Tour de France?

[sunvalleylaw]

Anyone else like to watch it? I for several years was addicted. Last year's Floyd Landis scandal coming on top of all the other drug scandals slowed me down, but I do enjoy watching the riding. Anyone else?

[Robert]

I used to, but these days the drug scandals keep all the big names out. Not sure who's even in it anymore.

[Spudman]

I've only caught a little bit of it on the web. I'm too busy doing my own "Tour." July is 'make hay while the sun shines' month for this boy. I'm cranking away myself logging many road miles.

I really think those riders -drugged or not - are some of the best athletes on the planet. I have respect for every one of them.

So here is a question: why is it that everybody is down on the cyclists for using drugs? It doesn't cost us anything really. Look at rock stars. We pay lots of money to go see them play and they are many times drugged out themselves yet there doesn't seem to be any scandal there.

I think it's time for mandatory drug testing for all concert performers. We all need to write Ticketmaster an email telling them we won't attend any concerts they have unless the artists test free of drugs. And if they do test positive before the show then every concert goer gets double their money back.;)

[sunvalleylaw]

You do make a good point Spud. Like when the Americas Cup sailing race was bring whatever boat you could produce. Why not let them supplement to some degree under doctor's supervision. I don't know. sometimes I go back and forth on that, but sometimes I think what the heck! Armstrong coming back from his cancer and just nailing it all those years was fun to watch. My favorite moment (I can think of right now) was when he looked back at Jan Ullrich near the base of a climb and just put down the hammer.

Robert, there are still plenty of strong Dutch riders, (pardon the name spelling to follow) Rasmussen is fun to see, the swiss Cancellara, Vinikourov, a number of others, and the competition is still fun to watch. I had not started watching because I was discouraged about Floyd, but CBS had a recap on today and I am back hooked.

Spud, so you like to wait til it is just under 100 for your season! :eek: Come over here soon so we can ride some. Cooler up here. (a bit).

[Jimi75]

To be honest, after all the documentations on drug abuse and doping in this scene I lost a bit of interest.

If you have ever seen a live race, it will make you question how the human body can manage to stand such exposure. I attended an Etappe of a famous race here in Germany and it was unbelievable how fast and strong the racers were.

[Spudman]

Spud, so you like to wait til it is just under 100 for your season! :eek: Come over here soon so we can ride some. Cooler up here. (a bit).

I should do that, but I really like when it's 100 degrees and humid and the sun is beating down mercilessly. It's hard to get away from. It sort of feels like I'm on a stage with a low ceiling and there are 15 white par 64's pointed right at my back and if I turn around I'll sear my eyeballs.

There, my stage fantasy and Tour fantasy all rolled into one.:D

[333maxwell]

Anyone else like to watch it? I for several years was addicted. Last year's Floyd Landis scandal coming on top of all the other drug scandals slowed me down, but I do enjoy watching the riding. Anyone else?

I still have not came to a conclusion that Landis was doping..

And certainly Armstrong gave us the best years the event has ever known..

There is a degree of where Armstrongs athletic abilitys pizzed off enough people, that I have no doubt Landis could of been tampered with in a sort of 'see, what did we tell you about the Americans'.

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[333maxwell]

I've only caught a little bit of it on the web. I'm too busy doing my own "Tour." July is 'make hay while the sun shines' month for this boy. I'm cranking away myself logging many road miles.

I really think those riders -drugged or not - are some of the best athletes on the planet. I have respect for every one of them.

So here is a question: why is it that everybody is down on the cyclists for using drugs? It doesn't cost us anything really. Look at rock stars. We pay lots of money to go see them play and they are many times drugged out themselves yet there doesn't seem to be any scandal there.

I think it's time for mandatory drug testing for all concert performers. We all need to write Ticketmaster an email telling them we won't attend any concerts they have unless the artists test free of drugs. And if they do test positive before the show then every concert goer gets double their money back.;)

IN a like topic, I have often said Nascar and auto racing would be a lot more interesting, if everytime they did a lap, they had to slam a beer,, and the last guy still driving wins..

[sunvalleylaw]

Good point. Lab results are not nearly always correct or valid. The whole picture becomes very muddy. At a certain point, I just have to watch the incredible racing and ignore the rest. Heck, in the early days, riders would smoke a cig to get some nicotine in to "open up the lungs" to stimulate success. It is an amazing event. Other bike races are too. The cobble stone races in Belgium early in the year are cool to watch just to watch those guys pound away on such terrain.
I still have not came to a conclusion that Landis was doping..

And certainly Armstrong gave us the best years the event has ever known..

There is a degree of where Armstrongs athletic abilitys pizzed off enough people, that I have no doubt Landis could of been tampered with in a sort of 'see, what did we tell you about the Americans'.

_______________