Professional Cycling For the Fans - One Week Gone

Impressions of the first week?

1. This is the worst weather I've seen in a while.
2. Tour de Crash indeed.
3. I liked the inclusion of the pave.
4. Too many flat stages? I'd like to see more uphill sprints.

The uphill sprint finish today certainly helped "thin out" the peloton.

They need more of that on the flat stages, or need to keep the finish barricades wider, to help reduce the crash potential.

Thumbs up on the pave'

Yep, I loved the pavè too. It should be a requirement for every Tour from now on.

I think that the Tour is not going to win too many new viewers to the sport this year. I imagine that those potential viewers who don't understand the nuances of the sport will have tuned out by now. Anything to generate more interest or movement in the GC during this time period would help the casual viewer who can't appreciate the assault on the points jersey.

I disagree on the inclusion of the Pave. We saw what happened to Mayo, what if Armstrong, Ullrich or Hamilton had flatted in that first section and lost valuable time? I don't think we really want to see the GC decided by the random act of snake bitten tubes do we? Then again with the strength of their teams they may not have lost any time at all, but they certainly would have expended valuable energy. It's tough. The cobbles are part of the classic history of cycling, but do they have a legitimate role in a 3 week stage race?

The cobbles are part of the classic history of cycling, but do they have a legitimate role in a 3 week stage race?

Robbie McEwen said it best so far; "Well, the Tour has mountains - I'm disappointed in that, but, as a sprinter, I still have to ride over them just like everybody else."

Good point.

I think that the Tour is not going to win too many new viewers to the sport this year. I imagine that those potential viewers who don't understand the nuances of the sport will have tuned out by now.

That I agree with. This is the only reason I may be ok with Kirsten and Al at night. Newbies tuning into Phil and Paul only may quickly be confused and thus bored. After all, where's Lance and why did some guys with funny names finish 10 minutes in front of him? As much as I hate Al constantly talking about Lance, especially when Lance has no significance in the days stage, he serves a purpose by throwing out the name that people have tuned in to hear.

Armstrong made sense when he complained about the lack of a TT earlier, to define the favorites better. It just seems like a bunch of one-day races so far.

And I don't think I want to ride in it, anymore. Too dangerous :)

g'day,

Agree with most of the previous posts......it's been a bit 'ho hum' hasn't it?...we've learnt nothing about the 'main contenders', they are all still playing their cards close to their chest...just as well theres been afew bingles to lighten things up!......that & Thor
(us KG486 riders gotta stick together!),

cheers,

Hitchy