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Any other Tour de France afficianados on TMO??

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Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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July is one of my favorite months of the year since Le Tour de France is on for 3 weeks of insane racing, unreal endurance and tactics that rival every other competitive sport. Growing up in Germany in the 60s ( dad was in the Air Force ) it is also fun for me to see various parts of France and other Countries the Tour competes in. This year has been stellar, as always, and the last minute wins with some surprises has kept many around the World entranced. I often wonder how many TMO members in Europe get to watch portions of this " King " of all Bicycle races? Just wondering if we have other fans on this site and if folks are enjoying this year's Tour as much as I am?
 
I am more into riding than watching races but the family and I do enjoy Le Tour. Poor Daniel Oss! I’m bummed Sagan no longer has the legs to put on the show he used to, that guy was so exciting.

When I dropped my GT500 off at Palm Beach Dyno last month for a build, I amused the staff by pulling my bike out of the trunk for the 30mi ride home. 🚴🏼‍♂️
 
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I never got into bike racing, but I did get into serious bike riding when I was young (before cars came into the picture) Back then the rage was "stingray" bikes with banana seats, monkey handle bars and big knobby rear tires........if you had a 3 speed and hand brakes you were REALLY cruisin!!!! From there I moved on to a full size 3 speed bike that I added the 10 spd style handlebars to. I put a lot of miles on that bike and you could tell by looking at the muscles in my legs!. After saving up money mowing lawns, painting rooms, shoveling tons of snow and whatever else I could do I bought my brand new 27" big frame 10 speed bike in 1972!!!!!!!!!!!!.......I still have it in the cellar to this day! Thousands of miles went on that bike, for sure! I tore that bike apart and over hauled it, trying to fix a squeak that deviloped as I pedaled, but I never could fix that....It drove me crazy over the years(that explains that). I was thinking about taking it out of moth balls but my doc advised against that idea......He said my balance isn't what it used to be..............I didn't mention I had a Boss 302 in my garage.....my balance is OK to enjoy that, thank you...;);););)
 

Dave_W

Cones - not just for ice cream
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Connecticut
I still try to watch Le Tour every year, plus catch highlights of the other big races. NBC Sports had been really good on cycling coverage the past several years, but not so much this year. Since they shut down NBCSN they're pushing the Peacock pay-for-streaming by not broadcasting as much on the cable channels they still have. Do they really need to show endless reruns of Law & Order: Another Spinoff on USA and SharkTank on CNBC instead of the 8pm TdF highlight show like in past years? Also not liking the moto commentator this year as much as Adam Blythe last year or Porino in previous years. Still a big fan of Liggett & Bobke.

I think this Ross Barracuda GT is what I had in the late '60's and early '70's. It was pretty cool, except for the questionable placement of the shifter when sliding off the seat after a hard landing / crash when jumping a ramp with the other neighborhood kids.
RossBarracudaGT.jpg

Used grass-cutting & birthday money to help buy a nice Motobecane 10-speed when I was about 14. Still have it in the barn. Rode pretty much every day when I was in high school, and had a set of rollers for winter. Never got into racing, the riding tapered off in college, and I was down to just the occasional 1-2 hour weekend ride after college - too many other activities going on. Haven't ridden in probably 30 years now, and I look like it, unfortunately.
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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Totally agree Dave, Robbie ( announcer on the motorcycle ) is just not much of an asset and they need to go back to Porino or someone else next year. Glad to see Woet doing so well, but after Mark Cavendish's epic Green Jersey run last year I was really shocked he was not included this year. Hopefully Quick Step will review this for next year or he will get picked up by another Team for 2023. Folks wrote him off before and I have to believe he wants to break Mercks's record that he is currently tied with and he should get that chance. I never had a Sting Ray, I had a big AMF Skyrider Roadmaster with a huge sprocket that I threw all over Motocross tracks in Germany. Got it back in the States and rode it for years with not issues but apparently those hills and dales had and effect because doing a jump in my front yard found the frame exploding when I hit the ground. Luckily the initial diagnoses was incorrect as I was able to have children, ha!
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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No one who enjoys Sports of all kinds could not be impressed with the run today of Vingegaard and Pogacar , because it was the supreme example of Sportmanship we all try to teach our children and others. After Pogacar fell on the final descent the Yellow Jersey leader, Vingegaard, slowed and waited for Pogacar , his main adversary, to catch up. Showing Biking courtesy of not taking advantage of a fellow competitor after a crash/fall, Vingegaard waited even while leading. Once Pogacar caught the Leader he offered his hand and the two shook hands, showing mutual respect and regard. After Vingegaard took off towards the Summit, capping another minute lead over Pogacar it was so cool to see the first rider to congratulate Jonas on the Stage win was Pogacar ----- best Stage to visually explain what true Sportsmanship is like regardless of your sporting endeavor. I was blown away and I will make sure to show the taping to my 6 year old grandson as how we should all act when competing yet so few do.
 

Dave_W

Cones - not just for ice cream
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That type of sportsmanship has been a mainstay of TDF, and one of the reasons I like it so much. I remember a number of years back on a mountain stage, the yellow jersey had his chain come off the sprockets, and one of the other overall contenders saw that and chose that moment to make a big attack. The announcers were apoplectic that he would do that and berated him for the rest of the stage and into the next day.

OTOH, one of the classic lines from Grand Prix is from the veteran driver, and goes something like, "When I see a crash, a really bad one, I put my right foot down hard, because I know at that moment everyone else is lifting theirs."

On a slightly different note, the US contingent is doing really well this year - 3 riders in the top 20 and Jorgenson in 21st. They were mentioning today that Quinn Simmons may get the overall most agressive rider award in Paris.
 
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