So, with Wimbledon over and Murray off the front pages it would appear that the mainstream media has picked up the Wiggo baton.

Is this a good thing?

OK, it puts cycling into the news and I’ve heard on radio this morning various titbits of how Wiggins is going to win in Paris, what the Maillot Jeune is, how TdF works, where France is, etc.. So, why do I cringe that Wiggins may be turned into the new Henman, the new Murray, and that team Sky will become the new England football team? It’s probably just my psyche but why do I NOT want the mainstream press to get too excited by MY sport and turn it into a We’re the Best in the World CIRCUS 😯

rugby league had a long stint than the tour on bbc breakfast.

Its tuesday morning – theres no other sporting results to announce

I quite like answering people’s questions about the TdF at work.
it’ll be soon forgotten, it’s just the calm before the Olympic storm.

why do I cringe that Wiggins may be turned into the new Henman, the new Murray

I think this weeks little outburst will put paid to that. Can’t imagine Tim Henman or Andy Murray calling people ****ing ****ers and ****s!!! at their insipid post failure press conferences.

At the end of the day, its cycling. And the only way the general public identify with cycling is when we occasionally inconvenience them by disappearing under the wheels of their Beemers

binners – 😀

Quote from chap who sits behind me this morning:

“I started to watch the Tour de France last night, but it was just people cycling”.

Right, well, erm, yeah.

he does have a point though, unless you know what’s going on with individuals, teams, sprints, mountains, times, stages, jerseys, GC riders, domestiques, etc. it can appear pretty boring to the lay man.

“I started to watch the Tour de France last night, but it was just people cycling”.

He was probably hoping for a “it’s a Knockout” style race with obstacles and water jets etc.

Hmmmmmmmmm…….

😀

Mariokart style would be good. Brad steaming down an alpine pass lobbing banana-skins over his shoulder in his wake 😀

question, who was the guy who came in to a certain stage win, the peleton was miles behind, so he dawdled towards the line taking in all the adulation, slapping everyone’s hands etc and the peleton caught him. link to you tube please.

on the one hand, to be fair, an individual time trial stage isnt gonna provide nail biting excitement, for a first watch of the TdF

on the other hand i was asked about the yellow jacket this morning 🙄

Mariokart style would be good. Brad steaming down an alpine pass lobbing banana-skins over his shoulder in his wake

The way Brad minces* downhill the only guy inconvenienced would be Andy Schleck, and he’s not riding this year…

* yeah, he goes a lot faster than me. But I’m not a pro.

Kudos and Respect for using the C word on international TV, whatever the context, it has to be said.

Kudos and Respect for using the C word on international TV

[pedant]It wasn’t actually on telly, it was in a press conference for the print media so cameras weren’t rolling. There’s sound recordings, but that’s it[/pedant]

But, yeah, it was a good point, well made.

I did notice that Evans was almost smiling and came across as affable during an interview after yesterday’s TT

It’s not like him at all, Is he on something?

Evans looked massively relieved at only having lost a minute or so!

Its gonna make for some interesting attacks in the mountains, and you can at least rely on Evans for that.

Looking forward to some exciting racing!

I have been doing quite a lot of explaining about why Sagan isn’t leading if he’s won all those stages, I think its sinking in slowly 🙂

Dunno if it’s because I work with a lot of French people and they get a lot more of the TdF hype but I’ve had moderately intelligent conversations with people at the office about it. Found out that a guy who works for me was a quite handy junior rider and one of his best mates was in the top 3 in the French road championships (didn’t say if it was junior or senior tho).

Its gonna make for some interesting attacks in the mountains, and you can at least rely on Evans for that.

No one would have said that three years ago, he seems to have so much more confidence since he won the world championship, great rider to watch now.

The first time my wife was exposed to the Tour of French she was curious about why, if it’s a race, why are they all just cycling along together rather than all zooming off as fast as they can to try and win …

I don’t know, why do you not want mainstream coverage? We are good at cycling, the biggest event(s) in the world are happening (about to happen) and we have very good British cyclists at the top of the sport. Why would the media not be involved?

Why would the media not be involved?

Because it doesn’t involve chasing a ball and being a racist.

he does have a point though, unless you know what’s going on with individuals, teams, sprints, mountains, times, stages, jerseys, GC riders, domestiques, etc. it can appear pretty boring to the lay man.

This. My brother has always liked TdF but I didn’t understand it at all. Over the last 5 or so years I have grown to understand it and absolutely love the cat and mouse nature of it.

teamhurtmore – Member
I don’t know, why do you not want mainstream coverage? We are good at cycling, the biggest event(s) in the world are happening (about to happen) and we have very good British cyclists at the top of the sport. Why would the media not be involved?

Relevant and informative coverage good. Supportive coverage great. My fear is of the hysteria that some parts of the media create when they latch on to a sportperson or team, continually overhype the situation, dig into every skeleton in their personal cupboard and then hang them out to dry [it’s OK for us to do it on here, mind 😆 ]

TdF is probably far too complex for sustained interest though 😉 It’s taken me years to get my head around team tactics to achieve the various jerseys and , whilst I may not be the sharpest blade in the drawer, at least I have an interest in cycling which helps 8)

What with the latest arrest for doping (Cofidis – Remy de Gregario) this morning, the press will have a field day. If they can link anything to do with cycling to drugs they are like dogs with two tails.

he does have a point though, unless you know what’s going on with individuals, teams, sprints, mountains, times, stages, jerseys, GC riders, domestiques, etc. it can appear pretty boring to the lay man.

I propose laps of a circuit , degrgrading tyres and intricate pit stops or else it is clearly not a spectacle or a race.

No one would have said that three years ago, he seems to have so much more confidence since he won the world championship, great rider to watch now.

but no more ability ..dont think he can crack any GC contender tbh but I am looking fwd to seeing him try