Juan Foote

I have enjoyed watching this every July since I was a kid (probably more so then). The scenery, the racers, the rides. The last couple of years have been this side of a snore fest. The 'drama' preceding this race about the drugs just lay a pall over it. For the first time I am actually considering passing on recording/watching. It's much like we are watching another LA play unfold. So over it.

RJM

If it were more exciting I would care more even with the dopers. I don't know if it is the drugs, cheaters, prima donnas in the peloton, or just the modern team tactics that bring on the boredom, but it is certainly there.

Pemetic2006

I assume Froome will win. Did he cheat? I have no clue.
I'll watch for all the other jerseys as well as the spectacular scenery and history of France.

RFEngineer

I'm over it too. Total snore fest lately.

Marcus_Ti

Lots of landscape porn. Also some commentators know how to bring the personality/culture of the route towns/region and some don't. Also US (re)broadcasts almost always entirely cut out the tourism shots with commercials or studio nonsense...or cover them up with graphics.

Not to argue your larger point that "team tactics" is why only the last 30km out of a 200km stage are ever aired.

jamesdak 

Yep, it really isn't fun to watch anymore. I look for to our local Pro race in Utah instead. I even take off work to watch that live.

mattm

Yellow jersey attacking over the top of a mountain climb, I thought that was pretty neat.

I've only been watching Le Tour for about 15 years, and it's always exciting. I guess it depends on what you're looking for really.

Caretaker

Doping: IMO pro-cycling now is as clean/unclean as it was in the mid-1980s. What's changed is that now we have (un)social media which is the old-fashioned rumour mill on steroids.
Boring: It can be at times but that's life and entertaining/enlightening commentary helps.
Scenery: As someone who regularly cycle tours in France I enjoy seeing familiar areas and being introduced to new ones.

Lots of people think the result is a foregone conclusion but far from it, weather will play a part and luck, bad and good, always has a hand in the result(s).

CerveloJoe

We're almost there. I plan to be awake at 5 am EST for the beginning of the coverage on NBCSports. I believe the 2018 route will create very intriguing racing and drama. We could lose a GC rider early with an unfortunate crash on the stage 9 cobbles for example and other GC contenders will certainly lose time during the TTT. The last two weeks will see lots of mountains to separate the contenders from the pretenders and the final individual TT isn't designed for the flat road beasts to dominate. Hopefully we will not see any negative reaction toward Froome, but that is certainly a possibility. I'm ready to see this great event unfold.

canklecat

No reason to avoid this year's TdF over perceptions of cheating by Froome or anyone else. The course doesn't favor Froome in particular and may make for a more exciting race than previous tours. There's a good chance for Nibali, Quintan and others. Even Sagan has a shot if he can avoid being Cavendished.

Wildwood 

When the rules are not applied equally to all riders, the results become laughable.
I will not tune in.
But cycling info is on my news app and I won't be changing that.

Caretaker

To all the people saying they won't tune in..................who cares.

San Pedro

I know what you mean.

After stage 18 people took a big dump all over Froome at the Giro, but that an exciting race to watch. I'm hoping to see some great racing even if I do skip long parts of the sprint stages.

Even my kindergarten students will be watching during their lunch if I can't watch at night.

Wildwood 

The broadcasters, the advertisers...….

But you are right, it means nothing really. Just a personal protest for equal punishment for the same violation.

Will someone explain why Chris' violation should have no penalty when an identical violation (at lower levels) for many other riders in the past netted suspensions and nullified results???
@Caretaker, you first please.

Mr. 66

Froome is ok, he got a permission slip from his doctor...

Caretaker

Maybe the others have a case to have their positives reviewed in the light of current evidence.
You can't ignore expert findings and sanction someone just for the sake of consistency.

Wildwood 

That's right - no consistent application of rules in cycling. Hooray for the sport!!
Become a winner, hire more lawyers and there are no penalties - everyone should smile and carry-on.

Maybe the others knew they had crossed a line an were willing to accept the penalty. Not so with Froomie, no he did nothing wrong to win and all his lawyers will back him up. Ways of the world.

Excessive use of TUEs before and during Grand Tours for your GC rider is Doping. Sky has abused the sport's regulations with zero penalties. No medical records......oh please, let's see the ugly duckling for what it is.

Trakhak

Or maybe the AAF was bogus, Sky lawyered up, and the UCI and WADA finally admitted that urine-based salbutamol test results are demonstrably unreliable.

Either way, let's hope that Froome gets through the Tour without being maimed or killed by idiots and their "roadside justice" that so many keyboard blowhards are muttering about.

canklecat

When Froome crashed on the first stage I thought it was a deliberate contact, but in reviewing the video it appeared to occur on a curve with the entire pack moving right just when Froome was sprinting into a very narrow gap near the road shoulder. Didn't look deliberate. He was lucky to have missed that bollard, although it's unclear whether those were soft plastic or rigid metal. Could have been very bad if he'd been just six inches off where he fell.