Tour
posted in General |TOUR
The Tour d'France is the most prominent sporting event in France. The International teams of Cyclists ride for miles and miles (three weeks) throughout France, through the Pyrenees mountains and finish in the heart of Paris. If there is one thing that rankles the anti-American French it is the sight of an American wearing the yellow shirt of victory in “their” race, but that is exactly what Lance Armstrong has done for 6 consecutive years. Now, the French are desperate for a winner — of most anything. Imagine their mindset. Napoleon lost at Waterloo, Bismarck creamed them in the Franco Prussian War of 1870, they had to have the Brits and Americans to bail them out in WWI, they were crushed by the Germans in the “pitiful 14 days ” of WWII, and they surrendered to the Indochinese at Dienbienphu (Vietnam). And this is just a partial list.
So guess what they want to do about the Tour d'France? They want to eliminate the Pyrenees Mountain laps which are the most difficult part of the race. This is the part that separates the men from the boys. This is where Lance Armstrong has said “bye-bye guys” and pedalled up the mountains on his way to victory in Paris. The French say that they want to change the race so that others would have a chance to win. Anyone except that insufferable American.
I don't know how far along the proposed change has gone. Maybe it is just a trial balloon. After all, they just want to be fair to the other contestants (sure!). It is one thing for us to look upon them as a bunch of losers. It is something else for them to prove it. If they make the change, I don't think we should boycott the race. Just publish the name of the race in small print.