Who’s following the Tour de France?

MostlyWater
MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
in Chit-Chat
I had a peek on my phone one night, so I maybe read it incorrectly, but the American team has not one American on it?

And one team – the Belgians maybe - is named after cleaners? Something like Carpet fresh? I would be embarrassed to wear that on my jersey!!!

Even Kazakstan has a team this year !!!

Replies

  • Pupslice
    Pupslice Posts: 213 Member
    I'm a casual fan, but I plan on waking up at 6am this Saturday to watch it. I especially love the aerial views of the countryside and the commentary about the local history, castles, chateaus, etc. As for Carpet Fresh on a jersey, this is an expensive sport, and a sponsor's a sponsor, yes? ;D
  • dc8066
    dc8066 Posts: 1,439 Member
    edited June 2017
    Meels on Wheels? Lions might
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I will be following when I can.

    There are a couple of US based teams on the Tour...BMC has no US riders...Cannondale has 3. There is not a "Team USA"...that's not how cycling works...it's not the Olympics. The Bahrain Merida, for example, doesn't have any riders from Bahrain...that's just where the team is based.

    Teams are built by recruiting the best riders from around the world so it isn't unusual to have many athletes on a team that is based in country X from other countries around the globe.

    Cycling is way bigger in Europe as a professional sport than it is in the US, so most of the world's elite pro riders are European.
  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
    Tour de Drugs
  • JetJaguar
    JetJaguar Posts: 801 Member
    Yep, I'll be watching it. I follow pro cycling and I always watch the grand tours (there are three: Giro d'Italia in Italy, the TdF, and Vuelta a Espana in Spain, in that order), along with some of the other events when I can get coverage, like the Tour of California and the Spring Classics.

    This year's Tour looks like it's Chris Froome's to lose. My favorite, Vincenzo Nibali, is skipping the Tour this year to focus on the Vuelta.
  • BrettWithPKU
    BrettWithPKU Posts: 575 Member
    Not into watching people ride bikes.

    Being in the U.S., my cross-the-pond sporting events of choice are the all-Ireland hurling and gaelic football championships, and of course, Wimbledon (which starts in 4 short days).
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    It must be karma. A few minutes prior to seeing this discussion I was fantasizing about riding a bicycle across England with all my UK friends.
  • JetJaguar
    JetJaguar Posts: 801 Member
    edited June 2017
    BDonjon wrote: »
    Not into watching people ride bikes.

    Being in the U.S., my cross-the-pond sporting events of choice are the all-Ireland hurling and gaelic football championships, and of course, Wimbledon (which starts in 4 short days).

    Do you play? I used to play with a club here in Florida for awhile, but haven't in a couple of years. I was better at hurling than football.

    99l9slewk6v5.jpg
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    TdF ?

    I'll watch every minute of it that I can.

    Looking for Sagan (again) to wear green and hopefully Ritchie Porte to wear yellow.
  • dmkoenig
    dmkoenig Posts: 299 Member
    For the uninitiated, the idea of watching a bunch of men in Lycra riding bikes for hours on end seems to be an incredibly dull idea. When you start watching it though you learn it is an incredibly strategic and complicated competition with races within races each team vying for certain types of wins, with each team member having specific responsibilities. Personalities show up in riding style and great stories of perseverance after crashing or heartbreak and moments of triumph that can define a rider's career on a single day. Add the hypnotic beauty of the countryside and the craziness of mountain stages where spectators are literally inches from the combatants and open up at the last second like the parting of the Red Sea and you have a sporting event like no other... Yes the answer is I'm glued to the TV for 3 weeks!
  • FireTurtle75
    FireTurtle75 Posts: 2,014 Member
    I can't ride a bike fast enough to follow it...
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
    I'm a big TdF fan and will watch it all. Shame the tour is not coming anywhere near to where I live this year.
  • BrettWithPKU
    BrettWithPKU Posts: 575 Member
    JetJaguar wrote: »
    Do you play? I used to play with a club here in Florida for awhile, but haven't in a couple of years. I was better at hurling than football.
    99l9slewk6v5.jpg

    Hells yeah I play. Is that jersey Orlando? I'm in the St Louis club, I may remember you guys from Atlanta's tournament a couple years ago.

    I play hurling and footie, usually halfback line. Wife plays camogie. And yes: I am much better at hurling.

    Sláinte.
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
    Huge Fan Here!!! Look forward to it every year. Saw a stage when I was in France one year. Even rode my bike (down - LOL) Mt. Ventoux. And also look forward to the annual discussion with my husband: What's More Boring?
    He's a big NASCAR fan and I maintain that NASCAR is the most boring sport. He thinks it's cycling. Oh well. Viva la difference!!
  • JetJaguar
    JetJaguar Posts: 801 Member
    edited June 2017
    BDonjon wrote: »
    JetJaguar wrote: »
    Do you play? I used to play with a club here in Florida for awhile, but haven't in a couple of years. I was better at hurling than football.
    99l9slewk6v5.jpg

    Hells yeah I play. Is that jersey Orlando? I'm in the St Louis club, I may remember you guys from Atlanta's tournament a couple years ago.

    I play hurling and footie, usually halfback line. Wife plays camogie. And yes: I am much better at hurling.

    Sláinte.

    Yes, Orlando, that was us. Though I only managed to make it up to Atlanta once with them, myself. I'm usually midfield.

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