Become a Bike Race Fan – The Time is Right

Published: January 30, 2010Posted in: News

The timing is right for you to become A Biking Race Fan. Two Icons have joined forces to show Americans and the rest of the world, yet another dose of Lance Armstrong. RadioShack and Lance Armstrong, two institutions looking not to just survive, but thrive. The Shack has come a long way since my Dad bought Tandy leather products and my first shortwave radio, (DX 120 Star Patrol). Dad made purses, belts and billfolds. I made contact with the world, getting QSL cards from countries as I looked them up on the map.

Last years’ coverage of the Tour de France on Versus gave a birds eye view of the racing and a beautiful countryside. The analysis showed us each stage route, technical layout and which riders were to be watched.

Under this mask, you will find a race fan. After further review, why aren’t more people watching? Even in his (first) heyday Lance Armstrong and bike racing got sportsworld coverage just under World Cup Soccer, in the USA that is.

You are now in on the ground floor with this racing enterprise. All the fans pumped up with horsepower can see these Teams making the same efforts to celebrate victory. There is drafting, strategy and even fuel conservation. Whom is more like Lance? Jeff Gordon or Mark Martin. Tell me that Contador don’t remind you of Montoya. Young Guns? Andy Schleck, oh it coulda’ been Andy Shack!

Even with the Daytona 500 literally right around the corner, this race fan has watched the Tour Down Under, and looking toward Portugal in February. Can we get to July without injury? Who’ll step up?

Everyone says that Lance Armstrong cannot win, “IT” again. But, I’m not sure that he knows this himself. The picture is a simple game of horse, and Lance has missed on e. Now, he says “prove it”.

By Larry Waterson

Denny

Posted January 30, 2010 at 5:31 PM

Hey, I just moved to a different part of Pennsylvania just to get my Versus channel back to watch. I think that qualifies me as a bike race fan.

robert Spear

Posted January 30, 2010 at 5:34 PM

I think he can win it again. I saw potential victory last year. He made a major tactical error on the climb where Basso broke. The guy he was wheeling was clearly going to tank and was a perfect decoy for the brothers.

Hey, its bad luck to let anyone other than the mechanic and the racer to touch a race bike on the day of the event.

Martin J.

Posted January 30, 2010 at 6:03 PM

No Versus on DirecTV! What to do? What to do? Arrrgh! Help!!!

alex

Posted January 30, 2010 at 10:05 PM

i feel ur pain martin. y would directv do such a thing?! i didnt get to watch any of the tour down under and if i miss the tour de france i might as well not even have a tv.

David

Posted January 31, 2010 at 7:37 PM

I had to watch the Tour Down Under recaps on YouTube. Wish it was covered live in the US.

Hopefully Versus/Comcast and Directv can reach a deal soon. I’m sure Versus misses the pool of 18 million customers that Directv offers.

Capt.Storck

Posted February 1, 2010 at 4:03 AM

I used to watch Greg Lemond race on Saturday morning on Wide World of Sports.You could only get about a 15 or thirty minute blurb about what was going on.Imade sure I was in front of the TV when the show came on.You had to watch an hour of what ever sport was most popular just to catch a small dose of bike racing.I loved it then and I love it now,30years later.That’s a bike race fan

Gordon

Posted February 1, 2010 at 4:38 AM

Forget Versus Isn’t there someother channel that Direct TV can carry and present the Tour. Last summer, DirectTV carried USsport which carry the tour of Spain or something. Why isn’t Radio Shack upset about the apparent lack of coverage in the US

gopopogo

Posted February 1, 2010 at 9:41 AM

If there is no Versus on directv is there a reliable place on the internet that I can watch the tour in its entirety??? Any suggestions are welcome!!!

Jay

Posted February 1, 2010 at 4:56 PM

Glad I have Dishnetwork, they tried to drop Vs. a year or two ago and the complaints evidently worked because they brought it back soon.

jeff

Posted February 1, 2010 at 6:58 PM

Great piece, Larry, and totally agree with your perspective — fine time to become a road cycling race fan!

LOVE to see the sport reach a whole new level of excitement and followers through TRS, L.A.’s return, and the other elite riders on the squad!

Roy

Posted February 1, 2010 at 9:12 PM

There are several live video feeds available at: http://www.steephill.tv.

davepaff

Posted February 2, 2010 at 5:04 AM

I’ve enjoyed going to Radio Shack for a long time. I’m really happy to see the hooked up with Pro Cycling. The RS Pro Cycling team has a serious chance to win some major tours this season and I hope it’s so. My thanks and support to Radio Shack. Spare no expense because we all want to see RS excell!

Wolfgang

Posted February 2, 2010 at 5:06 PM

I saw Lance last year on Mont Ventoux, a brilliant performance. I really do hope that he can ride in yellow again, to Paris. Only he can acchieve what nobody did before. Wish him good luck, we count on you Lance !