July 7: OK I’ll admit it: I have an on -going fascination with sweaty men in spandex. It happens every year about this time. Dozens of muscular bodies in peak condition pushed to the limit. For reasons I can’t fully explain, I find myself spending endless hours watching them; sharing their hopes, feeling their pain.
Yes, it’s time once again for the Tour de France.
I struggle to explain the fascination to anyone who has not watched the live coverage. I was initially drawn in by the scenery. By it’s very nature, it becomes a travelogue as the race wanders across France – and in recent years Britain, Belgium, Netherlands and others too. The shots are lush and flattering to a beautiful country, and the commentary usually provides some basic information about the significant sites as they are shown.
But the deeper fascination is with the pure physical reality of the race itself. This year it covers 3600 km more or less, in 19 days of riding. About half of those days will be stages where the riders literally climb mountains. A British rider famously died of heart failure on the climb up Mont Ventoux many years ago. This year the race started with an individual time trial in which each rider goes flat out over a fixed distance against the clock. It was won by Rohan Dennis who covered 13.8 km at an average of 55.44 km/hr. – the fastest time trial recorded to date on the Tour. Try doing that on your Schwinn…
And every year a rider, or riders, will dramatically break away from the peloton and establish a sizeable lead. Many times those riders are lesser-known or complete strangers to the limelight and they can ride at the front, enjoying the exposure that brings, for most of the stage. They are racing for the glory and for the recognition of a stage win – something they may never see again. In their struggle to stay ahead of the peloton I often see the “everyman against the machine” drama – will individual courage and hard work triumph over the masses? Usually, no. Virtually every break-away is caught, most often in sight of the finish, and the riders are denied their reward as they are swallowed up by the rest of the field with only meters to go.
It sounds trite but the human drama of the race makes for fascinating viewing. The fact that the actors are all wearing spandex only makes it more interesting – if you like that sort of thing…
http://www.letour.fr/us/