Tour DEY France
Well folks, its all over…and the underdog wins. But with Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso out of the race, Floyd Landis wasn’t quite the underdog, but it is nonetheless exciting to see a guy who needs a new hip battle it out for the premier prize in cycling. What’s more, from all accounts, Floyd is a really decent, modest guy; it’s nice to see that the prima donna ego-maniacs don’t rule all sports.
This year, I watched the final stage on the ground and found myself a primo spot on the northeast corner of the course right in front of Le Louvre. Despite the fact that I had to stand and save my spot for three hours it was worth it and the electricity in the crowd/mob was pretty cool.
I’ll also say its been an interesting transition from China to France. Whereas China seems to lack a certain degree of sophistication in favor of pragmatism, France embodies classic sophistication where elegance and style may often overshadow common sense. Not to say one is better than the other, but rather it was a refreshing change after a month in China. Though the sidelines of the course were no doubt packed with people, it was a civil place where people don’t step all over you and respect the fact that the square foot of ground that you are standing on is yours by virtue of your presence and you don’t continuously have to silently battle fifty other people. The same scene in China would’ve certainly been pandemonium with tramplings galore, especially if the caravan is tossing out free goodies…
What has been especially nice is meeting up with the LaRochelle family and entourage. These guys are great and meeting up with them makes me miss the good old days in Rockland, Maine. Thanks again for everything you guys! (pics)
