This exchange kinda made my day.
Out of curiosity, have you ever tried to explain the rules/format? Or is that time better spent drinking beer?

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Life is tough. But it's tougher when you're stupid. -John Wayne

GC Team leader: "Shit, we're not gonna catch them"
Loyal Domestique:"What do we do?"
GC:"The 3K banner is right up ahead. When we get there, fall down"
LD: "What?"
GC: "Fall down, crash out, take a dive"
LD: "But I could get hurt, that could end my race"

They pass under the 3K banner. GC leader shoves LD into the fence. He bounces off and rebounds back into the peloton, causing a major pile-up

GC [shouting over his shoulder as they ride away]: "Thanks buddy! We owe you one! See ya back at the bus!!!"

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

I really feel the introduction of Team Sky a few years ago closed the door on the Tour being wide open. Dave Brailsford has done quite a bit for British Cycling, and we are seeing what the Brits are doing on the road and on the track.

Just before Team Sky, I remember it being far more exciting just a few years ago with the likes of Contador, Cadel, Lance, Andy Schleck, etc. Even then, these guys were mostly great TT riders (except Schleck), but you still had the excitement in the mountains because these GC guys had 1 maaaaybe 2 guys with them on the climbs. They didn't have a whole convoy of riders. There was far more attacking up until the Team Sky initiation.

That being said, unless another team tries tackling the same team structure as Sky, it feels like they will win the Tour 3 out of every 4 years.

IF your a private business, you absolutely do what it takes to make your product better, more visible and better for viewers. Why do you think the Tour starts in all these other countries now. So, if your a business and yes the TOUR is big business for ASO, and you can make your product better, most smart business people adapt and make it better. Most of the changes that many on here are saying aren't ground breaking changes, it's not going to drastically cause sky to fall back to the pack. But what I think it can do is improve the overall competitiveness.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Maybe they'll play The Masters in Florida, sometime?

Bobby Jones couldnt break 80 on today's course, that's how different it is from the "past". So things change, you either are cool with it or not. But things change all the time.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

How good do you think Phil would do with Hickory and gutta percha?

I guess you missed the pink font. No worries.

No I saw the pink and you addressed masters moving to Florida. my response was more that the course that bobby jones built in his cow pastures has completely changed from the equipment to the course design. Par 4's now would have played par 5's in his day, but the board at Augusta made the decisions to "tiger proof" the course and turn it into a bombers delight. Adding rough though has atleast given the shot makers a chance, small one but they have addressed generational how to adapt. It may be time for the Tour to do likewise.

The only thing that has stayed the same is the southern charm that the course has.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Are you advocating for the tour to Froome-proof? :)

Augusta wasn't the only course to add length. They could have fallen in-line with the other major venues or watch the records fall (again, due to modernization of the equipment).

I don't see the TdF as a corollary. People seem to be advocating the rules of the game (TdF) need to be changed.......not the course. It's a great discussion topic, I'm just not one who's bored by watching someone dominate (or, a team). And, I wouldn't be in favor of them changing the rules, just because someone learned how to play THE game - really well. The problem is, someone will learn the new game and dominate it. Plus, you have history to answer to (tradition).

Like I said.....no disrespect at all (of your opinion). Interesting topic.

I agree. The only rules I'd be in favor of changing (or adding) would be for the riders safety, and not to "even out" the playing field. I also personally enjoy watching the ass-whoopin that Sky puts on. If the other "contenders" want to compete, they need to do work.

and this complexity is why those who understand it, love it so much.
sure, you could simplify it so the great unwashed could tune in for 5 minutes and understand everything, but then its just like every mainstream sport, except less established and poorer. and you've lost all the real fans

except it doesn't work that way. if they're already behind then they stay behind - only time gaps created by crahs or mechanical after that point are neutralised

 
I thought this tour was very interesting. Everyone complains that Froome just waits till the very end of a big climb to walk away and get his time, but he did not to that at all this year. Rather, he proved that he was the best rider in the tour by attacking on that descent when no one expected him to, he then attacked again and gained time on a sprinter's stage (no one saw that coming either), he did his thing in the mountains, and he absolutely crushed the TT's. Team Sky is a big part of his success, but he made his own time gap this year as well.

Quintana was boring as hell, follow a wheel around all week and hope someone has a mechanical or a crash. He never attacked, never thought outside the box, never made something out of an opportunity. Bardet did and it got him 2nd place. Porte would have been challenging Froome if not for absolute rotten luck all tour long.

Froome and Sky train to win the tour, if a rider doesn't think he can compete with the way the tour is set up, there are lots of other races to compete in. I wouldn't change anything about this year's tour other than smacking the shit out of the spectators.

Or my wife's response,

"That TV has been playing the Tour de France for 3 week straight either live or 24x7 replays. It all looks the same to me except the mountains and chateaus seem to change. But that guy in Yellow, you say he's leading, but he's always behind a bunch of guys in black and blue and now they seem to be side by side in black and gold way behind everyone else. So who won?"

It all kind of reminds me of a quarter back that seems really good, but actually he has a great offensive line that lets him make the plays.

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Pactimo brand ambassador, ask me about promo codes

My son and I discussed the nuanced aspect....same deal with North Americans who don't get soccer or Europeans that don't get American Football. I think to some degree, unless you did a sport, you lose the finer points. My son grew up playing soccer and thinks that NFL is beyond stupid. He does not understand how I stay glued to those games. Having done both sports, basically all day on weekends there is sport on TV in the background in between training (Soccer morning and afternoon from Europe, NFL afternoon and evening). My son get's the nuances of cycling because he also rides (well, maybe I say he used to, because he is not riding much), so he can sit in front of the TV and get what is going on with the jerseys. My wife can "get" the nuances of basketball and pro tennis since she played both but rolls her eyeballs at another TdF stage! I find basketball to be the most boring thing to watch since the superlatives of constant superlatives make them kind of boring after a while....I'd rather watch paint dry in an Ironman or 120 minutes of 0-0 EURO cup action with the anticipation that it goes to penalties!