Is it just me, or does it seem like the crowds on the major climbs are smaller this year? It still seems like there are a lot of people there, but in years past I remember the crowds crushing in so close that there was only room for a single file of riders to go through. It also looks like there is more room on the hillsides where normally all that grass would be filled with spectators. There didn't seem to be as much of a crush of spectators this year, even on Alpe d' Huez.
Crowds at the Tour
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
Joined
·
1,326 Posts
You mean to spit on and throw things at Lance?
I love the story about when he decided Kloden would not win
the stage in Germany and just went out and took the stage.
At will. As a conscious decision. In the tour.
Why I still admire the man regardless of what anyone could ever say.
I love the story about when he decided Kloden would not win
the stage in Germany and just went out and took the stage.
At will. As a conscious decision. In the tour.
Why I still admire the man regardless of what anyone could ever say.
Don't you watch the news? Its the high gas prices and sagging economy. Nobody is out doing anything, they are staying home counting the money hidden in their mattresses because they are afraid their bank is going fail, meanwhile the plastic they've wrapped their house in with duct tape is starting to wear out and fears of a bio attack are starting to creap in again. Who's going to go watch the tour with all that going on?
Joined
·
12,083 Posts
Maybe they were just afraid of some yahoo sticking a tazer up their behindajoc_prez said:
Joined
·
354 Posts
You've got the right idea, but your details are confused. I believe you're thinking of the 2004 Tour when Armstrong pipped Kloden at the line on one of the Alpine stages (stage 17, I believe). Armstrong had tried to set up Landis to win that stage, but Ullrich chased Landis down and launched Kloden to take a stab at the stage win. No part of that stage was in Germany. The bottom line was that Armstrong was tired of gifting stages to other riders, so if his teammate couldn't win, then he wasn't going to LET someone else have it.phoehn9111 said:
The following year, Kloden got pipped by Rabobank's Pieter Weening (whatever happened to that guy?) on stage 8 (.0002 sec. was the margin of victory). That stage began in Germany but finished in France.
Source: cyclingnews.com archives
Joined
·
354 Posts
I believe we have a winner. Having these epic mountain stages on the weekend would yield bigger crowds, but having them on weekdays is a good way to alleviate some crowd control issues.weltyed said:
Joined
·
354 Posts
Speaking of crowd behavior, did anyone catch the Milram rider (Terpstra) in a breakaway on either Thurs. or Fri. stage who flipped off a spectator for trying to pour a bottle of water on him? Too funny, and obviously the video editors missed it since they showed it during the stage recap.
The crowds have been as big, if not bigger.kmac said:
The Alp d'huez stage was interesting. I would say the crowds on the top of the Galiber and Croix de Fer were huge for mid race climbs. Even the small climb out of Vallore was packed. Because of the course it appears more people decided to hit the other climbs then fight with the crowds on the Alp.
The day before had some epic crowds, considering it was near impossible to get to the climbs.
Joined
·
474 Posts
Might be the economy and airfare. I was going to go for my 40th B-Day but the airfare was crippling so I'm leaving tomorrow for Baja to surf and drink for a week at 1/5 the cost of wearing a red white and blue diaper and running beside Vandevelde for a few seconds of airtime.
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
