Comments on: No, this is not boring. http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:04:39 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Scotterob http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Scotterob Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:36:57 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-67 JP, is your point that Le Tour isn't boring <i>if you're riding in it</i>? I have not doubt, and your background notes are interesting insight, but make it no less boring to watch the tour. I have to disagree with you (and Kim). Le Tour is painfully scripted for a variety of reasons, the only interesting things that happen from this viewer's point of view are those that aren't scripted. Like when a DS gets mad for some arcane reason, sends the boys to the front in the crosswinds, shreds the peloton and <i>burns the script</i>. Oh no, unexpected time gaps!! The whole reaction around stage 3 makes my point better than I ever could. A genuine spontaneous, unpredicted race situation shocks the cycling press and the fan base. And the hilariously ironic thing is that it was a reaction to another team that wouldn't do what it was supposed to. Shorter stages! No radios! GC contenders attacking on Massif Central stages! Sacre bleu, I don't understand how important long boring stages are to sponsors, and the exposure narrative that the teams sell them! Hope you're doing well in Cali! The weather back home is reminding me of S Cruz this summer. JP, is your point that Le Tour isn’t boring if you’re riding in it? I have not doubt, and your background notes are interesting insight, but make it no less boring to watch the tour. I have to disagree with you (and Kim). Le Tour is painfully scripted for a variety of reasons, the only interesting things that happen from this viewer’s point of view are those that aren’t scripted. Like when a DS gets mad for some arcane reason, sends the boys to the front in the crosswinds, shreds the peloton and burns the script. Oh no, unexpected time gaps!! The whole reaction around stage 3 makes my point better than I ever could. A genuine spontaneous, unpredicted race situation shocks the cycling press and the fan base. And the hilariously ironic thing is that it was a reaction to another team that wouldn’t do what it was supposed to.

Shorter stages! No radios! GC contenders attacking on Massif Central stages! Sacre bleu, I don’t understand how important long boring stages are to sponsors, and the exposure narrative that the teams sell them!

Hope you’re doing well in Cali! The weather back home is reminding me of S Cruz this summer.

]]> By: Boulder Report » Blog Archive » Tour de France live blog - Stage 12 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Boulder Report » Blog Archive » Tour de France live blog - Stage 12 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:18:03 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-63 [...] - Maillot, author and longtime pro Joe Parkin had an interesting commentary about the “boring” middle stages the other day. I’m in the middle. On the one [...] [...] – Maillot, author and longtime pro Joe Parkin had an interesting commentary about the “boring” middle stages the other day. I’m in the middle. On the one [...]

]]> By: Kim Feraday http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Kim Feraday Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:58:47 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-62 The problem hasn't been the flat stages. I love a good sprint finish. It's dangerous and unpredictable -- today's was a perfect example, with Farrar almost stealing one. The problem has been that the Pyrenees stages weren't at all decisive. The climb to Arcalis (Stage 7) was not hard enough to be decisive. On Stages 8 and 9 the final climbs of the day were so far from the finish that they were effectively neutralized. The only decisive days were the first day's ITT and the TTT, which has made it very, very difficult for any team but Astana to win the Tour. Why the organizer's included two long TT's in the first week is baffling. It has ruined the race for the overall. We'll be 2/3's through the Tour BEFORE there are any decisive mountain stages. Now that's boring. Giro was a much better race -- there was excitement every day. The problem hasn’t been the flat stages. I love a good sprint finish. It’s dangerous and unpredictable — today’s was a perfect example, with Farrar almost stealing one.

The problem has been that the Pyrenees stages weren’t at all decisive. The climb to Arcalis (Stage 7) was not hard enough to be decisive. On Stages 8 and 9 the final climbs of the day were so far from the finish that they were effectively neutralized. The only decisive days were the first day’s ITT and the TTT, which has made it very, very difficult for any team but Astana to win the Tour. Why the organizer’s included two long TT’s in the first week is baffling. It has ruined the race for the overall.

We’ll be 2/3’s through the Tour BEFORE there are any decisive mountain stages. Now that’s boring. Giro was a much better race — there was excitement every day.

]]> By: Zach http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Zach Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:27:48 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-60 @Linda Jellison: I guess I should've put a "some" in there. :-) @Linda Jellison:

I guess I should’ve put a “some” in there. :-)

]]> By: Linda Jellison http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Linda Jellison Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:36:47 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-58 Very vivid description of what it's like to be in a bunch sprint. And to respond to Zach, I'm a recreational/wanna be racer who follows all the races, not just in July. I don't claim to be an expert, but I certainly understand why Lance isn't in a 3-man breakaway! Very vivid description of what it’s like to be in a bunch sprint. And to respond to Zach, I’m a recreational/wanna be racer who follows all the races, not just in July. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I certainly understand why Lance isn’t in a 3-man breakaway!

]]> By: VeloCast http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-57 VeloCast Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:57:13 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-57 Firstly, fantastic description of fighting for your place in the bunch! Also, I totally agree about the blue-collar aspect to European cycling. As you rightly say, for a lot of these guys, being a pro cyclist is the only possible escape from working in menial jobs. Indeed, my own personal hero, Robert Millar, spoke in exactly those terms; the pain of working so incredibly hard to become a pro cyclist was preferably to spending your life in a factory. As I say, my hero is Millar, so I adore watching the tour when it goes into the mountains but if you don't get chills watching someone like Mark Cavendish rocketing towards the finish line, then there is something wrong with you ;-) Thanks for a great post. Scott. Firstly, fantastic description of fighting for your place in the bunch!

Also, I totally agree about the blue-collar aspect to European cycling. As you rightly say, for a lot of these guys, being a pro cyclist is the only possible escape from working in menial jobs. Indeed, my own personal hero, Robert Millar, spoke in exactly those terms; the pain of working so incredibly hard to become a pro cyclist was preferably to spending your life in a factory.

As I say, my hero is Millar, so I adore watching the tour when it goes into the mountains but if you don’t get chills watching someone like Mark Cavendish rocketing towards the finish line, then there is something wrong with you ;-)

Thanks for a great post.

Scott.

]]> By: Moto http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Moto Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:56:47 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-56 Guiseppe, I think there is a lot of tension built up as to whether Big Tex and and the little brown elf will fight each other out. Sure, the sprint finishes are good, but what is so exciting about Cav slaying all. He's good. He's young. But he ain't no Cipo. My friend Rev Big Ring said it best in a recent Twitter comment: the Tour so far is like a porno where the cable guy really is just there to fix the cable. Where's the money shot? Guiseppe, I think there is a lot of tension built up as to whether Big Tex and and the little brown elf will fight each other out. Sure, the sprint finishes are good, but what is so exciting about Cav slaying all. He’s good. He’s young. But he ain’t no Cipo. My friend Rev Big Ring said it best in a recent Twitter comment: the Tour so far is like a porno where the cable guy really is just there to fix the cable. Where’s the money shot?

]]> By: Zach http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/2009/07/15/no-this-is-not-boring/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Zach Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:54:02 +0000 http://www.6yearsinaraincape.com/?p=240#comment-55 Reading the comments section on the various online feeds, it's clear that the people who think the race is boring are also the same people who have no idea how bike racing actually works. It's not stupidity or blatant ignorance, just the fact that for most people, even recreational cyclists, the only time competitive cycling's on their radar is during the month of July. Viewers of these feeds ought to be forced to read a primer on the sport of cycling, maybe even this blog, to get it into their heads why cyclists do the things they do. At least then I wouldn't be so annoyed when Velonews or Boulder Report explain yet again what the green jersey means or why Lance isn't in a three-man breakaway. Reading the comments section on the various online feeds, it’s clear that the people who think the race is boring are also the same people who have no idea how bike racing actually works.

It’s not stupidity or blatant ignorance, just the fact that for most people, even recreational cyclists, the only time competitive cycling’s on their radar is during the month of July.

Viewers of these feeds ought to be forced to read a primer on the sport of cycling, maybe even this blog, to get it into their heads why cyclists do the things they do.

At least then I wouldn’t be so annoyed when Velonews or Boulder Report explain yet again what the green jersey means or why Lance isn’t in a three-man breakaway.

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