Stopped watching the Tour and don't miss it

[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.

[weisan]

I enjoyed watching the tour every year, no exception.

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

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

Jeff

If you want to see the best grand tour you watch the Giro or Vuelta.

[rustychisel]

Have watched all three at times, but the French have the best package put together, including the info, the views etc.
Agree that sometimes - sometimes - the Giro has the best racing, but the TDF is becoming sharp this year (if you can overlook the obvious that Froome is going to secure #4 barring an unforseen incident) and watch the other plots as they unfold. Or just watch it for the chateaux (having been to France 4 times I believe they're always building them. Even the old ones. It's a tourist thing)

[Ti Designs]

Why is it so unusual to not watch or care about the tour? I work at a bike shop, so I'm exposed to cyclists all day long, which makes it damn hard to know nothing about what's going on. people will ask me if I saw the last stage, I'll say no (I only watch the rest day), then they'll proceed to explain what happened. That I don't know who any of these people are makes no sense to them - doesn't everyone know who [insert name of tour rider] is? It's a lot like listening to people at the supermarket talking about characters on daytime TV, as if they lived down the street.

Instead of watching the tour, I've really gotten into the local cycling scene. Getting my legs ripped off by kids half my age is a lot like watching the uber-dopers crush the rest of the field in the tour, but it's real. What's more important to me is that it's first person. I listen to people talk about what happened in the tour, they argue about what people did or should have done. In a local competitive group ride, each person plays their hand and everyone knows what the outcome was. The perspective is so different, it's impossible to really explain. Being in a group sprint and watching the pros sprint have almost nothing in common.

[Bruce K]

I don't believe I said I hated the Tour. Maybe others do.

It's just that for some reason, this year has turned into something pretty unwatchable for me.

Maybe I tuned out too early, as some have suggested, or maybe it's part of the TP discussion about personalities vs lack of personalities.....

I just can't seem to get as "into it" in these last stages.

BK

[jlwdm]

My work partner and her husband do not care about cycling, but since I do, I bought a bicycle for their oldest daughter's 3rd birthday in February. Surprisingly, my partner and her daughter are watching every minute of every stage each evening.

Jeff

[jlwdm]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

If you want to see the best grand tour you watch the Giro or Vuelta.

I guess a different version of best. The Giro and Vuelta do not have the best riders, the best riders peaking, the strongest teams or the pressure of the Tour.

Jeff

[Ray]

I get sucked in every year. Froome may win it in the TT, but he's probably gonna HAVE to win it in the TT this year, which makes it much less of a foregone conclusion than it has been. They've been hurting him on the climbs and he's gutting it out, but he's far from dominant this year. It'd have been better if Porte was still in it, but it's still pretty good. And nice to see some French riders stepping up again too.

I barely ride anymore, but I consider $40 / year for the NBC Gold package one of the best small expenditures I've made this year. Getting to see the Tour without commercials or Phaul and with all of the other racing it offers feels like a great deal to me.

-Ray

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

I guess a different version of best. The Giro and Vuelta do not have the best riders, the best riders peaking, the strongest teams or the pressure of the Tour.

Jeff

It's a bike race and the racing is better. Since pro sports is an entertainment business, these two races are certainly more entertaining along with the monuments. Now get rid of race radios and power meters and the tour will get a lot more entertaining.

[chiasticon]

honestly road racing in general is boring to watch, for me. the exception in the tour is when they really get to the mountains and start putting the hurt on each other (even if it is just Sky controlling it; the tension still makes it worth watching). flat tour stages are generally snooze-fests. or even the three hours leading up to the final climb on a mountain stage, usually. spring racing is generally much more exciting to watch, or at least the cobbled classics are. but I'll watch every single pro cyclocross race I can get my hands on. they're not always full of action, but they frequently are. and it's only an hour.

I will say though that I check into the cycling news feed throughout the stage, while at work and I can't watch, just to see what's happening. it's sometimes more exciting than actually watching the stage.

[thwart]

Originally Posted by chiasticon

Spring racing is generally much more exciting to watch, or at least the cobbled classics are.

This.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by 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.

Yup, seconded. Awesome scenery. Last year MSNBC covered the Vuelta, and I got to see parts of Spain that I probably never will see anywhere else by helicopter and motorcycle on my big flat screen. I would pay to see the Giro that way. Please, please, please.

[zlin]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

But I like baseball too.

HA! ^^ I thought baseball was only played in late October for two weeks.