The 2009 edition of the annual running of the French Tourist Board’s dream certainly had more off the course drama than had been seen for a while. The outcome of the race wasn’t truly in doubt once Alberto Contador attacked up the Andorra Arcalis mountain to put some time between him and Lance Armstrong (and the Schleck brothers), because then he stated, out loud, who was number 1, and who was the leader of the team, and for Armstrong to fight against him would be treachery (and I know that is rich coming from a LeMond fan after his run-ins with Hinault). Once Contador had the lead, he kept it comfortably, holding off his rivals up to Verbiers, and keeping a close eye on them up Mont Ventoux. It is important for Le Tour that the best rider wins, and he did.
Sport is always about opinions, and you can only really go by what you are given by the media when forming opinions. Alberto Contador is the star of world cycling at the moment, and pretty much everyone knows he is the best grand tour racer in the world right now. So why would Astana (a) pick Lance Armstrong to ride for their team and (b) then not unequivocally say that Armstrong, if he was racing for Astana, would be there for their number one talent? Once Armstrong fractured his collarbone early in the season, that position had to be easier, didn’t it? But they didn’t do that, and frankly, if I’m Contador, having signed for Astana knowing he would not be able to defend his crown in 2008, I’d have expected a bit more support.
I make no secret of the fact I despise Lance Armstrong – I never warmed to him, and desperately wanted him to lose. For him to accuse Contador of being ungracious in victory is truly enough to make you spit out the food you might be eating. This champion was as graceless, surly, taciturn, moody and downright rude as they came. He had one goal each year – to win the Tour – and could set his own team up around that aim – he wasn’t interested in the Giro, the Vuelta, and in his latter career, the World Championship. I loved LeMond because in 1989 he won the Tour, a few weeks later narrowly missed out on the Classic in Zurich, and then later won the World Championship outsprinting Sean Kelly. Not for him a one trick pony who did nothing else.
Armstrong, when he started his career, won a World Championship in Oslo, but never figured in the Tour in his early career. He got cancer, and got great. I really, really, really want to believe that he did it clean, but in an age when all around him were doping and couldn’t hold his wheel (and they were fit, healthy young men), I’m not really, really, really sure he was. Armstrong would not have any truck with a potential rival in his team – you think, for example, a great climber like Roberto Heras would have been allowed to make a break for it under Armstrong’s leadership? So why be so bloody temperamental and undermine the current star in Contador. His surly reactions to the media were of the usual variety – as if Lance is the only one worth bothering about – and when Contador, having alluded to the problems throughout and understandably concerned that the team might be working against him (as possibly given evidence by the early break in the field on which Contador was the wrong side of), mentioned them, he is the one who has lessons to learn?
Before the end of the tour, when it was evident Contador was going to win, Armstong announced he was leaving Astana and forming his own team. Nice bloke. Nothing like upstaging your team mate… You could have left it until after the tour to do so, but instead you think you are more important than that. I’d like to see them both do battle next Summer, and Contador can put the old man well and truly in his place with no excuses, because, make no bones about it, Contador can, and will, get better.
Outside of the Armstrong / Contador schmozzle, it was a fabulous tour for Bradley Wiggins. I hope the British media don’t go too overboard on his hopes for next year because realistically the three men who finished in front of him should (unless Lance drops off some more) beat him next year too – they are all better climbers, and Andy Schleck apart, better long-distance time triallers. However, Wiggins finishing fourth is a truly magnificent performance and in my view is worthy for Sports Personality of the Year status. However, no-one cares about cycling really, so it won’t happen. His climb up the Arcalis gave the clue to his condition; his living with the big boys in the Alps was fantastic, and his survival on Mont Ventoux showed the guy’s character. We don’t get stars like this, riding like this. We should be proud.
And so to Mark Cavendish. Six wins out of six bunch sprints in which he was involved shows his dominance. Pettachi and Cipollini were awesome on their day, but nothing quite like this, and if I recall correctly, neither got to Paris to display their dominance. Cavendish’s sprint up the Champs Elsyees is the stuff of legend – as awesome as Usain Bolt in the Olympics for the distance between him and the rest. Watch it, if you don’t believe it…. I know he’s not the most television-friendly of interviewees, nor does he appear to be the friendliest of chaps (he seemed to be a bit stroppy after Beijing) but he is an absolute star on the bike and British track cycling’s success is now moving onto the road, and long may it continue.
Finally, the route. I doubt the Tour will be doing that again, because the second week was as deadly dull as you could get. By hitting the Pyrenees so soon, the tour went into a dreaful lull as the transition stages seemed to pile on top of each other. Even the Alps were disappointing. Leaving Mont Ventoux to last was designed to get a showdown, instead, Contador had won, and no-one really changed positions. I think, as Chris Boardman said on the TV, we’ll get a more traditional tour (starting in Rotterdam) next year.
Those were the beloved’s pictures… now mine…
