Boys, hold on. The Tour starts tomorrow July 1. Two pretty interesting routes right from the start. Stay tuned in for some great racing.
-
-
We're going to do a 1 month subscription to Peacock to watch full coverage. About $5. -
I might figure out how to join, too. I haven't owned a TV since 1996, so it will have to be internet live-stream for me.Comment
-
Stage 1 went through Guernica.....
Comment
-
Multiple crashes at 60 kpm...final sprint finish to Stage 4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzzHFNLH08MComment
-
#5.1Editing a commentCrash-o-rama! I get it on narrow roads, but there is no real excuse for crashing on the moto-circuit - except that these guys are going 60 KPH elbow to elbow, putting out 400-550 watts, fighting for position, and going around curves. Positioning for the final long wide straightaway was crucial and not everyone is able to be on the front.
-
-
I've been away from the computer for a few days, but not away from the race. WOW! It's strange that the organizers front loaded this year's version, but it's been wild.Comment
-
I watch the stages live if possible. But I never miss Chris Horner's Butterfly Effect each night where he analyzes that day's stage. It's more than just a recap.Comment
-
Is today the day for Cavendish?Comment
-
Lantern Rouge guys reported that in a post-race interview Cavendish stated that his gears skipped twice in the final run-in. From 12th to 10th and back again. He had to sit down and regain his speed at a critical time. Who knows? -
George Hincapie reported seeing the same issue when watching the helicopter view. That is, Cavendish having to sit back in the saddle to correct the gearing during the final sprint.
-
There's things worse than losing a gear or two in a sprint. Dad-gummit!Comment
-
I was being careful not to put a "spoiler" in my comment.
I'm not a huge Cavendish fan, but I feel for him. Quick-Step sorta shafted him by leaving him off the tour previously. He scrambled and found a ride with Astana. Astana made their team sprint oriented, just for him. (I like their kit.) What a bummer all the way around.
When I was 21 (1971), some kid in a VW Bug roared out from a parallel parking spot just as I was abreast of him. Broke the cases on my CB-750. It also broke my collar-bone. It was a good clean and simple break. But, boy, was it ever a debilitating injury. For a relatively small bone,it hurts frequently because you use it all the time. A month of healing is about the minimum you can hope for. I was riding the CB-750 at the end of a month, but that is a lot less strenuous than the Tour!. -
Cracked my right collar bone in a bicycle crash about 3 years ago. A woman in a car cut me off at an intersection and I fell to the right on a small downhill slope. Just a hairline fracture but took about a month to heal.
-
Great stage today. Watched the extended version on the Peacock World version.Comment
-
Puy de Dome is a monster. I've ridden a number of the Tour's classic climbs, including Alpe du Huez, but this looked awful. The video shots of the podium shows the surrounding countryside WAY down there. I've enjoyed Michael Woods's racing for a number of years, Good for him, even though I was pulling for Jorgenson, who rode smart and strong today.
The GC continues to be interesting. Todej is fun to watch. He LOVES racing his bike.
-
-
Again, the relationship between the peloton and the breakaways continues to be interesting. Most breaks are not given a long leash. Yesterdays was the exception.Comment
-
Big crash with race paused! And even worse when a camera crew hinders a major move by a race leader!Last edited by wildbears; 07-15-2023, 05:09 PM.Comment
-
And it continued yesterday. That guy in the hat with the cell-phone is a fucking moron.
But, the V vs P rivalry is great for the sport. The respective teams have their own rivalries, too. UAE domestiques don't want to be shown up by Jumbo's. Adam Yates was a monster yesterday. Kuss was showing the effects of two weeks of hard racing and one hard crash.
A rest day will just postpone the fireworks. Tomorrow's short TT may not yield many seconds for either contender. That would continue the battles into the remaining few days of the mountains. Fascinating.Comment
-
The TT was incredible!Comment
-
One of the big crashes, a few stages back, was caused by the cyclist using the front brake while leaned over in a turn.
Are the disc brakes too grabby?Comment
-
I've got terrific Campy rim-brakes on my Merckx SL Leader. (Circa 1991). These were part of an upgrade groupo set from worn Shimano stuff I installed a few years ago. They are powerful and note very grabby, but if you take a handful without thinking it will get your attention fast. I have Techno disc brakes on my Bianchi cross-gravel bike. They are not really as powerful as the Campys and .are not as grabby.
Changing to harder pads on the Merckx would probably make the Campys more linear, but less powerful. The Techno brand discs are reliable in the mud and rain, so since I race (participate!) in at least one 100-mile spring gravel race (The Mid-South 100, nee LandRun 100), they are good.
SOOOOO, my uninformed opinion is that grabby brakes did not bring down these pros. -
I will try to post a photo. I have never taken the three hours necessary for me to figure out how to post a picture on this site. I'll post in a few days if able!
-
Comment