Stopped watching the Tour and don't miss it

[Bruce K]

So I realized that I did not each today's stage or Sunday's and that I neither miss it or care anymore.

I am not sure when I lost interest. Maybe the ridiculous, arbitrary jury d visions/penalties. Maybe the lack of (for me) exciting racing or compelling stories.

It just seems bland this year.

Anyone else feeling that way?

BK

[jlwdm]

I disagree. You missed a great stage today. Excellent racing from the start.

Jeff

[Llewellyn]

I lost interest about a week ago - seems like another Sky procession to Paris.....yawn. Don't miss it either.

[Ken Robb]

I have never been able to get interested in watching bicycle races like the Tour. To me it's even worse than NASCAR with competitors all in a boring row for hours until there's a crash. OTOH clips of a sprint finish are fun to see without investing hours watching the "action" leading up to them.
I sorta posted this to tweak real race fans.

[hokoman]

I actually feel like it's way more interesting this year than it has been in many.

[Climb01742]

I'm in the camp of 'this year is pretty good'. I'm enjoying watching. And I actually think Bob and Christian and Jens are doing good commentary. But don't get me started on Phil. Ouch. Hope next year is sans Phil.

[rustychisel]

Watching Matthews chase down the green jersey points last night was enthralling. Robbie McEwen as commentator nails the analysis every time, almost makes up for how dull co-host Keenan is.

[Anarchist]

I quit watching the Tour years ago. It is mind numbingly dull, and the lack of anyone willing to take a flyer rather than just join the procession destroys it.

I listen to the odd podcast or read the summary but don't watch.

I do watch the Vuelta, or parts of it. Also the Giro.

The Tour is a dead end.

[jlwdm]

If you want to see the best teams and the best riders you watch the Tour.

Jeff

[enr1co]

The UCI jury calls have been bad this yr but will watch the tour or anything cycling if available on TV. Will always like Phil and Paul. Could do without hearing from Steve perino or Schlanger.

[Seramount]

bitching about the Tour being boring is really annoying...

if the time-honored spectacle that is the TdF is not entertaining to you, just turn off the tv.

this year's race has provided ample drama and excitement.

don't get the point in ragging on something that many people enjoy.

[Ralph]

My family records the race every AM, and we all watch it together in late afternoon and evening. FF thru the commercials.

We may not be the most educated on bicycle racing, but we sure enjoy watching.....the scenery, towns, roads, people, rivers, today some horses, we like all that local stuff. Fascinating to us.

[John H.]

To each his own- I won't try to talk the haters into watching.

But it has been a good bike race.

The best way to watch it is live on NBC Sports gold. It is no commercials with Robbie McEwan doing the color. He is interesting and actually knows the riders and knows what is happening in the race.

Phil only knows how to read cue cards.

[berserk87]

It's been an odd TDF. I get what the OP is saying about the blandness. Here are some observations, for and against that assertion:

This year's TDF is bland because:

1. The break seems doomed on any flat stage. Unless the stage has some significant climbs, the peloton has not missed the mark so far in reeling in the break. It's more fun when the peloton goofs at least once per grand tour.

2. Kittel seems to be a lock to win any flat stage (but for the one which Arnaud Dumaure won). That seems anticlimactic and dull, as compelling viewing goes.

3. There is a lingering sense that Froome and the Sky mafia are going to pull off another win, in the same ways as in prior years. A big part of the joy derived from sport is its unpredictability - this ain't it.

4. Porte got hurt, again; Sagan got the boot; Cavendish got smooshed; - some of my favorite riders to watch are not there.

This year's TDF is great because:

1. It's the closest TDF in history, with 4 riders being within 35 seconds of each other as of a few days ago.

2. Dan Martin's aggressiveness is awesome to watch. He's kind of nutty, and his teeth are kinda hard to look at, but he gives 100% all of the time.

3. On the few "classic strong man stages", the field is wide open since Sagan's departure. Michael Matthews won two of these, but VanAvermaet, Eddie B-H, John Degenkolb, Phil Gilbert were all mixing it up too.

4. The return of Cannondale as a factor has been fun to watch, after a year of having no results in any race that mattered (well, I am rolling in the Tour of California into this too, I guess).

There are other reasons for either side I reckon. I wanted to keep the yin and the yang balanced with 4 apiece.

[jghall]

Originally Posted by Ralph

My family records the race every AM, and we all watch it together in late afternoon and evening.

Personally a fan, regardless of what's going on, but this alone is worth watching. Even if it's a show about watching paint drying. Kudos.