I first watched the Tour de France 2 years ago to see Lance win his seventh and last tour. I found everything about the tour absolutely fascinating. I hadn't ridden much then, so I was really curious about what it's like to ride long distances and ride in a paceline. I also was amazed at all the strategy that went into the race--how each team had their riders work together to try to get their leader a win and how teams and even individuals from different teams would negotiate with each other to help each other out. Watching this tour was one of the big reasons I got involved in cycling and now triathlons, so it's clearly made a huge difference in my life.
Last year, I was thrilled again to watch another American win, but disappointed with the scandal. This year since last year's winner wasn't returning, I wasn't all that excited to watch, but it turned out to be a really good race because of all the possible winners. Even better, I was doing good in one of the Tour de France fundraising pools.
But now, I'm absolutely sickened and disgusted by even more doping scandals even worse than those of last year. First Vino gets tagged out for cheating and his whole team dropped out. The very next day, the tour leader Rasmussen got pulled out by his team. I watched Rasmussen totally fall apart in the 2005 tour and even though I want Levi to win this tour, I thought it would be great for Rasmussen to win. Now that's no longer a possibility. Then the Cofidis team dropped entirely today as well.
I'm just really sick of all this. All I wanted was to watch a good competition and learn even more about the tactics for cycling races and root for my favorites to win. Now the whole tour is blotched and no matter who wins, it's a false victory.
It was already looking like the tour won't be broadcast in the US next year since viewership is down and Versus' contract is up this year. Now it's in the realm of possibility that there won't even be a tour next year. All the sponsors are sick people who ride for them get found doping, so they're pulling out. Without the money, there are no teams and no tour.
Or maybe I'm just being dramatic and the tour will continue but shrink to be much smaller and less funded. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Maybe there would be less incentive for people to cheat then.
Well whatever--right now I'm just totally sick of the whole thing and wish we could just have a good competition without any scandals.
Last year, I was thrilled again to watch another American win, but disappointed with the scandal. This year since last year's winner wasn't returning, I wasn't all that excited to watch, but it turned out to be a really good race because of all the possible winners. Even better, I was doing good in one of the Tour de France fundraising pools.
But now, I'm absolutely sickened and disgusted by even more doping scandals even worse than those of last year. First Vino gets tagged out for cheating and his whole team dropped out. The very next day, the tour leader Rasmussen got pulled out by his team. I watched Rasmussen totally fall apart in the 2005 tour and even though I want Levi to win this tour, I thought it would be great for Rasmussen to win. Now that's no longer a possibility. Then the Cofidis team dropped entirely today as well.
I'm just really sick of all this. All I wanted was to watch a good competition and learn even more about the tactics for cycling races and root for my favorites to win. Now the whole tour is blotched and no matter who wins, it's a false victory.
It was already looking like the tour won't be broadcast in the US next year since viewership is down and Versus' contract is up this year. Now it's in the realm of possibility that there won't even be a tour next year. All the sponsors are sick people who ride for them get found doping, so they're pulling out. Without the money, there are no teams and no tour.
Or maybe I'm just being dramatic and the tour will continue but shrink to be much smaller and less funded. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Maybe there would be less incentive for people to cheat then.
Well whatever--right now I'm just totally sick of the whole thing and wish we could just have a good competition without any scandals.
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