Tour De France 2011

TDF definitely needs moar volcanoes.

Anyone feel like riding it rather than watching it?
http://www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk/cycling/Ride-le-tour-De-France

Cost £tba

I bet it's not cheap!

It is something I would love to do one day though. Have you read French Revolutions? Not many books have made me laugh out loud, that one certainly did.

Yeah I have it here. Since @VeloTron did it this year I've been thinking about it.
I've got something else I want to have a crack at though so I'm not really sure what to do in 2011.
3 weeks on tour can't be cheap but how awesome would it be to ride the full Tour?!

Back in 2002, Sporting Tours did a trip to ride all the mountain stages of the Tour. Through sheer bravado a group of us talked each other into doing it. It was brutal; 3 stages in the Pyrenees, a summit finish on Mont Ventoux and then three stages in the Alps.

Back in 2002, Sporting Tours did a trip to ride all the mountain stages of the Tour. Through sheer bravado a group of us talked each other into doing it. It was brutal; 3 stages in the Pyrenees, a summit finish on Mont Ventoux and then three stages in the Alps. I won.

You left out those difficult flat stages? Weak.

the descent from izoard (stage 18) is stunning

1 Attachment

Sky? They must be fucking kidding.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pellizotti-in-talks-with-team-sky-astana-geox-and-movistar

Agent talk. He's trying to get his client a decent contract, despite the fact he's damaged goods, and Sky are known to pay well so he just happens to mention that they are interested.

Sky's ethical stance has been somewhat disappointing but surely they'd baulk at the idea of signing up a client of Dr Michele Ferrari?

I wondered what I made of it, now I know.

Was mulling over the idea of a trip.... stages 17,18,19 in the alps look like they might be fun. I would love to get some cycling in as well.

Do you reckon its possible to park somewhere three-quarters of the way up and camp. Early the morning of stage descend and turn around and ride back up. Wait a few hours and see the pros come through.

So for instance on Stage 19 park 3/4 of the way up Galibier the night before the stage and then camp. Early the following morning get on the bike and descend to the bottom of telegraphe and then u-turn and do the climb. Get the car, eat, drink and watch the pros.

People will tell you you need to be there days in advance but the times we went we managed to find a parking spot well up the climb on the morning of the stage. So you should be fine the day before. Make sure you get your ride done several hours before the race is due though as the gendarmes get a bit shirty - and brutal - closer to the time.

Giro 2011 vs TDF 2011..

i think the Giro wins hands down.. again.
Looking at the route.. Mt Etna top finish

Hoping for another vintage year in Italy..

http://road.cc/content/news/27304-remember-your-first-bike-ivan-basso-does-and-he-wants-his-back

Oh. He's a lovely chap that Basso.

I'd laugh my ass of though if somebody had converted into a pengy-esq "fixie".

That article is fantastic!

Just signed up for the Etape Alpe d'Huez stage... Anyone got any spare EPO lying around?

Ha. ha. ha. ....

Seriously though... Not sunk in yet. Will be shitting myself promptly.

It's only 60 miles. Pfffttt.

Yeh it's only 100km. Pffft

i know, but still... I've never done the huge sportive thing-I'm more concerned about descending at speed in big pack than anything else. Good to have a target for riding this year-been moving about too much to get any consistent rides so will be dragging myself out over winter for sure and signing up to a couple of UK sportives round march/april to ensure compliance!

I was kidding, sorry. :-)

The Telegraphe/Galibier climb is tough, even when you're fresh and Alpe d'Huez is subtely steeper than your average Alpine climb. On the bright side, you do get to do a 40 km descent which is always fun (apart from the 4 or 5 tunnels towards the bottom). I wouldn't worry too much about the big pack on a descent, you'll probably find you'll be in a group of 30 or 40 at most.

So long as it's not 30 or 40 people from a Bridges ride.. you'll be fine ;)

40km decent and a tunnel is fantastic, but 4 or 5 tunnels are even better.
As the Tate and Lyle tin states, "out of the dark, comes forth sweetness"
Variety is the spice of life.

Odds on Saxo bank being banned?

2010 tour winner stripped of title? Director Sportif admitting long term doping during his career?

So long as it's not 30 or 40 people from a Bridges ride.. you'll be fine ;)

what'll the average speed be in the descents then? A friend did the etape this year and said that he thought he was going like a rocket down the hill, scared shitless, then he's just hear insane screaming of someone's freewheel as they tore by him. I don't mind descending as a rule but hate the idea of being bunched together doing it... still, pretty effing excited-found cheap digs in Huez for a week to do some more riding after (optimistic?) but not staying for the tour proper which is a shame but is too expensive ;(

I never even thought of the tunnels! Will stay away from the folk with dark glasses on in case I end up like princess Di ;)

As the roads are closed to traffic, you can probably end up doing 60+ mph if you've a mind to. Being older if not wiser than I used to be, I tend to ease off at 45 these days. If you like tunnels, take a ride up to Villard Notre-Dame above Bourg D'Oisans, plenty of unlit tunnels on that short bit of road. You may regret choosing to stay in Huez....