Will you watch the TdF?

I'll be watching every second of it. Drugs or no drugs, what these guys do is amazing. The amount of training physically and mentally that these guys have to go through to get to the top is a testiment to hard work. Drugs alnoe will not get you there. I hate the drug aspect of the sport but I can live with it as long as somethng is being done and it is acknowledged as a problem.

BigUgly said:

I'll be watching every second of it. Drugs or no drugs, what these guys do is amazing. The amount of training physically and mentally that these guys have to go through to get to the top is a testiment to hard work. Drugs alnoe will not get you there. I hate the drug aspect of the sport but I can live with it as long as somethng is being done and it is acknowledged as a problem.

my thoughts exactly!

Yes, I'll be camped out in front of my TV. Thank goodness for DVRs.

BigUgly said:

I'll be watching every second of it. Drugs or no drugs, what these guys do is amazing. The amount of training physically and mentally that these guys have to go through to get to the top is a testiment to hard work. Drugs alnoe will not get you there. I hate the drug aspect of the sport but I can live with it as long as somethng is being done and it is acknowledged as a problem.

No doubt that "drugs alone will not get you there." But that's hardly the point. (I'm sure Barry Bonds wouldn't be such a good hitter if he didn't work hard on his batting.) The real question is: Can you get there without drugs? And after all the revelations of the past couple of years, I'd say the answer is no.

Perhaps professional cycling should take a page from pro bodybuilding and have two circuits: one for "take whatever you want" competitors, and the other for "natural" competitors. (Of course, then you'd have cyclists trying to win the natural competition while doping up.)

Don't get me wrong here - I'm not getting down on people watching and enjoying the tour. I'm just interested in how people feel about it and why.

BigUgly said:

I'll be watching every second of it. Drugs or no drugs, what these guys do is amazing. The amount of training physically and mentally that these guys have to go through to get to the top is a testiment to hard work. Drugs alnoe will not get you there. I hate the drug aspect of the sport

I feel much the same way - doping or not, what these guys do is an incredible feat of will as much as athletic achievement. I am hooked, even though the fact EVERYONE appears dirty makes me want to take a shower when I start rooting for an individual rider.

Quoted post said:

but I can live with it as long as somethng is being done and it is acknowledged as a problem.

I need to see what appear to be REAL results from the increased stringency before I am 100% back on board.

I'll still watch and enjoy the TdF, don't get me wrong, but my plan is to train through the winter and try some bike racing myself next year - even though I'm too fat and old.

Pendejo said:

I'm interested in how all of you feel now about watching it. I never used to miss a day. Watching the heroic efforts was inspiring. I'll never be inspired again by watching the pros race. And how can you really be a fan of any of them? If I watch any of the stages now it will be mostly because of the pretty scenery. I think the soul of the sport now resides in all of us amateurs. The rest is bulldoody.

I agree 100% with you.

I'm indifferent.

I used never miss a day of TDF or any televised race.

These days - I'm indifferent : if I have nothing else pending, I will watch the TDF but it certainly isn't a priority, nor will I be trying to rearrange work/family life in order to get to see a race (which is what I used to do).

I don't have cable and I'm leaving for training for work for three weeks... I am devasted.

I'm watching it now!

I will watch as and when time/life/work/riding allows.

Less important to me than the Giro, of course!

I'll be watching it every free second that I have. I'm pretty busy with work and my own actual riding, but if I'm home and it's on....then I'm watching.

Yeah, there has been quite an issue with doping but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the sport. People forget that even without it, pro cyclists are far better than other cyclists. It takes a huge amount of determination to reach the pro level. I don't approve of drugs, but I do acknowledge that they have been used.

I'll still support the sport and hope that in the future the sport will be completely clean.

Well, since you asked, no I won't. I could care less about watching any type of racing. I find it boring. Sure, they are great atheletes and work hard to get to that level, but I just don't care to watch a race. Instead, my free time will be devoted to riding my bike, playing rugby, taking my dog for walks/dog park or having a beer with the fellas.