Bored with Tour? Well...
Category: Sports (Pro/College/HS)...
Posted Wednesday, July 20, 2005 at 09:45 AM [GMT-6]

I must admit that this year's version of the Tour de France is lacking a certain something...like drama...suspense...tension...anticipation.

Color me blasé, but the workmanlike manner in which Lance Armstrong demolished the competition in the earlier stages makes the race now seem like it's being ridden on cruise control. For some riders who are not used to the spotlight and who are not threats to the overall leaders, the latter stages are good opportunities to try to pick up a stage win, and to the extent you enjoy watching those subplots, the stages have some entertainment. But, really, the only question left is whether Lance will win yellow jersey #7 without actually winning an individual stage.

It's weighing on his mind a bit. He's already put the field on notice that he's going to be focused and aggressive during Saturday's individual time trial and I'm not going to bet against a victory for him.

But, other than that, even the prospect (guarantee?) of a seventh straight overall victory, extending his already amazing record, seems almost anticlimactic.

Even OLN's non-stop "Tribute to Lance" programming seems like a desparate attempt to build some enthusiasm in the absence of any meaningful competition. Here's to the prospect that a worthy successor will appear next year to capture the public's imagination.

Update: In case you think I'm exaggerating, the OLN TV coverage just spent a couple of minutes spotlighting and discussing the implications of the fact that the support vehicle caravan just got caught at a train crossing. We got to watch until the train passed by and gates opened, allowing the cars to begin the chase to catch up with the riders. Talk about pulse-quickening! ;-)

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I think it was the individual time trial where LeMond nailed down a TDF win over Bernard Hinault, with some ridiculous time that slaughtered the Frenchman. I remember watching it on WWoS (taped?) with some friends. Always enjoyed the Saturday ITT after that.

[I'm so easy to please.]

Posted by: Scott Chaffin at July 20, 2005 12:08 PM

Scott, you have a good memory, and a discerning taste for competition. As I recall, Lemond ended up winning the Tour by 8 seconds, thanks to his time trial finish, making it smallest margin of victory in TDF history.

The individual time trial is really what most people think bike racing is all about: man against the clock, with no strategy other than to ride as fast as possible (without falling over...ask Jan Ullrich about that little detail).

Coming after three weeks of racing, the final ITT is almost inhumane...especially if the outcome of the race depends on it. It won't in Lance's case, but for some of the riders (Ullrich, for example) it will mean the difference between standing on the podium and being a no-show, so they can't slack off. Lance will be riding purely for pride, and I'm not sure he's ever more dangerous than when that's the case.

Posted by: Eric at July 20, 2005 12:17 PM

Although I think it was Laurent Fignon that LeMond beat, not Hinault. Might want to fact-check me on that one, though.

Posted by: Eric at July 20, 2005 12:19 PM

You're right...it was Fignon. I'm conflating Frogs.

Posted by: Scott Chaffin at July 21, 2005 06:09 AM

I've enjoyed watching Lance demolish his nearest competitors early in the race (passing Ullrich in the time trial was a classic - classic Lance moment!), and then watching some of the subplots. Vinoukourov and Ullrich infighting, Rasmussen trying to make it onto the podium, George Hincapie winning a stage, and that Aussie pushing his way up through the ranks to seventh.

This is the first time I've actually been able to see the thing mostly live, and I've enjoyed it, always with an eye toward Lance getting that seventh win. But now, the question is: what next year? OLN's audience is going to disappear without a compelling champion. Ullrich vs. Basso isn't going to draw a lot of americans to the tube, sorry to say. Hopefully Zabriskie can come back, and Levi Leipheimer can get better.

Posted by: bryan at July 21, 2005 08:01 PM

One can work to make those subplots seem interesting, but they just don't capture the imagination like a true competition for the overall yellow jersey. But, I guess I'm a little jaded. This is the fourth year I've been able to watch the race live, as much as I wanted, and as chauvinistic as it may sound, Lance is the only rider out there with the charisma to make people tune in just to see him do his thing.

He's a once-in-a-generation phenomenon.

Posted by: Eric at July 21, 2005 08:51 PM
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