Tour de France 2011

[Lavabe]

Not that I really care about Versus, but the broadcast team of Liggett, Sherwin, and Bobke are giving a play-by-play clinic. Combine their coverage & commentary with the beautiful photography, and I am still drawn to this televised sporting event, regardless of the fact that it's on Versus, and regardless of the drug/PED allegations. A bunch of ACC basketball commentators could really learn from this team of broadcasters. No discussion of Derek Jeter, no idle chatter while important events go on, etc...

After Stage Four, it looks like we have some interesting American cyclists this year. Team Garmin is doing a good job early on. Contador has not been stellar. Can Cadell Evans do it this year?

[YmoBeThere]

Tour de France, what's that?

[DukieInKansas]

Not that I really care about Versus, but the broadcast team of Liggett, Sherwin, and Bobke are giving a play-by-play clinic. Combine their coverage & commentary with the beautiful photography, and I am still drawn to this televised sporting event, regardless of the fact that it's on Versus, and regardless of the drug/PED allegations. A bunch of ACC basketball commentators could really learn from this team of broadcasters. No discussion of Derek Jeter, no idle chatter while important events go on, etc...

After Stage Four, it looks like we have some interesting American cyclists this year. Team Garmin is doing a good job early on. Contador has not been stellar. Can Cadell Evans do it this year?

You must be watching the live version. I forget every year and watch the night coverage at least once - it is enough to remind me to DVR the live broadcast and watch it at night. I can't stand all the crap they add to the night program. I don't want to hear Bobke answer questions that I could answer. (OK - I'm a cycling snob). I'm not sure where they got the two new people but tonight the one on the left made me want to hit him - his voice and facial expressions annoyed me. Rant over

I love how well Garmin-Cervelo is doing this year. I was really impressed when Thor stuck with Contador and Evans today. For some reason I'm not much of a Cadel fan. I don't think it is really him - it might be his message board fans - they tend to whine. They don't like Leipheimer because he doesn't attack on climbs but I don't recall seeing Evans attack very often either.

i loved Tyler winning on the Fourth of July. I liked his W after the line for his friend Wouter Weylandt.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Derek Jeter had 2 hits last night, including a 2 run double. He now has 2,996 hits. I just thought Lavabe would want to know!

[CathyCA]

DinK is a cycling EXPERT. I remember watching the Tour de France 2009 with her and really appreciating it and understanding it because of her knowledge of the sport and of the cyclists. She was able to explain it to me in a way that I could really enjoy what I was watching.

DinK could broadcast for the network and gain new viewers.

[DukieInKansas]

DinK is a cycling EXPERT. I remember watching the Tour de France 2009 with her and really appreciating it and understanding it because of her knowledge of the sport and of the cyclists. She was able to explain it to me in a way that I could really enjoy what I was watching.

DinK could broadcast for the network and gain new viewers.

You are way too kind. People would miss Phil and Paul. Plus, they couldn't play PnP Bingo if I did the coverage.

http://bikehugger.com/media/BikeHuggerTdFBingoGame.pdf

[Lavabe]

Lots of silly crashes today. Seriously, right after the midway sprint, the peleton eased up, causing several crashes. The first crash took a Slovenian from RadioShack. He looked concussed, terribly bruised, and he was ambulanced off. Two others in that same crash got up.

The second crash after the sprint involved Contador, but he is back up and will get back to the peleton. He threw his old bike off to the side. Literally, he threw it.

Earlier in the day, Levi fell, but he has caught up to the peleton.

The sprint, by the way, was cheap. Bonin pushed off someone left DIRECTLY in front of Cavendish, and he had no other road left on the left side of the road. Cavendish objected, and rightfully so. Just after they crossed in front of him, the two swerved over to the extreme RIGHT side of the road, and finished their sprint over there. Cheap ass riding!

Garmin is doing fine. Would love to see Cofidis do well, but they just don't have the power. I am disturbed with Europacar; theiir all green jerseys are confusing me.

[CathyCA]

DinK is a cycling EXPERT. I remember watching the Tour de France 2009 with her and really appreciating it and understanding it because of her knowledge of the sport and of the cyclists. She was able to explain it to me in a way that I could really enjoy what I was watching.

DinK could broadcast for the network and gain new viewers.

You are way too kind. People would miss Phil and Paul. Plus, they couldn't play PnP Bingo if I did the coverage.

http://bikehugger.com/media/BikeHuggerTdFBingoGame.pdf

I think you'd be good. And you already have a contact in the world of sports broadcasting who could hook you up. Wouldn't you like to have your own set of bingo card phrases, too?

[Lavabe]

Wouldn't you like to have your own set of bingo card phrases, too?

You know, that's one of the good things with Ligget and Sherwen. They truly don't rely on bingo card phrases. Imagine that.

Boonen crashed today, but finished some 10 minutes behind the peleton. I gave up counting the number of crashes after about the tenth one. Brilliant sprint finish today.

[DukieInKansas]

Wouldn't you like to have your own set of bingo card phrases, too?

You know, that's one of the good things with Ligget and Sherwen. They truly don't rely on bingo card phrases. Imagine that.

Boonen crashed today, but finished some 10 minutes behind the peleton. I gave up counting the number of crashes after about the tenth one. Brilliant sprint finish today.

There were a ton of crashes. I still haven't figured out what happened to Sorensen with the motor bike. I saw him tumbling in the grass but never saw his bike. Did it stay with the motorbike?

You can always play bingo with Phil & Paul - dancing on the pedals, made a mess of that, stretched the elastic, etc. They have certain catch phrases you can count on them using. Of course, you can always pick a phrase and turn it into a drinking game. ;)

[Turk]

Maybe the announcers are doing it on purpose. During the NBA draft, our own Bilas, repeatedly criticized for rhetorical excess over athe length of a player's arms, commented, "Player X (I forget who) has a seven foot wingspan. Bottoms up, everyone!"

[Lavabe]

Racing in wet weather brought out some more crashes, but not like those on Wednesday. Wednesday had narrower roads and crosswinds and slightly slick stuff. That brought out like 10-15 crashes. It WAS hard to keep track of.

On Thursday, it was heavier rain in spots, but not as many crashes.

However, Levi fell after slipping on a paint mark with 4km to go. That means he had to catch up to the peleton late in order not to lose time. He simply couldn't do it, and lost a minute in the Yellow jersey chase. Radio Shack is having troubles. Chris Horner becomes the number one American in the race for the yellow jersey.

Thor is still hanging onto the lead in the overall race.

[DukieInKansas]

Lines on the road are very treacherous in the rain. Levi's crash almost looked slow motion - the good thing with wet roads is less road rash as you hydroplane across the road.

[Lavabe]

In an interview, Horner stresses that Levi is still the #1 on RadioShack. Nonetheless, Horner has the best American time.
Boonen quit the race today after the spill two days ago. No broken collar bone, but he was hurting.
Should be a sprint finish today.

[Lavabe]

Bad day for RadioShack: mechanical and crash issues with Horner and Levi.
The early crash today wasn't too bad, but the second one (40km from the finish) was bad.
HTC is having little problem with the crases, as they are at the head of the peloton.

[DukieInKansas]

Finally saw today's coverage. Definitely a bad day for Radio Shack - except for Kloden who stays quietly out of trouble.

The head injuries are scary. It will be interesting to see if Horner starts tomorrow. I should know that before I head out on the mission trip and have no coverage. Bad time to be gone for a week.

[Lavabe]

Finally saw today's coverage. Definitely a bad day for Radio Shack - except for Kloden who stays quietly out of trouble.

The head injuries are scary. It will be interesting to see if Horner starts tomorrow. I should know that before I head out on the mission trip and have no coverage. Bad time to be gone for a week.

Horner didn't start today! Wiggins fell yesterday, and is gone.
RadioShack is hurting, but Kloden is now 4th in the yellow jersey battle.

Wet roads today, with some hills today.
American Tejay Van Garderen (TVG) of Team hTc is now leader of the Mountain jersey race. I know, I know, they haven't hit the mountains yet, TVG is doing very well this year.
Thor is still in the lead for the yellow jersey. Both Schlecks are in the top 6. There's a lot of interesting jockeying going around before the mountains.
Gilbert holds the green jersey.
Rui Alberto Costa won today. The peloton caught Vino late, and Costa's drive was impressive. 12 sec back was Gilbert, and 15 sec back was an elite group, with Cadel, Vino, Kloden, Schlecks, Contador, Basso, Thor, Vande Velde, and about 13 others. Garmin-Cervelo was intact.

Basically, a large breakaway group today was led by TVG and Rui Costa, and the latter wound up pulling away 4-5 km from the end, on the climb at Super-Besse. The climb spread out the peloton, so times off the leader started to change.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Derek Jeter went 5 for freakin' 5 today, hitting a mammoth home run for his 3,000th hit! He now has 3003 hits.

[Lavabe]

Derek Jeter went 5 for freakin' 5 today, hitting a mammoth home run for his 3,000th hit! He now has 3003 hits.

Derek who?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Derek Jeter went 5 for freakin' 5 today, hitting a mammoth home run for his 3,000th hit! He now has 3003 hits.

Derek who?

Tour de que? ;)