Anybody watching? It has been a really good race so far. Recently retired, I watch every morning. I also pedal 5-10 miles a day in the area after dinner every day. The race is a good motivator to get some exercise.

I'm thinking that Julian the French guy is going to be in yellow next Sunday. He is a real trooper.

Tomster

quark2222: "Anybody watching? It has been a really good race so far. Recently retired, I watch every morning. I also pedal 5-10 miles a day in the area after dinner every day. The race is a good motivator to get some exercise.

I'm thinking that Julian the French guy is going to be in yellow next Sunday. He is a real trooper.

Tomster"

I became a fan during the Greg LeMond years.

Slowly became disenchanted, then repulsed during the revelations of doping by Lance Armstrong. When results are "Who is the best cheater" rather than "who is the best athlete" I have better things to watch.

OCDave: "

quark2222: "Anybody watching? ...


Tomster"

I became a fan during the Greg LeMond years.


Slowly became disenchanted, then repulsed during the revelations of doping by Lance Armstrong. When results are "Who is the best cheater" rather than "who is the best athlete" I have better things to watch. "

X2. I love biking, both road and MTB, but I do not watch.

yes, u-tube has a 12 minute summary of each stage everyday, it's perfect, i catch up on a longer stage during the weekends. those mountain stages shown, one really has no idea of how steep they really are, ending a stage at 7500 feet, that's insane.
the alps next week, now i am off to hit the local trails on my mtb.

I recently watched/listened to Joe Rogan's podcast where he had Lance Armstrong as a guest speaker.. I always had absolutely no sympathy for professional athletes who are caught using PEDs. Hearing Lance Armstrong speak, I became a little more sympathetic (albeit only slightly) for the guy. He is definitely the villain of bicycling but, as he sees it, everyone in that era of bicycling was doing the same thing. Could he be saying that just to gain some sympathy from people? Sure. But I believe him. He still cheated and it doesn't make it okay at all. But it's certainly odd that he is THE villain in that sport. Take baseball, for instance. During the booming roids era of the 90s and early 2000s, many, many ballplayers were taking PEDs. But there's not one specific player that we call out and is hated more than others who got caught. We think of guys like Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa (Sosa never admitted nor did he fail any drug tests). We might dislike any and all proven cheaters in baseball, but there's not one VILLAIN like what Armstrong is in bicycling.

I've missed a few stages but I really enjoy watching when I have time. Hey, how old were you when you retired? I turned in my resignation and plan to retire next week. I still do quite a bit of cycling and in fact did 30 miles yesterday.

MidwestMan: "I recently watched/listened to Joe Rogan's podcast where he had Lance Armstrong as a guest speaker.. I always had absolutely no sympathy for professional athletes who are caught using PEDs. Hearing Lance Armstrong speak, I became a little more sympathetic (albeit only slightly) for the guy. He is definitely the villain of bicycling but, as he sees it, everyone in that era of bicycling was doing the same thing. Could he be saying that just to gain some sympathy from people? Sure. But I believe him. He still cheated and it doesn't make it okay at all. But it's certainly odd that he is THE villain in that sport. Take baseball, for instance. During the booming roids era of the 90s and early 2000s, many, many ballplayers were taking PEDs. But there's not one specific player that we call out and is hated more than others who got caught. We think of guys like Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa (Sosa never admitted nor did he fail any drug tests). We might dislike any and all proven cheaters in baseball, but there's not one VILLAIN like what Armstrong is in bicycling."

i was quite surprised when i saw that as well, there are clean riders out there that would have done as well commentating. anyway, i hope he's on the right path now.

salukiguy: "I've missed a few stages but I really enjoy watching when I have time. Hey, how old were you when you retired? I turned in my resignation and plan to retire next week. I still do quite a bit of cycling and in fact did 30 miles yesterday. "

I was two months shy of turning 65. I sold my business, and that was just the way the timing turned out for retirement. The timing was perfect as far as I was concerned. I was just mentally "done" with working and having to solve everybody's needs/demands/problems.

Tomster

MidwestMan: "I recently watched/listened to Joe Rogan's podcast where he had Lance Armstrong as a guest speaker.. I always had absolutely no sympathy for professional athletes who are caught using PEDs. Hearing Lance Armstrong speak, I became a little more sympathetic (albeit only slightly) for the guy. He is definitely the villain of bicycling but, as he sees it, everyone in that era of bicycling was doing the same thing. Could he be saying that just to gain some sympathy from people? Sure. But I believe him. He still cheated and it doesn't make it okay at all. But it's certainly odd that he is THE villain in that sport. Take baseball, for instance. During the booming roids era of the 90s and early 2000s, many, many ballplayers were taking PEDs. But there's not one specific player that we call out and is hated more than others who got caught. We think of guys like Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa (Sosa never admitted nor did he fail any drug tests). We might dislike any and all proven cheaters in baseball, but there's not one VILLAIN like what Armstrong is in bicycling."

I love the tour. I record it and watch it in the evening, forwarding through the commercials. I am a big time cyclists and it gets me motivated to go out and ride hard.

As to Lance Armstrong: I was surprised NBC had him on for a few minutes last week. I fast forwarded through that, too. Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen (when he was alive) had invested in one of Armstrong's financial schemes.

As for the drugs, the "everyone was doing it" excuse is valid ONLY if you would allow your kids to use the same excuse. Of course everyone else was doing it, but that doesn't make it right. What set Lance Armstrong apart from other dopers was his role as the leader of his doped crew for several years. He was a drug kingpin. He had a network of doctors and pharmacists and runners. He used his network and money and prestige and personality to bully other riders into doping, and to force others to be quiet. He paid off organizations ($100K to the UCI itself!!) to look the other way, and gave charity "donations" to other organizations to keep them quiet. He is THE villain of cycling because he "won" seven tours after cancer. An inspiring story that plays well, but when one learns how many people he stepped on and used and abused, it all becomes tarnished. He never failed to play the cancer card when needed.

Lance Armstrong is a prototypical psychopath, almost perfect. (I regularly assess psychopaths for a living, so I have a bit of knowledge in the area.) He is nasty person and a stain on sport. I for one am happy to see him relegated to the ash heap of failed figures of sports.

Mike

Great Tour this year. There are a number of riders that can still win it unlike most recent years. Not counting Alaphillipe out, but I think the yellow jersey will change riders in the Alps over the next few days.

I enjoy listening to Lance Armstrong's podcast summary of each stage called The Move. Despite all his shortcomings, he's still very knowledgeable about what is going on in the race and notices things that I never would.

JD

I watch every stage

I love watching the Tour. Haven't kept up as much this year, but it's a heck of a race. Agree with Jim abt Lance. And the coverage, I really like it. The commentators are all great, and the scenery from the air is incredible, really makes me want to visit France more thoroughly. It would be fun to be there during the race. But I would not wear a wacky, skimpy costume and run into the road alongside the riders....it's just not me.

Looking forward to the next 3 days!

MidwestMan: Take baseball, for instance. During the booming roids era of the 90s and early 2000s, many, many ballplayers were taking PEDs. But there's not one specific player that we call out and is hated more than others who got caught. We think of guys like Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa (Sosa never admitted nor did he fail any drug tests). We might dislike any and all proven cheaters in baseball, but there's not one VILLAIN like what Armstrong is in bicycling."

I wonder how many NFL players could honestly say they never had any chemical help.

This is almost humorous. A list of doping cases in cycling.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling

Alaphilippe!

Good stuff Borat costumes

landoftheskytintedwater: "Alaphilippe!"

Holy crap, they stopped Stage 19. Snow, slush, hailstorms....I imagine there would have been injuries and maybe worse if they'd descended this... Stage 19

HowardSprague: "

landoftheskytintedwater: "Alaphilippe!"

Holy crap, they stopped Stage 19. Snow, slush, hailstorms....I imagine there would have been injuries and maybe worse if they'd descended this... Stage 19 "

Good move,too bad they couldn't race to the first village it was dry. Maybe no timer there.