Le Tour de France - 2012

[N4BBQ]

Yessir on Versus & NBC. Eurosport has pretty good coverage. Sean Kelly tends to mumble a bit, but once you learn his dialect, its not so bad.

And the HD scenes from the helicopter are magnificent.

[PA5COR]

Beautifull old city on top of the hill, like many more.
Puy Malsignat, Albi, near Aurillac, Millau, Mont Pellier, Berbiguerez, Pau, Sauguis St Etienne, Biaritz, Perpignan, Lourdes, to name a few.
Mostly renting a house in the countryside, set up an antenna and have a 3 week bash driving and exploring the country side and visit some battleplaces of WW2.
Must have made a gazilion pictures and lots of digital video...nice people, ( wife is fluent in french, me just so so) and lots of history nice Cathedrals to visit, museums good food ( use local street markets for fresh produce) etc.

[K0RGR]

You know, of course, that if an American wins, the Tour organizers will try to have his win negated with allegations of doping...

Exactly - they can't leave Armstrong alone. He never failed a drug test anywhere, but they keep coming up with new theories for how he might have managed to win. I wasn't much interested in the tour before, and I have mostly contempt now.

[KT1F]

You know, of course, that if an American wins, the Tour organizers will try to have his win negated with allegations of doping...

Exactly - they can't leave Armstrong alone. He never failed a drug test anywhere, but they keep coming up with new theories for how he might have managed to win. I wasn't much interested in the tour before, and I have mostly contempt now.

The "they" that "can't leave Armstrong alone" is the US Anti-Doping Agency. Don't blame the race organizers or imply some sort of anti-American agenda.

[2E0OZI]

I have nothing against Lance Armstrong - he's second only to Eddy Mercyx by my reckoning and an absolutely legendary rider. He was the first guy to work out in the modern world of the 21st century that with mass media 24 hour coverage etc that the ONLY race the wider non-cycling world knows about is the Tour de France, so he set about winning it repeatedly. This raised his profile well beyond that of the other legends like Hilnault and Eddy. Fair play to him. And he is innocent until proven guilty - I personally don't think he will be proven guilty.

[K6CPO]

Exactly - they can't leave Armstrong alone. He never failed a drug test anywhere, but they keep coming up with new theories for how he might have managed to win. I wasn't much interested in the tour before, and I have mostly contempt now.

My opinion, and this is only an opinion, is that the Europeans and particularly the French can't stand that an American won "their" race so many times.

The "they" that "can't leave Armstrong alone" is the US Anti-Doping Agency. Don't blame the race organizers or imply some sort of anti-American agenda.

What do you want to bet they're under pressure from the Tour organizers or the international sanctioning body, whatever that might be?

[N4BBQ]

My opinion, and this is only an opinion, is that the Europeans and particularly the French can't stand that an American won "their" race so many times.

Do you also order "freedom fries" when you hit a diner?

I've been to France a few times and was treated great and the people I met there, especially cyclists, loved Armstrong.

Today's stage was pretty exciting. I just wish Cancellara could have eased up the road a bit and dropped the wheel suckers.

Not that I don't like Cavendish, but it was good to see him crack on the last climb to allow someone else a win with a sprint finish.

[N4BBQ]

Beautifull old city on top of the hill, like many more.
Puy Malsignat, Albi, near Aurillac, Millau, Mont Pellier, Berbiguerez, Pau, Sauguis St Etienne, Biaritz, Perpignan, Lourdes, to name a few.

You should post a few pics or post a URL where some are if you share them.

[G0GQK]

I can't agree with your feeling that Lance Armstrong is despised because he won seven times I do believe. He is highly regarded in France, and as has been stated, he has never been found to have taken drugs. The reason why he was so successful as a bike rider, as well as his excellent physique and solid determination to win, was his heart. He has an advantage in that his heart beats at half the rate of a normal athlete so when some riders go "into the red" he never did. Anyone who can ride 2,000 miles around France almost every day for three weeks, and stand on the winners podium seven times is an exceptional athlete.

Mark Cavendish has lost some weight to produce more fitness for the long distances, so he may have lost the power he possessed to produce his exceptional speed towards the line. Remember he's a short distance power rider and that climb to the finish was about 3.5 miles, he's not a climber.
Years ago, when I were but a lad, I used to buy Cycling magazine when it was 6d a copy and I used to read about the great Fausto Coppi and Eddy Merkyx. That was when they rode either bare headed or with a cap, and the bikes were more attractive. Having 6'2" blokes riding bikes with small frames and saddle stems about 14" long makes them look as though they are riding a kids bike

Mel G0GQK

[K6CPO]

Well, there's someone out there with a vendetta against Armstrong. He doesn't even ride competitively anymore and yet the doping agency has filed charges against him. There are people that just can't believe he won the tour seven times...