Road Bike Racing - Giro or Le Tour?

First off, I'm not an expert in terms of road racing, but I've watched the last 3 tours, and this year I was able to see the Giro up close and personal via a vacation to Italy. I’ve also visited France while the Tour was happening, but never got to any of the races as I wasn’t much of a fan in terms of road racing @ the time.

Perhaps it's because I was there, but the Giro seems like a more fun race to watch. The issues with doping and all the other crazy stuff that happened this year just added to the drama. However, it did take a bunch (mostly Italian) of great racers out of the Giro.

The Italians go crazy over this race (I know that the French do also), but being there was like being in some sort of bizarro world! This is a world where EVERYONE knew about, appreciated and sincerely enjoyed cycling and racing. Furthermore, the Italians were so friendly and hospitable to me even though my grasp of the Italian language is horrible – something I didn’t get while in France. It was an awesome experience that I'd highly recommend to anyone who owns a bike!

Anywho, my question is this - if you could go and watch only one, which would it be? My vote goes to the Giro. :D

Actually, I've never been to either country, but in terms of races, I really like the Giro. It does seem to have more of an air of fun about it, even with all the doping, and italian fans are just mazzo! Also, the italian scenery is astonishing. If I can ever get to see the giro, I will. I would have loved to see the stage in Badia live- better than riding my bike up there. I agree, th actually prefer the Giro in some ways. ONe reason, especially lately is that you never know who will win until the last minute, practically. The tour is kind of foregone- Armstrong will likely win, all we can do is root for stage victories and for Zabel to win the green jersey. But the giro is so totally unpredictable! That's what makes it so much fun.

The Italians are masters of the Opera. The Giro is grand opera. 'Nuff said. :)

[Oh yeah... I'm an opera fan...]

Tough Choice.
If I had only one race to watch, I think I'd go with the Giro.
It seems more, I don't know, like a grand tour. The TdF
seems like a grand debacle lately with the exclusion of
the Italian teams.
Sure I want to see L.A. win but I also like a good race.
I like the stages in the Giro better, the Dolomites seem
like a better climb, but then there's Ventoux, and Hautacam
and. . .

Marty

The dolomites are incredible, really stupendous. When I watch World Cup Skiing in the winter, they have races in Alta Badia and Val Gardena, incredible in the winter as well. You can see those same peaks in the background, the same ones you see in the Giro. They look a lot tougher than Ventoux, but I remember seeing Ventoux in 2000 and the weather looked like it was pretty horrible and treacherous!

Giro all they way :D ...in italy its a bike race...in france, the tour is just politics, hehe