giro d'italia

[The Hitch]

..............but were there for the publicity caravan and it's free handouts[/B].

free handouts? what is that?

 

[El Pistolero]

free handouts? what is that?

Stuff you pay taxes for.

 

[Mellow Velo]

But the publicity caravan passes about 2 hours before the race itself. That's a lot of time to be gnawing on a cheese sample.

Hey, don't shot the messenger. Blame the dodgy French press.
Besides, IME, the caravan turns up about an hour before the race.

free handouts? what is that?

Cheap tat chucked out from the various sponsors.
You get to see a lot of middle aged Frenchies fighting over key rings, kiss me quick Skoda hats, single tablets of chocolate or cheese.
A truly ugly spectacle!

 

[Mellow Velo]

Right, slap my wrist, I have found a newer survey. OK, it's from the ASO, but the figure is closer to two-fifths:
http://www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/COURSE/us/caravane_publicitaire.html

 

[roundabout]

I had a brief look at Vuelta and Giro websites and the Tour is the only one that has a time schedule for the publicity caravan. I sense an opportunity beeing wasted by the good people of Parmigiano Reggiano.

 

[dabaideschbi]

when i started this thread i didnt want to say that the giro its better than the tour. i like both of them. I am just saying that giro 's routes are spectacular most of times, senor contador said that you cant find the same people watching the race when the tour reach the alpe d'huez and the giro reaches the zoncolan! it is completely false ! you will always find a lot of people at the giro! the zoncolan this year was full! it was amazing! at the vuelta there are not a lot of people near the streets when the cyclists are passing! it is quite sad watching that on tv. Italian mountains in my opinion are more spectacular!

 

[staubsauger]

last time i have seen a better tour than giro was in 2007. since then, even this year when the quality of the riders wasn't as high as in 08 and 09, the giro was much harder and better in a sportif way than the tour.

the tdf isn't the number one gt anymore. it's just still that way for the media.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Look the reason we are telling you how many people there were on the Zoncolan, Kronplatz, in Amsterdam, is because you made the following remark

You said there are less than 700 000 people at the whole Giro, so we show you proof that there were several stages at the Giro with more fans than any tour stage.

Wow! Wow! Hold on now cowboy! You showed me "proof"? What "proof"? Your mean your comment full of "they said" and "they had" always accompanied with a "alledged"? Is this what you call proof? You mean the video you posted along with the "proof"? Are you kidding me? Are you basing your entire opinion on your perception of how many people show up on that stage? On "they saids" and "they hads"? Are you friggin kidding me?

As for the argument about which one is more popular, that is something completely different. But if you post wrong assumptions dont be surprised when they come into contact with hard evidence.

Amazing how you call the video and the "they said" / "they had (alledgedly)" as "hard evidence". Some case you've got there. I desist Your Honor.

Did you even bother checking the Tourmalet 2010 stage? And I'm talking about the entire stage, from bottom to top.

I understand seeing all those people atop of the Zoncolan looks like a helluva lot of people, but I guarantee you that in that little section of the Zoncolan, the one right after the tunnels, there weren't even 30,000 people. Looks like a lot because they're all over the mountain side, but in reality there aren't that many people.

Furthermore, there's a hell of a lot of retirees and Giro workers/volunteers on that photograph (the ones holding hands).

 

[Señor_Contador]

[...]the tdf isn't the number one gt anymore. it's just still that way for the media.

I guess the best cyclists in the best teams wanting to compete in the Tour de France is just the media too.

Oh dear.

 

[Barrus]

Furthermore, there's a hell of a lot of retirees and Giro workers/volunteers on that photograph (the ones holding hands).

Wait, retirees nowadays don't count as spectators anymore?

Also the Giro workers, I am happy they were there, is a hell of a lot better than what happened at mountain tops in France, where people were way too much in the way of the riders

 

[Mellow Velo]

So, Señor_Contador, how do you go about counting a million people?
It was reported as an estimate, just as figures for the Alpe or Ventoux are, throughout the stage, by Eurosport.
Retirees? Yes, they tend to be available in May.
In July, the place gets too full of tourists and children.

Have to say that your last post to The Hitch reads like the average fanboy defence of Armstrong.

@dabaideschbi: Yes, I know what you are saying and I agree. The Giro is able to select from such a variety of spectacular parcour.
In terms of mountains, the have the most stunning range in Western Europe, with the Dolomites. Then there is the Alps, Apennines, Apuan Alps, a host of smaller ranges, plus a couple of volcanoes!

 

[Climbing]

I don't understad, the numbers of Giro are bull**** and the number of TdF are bulletproof?
Well, I think Tourmalet stage counted for at most 15.000 fans.
Prove me wrong.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Wait, retirees nowadays don't count as spectators anymore?

As much as the people that only show up at the TdF stages because of the caravan handouts.

Cycling is secondary.

Also the Giro workers, I am happy they were there, is a hell of a lot better than what happened at mountain tops in France, where people were way too much in the way of the riders

Well, riders seem to like it. Most say they serve two purposes: 1) they block the wind and 2) give you a mild adrenaline rush.

 

[Señor_Contador]

I don't understad, the numbers of Giro are bull**** and the number of TdF are bulletproof?
Well, I think Tourmalet stage counted for at most 15.000 fans.
Prove me wrong.

Note that I'm not giving you a # when it comes to the Tourmalet stage. This was brought up by someone else and I just ran with it.

I've watched the Giro 2010 Zoncolan stage and I pretty sure there aren't even 100,000 people on that mountain.

 

[Señor_Contador]

So, Señor_Contador, how do you go about counting a million people?
It was reported as an estimate, just as figures for the Alpe or Ventoux are, throughout the stage, by Eurosport.
Retirees? Yes, they tend to be available in May.
In July, the place gets too full of tourists and children.

Have to say that your last post to The Hitch reads like the average fanboy defence of Armstrong.

@dabaideschbi: Yes, I know what you are saying and I agree. The Giro is able to select from such a variety of spectacular parcour.
In terms of mountains, the have the most stunning range in Western Europe, with the Dolomites. Then there is the Alps, Apennines, Apuan Alps, a host of smaller ranges, plus a couple of volcanoes!

Me? An Armstrong fan?

Come on now!

 

[The Hitch]

I've watched the Giro 2010 Zoncolan stage and I pretty sure there aren't even 100,000 people on that mountain.

If you say so

Me? An Armstrong fan?

Come on now!

He said your response reads like that of an armstrong fan. Its a simile. In other words he is saying that your response is either as bad or (less likely ) as good as the standard of post by Armstrong fan boys on this forum.

Well, riders seem to like it. Most say they serve two purposes: 1) they block the wind and 2) give you a mild adrenaline rush.

Something tells me every single one of those cyclists got a huge adrelaline rush when, upon leaving the tunnel, they were greeted by thousands of fans, who were screaming, banging drums, cheering, like the mongol hordes upon enterance into a doomed city. (theres another simile for you )

I don't understad, the numbers of Giro are bull**** and the number of TdF are bulletproof?
Well, I think Tourmalet stage counted for at most 15.000 fans.
Prove me wrong.

All i saw was 2. The one who taunted Contador (or was it Schleck) and the little guy in the Barca shirt who run alongside for about 30 seconds.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I've watched the Giro 2010 Zoncolan stage and I pretty sure there aren't even 100,000 people on that mountain.

I'm pretty sure you can't count heads on a mountain:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=8274

Their article's estimate? 750,000 or three quarters of a million if you like.

See if you can find evidence that says the figure was estimated at < 100,000.

 

[Señor_Contador]

I'm pretty sure you can't count heads on a mountain:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=8274

Their article's estimate? 750,000 or three quarters of a million if you like.

See if you can find evidence that says the figure was estimated at < 100,000.

Look, I'm not going to spoon-feed you just because you're playing dumb... ok?

This is an estimate of 100,000 people at an Obama rally in St Louis (confirmed by the Obama campaign):

If you're telling me that there's 750,000 people in the picture below these lines (including the ones down the climb, from kilometer 0) then... I'm sorry but you need your eyes checked out.

And believe me, there are sections of the 2010 Zoncolan climbs with hardly ANY people on the side of the road (check the video if you do not believe me).

If you can't tell the difference then... what can I possibly say to you?

 

[sagard]

The Tour is the most popular among the masses and sponsors. Guys like Alberto and Lance will always plan their season around the event. Some years it will be exciting like '03 and '10, but most years they will just dominate. I'm hoping Alberto breaks from the Armstrong mold and actually tries to compete in some major races in addition the tour, but I'm not holding my breath.

As for entertainment, I like the Giro or the Vuelta mostly because you really don't know who the best man will be going into the race.

 

[Parrulo]

The Tour is the most popular among the masses and sponsors. Guys like Alberto and Lance will always plan their season around the event. Some years it will be exciting like '03 and '10, but most years they will just dominate. I'm hoping Alberto breaks from the Armstrong mold and actually tries to compete in some major races in addition the tour, but I'm not holding my breath.

As for entertainment, I like the Giro or the Vuelta mostly because you really don't know who the best man will be going into the race.

you should look at contador's wins this year and in the last few years. he is far from molding his season around the tour. in fact he raced/won so much this year before the tour that arguable it almost costed him the win.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Those wide angle lenses, huh? :roll:
Photographic evidence of the size of the Alpe D'Huez crowds:

 

[icefire]

you should look at contador's wins this year and in the last few years. he is far from molding his season around the tour. in fact he raced/won so much this year before the tour that arguable it almost costed him the win.

No one doubts Contador molded his 2010 season around the Tour. I doubt the reason he wasn't at his best in July was his racing season. He made the choice to go for altitude training to the Sierra de Madrid after the Dauphiné just because it was close to home. The weather there in June is good enough for training (temperature around 15º C at 1800m). However, this season it was awfully cold and rainy. He skipped the ITT National Champ claiming a flu, raising suspicions that were discussed in the clinic at the time. Later on he said he had been taking antibiotics during the days leading to the Tour start. It isn't difficult to connect the dots: something went wrong with his health after the Dauphiné, whatever that might have been, and it had nothing to do with how many days and how hard he had raced earlier in the season.