Comments on: Sorry, I didn’t hear that

By: Boris

Boris — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:22:27 +0000

Thanks for letting us know, I’m surprised that the public have access to the ‘warm-up’ area.
I hope you managed to pinch a new bike from one of the teams – I quite fancy the bike that Damien Hirst painted for Lance Armstrong myself.
Getting started with cycling is pretty easy around here – slightly more of a challenge around your way I imagine – good luck with that.

By: Mark Blackwell

Mark Blackwell — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:21:53 +0000

Just in case anyone is interested.. in the end we missed the early start and drove into Annecy just after 10 am. Found our way easily into a car park just a few hundred metres from the action. Easy – but plenty of people.

http://genevaexplore.blogspot.com/2009/07/first-experience-of-tour-de-france-at.html

Roll on Annecy for the 2018 Winter Olympics!

By: Boris

Boris — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:15:41 +0000

The French interviewer was very hard on Cavendish today, asking what he thought about the suggestions that he didn’t play his role in the team, and then asking if it was true if he didn’t like the French riders. I’m surprised Cavendish didn’t hit him, instead he just sat floundering for an answer – or thinking he’d misunderstood the questions perhaps (they were asked in French).

I’m jealous about going to the time trial but can’t offer any useful opinion on parking and arrival times unfortunately – depends if you want to be somewhere along the route or on the finish line I imagine – for the latter I’d get there very early!

When we went last year to somewhere along the route we needed to be there about 2-3 hours before the expected arrival time (it’s complicated because the roads gets closed to traffic quite early on).

By: Mark Blackwell

Mark Blackwell — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:09:14 +0000

Have been living in France for over a year now and this is the first time I’ve started following the TDF. Great to see Cavendish get the green jersey again – but doesn’t Bradley Wiggins deserve a little more support?

Regarding the discussion on earphones perhaps cycling could look to a sport I generally enjoy following – but have been switched off by the politics – Formula 1? The message is that technology is not the problem – merely the apparently arbitrary imposition of rules by the governing body that creates the problems.

Hope to be going down to the Annecy time trial on July 23.. any advice on what time I should plan to arrive to be able to park a car within reasonable walking distance?

By: Johnny Norfolk

Johnny Norfolk — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:33:13 +0000

From what I can gather, off the record the riders enjoyed not having orders given to them via the ear piece. On balance with out being a Ludite I think it would make a more interesting race without the radio communication with riders, but times move on and if the main sponsors want it that is what will happen. As my neighbour in Metz told me ” You english are ok in small numbers” I said the feeling is mutual and we sank another pastis. he said he never liked the English till he met me. I said I liked the French till I met him. I could not stop him laughing, He loved insulting humour. He was a great bloke.He owned a meat stall in the indoor market in Metz and knew everyone. he told his customers I came over once a month from England to buy his meat it was so good. What a man.

By: Boris

Boris — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:52:44 +0000

Cavendish still won I see. His interview was a bit different this time – he seemed very keen to thank his team and sponsors. Related to comments about him not playing as part of a team the other day? perhaps.
One of the team managers was pointing out that in every other team sport the coach was able to change tactics during the competition, so why not the Tour de France. Seems reasonable. And yes I agree that if they want to try something new they should give 12 months notice. If I was in charge, I’d leave things as they are for this year since it looks like being the first tour without drug scandals for a very long time, and creating new issues to disrupt things seems a bit reckless.

By: Johnny Norfolk

Johnny Norfolk — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:48:26 +0000

Its the French again trying to gain an advantage as they have been trialing this for some time.
Why you start an experiment with this race is beyond me.
I realy could not care less if they are in radio contact or not so long as its the same for all teams.
The French are just so upset that Americans keep winning and British names are now popping up.
The French are up to their old games. Bottom line is that they are bad losers.
Surely the way forward it to trial this on some lesser rides. make a decision and give ALL teams 12 moths notice of any change.
I hate to see this kind gamesmanship and it brings the French into disripute.
Its just not British old boy is it.