Improving the Tour

[brommers]

if the French are so angry and winning is so easy why don’t they ensure that FDJ or another team has a €40m budget.
It isn’t that much money in this day and age.
There must be some company in France willing to stump up the cash.

I agree. Why is there no sponsor in France? Isn't anyone in France bothered about winning their own race, the biggest one in the world?

 

[Beebo]

I agree. Why is there no sponsor in France? Isn't anyone in France bothered about winning their own race, the biggest one in the world?

PSG spent €222million on Neymar. So there is money around in France.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I would make all grand tours less grand and have them last 2 weeks, and increase the number from 3 to 5.

 

[Adam4868]

I'd leave it as it is....sky dominate grand tours,so what.Up your game to the rest of the teams.Quick step do some dominating themselves in classics ect,but that doesn't seem to bother anyone.
Or plan b let Sky sign me up and I'll stop them winning !

 

[brommers]

I would make all grand tours less grand and have them last 2 weeks, and increase the number from 3 to 5.

We could have one over here. We have the infrastructure and would definitely get the crowds

 

[swansonj]

A relay race. A stage divided into 8 sections, each rider in the team is designated and timed for one section, whole team get same aggregate time. Each section would thus have only 20 active riders. Breakaways harder to chace down, weaker riders more exposed, and plenty of tactical options (strongest rider first or last?) especially if hills are involved.

 

[alicat]

Can you imagine the uproar of decent people being trapped in their homes and unable to visit their sick mothers due to road closures.

Er, have the goalposts moved?

So let's have your suggestions for fixing the broken Tour. Please don't think too hard about possible unfortunate consequences of your proposed changes. Be bold.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Can you imagine the uproar of decent people being trapped in their homes and unable to visit their sick mothers due to road closures.

Or being able to attend church via the route they always use...

 

[brommers]

Or being able to attend church via the route they always use...

Who goes to church these days?

 

[brommers]

A relay race. A stage divided into 8 sections, each rider in the team is designated and timed for one section, whole team get same aggregate time. Each section would thus have only 20 active riders. Breakaways harder to chace down, weaker riders more exposed, and plenty of tactical options (strongest rider first or last?) especially if hills are involved.

If you go back a few pages I've already suggested something similar to this @swansonj

 

[swansonj]

If you go back a few pages I've already suggested something similar to this @swansonj

Whoops - so you did - sorry, I thought i’d followed the whole thread but clearly not.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Who goes to church these days?

It's amazing how many people take offence at having their day/time/route of worship interfered with due to cycling

 

[smutchin]

Who goes to church these days?

People who suddenly discover a love of God when a new sportive lands in their back yard... It's a miracle, I tell you!

 

[swansonj]

Who goes to church these days?

The Prudential Ride London passes through Leatherhead and the route is closed to traffic all day. There were people in Leatherhead parish church on Sunday who normally go to Fetcham but couldn’t get there and, i’m sure, vice versa.

 

[perplexed]

Give all the riders a pointy stick.

On any given stage they are permitted to get them out and jab at nobbish spectators for say, three minutes.

I'm not sure it'd do much for the racing as such, but it would be interesting to see such a fan interaction.

EDIT: Thinking on, it'd work a bit like a joker card. Some riders may elect to not use the pointy stick, and thus gain a potential 3 minutes in their rivals if you make the rule that pointy stick wielders have to be stationary.