Author Topic: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread  (Read 44370 times)

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #300 on: 28 July, 2008, 03:23:56 pm »
Not really much negative behaviour just that he didn't ever go out and try and win it was more he was hoping for the others to loose. Not all his fault his team didn't help him in the mountains whereas CSC were brilliant.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #301 on: 28 July, 2008, 03:32:51 pm »
Not to roll in the muck, but what's all this negative behavior by Evans that people are talking about? I hadn't heard anything.

It wasn't just his constant wheel-sucking:-

Carlos Sastre claims victory as Cadel Evans loses nerve - Times Online

"
While the spiritual Sastre, a man happy to talk at length about religion and philosophy, kept his cool, Evans lost his, head-butting TV cameras, threatening to cut the head off those who came too close to his dog and developing a deep-seated attachment to the stuffed lion he had won earlier in the Tour when wearing the race leader's yellow jersey.
"

Headbutt camera: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/qrpL6BA6PBQ&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/qrpL6BA6PBQ&rel=1</a>

"I'll cut your head off!": <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/-fe79ZuDKfk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/-fe79ZuDKfk&rel=1</a>

Genius.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Chris S

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #302 on: 28 July, 2008, 03:55:38 pm »
I can sympathise. I get some miserable moments on a simple 200 audax.

String 21 of them together, including two mountain ranges, and I can see a lot of scope for being a miserable bugger.

Any of them still capable of anything remotely close to a smile are true heroes as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure under the circumstances, I'd be inclined to headbutt any camera that was shoved in my face - and would definitely be ready to fill in the face of some f*ckw*t journo who tries to prod my injured shoulder.

alchemy

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #303 on: 29 July, 2008, 12:51:30 am »
I can sympathise. I get some miserable moments on a simple 200 audax.

String 21 of them together, including two mountain ranges, and I can see a lot of scope for being a miserable bugger.

Any of them still capable of anything remotely close to a smile are true heroes as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure under the circumstances, I'd be inclined to headbutt any camera that was shoved in my face - and would definitely be ready to fill in the face of some f*ckw*t journo who tries to prod my injured shoulder.


Indeed. I'm sure it must be irritating to say the least when you get asked the same sorts of inane questions that the journos kept asking day after day.

In all of the interviews I saw, Evans always seemed friendly and willing to honestly answer the questions that he was asked, especially considering the pressure he was under and the amount of attention he was getting. It can't be easy to cope with that if you're not someone who is comfortable being in the spotlight.

But I do think he was out of order when he hit that policeman on the motorbike, and he should have smiled a little bit when he was on the podium.

But in the end, the better man won, and Evans acknowledged that. Which is more than Lance Armstrong would have done It was still the best tour for years   :thumbsup: :)

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #304 on: 29 July, 2008, 01:47:35 pm »
...String 21 of them together, including two mountain ranges, and I can see a lot of scope for being a miserable bugger....

So how come there was only one miserable bugger in the peloton ?  :)

I was so glad to see Sastre win. As others have said, Evans has shown zero attacking verve (either this year or any previous TDF) or anything that makes me want to sympathise with him or egg him on. Again, as abovementioned, his behaviour on this TDF was a disgrace. Unacceptably short-tempered and rude! As a professional (well paid) cyclist I would expect him to deal with the media in a better way.

Sastre is the perfect counterbalance. Quiet, unassuming, respectful of the race he has won and the efforts of his team that clinched it for him. I am no big fan of Riis but I really admired the way CSC worked this year.

...

As an aside, my wife usually humours me and endures three weeks of the TDF each year, spending most evenings dozing through the highlights programme. At the start of this year she decided to support Evans, for no particular reason. However after a few days, she had really turned against him ("He's horrible!") and as a result spent both the Alpe d'Huez and final TT stages on the edge of her seat, rooting for Sastre - what a turnaround!  ;D
Let your mind unravel ... down that road you're travellin' ...

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #305 on: 29 July, 2008, 02:20:07 pm »
...String 21 of them together, including two mountain ranges, and I can see a lot of scope for being a miserable bugger....

So how come there was only one miserable bugger in the peloton ?  :)

Cavendish wasn't always a ray of sunshine.

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #306 on: 29 July, 2008, 02:23:34 pm »
There were about 170 guys who were never interviewed, and were denied the chance to reveal their true miserableness. :)
scottclark.photoshelter.com

alchemy

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #307 on: 29 July, 2008, 02:28:28 pm »
There were about 170 guys who were never interviewed, and were denied the chance to reveal their true miserableness. :)


 ;D ;D ;D



David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #308 on: 29 July, 2008, 02:31:39 pm »
...String 21 of them together, including two mountain ranges, and I can see a lot of scope for being a miserable bugger....

So how come there was only one miserable bugger in the peloton ?  :)

Cavendish wasn't always a ray of sunshine.

Grabbing someone right after the stage is always going to be problematic. Cav seemed to have at least learned some lessons in media management - he was to a degree arrogant, but never missed an opportunity to big up the team and their contribution. Compare and contrast with Evans.

Seeing Hincapie and one other Columbia rider rolling over the line a minute after the sprint, absolutely wasted but seeing the result on the ticker board and high fiving each other, that tells you the opinion they hold of Cav. No evidence of that from the Lotto boys, whose team leader sometimes stayed in a different hotel.

The difference is that CSC and Columbia put together teams. Lotto had a bunch of riders wearing the same shirt.

..d
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #309 on: 29 July, 2008, 02:41:38 pm »

I was glad to see that Sylvain Chavanel won the overall "combativity" award--despite all the GC drama, I usually enjoy the nutcase breakaway specialists most of all, and Chavanel was fun to watch this year. It was really satisfying when he finally won a stage after all those tries. Some of the last-second-catches in the early stages (his and others') were really painful.
scottclark.photoshelter.com

Re: The Tour de France watershed Spoiler thread
« Reply #310 on: 01 August, 2008, 02:11:45 pm »
YEEEEESSSS!!

I know I'm a week late but I've been 5000 metres up in the himalayas.  thank god someone with a bit of panache won.  Well deserved.