bunbury61 Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 tour de France ,starts on itv 4 at 2pm . I have nothing but admiration for the competitors . but I watch it for the scenery as well as the cycling ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 yes amazing strength and determination......Ive ridden plenty of those climbs over the years and can say from first hand experience how brutal they can be.....stage 17 looks especially tough.....I rode the col de la croix de fer (iron cross) last year from the route they are decending and its a toughie in 30 + blazing sunshine.....but just does not get near the Telegraph and the Galibier......have ridden them also 2 or 3 times and they are very tough.....especially the last 8km on the Galibier.....will also be watching the whole race. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 also meant to say re the scenary.....their decent on the Col de la croix de fer takes in some unbelievable scenery.....narrow roads carved in the rock face with views reaching for miles down the valley towards St Jean de Maurienne.....quite stunning....I can remember them through the sweat and tears on my ascent 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 2 hours ago, kungfustu said: yes amazing strength and determination......Ive ridden plenty of those climbs over the years and can say from first hand experience how brutal they can be.....stage 17 looks especially tough.....I rode the col de la croix de fer (iron cross) last year from the route they are decending and its a toughie in 30 + blazing sunshine.....but just does not get near the Telegraph and the Galibier......have ridden them also 2 or 3 times and they are very tough.....especially the last 8km on the Galibier.....will also be watching the whole race. huge respect to you Stu ...i saw some of the climbs on the giro d Italia ? ...that was enough ,in a car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 4 hours ago, bunbury61 said: tour de France ,starts on itv 4 at 2pm . I have nothing but admiration for the competitors . but I watch it for the scenery as well as the cycling ? Damn, thought this was a got thread! But I do like tdf. My father watches it in Australia, but they don't get much coverage. I don't understand why he has never made the trip to watch it in the flesh. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Best chemist gets the yellow jersey. Got no faith in it anymore (sadly) and this on the 30 year anniversary of Stephen Roche's win. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 3 hours ago, kungfustu said: yes amazing strength and determination......Ive ridden plenty of those climbs over the years and can say from first hand experience how brutal they can be.....stage 17 looks especially tough.....I rode the col de la croix de fer (iron cross) last year from the route they are decending and its a toughie in 30 + blazing sunshine.....but just does not get near the Telegraph and the Galibier......have ridden them also 2 or 3 times and they are very tough.....especially the last 8km on the Galibier.....will also be watching the whole race. Hat off to you. I was never much of a climber myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 1 hour ago, Collie said: Best chemist gets the yellow jersey. Got no faith in it anymore (sadly) and this on the 30 year anniversary of Stephen Roche's win. whatever...so the feats of athleticism have nothing to do with it . for instance where's the proof of Chris froomes drug taking ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 2 hours ago, newjez said: Damn, thought this was a got thread! But I do like tdf. My father watches it in Australia, but they don't get much coverage. I don't understand why he has never made the trip to watch it in the flesh. It was always on my bucket list when I lived in Australia but I was thrilled to see the peloton race past at literally the end of our street when the stage started in Cambridge a few years ago - it was a real event even then, it would be awesome in the mountains or Paris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 2 hours ago, Collie said: Best chemist gets the yellow jersey. Got no faith in it anymore (sadly) and this on the 30 year anniversary of Stephen Roche's win. so are you implying that there was no drug abuse when roche won ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 2 hours ago, Collie said: Best chemist gets the yellow jersey. Got no faith in it anymore (sadly) and this on the 30 year anniversary of Stephen Roche's win. just had a good look on t internet . there is strong suspicion, that Roche used epo most of them were taking banned substances . the tests are far more rigorous now who knows for sure ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 2 hours ago, bunbury61 said: just had a good look on t internet . there is strong suspicion, that Roche used epo most of them were taking banned substances . the tests are far more rigorous now who knows for sure ? Armstrong did spoil it a bit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 8 hours ago, newjez said: Damn, thought this was a got thread! But I do like tdf. My father watches it in Australia, but they don't get much coverage. SBS has always covered it in full in past years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 6 hours ago, bunbury61 said: just had a good look on t internet . there is strong suspicion, that Roche used epo most of them were taking banned substances . the tests are far more rigorous now who knows for sure ? Not at all. 90% were using "stuff" in the 80's so there was a high chance that Roche was on somethong. I take my lead from Paul Kimmage on this. A former professional cyclist in the 80's who quit the sport beciase of the drug taking. He was instrumental in exposing Armstrong (with David Walsh). He is a very successful journalist now and is a bit of an expert on drug taking on sport. He still loves cycling but has no faith in the professional sport anymore. His views are worth listening to. One would still need to a super athlete to complete the tour but don't kid yourself that it is a clean race Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 1 hour ago, Johndoe said: SBS has always covered it in full in past years They cover the whole stages? Don't know what he was moaning about then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Yes they do...or did? I haven't watched it in ages. Used to plss me off because it changed the news times. Switched to Al Jazera news because of it. Must admit though that the close ups were very good. They must have had their own motorcyclists unless the coverage was syndicated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 @Cerberus1 loves the TDF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 12 hours ago, Johndoe said: SBS has always covered it in full in past years The time difference is a killer though - I fell asleep many a time before the end. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted July 2, 2017 Author Share Posted July 2, 2017 3 hours ago, The Pom Queen said: @Cerberus1 loves the TDF. it started in Germany yesterday - pissing down with rain Belgium today same whilst we are basking in Mediterranean weather ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 On 01/07/2017 at 14:32, kungfustu said: yes amazing strength and determination......Ive ridden plenty of those climbs over the years and can say from first hand experience how brutal they can be.....stage 17 looks especially tough.....I rode the col de la croix de fer (iron cross) last year from the route they are decending and its a toughie in 30 + blazing sunshine.....but just does not get near the Telegraph and the Galibier......have ridden them also 2 or 3 times and they are very tough.....especially the last 8km on the Galibier.....will also be watching the whole race. in France now , loving it . a marvel at their fitness and endurance ..unbelievable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandgroper Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 (edited) On 02/07/2017 at 00:39, Collie said: Best chemist gets the yellow jersey. Agree absolutely no faith in the sport at all, no doubt they are great athletes some of the best, but clean athletes? I doubt it very much. Still enjoy watching it though like the Olympics. Edited July 5, 2017 by Sandgroper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 4 hours ago, Sandgroper said: Agree absolutely no faith in the sport at all, no doubt they are great athletes some of the best, but clean athletes? I doubt it very much. Still enjoy watching it though like the Olympics. it's cheats which stop me enjoying football (soccer) maybe not drug cheats but plenty of other cheating out in the field of play, some which surely comes from practice and up to date nothing done about it, but believe some changes next year in the premier league about diving and faking being hurt...........I await what transpires. Enjoy the tour for the scenery more than the cycling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandgroper Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 1 hour ago, Keith and Linda said: it's cheats which stop me enjoying football (soccer) maybe not drug cheats but plenty of other cheating out in the field of play, some which surely comes from practice and up to date nothing done about it, but believe some changes next year in the premier league about diving and faking being hurt...........I await what transpires. Enjoy the tour for the scenery more than the cycling. I think there are probably plenty of drug cheats in the premier league too, all top level sports in fact. As brits we are bit holier than though believing our athletes are not on the juice of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 (edited) Thanks for the memory jog guys, Bob used to ride out from our school we used to do smethwick to warwick and back most saturdays in the summer coming back was/is harder as it's all up hill albeit a slow incline. Bob Mansell had a shop at 504 Oldbury Road, Smethwick. He also had a shop in the main street Smethwick for a while, but mostly selling children’s bikes and toys. Bob was a top coach, and he promoted races around the parks and schools in the Birmingham area. He also took groups of school children on cycle racing camps near Stourport. Lots of the region’s top riders were helped along by Bob at sometime or other. I remember riding up from Ross on Wye and riding criteriums around Hadley Stadium, with Grant Thomas plus several other well known riders. https://majornichols.co.uk/the-riders-room/ I used to have a carlton criterium cycle dark blue skinny tubes and a saddle my arse never thanked me for. Edited July 5, 2017 by Sunset Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 I can remember him coming from nowhere in one race during the 87 TDF.....he was dead on his feet and made a miraculous recovery to close the gap on his rival. What was it he used to say......"in our house.....its the potatoes we eat" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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