Tour de France : 2007 : July : 10

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Tour de France

July 10, 2007

Ronan Pensec: The Best Thing To Happen in Years

Posted by ActiveTdF Jul 10, 2007

As you know today was the longest stage of the Tour and the pros didn’t really...do good!

We have to be honest: I talked with the event director and the guys showed up at the finish line an hour later than what we thought.

And you know what, I think it’s the best thing that has happened since years in pro cycling. Today, the peloton has sent a HUGE message to all of us. These guys are humans and I can tell you, they were under-performing in order to be in shape for tomorrow and the days after.

That is a major change in cycling. Last year, we were still seeing cyclists riding like crazy from start to finish and they were looking like it was piece of cake. Today no one suffered on the road, and there is a very good reason why: This Tour de France is going to be long and hard and they know it!

This is a great feeling. I really feel like we are getting back to something more enjoyable. I’m now starting to hope that we will see more “échappée” and more joy and disappointments as the big players may not all meet our expectations. I feel we are back to real cycling, the cycling I used to compete in. If this is the case, it’s going to be the hell of a show!

Fellows, if you have any questions, anything you would like to know, anything that can only be found in the peloton, do not hesitate and send me your questions. I will get the answers for you. Just send me a comment. I will be glad to share this unique opportunity I have to be in direct contact with cyclists.

The GREAT Tour de France is back and it feels extremely good!!!

Ronan

Ronan Pensec participated in eight Tours, and wore the yellow jersey in 1990. He now operates Ronan Pensec Events, an official Tour de France operator hosting VIP cycling tours for recreational cycling enthusiasts.

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Fast Freddie Rodriguez: Flashbacks

Posted by ActiveTdF Jul 10, 2007

!http://www.active.com/images/newsletters/cyclist/TourdeFrance2007/images/fredrod.jpg|style=padding:10px;|align=left|src=http://www.active.com/images/newsletters/cyclist/TourdeFrance2007/images/fredrod.jpg!I woke up this morning feeling much better. We will have to see how the body will react in today’s race.

Yesterday was almost a repeat of last year’s Tour. I kept getting flashbacks to last year.

Basically, the only ones I can blame for such a bad crash is the Tour de France organizers. They say they are creating safe courses for us when, at the end, they do what they want. As sprinters, we have been asking for years for the organizers to take more responsibility for the roads.

You may remember how I crashed out of the Tour last year. Basically, on a straight road slightly downhill at high speed I went into uncovered construction hole. The organizers didn’t cover it, advise us of it or even shut down that side of the road. That crash could have ended my career, if not worse. The best part was that the organizers never took action to see how I was.

I was just off their books.

Sorry guys, I'm sounding a bit down on this subject, but I feel I need to give it to you how it is.

But again, cycling is one of the most beautiful sports in the world.

The crowds through Belgium were amazing. People were standing out on the road cheering on their heroes. One of my teammates, Wim Vansevenant, was able to sprint ahead to have a visit with his family and friends.

I did notice one thing. The fan base in France seems to be on the down side, but as soon as we cross the border the roads are crowded. Cross your fingers. Maybe some day the race will hit stateside.

Freddie

Colombian-born Freddie Rodriguez is a professional American road racing cyclist. He is a three-time US national champion and currently races for team Predictor-Lotto. His Fast Freddie Coffee, the Fast Freddie Foundation, and his new Team Fast Freddie raise funds to support youth cycling in America. Freddie resides in Emeryville, California, and Girona, Spain. Freddie is riding this year's Tour and will give us an insider's perspective on life inside the peloton. He welcomes questions and will try to respond during the Tour.

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