So how about this Tour so far?

[McLovin]

how do you think it is compared with first part of any other tour since jean marie leblanc left?

 

[ManInFull]

how do you think it is compared with first part of any other tour since jean marie leblanc left?

It's been interesting. It seems that there has been a higher number of significant crashes in the first week compared to recent TdFs. The stage with the cobbles has likely caused larger gaps between the real GC contenders prior to any mountain stages. So, there's less of a chance that any of the real GC contenders will use defense as his primary strategy on Saturday's stage.

Will Cuddles be in yellow after Saturday's stage?

 

[Anonymous]

Better than last year so far. Heck, its better than last year's entire Tour already. Hopefully, we will see some more racing drama as we go along.

 

[McLovin]

Better than last year so far. Heck, it is already better than last year's entire Tour already.

almost true

 

[Thee_chisa]

jean marie had better time trials, such as a 100k ttt

or that may have been before him, 1989

 

[red_flanders]

Good stuff so far. We'll see how the middle mountain stage in the Jura is ridden--I've done the last climb, it's not that hard. I really liked the cobbles, they added huge interest.

I think it helps that Andy and Evans are ahead of Contador, that Contador doesn't look crazy strong yet, and that Armstrong looks better than last year.

Should be good.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well... let me put it this way; I've never watched the race on an, almost, daily basis so early on. Coz, well... flat stages... nothing really happens... not this time!
So much has happened already that I sometimes forget they've only ridden five stages + the prologue...

 

[Ryaguas]

Hey this Grand Boucle is going great EXCEPT for the crashes that left out Frank, Vande Velde and Txurruka w/o them the tour has lost a lot of spectacle... but besides that everything is going great... Today we had an amazing sprint and the Manxman getting his redemption crying in the podium... we could see two stages victories for Ale-jet having a great come back au Le grand Boucle! a great stage in Le pavé with and amazing Thor Hushovd wining the stage and an incredible TT done by Vino that hammer the gap that Spartacus made after the Frank's crash... this tour has already had his stories... besides the stage 2 finish that pi%/%d me off w/o sprint and the whole peloton kissing the ground in the descent of Col de stockeau TWICE! this TdF has been great and I can't wait for the multiples attacks in the Alps and the Pyrenees!

 

[Mellow Velo]

Some folks are very easily pleased.
Take out stage 3 and from Saturday to Saturday, what is left?

 

[alberto.legstrong]

Stage 3 was a heart stopper. I bash Lance with the best of 'em, but he did himself proud for a guy that age to be isolated and fighting that hard. If he would just stfu, he'd get more respect as a cyclist from cycling fans, not that he cares what we think when 50 million people wear a yellow wrist band.

Stage 2 was odd and anticlimactic and unfortunate for a lot of guys. The prologue was as interesting as a 5 mile TT could ever be.

The last 2 stages (apparently bc I am at work I havent see today's) are like paint drying/grass growing.

I'm shameless, so flame away. I am not going to lie. I am a shameless AC fan and if he isn't on the top step at the end, I will say it all sukked and wouldn't re-watch any of this.

 

[Michele]

Well... let me put it this way; I've never watched the race on an, almost, daily basis so early on. Coz, well... flat stages... nothing really happens... not this time!
So much has happened already that I sometimes forget they've only ridden five stages + the prologue...

I thought you were used to flat landscapes.

 

[scribe]

Some folks are very easily pleased.
Take out stage 3 and from Saturday to Saturday, what is left?

Cavendish throwing his helmet, Thor's latest tantrum about something that didn't go his way, and Armstrong still has several seconds on Contador.

 

[RedheadDane]

I thought you were used to flat landscapes.

Not watching people ride through them for 4 hours... besides; I got enough of the flatness at home...

 

[The Hitch]

i guess it shows just how awful previous tours have been that people think this one is good lets see.

proplogue- good
stage 1 very boring
stage 2 decent
stage 3 good
stage 4 very boring
stage 5 very boring

Also the giro was so good this seems crap by comparison.

to make future tours less boring they have to include cobbled or hilly stages in the first week.

though we will se in the mountains if this tour can be good.

 

[Barrus]

i guess it shows just how awful previous tours have been that people think this one is good lets see.

proplogue- good
stage 1 very boring
stage 2 decent
stage 3 good
stage 4 very boring
stage 5 very boring

Also the giro was so good this seems crap by comparison.

to make future tours less boring they have to include cobbled or hilly stages in the first week.

though we will se in the mountains if this tour can be good.

for me it was more stage 2 Good ... crap they're neutralizing it: boring

 

[The Hitch]

for me it was more stage 2 Good ... crap they're neutralizing it: boring

same for me. so i found a middle ground - decent

 

[Barrus]

same for me. so i found a middle ground - decent

The ending p1ssed me of too much for me to call it decent

 

[mastersracer]

time gaps due to flat tires is stupid - needs a 60km ITT like the good old days to open up time gaps in the first week. Would be looking forward to next week more if the Alps stages had some more teeth.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well... even though stage 4 and 5 were kinda boring compared to the hectic start (I think the riders kinda liked that...) they still did have some exitement; the sprints! Last year it was just Sprint = Cavendish = Meeh...
Also have to give credit for the Spanish champion... that's what I call fighting!

 

[Thee_chisa]

i guess it shows just how awful previous tours have been that people think this one is good lets see.

proplogue- good
stage 1 very boring
stage 2 decent
stage 3 good
stage 4 very boring
stage 5 very boring

Also the giro was so good this seems crap by comparison.

to make future tours less boring they have to include cobbled or hilly stages in the first week.

though we will se in the mountains if this tour can be good.

good rating. apart from the pave this hasn't been a good first week, would have been better if stage 2 was contested - which was not "decent" but "rubbish", but still better than usual

 

[ferryman]

good rating. apart from the pave this hasn't been a good first week, would have been better if stage 2 was contested - which was not "decent" but "rubbish", but still better than usual

Stage 2 was a joke. Who wants to see cycling on ice.

 

[Rooboy]

From my point of view the organisers have set it up just right. They were incredibly unlucky (oil?) and stupid with what happened on stage 2. There should have been a sprint.

I really have to ask how it could have been done better (excluding the stage 2 fabio fiasco)? The pave played out as it should. A GC guy went down (and imo through his own fault) and a few others lost time because they weren't at the front (or rode the gutters). Did anyone expect it to play out differently? As many have said it was the most exciting stage they have seen for a while.

As for stages 4 and 5 - who doesn't like to see a good bunch sprint? (occasionally). There is no way the GC guys can battle everyday over 3 weeks.

 

[Cobblestones]

Tedium of first week is over. The usual drama of the sprinter divas, and some real drama on the cobbles. Then we got stage 2 which was a downer. Anyway, it will go up from here on.

 

[Archibald]

apart from the pave, it's all been rather dull despite the crashes
maybe because we were spoilt with such a fantastic Giro?
hopefully tomorrow starting to go uphill will make things interesting

 

[Ryaguas]

Well the attacking mode has been enabled... tomorrow we will see the result... watch out with Liquigas... I'm expecting a great attack tomorrow or maybe on sunday they need to close Basso's gap...