# TdF 2014.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [July 6, 2014, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471 "2014-07-06T12:27:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/1 "2014-07-06T12:27:11Z")
Can you believe the turnout in the UK (England)?
Unbelievable. Who knew Col de Buttertubs was right up there with Alp D’Huez and Col de Tourmalet?
Looking forward to more of the English towns and countryside (Yorkshire, Darbishire, etc…) and the absolutely fabulous English fan turnout. Well done.
Disappointing about Mark Cavendish but the childish little cunt did it to himself. At least he was a good sport about it, afterwards.
Oh, and Jens Voigt. What a character. I’ll miss him after he hangs up his bike.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/2 "2014-07-06T12:36:51Z")
I’m confused. “TdF”, with a mention of bikes, would seem to be “Tour de France”, but how do we see English towns and countryside?
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### Author:  [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/3 "2014-07-06T12:40:30Z")
The Tour de France ranges all over Western Europe. This year it is partly set in God’s Own County[sub]TM[/SUB]. In fact this morning it went past the end of my street.
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### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/4 "2014-07-06T12:49:29Z")
Correct. The first three days of this year’s Tour de France is spent in England. Wrapping up in London tomorrow before going across the chanel to France for the balance of the race.
Were you in the crowd, **eburacum45**?
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### Author:  [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/5 "2014-07-06T12:59:57Z")
Unfortunately, I’m busy. My family saw it, though.
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### Author:  [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/6 "2014-07-06T15:30:50Z")
Go Nibbles! Unexpected drama for such an early stage. A bit surprised Sagan was so thoroughly out of gas at the end there.
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### Author:  [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/7 "2014-07-06T15:54:36Z")
Great scenes around the course (and a tasty final today as well), but I hope the British media is getting out the concerns about the crowds.
Too many people are getting too close to the riders, or jumping away too late. A bunch of riders have already bumped into spectators (not seriously) and pretty much every climb has have had riders getting of their bike because there is too little room. Going towards London only means more people (I’d think).
So again, great scenes, but I do hope people act sensible.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/8 "2014-07-06T16:05:04Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#):
>
> Disappointing about Mark Cavendish but the childish little cunt did it to himself. At least he was a good sport about it, afterwards.
I saw that. The commentators (This was on NBCSN, I think) were discussing who was at fault and none of them would put the blame on Cavendish. It seems he can do no wrong in their eyes.
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### Author:  [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/9 "2014-07-06T16:25:04Z")
Cav is pretty much always responsible for his wrecks. He either does things like he did yesterday, or he keeps going straight when they come to a sharp turn.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Cashless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Cashless)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/10 "2014-07-06T16:45:52Z")
Amazing 2-day advert for Yorkshire. Remarkable and beautiful.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/11 "2014-07-06T19:13:46Z")
Huh, when did they start doing that? Last I knew, the Tour more or less just followed the outline of France on the map.
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### Author:  [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/12 "2014-07-06T19:57:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Huh, when did they start doing that? Last I knew, the Tour more or less just followed the outline of France on the map.
1.
> **[Tour de France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France#Starts_abroad.5B111.5D)**
>
> The Tour de France (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}French pronunciation: \[tuʁ də fʁɑ̃s\]) is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España.
> The race was first organized in 1903 to increase...
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### Author:  [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/13 "2014-07-06T20:01:58Z")
The race has always routinely crossed the border into Belgium, Italy, Spain etc, but they’ve also started in Corsica in 2013, the Netherlands in 2010, England in 2007, and Ireland in 1998. I think that was the first time, but am open to correction.
ETA: Hah! Shows what I know.
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### Author:  [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/14 "2014-07-06T20:10:52Z")
**Chronos** , you must not have known for decades. The Tour goes outside France more often than not, and this routinely includes starting stages. In 1998, the prologue was in Ireland, in 2010, 2006, and 1996 in NL, in 2012, 2006, 2004, 2001, and 1995 some stages were in Belgium, 2007 and 1994 had some stages in the UK, 2011 went into Italy, 2000 went through Germany and Switzerland, 2009 went into Spain and Switzerland, 2005 went into Germany, 2002 started in Luxemburg.
Eta: d’oh!
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### Author:  [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/15 "2014-07-06T20:55:58Z")
Went out to see the stage today - great stuff. Turnout was indeed impressive - was stood at the top of the climb from ewden beck, not a real hotspot, and it was still mobbed. Leading group went by in a blur.
Great atmosphere, would have loved to have taken the kids and made a day of it - logistical nightmare though with the driving, parking etc. Much easier to cycle there - rode over the moors with a mate and popped out right on the route.
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### Author:  [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/16 "2014-07-06T21:24:11Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#):
>
> Went out to see the stage today
>
> …
>
> Much easier to cycle there - rode over the moors with a mate and popped out right on the route.
How cool to bike to the tour! you were on the actual route? Great conversation starter. I bicycled a part of stage 2 of the TdF
Brian
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/17 "2014-07-06T22:09:29Z")
Oh, right, I knew that they were sometimes on one side of the border and sometimes the other, but it still used to at least roughly follow the border. It looks like they only started crossing the Channel in 1994 (which, yes, was after my “last I knew”).
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### Author:  [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/18 "2014-07-07T02:18:23Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#):
>
> The race has always routinely crossed the border into Belgium, Italy, Spain etc, but they’ve also started in Corsica in 2013
Corsica’s in France.
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### Author:  [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/19 "2014-07-07T13:33:22Z")
> [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](#):
>
> Corsica’s in France.
Point taken, but I wouldn’t say it was “in” France. Part of France, the nation state, yes.
I think they should all board pedalos at Dover and do a stage across the Channel :).
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### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tdf-2014/692471/20 "2014-07-07T13:39:19Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#):
>
> I think they should all board pedalos at Dover and do a stage across the Channel :).
Now _that_ would be a stage to remember! 😃
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