Professional Cycling - Idea to make TdF(or any other classics) more exciting

From looking at the number of posts, forum members like more about the stages that the standings change. Example, 1st stage, 4th, both are over 200 posts. Other stages, around 100 and less. 1st stage, ITT, 4th, TTT. I personally found first week of tour pretty boring except time trials. On the flat course, only exciting part of the race is at the finish line. No standings change.

So, here's my idea to make the tour more exciting.

* There will be no flat course road racing. Maybe keep just one to honor the tradition.
* All the flat course will be time trial, either ITT or TTT.
* There will be at least one climbing ITT.

This should make GC standing keep changing every day from day one to the last.

How exciting it will be. Don't you agree?

If you have any other idea that you think possibly make it more exciting, post it.

Run it on your Nascar courses while you are at it. Oh wait a sec, they do that it is called Track Racing.

Exciting enough in the current format, thanks.

All the fun occurs later... after stage 10 if I remember.

Exciting enough in the current format, thanks.

For a spectator without imagination, your answer maybe right.

For the organizer for an event such as Tour de France which is supported largely on advertisement revenue, there's no such thing like "enough". More people watch, the better money they earn from the sponsors.

For a spectator without imagination, your answer maybe right.

For the organizer for an event such as Tour de France which is supported largely on advertisement revenue, there's no such thing like "enough". More people watch, the better money they earn from the sponsors.


I guess you're right.

You're 21 time-trial stage Tour de France is pure genius. Suprised no-one has come up with it sooner.

Dude, YOU ARE CLUELESS!!!

The typical clueless NASCAR fan is NOT who the Tour de France is geared for.

Personally, I think time trials are boring as hell to watch. There is no drama in them. No jockeying for position, no breaks to chase down, no attacks, no mass group sprints to the finish, no sprint points, no climb points etc, etc. Heck just watching a 189 person peloton take a corner as a single entity is so graceful it is like magic.

I like the mountain stages too, but I for me, the most exciting part of the tour is the battle for the green jersey.

All the fun occurs later... after stage 10 if I remember.

my58vw is right, they dont even hit the hills till stage 12, these flat stages serve there purpose and i find are quite entertaining to watch.

I think more excitement could be added to the TDF by eliminating spectators(notice I didn't say fans),
who don't understand the historical significance of the TDF,
who cannot perceive the added dimension flat stages bring to the race,
and who do not appreciate the talents flat stages accentuate.

It would be called addition by subtraction...of these spectators.

Would that include the OP? Hmmmm.

1st stage(ITT): 201 posts

2nd stage: 56 posts

3rd stage: 96 posts

4th stage(TTT): 233 posts

5th stage: 109 posts

6th stage: 79 Posts(current)


Sure, each person different in what they like, but the numbers don't lie. I expect the number of posts to go up much higher from stage10 on.

I think more excitement could be added to the TDF by eliminating spectators(notice I didn't say fans),
who don't understand the historical significance of the TDF,
who cannot perceive the added dimension flat stages bring to the race,
and who do not appreciate the talents flat stages accentuate.

It would be called addition by subtraction...of these spectators.

Would that include the OP? Hmmmm.

There has been big names on this board like Sheldon Brown but I don't belive you for a second Mr. Walter Godefroot. You are supposed to be very busy this time of the year. But I appreciate it for the entertainment purpose. ;)

What were they thinking? All they have to do to improve the Tour is count posts on bikeforums.net

:rolleyes:

There has been big names on this board like Sheldon Brown but I don't belive you for a second Mr. Walter Godefroot. You are supposed to be very busy this time of the year. But I appreciate it for the entertainment purpose. ;)

So I don't have any cred' with you? You do realize that from my point of view, that is a good thing!?! :rolleyes:

So I don't have any cred' with you? You do realize that from my point of view, that is a good thing!?! :rolleyes:

Do you believe I'm actually Lance Armstrong?

Current time in France: 8:30 AM

This is what team manager of T-mobile is doing at 8:30 in the morning.
Posting his comment in bikeforums.net

If anybody can believe it.

So, here's my idea to make the tour more exciting.
More exciting? Perhaps when you become a fan of bicycle racing, you will reconsider. :rolleyes:

I can sort of see where allgoo is coming from, however I don't agree with the solution. The TDF is fine just the way it is, perhaps they could mix the flat/climbing stages up a bit, but that may not be practical.

The only problem I see is the inevitability of this years winner. If you take LA out of the field we would have a race that probably wouldn't be decided till the second last stage. IMHO

More exciting? Perhaps when you become a fan of bicycle racing, you will reconsider. :rolleyes:

Don't you realized that the tour had been changed over the years and still changing? There's no one way the tour has to be this way or that way. They do it to make it more appealing to wider audience. The money is power.

Besides that, how can a thread like this be taken so seriously by anybody. It's just a talk for fun. If it's not your kind of fun, you can always do something else.

The only problem I see is the inevitability of this years winner. If you take LA out of the field we would have a race that probably wouldn't be decided till the second last stage. IMHO

Your intention is very well taken. It's the same thing the Masters golf tournament is doing every year to make it harder for Tiger to win. I think it's good for the sports. But he still wins anyway.

But considering Lance's strength, mountain and time trial, if those were eliminated, there will be left nothing but flat course. The most effective way to keep Lance out of first place is to poison him.

I guess you're right.

You're 21 time-trial stage Tour de France is pure genius. Suprised no-one has come up with it sooner.

Hilarious.

I can see a point for the TdF organisers to occassionally mix it up and run a hilly or mountainous stage early in the tour, just to mix the first week up a bit, like in the Giro or Vuelta.

Your intention is very well taken.
How so??? Tailoring a sport to work against a single athlete is a rather bizarrre approach, don't you think? [N.B. I guess not, or you would not have suggested it.] How about the way used for time immemorial: you get better and beat him? This particular event has been honed over more than a hundred years, and many millions like it just as it is, thank you.

This smacks of too much that is happening in life today. I can't win this way, so change the rules.



The most effective way to keep Lance out of first place is to poison him.
Or perhaps you could just wait until next year, when he won't be there. :rolleyes:

I think more excitement could be added to the TDF by eliminating spectators(notice I didn't say fans),
who don't understand the historical significance of the TDF,
who cannot perceive the added dimension flat stages bring to the race,
and who do not appreciate the talents flat stages accentuate.

It would be called addition by subtraction...of these spectators.




+1

Current time in France: 8:30 AM

This is what team manager of T-mobile is doing at 8:30 in the morning.
Posting his comment in bikeforums.net

If anybody can believe it.


Cheers. Now bring on the helmet cam!

There are less posts in the flat stages because of lack of impact on the overall lead, and the lack of events really. Break goes up the road - gets caught - someone wins a bunch sprint. Not a lot to say about it, even when the stages are exciting.

It's all part of the race. There is significance to every rider, if not a small significance, on every single stage. If you find these stages really boring, think of it as a warmup for the mountains ;)

Cheers. Now bring on the helmet cam!

Maybe the could try it like NASCAR and bring out caution flags for 'debris' every 20 minutes. Perhaps on the mountain stages. When things get strung out with 5km to go... bring that ASO car to the front to bring the group back together, and then restart a kilometer later. Exciting!! ;)

Then we can all gasp in awe at how all the competitors can finish so close "after 500 miles"... I mean 100.

I think the OP is missing the entire point of races like the TdF. This event was organized a hundred years ago, before TV and short attention spans. It is designed to unfold slowly, over the course of several weeks, not to provide instant gratification to TV audiences. If you want quick thrills, there are plenty of other places to get them without bastardizing a sacred institution like the Tour.

It is a Tour of France.
The country isn't all mountainous, there are vast
flat sections throughout the country.
How do you keep it a tour of the country and yet avoid
more than 3/4 of the geography (ok that's a WAG on the percentage).

The stages with the high traffic had some degree of controversy,
i.e. McGee singing "Put your head on my Shoulder" to Robbie McEwan
who did.

watch the race, listen to eurosport for some really good insights from
Sean Kelly, you'll enjoy it much more.

Marty

The stages with the high traffic had some degree of controversy,
i.e. McGee singing "Put your head on my Shoulder" to Robbie McEwan
who did.
Marty

That and any sensational news... Also mind the fact that the past 3 days have been work days and people dont get to comment straightaway because they dont want to know the result.. Oncee they go through the TIVO/Replay many may have lost steam... Like I do..

Here's my another idea.

Like golf tournament or any other all star game, invite all the past champions in one day race(not so serious one). Do it on one of the rest day. It'd be interesting to see Armstrong, Hinault and LeMond in one place with fake smiles on their face and shake hands.

Here's my another idea.

Like golf tournament or any other all star game, invite all the past champions in one day race(not so serious one). Do it on one of the rest day. It'd be interesting to see Armstrong, Hinault and LeMond in one place with fake smiles on their face and shake hands.

Well we already see Armstrong and Hinault with real smiles shaking hands on the podium.

And no matter what you do, it's impossible to get LeMond to smile and shake hands with either of those two ;)

Now bring on the helmet cam!


On second thought, and after seeing Boonen's pic, I think we should make it the bike shorts cam!
To the finish boys!

I think the OP is missing the entire point of races like the TdF. This event was organized a hundred years ago, before TV and short attention spans. It is designed to unfold slowly, over the course of several weeks, not to provide instant gratification to TV audiences. If you want quick thrills, there are plenty of other places to get them without bastardizing a sacred institution like the Tour.

Good point.

That's a great recipe for going out of business. Either you keep up with the new medium or bust. You can't do business favoring just one percent of "true cycling fan" and ignoring "couch potatoes" takes up the rest. Couch potatoes pay the most of the advertisement bills.

I think the problem is length (time that is).

As great as it is, I think I would like it much more if were contained in just a 2 hour show which had high points of the race and intermingled (as they do a little bit already) with segments that introduce the riders, technology of the bikes, etc....

Good point.

That's a great recipe for going out of business. Either you keep up with the new medium or bust. You can't do business favoring just one percent of "true cycling fan" and ignoring "couch potatoes" takes up the rest. Couch potatoes pay the most of the advertisement bills.

What amount of revenue are you imagining that the Tour is getting from its US broadcasts? It's on OLN, fer crissakes. Most people don't even get that network. The Tour gets most of its revenue from sponsorships (Credit Lyonnais ring a bell?). They've been doing it this way for just a few years now and haven't gone bust.

On second thought, and after seeing Boonen's pic, I think we should make it the bike shorts cam!
To the finish boys!
:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

That's a great recipe for going out of business.

why does the tour have to be a business? can't it just be a bicycle race?

why does the tour have to be a business? can't it just be a bicycle race?

Because someone has to pay for it! Think it is cheap to close major roads and get top riders from all over the world to one place and house them and provide TV coverage?


BTW I think part of the title of this thread says it all. (or any other classics). The Tour is not a classic. Classic as a word means simple or straightfoward. Classics are one day races, simple like when we were kids, race you to town or to the top of the hill. Tours are anything but classic.

How exciting it will be. Don't you agree?



It's already got me glued to the TV for hours a day...WTF..If you don't think it's exciting, you don't like cycling, try golf. I'm sick of US business dumbing down sport and overexposing.

To you other guys, the TDF has been around long enough, and makes more than enough money, to not care about getting the US market.

BTW I think part of the title of this thread says it all. (or any other classics). The Tour is not a classic. Classic as a word means simple or straightfoward. Classics are one day races, simple like when we were kids, race you to town or to the top of the hill. Tours are anything but classic.

Sorry for my ignorance. But I don't call myself an expert either.

What I meant was other multi stage big events like Giro and Vuelta. I didn't know any other words I could use.

So, what can I call them?

Sorry for my ignorance. But I don't call myself an expert either.

What I meant was other multi stage big events like Giro and Vuelta. I didn't know any other words I could use.

So, what can I call them?You can call them other "Tours".

On second thought, and after seeing Boonen's pic, I think we should make it the bike shorts cam!
To the finish boys!

I think it's on the way not very far in the future.

As long as the price is right, there will be many cyclists willing to make a deal.

You can call them other "Tours".

Thanks.

Wait a munite, but that sounds like including other minor tour such as Tour de Georgia also.

I didn't mean those.
If there's such thing as "Grand Slam" in cycling world, there should be less than handful of big events. That's what I meant.

Thanks.

Wait a munite, but that sounds like including other minor tour such as Tour de Georgia also.

I didn't mean those.
If there's such thing as "Grand Slam" in cycling world, there should be less than handful of big events. That's what I meant.

"Grand tour" - the Giro, Vuelta, and Tour de France (all 3 weeks long)

tour - stage race. often just 4-7 days long.

Usually a "Classic" refers to the historic monoumental single day races - Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, and so on. Though I'm sure you could call the Tour de France a 'classic' race, with the general definition of 'classic' and not the typical cycling term. It's as historic as any of the big races are.

"Grand tour" - the Giro, Vuelta, and Tour de France (all 3 weeks long)

tour - stage race. often just 4-7 days long.

Usually a "Classic" refers to the historic monoumental single day races - Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, and so on. Though I'm sure you could call the Tour de France a 'classic' race, with the general definition of 'classic' and not the typical cycling term. It's as historic as any of the big races are.

Thanks.

The problem solved.

First, people seem to be forgetting this is an international race and a very much American BB (Hello to the Australians and English I know you are here). Stage 1 and 4 both involved Americans winning and taking the yellow jersey. There are a lot of Lance fans here so they are excited to see Lance in the Yellow Jersey. Also DaveZ fall was big to talk about as was the excitement his incredible performance on Stage 1 along with Lance. I am guessing that Boonen and McEwen as well as the other sprinters are excited and posting about all of the flat stages.

My biggest complaint about the first flat stages was not with organization it was with mother nature. I am fine with the rain but come on a tail wind everyday. They went along the coast we can not get a single good cross wind. Honestly my largest complaint so far is that we have not had a good cross wind. I mean I am sure the riders are excited but cross winds add such an interesting element. They are so hard to ride in that they inevitable cause breaks and chases and tatics and on and on. Instead they are just flying across France in record time.

More exciting? Perhaps when you become a fan of bicycle racing, you will reconsider. :rolleyes:
Took the words off of my keyboard.

How so??? Tailoring a sport to work against a single athlete is a rather bizarrre approach, don't you think? [N.B. I guess not, or you would not have suggested it.] How about the way used for time immemorial: you get better and beat him? This particular event has been honed over more than a hundred years, and many millions like it just as it is, thank you.


Tailoring a sport to work for the rest of the athlete is more like it.

To give a chance to others who have not won the tournament for more popularity of the sports. The organizers of the Masters are not even keeping it secret. It's not about fairness but business decision. Whether it's a right decision for the sports is still in question but personally I liked Phil Mickleon won it last year. They change the course design every year, anyway. Ok, it's enough for golf.

When it comes to TDF I don't know if one particular athelete keeps winning is good for the popularity of the sport. In US, I think it is, at least when it's an American athlete. You can't complain the nationalism in this way, Europeans love Ferrari keeps winning in F1. When Honda keeps winning, popularity goes down.

Anyway, it's like anything else, the business comes first. I don't have a problem with making the tour harder for Armstrong to win, as long as they are open about it. Or making it easier for other to win, I should say.

Terrible idea..

You need to remember that this is a European sport for Europeans, and while others obviously enjoy it, they're not specifically marketing to Americans. Before Lemond and Lance, the Tour got by just fine, and will get by just fine after Lance retires.

You may not enjoy the flat stages, but you're not really a cycling fan. You like the Tour de France, and there's nothing wrong with that. Tons of people love the flat stages - if they didn't, there wouldn't be anybody along the route or at the finish (and, if you hadn't noticed, there are tons of people out there every day).

Don't fix it if it isn't broken.