Support/lust after our lads cycling in the Tour of Britain here!

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

We watched Team Sky and Brad win the Tour de France, we're watching Froome in the Vuelta (bless him) and we took an Ode to the Olympic Time Trial (which inspired them to win medals ).

And now (to fill the massive hole left by the superb Olympics and Paralympics) from Sunday we can watch Team Sky and Team GB cycling heros here in the UK!

I thought I'd start this thread for lusting supporting our team faves and having a laugh.

TOB starts this Sunday 9th Sept!

TOB website here

Stage 1 Ipswich to Norfolk - Live on ITV4 from 1.45pm with highlights at 8pm .

The rest of the stages are also live everyday on ITV4 with highlights at 7pm.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

sorry

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Route declared for the TdF next year. Plan your Campervan route now ladies.

tdf route

It may be more of a Froome course than a Wiggo one though.

?It was always about winning one Tour and, if I got a chance to do Italy, then it?s more than likely I will ride in a supporting role for Chris although it?s for Dave Brailsford to decide,? Wiggins said. ?I want to be in a successful team and, if that?s Chris, so be it. He will have to grow some sideburns, though.?

//grin

[SeaShellsMyDogTrulySmells]

Yup, I suspect lance is full of shit on many topics

Re football I meant cocaine etc rather than blood products - still performance enhancing.

Unbelievable considering the side effects/risks involved...to their health and their lives/partners/careers. Really want to read David Miller's. It sounds fascinating.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Lost re Contador accidentally tainting himself.

Lance - DH bought his autobiography. I read it. One of the main themes is about how his wife stood by him through his illness and was a towering strength etc. etc. and how much he loved her. And a few months later I read that he had an affair with Sheryl Crow.

[LostInWales]

Totally recommend the book, it's a nice insight into the life of a pro cyclist, just with added blood bags and steroid use. Well it's a brilliant insight into the life of someone within Lance Armstrongs cycling team anyway, that man has issues . Very well written and very readable.

I love Contador's big brown eyes and ability to sprint up mountains . (Even if he may have accidentally re infused some of his own blood that was tainted with drugs)

[evilgiraffe]

I'm not taken with Contador, to be honest. Not sure what it is - watching him ride is fantastic but his face doesn't grab me. Love Cav and Nibali though :)

Would you recommend the book, Lost? I really enjoyed David Millar's book so more of the same might be nice.

[LostInWales]

Just read the whole thing almost without stopping SeaShells. It is brilliantly written, really compelling but the detail and corroboration make me believe it is all true and that's really hard when you've had a longtime crush on Hincapie . Thank goodness I have always disliked Lance Armstrong immensely or it would have been a very hard book to read. It almost makes me sure that Contador was doping too (sorry Alberto), he still looks great in a pinny though.

I'm not sure about other sports, the thing with cycling is that the drugs they have are really suited to helping over a 2/3 week event where you are going full out and would other wise be depleting your strength, it's a fairly unique sport in that respect.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Contador is a hottie.

[SeaShellsMyDogTrulySmells]

Didn't know you'd read it losty. I assume most winners were doped back then, and hope that now they are much much cleaner. It does make me wonder how much other sports suffer similar -strange cycling gets all the press other than a few track athletes. Surely football must be riddled?

[LostInWales]

I have just finished the Tyler i Hamilton book . I still have faith in Cav, Wiggo and the rest of them though, I suppose we have to. Professional cyclists don't half look lovely in aprons though, particularly Contador .

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

enjoy ladies Cav and Contadore don aprons

[frostyfingers]

Ah, not far then Biscuit, know it well!

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Thanks all. Will watch the link at home. Not working here at work.

Frosty - in Conwy area.

[LostInWales]

Oh my god!!!!! I have a lump in my throat now, that was fantastic.

Happy Birthday Biscuit.

[evilgiraffe]

Isn't it? It's like a trailer for a REALLY GOOD movie.

[frostyfingers]

Wow, that's inspiring.

[evilgiraffe]

Happy birthday!

For another present, how about this to get you looking forward to May :)

[frostyfingers]

After you with that Biscuit!!! Have a fab birthday, hope you are suitably pampered.

Psst, whereabouts are you in Wales (St Asaph born and bred me!)? Not there now, but still go to visit my mum.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

Thanks for all that info. Guess we'll watch normal telly for a bit.

On the bright side, its my birthday and DH has bought me the Team Sky book about the inception of the team and Cav and Wiggo. Yey!

[AliceHurled]

For those asking about next races, yes it's end of season for road racing now. Starts again with the Spring classics next year.

Over winter you could watch cyclo cross, like cross country in bikes. Bit obscure though.

For track stuff Manchester velodrome do a series called Revolution which is like continental showcase track racing stuff. Very watchable, bars to get a drink, music in the background and no endless run offs for 16th place. Back in the day you used to see all the top GB riders there, Cav, Wiggo, Hoy, Pendleton etc, as well as other classy riders from the continent and beyond. They may well be there this season too, but they're of course busier and more expensive now. There's also a juniors competition so you can try and spot the future talent. These days they sell out pretty quickly, first one is already sold out. There's 4 over the winter.

[frostyfingers]

I'd heard it was Omega Pharma or something like that....... I should think all of Team Sky are wiped out, it's been a long hard season and they've racked up some really good wins. Long holidays in the sun all round I expect.

I'll have to transfer my viewing to rugby and jump racing for now, but look forward to next season, and hopefully Cav in a team suited to him.

[evilgiraffe]

Brilliant race! JTL looked fantastic, Stannard looked frightening, and Cav gave all he had for his team, which is all we could ask of him.

I think rumours were that Cav would go to Orica GreenEdge? I'll be surprised if he stays at Sky.

[SeaShellsMyDogTrulySmells]

Track World Championships are coming up (BBC coverage I think) but otherwise that is the end of the season for road racing I think (not entirely sure but everyone I follow on twitter seem to be finishing)

Think everyone is knackered - and wiggins' wife on twitter suggested he was ill and knackered. End of term time feeling :)

No idea about Cav - he wants the green jersey and 5th Champs Élysées, not sure who can give him that, I don't know cycling well enough (yet!)

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

A very tough race especially with all those amazing spaniards. I though TL would have come a bit higher up but lots of future potential! I do think that wiggo Froome et al are les knackered. Poor lads.

Just watching the women's one now. Voss just superb.

Thinking Cav will leave team sky but to where?

And what is the next race?????

[SeaShellsMyDogTrulySmells]

Amazing race - lots to look forward to with JTL - he did v v well. Shame Wiggo hasn't really featured after the Olympics, but I guess he/Froome and Cav did what they could for JTL then bowed out.

Do we think Cav will stay or go?