I'm looking forward to this year's TdF enormously - indeed, I'm going out to watch the Pyrenean stages in the second week. Look out for me waving on the side of a mountain somewhere. That's if I don't die trying to ride up some of the climbs (part-way at least).
One thing in the AVClub's piece I would disagree slightly with is the Phil and Paul show. I must admit that I think it's time for a change of the guard. I first heard Phil Liggett commentate on the Tour when we first got proper daily coverage in the UK back in 1985, and it might just be time for a change. Phil and Paul are on the world feed as far as I'm aware, meaning that pretty much every English speaking country gets them, although they switch mics at times so Paul is heard internationally while Phil is doing an NBC Sports-specific live read.
But I think they're a bit stale now. Recent commentaries with David Millar, the ex-pro (and to be fair, reformed ex-drug cheat) were so much better and more informed about what's happening within the peleton today. The way races are ridden has changed, and it needs someone newer to convey that.
A couple of interesting innovations in the coverage this year.
Le Tour has done a deal with GoPro to get more on-board footage from bikes. However it's not live, so won't make the day's live coverage. It should appear on teams' websites, and guess could make the evening wrap-up coverage. They're going to test live footage from a camera in the neutralised start of the race too.
More interetingly, they're putting live tracker under the saddles of every rider so you should be able to see where every rider is via a website. Pretty impressive technically if it works. On the other hand, I'm not sure what happens when bikes get changed and so on.
Adam