In article <
[email protected]>,
"Pete" <
[email protected]> wrote:
> This year's TdF, just as the last one and the ones before that, was about as
> close to a snoozefest as competitive sports can provide, about as exciting
> as a game between two hockey teams who both play the neutral zone trap
> system. I don't know how even the most avid cycling fan could find anything
> exciting in it whatsoever. I think they are just rationalizing it to
> themselves, trying to talk about the teamwork and tactics. There was plenty
> of teamwork, but if there were any tactics, they were along the lines of
> don't risk anything. There should be penalties for non-aggressiveness.
Zaby. McEwan. "Fatigué? Reposé!" Zaby, bloodied and weeping. Vinokourov.
Rasmussen. Voight becomes one of only two HD riders in the race, by 20
seconds. Hincapie steals a stage. Rasmussen winning the bike-throwing
contest. Vinokourov, and then Vinokourov again.
How to put this? Cycling is a different sport from most team sports: the
most notable conflicts come down to one rider finding a way to ride
along a road just a little faster than anyone else can. In a way, it's
really just a suffering-and-fitness competition.
> There have been exciting moments in past Tours, but nothing in this one -
> not even one. I also don't know how any competitor could find satisfaction
> winning such an event just by playing it safe from start to finish, even if
> that's a good way to win. Of course, everyone else seemed to be playing it
> safe too. I almost feel like an ass in that I spent so many hours watching
> it, hoping for any moment of excitement. The odd breakaway here and there
> provided zero entertainment value, because they were all meaningless, ie.
> not a threat to the classification at all, despite all the efforts of the
> OLN gang to talk them up.
Holy moly. The winner of this event only dominated in both TTs (plus
victory in the TTT), then just went better in the mountains than anyone,
excepting maybe Rasmussen, who took the spotty jersey in the usual way:
insane breakaway on a day with a lot of hills in it. Armstrong didn't
win any mountain stages, but I certainly saw enough suffering in the
mountains to satisfy any two cycling enthusiasts.
> We need a new generation of characters like Cippolini, Pantani (rest his
> soul) to put some zip back into this sorry excuse for an athletic spectacle.
> Even OLN's two announcers seemed embarrassed to have to broadcast it once
> again. Hopefully, some character will develop among the current crop of
> younger riders. It's time the older guys retire anyway, because they all
> looked like they would be more content sitting on a swing watching the
> clouds go by.
Chicken! Chicken Chicken Chicken! And Robbie "Fatigué" McEwan. Vino, the
attacking wonder.
> Horrible, just horrible. I'm glad it's finally over and we can move on to
> other things.
I'm excited by the thought of next year, which will bear the shock of
the new. New champions, new ways of winning, most likely. But I fear you
have a curmudgeon's "the old days were better" instinct. Need I remind
you that before Armstrong, it was five years of Indurain?
Merckx-1969 isn't coming back. He didn't even come back for his other
four wins.
-RjC.
--
Ryan Cousineau
[email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
