active network espn
Active Home | Directory | Community | eteamz | Results | Support Support | Event Directors & Organizers
This community only   all active.com

Previous Next

Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand

Currently Being Moderated
Bruce Hildenbrand

Dealing with PMD

Posted by Bruce Hildenbrand on Jul 25, 2008 9:30:34 AM

 

PMD or "post mountains depression" is something that afflicts all Tour junkies. After two or three days of non-stop excitement, the race exits onto the plains of France and it is back to watching the French riders try to regain some respect for their countrymen. The peloton is by now extremely tired and those who still have some strength left are trying to conserve for the final time trial. It is kind of like dogs fighting over table scraps. Don't get me wrong, to win any stage of the Tour is a huge accomplishment. It is just that after watching all the heavy hitters take shots at each other in the mountains it just seems a bit anti-climactic.

 

Over the past few days I have been keeping my eye out for anything interesting that you might not see on TV, below are some things I hope you will enjoy.

 

Raymond Poulidor, or 'Poo Poo', never won the Tour, but while his countryman, Jacques Anquetil, was winning five Tours with surgical precision in the 1960's, Poo Poo's many second place finishes endeared him to French fans who saw his courage and most likely identified with his struggles. While Anquetil got the yellow jerseys, Poo Poo won the hearts of the French. He had another nickname, 'the Eternal Second', due to his many near misses. These days he works for the Tour organization doing PR at in the start village. I asked Raymond whom he thought would win the Tour and he picked Cadel Evans.

 

With the probable demise of the Pro Tour, Floyd Landis could be back racing in the European pro peloton next year. One of the rules of the Pro Tour was that any racer convicted of a doping offense had an additional two years added to his suspension. With the Pro Tour headed south, Floyd should be cleared to ride when his suspension ends in January 2009. Let's hope Floyd gets that chance to return to competition as have lots of riders who have served out their suspensions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cadel Evans had a problem with his front wheel just before the start of yesterday's stage to St. Etienne. It appeared that the wheel was rubbing his brakes, so he got a change, but he seemed unhappy with the new wheel as well. My guess is that when you are the favorite to wear yellow into Paris and it is only a few days away you start getting pretty nervous about everything.

 

 

 

Sometimes at the sign-in there is a group of young cyclists who get a chance to meet the stars of the Tour.

 

 

 

There is a lot of action in the start village. One of the daily acts is a trials rider who keeps us all entertained with a whole host of tricks that if I tried to do myself would put me up in the hospital.

 

 

 

An artist paints a portrait each day. Here he is working on his next creation.

 

 

 

-

Race Notes

 

Tomorrow's 53km (33 mile) time trial will determine the victor and the podium of the Tour(well, duh). Most pundits are tipping Cadel Evans to move from fourth to yellow figuring that he will take about 2-3 minutes out of Sastre. If you remember the 2006 Tour, Floyd Landis beat Oscar Periero by about four minutes in the first time trial, but when the yellow jersey was on the line, Landis only took a little more than a minute out of him in the final time trial. The power of the yellow is strong. Don't count Sastre out.

 

It will be critical for Sastre to pace himself and not go out too hard. Evans will be starting three places ahead of him which is about 10 minutes. That should allow Sastre and his Team CSC Saxo Bank the ability to guage what they need to do to ride a more controlled time trial. Evans on the other hand won't be getting time checks on Carlos until possibly halfway into his race. This is all pure speculation as most riders will tell you that they don't ride a time trial against their competition. Rather they set a schedule and try to do their own ride. We will see.

 

Denis Menchov looks to be in the best position to claim the final spot on the podium. However, while he is fast against the clock, he can also be inconsistent which opens the door for somebody like Christian Vandevelde who has an outside shot at the podium. Christian seems to get stronger at the end of the third week of a grand tour compared to his competition. He rode exceptionally well in the final time trial of the Giro and if he can repeat that feat he may claim third.

2,224 Views Tags: bruce_hildenbrand, christian_vandevelde, cadel_evans, floyd_landis, 2008_tour_de_france, carlos_sastre, raymond_poulidor, denis_menchov


Comments (8)
Jul 25, 2008 10:32 AM Guest Allyson Koether  says:

I love the behind the scenes pictures and stories we don't hear otherwise.  Thanks for the personal insight.
Jul 25, 2008 10:47 AM Guest David Robinson  says:

Probably my favorite article from the Tour.  I love the behind the scenes stuff as there is plenty to go around on the high profile stuff.  This makes you feel like you have the inside scoop on the what's really going on other than being there and a part of the team.  Great Work!
Jul 25, 2008 11:18 AM Guest Dave H.  says:

Yes, thank you B.H. for these not often seen photos and stories!!

 

I remember "the eternal second" and also felt some empathy towards him to have been unlucky enough to have been riding when there were MANY good riders around (French AND otherwise), and one VERY dominant champion. (Kind of like how Lance was in the recent past, although Jacques did NOT do his 'reign' consecutively.)

 

From what I've understood/gathered, the French public also did not rally all that enthusiastically behind Mr. Anquetil because they viewed him as a wealthy/privaledged 'elitist' (there's that word again!) from the upper echelons of society, and most definitely NOT a working class plebian as was the majority of the peloton (including MOST of the champions/stars.)

Am I wrong in this summation??

 

PMD does not have that much of an effect on me because I REALLY look forward to the final 'race of truth', and feel that it is even MORE exciting than the mountain stages (and this is coming from someone who was considered more of a climber than anything else during his severely modest cycling carrer!).

 

Now, when the whole "Grand Boucle" is totally over and put to bed, THEN I have a bad case of P.T.D. (post TOUR depression).

That is, until the Vuelta comes along!!

 

Versus, you REALLY need to cover some stuff between these two grand tours, EVEN if it is only the larger of the numerous post-Tour crits/kermesses which include the better Tour riders!!!

And I still think it is CRIMINAL that we cannot get decent Worlds/Olympic track coverage here in the States!!!!!!!!

 

IF the big networks that cover the 5 ring fest still refuse to cover cycling in a decent manner, then they should abdicate the TV rights to Versus, or someone who will give it the exposure it deserves.

I mean come on, they will show the pre-preliminary rounds of a 'popular' (in the U.S.) sport before showinfg the FINALS of the Match Sprint  or team Pursuit.

In fact, EVEN when cycling is held early enough that there is almost NOTHING else to show, they refuse to cover our great sport!

THIS IS REDICULOUS!!!
Jul 25, 2008 4:35 PM Guest EJ Levy  says in response to Dave H.:

I agree. There is a lot to this sport beyond the Tour de France. That is why I wrote VS recently to let them know that there are other bike races including a big one in May that takes place in Italy and another in September that is hosted by Spain.  A few years ago when it was OLN there was coverage of those races, with similar all day coverage and not just an hour wrap up on Sunday.  It was fantastic.  I've never had a phone call or email from anyone making sure I was watching VS to see that Big Old Bass being pulled out of the lake nor to make sure I watched the cowboys getting bucked off the bull.  Perhaps its because I live east of the Mississippi but all I know is that when these bike races are on the emails go way up!

 

And of course, if VS could somehow pick up Olympic cycling too that would be great. Even if a replay the week after the games are over.  We won't know who won because gosh knows NBC won't even report it let alone cover it.  Our hope here in the Detroit area is that the Canadian network which we can get most of the time will cover it.  The big joke is that many of us, even for non-cycling events, prefer to watch the Canadian broadcasts.  Less studio time and way more sports in action. 

 

EJ
Jul 25, 2008 6:42 PM Guest Katie B  says in response to EJ Levy:

I am on the road and so cannot watch on VS, however  I do read the VS website each day of the tour and find that very exciting. If TV will not cover cycling, I'm willing to download it.

 

Thank you for the very interesting article.
Jul 25, 2008 7:31 PM Guest Davielle  says in response to Katie B:

Katie,

 

Oh, reading about it on VS' website is probably NOTHING compared to reading the blow-by-blow on www.cyclingnews.com -- give them a look and see if I'm right.   We LOVE the cyclingnews coverage!   Too bad you're on the road ... one year I was in hospital for three nights during the Tour, and their cable didn't include what was then OLN (Outdoor Life Network), so my young doctor would print out the daily reports for me - very sweet.  Keep watching!
Jul 25, 2008 7:32 PM Guest Davielle  says:

Bruce - WOW, thanks for including the great behind-the-scenes stories and photos today -- and thank you for the photo that reads "Miss you, Floyd" -- SWEET.  Keep the great posts coming -- and thanks again.
Jul 26, 2008 1:33 PM Guest Theresa  says:

Okay, I'm reading your last 3 posts today!  OMG, the "Miss you, Floyd" almost made me cry. I hope he hasn't given up on cycling, because his fans are still here!!

Actions

Bookmarked By (0)

Popular Blog Posts