Tour de France?

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Anyone else watching this stuff diligently? I used to mountain bike a lot, and when I caught stage 3 while flipping channels I was hooked. I haven't missed a km since :)

We should see Lance in yellow again by week's end...
 
Jarconis

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Seems like lance could use 'drol right about now for those mountain stages ;)
 

Alt+F4

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I would LOVE to see an expose on what those guys use before/during/after each stage as far as recovery. What they do is amazing...and I'm sure they get the best that nutritional science has to offer...
 

size

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I watch it alot. Cyclists are some of the best athletes in the world but they do not get recognition outside of Europe. The VO2 max of these guys is the best in the world.
 

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Cyclists are some of the best athletes in the world but they do not get recognition outside of Europe.
So true, and it begs the question...why did I pay $7.40 for a book of stamps yesterday while the USPS pays Lance et al TONS of money to race in Europe? Seems silly to me...

You don't see the House Judiciary Committee sponsoring an F1 team...
 

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Lance is a Postal employee...the money he makes is probably from indorsements, Subaru..etc. The Postal Service sponsers the team just like UPS sponsers DJ..."You know ya gonna race the truck Dale" :cool:

So true, and it begs the question...why did I pay $7.40 for a book of stamps yesterday while the USPS pays Lance et al TONS of money to race in Europe? Seems silly to me...

You don't see the House Judiciary Committee sponsoring an F1 team...
 

GettinSwole

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I haven't been watching it myself, but keeping up daily on espn.com... it's truly amazing what these people do and I agree that they have the best nutrition of anyone easily. they'd have to to stay alive
 

size

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This is the last year that the USPS will be sponsoring.
 

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Regardless of how much money they spend on Lance and friends, you know it's at least MILLIONS just for the logistics...the travel, the uniforms, the bikes, etc...USPS pays for a majority of all of that. And I do think they get a handsome salary, more than your average letter carrier.

But still, besides the money...as a business decision, WHY would the United States Postal Service, a service only available in the United States, sponsor a sport enjoyed mainly overseas? Just doesn't seem like a good business decision, especially since the USPS cries poor every year. It's very different than UPS, since UPS is sponsoring NASCAR which is in the States, where a majority of their customers reside.

Just seems weird to me I guess.

Back to the Tour...I'm fighting the urge to check ESPN.com to see how today's stage is going since I have a prior commitment tonight...but I may be able to make it back in time for the finish...decisions...
 

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At what point do we start worrying that Voeckler is sticking around too long? He finished 14th today (stage 11), and he has 9 minutes over lance.
 

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This is from Chris Carmichael (former coach of USPS, now Lance's trainer). Nothing too profound, but I had been curious:

With the temperatures rising in southern France , hydration is going to become a serious issue in the next few days of racing. The best preparation in the world is no match for the damage that can be caused by dehydration. If there’s one thing that can stop a potential Tour de France champion in his tracks, it’s running low on fluids. What you drink, however, is just as important as how much you consume.

The science of sports drinks has come a long way in the past twenty years. Instead of simply mixing sugar and salt into water and hoping for a good result, modern sports drinks are carefully formulated to deliver carbohydrate and electrolytes in the most efficient manner possible.

When you mix a sports drink too strong, or the carbohydrate content of the drink is too high, it takes longer for your body to move the drink out of your stomach and into the small intestine, where the majority of digestion and absorption occur. The same is true if the concentration of sodium and other electrolytes is either too high or too low. Most sports scientists and drink manufacturers agree that a 6-8% carbohydrate solution leads to fast absorption of carbohydrate and fluid. If you follow the directions when mixing a sports drink, the carbohydrate concentration will fall within that range. Incorrect mixing, or adding more powder to get a little more carbohydrate, may actually slow the absorption of both fluids and energy.

Taste is another reason to mix sports drinks correctly. During the process of developing the formula for PowerBar Endurance, CTS coaches and I found that when drinks are too sweet or the taste is too strong, athletes stop drinking earlier than when the taste is lighter. This has important implications for riders at the Tour de France because they need to consume at least two bottles per hour while on the bike. If the taste of the drink is just right, they will consume more fluid each time they grab the bottle, which leads to a greater total fluid consumption over the course of the stage. When they’re losing as much as 1.5 liters of fluid per hour due to sweat, getting someone to drink more during a stage can drastically improve their performance.

What about plain water? About half the fluids a Tour rider consumes on the bike is plain water, and the other half is sports drink. The sports drink, besides delivering energy, replenishes electrolytes lost in sweat. Were riders to drink only water for the duration of a stage, they would risk running low on electrolytes. Since the nervous system relies on electrolytes like sodium and potassium to conduct nerve impulses, running low on electrolytes can have significant effects on performance. However, even if you consume only water, the risks of hyponatremia (water intoxication) are relatively small, especially considering the amount of food the riders eat during the stage. Besides the physiological impact of consuming a mixture of sports drinks and water while racing, riders just don’t want to drink sports drink in every bottle they take.

The riders in the Tour de France, even riders on the same team, drink a variety of different sports drinks because they have each found the one that works best for them. That said, there’s often no time to be picky when you’re getting bottles from the car or from a teammate. The right drink for you is the one that tastes good to you when it is mixed correctly. If you have to dilute your sports drink in order to tolerate it when you work out, you’re not getting the best performance from the drink, and it’s not helping you achieve your best performance.
 

size

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It was a good race today with some interesting events. Most surprising had to be the struggle that Jan Ulrich had. Tomorrow, Sat., there will be a new rider wearing the yellow jersey at the end of the day.
 

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I agree. I was furiously clicking refresh on letour.fr, only to realize with like 2km to go that they have streaming audio from OLN. Got home later tonight and watched it in primetime. Great race today. Tomorrow should be just as entertaining.

PS - If you haven't already, order your livestrong bracelet to help Lance et al raise $5mil for cancer research. I have my 10 on the way. www.nike.com/wearyellow
 

Ghostmaster

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PHP:
PS - If you haven't already, order your livestrong bracelet to help Lance et al raise $5mil for cancer research. I have my 10 on the way. [url]www.nike.com/wearyellow[/url][/QUOTE]

I hope the livestrong bracelet becomes contagious. This is a great cause!!! It also reminds you how remarkable Lance's Tour win streak is.
 

size

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Well, the yellow jersey remains in place, and Voeckler is really fighting to keep it. He looks like he is in agony but he refuses to give up. Another good race today and fun to watch.

Tyler Hamilton dropped out today which is a big shock.
 

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Listened to Stage 15 this morning on webcast. Can't wait to see Lance in yellow on TV tonight...GO USPS, what an amazing team.
 

size

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Can't wait to see Lance in yellow on TV tonight...GO USPS, what an amazing team.
It was a good race today. Nice sprint finish. Tomorrow time trial will be good.

Team CSC is really good.
 

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Yes, Team CSC and Basso are definitely not something to write off. We'll have to see what kind of TT Basso can pull off...if he's close to Lance, then this TdF is far from over...
 

size

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Basso's heart must have really sunk today when he watched Armstrong ride past him and out of sight.
 

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