# Tour de France begins



## spike404 (Sep 13, 2010)

My annual interest in cycling begins. I really enjoy the Tour. There are a couple of Americans that should be a factor.

If nothing else, the landscapes and history are worthwhile.

The three stages in England are estimated to have ~5,000,000 fans.


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## Hollywood1053 (May 15, 2009)

Look forward to it every year.


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## texcajun (Feb 22, 2009)

Dear God, I promise never to complain about soccer ever again!


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## Mr. Breeze (Jan 6, 2005)

Wonder if these jokesters will be there this year?


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Not interested any more... Lance Armstrong kinda spoiled the whole thing for me.


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## mastercylinder60 (Dec 18, 2005)

texcajun said:


> Dear God, I promise never to complain about soccer ever again!


That's kinda funny.


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## bluefin (Aug 16, 2005)

I won't trust the 'Tour' again til they are required to all sleep in the same bunk houses and eat at the same cafeterias. No more personal doctors/ nutritionists making nightly calls in their private RV's.


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## essayons75 (May 15, 2006)

I'm pulling for the first guy that I see that has playing cards cloths-pinned to hit his spokes!


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

essayons75 said:


> I'm pulling for the first guy that I see that has playing cards cloths-pinned to hit his spokes!


Greenie on that !!!...takes me back quite a few years.....


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## yakfisher (Jul 23, 2005)

essayons75 said:


> I'm pulling for the first guy that I see that has playing cards cloths-pinned to hit his spokes!


Thats not aero and adds too much weight


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Cavendish caused the crash and got what he deserved.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

Man I feel for Cavendish. He apologized and accepted the blame, he's a stand up guy. I sure hope he can continue because the tour won't be the same without the missile. And how about the old man of the group, go Jens!


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## hunterjck (Sep 30, 2010)

*Tour d'France*

Watching grass grow is more exciting.


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## FINNFOWLER (Sep 2, 2004)

Shut up legs!


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## Mr. Breeze (Jan 6, 2005)

Tomorrow, stage 2, the total climb is 12,000 feet. Juice or no juice, that's a grinding.


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## Poon Chaser (Aug 22, 2006)

Mr. Breeze said:


> Tomorrow, stage 2, the total climb is 12,000 feet. Juice or no juice, that's a grinding.


Yea... that's no joke. Pure pain all day

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk


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## spike404 (Sep 13, 2010)

I like the Tour, and motor racing. I am at an impasse. Tomorrow I have the Tour, F1 at Silverstone, Indy at Pocono, and the re-scheduled Daytona race! I will be flipping channels all day.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

The way I look at it is like this, I treat it like soccer or any other sport I dislike. There's a channel selector on my remote, if I don't like it I don't watch it. Different strokes for different folks. 

I love watching the tour, along with football, boxing, golf, baseball, nascar, and F1 racing. I refuse to watch basketball, bowling, fishing shows, and most of all...soccer (kickball).

I can also understand many folks not wanting to watch cycling. It's just like anything else, you almost have to have that as a hobby to enjoy it.

S.M.


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## trout2th (May 28, 2014)

texcajun said:


> Dear God, I promise never to complain about soccer ever again!


Just when you thought it couldn't possibly get any worse.


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## caz (Oct 23, 2006)

It can, watching bowling on TV.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

I rate bowling right up there with curling, ZZZZzzzz.....


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## Court (Jul 16, 2011)

Tour de France vs Soccer-Flip a coin


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

Court said:


> Tour de France vs Soccer-Flip a coin


I can't go that far, I love watching the tour. Just bought the app for my phone....HAHA!


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Pretty good stage today. The Americans hung in there.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

Haven't seen it yet, starts at 7:00. Martini is poured and ready to watch.


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## tunchistheman (Feb 25, 2010)

Watching guys in tights riding bicycles. If I ever get to that point in my life where I am kicking back on the recliner watching that, put me out of my misery.


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## Big Guns 1971 (Nov 7, 2013)

And I thought Baseball had a lot of cheaters.


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## Court (Jul 16, 2011)

Shallow Minded said:


> I can't go that far, I love watching the tour. Just bought the app for my phone....HAHA!


I was being sarcastic-I'm ready for college football.


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

tunchistheman said:


> Watching guys in tights riding bicycles. If I ever get to that point in my life where I am kicking back on the recliner watching that, put me out of my misery.


That's how I feel about soccer and Nascar. Grown ups kickball and guys driving around in a circle. When you ride and understand the tour, it is more interesting. I guess the same could be said about soccer and Nascar. You have to have an interest in the activity first.


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## SpeckReds (Sep 10, 2005)

^^^^^^^bingo^^^^^^^^^^^.

Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Bring on the Semi Finals in the World Cup!


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## Hullahopper (May 24, 2004)

Yawn......


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## WillieT (Aug 25, 2010)

texcajun said:


> Dear God, I promise never to complain about soccer ever again!


X2 on that. The only way I would watch is it were all hot, sweaty chics, wearing bikinis.


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## Centex fisher (Apr 25, 2006)

I ride a road bike so I have a passing interest in watching it. Just shows me how out of shape I am compared to those guys. Disclaimer: When I ride, I wear the baggy mountain bike shorts. I won't wear those tight biker shorts. Nope.


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## TxBrewer (Jul 23, 2011)

texcajun said:


> Dear God, I promise never to complain about soccer ever again!


Was almost my same thought.


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

tunchistheman said:


> Watching guys in tights riding bicycles. If I ever get to that point in my life where I am kicking back on the recliner watching that, put me out of my misery.


add a martini to the mix, and well......?

lol



Shallow Minded said:


> Haven't seen it yet, starts at 7:00. Martini is poured and ready to watch.


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

texcajun said:


> Dear God, I promise never to complain about soccer ever again!





mastercylinder said:


> That's kinda funny.





hunterjck said:


> Watching grass grow is more exciting.





trout2th said:


> Just when you thought it couldn't possibly get any worse.





tunchistheman said:


> Watching guys in tights riding bicycles. If I ever get to that point in my life where I am kicking back on the recliner watching that, put me out of my misery.





Hullahopper said:


> Yawn......


All of the above.


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Nothing wrong with tights as long as you can turn the pedals.


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## SafetyMan (Jan 3, 2012)

They rode past my office building today, so I left early in order not to get caught in the chaos and backed up traffic. Coming from the Great Republic of Texas and having to get accustomed to life on public transportation (the Tube/trains) here in London isn't much fun.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

I don't care what anyone says, I love watching the tour. Not a harder race in world. The team work, the crashes, the suffering. These guys are true athletes and they push themselves past the limit.

The sport has been cleaned up thanks in partly to that cheater Lance. Like I said, to each their own. Football players are whussies compared to these skinny guys....

Ok, let me have it...haha!


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## NanoSkiff (Jul 26, 2012)

I gotta agree with shallow minded. They put themselves thru hell. 

But I ride and actually understand the race.


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## Oyster Dog (May 21, 2005)

shaggydog said:


> X2 on that. The only way I would watch is it were all hot, sweaty chics, wearing bikinis.


Better?


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## agonzales1981 (Jun 12, 2008)

Shallow Minded said:


> I don't care what anyone says, I love watching the tour. Not a harder race in world. The team work, the crashes, the suffering. These guys are true athletes and they push themselves past the limit.
> 
> The sport has been cleaned up thanks in partly to that cheater Lance. Like I said, to each their own. Football players are whussies compared to these skinny guys....
> 
> Ok, let me have it...haha!


I'd take the football player over the skinny guy every time lol


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

Yup real tough guys


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

Anyone have a hook out? I seemed to have gut hooked some bottom dwellers...HAHA!

Sorry guys, tour is starting at 7:00. Martini is poured so I'll check back tomorrow. Y'all have a great evening. Oh yea, in case you didn't know I'm now a grandfather! Already have his bike picked out..

Peace and goodnight for now.
S.M.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Does this bike seat, make my butt look big?????...... Skrough all this programming... I'm ready for some NFL


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Not to be a spoiler but today was a heck of a stage. Them boys need to learn to ride in the rain!


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## spike404 (Sep 13, 2010)

HoustonKid said:


> Not to be a spoiler but today was a heck of a stage. Them boys need to learn to ride in the rain!


 I have never seen so many crashes. Plus, the returning champion having to withdraw.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

Rain + cobbles + mud + speed = broken bones


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Shallow Minded said:


> Rain + cobbles + mud + speed = broken bones


I agree but most of the crashes happened well before the cobbles.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

Holy cow, watching the tour now. I don't recall ever watching a nastier stage where the conditions could be worse. Talk about a nightmare ride. Wish I could stay up late enough to watch the finish. Chris is having a rough time.


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Just wait.


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## NanoSkiff (Jul 26, 2012)

Crazy race today. I found it free and live online at 7 this morning our time.


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## spike404 (Sep 13, 2010)

Tomorrow's stage may well decide who has an advantage for the rest of the race. Hardest stage by far; four category 1 mountains, two 2's, one 3, and a mountaintop finish at a 20% grade.


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## Shallow_Minded (Sep 21, 2004)

spike404 said:


> Tomorrow's stage may well decide who has an advantage for the rest of the race. Hardest stage by far; four category 1 mountains, two 2's, one 3, and a mountaintop finish at a 20% grade.


That hurts just thinking about it....:help:


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## NanoSkiff (Jul 26, 2012)

Wow. Can't believe Cantador is out. Froome, Cantador and Cavendish being out really made this easier for some other riders.


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