Does anyone give a damn about the Tour de France?

Helmets became mandatory at all times 4-5 years ago.

 

We ran the first stage inside. I imagine it'll start going in the roundup or even just agate unless an American starts challenging for the mayeux jaune.

 

Anyone see the end of the first stage? Pretty exciting--it was like getting a hit in the bottom of the 9TH to win the game. Unfortunately, I think only hardcore fans get the strategy involved in the sport.

 

Like most in the country, you really haven't watched the sport much at all, have you?

Nothing wrong with not watching or following it, but it's a statement about why the sport won't and shouldn't get more coverage. The average sports fan and newspaper reader just isn't into it enough to know the basics such as helmets being worn at all times.

To the original question -- I'm as big a bike geek as this board has (or pretty close to it) and I would be shocked if we put it on the front page unless an American is winning. We have two locals not racing this year, so local interest is even less. It's just not that compelling in the big picture. Same with the Olympic swim and track trials. A few neat stores and worth inclusion on an inside page, but not front page worthy at all.

I go to VeloNews.com, Cyclingnews.com, Pezcycling.com, etc., long before I look in a newspaper. I get better, more in depth and more informed coverage. And I want it live at 11 a.m. local time. Not 7 a.m. the next day.

 

What's sad is Hincapie is a solid human being. A much better role model than Lance could ever hope to be, at least of what I know of him. I guess that's why he's not marketable.

And no, I won't follow the race. Just knowing that whoever wins will probably be stripped of their title a few weeks later makes it not worth it.

 

Stage 17 (Alpe D'Huez) is always a must-watch for me.

 

It leads our "Drug" roundup every day.

 

No.

 

In a non-Olympic year, I'd say give it inside play with a small photo. In an Olympic year, I'd stick the stage results in agate.

Unless Lance Armstrong hops into the race and wins it, it doesn't merit more than that until someone wins it. Unless he and Greg LeMond get into another cat fight.

 

Ditto.

 

No. That said, I gave it a nice ride one day last week when I had "too much space."

Now, it's briefs and the agate. I might call a female cyclist from our area who's turned pro with some modest success and grind out a column this week. And ... maybe not.

 

I'm pretty sure we had a thread like this last year, too, with much of the same responses. Cycling fans won't really get their news from papers. What doesn't help is that it doesn't really get going until the second week. Even many of the racers openly admit that the first three or four stages are not that interesting and, especially this year, sketchy as shit. Between big crosswinds, odd routes that involve narrow roadways, a huge peloton, and a bunch of riders trying to sort themselves out, it gets hairy.