minster for the
> Knavesmire (rally venue). Notice the white Volvo estate with the large blue and yellow check
> pattern along the side parked on the far side of the road in a vehicle turning bay. Also notice on
> the near side of the road on the pavement, riding (or doing a very good trackstand) on a bicycle.
> What it the message here? ;-) I have teased the York Rally secretary about this one and it is
> possible another photograph may be used instead next year.
>

I know I replying to myself!

Later, on looking at the photograph concerned (p17 of June/July 2003 "Cycle" magazine of the CTC),
the original post was from memory, there were cycles ridden on the near side pavement. I also had
pointed out offgroup that I know cyclist nearest the Volvo V70 as being the wife of a 'lurker' and
occasional contributor to this group.

Gary

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