You’d think that with such an historical event taking place in France overnight that the Australian newspapers would be a sea of yellow and ‘we are the champions’ headlines this morning. Yet what I saw staring back at me when I visited one of the most respected newspaper websites (ie not a Murdoch tome) was a dead, tattooed junkie. Now that’s news!
Australians are known for our love of the ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’, where we like to take a famous public figure, be it a politician, entertainer or sportsperson, and build them up to a level of adulation sometimes deserved, oftentimes not, and when that figure reaches the pinnacle of their field we criticise or ridicule them to bring them back down to ‘our’ level. We don’t want to be seen as lesser than them, or more likely want our heroes to be just ‘ordinary blokes’ like us. Aussies love to be the common man, but also want to be better than all those high-and-mighty Poms, Yanks, or in this case, ‘Frogs’.
Now that ‘we’ have won the world’s biggest bike race, we will embrace the victory and milk it for all it’s worth. Even if the majority or the Holden-drivin’, VB-drinkin’, steak-eatin’, footy-watchin’ public thinks that cyclists are lycra-wearin’ fags, and would gladly swerve their ute to run us into the gutter for a bit of a laugh.
So enjoy your time in the sun Cadel, make the most of the plaudits from the press, the politicians and the cycling fans, because cycling will still be seen as not a real man’s sport by most. Kind of like yachting, but hey, we loved it for a brief moment when we won the Americas Cup.
You little bloody ripper!
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ASO should give ASchleck the 2010 Tour trophy today whilst they have the podium set up
Wow, Sammy Sanchez just pulled the most atrocious violation of Rule 15 I've ever seen. Looks like he's got the measles! (The podium girls looked just as awful)
@VeloVita
The large polka dot front and center on the crotch was a nice touch.
@G'rilla
Indeed.
Kudos to Cadel not only for the win, but for donning the standard team kit shorts with his maillot jaune today as opposed to opting for the full Chiquita banana look.
@Cyclops
Goddamn - Frank, can we have an article about Rush please - sudden whoosh of blood through my head when I read that
@mouse
Don't forget that Cadel was world XC MTB champ at least once, if not more (my memory fails me) back when he was 22-ish. That's a discipline that heavily rewards two things: bike driving skill and physical capacity at the bitter edge of anaerobic meltdown. The above quote speaks to the second of these two, for sure.
I think perhaps it just took Cadel a long time to get on the right team and get road cycling / stage racing really figured out. He clearly executed this year's Tour with near Pharmstrong-level discipline, strategy, and precision.
Damnit, I only listen to reggae on Sunday, Rock Steady Sunday to wind down the weekend.
But, reading about Limelight made me put on some Rush. Awesome song!
What a great Tour & what a great day. Feels like a holiday. Following along with all the Followers makes it that much better! Cheers lads, good on the lot of ya!
@Cyclops
+1. I remember some great photos of Cadel winning the Worlds with #1 fan front and centre.
Been a while since I've posted but I'm still around reading and riding.
Good on Cadel for taking the win this time. The man is the ugliest and most ungraceful I've ever seen in the mountains, but he dug deep when he had to and came out with an inspiring win.
Honorable Mention to Voeckler: In an interview he was quoted to have said (with regard to relying on instinct rather than power meters and such) "The velo is not always an exact sport." Truer words have never been spoken in cycling.
All bias, xenophobia and stupidity aside, thanks to all velominati for a great TdF! It's been a very entertaining 3 weeks. Occasionaly some bike racing was able to interrupt the postings!.
Roll on la Vuelta!