Is anybody even slightly ...

[AllanT]

this is nothing

the tour has always given value for money
hell
in 1913
christophe eugene was riding his bike when his forks broke , he ran to the local village blacksmith and under the watchfull eye of the tour official he began to repair the broken forks on his own , what happened next sent SHOCK WAVES through all of france and caused an outcry. Christophe proceeded to ask the boy who worked for the blacksmith to operate the bellows, this in only the ninth running of the tour was strictly a no no .

Heard that one before as well. There were some really officious b@stards around in those days!! You'd think they'd turn a blind eye to something like that!!

[clodhopper]

should we leagalise the use of performence enhancing drugs in sport then, make it a free for all? would that produce a level playing field? Would it erradicate the controversy? Or would it produce a crop of half a dozen or so Tommy Simpsons per year?

[Grouse]

You don't get round the tour on a cheese sandwich.