Even if you object to pro cycling on the grounds of alleged widespread doping, the spectacle of the Tour is still hard to ignore: a pack of 200 cyclists winding through French countryside for 3 weeks in July, ascending mountains in the Alps and Pyrenees, then flying down them at speeds approaching 100km/h, sprinting to the finish of a day's stage after 200kms+ and 5+ hours in the saddle.
Only 2 days/2 stages remain in this year's Tour, but they promise to be 2 of the most interesting. Tomorrow's stage ends with a climb up Mont Ventoux, the so called "Giant of Provence". While Alberto Contador's advantage over the rest of the field is almost unassailable at 4 minutes 11 seconds, the other 2 podium spots are still undecided -- expect some drama and aggressive attacking and drama tomorrow. Sunday the riders arrive at Paris and finish the Tour, as always, on the Champs-Élysées.
Thanks to hardcore fans of the sport who have put in some extra effort, nowadays there are lots of ways to interact with the Tour, the route, the individual stages. At the paris.thover.com blog there is a KML file of the full route of this year's Tour, which opens in Google Earth allowing you to see every kilometer of the race (in 3D if you have terrain enabled) and virtually fly over the stages. For live online coverage of the Tour, go to ATDHE.net between roughly 8:30am and 11:30am EST and find the first Tour de France link for English coverage. The official race website is also useful for news, videos, and all the information you could want or need about the standings, riders, and course.
Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment