Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hello, Pigale.
The longest race I can think of which has survived until around thirty years ago, was Bordeaux-Paris.
Around 560 kilometers. It started at 2 in the morning and finished about 16 hours later. A monster.
I know they were swigging brandy a hundred years ago!
Rules were tough then.
I can't quite recall which rider it was, but he broke the frame of his bike. In those days you had to fix the bike yourself. So, he carried the bike to the nearest blacksmith shop and managed to weld the frame.
But...he was disqualified for letting the blacksmith's assistant pump the air bellows. Cruel!

Incredibly tough conditions! No wonder the participants resorted to using drugs....
There have been allegations of doping in the Tour de France since the race began in 1903, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs in cycling predates the Tour.
According to Wikipaedia, for as long as the Tour has existed, its participants have been doping themselves .
"No dope, no hope" was the byword!
For 60 years this was allowed, but for the past 30 years it has been officially banned.

Yes, I concur!
Anquetil said, "do you think we do this on fresh air?"
Every sport is affected. I look at the size of rugby players and wonder. Suspicious of certain tennis players too.
But...on a brighter note.
I watched some of the France v England women's football match the other day and thoroughly enjoyed it.
No diving or rolling about, no claiming corners and throw-ins that they knew were not theirs. And no backchat or cursing the ref. And no lack of skill either.
Put the men's pro game to shame!
Well done the ladies!

Has there been any further info about the drug charges re Mo's coach and his training partner, Galen Rupp? I haven't even read a paper today!
About the 'new' car...we have put down a holding deposit (which we will get back if change our minds) and going to test drive the new car on Friday (couldn't do it today as it was 'boxed in' and I can't be there tomorrow was it's "Ladies Who Lunch" day!)
Should be ok though!
It's a savile grey colour!

Not heard a thing about Mo, or Rupp, or Salazar.
Maybe the Yanks have their hands full with FIFA!
The drug testers turned up at the home of a top US tennis player and she hid in a "panic room" until they went away. What in the name of the wee man is a "panic room"?
Your car sounds fine, Elle!
Something to tell the " ladies who lunch" about!
I hope you have some money left to pay for lunch!
Miss B&Q and me are going to the Pine Cone tomorrow.
On Friday it is Miss L Plate and me. All go!

Good Morning, and a very warm one already!
I think this is all going to end up in thunderstorms - forcast says so but where will the worse ones be remains to be seen.

It is a shame to think all sports are affected with this doping situation. I do remember Jacques Anquetil's days and I remember that I used to prefer the less arrogant personality of Poulidor - always 2nd in the race, but so much more like 'the man is the street' in his beheaviour. Perhaps he took less dope than Anquetil...

I guess that because I was a teenager, I did not fully follow the doping side of the sport - and there was certainly less of a fuss made about it in the media - As Elle said, it is relatively recently that it all started to change.

Wasn't there a British cyclist who actually died during the Tour (Simpson I think), that was put down to drug I think ...?

Morning, Pigale!
I think you are thinking of Tom Simpson, a British cyclist who died after mixing alcohol and amphetamines. I think the heat combined to make it a fatality.
Now, as you were saying re our car boot .....you have no idea of the ongoing problems we've had with the electrics of this car!!.....not even Renault themselves have been able to sort it....
The worst scenario was coming back from Suffolk last year - this time neither the boot nor the front passsenger window would SHUT! (Rusty may well remember this?)
So there we were... husband, me, two cats and the dog, and the car packed up to the roof....Well, we tied the boot down, but had to call the AA about the window. No way could we drive on the motorway in the pouring rain and a howling gale with the window open and all the animals in the car!
The AA man couldn't fix the problem (no one can!) so he had to seal the window with a strong version of cling film!! It did the job, but you can imagine the noise!
Roll on taking delivery of the 'new' car!

Hi Elle,
What a nightmare it must have been ! In a way, I am almost surprised you attempted the journey particularly with such weather conditions! But there again I presume you had no choice. How many miles did you have to drive?

Had you bought the Renault as a new car ?

About 150 miles! No choice as we had to vacate the holiday property that morning. It was ok though, as at least we warm(ish) and dry - if deafened!
No we didn't buy the Renault new ( we've always had used cars) It's a 2004 reg.
Sorry....must rush as have to go out now... have a good day!

Hello, Pigale!
It is very warm here!
I agree with you about Raymond Poulidor the "eternal second"!
Everyone loved him. Anquetil was a better rider but the French people loved Poulidor, and tolerated Anquetil.
I have read Anquetil's biography " Sex, Lies, and Handlebar Tape". It is very good, especially describing his ferocious will to win.
Yes, Tom Simpson died on the ascent of Mont Ventoux.
Amphetamines and alcohol were found at his autopsy.
They, and heat exhaustion, caused his death.