Tour de France 2009 - THE END

The penultimate stage - the climb to the finish at Mont Ventoux - was, as expected, awesome. Grunt, guts, gasping, grabbing and getting blown around.

The visual appeal is absolutely spectacular. This moonscape area above verdant green lower slopes, and yesterday, a monstrous wind of somewhere between 30 - 90kms per hour [depending on the time and area] made for tricky cycling and VERY tough.

As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and yes, the race leaders were very much at the pointy end of the peloton. Some great tactics and some grunty cycling by the top five or six of the cyclists.

It is one hell of a tough climb.

In about an hour, I shall sit and watch the final stage into Paris. A bit of a laissez- faire event until they reach the Champs Eleysee, when the serious racing begins as this is where there is what is effectively a criterium up and down the Champs. A race for the sprinters today.

But yesterday effectively decided the outcome of the GC [ general Classification, or overall winner]. Alberto Contader retained the Yellow Jersey and second was Andy Schleck with Lance Armstrong third.

The 3rd place by Armstrong is absolutely outstanding. To be away for three years at the absolute top level of a sport and then return to a third place in what is one of the toughest of the tough sporting events is awesome. Sure he does not have the climbing power of a Contador or Schleck, but he is a master tactician plus a lot of grunt and guts and that was seen to great advantage on yesterday's stage. However, they do all need to finish today to get a podium finish!!

Contador - who already had won in 2007 - is a great climber. A few people have questioned whether he is "drug free", and there have been issues around that, leading to his team being not invited to compete last year, although he had tested clean. Neither I or you can answer that.

The French have zeroed in on Armstrong AGAIN this year for drug testing, but it seems as if there might be a touch of spite, methinks.

Lets wait ands see on both issues.

But the tour is a fantastic visual spectacle -over all the various stages, which ran live on TV here in Australia each night for the past three weeks. Yesterday, there were estimates of 600 - 700 THOUSAND spectators who were actually on Mont Ventoux for the final ascent. That is some crowd! There was a vast crowd - definitely.

Normal sleeping patterns recommence tomorrow evening.

[photos from two sources wikipedia for Mt Ventoux; google images for the mountain grades]

Vive Le Tour

Long evenings are now the norm............the Tour de France is in progress and with full live cover on both TV and streaming on the net in Australia, it is providing for some interesting viewing each evening. Some wags say watching a bike race is like watching paint dry - absolutely rivetingly boring! Not so..........tactics, tactics and tactics - plus action.


So far all stages have seen some great racing - a plus for cycling fans.


And as usual, the tv coverage is one of the greatest tourist pluses that France has going for the country. Some fantastic scenery, and superb outside broadcast coverage. THAT is worth a lot to France I am sure.


Australia's "hope" Cadel Evans has been let down by his team - again - so far. Sure, another 2+ weeks to go, but Silence - Lotto need a miracle to achieve any better than they have so far. Tip of the day for Cadel Evans - change to a team that will support YOU, because they sure do not now!


However, do not forget Australia has a few other likely contenders for a high place finish - with Michael Rogers among them.


As many others have already said while voicing their opinions, it is hard to look past Astana as the team to beat in the GC - with the interest being who among them is the superior rider - Armstrong, Kloden, Contador or Leiphimer. All have form as climbers too. But, still early days!! And that itself is part of the fascination about the Tour anyway- the next day. Remember, it is a team event, even though often the focus is on an individual.


Armstrong has shown himself as a very shrewd, wily, observant and clever tactitian in his bike riding. People forget that aspect of riding in a bike race..........it is not always about "go fast" - there is a need for all sorts of skills, not to mention that you have to get up each day and do it all again - so mental toughness is also very critical. It seems as if he has lost none of those skills, nor his bike handling, honed over many years in professional cycling. They count A LOT! Watch the team time trial to see how Astana performed - fantastic!


Definitely looking forward to the next 2+ weeks - viva le Tour!!!!!!

Can Lance Armstrong perform in another Tour de France?

Like him or loathe him, you must admit he has been a performer, and that is Lance Armstrong. Just recently has announced he will attempt to ride le Tour de France in 2009.

As a reasonably active cyclist, a weekend warrior, the monsoon frog has watched and admired his performance in the Tour each year over the past decade. Lots has been said about his illnesses, use or non use of drugs, etc. But do not forget the mind. I remember very clearly watching his eyes on more than one ocassion in the Tour. The eyes of determination! A similar - albeit fleeting - look also seen in the eyes of Michael Phelps, caught by an Australian TV cameraman in the recent Beijing games at the end of a race, before the realisation of achievement kicked in and the eyes turned softer!

Real Champions have that look, even if mostly hidden.

For a great balanced overview about Lance Armstrong, read the following and the comments.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2370631.htm

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