Anybody else watching the Tour de France?

[cheapie]

I'm so geeked about it. This is the 3rd year I've watched every stage possible and once you know what is going on, and understand the tactics, it's fascinating. Plus, there are starting to be more and more Americans involved at the higher levels.

[gear02]

I follow it and I will watch it when it's on tv, but I don't understand much of it...

I understand the other "maillots", for climber, best youth, best sprinter, etc. but I don't understand where they earn the points. Are there like markers indicating a section of the race where the first one across gets so many points?

How do they "protect" Lance?

[cheapie]

Originally posted by gear02
I follow it and I will watch it when it's on tv, but I don't understand much of it...

I understand the other "maillots", for climber, best youth, best sprinter, etc. but I don't understand where they earn the points. Are there like markers indicating a section of the race where the first one across gets so many points?

How do they "protect" Lance?

Yes, there are markers that determine where the first rider across will earn the points. The sprint points are scattered through the flat stages so that in the course of a 200 km ride, there will be an incentive to make it interesting.

As far as points towards the king of the mountains jersey, each climb generally has a line at the top that the climbers race for. The larger the climb, the more points are awarded for getting there first.

The best young rider award goes to the highest place rider under 25.

The Posties protect Lance by doing several things.

First, it is their job to keep him near the front of the pack, especially towards the end of each stage. Crashes generally occur when everyone is speeding up towards the end of a stage. If the majority of the pack pelaton is behind you, the chances of you getting caught in a wreck are smaller.

Second, when riders break away from the pack, the team helps chase them down if it's a rider that poses a risk in the GC (General Classification) as an overall winner. If it's just some guy that might win the stage but doesn't have a chance of winning the overall title, they don't bother. The responsibility will fall on the shoulders of those teams that have great sprinters that want to win the stage that day. That's why you won't hardly see the Posties at the front of the pack during the flat stages. They don't care if a sprinter breaks away and beats Armstrong by 30 seconds, or even a minute. They know that Lance will be putting 10-15 minutes into them on the mountain stages.

Lastly, and you will see this on the mountains, the US Postal Team has an incredible amount of talent. They will be able to lead Lance up the mountain at an amazing pace, while the other teams won't be able to support their leaders as well. What this means is that while the "Le Train Blu", as the French call the Posties, are letting Lance draft behind them during the climbing stages (drafting saves about 30% of his energy which he can use at the end of the climb to break his opponents in the final 10k or so) the other great climbers aren't able to draft as well behind their team because their teams can't compete with the Posties' pace.

[speedracer120]

Watching the Tour is amazing. Heck I used to get excited watching ABC's taped coverage even though I already knew the outcome. The strategy, physical prowess, endurance, and will involved is truly inspiring for me, a truly lazy piece of flab.

[yippiekiyeh]

Just finished watching the Team Trial... Postal Team just totally dominated! It was impressive watching them fly!!!

[IrishSS]

Ack! Where are you watching it? OLN? Unfortunately, my cable company doesn't carry OLN. Right now I'm stuck having to wait for the once a week show on CBS, which frankly... stinks.

[gear02]

when are they showing it? it's on at 9am, but frankly I have a thing called work...

[cheapie]

Originally posted by gear02
when are they showing it? it's on at 9am, but frankly I have a thing called work...

it's on 3-5 times/day on oln

[yippiekiyeh]

Yeah I'm watching it on OLN. I was pissed last year when my CC didn't have OLN, and I couldn't enjoy watching it. Live coverage is at 9 I believe, but I get off work in time to watch the last hour of it, but they replay it over and over and over again, so I can catch the first part to catch any of the interesting attacks or breakaways that happen in the first part of the broadcast.

[speedracer120]

I don't think I'll pay Dish Net to give me OLN for just the Tour.

[brainsmile]

predictions?

[cheapie]

Originally posted by brainsmile
predictions?


lance again this year by a far slimmer margin than before.

tyler hamilton in 2004! :cheers:

[slaus]

Lance didnt do too well today at the time trials. Its going to be close this year.

[Showtime]

he's up by a minute or so. looks like he will do the "unposssible!"

Never thought I'd say these obvious words but, GO LANCE!

-jel:halo:

[raimin]

good finish to the race, specially after the fall...
Awesome that they stopped until Lance got back up

only 5 more stages left, with that all important time trial

[gear02]

holy crap....that fall was painful...his bike was sideways to the road before he even hit the ground...

but he IS amazing.