http://www.byjamesraia.com en-us N/A robert@cfx.org Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:49:56 EST 20 http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/211/1/Tour-de-France-2009-Mont-Ventoux-on-the-horizon/Page1.html AUBENAS, France — It's too bad Alberto Contador leads the Tour de France by more than four minutes. The 20th stage of the race's 96th edition Saturday really could have been something. Now, it will only be epic. The next-to-last day of this year's race, now three weeks old, will take riders 167 kilometers (103.7 miles) from Montelimar to Mont Ventoux. The day will feature five categorized climbs, but it's the final ascent that will cause the most problems.
]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:01:06 EST http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/211/1/Tour-de-France-2009-Mont-Ventoux-on-the-horizon/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/207/1/Columbia-HTC-Means-Big-Business-at-the-Tour-de-France/Page1.html COLMAR, France — Not much about NASCAR racing and professional cycling seem comparable. Perhaps the lone similarity is the biggest financial factor of each sport — sponsors. The cars and drivers in NASCAR are high-speed billboards. Cyclists at the highest level of the sport who pedal for weeks in events like the Tour de France are also moveable marketing campaigns.
]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:50:47 EST http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/207/1/Columbia-HTC-Means-Big-Business-at-the-Tour-de-France/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/206/1/Tour-de-France-overview-A-newspaperman039s-dream-to-a-way-of-life/Page1.html Even more than 100 years ago, French newspapers engaged in fierce circulation wars. News scoops were fine, but promotion ruled, and Henri Desgrange one day forged a grandiose idea. He invented the Tour de France and it was held for the first time in 1903. Today, the Tour de France is the world's largest free sporting event. Spectators can watch every stage in person and along the entire route, without admission. ]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:17:09 EST http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/206/1/Tour-de-France-overview-A-newspaperman039s-dream-to-a-way-of-life/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/195/1/Lance-Armstong-A-comeback-season-of-unqualified-success/Page1.html One year after he competed in the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race and decided to return to competitive road cycling, Lance Armstrong has completed the first season of his second comeback. It's been a season of unqualified success.]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:05:20 EDT http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/195/1/Lance-Armstong-A-comeback-season-of-unqualified-success/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/176/1/Lance-Armstrong-Interview-Twitter-Time-Trials-and-Transparency/Page1.html Lance Armstrong has returned to competitive cycling after a 3 1/2 year retirement. The seven-time Tour de France titlist, cancer survivor, father of three (soon to be four) children, and global businessman will compete in about a half-dozen races in 2009 for two reasons: to expand his mission of global cancer awareness and to the top level of competition, which he said he's missed since his retirement after the 2005 Tour de France. A few days prior to the Tour of California, I interviewed Armstrong as his team was concluding its training camp in Santa Rosa, Calif.
]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:59:22 EDT http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/176/1/Lance-Armstrong-Interview-Twitter-Time-Trials-and-Transparency/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/60/1/Eight-Days-At-The-2006-Tour-de-France-Video-Review/Page1.html My friend Bruce Aldrich joined me for the final eight days of the 2006 Tour de France. He took hundreds of images and a good supply of video during his maiden voyage to the race.

As an elite athlete and skilled photographer and videographer, Bruce made an 18 1/2-minute video called Eight Days On The Tour de France, 2006. I'm biased, but I believe it provides a unique combined perspective on the race  — from a fan's eyes and as an insider who traveled as a journalist on the course.

After a decade at the Tour, this condensed eight-minute version of Bruce's video also perfectly summarizes my experiences at the Tour. I like to call it "A Wondrous Grind." ]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:07:28 EDT http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/60/1/Eight-Days-At-The-2006-Tour-de-France-Video-Review/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/152/1/Carlos-Sastre-CSC-Saxo-Bank-Of-Spain-Wins-95th-Tour-de-France/Page1.html Carlos Sastre, 33,  won the 2008 Tour de France on Sunday after leading the race for the final five stages following a solo victory in the 17th stage to L’Alpe d’Huez. Sastre was victorious over Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) of Australia by 58 seconds and by 1 minute and 13 seconds over Bernard Kohl (Gerolsteiner) of Austria.
]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:58:07 EDT http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/152/1/Carlos-Sastre-CSC-Saxo-Bank-Of-Spain-Wins-95th-Tour-de-France/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/151/1/Tour-de-France-Stage-21-July-27-Preview-Etampes-to-Paris-143-km/Page1.html No city in France is more closely associated with the Tour de France than Paris. With the exception of the inaugural event in 1903, the race has finished in Paris every year. And it will in 2008, too. A Tour of firsts (or at least in a long time) of no prologue, no time bonuses, and no defending titlist will keep the tradition of arriving in Paris on the final Sunday in July.
]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:47:01 EDT http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/151/1/Tour-de-France-Stage-21-July-27-Preview-Etampes-to-Paris-143-km/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/150/1/Tour-de-France-2008-Stage-20-July-26-Preview-Cerilly-to-Saint-Amand-Montrong-53-km/Page1.html After 2,000 miles and discounting the largely ceremonial final stage, the 2008 Tour de France will be determined Saturday with an individual time trial. The remaining 145 riders will pedal 53 kilometers (32.9 miles) from Cerilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond on a route that most features mostly twisting back roads.
]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:28:58 EDT http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/150/1/Tour-de-France-2008-Stage-20-July-26-Preview-Cerilly-to-Saint-Amand-Montrong-53-km/Page1.html http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/149/1/Tour-de-France-2008-Stage-19-Preview-July-25-Roanne-to-Montlucon-1655-km/Page1.html It’s three days and counting until the conclusion of the Tour de France. But for opportunists who have yet to win and teams still trying to salvage the race, the 19th stage may be the final opportunity.
]]> no@spam.com (James Raia) Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:48:08 EDT http://www.byjamesraia.com/articles/149/1/Tour-de-France-2008-Stage-19-Preview-July-25-Roanne-to-Montlucon-1655-km/Page1.html