I want to clarify the poseurs comment. I don't find annoying people who only watch cycling once a year for the Tour. I don't understand how watching cycling on TV can possibly be interesting but then a lot of people don't understand how I can enjoy watching golf on TV.

I'm more talking about the people who only cared because Lance Armstrong was winning and so this year they don't care. To me that isn't enjoying a sport that is enjoying celebrity and it will just annoy me those people pretending that they care about the sport.

I have to admit I didn't understand much about cycling. However, my brother-in-law was quite into competitive road cycling himself for a while, competing and so on. He helped me understand the whole strategy that doesn't seem to make sense to a lot of people.

I feel the same way about golf and baseball. I don't understand how those are any less boring to an average viewer. I enjoy the commentary - the unique turns of phrase that come out of Phil Liggett, Sherwin and Bob Roll.

I still watch because I find it amazing that people can compete in such an event as the Tour.

I'm not a cycling fan, but I respect any remarkable athlete. So following Lance Armstrong and his effort to win a 7th straight last year wasn't because I'm a fan of the sport, but I was amazed at his achievements. It had nothnig to do with enjoying celebrity, it had to do with respecting remarkable accomplishments.

Prior to that, I didn't care about it. I don't care about it now.

I think I was drawn to the sport by the pagentry - I mean, 3 week bicycle race through the geography of France. There's something so chic about the final legs through the Champs where the riders toast each other with Champagne.

I still love that, but having watched for - goodness how long has it been since Laurent Fignon lost to Greg LeMond? - 1989? I've come to enjoy the strategy involved and understand how very much this is a team sport. I love seeing how the Peloton works, and the team time trials.

Also, I'm excited this year becasue Lance isn't racing - honestly the past two years with Lance where like the last two years of Miguel Indurain, they were just way better than any of their competitors, and once they cleared the alps, the race became rather dull as the conclusion was almost certain.

Is it just me, or does this sound like a character in a Disney movie?

Wow, I am amazed at how these guys continue to do this. I "had" raced for over 15 years. There was always some doubt when a rider "all the sudden"came up out of nowhere.

Basso was my pick for the winner, with Ullrich a close second.
Now the beauty of this is that it is a wide open race and anyone could win. There are lurkers in there, my picks for now are going to be Landis, Cadel Evans,Paolo Savaodelli, Possibly Liephiemer. But there are so many different variables like crashes, unforseen sickness, and more. They already lost World cup(Series of select BIKE races) leader Alessandro Valverde, from Illes Belears(Spanish). He won two classics that had some of the steepest climbs of that race. He was my alternate choice until the crash. Ullrich should be gone, so should Basso. A stronger message needs to be sent out. Lifetime ban.
The reason why I say this is because I know what it takes and it is not an easy sport. I have shed the blood sweat and tears for teams and for myself, nothing disgusts me more that these guys did this.

1989 is correct:)

It's only when an American is winning. No one cares other wise, you are so dead on. Cycling on TV is boring for some, but to someone who actually has experienced it, they are glued to the TV like any other. Unless the race is a closed short course criterium,Road races can be boring. 11 seconds later the field is gone, whereas say a race like Redlands criterium is a great spectator sport, because you can actually see the attacks.

It's the Lance effect, in the late 80's early 90's it was the Lemond effect. Everyone wants to buy a Trek bike because he won on it. Back in the early 90'sthe Lemond EFFECT it was the Aero Scott Triathlon bar and Bottechia road bikes because Lemond won on it, then he had a company called CarbonFrames out of Alameda with a man named Craig CALFEE. Which is now it's own after a falling out with Lemond's parents. Whoever wins the Tour people think they have to buy that bike, because they think that bike won the Tour not the "motor". People are funny sometimes. ;)

I have found, so far (three stages into it) that not having a "big name" cycalist out there makes for a more exciting race. However, I suspect I watch the Tour for entirely different reasons than others do. I actually got bored with Lance, as I did with Indurain. The team aspect of the race became a lot more interesting to me at those times.

I don't really have a favorite - except I have a love for George Hincappe and I think it would be nice to see Lance's right leg man do well. But, it's a toss up, and if these crashes continue, we may have either an incredibly exciting race or a really dull one.

Kessler's win yesterday was a sweet moment after he missed it by that much in Stage 2. And, the crashes yesterday were so awful!

Oops, I had to look up Kessler's name and learned about today's disqualification. Damn. Mum's the word until 11:00 pm.

Robbie McEwen sure smoked them yesterday. Thanks to some great work by his teammates. T-MOBILE suspended another rider today. Also Levi Leipheimer is kind of under the scope. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...l06/jul06news4
Dr. Michele Ferrari was Lance's Doctor for a while.

It's interesting to watch the LoTTo Team go after the sprint points and bonus time, just to keep it from thre other riders like Boonen. This years Oln Coverage is so much better, because they are covring the breaks as best they can.