Tour Mailbag: VeloNews.com readers weigh in on the Tour so far
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Looking forward to the radio ban
Editor,
I am looking forward to the first stage without radios in over 15 years! It should hopefully make for a more interesting race. How great would Saturday's and Sunday's stages have been without the use of radios.
I am fine if the organizers choose to use 1-way radios to ensure safety but let the riders make their own decisions on the road. Don't let this become another "Giro-Milan" day!
Saul Lopez,
Portland, Oregon
Insignificant Pyrenees
Editor,
I keep reading about the riders and managers and journalists not understanding why Tour de France organizers decided to limit the mountain top finishes in the Pyrenees.
After this first week I can't believe everyone is still wondering why. France actually has a Frenchman winning a stage going through the Pyrenees and a French team with the yellow jersey!
With the GC hopefuls not willing to take risks with 50-70km's to the finish, that opens the door for a non-GC contender (i.e. a Frenchman) to win the stage and possibly retain a yellow jersey as a "pretender" of the Tour!
Jeremy Slonaker,
Reading, Pennsylvania
Boring Pyrenees
Editor,
I've watched the tour on Eurosport this week, highlights at night and live on the weekends. Happily, this weekend were the first in the mountains, where we've come to expect a bit of sorting out and excitement.
However, there is little in the way of sorting out, and less in the way of excitement. What's up with conducting mountain stages if they don't end up on a summit? You don't get to watch the best of the climbers, as the peloton regroups on the descent and flats.
You don't get to watch the best of the sprinters, as they aren't part of the of the peloton that remains when it regroups. Instead, you get the best of the middling. While it's fun to figure out if the breakaway will complete the break, that's hardly the stuff of a three-week drama.
Did the Tour attempt to map out the route once more to frustrate Armstrong's chances? Or did they map out the route to frustrate the viewing attention of the fans? Either way, I'm apt to follow the guidance of your great commentator John Wilcockson, and wait for Verbier for the real Tour to begin.
In the meantime, I'll watch the paint dry in my living room with a little more excitement than this Tour is generating.
Tiernan Dolan,
Heidelberg, Germany
Boring Pyrenees, part 2
Editor,
ASO deserves the blame for the most boring racing in the Pyrenees I can remember. The only climb that could break the peloton was just 10km long with all the sprinters in the bunch when it started.
On the other two stages, the climbs were so far away from the finish that the races were just tricky, long training rides. Don't blame teams, racers or directors on this one, this weekend fiasco was ASO's fault.
Samuel de la Sotta V.
Chile
Armstrong a true professional
Editor,
I've always admired Lance Armstrong, but I was never a devout fan. But after watching him in this year's Tour, I can't help but think, "Man, that guy is a true pro."
He did the training, the buildup races, and now, after seven stages, he is able to bite his tongue in all the interviews and still manages to look like a professional cyclist, even after a hard day of riding.
Contrast that with the winner of the stage, Rinaldo Nocentini, as he rode across the line with his jersey flapping and his pale chest glaring for all the cameras to see. I'll bet that Ag2r sponsors were all glad that the finishing victory salute wasn't spoiled by something like, er, um, a zipped and readable jersey. When Rinaldo's pictures appear in the numerous articles that will probably be published, all the readers can look and wonder, "What team was he riding on?"
I'm sure Nocentini is a gifted cyclist, and he rode a great race. He is a youngster in the peloton. As a youngster, he could stand to learn a few things from the "old pros" in the group. Like making his sponsors visible when it counts.
There's another young rider that still has a few things to learn as well. I'll leave it to the "old pros" to sort that out.
Jay McBeth,
Coppell, Texas
Lance and Alberto
Editor,
If Lance had the legs to go with Contador up Acralis, he would have gone. All of this stuff about staying to the team ‘plan’ is a bunch of nonsense.
Contador was and is the stronger rider, with no disrespect to the Boss whatsoever. Also, this has been a fantastic Tour so far. I love seeing teams being aggressive, like Columbia hammering in the wind and splitting the peloton.
Keep up the great coverage.
Brian Clarke,
Redwood City, California
Lance Litter
Editor,
I know it's the Tour, but I don't think racers should be allowed to throw their garbage on the road. Last night on Versus, right before they went to commercial, Lance was shown unwrapping a Powerbar and just letting the wrapper go.
This is a bad example for riders around the world. Two years ago I was lucky enough to ride up Alp d'Huez. I was amazed at all the wrappers in the gutter.
I know every gram counts in a professional race but how hard is it to put the wrapper in a jersey pocket or take it back to a team car. In some triathlons racers are given time penalties for littering. Perhaps this could be a new twist in the Tour.
Julian Natisin,
Easton, Pennsylvania
Stiller's podium appearance
Editor,
Who let Ben Stiller on the podium at the tour? And to present the yellow jersey no less.
If I were Cancellara I would be pissed. I bust my ass to keep the jersey, and who do I get to present me my hard-fought maillot jaune? I hot podium girl? No. I get that Focker Ben Stiller. Fabian should get a time bonus for having Ben Stiller present the jersey.
Ben, you're funny. You're a cycling fan. Great. So am I. Now get off the podium.
Chris Kelley
Dubuque, Iowa
TTT remedy proposed
Editor,
I think that it's really unfair that the TTT can have such a major effect on individual standings and offer up a possible remedy to minimize the damages: Cut the time deficit in half.
Round up a half second if necessary. You heard it here first.
Riders will still be wanting to go as absolutely fast as possible, but the penalty won't be nearly as severe for those riders with the weaker teams. If this were the case, Lance would be 20 seconds back at the moment because Cancellara would have only lost 20 seconds to Astana and not 40. Cadel Evans, currently at 2:59 would be at 1:41 back with only half the deficit of 2:36 that Silence Lotto trailed Astana in today's TTT stage.
We would then have a much more exciting Tour. Not that this one won't be anyway, but it looks like it could end up being an all Astana show. C'est la vie.
Edward "Skip" Snow,
Greenville, South Carolina
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