Tour de France: Prologue - Rotterdam - 8.9km

[theswordsman]

Well, they are playing for the US audience. Happens in golf with Tiger Woods. Even if Woods isn't anywhere in contention, he's the story each day.

Americans know Armstrong. They don't know (and don't care about) anyone else.

Woods is a different story because of entertaining shotmaking, along with all the media hype. If he can hit it from in the trees to near the pin, it's exciting to watch. On most days, GC riders sit in the peloton all day and finish there. Watching one guy isn't more entertaining than the fifty around him, and the camera is on the guys in the break most of the time.

If what you say about Armstrong is true, there was no point to follow cycling before he came back, and never will be again. That's really short-sighted for people who want viewers next year and beyond. They should be teaching the viewers about other riders, and why they're interesting. Just this week respected, mainstream media like Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, and WSJ, printed unfavorable articles about Armstrong, including stuff about his abuse of Contador a year ago. There's no way LA finishes the Tour with more fans than he had today, because people are waking up. Go ahead and appease his fan base, but don't ram it down people's throats, or cover things up. Educate viewers about the nuances of the sport, and the other characters.

 

[Cobblestones]

will every thread for this tour be dominated by this kind of negativity about the coverage, armstrong, and such? if a newbie came here, it would be hard for them to see that you guys actually enjoyed watching cycling.

cycling is supposed to be a sport for mentally and physically strong people. but many of you are crying and whining about every little pea under your mattress. what a bunch of primadonnas.

your favorite hero will be thrashing his body about on cobbles, hills and mountains in wind and rain, pushing the absolute physical limit of what a human can do while experiencing unimaginable pain. can you really compare the "suffering" of your self-righteous indignance to this?

lighten up and let the rest of us enjoy the sport we love.

Lighten up and let the rest of us enjoy the forum we love.

 

[SoLogy]

Jens Who?

this is a proper cycling forum, not the radioshack fan club. You can support armstrong, nothing wrong with that, my advice would be not to insult a guy who has big cajones and makes cycling interesting.
Or at least do it with a smiley face at the end.

I am a fan of Jens Voigt, I know not this Jens Voight.

 

[armstrong]

I wasn't trying to insult Jens Voigt.

More importantly, I wasn't trying to be "condescending", as I was labelled.

Point is, the TdF sells in the United States because they sell Armstrong's role in it. Like it or not, that is the reality. It's the same as in golf, where it's all about Tiger.

It's not being condescending - it's about describing what interests the average arm-chair fan - not the dedicated one.

 

[Polish]

GC Watch:

Armstrong 10:22
Contador +5
Leipheimer +6
Rogers +13
Klöden +14
Vino4Ever+16
Kreuziger +16
Evans +17
Gesink +29
Sastre +32
Basso +33
Wiggins +34
Sanchez +34
Menchov +34
F. Schleck +35
Vandevelde +38
A. Schleck + 47

Edit: probably forgot someone.

You forgot Vino...I edited him in

 

[armstrong]

Woods is a different story because of entertaining shotmaking, along with all the media hype. If he can hit it from in the trees to near the pin, it's exciting to watch. On most days, GC riders sit in the peloton all day and finish there. Watching one guy isn't more entertaining than the fifty around him, and the camera is on the guys in the break most of the time.

If what you say about Armstrong is true, there was no point to follow cycling before he came back, and never will be again. That's really short-sighted for people who want viewers next year and beyond. They should be teaching the viewers about other riders, and why they're interesting. Just this week respected, mainstream media like Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, and WSJ, printed unfavorable articles about Armstrong, including stuff about his abuse of Contador a year ago. There's no way LA finishes the Tour with more fans than he had today, because people are waking up. Go ahead and appease his fan base, but don't ram it down people's throats, or cover things up. Educate viewers about the nuances of the sport, and the other characters.

Are you saying the media isn't playing up the TdF by their over-coverage of Armstrong and his chances? Are you kidding me?

Is this a two-person race between him and Contador?

If you listen to the news, you'd sure think it was!

Remember in 2006 how the media tried to make it interesting? They were advertising Landis as the next flag bearer. Why? Because he's American.

Everyone roots for the home crowd. That doesn't mean the TdF falls off the map when Armstrong is gone, but it becomes a harder sell to the American public if he's not in the race. You don't agree with this?

 

[ttrider]

Big winners for me are Gesink and Armstrong
After that shocker i suisse by Gesink i expected him to lose a lot more, he beat menchov!
Menchov and most obviously Wiggins and Vandevelde i would say have already severely dented there chances, as specialist tt ers exceptionally poor

The weather doesnt matter it is a fact of life the ones who did bad will have to accept this bad luck and move on

 

[Anonymous]

cancellara won, millar and martin are in jerseys

Why are we talking about bloody armstrong in here. ****** off to the armstrong thread!

 

[The Hitch]

I am a fan of Jens Voigt, I know not this Jens Voight.

wtf????????

 

[Cobblestones]

Are you saying the media isn't playing up the TdF by their over-coverage of Armstrong and his chances? Are you kidding me?

Is this a two-person race between him and Contador?

If you listen to the news, you'd sure think it was!

Remember in 2006 how the media tried to make it interesting? They were advertising Landis as the next flag bearer. Why? Because he's American.

Everyone roots for the home crowd. That doesn't mean the TdF falls off the map when Armstrong is gone, but it becomes a harder sell to the American public if he's not in the race. You don't agree with this?

I think you're correct for the casual fans, which we call the Armstrong crowd. It's not true for fans of cycling.

 

[lancewillwin8]

cancellara won, millar and martin are in jerseys

Why are we talking about bloody armstrong in here. ****** off to the armstrong thread!

we should be instead talking about how wiggins just lost the tour instead?

 

[lancewillwin8]

What happened to Contador? Or is he just trying to be more realistic this year and not be too unbelievable?

contador + no johan bruyneel = donkey

 

[lancewillwin8]

Fantastic ride by Lance armstrong - to be at the top of the GC contendors - what a performance. Also Teamradioshack is looking dominant. I must say Astana is looking exceptionally weak.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

This race is over already. Lance has it in the bag, folks.

 

[Cobblestones]

This race is over already. Lance has it in the bag, folks.

Probably more than one bag, even.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gesink survived the prologue without falling and lost a lot less than I'd expect. And even won time on riders I didn't expect..
Great start

 

[woodburn]

Gesink survived the prologue without falling and lost a lot less than I'd expect. And even won time on riders I didn't expect..
Great start

Excellent effort. He is going to be dangerous this tour if he can stay upright.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Probably more than one bag, even.

Indeed. But not until the rest day.

 

[Publicus]

This race is over already. Lance has it in the bag, folks.

Agreed. 8.9KM raced with another 3590.1km to go, but it's pretty clear that Armstrong is the man to beat.

And for the new commentator (crazy cyclist) nothing happened to Contador (IMO). This was a prologue for the guys who put out crazy watts, not the watt per kg guys. Armstrong is much more that type of guy than Contador.

 

[ferryman]

This race is over already. Lance has it in the bag, folks.

You can't say that until the bi hijack happens on Stage 3.

 

[The Hitch]

Probably more than one bag, even.

very nice

 

[The Hitch]

contador + no johan bruyneel = donkey

haha ha lol very nice.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Lance shows his enthusiasm at the WSJ article that came out today.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

That's what people thought before last year's race where AC proved he was just as good at flat TTing as he was climbing. On last year's form it would be between him and Cancellara, a couple of seconds either way.

Huh? Both ITT's had climbs in them last year, skippy. Monaco had a Cat 4 and Annecy a Cat 3.

 

[Publicus]

That's what people thought before last year's race where AC proved he was just as good at flat TTing as he was climbing. On last year's form it would be between him and Cancellara, a couple of seconds either way.

There were no flat TTs in last year's TdF. The 2007 TdF had flat/flatter TTs and we all (well maybe not you) saw how that went for AC (he lost a decent chunk of time in the final TT to his teammate (Levi) and Cuddles). I expect the same will happen at Stage 19 this year as well.