Whats makes pro cycling special?

[Kwibus]

Allthough I get the feeling the OP has left this forum allready I still want to suggest to check out the cobbled classics next year.

They start with Omloop het Volk (end February) and end with Paris - Roubaix (start April). Unique races and very spectaculair to watch.

 

[virandociclista]

Vinokourov, cycling without Vino is like football without brazilians

Very nice post!

 

[AcademyCC]

Allthough I get the feeling the OP has left this forum allready I still want to suggest to check out the cobbled classics next year.

They start with Omloop het Volk (end February) and end with Paris - Roubaix (start April). Unique races and very spectaculair to watch.

Still here. Alot of good answers. Got lots to learn but you have to start somewhere!

Looking forward to season starting and will be watching as much as possible although I never remember the one day classics being on British TV before, could be wrong.

 

[Richeypen]

Still here. Alot of good answers. Got lots to learn but you have to start somewhere!

Looking forward to season starting and will be watching as much as possible although I never remember the one day classics being on British TV before, could be wrong.

On Eurosport (if theres no tennis on )

 

[theyoungest]

And the Vuelta at least remembered a GT has to be more than a week long, but unfortunately forgot it has to be more than 2 weeks long, and besides, seemed incredibly reluctant to put any challenges more than 20km from the end of their stages.

Hard to come up with a more boring mountain stage than this year's Sierra Nevada finish though. The Tour ain't got nothing on them.

I think the Vuelta was perfectly summarized when at some point they crossed an airport halfway up a mountain. The roads are too open, too windy, killing all action. Bauke Mollema realized that soon enough, and glued himself to Wiggins' wheel who time trialed up every mountain. Boring as hell. Except on the Angliru, of course, because it's so damn steep.

 

[moi123]

I'm going to be honest and say that I never really liked cycling until Contador in 2007. Yes that dramatic tdf full of drama. I realized it wasn't just a peloton where riders just follow each other until something happens. It's an action packed sport full of passion and excitement, especially at the GT's. It can be boring but that's with every sport.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Looking forward to season starting and will be watching as much as possible although I never remember the one day classics being on British TV before, could be wrong.

Eurosport's coverage of The Monuments (Milan-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Giro di Lombardia), the 5 big Classics, was excellent last season. IIRC, for the the first 4, they showed everything that was broadcast by the host broadcasters.

You HAVE to watch the Tour of Flanders (or Ronde van Vlaanderen as you'll see it referred to) and Paris-Roubaix. The best 2 days of cycling in the season, IMO.

 

[AcademyCC]

Excellent news about eurosport coverage. Cant wait.


On a side point what does everyone think of Nico Roche? has he reached his peak?

 

[Panda Claws]

Eurosport's coverage of The Monuments (Milan-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Giro di Lombardia), the 5 big Classics, was excellent last season. IIRC, for the the first 4, they showed everything that was broadcast by the host broadcasters.

You HAVE to watch the Tour of Flanders (or Ronde van Vlaanderen as you'll see it referred to) and Paris-Roubaix. The best 2 days of cycling in the season, IMO.

Don't forget LBL.

 

[ultimobici]

Still here. Alot of good answers. Got lots to learn but you have to start somewhere!

Looking forward to season starting and will be watching as much as possible although I never remember the one day classics being on British TV before, could be wrong.

They're not. Best way to watch is via http://www.steephill.tv

 

[ferryman]

Excellent news about eurosport coverage. Cant wait.


On a side point what does everyone think of Nico Roche? has he reached his peak?

Eurosport coverage is pretty good but you can just about catch any race on the WWW if you have the patience to find them and don't mind listening in a language you don't understand

As for Nico. I like him but think he may be at a crossroads right now. He isn't and don't think ever will be a GT contender. He can though, challenge at some of the hillier one day classics and maybe the smaller tours. I hope he finds his way.

 

[Richeypen]

They're not. Best way to watch is via http://www.steephill.tv

Eurosport covered the monuments, Gent-Wevelgem, Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallonne, Vattenfall Cyclassics ,Paris-Brussels, Paris-Tours and The WCRR. Granted not a complete list of one day events but you cant say one day events aren't on British TV. They also show pretty much all of the World Tour 'tours'.


As other have said though for the complete list you need to search the web. I tend to use http://www.cyclingfans.com. Always pretty much guaranteed to find a link even if its mostly Italian/Belgian. Teamskyfans is also pretty good with the links.

 

[No_Balls]

Well the tour 2011 was, besides from the two first weeks, pretty darn exciting. Not everyone is like that. But, i can summarize my views:

- The passion and tension along the route always gets to me. There they stand, thousands of people and cheering along. And have been doing so since the very first beginning. They can be annoying yet satisyfing at the same time.

- It is a very cultural sport. You get to see a country from within. Castles, roads you perhaps traveled on, cities you have visited, beaches were you spend your summer at some point in the past. It is all very exciting in fact and unless it is not Tourmalet (which i have seen in the past 15 years or so ) you always notice some new details or places you beginning to like.

- A very demanding sport. You´ll know they are la creme de la creme in endurance-sports and they are the living reference on how fit an athlete could be. You´ll think that if you could be an inch as good as they you have accomplished a lot. It is very inspiring.

- If you like a specific rider, fighting for the overall that is, i guess this works both ways, it is always a bit nervous and at the same time, very exciting, when hitting the first mountain stage. You are looking for him: is he looking fine? Is he under trouble? Is it the poker face or are he relaxing? You are getting anxious when he is dropping some places or are not so high up in the order as you would have expected. The first mountain-stage is always epic.

- We have the dirt in Paris-Roubaix, rainy Hills on LBL, winding roads in Spain, whining in France by Andy, and the all-searching of form in the early spring which makes it intresting. Then we have the monsters in Italy alongside light-green trees after the sun have settled.

- Contador climbing style. It is a fine art.

- We have the grimacing faces, the sweat, the tears, the blood. Realising i sound to similiar to David Duffield i stop there but nothing beats a cycling inspired music video with drama high and low.

- Cycling is more then a sport. It is a lifestyle.

 

[karlboss]

Improvements?

These are the things we love about pro cycling, what would you do to improve it? Who here attends races, what is the best way to watch?

 

[RedheadDane]

I pretty much think TV is the best way to watch if you're actually aiming to see all of it. On the other hand, if you want to feel the atmosphere You of course need to be there.
For me the best example was the World's this year (Only went for the Men's RR) Couldn't see a thing mainly because I'm a midget with a slight social phobia... but it was awesome!

I dunno what I'd do to improve it. I like it the way it is...

 

[Arnout]

I think one of the most interesting things in road cycling is the fact that, especially when talking breakaways, but more subtly in every part and moment of the race, you have to work together with your opponents to be able to come in the position to beat them. It means the sport isn't only go as fast as possible, but also be smart. There are lots of cyclists considered smart for being able to maximize their posibilities in all kind of situations. For me, its quite interesting to watch or rather examine them unfolding their tactics.

That's why I not nearly as much interested in time trials or track cycling or cyclocross as I feel the things I just explained play not much of a role in those disciplines.

 

[Arnout]

I pretty much think TV is the best way to watch if you're actually aiming to see all of it. On the other hand, if you want to feel the atmosphere You of course need to be there.
For me the best example was the World's this year (Only went for the Men's RR) Couldn't see a thing mainly because I'm a midget with a slight social phobia... but it was awesome!

I dunno what I'd do to improve it. I like it the way it is...

This absolutely. I only attended two cycling events in my life, being the Paris finish of the 2009 Tour (didn't like it that much, it was too crowded and hyped, making it the opposite of what cycling is about. And I visited start and finish of the 2010 Lombardia, which is one of the most awesome things I have ever done. The fun when there are fences to mark the starting point, but everyone just ignores it and walks on the tarmac, talking to riders, making pictures until all of a sudden without anyone noticing the riders start to ride as the race seemed to have started. It was so funny to experience that

 

[The Hitch]

For me the best example was the World's this year (Only went for the Men's RR) Couldn't see a thing

You didnt miss much.

For sprint stages being there live might be best. When I was at the final stage of La Vuelta they did 9 laps of Madrid, though those 9 laps involved going back and forth up 3 major roads so you could actually see them 18 times from many locations.

Anyway, I spent the 2 hours walking around the route seeing the cyclists from about 18 vantage points, seeing the city in the proccess, getting different views of the cyclists including a virtual stop one on a 180 degree turn where I tried to urge Purito on to keep his green jersey so that I could beat luckyboy in the prediction competition.

Just happened to reach the finish about 2 laps from the end, watched the last lap on the big screen and saw the sprinters fly by me.

Podiums came after.

Point is, on a circuit route like that, if its short enough and done enough times, viewing it can be one hell of an experience.

 

[will10]

You didnt miss much.

For sprint stages being there live might be best. When I was at the final stage of La Vuelta they did 9 laps of Madrid, though those 9 laps involved going back and forth up 3 major roads so you could actually see them 18 times from many locations.

Anyway, I spent the 2 hours walking around the route seeing the cyclists from about 18 vantage points, seeing the city in the proccess, getting different views of the cyclists including a virtual stop one on a 180 degree turn where I tried to urge Purito on to keep his green jersey so that I could beat luckyboy in the prediction competition.

Just happened to reach the finish about 2 laps from the end, watched the last lap on the big screen and saw the sprinters fly by me.

Podiums came after.

Point is, on a circuit route like that, if its short enough and done enough times, viewing it can be one hell of an experience.

You'd love cyclocross.

 

[CobbleStoner]

the tradition
the physical and mental brutality
the backdrops/scenery
the simple complexity of the sport, not many rules, first one to the line wins, but so much dependent on drafting, team tactics, sandbagging, attacking.
and last but not least, the type of personality that chooses to race bikes over traditional, high profile/high paying team games and sports.

 

[orangerider]

I'm going to be honest and say that I never really liked cycling until Contador in 2007. Yes that dramatic tdf full of drama. I realized it wasn't just a peloton where riders just follow each other until something happens. It's an action packed sport full of passion and excitement, especially at the GT's. It can be boring but that's with every sport.

Agreed.. that tour was insane with Contador and Rasmussen, the best of the best climbers duking it out while seeing Soler animated the race with his crazy attacks & watching Levi and Evans try to stay in contact, the suffering on their faces left such an impression.

 

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