Bore De France?.

[Big E.]

Is it just me, or is this the dullest Tour De France since the US Postal Club run days?. Here we are, well into the second week and so far there have been about three days when the racing was of any real interest or significance. Are there any more mountains on the horizon?. What was the point of the Tourmalet stage?. Was it really worth all those poor people camping out for days to watch?. The Tour's big problem is that it has to follow the Giro!. Roll on The Vuelta, until then wake me when its over.

 

[jhuskey]

It is nerver that exciting mid race although I agree the mountain stages so far seem to have been designed to keep time gaps close. The other issue is that a lot of the top riders are on the same team. I would expect it will heat up in the Alps and remember you don't remember much about the start of a race ,just the finish.

 

[tonyzackery]

Two ways for me to respond to this type of statement:

1. As a bike racer myself, I know these guys are racing and giving effort everyday - so in that respect the racing is never boring when you have the perspective of having been in their shoes (albeit on a MUCH lower level). What is it that Joe Q. Public expects??? Everyday can't be a stage in the Alps with mountaintop finishes - give the guys a break already! What is it that everyone expects the racing to be when you're racing for 3 weeks straight? These guys are humans, not machines.

2. As a cycling fan, I can agree that the "racing" thus far has been rather boring only because Mark Cavendish is so dominant on the relatively flat stages and will win every single time there's a bunch sprint. As such, the result is practically a foregone conclusion if Columbia decides to bring a break back (appears today that they're not going to bother). IMO, they should turn these flat stages into 2hr crits in selected town squares in France and Spain. A 2hr technical crit on a short circuit with some varying terrain would be much more exciting than these long, relatively flat stages.

Overall, the race has been interesting to me - even with increased apathy to pro cycling because of the sanctioned (50% rule) doping that's involved. I'll continue to watch, but definitely won't support and particular rider as they could easily turn up non-negative tomorrow...

 

[limerickman]

Two ways for me to respond to this type of statement:

1. As a bike racer myself, I know these guys are racing and giving effort everyday - so in that respect the racing is never boring when you have the perspective of having been in their shoes (albeit on a MUCH lower level). What is it that Joe Q. Public expects??? Everyday can't be a stage in the Alps with mountaintop finishes - give the guys a break already! What is it that everyone expects the racing to be when you're racing for 3 weeks straight? These guys are humans, not machines.

2. As a cycling fan, I can agree that the "racing" thus far has been rather boring only because Mark Cavendish is so dominant on the relatively flat stages and will win every single time there's a bunch sprint. As such, the result is practically a foregone conclusion if Columbia decides to bring a break back (appears today that they're not going to bother). IMO, they should turn these flat stages into 2hr crits in selected town squares in France and Spain. A 2hr technical crit on a short circuit with some varying terrain would be much more exciting than these long, relatively flat stages.

Overall, the race has been interesting to me - even with increased apathy to pro cycling because of the sanctioned (50% rule) doping that's involved. I'll continue to watch, but definitely won't support and particular rider as they could easily turn up non-negative tomorrow...

I hear you - and I would categorise myself as No 1 in your description (above).
I appreciate the race and the nuances and will watch the race even if it was at funereal pace.

But at the same time I know the big guns are keeping the powder dry (perhaps too dry in some cases).

 

[jhuskey]

I know something of the pain encountered in doing an HC climb but it is hard for me to imagine doing three weeks day after day let alone the countless hours that go into training with no cheeseburgers or ice cream and ........... I can hardly type it, NO BEER! This coming week should be great.I always love the mountain stages.
I take great pleasure seeing the pain on their faces as they border on puking up a lung. These guys suck air so hard that their hemorrhoids literally compress back into their bodies.
Good stuff!

 

[longfemur]

We can all just admit it: stage races like the big Tours actually are mostly boring from a spectator's point of view. The cyclists may be putting in hard effort, but nevertheless, the way these races are structured and controlled, you may win stages by attacking in some way, but you win the race by not doing much while ensuring that everyone else who is in contention doesn't do much of anything either. Keep everybody who matters together, and the team will ensure the intended winner gets the chance to win at the end. In this year's context, there have been no attacks, not even in today's catégorie 1 climb where you would normally have expected something to happen.

Hopefully, someone with a chance to win the Tour will start breaking things up a bit over the next mountain stages... or at least force the winner to work harder for it. Today was a little shameful, I think. They may be going fast, but they are going fast taking a country cruise, not racing.

Too bad how it ended up later on, but I don't think there has been a single exciting Tour since Pantani won it in '98.

I say, LOSE THE EARBUDS!