# Le Tour de France - Spoilers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 6, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631 "2003-07-06T21:44:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elephant\_shoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@elephant\_shoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elephant_shoes)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/1 "2003-07-06T21:44:09Z")
Isn’t anyone excited about le Tour? This is my first Tour de France since I’ve really started following cycling, and I’m seriously stoked. It’s a big, big year for Lance, as he’s going for his fifth straight win, something only done by one other man - Miguel Indurain. But I think there are a few others who have a really good shot at it. (Go, Jan Ullrich!!) Up until today, I had considered Tyler Hamilton a podium contender. But after a fairly large crash in the peloton near the finish of the first stage, he’s out of the tour with a broken collarbone. I’m heartbroken. ☹ So, who do you want to see wearing le Maillot Jaune? What about the other jerseys? What stages are you most looking forward to? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/2 "2003-07-06T23:21:30Z")
I’d really love to see Lance win a fifth straight. He’s made Americans pay some attention to cycling, and I have to say, I can’t help rooting for the American in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Powers106](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@Powers106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers106)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/3 "2003-07-06T23:32:01Z")
Well, Greg Lemonde isn’t chicken liver either - he made some Americans pay attention to cycling too!! I had a fantastic afternoon watching the tour on TV - and was just horrified by the crash at the end. There is one point right after one guy fell and he sits up and you can just see him bracing for getting run over by another rider, it was awful. I think it was the spaniard that fell first, but you can clearly see Jimmy Casper take a few hits. Anyway, I go to see the tour finish every year on the Champs Elysees! The day before yesterday was great watching the riders go through the city. Yeah, I’m excited about it! You know it’s July when you start seeing the tour on TV and you know it’s starting or finishing when you hear the helicopters circling Paris! Go Armstrong! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/4 "2003-07-06T23:35:20Z")
Armstrong is fantastic. I really admire him, coming back from where he was. I first noticed him in 1992 (IIRC), when he won the World Championship for Junior cyclists in Colombia. Soon after that, cancer got a hold of him, and nobody thought he’d ever ride professionally again. To come back from that to win four straight TdF’s… mind-boggling. I still want to see some competition, though. I can’t help but root for the odd Dutchman, so Go Boogerd!! 🙂 Seriously, I think Lance has the best shot at the yellow jersey. Ullrich, I don’t know, he’s been out of it for so long. Then again, his prologue was impressive enough. Who knows? ---
**Author:** ![bubba\_jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@bubba\_jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba_jr)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/5 "2003-07-07T00:00:00Z")
I’m psyched, I had to go buy a new satelite this morning since the wind killed mine last night, just so I could get OLN,. If you don’t know already, you probably do, check [bicycling.com](http://bicycling.com) forums, you’ll find a heck of lot more people that will love to talk TDF with you. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Harrison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5ac83/32.png) [@John\_Harrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Harrison)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/6 "2003-07-07T00:46:14Z")
You’re probably thinking of the 1993 World Pro Championship that LA won in Oslo, Norway. He did ride the Olympics in 92, but was marked pretty well and finished 14th. I’m totally bummed about Hamilton and Leipheimer. ☹ Tyler is 32 and he’s not going to get many more chances, especially after such a stellar early season like this year. Perhaps he can peak for the end of the season at the Vuelta a Espana, or maybe even the World Championships at Hamilton, Ontario. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/7 "2003-07-07T02:14:34Z")
Aw! Poor Tyler! Hadn’t he come in like up in the top in the time trial? Well, Young Prince Axel and the Lotto-Domo kids don’t seem to be doing too hot. . . maybe I’ll root for Rabobank instead. Nah. I like fritjes. (a girlie take on team support, no? “But I really like orange. . .”) ---
**Author:** ![elephant\_shoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@elephant\_shoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elephant_shoes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/8 "2003-07-07T02:54:46Z")
**Coldfire** , Michael Boogerd is on my list of folks to watch! He won a mountain stage last year, no? I’ll be thinking of you when he wins again. 🙂 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Harrison \* > \*\*Tyler is 32 and he’s not going to get many more chances, especially after such a stellar early season like this year. Perhaps he can peak for the end of the season at the Vuelta a Espana, or maybe even the World Championships at Hamilton, Ontario. \*\* Absolutely! Hopefully he’ll be able to get back into shape in time. I’m always astounded at how quickly these men get back on their bicycles. I’ll be in Hamilton for the World Championships, just waiting to see him (and about fifteen others). And, hey - if anyone wants to come to Ontario for the Worlds, let me know. We’ll be renting an apartment in Hamilton for the duration. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by capybara \* > \*\* (a girlie take on team support, no? “But I really like orange. . .”)_\* Ha! Funny you should say that, **capybara**. I want to fashion some sort of jersey mini-dress for the Worlds, and I’ve finally settled on the Rabobank look. ---
**Author:** ![elephant\_shoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@elephant\_shoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elephant_shoes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/10 "2003-07-07T03:03:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elephant shoes \* > \*\* Ha! Funny you should say that, **capybara**. I want to fashion some sort of jersey mini-dress for the Worlds, and I’ve finally settled on the Rabobank look. \*\* Hrm. Hope I haven’t just lost my cycling street cred. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/11 "2003-07-07T03:26:39Z")
Tyler is a classy guy. Quote from [here](http://www.startribune.com/stories/503/3973819.html): > [@](#): > > “With 500 meters to go, all of a sudden I saw this body laying in the street in front of me,” Hamilton said. "I had no time to react. . . . It’s a good thing I had my helmet on. It’s just such a shame to have to leave after a fall. I had high hopes. I really thought I could finish in the top three. > > **"I think Lance is OK, but what if this happened to Lance? If this ruined his chances for No. 5, that would have been awful," Hamilton said.** He finally gets the chance to show what he can do after supporting Lance, and when he crashes out, he’s not just thinking of himself. Sad to see you go, Tyler Hamilton. ---
**Author:** ![Mentor\_and\_Liar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mentor\_and\_Liar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mentor_and_Liar)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/12 "2003-07-07T12:11:57Z")
Damn, that man has spirit. Hamilton speaking to John Wilcockson: “We’ll see what the pain is like. I think I can handle a lot of pain, I never tried to race with a broken collarbone. At some point, you have to draw a line. If it’s too much, it’s just not worth it. If I am suffering for every kilometer – and tomorrow is a 200-kilometer stage – you have to draw a line.” ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/13 "2003-07-07T12:21:40Z")
He DID? Wow! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/14 "2003-07-07T12:26:02Z")
Funny: my Dutch sports website here says that he finished the 2002 Giro d’Italia with a broken collarbone, too! Ya think he’s forgotten about that already? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Harrison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5ac83/32.png) [@John\_Harrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Harrison)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/15 "2003-07-07T12:50:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*Funny: my Dutch sports website here says that he finished the 2002 Giro d’Italia with a broken collarbone, too! Ya think he’s forgotten about that already? 🙂 \*\* Actually it was his shoulder (where the bone meets the rotator cuff), not his collarbone. He needed 11 teeth capped after grinding them from the pain during the Giro. That’s one tough dude. ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/16 "2003-07-07T17:48:21Z")
Go Lance! You guys **must** read his autobiography, [It’s Not About The Bike: My Journey Back to Life](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0425179613/qid=1057600476/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-7736756-5938356?v=glance&s=books&n=507846). I’m not much of a nonfiction reader and I loved it. ---
**Author:** ![elephant\_shoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@elephant\_shoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elephant_shoes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/17 "2003-07-07T21:40:21Z")
Tyler Hamilton is one hell of a man. Whether he makes it to the end or not, he’s earned a solid place in the hearts of a whole lot of folks today. I just about wept when I saw that he was starting. **Gazelle** , that book is the very next thing I will buy at the bookshop. I’m excited to read it. And, can I get a WOOP! for Baden Cooke, please? He won today’s stage. Nice work, fdJeux! ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/18 "2003-07-08T05:50:34Z")
I’ll cheer for today’s winner (7/7) only if we also give a big cheer for Frédéric Finot who rode an absolutely amazing breakaway for 200K! He came so close to making it too…was anyone else sad to see him get caught at just under 3K? Tyler Hamilton and Jimmy Casper (Riding in a neck brace! Holy cow!) get my cheers too. ---
**Author:** ![Mentor\_and\_Liar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mentor\_and\_Liar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mentor_and_Liar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/19 "2003-07-08T06:19:10Z")
What an amazing stage today! Le Tour _is_ the greatest sporting event, and what sportsmen those “magnificent beasts.” Who coined that term anyway? Great riding on the part of Cooke and McGee. McGee didn’t have to ride out for Cooke, he could have gone for the stage win himself. Teamwork! Absolutely heartbreaking to see Finot in his first tour, bonk within sight of the finish, stage win, and yellow jersey after a 200km break. I could have cried. On the other hand, there is a certain World Striped Italian, lounging on the beach, who should have been there instead. And Tyler! Starting with two fractures in his collar bone, and finishing in the main pack. What heart, what spirit! I’ve been known to refuse to ride because of a hang nail. Well, it was infected, throbbing, and swollen to twice it’s normal size. Coldfire; so sorry you’ve lost your Rabos, Motz and Leipheimer. Any given day… Here’s wishing Boogerd has a stage or two in him. Elephant Shoes; maybe we’ll meet up at the Worlds. Do you ride? We want to know, with shoes that big, what pedals do you use? Thanks for putting up with my attempt to write like a sportswriter. Noun verb. Noun verb. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/20 "2003-07-08T13:41:35Z")
First of all, ditto to everything **LilyoftheValley** said! Finot’s breakaway was so awesome and it was such a shame he got caught _almost_ before the end. And Tyler’s still going despite having some trouble keeping up with the peloton today, and how about Casper? He’s still in there!!! Of course, my main man is Lance … go Lance! I’m also cheering for Jan because I admire how he handled himself in the '01 tour. I am still astounded that he rode off the side of a mountain, jumped out of the ravine and onto a new bike and kept going. Wow!! So I have to admit to being a Jan Fan, too. Good luck to all of them and let’s hope we don’t see any more injuries! Meanwhile, I’m going back to [http://www.letour.fr/2003/us/index.html](http://www.letour.fr/2003/us/index.html) to follow the action … ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631/21 "2003-07-08T14:09:05Z")
I don’t fall into the category of intelligent about cycling, but I am a fan of good sport, so I have great interest in following the tour. A great update sight is located at the Tour’s official page. [Go Here.](http://www.letour.fr/2003/us/depeches.oft?service=RaceServer&RaceType=TDF&RaceYear=2003&StageNumber=300&Language=ANG)(English language version) Not sure on the policy of in race spoilers, but here is a bit of one. 15 H 00 - Fall! A Rabobank rider has fallen in the middle of the peloton. It’s the winner of the La Plagne stage of last year’s Tour, Boogerd. I bet Coldfire is thrilled. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-tour-de-france-spoilers/186631.md?page=2)