Author Topic: Tour de France 2012  (Read 143063 times)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #925 on: 21 July, 2012, 10:59:21 pm »
Just speculating from a Basil-like position; this year we've seen a good deal of tension between Evans and Van Garderen, first as VG had to be restrained from riding away from Evans in the Alps (or was it the Jura?) then when he didn't stop for Evans' puncture in the Pyrenees, and today when he smashed him in the TT. Clearly VG won't be supporting Evans next year. We've also seen Froome have to wait in the mountains for Wiggins and there was the contentious though possibly mis-translated interview. So if Froome is expected to ride in support of Wiggins next year perhaps we'll see a VG vs Evans situation in Sky? That could be exciting but not good for British jerseys.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #926 on: 21 July, 2012, 11:16:24 pm »
Evans is too old to win again.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

gordon taylor

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #927 on: 21 July, 2012, 11:32:24 pm »
This TdF is awesome.
I'm watching, gobsmacked.
Dave Brailsford is a god.

98 years of pissing about and suddenly we're 1st and 2nd.

Good work from Sky too - clever management and investment.

This TdF is awesome!   :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Tour de France 2012
« Reply #928 on: 21 July, 2012, 11:33:07 pm »
The assumption seems to be that Froome will win the Tour regardless of which team he's on. This is far from certain. If he joins another team, it better be one that can offer him the same level of support as he gets at Sky, or he could just end up being the next David Moncoutie.

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #929 on: 21 July, 2012, 11:39:01 pm »
We're very glad we managed to have an extended rest from our tour (we're currently in Santa Barbara) to catch up with THE Tour. What a race! The Californian sun outside has been neglected for a few days!

gordon taylor

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #930 on: 21 July, 2012, 11:44:22 pm »
People that are close to me, who have previously considered cycling (in all its forms) to be naff, are now elbowing their way to the TV every night at 7pm and shrieking the names of Cav, Wiggins et al.

This is awesome!

fuzzy

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #931 on: 21 July, 2012, 11:56:21 pm »
Methinks there will be many an overloaded bandwagon doing the rounds in thr future ;D

LEE

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #932 on: 22 July, 2012, 12:30:52 am »
Stage 19 result:
1. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky 1:04'13"
2. Christopher Froome (GB) Team Sky @ 1'16"
3. Luis-Leon Sanchez (Spa) Rabobank @ 1'50"
4. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma @ 2'02"
5. Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky @ 2'25"

What was interesting here was that in the pre-race interview Peter Velits was coughing and clearing his throat, saying that he has been ill for a couple of days and will be glad just to get through the remaining two days. In the post-race interview he was clearly out of breath but still choking on phlegm and clearing his throat. I wonder what he could have managed if he was not ill. 3rd place perhaps? That was only 12 seconds outside his reach today.

I tried my hardest to care but I couldn't.  Sorry.

What I am dreaming about now is Cav winning in Paris.  If he does (which I just can't believe will happen, it would be too amazing) then I don't believe British cycling could ever get this good again.

British 1 & 2 on the Podium and Cav winning in Paris???  Could it really happen? The omens look good for the Olympics.

What a strange dichotomy, the French love and participation in cycling versus the general British apathy, and yet the British dominance in competition versus the French.......meh.  I mean 3 French winners in 45 years !!!  That's a fairly terrible return on what is considered a national sport.  Down there with England and Football.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #933 on: 22 July, 2012, 12:43:27 am »
Fair dos, Paul,  Those three winners did do it nine times between them, although it is still a meagre return as you say.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #934 on: 22 July, 2012, 12:56:04 am »
Even if Cav doesn't win the Champs Elysee sprint, yesterday's sprint win was incredible.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #935 on: 22 July, 2012, 07:17:09 am »
Methinks there will be many an overloaded bandwagon doing the rounds in thr future ;D
Aye, and a short period of boundless and, alas, unfulfilled, optimism about everyday cycling such as commuting.  Even Chris Boardman was at it on the ITV4 summary show last night.

However what it might have done is shown the impressionable/interested youngsters of 8 or 9 years and upwards that it is possible to be British and to be a world beating cyclist and that has got to be a good thing for the long term future of sport (if not everyday) related cycling.

BTW, as an everyday cyclist, I desperately want to believe that CB is right about cycling becoming normalised.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #936 on: 22 July, 2012, 09:38:22 am »
Just wondering to what extent people reckon winning the TdF is a team effort? 
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #937 on: 22 July, 2012, 09:44:40 am »
Just wondering to what extent people reckon winning the TdF is a team effort?

I imagine at least all the riders in the TdeF who weren't riding for SKY.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #938 on: 22 July, 2012, 09:55:22 am »
Methinks there will be many an overloaded bandwagon doing the rounds in thr future ;D
Aye, and a short period of boundless and, alas, unfulfilled, optimism about everyday cycling such as commuting.  Even Chris Boardman was at it on the ITV4 summary show last night.

However what it might have done is shown the impressionable/interested youngsters of 8 or 9 years and upwards that it is possible to be British and to be a world beating cyclist and that has got to be a good thing for the long term future of sport (if not everyday) related cycling.

BTW, as an everyday cyclist, I desperately want to believe that CB is right about cycling becoming normalised.

I'm not sure it requires belief as such, as unlike many schemes investing in social change, it appears that the new funding in the sport is being invested by those who understand the sport, and in parallel with investment in competitive cycling have been investments in inclusive grass-roots opportunities.  All of which benefits from the general resurgence in cycling, the increasing cycle route provision, investment in cycle training, the cycle to work scheme, the growing popularity of sportives and so on.  And unlike other sports, cycling has it's utilitarian aspect - having a tennis raquet or football doesn't help you if you need to get a pint of milk, so there's an obvious trickle-down.

I'm pleased for Halfords too, given their continued investment in the sport, i think their 'Tour de Francis' campaign has been well pitched - showing an ordinary bloke can take an ordinary bike and ride tour stages - and celebrating at the Champs Elysees suggests they must've had an eye for a British win.

It'll be interesting to see what happens today but given the team spirit and the lead out train (providing that train doesn't try leading out too soon again!) Cav must have a fantastic opportunity in front of crowds bolstered by thousands who've channel hopped, and then it's off to the Olympics, if Cav storms it today and they carry that energy into the Olympics then it will be huge, if they then blow everyone away at the Olympics then it'll go to another level - and then there's the trackies after that! 

But for me the best thing about watching Team Sky has been the commitment to team mates and teamwork (andyoxon - just re-watch the stages or listen to the interviews it is absolutely a team effort), same goes for likes of Chris Hoy, very modest and unassuming and very respectful of others in spite of his awesome strength - a great advert and a great example.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #939 on: 22 July, 2012, 09:59:04 am »

What a strange dichotomy, the French love and participation in cycling versus the general British apathy, and yet the British dominance in competition versus the French.......meh.  I mean 3 French winners in 45 years !!!  That's a fairly terrible return on what is considered a national sport.  Down there with England and Football.



But between them they've won 9 tours. You don't have to go much further back to include Aimar, Pingeon and Anquetil - and another 7 wins

Go back to 1903 and France have 36 victories - twice that of Belgium.

Same could be said for other historically strong cycling nations - Italy, Belgium, Holland - the last 20 years (Tour de France) being dominated by Spain and America.

We've been dreaming of a British winner since Tom Simpson's 60's and have been beaten to the podium by the Irish, Australians and Americans :(

The French haven't had a bad Tour this year with stage wins and KOM.

I've been waiting to celebrate a British win since I started cycling back in the 70's - chearing Hoban's stage wins when listening to the results on Phil Ligget's daily radio report - let's not put other nations down in the process ;)

edit - by dominance in competition you are of course referring to their national Tour (and possibly extended to the pro road circuit). If you include track, MTB, cyclo cross, BMX - the French as a nation are not doing too badly in the cycle sport world.

Link to UCI rankings

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #940 on: 22 July, 2012, 10:44:16 am »
The assumption seems to be that Froome will win the Tour regardless of which team he's on. This is far from certain. If he joins another team, it better be one that can offer him the same level of support as he gets at Sky, or he could just end up being the next David Moncoutie.

d.

+1. I'm surprised at the number of people commenting on various fora who don't realise this. If they ended up in teams with cr@p rider support, strategy, tactics or technology, any of the Sky team would be less than they are now (and if I were Sky I'd be thinking about signing up Van Garderen and Thibaut Pinot).
The journey is always more important than the destination

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #941 on: 22 July, 2012, 10:53:36 am »
Is it clever marketing by Sky not to be showing the cycling on television?

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #942 on: 22 July, 2012, 10:57:13 am »
Both Thibaut Pinot and Brad Wiggins pressed the stop button on the SRM computer as they crossed the line in yesterday's TT so perhaps TP has more of an 'Anglo'/Sky approach to cycling than some of his compatriots. inrng mentioned that Sky had been keeping an eye on him. 

Good news:  There will be an ITV4 camera in the Sky team car on today's stage.  Bad news: there will also be a James Murdoch.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #943 on: 22 July, 2012, 10:59:16 am »
Let's hope BSkyB don't outbid ITV for it next year.  With a surge in viewer numbers, Sky may well want it, although it's all generic coverage and they won't be able to bring in their own fancy $ky Sports camera angles.  Unlike a few football tournaments and Wimbledon*, the TdF is not one of the "crown jewels" that has to be shown on public TV in the UK.


*and, once, Test cricket, until Sky proved that money talks and bullshit walks.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

StuAff

  • Folding not boring
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #944 on: 22 July, 2012, 11:11:53 am »
The assumption seems to be that Froome will win the Tour regardless of which team he's on. This is far from certain. If he joins another team, it better be one that can offer him the same level of support as he gets at Sky, or he could just end up being the next David Moncoutie.

d.

+1. I'm surprised at the number of people commenting on various fora who don't realise this. If they ended up in teams with cr@p rider support, strategy, tactics or technology, any of the Sky team would be less than they are now (and if I were Sky I'd be thinking about signing up Van Garderen and Thibaut Pinot).

+another 1. This year was clearly going to be Brad's best shot at a win- between his training regime and the route being (more) favourable to his strengths, regardless of the opposition. That was the plan Sky had, and they executed it brilliantly. If Froome had tried to do his own thing and attacked Brad I can't imagine it would do much for his career prospects (putting it mildly) and it might have well cost both of them the podium. If Prudhomme et al do make next year favour the climbers to a greater extent, then Froome probably will be team leader with Wiggo as plan B. And there's still the Vuelta and Giro to consider!

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #945 on: 22 July, 2012, 11:39:49 am »
Let's hope BSkyB don't outbid ITV for it next year. 
That reminds me.

Thank you BBC for losing F1 and now showing only highlights for most races. Today the German GP highlights start after the TdF.  :thumbsup:

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #946 on: 22 July, 2012, 11:42:09 am »
Let's hope BSkyB don't outbid ITV for it next year. 
That reminds me.

Thank you BBC for losing F1 and now showing only highlights for most races. Today the German GP highlights start after the TdF.  :thumbsup:

Sky have a free weekend for their sports channels this weekend.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #947 on: 22 July, 2012, 11:52:10 am »
Does that mean anyone can watch them, ie from Freeview??

Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #948 on: 22 July, 2012, 12:16:55 pm »
No, just that if you're a Sky subscriber that doesn't have the Sky Sports pack, the channels are unlocked this weekend.

Although the standard HD pack already has Sky Sports F1 HD and Eurosport HD so I'm sorted anyway.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Tour de France 2012
« Reply #949 on: 22 July, 2012, 01:54:26 pm »
*and, once, Test cricket, until Sky proved that money talks and bullshit walks.

I've been watching some of the Eng v SA Test match this weekend, thanks to Sky Sports being free, and I realised how out of touch with cricket I now am. I used to be an avid follower and reasonably knowledgeable until Sky bought the rights...

If Sky want to buy cycling, they'll have to outbid not just ITV but Eurosport too - no point having it on Sky Sports when it's free to air on Eurosport. Not sure how they could tie up an exclusive deal in the way they've done with football and cricket.

Anyway, isn't part of the reason Sky back cycling precisely because it gives them loads of brand exposure on other channels?
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."