Thursday, July 17, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Dopers suck
But Versus sure doesn't mind using the dopers as promo fodder. I really like Jonathan Vaughters commentary on what it feels like to crash - strip to your underwear and jump out of a car. But once again the riders that Versus says suck are featured.
If you think they ruined the sport don't use them in the promos.
If you think they ruined the sport don't use them in the promos.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Twice as nice
Two American teams in the tour. I find that amazing. But not as amazing as seeing both the American teams 1 and 2 at the top of the team category. Both Columbia Sportswear and Garmin are great fits for cycling. I used to bike by their flagship store in Portland (there used to be a bike lane - have been then in 10 years) which is an awesome city for cyclists. Garmin GPS bicycle accessories are great for keeping track of your ride. I'm happy to see them step up and support these great teams.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Bobby Ewing or Bob Newhart
So I'm watching all the commericals during the show and at least once every 15 minutes they ask me to forget about the previous tours. This is a new tour - they say - we are starting from scratch.
I don't like it. I didn't like it when Bobby Ewing returned to Dallas and I still am not crazy to think all those episodes of Newhart were just a dream.
Accept the past and move on. This is a new tour and possibly the cleanest tour ever (so far anyway)but don't ask me to forget about the past. That was the Tour I was watching. Not a dream.
I don't like it. I didn't like it when Bobby Ewing returned to Dallas and I still am not crazy to think all those episodes of Newhart were just a dream.
Accept the past and move on. This is a new tour and possibly the cleanest tour ever (so far anyway)but don't ask me to forget about the past. That was the Tour I was watching. Not a dream.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Watching bicycle racing on TV
If you are going to watch the Tour on Television this year there are a few things you should know -
First of all to get the proper coverage the announcer should have a British accent. With all apologies to Bob Roll cycling just sounds better with an accent. Plus I think they make up some terms to discribe the conditions of the race.
Second, there will be terms or descriptions that are unique to bicycle racing. It can take you a while to figure those out but a good resouce is http://members.tripod.com/geert_pc/slang.htm
It will help you determine who is in the peleton and who may be in a chase group.
Third you should always watch the race live. The replays just show the exciting parts and the accidents - why would you watch just for that?
First of all to get the proper coverage the announcer should have a British accent. With all apologies to Bob Roll cycling just sounds better with an accent. Plus I think they make up some terms to discribe the conditions of the race.
Second, there will be terms or descriptions that are unique to bicycle racing. It can take you a while to figure those out but a good resouce is http://members.tripod.com/geert_pc/slang.htm
It will help you determine who is in the peleton and who may be in a chase group.
Third you should always watch the race live. The replays just show the exciting parts and the accidents - why would you watch just for that?
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Its a race
Bicycle racing can be confusing to some. But the Tour is pretty simple. You are racing to get to Paris in the least amount of time. The rider who gets to the finish line fastest wins the race.
The Tour is made up of several smaller races - 21 this year - and the times of these races are added to get the overall time. The smaller races are called stages.
Each stage has its own characteristic.
10 flat stages,
5 mountain stages,
4 medium mountain stages,
2 individual time-trial stages.
The riders work as a team with a designated leader. Usually the team leader is the one they want to get over the finish line first. But that is not always the case and the team will work for the rider who is doing best.
On the flat stages the team works to get the group or "peleton" together and often ends with a mass sprint at the finish line.
On the mountain stages the team works as a group to pull their leader over the summits so they are "rested" to race for the finish lines.
The individual time-trial is man against the clock.
This year the Tour organizers has made a few changes that should help keep the race simple.
The best is the elimination of time bonuses for stage winners. In the past few years if you finished in the top 10 or so per stage you would get an extra second or two taken way from your time. This year's race has no time bonuses so it will be the true race time that wins.
The Tour is made up of several smaller races - 21 this year - and the times of these races are added to get the overall time. The smaller races are called stages.
Each stage has its own characteristic.
10 flat stages,
5 mountain stages,
4 medium mountain stages,
2 individual time-trial stages.
The riders work as a team with a designated leader. Usually the team leader is the one they want to get over the finish line first. But that is not always the case and the team will work for the rider who is doing best.
On the flat stages the team works to get the group or "peleton" together and often ends with a mass sprint at the finish line.
On the mountain stages the team works as a group to pull their leader over the summits so they are "rested" to race for the finish lines.
The individual time-trial is man against the clock.
This year the Tour organizers has made a few changes that should help keep the race simple.
The best is the elimination of time bonuses for stage winners. In the past few years if you finished in the top 10 or so per stage you would get an extra second or two taken way from your time. This year's race has no time bonuses so it will be the true race time that wins.
Monday, June 30, 2008
No Returns
Alberto Contador will not be riding in this years tour.
His team - Astana - was banned from competition due to a postive doping test in the 2007 Tour by Alexander Vinokourov, the team leader.
In the past year the team has replaced the team director with Johan Bruyneel, former director of the Discovery Channel Cycling Team, who cleaned house of former riders and hired several former Discovery Riders including Contador.
Last year several of my cycling friends boycotted watching the race due to the doping alligations. This year they plan on watching. Why - perhaps its because of the stance the Tour is taking with teams associated with drug use. Bruyneel and Contador are trying to clean up Astana, but unfortunately that are starting with a name that has a history. And that history should keep them from racing this year.
His team - Astana - was banned from competition due to a postive doping test in the 2007 Tour by Alexander Vinokourov, the team leader.
In the past year the team has replaced the team director with Johan Bruyneel, former director of the Discovery Channel Cycling Team, who cleaned house of former riders and hired several former Discovery Riders including Contador.
Last year several of my cycling friends boycotted watching the race due to the doping alligations. This year they plan on watching. Why - perhaps its because of the stance the Tour is taking with teams associated with drug use. Bruyneel and Contador are trying to clean up Astana, but unfortunately that are starting with a name that has a history. And that history should keep them from racing this year.
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