Tour de France *Spoilers*

[laurence]

ahhhh, Daniel Mangeas... i saw him for the first time in York! all the years of hearing him and i never knew what he looked like. he's a legend... i always say Robie McKewen in a fake Mangeas voice after hearing him announce Robbie's victory at a stage one year.

 

[HF2300]

Yep, just saw that. I liked the comments after the Vinokourov interview too.

Yes, healthy cynicism!

 

[400bhp]

Bassons interview. What a sad sad story. Says a lot about cycling but says more about the human psyche

 

[Ganymede]

Great rest day "highlights" show.

I LOLed at Imlach after the Vino interview.

Mine was more of a snort, but deffo out loud!

 

[suzeworld]

Bassons interview. What a sad sad story. Says a lot about cycling but says more about the human psyche

Says a lot about what we were not told in the mainstream British press back on 2001 to me. Fascinating. I will buy his book.

 

[tigger]

Whereas G&T is something even us modest cyclists can enjoy.

Punctuation is always key on forums!

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Says a lot about what we were not told in the mainstream British press back on 2001 to me. Fascinating. I will buy his book.

Bassons made very good points re the lack of current research/data available being part of the reason for discussing the "old days" as if it was in the past and not current.

 

[400bhp]

Bassons made very good points re the lack of current research/data available being part of the reason for discussing the "old days" as if it was in the past and not current.

Reiterated in an indirect way by Laurens Ten Dam in an interview yesterday, i.e. all his rides and data go on Strava. Crude nonetheless but heading in the right direction.

 

[KennaughKickIt]

Bassons interview. What a sad sad story. Says a lot about cycling but says more about the human psyche

I'm quite stunned the peloton acted so tyrannously toward him. Excluding LA I'd actually felt a little sorry for some of these guys (like Hamilton) but on review I don't think I can continue to excuse them. Sure, they must have been under a lot of pressure from within the team, but the intimidating culture that they assumed and asserted upon others was appalling.

 

[coffeejo]

Personally, I'd rather see a "mediocre scrap" than the Sky train crushing the race on the last ascent of every mountain stage.

Any sport gets monotonous when it's the same old, same old. Personally, I hope that next year's Tour is all about jersey swapping with the maillot jaune decided on the Champs-Élysées and at least one team pulling their finger out and coming up with a strategy to stop Sagan taking all the green jersey points en route.

 

[HF2300]

I'm quite stunned the peloton acted so tyrannously toward him. Excluding LA I'd actually felt a little sorry for some of these guys (like Hamilton) but on review I don't think I can continue to excuse them. Sure, they must have been under a lot of pressure from within the team, but the intimidating culture that they assumed and asserted upon others was appalling.

I'm not. Sadly, it's been documented over and over again how easily large groups can be swayed like this. I prefer to be an optimist and believe the best of people, but it means I'm disappointed a lot of the time.

I don't want to re-open old debates but the repeated failure of governing bodies and those who arguably had a duty of care over guys like Bassons is even more shocking, and while things have changed, I can't help feeling that a lot of that culture still lurks in dark corners. That's one reason why - calmly and rationally - the 'is he doping' discussion about current riders is important, to keep the pressure on for a better culture.

 

[perplexed]

And of course we want the breakaway to win whereas Bauer wants Bauer to win and Elmiger wants Elmiger to win.

I'm not a golf watcher, but happened to see a bit yesterday where Alliss commented 'People say why didn't you do this or that. That's not how sport works. You do what you do, and what happens happens'. Not sure that's entirely true but you see his point.

I'm not quite sure why Alliss is referring to golf, when everyone else is talking about sport...

 

[Speicher]

Great rest day "highlights" show.

I LOLed at Imlach after the Vino interview.

Was it Imlach who said that Vino was mumbling in French? Does Imlach speak French? I did not think it was mumbled at all. Let's hear Imlach say the same in French.

 

[HF2300]

"Golf - a good walk, spoiled" Mark Twain

 

[Ganymede]

Was it Imlach who said that Vino was mumbling in French? Does Imlach speak French? I did not think it was mumbled at all. Let's hear Imlach say the same in French.

I think he may have been referring to the rather roundabout avoiding language Vino was using - his last comment was pretty mumbled and was one that Imlach wasn't impressed by.

Vino's French is pretty good - a bit idiosyncratic and obviously with a foreign accent.