Le Grand Depart

[kettering_baggie]

Today sees the start of one of the year’s greatest sporting events, Le Tour de France; I love following this race. Professional cycling is probably the World’s toughest sport and I am always in awe of these super athletes as they conquer the mountains and day after day of intense racing for three weeks! The big question, though, is whether Mark Cavendish will succeed in taking one more stage win to give himself the outright record of 35 TdF stage wins; I so hope that he does.

[Prando]

Are you still cycling Ketts ? I’m managing 3000+ miles a year, albeit at a leisurely pace !
I remember having pre match cycling discussions with you at the Sportsman - seems ages ago.
Had a recent chat with baggieboygeoff - great to have a catch-up.

[mickd1961]

Today sees the start of one of the year’s greatest sporting events, Le Tour de France; I love following this race. Professional cycling is probably the World’s toughest sport and I am always in awe of these super athletes as they conquer the mountains and day after day of intense racing for three weeks! The big question, though, is whether Mark Cavendish will succeed in taking one more stage win to give himself the outright record of 35 TdF stage wins; I so hope that he does.

I think you really need to be into cycling to enjoy it on the TV, I find it as understandable and watchable as Baseball.

I enjoy Olympic track cycling and the road races when it’s obvious who’s in with a chance, I like the time trial races as well.

I do think that all of the drugs scandals of the past three decades have eroded credibility in the sport, I was gobsmacked when the truth came out about Lance Armstrong.

Cycling would also benefit from commentators who explain things in a simple manner to dullards such as myself, I find there’s too much techno babble spoken and that they comment between themselves on the basis that they expect everyone understands the minutiae of the sport.

[kettering_baggie]

Are you still cycling Ketts ? I’m managing 3000+ miles a year, albeit at a leisurely pace !
I remember having pre match cycling discussions with you at the Sportsman - seems ages ago.
Had a recent chat with baggieboygeoff - great to have a catch-up.

I have not cycled since last Autumn, when Covid hit me. It was, though, the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation that stopped me riding at the level that I was at a few years ago. Although I felt no ill effects from it, my heart rate was going sky high when tackling hills or pushing hard. Leisurely cycling doesn’t hold much attraction for me. My exercise these days is dog walking and some hard sessions in the swimming pool.

Those chats in the Sportsman seem a lifetime ago. I’m glad you’re keeping going on the bike, maybe I should dust off the machine and have another go!

[Prando]

I have not cycled since last Autumn, when Covid hit me. It was, though, the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation that stopped me riding at the level that I was at a few years ago. Although I felt no ill effects from it, my heart rate was going sky high when tackling hills or pushing hard. Leisurely cycling doesn’t hold much attraction for me. My exercise these days is dog walking and some hard sessions in the swimming pool.

Those chats in the Sportsman seem a lifetime ago. I’m glad you’re keeping going on the bike, maybe I should dust off the machine and have another go!

Yes you should !
Whilst I’ve never been a serious speed merchant, as years have progressed I did need to make a mindset change to ignore average speed etc and just enjoy the ride. I always stop for a bacon roll and coffee en route as an essential part of the ride !

[Epsombaggie]

Mark Cavendish greatest of all time. Has now won record 35 Tour stages. The latest in a sprint at the age of 39!

[Q165]

Brilliant. Pleased for him achieving that.

[baggieal]

Never been a fan but my daughter has tickets to watch the Olympics final in Paris so she’s looking forward to it.

[kettering_baggie]

What an athlete Cavendish is, outright TdF stage winner. Fantastic!

[Albionic68]

While not a huge fan of watching cycling I doff my imaginary cap to Mark Cavendish. 35 stage wins in the TdF takes some doing.

If reincarnation is a thing he'll probably come back as a hamster on amphetamines. If so I just hope someone has the good sense to hook him up with a dynamo and a substation of his very own.

Arise Sir Mark (perhaps/probably 😎 ) .