Improving the Tour

[ozboz]

We don't want Lance back!

My friend said he couldn’t understand what the problem was with ol’Lance..........
Because when he was on drugs .... he couldn’t even find his bike let alone win a TdF !!

 

[pawl]

Give the women the tour. Men to ride the LeCourse

 

[smutchin]

You can also track individual riders online here:
http://livetracking.letour.fr/#/stageprofile

If you follow the race via the live tracker while also watching it on telly, it highlights whichever camera view is currently on screen, so you can easily identify who is in the group.

Maybe the commentators should try using this feature rather than doing their usual guessing and getting it wrong. That would certainly improve the experience of listening to their witterings.

 

[lane]

Not only is it technically feasible, they're already doing it - a fairly recent innovation, admittedly.

You can also track individual riders online here:
http://livetracking.letour.fr/#/stageprofile

Thanks for that very interesting. I wonder why it's not made more of in the TV coverage.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Just make it more French:

• Every bike to have a string of onions dangling from the handlebars.
• Every rider to wear the same stripy jumper and beret.
• Moussettes to contain a bottle of cheap plonk, two andouillettes and a softpack of Gauloises.
• Racing to be suspended at noon for three and a half hours and bonus points for the winner of the pétanque game.

[ / lazy national stereotyping]

 

[Dayvo]

Another one for a ban on radio communication.

Also they should have a night stage.

Maybe having two stages in the same day like they did yesteryear,

Throw in a 600 km audax for good measure.

And they should be made to pick up all discarded litter (bottles, wrappers, bidons etc.) to set a good example).

 

[Aravis]

A split stage on the final day (TT + criterium). Maybe the crit can run into the evening so that it finishes under the lights.

Once in a while, have a route that resembles the original Grand Boucle, instead of the Tour de part de France we get these days.

Impose a minimum tyre weight, so that there's no reason not to use puncture protection. Anyone having a puncture surrenders the offending wheel to be checked. If the tyre's under weight, probably a time penalty.

Hold the Tour in the middle of winter. I can't over-emphasise how stupid an idea I think that is, but I'd still like to see it.

 

[Beebo]

Best suggestion yet.

The mountain stages would be interesting under 6 feet of snow.

 

[smutchin]

The mountain stages would be interesting under 6 feet of snow.

They could do it on fat bikes.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

A year of eating the same diet as me and doing the same amount of exercise should do the trick; might take a bit longer.

 

[raleighnut]

A year of eating the same diet as me and doing the same amount of exercise should do the trick; might take a bit longer.

 

[brommers]

Replace the current style of TTT stage with a relay style TTT. Teams would place their riders according to the nature of the terrain.

 

[Bollo]

They could do it on fat bikes.

A stage on tandems. It’d be awesome!!!!!

 

[Beebo]

A stage on tandems. It’d be awesome!!!!!

You could put the sprinters with the climbers to ensure they made it over the high mountain stages.

 

[Buddfox]

Interesting suggestion from Dr Hutch: “What would happen if we had a Grand Tour with no teams? Just individuals, each with £10,000 in cash in a jersey pocket with which to forge alliances as they went.”