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Tour De France Saitama pre-Event Oct 24 7PM French Embassy

Is that 'a cocktail' as in singular? Or will we be able to slosh ourselves silly in fine French tradition and get the full 3000 yen worth?
 
If it is only one cocktail, it should be possible to find someplace afterward in nearby Azabu-Hiro-Ebisu-Roppongi for another or three.
 
Can't wait! Made my registration. I have a short (very) list of questions:

1) Now that ASO is a material sponsor and investor in OC Sports - will they continue to condone allowance of 'banned for life' riders to compete in OC sportifs?

2) Monsieur Blaireau, how would you say today regarding the Froome / Wiggins Tour interplay looking back at yours and LeMond's <infamous> interaction in Stage 16?
 
Tim, I would ask those questions in opposite order.
If I could only be there in time...
 
Embassy + coctail = dress code?
Or people can just show up in cycling jerseys and that will be OK.
 
Did anyone get any good pictures last night? I wrote a piece for Pez on it and would like to submit a couple of shots, but mine are not that good. I particularly need one of Hinault in action pointing out the route. I can`t pay anything but will make sure Pez give credit.
 
Got a few OK pics. Will post up here tonight.

Interesting evening; certainly a bit of an "inside the industry" look at how the promoters of the race are trying to expand their influence outside Europe. Amazing how "big" the Tour is - second only to the Olympics in terms of recognition / TV audiences, and getting bigger.
 
. Amazing how "big" the Tour is - second only to the Olympics in terms of recognition / TV audiences, and getting bigger.

Funny, the soccer people say the same thing about the world cup. Someone is telling porkies.
 
Funny, the soccer people say the same thing about the world cup. Someone is telling porkies.

I'm sure you could massage the figures to suit your case! They showed the Olympics way ahead at about 100 Million; Football and the Tour were around 33-36 Million (can't remember the units!)
 
A freezing laptop and an interpreter who's not really sure what he's talking about? It wasn't just a social gathering at someone's house for a slide show on a dodgy computer. I expected a bit more from an organization claiming to be the biggest sporting even organizer. It was nice to see Hinault and the 2 kids, but their role there was pretty obvious. Sorry to sound so negative. Perhaps I should've stayed for the coctail. Maybe that would've changed my view.
 
I'd venture to guess that the tour audience is mostly European, vs. a worldwide audience for football ("soccer"). Think of countries like Brazil and Mexico.

But even within Europe I can't imagine viewer figures for football and cycling would be even close.
 
Does anyone know if the race still on tomorrow with all the rain? (serious question)
And if so, will Sky pull out one by one as they find the rain a little oppressive? (not quite so serious :)
 
Kind of a bizarre 'event'. Like, why did I pay to listen to a marketing proposal? Even time-share condominium companies usually PAY YOU to listen to their spiel - either in perks or perhaps a free 18holes on the freshly groomed course. A quick perusal of 'the bar' looked quite dim as well - nothing but cider and seemed to be 'near beer'. The hors d'oeuvres du plat looked tasty - and they were! But onto the main course.

After all the blah blah blah which anyone could easily know by being at least somewhat sentient and perhaps the slightest interested in the TDF (hey, doesn't the 3000 yen imply that??) The space finally opened up for the cocktail session. With only 2 or 3 (if you count Mr. Amaury himself) 'luminaries' at hand, the hordes quickly closed on them like the peleton closes on a tired break away.

As we scrunched in closer and closer I though it would be cool to have a shot with Arashiro san and perhaps one with Le Blaireau himself! I got that wish thanks to Naomi san! And both Arashiro and Hinault signed my cycling cap.

On the way out I found that I'd 'won' a T Shirt as well. Nice. So - net result is that I felt pretty good that I could get autographs and pix of 2 great riders AND a t-shirt, cider and a few hors d'oeuvres for 3000 yen. I wont be going to the Saitema Criterium Exhibition , but have no doubts it will be packed - and hopefully with an audience that will demand more and more higher end cycling events in Japan.
 
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