Road Bike Racing - Ever watch a stage of Le Tour?

Only once (so far), waaaaay back in 1994 (I think), when the Big Race started in Portsmouth (I think. Gimme a break, I was only small). My parents, sister and I drove 200 miles or so to Ashford in Kent (the pointy out bit right at the south-east corner of England), and stayed with my Mum's brother for a few days. The race went right through the town on route to the finish at Dover (handy for the ferry over to France). We drove out into the country a bit and found a nice tree-lined lane with a slight up-hill. All I remember is digging up natural chalk to scribble (or try and scribble) Abdujaporov on the road, and my Mum getting a Motorola mussette bag, which we still have somewhere. I have no idea who won the stage, since we were still in the car when it was on TV. If anyone can tell me I'd really appreciate it.

So, anyone else got a tale to tell of their TdF experiences?

last summer my parents finally decided to get cable.....so we had OLN. I decided one morning last july to watch the outdoor life network and discovered something i fell for....cycling. after that first stage i saw i kept watching till the very last day when lance won number 5. I decided at that moment that i needed to cycle, and i have not stopped since. I now have a trek 1000 road bike and i just purchased my very first real jersey, of course i bought the USPS 2004 team jersey, now all i need is some more cycling pals and ill be set........thats my tour story

From the Centenray book of le Tour - Stage 5 of 187km started and finished in Portsmouth on the Thursday, 7th July 1994 - would this be it?

The stage was won by N Minali of Italy. The Tour was won by Indurain. Laurent Jalabert had been injured in Stage 1 and pulled out. After stage 5 F Vanzella held the Yellow for the second stage in a row but lost it to S yates the next stage.

Any more questions just ask... I have the book here - you guys might as well use it also, before I return it.

Brendon

I have no idea who won the stage, since we were still in the car when it was on TV. If anyone can tell me I'd really appreciate it.


http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1994_2003/tdf1994.php

I saw the tour pass us by twice..once on Toulouse..Mid-80's...The other ...1999...A small town near Vitre..Near the Loire..
Exciting to see the tour approach..Silent.Then the helicopters get closer..It was flat and they passed us by in less than two minutes..
The disappointment...Think was June 22 or 23..We luckily photographed the cyclist in yellow..Great shot..Lucky..
But one day later it would have been Lance Armstrong in the yellow...The next day Lance wore Yellow for the FIRST time. And we missed it by one day..
That day, The cyclist in the yellow was a Belgian, I think...Tom Steels.- sp.?
You know, about one week later we were in the mountainous region of France know as Savorie. -SP ? Near Switzerland...The Tour was about 100 miles away that day..We watched the TDF on TV at some bar-It was Bastille Day..7-14.
Watching the French drink and take in the TOur was almost as exciting as seeing the TDF live..They get really involved...

Thanks for the link Brent. I saw Stage 4, Dover to Brighton. I thougt it was going east, but they were actually heading west. Francisco Cabello won the day, local boy Chris Boardman was fourth, my man Abdoujoporov was 7th :)

So many great names there from my childhood, Indurain, Rominger, Museeuw, Yates, Kirsipuu, Pantani, Abdoujaporov, Jesper Skibby, Bo Hamburger, Jan Svorada, ahh the memories :)

When I lived in Belgium, we saw the prologue in Charleroi, and picked up other stages in 1975...Eddy was still wining back in those days and Van Impe was the perennial King of the Mountains...then a fan ran into the road and punched Eddy in the abdomen brusing his liver and he was never the same rider.
Living in Belgium and seeing bike racing...if you are a fan of the sport you need to see one or two classics...

I have seen a few - in 2000 and 2002 - and hope to see many more. A stage this year starts in Valreas, about 12 Km from here. I hope to go to the start there, then beat them to the Crest area and see them again.

I have a few 2002 pix on my Web site, and will post whatever I take from now on.

Cheers...Gary

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/masong4