Monday, July 26, 2010

Tour de France

The Tour de France is not just the World's hardest sporting event, it is in a totally different league from anything else. 23 days of racing at a pace that most good cyclists could not maintain for half an hour. (The British media reward their efforts with no tv coverage on the main channels and a few column inches in the newspapers squeezed beneath the latest on Wayne Rooney's holiday in Barbados.)

Well done to Alberto Contador in winning, to Lance Armstrong for battling on when things weren't going his way, unlike many stars who would simply have pulled out and to our own Mark Cavendish whose stage win on the Champs Elysees yesterday was spectacular and left a bunch of world class sprinters scattered helplessly behind him.

Now we just need Bradley Wiggins to get his act together for a podium finish next year.

3 comments:

jaljen said...

I'm sure you are right about it being a very tough event.

Unfortunately I find it as riveting as cleaning out my car. Except that I may find the odd pound coin cleaning out the car so I'd have to opt for the car-tidy on the basis.

Sorry.

Clive said...

Unfortunately the media revels in the few drugs issues, rather than focussing on the incredible human feat that the Tour is.

When I lived in the UK and when I could bear to watch the TV, I found the UK's TV coverage of cycling pathetic. A while back, Ch4 ran excellent 30mins daily TdF summaries which were perfect in my opinion. The shots of the countryside perfectly balanced by heroic action. But they eventually got random viewing slots and then died out completely.

In my opinion, the Tour is the greatest true test of human sporting stamina and skill and team spirit that there is.

I'm delighted to read that you appreciate it Mr Chalk, and that you are an active participant!

Margaret English said...

Hear Hear, Frank! Glad to find a fellow teacher with an interest in the Tour. I watched it with interest and, as always, was in awe of their physical stamina and mental strength. For me, it is certainly the most gruelling of all competetive sports. I will miss Lance.