who's watching the TDF coverage?

B

Bwood

Bwood
If you can't spend part of the summer in France, the hi-def Versus coverage of the French countryside may be the next best thing. And it's shaping up to be in an interesting race as well (or maybe an interesting race amongst Team Astana riders?).

And if you were betting, will it be one, two, or three Astana riders on the podium at the end of the Tour?
 
originally posted by Bwood:
who's watching the TDF coverage?If you can't spend part of the summer in France, the hi-def Versus coverage of the French countryside may be the next best thing. And it's shaping up to be in an interesting race as well (or maybe an interesting race amongst Team Astana riders?).

And if you were betting, will it be one, two, or three Astana riders on the podium at the end of the Tour?
Click to expand...

I gave up cable after Arsenal was eliminated from the Champions League, so I haven't seen any of the stages until the TTT yesterday. Watching Lance, Levi, Kloden and Contador in tandem was thrilling. What a crazy all-star team. It'll be interesting to see how they sort it all out.

I sort of agree with the line of thought that Lance would convert all the haters if he finished off the podium and put Contador and at least one other teammate there. Like I said, it'll be interesting.

Friday will be the day.
 
Do you folks actually enjoy watching this stuff on television?

Is it just to follow the drama or is it also interesting to watch their cycling technique?

(This is a serious question because I can understand the former for all kinds of sports but cycling is one in particular where the technique seems so repetitive and less visually interesting than other sports).
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
Do you folks actually enjoy watching this stuff on television?

Is it just to follow the drama or is it also interesting to watch their cycling technique?

(This is a serious question because I can understand the former for all kinds of sports but cycling is one in particular where the technique seems so repetitive and less visually interesting than other sports).
Click to expand...

It's like watching tennis except interesting.
 
originally posted by VLM: It's like watching tennis except interesting.
Click to expand...

But what is interesting? On the micro-technique level?

In tennis you have difficult shots and drama over whether they will make the particular point.

I understand the larger drama of who will win the TDF but on the micro level are you really focusing on how they pedal up the hill?
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by VLM: It's like watching tennis except interesting.
Click to expand...

But what is interesting? On the micro-technique level?

In tennis you have difficult shots and drama over whether they will make the particular point.

I understand the larger drama of who will win the TDF but on the micro level are you really focusing on how they pedal up the hill?
Click to expand...

As the TTT showed, a momentary lapse in concentration can make everything unravel.

They make it look so easy, but to put in in perspective you are closer to Kobe as a basketball player than you are to Lance or Contador as a cyclist.
 
That's 'cos he's black? Racist hick.

Y'know, I was just watching Generation Kill and you remind me of Person, just not as funny.
 
originally posted by VLM: As the TTT showed, a momentary lapse in concentration can make everything unravel.

They make it look so easy, but to put in in perspective you are closer to Kobe as a basketball player than you are to Lance or Contador as a cyclist.
Click to expand...

I never said anything about it being easy, I realize that cycling up just one of those hills would devastate me. I was just wondering how interesting it was to watch their technique, but I guess (as always) it just depends on who is doing the watching.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by VLM: As the TTT showed, a momentary lapse in concentration can make everything unravel.

They make it look so easy, but to put in in perspective you are closer to Kobe as a basketball player than you are to Lance or Contador as a cyclist.
Click to expand...

I never said anything about it being easy, I realize that cycling up just one of those hills would devastate me. I was just wondering how interesting it was to watch their technique, but I guess (as always) it just depends on who is doing the watching.
Click to expand...

It's probably like when you watch Federer. You see the shot, you can understand where it comes from, but you could never do it yourself.

There is also a Masters side to it, just watching the beautiful countryside go by.

I don't really watch the flat stages, but the TTs and the mountain stages are awesome.
 
That's because you like watching people suffer.

Professional cycling has to be (maybe with boxing) the most masochistic sport in the world.
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
That's because you like watching people suffer.

Professional cycling has to be (maybe with boxing) the most masochistic sport in the world.
Click to expand...

Far and away. At least with boxing you get to hurt someone else.

I'm just in awe.

There is strategy there, too.
 
I generally watch the last twenty minutes of the flat stages if I am around and not busy, watched the last 5 teams in the TTT yesterday, and do watch a decent portion of the toughest mountain stages, which generally determine who wins the GC. The commentators are good and the scenery, which is now in hi-def, is great, especially if you are wishing you were spending July in France. The tactics are more interesting than a casual observer might think.
 
Did we come to the conclusion that watching sports one doesn't enjoy can be boring? Can we move on?

Typically I don't watch until the mountain stages really gear up.
 
Rahsaan - I don't really watch much but it's the tactics rather than individual cycling technique that's interesting to the geek fans.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by VLM: As the TTT showed, a momentary lapse in concentration can make everything unravel.

They make it look so easy, but to put in in perspective you are closer to Kobe as a basketball player than you are to Lance or Contador as a cyclist.
Click to expand...

I never said anything about it being easy, I realize that cycling up just one of those hills would devastate me. I was just wondering how interesting it was to watch their technique, but I guess (as always) it just depends on who is doing the watching.
Click to expand...

Interesting perspective depending, once again, on your point of view.

Devastation, indeed!
 
Today I biked from CSW to my apt on 217th street... barely.
With a load of Loire goodies on my back.
Those guys on the TDF are total studs.
I need some steroids for "backside" recovery alone. Ouch!
 
originally posted by Don Rice:
Today I biked from CSW to my apt on 217th street... barely.
With a load of Loire goodies on my back.
Those guys on the TDF are total studs.
I need some steroids for "backside" recovery alone. Ouch!
Click to expand...

I hear ya, Don. I shoveled ~500 lb of mulch into our (small) backyard after weeding the sucker. A bath, an ibuprofen and a half bottle of a Campuget Syrah with dinner and I still need a cortisone shot if I'm gonna walk tomorrow.

Mark Lipton
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top