I don't post much anymor, but I lurk. I have an observation about this year's tour. I don't have nearly the experience you guys have in watching this race. I haven't missed one since 2004 when I started riding seriously, but before that the only names I could have mentioned to you were Lemond and Armstrong.
Out of the tours I've seen however, this is significantly more exciting from several aspects:
1. There isn't a team that operate as robots. Seemingly all of them have had both good and bad days. It makes the racing exciting, I think I may have watched my first real attack in the Pyrenees since I began watching the tour. The sprints are even a question, more so than recently anyway.
2. Contador looks human, far more so than when I've observed him in the past, both in the TT and climbing. He used to look like Armstrong, Ultrich, and at times..the Schlecks...climb and accelerate pretty much at will, at least in relative terms.
3. Evans is looking a little weaker as well, but he's past his peak isn't he? He has (to me) always struggled a bit on the steep long stuff, but his TT has fallen as well.
Overall, the race looks different. It doesn't appear to be totally dominated like it has before. Froome, well he's the one looking a little inhuman these days, so I think it will be interesting to follow his results for a while. Regardless, he has certainly kept it exciting racing as far as I can see...along with Quintana, Porte, and many others. I think he has it in the bag barring a major blow up, but it's still interesting...because he may attack anyway instead of moving into protection mode.
Starting last year, I became interested in Sagan. He wins sprints and climbs, although probably not the fastest at either...he seems to be very well rounded. He may be my favorite rider these days.
Out of the tours I've seen however, this is significantly more exciting from several aspects:
1. There isn't a team that operate as robots. Seemingly all of them have had both good and bad days. It makes the racing exciting, I think I may have watched my first real attack in the Pyrenees since I began watching the tour. The sprints are even a question, more so than recently anyway.
2. Contador looks human, far more so than when I've observed him in the past, both in the TT and climbing. He used to look like Armstrong, Ultrich, and at times..the Schlecks...climb and accelerate pretty much at will, at least in relative terms.
3. Evans is looking a little weaker as well, but he's past his peak isn't he? He has (to me) always struggled a bit on the steep long stuff, but his TT has fallen as well.
Overall, the race looks different. It doesn't appear to be totally dominated like it has before. Froome, well he's the one looking a little inhuman these days, so I think it will be interesting to follow his results for a while. Regardless, he has certainly kept it exciting racing as far as I can see...along with Quintana, Porte, and many others. I think he has it in the bag barring a major blow up, but it's still interesting...because he may attack anyway instead of moving into protection mode.
Starting last year, I became interested in Sagan. He wins sprints and climbs, although probably not the fastest at either...he seems to be very well rounded. He may be my favorite rider these days.