Perspective

In the middle of these updates it occurred to me that the television broadcasts thus far have been extraordinary. I'm not sure if people at the networks - specifically VERSUS TV - were reading my blog last year, but someone took note of my rants.

The thing that annoyed me most was that in nearly half a dozen instances the network ran out of time and didn't show the end of a stage in their first broadcast of the day.

What sort of crap is that? If you're televising a live sporting event you stay with the event until it concludes. You don't go to a pre-recorded bull-riding show. Or some other crap.

This year they seem to have gotten it right. Through 7+ stages not once have they ended a broadcast early without showing the end of the stage.

Another star for VERSUS, but why did it happen at all in the past. Welcome to SmartTown, you've figured it out.

Stage 7 - Steep Climbs and Harrowing Descents

Phil Ligget on VERSUS TV did the intro to today's broadcast of Stage 7 with just those words.

Part of the reason for his poetry was probably his own harrowing journey to the finish last night in Paul Sherwen's car.

It was mentioned at the top of the show that they almost went off the mountain last night while driving the course.

I'm hoping that his experience of last night is not a predictor of the events of the day. But it very well might be. The roads are steep in both directions - up and down - and people will be attacking like mad today.

I'll give you some color from the broadcast as we go forward.

Almost forgot - Saab Sweeps

The Fly to the Finish word for the day is...

"Sprint"

It's kinda stupid as today's stage ended atop a mountain, but who am I to question Saab?

By the way, if you miss my posts, a great guy over at Wild, Wacky and Wonderful gave me the following information about getting codes each day.

Alternate Method of Entry: To obtain daily code words if you do not have VERSUS, email Flytothefinish1@comcastnets.com with “VERSUS TDF Daily Code” in the subject line and a code word will immediately be sent to you via email.

SUPER helpful in case you are fast-forwarding through VERSUS' telecast and miss the word.

Teams left, riders left

The update from Versus TV says that only 177 riders remain of the 180 that started the race this year. And only 17 teams are still intact.

That means each of the three abandons in the 2008 Tour de France came from a different team.

More in a bit.

Fantasy Team - Kenda

If I haven't mentioned it yet, Kenda and Versus TV are putting on a Fantasy Cycling competition using results and riders from the 2008 Tour de France.

Just visit this link and set up your own team. You have until midnight tonight to lock in your riders. Good luck.

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOMENT

You know what I liked the most about the stage 4 time trial? Verus TV coverage of the event and the camera they put in the team car behind David Millar on team Garmin-Chipotle.

Robbie Hunter reported from the car and viewers really got to see the machinations that go on between the car driver/coaches and the rider.

We got to hear an update that was broadcast right into Millar's headset. So cool to be behind the scenes.

In a decade of watching the Tour de France, that was one of the few times I've been really pleased about the coverage on TV and one of the few times I've learned something new.

Great great great!

SPOILER - Still Away

Four riders are still away with only 40KM to go. That's about 24 miles. And the breakaway is currently 6:18 away from the peloton.

No real hills to come, just a little rise and then downhill mostly to the finish.

Riders in the lead group and the amount of work they're doing...

Paolo Longo Borghini - 36%
Roman Feillu - 27%
Samuel Dumoulin - 21%
William Frischkorn - 16%

Probably less than an hour to go until the finish. More coming!

Saab Fly to the finish sweepstakes

Missed the word last night as I watched the replay after hours.

Today's Fly to the Finish word is Aerodynamic.

You're welcome.

Saab Fly to the finish

Saab and Versus TV are running their "Fly to the Finish" contest again this year.

If you have the code of the day and want to share it with TDF08 readers, just leave it in the comments here.

Yesterday was SAAB and when I find out today's I'll post it. They usually put it up on the VERSUS broadcast and I'm taping the entire tour again for my private enjoyment.

Versus TV Listings

Stuck in the United States and need your cycling fix? I'll be blogging regularly, but there's also TV to watch. Versus has the entire Tour de France (that's a total lie - it's nothing like the great coverage from Eurosport) on TV again this year.

Here are a bunch of screen shots of their scheduling line-up.

What total CRAP!

I'm watching the Giro D'Italia on Versus Television right now and I'm annoyed. You know why? It's because the entire Giro isn't available on Versus in the United States unless you toss some money toward Verizon and Versus.

They blow.

I can't wait until I find a way to get Eurosport here on this continent.

Keep riding!