Well following my own advice I'm pressing the OFF button on the "why watch something if it irritates you?" spin-off.
I'm still liking the TV coverage, commentary and all.
It's noticeable, to me anyway, how much time the riders spend either swerving to avoid sunken grids and manholes, or alerting those behind of their presence.
Is this because our roads are, in general, worse for this sort of thing or that The Tour de France "circus" uses roads which are manicured just for the Tour?
The Tour of Britain, I think refreshingly, uses small lanes that I can relate to, rather than just hammering down pristine A-roads.
I'm not sure some of the Pros, from warmer climes (and warmer climbs), appreciate it in the same way I do. Maybe you just develop a taste for cold, gritty water in the face after a few years of Audaxing. Shap in the wind and rain....what's the Spanish for "Chapped Legs" ?