Who here will be heading out to the Tour?

[andy1234]

Not directly doping related, but who on here will be going to watch the TDF at the roadside? I'm interested to see how many Clinic regulars are still prepared to stand at the side of the road and watch the spectacle.

 

[Frosty]

Not sure i count as a clinic regular but first to reply must say something! Alpe d'huez, maybe an early part of the Plateau du Beille stage.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Not directly doping related, but who on here will be going to watch the TDF at the roadside? I'm interested to see how many Clinic regulars are still prepared to stand at the side of the road and watch the spectacle.

Why? .........

 

[Siriuscat]

Yup, Stage start in Cugnaux on Bastille Day then run down to lannemezan fior photo ops, Somewhere nice on the Plateau de Bielle stage on the Saturday.

Why - because I don't get the chance that often and it's bike racing

 

[Race Radio]

I assume I would count as a clinic regular.

I have lost count how many stages I have seen live, dozens. Was there for 10 days last year. Still love the sport and the race. Not going to let a few fools ruin that

 

[andy1234]

Why? .........

Why not...?

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Why not...?

Why not answer your own opening post - and then you can answer the "why?".

 

[andy1234]

Why not answer your own opening post - and then you can answer the "why?".

I'm interested in who, despite their interest in doping and everything that goes with it, are still drawn to watch the Tour.

It will be interesting to see which posters are fans first and dissenters second.

I have worked at the tour and stood at the side of the road as a fan, and regardless of the scandal, find myslf loving it more each year.

 

[gobuck]

July 21st and 22. We will ride some of both stages. We will be staying in Annecy for 2 or 3 days and then moving to Ansoui which is a little south of Mt Ventoux.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I'm interested in who, despite their interest in doping and everything that goes with it, are still drawn to watch the Tour.

It will be interesting to see which posters are fans first and dissenters second.

I have worked at the tour and stood at the side of the road as a fan, and regardless of the scandal, find myslf loving it more each year.

See - wasn't so hard?

All dissenters are fans of the sport - if they weren't they wouldn't care to post. (also, your inherent point is not great in so far as the Tour is one of the worst races to go and see, the Giro or classics are better)

You often bring up other sports doping problems when discussing cycling or The Clinic, when of course many of us simply don't care about the other sports - that is why I always schedule time off in July.

I was scheduled to go to the Tour, then that was cancelled - but I was back checking flights again earlier today.

 

[andy1234]

See - wasn't so hard?

All dissenters are fans of the sport - if they weren't they wouldn't care to post. (also, your inherent point is not great in so far as the Tour is one of the worst races to go and see, the Giro or classics are better)

You often bring up other sports doping problems when discussing cycling or The Clinic, when of course many of us simply don't care about the other sports - that is why I always schedule time off in July.

I was scheduled to go to the Tour, then that was cancelled - but I was back checking flights again earlier today.

Brilliant, book the flight.
I'll meet you on a mountain somewhere and buy you a beer.

 

[Benotti69]

No TdF for me.

Watched 2 stages on the Giro this from the road . Shouted at cuddles too

Going to watch Giro delle Donne on saturday

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Brilliant, book the flight.
I'll meet you on a mountain somewhere and buy you a beer.

That was my original plan - go to Alpe d'Huez and drink a mountain of beer.

No TdF for me.

Watched 2 stages on the Giro this from the road . Shouted at cuddles too

Going to watch Giro delle Donne on saturday

I prefer the Giro to the Tour - even though the crowds are huge its much easier for getting around, finding accommodation and meeting people.

 

[Roninho]

i won't be going to the tdf this year, and that is the first i miss since 2003. Nothing to do with doping, i've been (re)building my home in the past couple of months and hope to finish it during the hollidays.

When i first visited the TDF i thought there wasn't that much doping and felt that dopers sucked. Nowadays i think that most of the riders dope and that the cycling world is at way more at fault then the dopers are.

 

[gobuck]

Roninho wrote:
i thought there wasn't that much doping and felt that dopers sucked. Nowadays i think that most of the riders dope and that the cycling world is way more at fault than the dopers are.

I agree completely!

 

[hmsgenoa]

I'm going to watch the stage to Pinerolo, The stage finish on The Galibier , North side of The Galibier and possibly the time trial. For me it's been particularly difficult to decide between The Colle Dell Agnello and The Galibier, I mean what to do? To see the riders come up the beautiful and brutal Agnello or the highest stage finish?

For me it came down to the fact that on The Glaibier it's easy to get to see four stages, and if leaving Agnello it would be difficult to get a decent pitch on Galibier (was nearly turned away at The Lauteret the night before the stage in 1993).

What ever the problems in the sport, they cannot detract that much from the setting, and with or without assistance no one is getting over those cols without hurting.

I've got to say having, seen the picture of Alberto today, he's up against it and if he beats Schleck this time it'll be his most impressive victory. The last year will have aged him immensely and he'll have lost a lot of force as a result of the booing today. As for the way the affair has been handled, no matter how skeptical you are (and believe me I'm a skeptic), it's appalling. You can see the guy is hurt by it, he's not brazen and looking like it's water off a duck's back (Armstrong anybody?). Maybe, just maybe, he's innocent and if that's the case it's tragic.

The Tondo situation, knowing where he came from, and where Armstrong lived intrigues me. The dodgy relationship Armstrong has with the UCI muddies things and I feel behind the collaring of Contador there's more than meets the eye. I think if the truth of everything were known it would blow our minds. To me it's ridiculous that Armstrong never gets an 'official' positive and in the year he finally capitulates his successor gets busted. Something's not quite right. Someone somewhere has a lot to answer for; may walls come tumbling down. I enjoy the sport just wish we didn't have this problem.

 

[PCutter]

I generally try to limit my Clinic interactions, however I am heading over this year.

Catching Super Besse and St Flour (Gossy for the win!) before some time riding around Ventoux/Provence, then the last week riding around the alps and watching alp stages staying in Briancon (based on recommendations from this forum). I might add, as someone trying to organise/plan rides/understand logistics for someone not on and organised tour etc from the other side of the world, the forums in here on where to stay/alp rides etc have been VERY helpful.

Cheers

 

[ultimobici]

Paris for the final weekend.

 

[skippy]

When you find King Cav out riding the Team Time Trial circuit at 1800 on a Wednesday then you can be sure the racers are training to improve their performance rather than using the suppliments that the "mushroom farmers " use themselves .

Most of these racers were really friendly towards the spectators when they returned to their pullmans but El Pistolero raced across the paddock leaving the likes of mr in his trail , of the bike into the bus in record time .

I had shaken hands with him at his arrival for the midday press conference as the Media fought each other for camera shots of him , hilarious that i got so close to him on my bike in such a scrum , anyway more on the blog .