Tour de France (The Spoked Wheel Game).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

On the way to Salford for Gotterdammerung, it had been my intention to visit my sister in Bingley, but we were hampered by road closures for the opening day of the Tour de France. We had to abandon the social call and head for the M62 instead.
But watching today's ITV coverage, I was ashamed to be a northerner, What plonkers many of the spectators were, showing scant consideration for the cyclists - with intimidating behaviour and by encroaching on to the road, not allowing sufficient room for the cyclists.
However, the organisers have much to answer for. It's one thing to close a road, but not to provide diversions is unacceptable. "Use another route" isn't helpful.

[Padraig]

"Use another route" isn't helpful.

I sympathise E A but I couldn't possibly comment.

[gradus]

How annoying that the police failed to provide diversions.
Irritating though it is, spectators encroaching is a regular occurrence in the race and the cyclists seem to accept it most, but by no means all of the time. The history of the race includes many punch-ups between competitors and spectators who got in the way, sometimes intentionally to make a point about their cause.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Irritating though it is, spectators encroaching is a regular occurrence in the race and the cyclists seem to accept it most, but by no means all of the time.

Chris Froome did mention it yesterday and appealed to spectators to be more considerate.

[Quarky]

On the way to Salford for Gotterdammerung, it had been my intention to visit my sister in Bingley, but we were hampered by road closures for the opening day of the Tour de France. We had to abandon the social call and head for the M62 instead.
But watching today's ITV coverage, I was ashamed to be a northerner, What plonkers many of the spectators were, showing scant consideration for the cyclists - with intimidating behaviour and by encroaching on to the road, not allowing sufficient room for the cyclists.
However, the organisers have much to answer for. It's one thing to close a road, but not to provide diversions is unacceptable. "Use another route" isn't helpful.

Apart from sympathising with you for missing your social call, I could not disagree with you more, EA.

If you had watched on TV previous versions of the Tour, and in particular the behaviour of crowds on the mountain passes in the Aps, you might feel there was a feeling of British restraint in the Crowd's behaviour. But North Country is the heartland of British Cycling, and I feel the crowds (2.5 million?) were out to emulate the continentals. They were mostly obviously very keen cyclists, and I think the competitors do get a buzz and rush of adrenalin from all the noise and hubbub. ""It was really tough racing and the crowds were just incredible. I had goosebumps going up Holme Moss, said Froome, who was cheered on by many fans in Yorkshire."

In fact we were rewarded with a great stage finish, where the big guns came out to play, instead of keeping their powder dry until later in the tour, and Nibali, the Italian champion stole the show. A great day's cycling, and more than made up for GB's dismal showing in football and tennis.

[johncorrigan]

Apart from sympathising with you for missing your social call, I could not disagree with you more, EA.

If you had watched on TV previous versions of the Tour, and in particular the behaviour of crowds on the mountain passes in the Aps, you might feel there was a feeling of British restraint in the Crowd's behaviour. But North Country is the heartland of British Cycling, and I feel the crowds (2.5 million?) were out to emulate the continentals. They were mostly obviously very keen cyclists, and I think the competitors do get a buzz and rush of adrenalin from all the noise and hubbub. ""It was really tough racing and the crowds were just incredible. I had goosebumps going up Holme Moss, said Froome, who was cheered on by many fans in Yorkshire."

In fact we were rewarded with a great stage finish, where the big guns came out to play, instead of keeping their powder dry until later in the tour, and Nibali, the Italian champion stole the show. A great day's cycling, and more than made up for GB's dismal showing in football and tennis.

Couldn't agree more Ob...wonderful racing over the last couple of days showed Yorkshire in its finery and the crowds were terrific. But the race through the streets of Sheffield and up that final climb was top racing normally reserved for much later in the race...a great win by Nibali with his electric escape from the group and lone run to the line.

[Tevot]

I think all the racers should pop in at The Woolpack and partake of some Joshua Tetleys

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Apart from sympathising with you for missing your social call, I could not disagree with you more, EA.

Believe me, that was the least important thing. I can go on another day.

If you had watched on TV previous versions of the Tour, and in particular the behaviour of crowds on the mountain passes in the Alps, you might feel there was a feeling of British restraint in the Crowd's behaviour.

Just because someone else - somewhere else behaves even worse doesn't make it OK. But when I saw the yobbish behaviour in Ripponden and Elland, I could not feel anything other than shame.

But North Country is the heartland of British Cycling, and I feel the crowds (2.5 million?) were out to emulate the continentals. They were mostly obviously very keen cyclists, and I think the competitors do get a buzz and rush of adrenalin from all the noise and hubbub. ""It was really tough racing and the crowds were just incredible. I had goosebumps going up Holme Moss, said Froome, who was cheered on by many fans in Yorkshire."

In fact we were rewarded with a great stage finish, where the big guns came out to play, instead of keeping their powder dry until later in the tour, and Nibali, the Italian champion stole the show. A great day's cycling, and more than made up for GB's dismal showing in football and tennis.

In this, I share your enthusiasm.

[Serial_Apologist]

Are racing cyclists clones? And do those tight shorts do anything for their family planning arrangements?

I've often wondered...

[ardcarp]

Having just got back from France, I can report that the TVs I saw in local bars were all tuned to 'le fut' on Friday 4th.

[johncorrigan]

Having just got back from France, I can report that the TVs I saw in local bars were all tuned to 'le fut' on Friday 4th.

Although Friday's stage would have been over by the time the footie started.

[Quarky]

Are racing cyclists clones? And do those tight shorts do anything for their family planning arrangements?

I've often wondered...

It certainly looks that way, with helmets and sunglasses - was there an entry from a star wars team? There seems to be two main physical types - tall and lanky like Chris Froome, and conventionally athletic like Lance Armstrong, going into more muscular like Mark Cavendish, Chris Hoy. I guess it helps to come from an athletic family, but not so important as with other sports.
As regards family planning arrangements, well may be. If you are out on the bike all day, and get home totally knackered, there may not be any energy nor inclination for anything else!

[french frank]

If you had watched on TV previous versions of the Tour, and in particular the behaviour of crowds on the mountain passes in the Aps, you might feel there was a feeling of British restraint in the Crowd's behaviour.

I'm now feeling that this is not unconnected with the thread I started on the Arts board about young people going to see TV stars acting on stage in Shakespeare.

"... the desire to be in the photo to promote one's own moment at the event is now commonplace, something unthinkable before the dawn of the mobile-phone camera."

[Jonathan]

Well I can say that the diversions in place here in York and the behaviour of the crowds were excellent. The council did put up barriers along the route (but not all of it in the centre of York) but the whole thing had a carnaval atmosphere (even at 9am on a Sunday) and everything was great. Watching the TV coverage later on, while the pelleton was on the A59 towards Knaresborough and Harrogate, the crowds (even without barriers) appeared to be behaving themselves.

It must have been later on they started to behave recklessly.

[Pianorak]

" . . . competitors covering more than 186 miles per week on their bicycles had just four per cent of normal-shaped sperm. To father a child, at least 30 per cent of sperm should have a normal shape. . . "

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz36nx8Wuhf