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Actually this is not all new innovative technology, both http://www.letour.fr/ and http://www.eurosports.com/ used the live technology last year too. Eurosports was nice because they offer live audio feeds with commentators as you can read the postings, and get live updates with the distance of the race. Maybe in the future the stats for each rider will be available live such as Speed, Heart Rate, RPM's, etc.

"Lance was coming through the home stretch and the crowd was parting as he approached, not more than a meter in front of him."

The crowds on the mountains have always done that, since long before Lance knew how to ride a bicycle. As with most things in cycling, enthusiastic spectators are not a Lance creation. If you think that is crazy, you should see crowds do the exact same thing at rally races - that's with cars, not bicycles.

When the tv video is shot from behind a rider from a motorcycle, the foreshortening effect of the video camera lens can make the spectators in front of the cyclist appear much closer than they really are. The same effect is very pronounced on sprint finishes, when head-on images can make the race seem like a matter of centimeters, when really the riders are meters apart.

While drunken fans can be an annoyance, the biggest danger from fans is people using cameras - the camera lens can screw up their depth perception, they don't concentrate on what's happening around them, and straps and cords dangle causing hazards that handlebars can snag; all of these have led to high-profile crashes in bike races.

I don't know about you, but the tour homepage http://www.letour.fr/ looks a little too much like goatse for my comfort.

I remember seeing a photo-finish for one of the stages during the last Tour de France and they used a similar setup. The image was all normal-looking except for the spokes on the bicycles. Instead of radiating out from the hub to the rim in straight lines, they sort of bent upward. Like so. That's not the best example, but you get the idea.

Linkage:

Le Tour

BBC's Le Tour page

The Guardian's page has excellant recaps

Sports Illustrated's page

ESPN

OLN has the DAILY TV SCHEDULE

8:30-9am ET LIVE Pre-Race Show
9-11am ET LIVE Coverage
12pm-2pm ET Re-Air of Live Coverage
2:30-4:30pm ET Re-Air of Live Coverage
5-7pm ET The Roadside Tour
7:30-8pm ET Eastern Prime Time Pre-Race Show
8-8:30pm PT Pacific Prime Time Pre-race Show
8-10:30pm ET Eastern Prime Time Expanded Coverage
8:30-11pm PT Pacific Prime Time Expanded Coverage

Any other link recommendations?

Billy

The Tour de France starts next month. Go have a look.

Would that mean the leading pedal pounder would get a Green Jersey as opposed to a Yellow one?

Just for your info, the Green Jersey already exists. It's awarded to the rider with the most sprint points in The Tour de France . But it's the mountain bikers who are the real tree huggers... Wham! (ouch...)

Le Tour de France

Anyway, you can stay on your ass all day and sitll not be a fat ass, I've done that long enough, so I know, eh..

I had a similar experience in my 20s. That thinking usually catches up with you eventually (YMMV). Now that I'm nearly 40, I weigh a few pounds more than I ever have, but I know that I can simply increment my bicycling from the background level of, oh, 30 km / week, and before long start riding more like 200 km / week. (I'm currently at 130 km / week). Maybe its the hours away from the refrigerator and away from slashdot. Maybe it's psychosomatic. Regardless, when I ride more, I sleep more regularly, my body fat percentage improves, I can eat all the tortellini alfredo my stomach can hold (yes, both the fat AND the carbos!), my brain focuses properly, and I'm a better lover (as long as I use my protect the prostate with my Liberator saddle.

Milk would be good, if you can be sure it's not filled with fattening hormons.

Second tip: bread. Expensive bread is better.

No argument from me on that one. Yum yum yum.

Get used to toning down the sweet taste. You can do the same for salt actually; better for your heart.

Or not. If you already have a high blood pressure problem, you should consider salt reduction. If you don't, then salt reduction doesn't help your health, and increases in salt consumption won't necessarily be bad for your heart.

As Freddy Mercury once said (or was it Lance Armstrong?), "Get on your bikes and ride!"

Why are you guys coding at all on Bastille Day? You should be watching the Tour!

Well, the usps just ended their fiscal year in the black in a big way so I think the pronouncement of its death is a little premature. I prefer other shipping methods because the they can be tracked and because the postal service in DC is just soooo bad. This is the place they found multiple trailers stuffed with undelivered mail parked behind some of the branches.

But, on a brighter note, US Postal team member lance armstrong is on the verge of winning the tour de france. While not the first american to win, the previous US winner (you know, that greg guy) was on a french (I think) team.