TDF Stage 19--Spoilers....

[paredown]

No great surprises today, except they were flying--a lot of folks trying to get into early breakaways...

Great finish I thought (except for the roundabout confusion).

For all you haters, saw this on one of the British sites--Eddy on this year's tour:

"I’ve followed all the stages, but I haven’t found them very interesting. It was not a great tour, there hasn’t been much drama. Many stages were quite boring. I often watched the start then went and did something else. I didn’t just spend hours watching television.

Something has to be done about these long and flat stages. Almost nothing happens: there’s an escape that is taken in the final kilometers. There were too many stages where you knew in advance that nothing would happen.

I was still expecting some [kind of battle] in the mountains. Froome always rode defensively, defended himself very well and could count on a very strong team. So nothing happened in this Tour. Many team leaders have done nothing but wait. Froome himself has never attacked. He will win the Tour, and has defended well, but he didn’t do anything exceptional. There was just no one to beat him. He deserves to win. Of course, we still have to wait for the time trial, but I don’t see who can still beat him."

[Mzilliox]

Hard to argue with Eddy on this one. other than a few choice moments, really boring, wheres the panache? i saw nobody but Rigo trying hard to win. the rest just riding safe. Bardet should have taken more chances on his home turf, his team rode pretty well, but its like they all accepet sky will win and everyone else gets the crumbs. and thats boring

[rodcad]

I wish they would do away with the whole team concept and just let everyone ride for themselves. I don't see cycling as a team sport like football. The best and strongest cyclist doesn't always win.

[MattTuck]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

Hard to argue with Eddy on this one. other than a few choice moments, really boring, wheres the panache? i saw nobody but Rigo trying hard to win. the rest just riding safe. Bardet should have taken more chances on his home turf, his team rode pretty well, but its like they all accepet sky will win and everyone else gets the crumbs. and thats boring

Dan Martin?

[PQJ]

They need to get rid of race radios and all manner of rider telemetry and data during the race. Give them a speedometer and stopwatch, and let them have at it. To the strongest and smartest go the spoils. As for the safety argument, they're pros, it's bike racing, and somehow their forbears did it for decades. The sponsors will need to add resources for crowd control and / or to pick routes that are more appropriate.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

Dan Martin?

Seriously. I really like watching him. He attacks even when he knows it probably useless.

[Frankwurst]

I don't know or have I heard or read anybody sum it up better than Eddy and who in this day and age is better than him to do so?

[Llewellyn]

Eddy and PQJ have nailed it.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by paredown

No great surprises today, except they were flying--a lot of folks trying to get into early breakaways...

Great finish I thought (except for the roundabout confusion).

For all you haters, saw this on one of the British sites--Eddy on this year's tour:

Do away with radios, maybe a 'TdF' radio for road problems but this 'what do I do now ' stuff makes for 'quiet' stages.

[msl819]

Originally Posted by rodcad

I wish they would do away with the whole team concept and just let everyone ride for themselves. I don't see cycling as a team sport like football. The best and strongest cyclist doesn't always win.

I have this same sentiment. I know they say this is all but impossible but it would be fun to see

[Fivethumbs]

I have a lot more fun watching my old videos of races from the 80's and early 90's - a lot less predictable. Also, the racers themselves are different. Every one now specializes in certain races. There's the classics racers, the grand tour racers, the short stage race racers. I liked it better when I saw Fignon race all the big races including Milan San Remo, Paris Roubaix, the Giro and the Tour in the same year, and be competitive if not win them.

[PQJ]

Originally Posted by Llewellyn

Eddy and PQJ have nailed it.

Thanks mate! The first (and likely last) time I will find myself in such elite company.