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Tour de France


MarcM

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Lacking the sports gene, I am surprised that I have really become interested in the Tour. I think that there are several factors contributing to my intrest. First, I used to be a bike mechanic when I was in high school (I was there for the birth of mountain biking!) and put on quite a few miles on the road as well as the dirt. Second, the camera work by the guys on the motorcycles of the racers really makes you feel like you are in the race, too. The French countryside is quite beautiful and makes me want to visit, in spite of what I hear all the time about the manners of the French towards visitors. In fact, I think it is only the Parisians that have garnered that reputation.

Finally, I have found out that this will be Lance Armstrong's swan song and he will be retiring after the Tour. I am sure most people in the US have already heard about his overcoming an almost surely fatal bout with cancer a few years ago (as evidenced by all of the people I see wearing those yellow rubber bracelets.) Not only did he beat the cancer, he is the only person to ever win 6 Tour de Frances and is now well on his way to #7. Anyway, I find the whole thing inspiring and make time to watch all of the legs when they come on TV.

Go Lance! :bow: :coolio:

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The French countryside is quite beautiful and makes me want to visit, in spite of what I hear all the time about the manners of the French towards visitors. In fact, I think it is only the Parisians that have garnered that reputation.

I agree with you on both things, Marc: France is such a beautiful country... that´s why sometimes I watch the Tour (when somebody´s watching it, I never turn on the TV) And then I guess it´s true, Parisians might not be the nicest people on earth... though I cannot complain, in my case. I was somehow shocked when I lived in Paris to see some people were not quite charming with non-Frenchs.

In any case, j´aime la France...

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There was a section in the mountains the other day. Out in the middle of nowhere, yet there were a lot of fans lined up along the route. They looked like they were having a good time and that quite a number of them were from other countries (holding flags from different countries.) They were all cheering every cyclist that went by. I even saw some guy run out on the road along side one cyclist. The guy was waving his arms up in the air, really cheering. The funny part was that he was nude from the waist down! The commentators were very cool about it. They said something like, "the fans here are really supportive of...oh, he's naked!" They then went back to their commentary as if nothing had happened. If I go to France, it will be to the mountainous regions! They look like they know how to party.

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Lance does just what the French hate -- making 'le Grand' tour look easy ... and they can't keep up !! :laughing: :thumbsup: :drummer:

Onward , lad !.... but if you must ( for international relations- sake ) -- stop and have lunch; wine. bread, cheese , a few smokes and a nap ... the whole bit , then hop on and whip 'em, :laughing: :laughing: :rockon: :rockon:

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I don't think Lance Armstrong had the balls to win it a 7th time.

Sitting on a seat bike that long (what is it, something like 20 days?) could take anyone's balls out!

Anyway, I have to say Lance Armstrong is one of the great athletes of our time. It is an accomplishment to win the Tour 7 times in a row (if he does do it again). Back in the early nineties wasn't there guy a who won the thing like five years in a row?

Also, I lost alot of respect for Lance when he left his wife for Sheryl Crow. Through the tough years when he had his bout with cancer his wife was the one constant in his life who never left his side. She exhibited great love.

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Also, I lost alot of respect for Lance when he left his wife for Sheryl Crow. Through the tough years when he had his bout with cancer his wife was the one constant in his life who never left his side. She exhibited great love.

For some reason, last year, that was a really popular topic on the bus for cross country. We talked about it at least once a week, and I'm not sure why.

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