Tour de France 2007: Where to Get Your Fix
I can’t believe the Tour de France is just around the corner. It’s been almost a year since all the pre-2006 tour doping scandals went down and a little under a year since Floyd Landis won the 2006 Tour and started fighting his doping allegations (for more on that check out his new book “Positively False” - I just started reading my copy - and the Floyd Fairness Fund site). I really hope Floyd is innocent and there is mounting evidence to confirm his side of things. I guess we’ll have to see what happens.
Anyhow, that’s not the point of this post. The point of this post is that the Tour starts Saturday (July 7th) and it’s time to get psyched - and to figure out where to consume your share of Tour de France media.
For me this year will be much different than last year since I no longer have cable. That means, unfortunately, I won’t be able to watch the live Tour coverage on Versus and listen to the tried and true trio of Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen and Bob Roll.
Yup, they don’t have a live video stream on the web. I am not sure why (well, I am pretty sure it has to do with TV contracts). The Amgen Tour of California did and they seemed to have proved out the technology for the most part. Heck, I’d pay for it just like I pay for MLB.tv. Hopefully they will offer that option soon.
That said, I have done some digging around to find some top sources of Tour media online. Here are all the spots I’ll be turning to in order to get my daily dose of the 2007 Tour de France.
TDFBlog.com: This is a site that I stay subscribed to all year long. However, during the Tour site owner Frank Steele really picks things up. This is a must read during the Tour and beyond.
EuroSport.com: EuroSport provides a live streaming audio feed during the Tour de France. These guys are the real deal. They provide solid clear-cut race coverage that, as Bicycling Magazine says, assumes this isn’t your first go around. The live audio feed is just the start of things though. They also offer video from the stages, stories, interviews, etc.
Bicycling.com: The guys at Bicycling Magazine have put together a nice site that includes daily podcasts from their European correspondent James Startt, streaming video, a tour tracker and some background on the course and history of the tour.
LeTour.fr: This is my tour tracker of choice and it also happens to be the official Tour de France site. They have continually made a better tour tracker each year on LeTour.fr and I am looking forward to this year’s improvements.
VeloNews.com: These guys always put out quality cycling content and should be a must read year round, but as everything does in cycling, VeloNews really ramps up in July. They have a great tour tracker and always get great interviews. They also have some great podcasts and streaming video each day of the Tour along with rider diaries that will really put you in the peloton.
So now that you’re all geared up for the Tour all you need to do is sit and wait for the start on Saturday. In fact, you are in for a pretty unique start this year being that the start is in London. Here’s to a clean and epic race. Let the cyclism begin.
You didn’t mention cycling.tv
Though they have broadcast both the Giro (in cooperation with Versus) and Vuelta for 2 years (2006 & 7), they don’t have broadcast rights for the Tour but will have a bunch of associated video and maybe clips of the race itself.
Though I have ongoing minor technical problems with them, when it works, cycling.tv is fantastic.
Marilla Whitney
6 Jul 07 at 9:02 am
PS I forgot to mention that in addition to the Giro and Vuelta, the also have live video and archives of numerous other tours, classics and other racing including the Pro Tour and mountain biking.
Marilla Whitney
6 Jul 07 at 9:03 am
Who do you think will win the 2007 Tour de France?
Here is the poll: http://www.apopularitycontest.com/display_poll.php?ID=3500
Rob
6 Jul 07 at 11:19 am
Roid Landis is a drug cheat. Embrace it.
FFF is a funded propaganda site which promotes myths.
FFF will not discuss:
Why Landis has 13 drug busted teammates at Phonak
Why David Witt was shot in the head on August 16, 2006.
Why Landis confessed to witness tampering
Why Landis had Will geoghegan call Lemond via cell phone and make a threat.
Why Landis changed from a Yellow to Black tie for the Lemond testimony–despite having secretly threatened him.
Roid Landis is a bald faced liar, doper and creep.
benoit Joachim
6 Jul 07 at 11:40 am
@ Benoit
That is a pretty harsh condemnation of a guy who still has yet to be proven guilty. I would agree that the FFF site will obviously skew toward Floyd since it is his site but there is evidence on both sides of the bike here.
You accuse folks of only looking at Floyd’s side while you only look at the circumstantial evidence on the other side.
The fact of the matter is that neither of us know what happened. I just hope Floyd is telling the truth and for some reason I feel he might be. That said, I would wait to condemn someone until you know all the facts.
Eric Olson
6 Jul 07 at 12:56 pm
Eric;
Landis is a harsh doper creep. That’s why my words appear harsh. He is what he is.
Landis is a creep based on his own actions.
Roid posted a threat on the Daily Peleton Forum under his own name—and admitted it under oath.
In addiction, Roid confessed to being in the same room with Will Geogeghan when he threatened a witness. Roid admitted that too.
Roid switched his tie color from yellow to black for the Lemond testimony–despite having threatened him just 12 hours ealier.
His father-in-law was shot in the head.
What addition facts do you require. More tainted Lab tests.
Landis will be sanctioned because is a coward, a liar, a thug, a wtness tamperer, and a drug cheat.
It is what it is, UGLY.
Soon Roid will be gone.
benoit Joachim
6 Jul 07 at 7:28 pm
Hi all
I found live tv stream on http://tvunetworks.com/ need to download free software (2 mins) and watch Le Tour De France TV (actually stream is of ITV4 in UK) – channel can be found at bottom of all channel listings in player. Very good quality and English language.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Neal
neal rowland
7 Jul 07 at 8:32 am
@ Neal
Thanks for the tip! That program is great. Just what I was looking for.
Eric Olson
8 Jul 07 at 2:50 pm
Hi I downloaded the TV player you suggested but can’t find TdF anywhere on the channel listings.
Is anyone else having a problem?
Cheers
James
12 Jul 07 at 8:04 am
I am having the same issue. It worked for a few days and as of yesterday the channel was missing. I figured it was too good to be true.
Eric Olson
12 Jul 07 at 8:32 am
The stream is back! Versus is the stream you want.
Eric Olson
12 Jul 07 at 9:52 am
che le tv spengano il doping http://www.solospettacolo.it/22072007/tour-de-france-che-le-tv-spengano-il-doping/
francescoz
22 Jul 07 at 2:27 am