WSJ: The Awkwardness of the Tour de France

[Tony T]

The Awkwardness of the Tour de France (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323664204578605923657597546.html?m od=WSJ_hps_MIDDLE_Video_second#articleTabs%3Dartic le)
http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/MK-CE720_GAY_1_G_20130714164031.jpg
Shown, Tour de France riders on Sunday during the 15th stage of the race, from Givors to Mont Ventoux.

The Tour de France is full of ghosts now, many of its former icons vaporized among the doping accused and doping confessed, and complicated emotions linger. The sport is stuck between optimism (it's getting cleaner) and dread (something will happen) and it is hard to watch without a wave of anxiety about the whole experience, as no final result ever truly feels final.

[fiamme red]

"There's the ascension of Marcel Kittel, the swan-like German sprinter..." :rolleyes:

This article is so Gay.*






* I mean that it's written in Jason Gay's usual style. I miss real reporters like Sam Abt.

[MattTuck]

I would love to get a European perspective. I think US cycling fans (because of lance, and the fact that it is a bit more white collar than in Europe) has a different metaphysical relationship to professional cycling.

I can tell you there were tens of thousands of people on mt. ventoux that were erupting in passion for the sport, for the spectacle. I believe the 'scarred sadness' he talks about is an American invention arising because, for the most part, cycling is an abstraction that happens elsewhere. We can watch it on TV but rarely get to touch it or experience it, and as a result, we process it as an abstraction with more logic and rationale than we would if we experienced the raw real thing.

You think that guy carrying a boar was sad?

[OnceFast]

Thought it was a pretty stupid article, even for Gay.

[dd74]

At least a well-known U.S. paper is writing about The Tour, because we all know baseball, golf and NASCAR are much more of a sport than cycling. :rolleyes:

Meanwhile, pass the Spanish beef.

[Tony T]

At least a well-known U.S. paper is writing about The Tour, because we all know baseball, golf and NASCAR are much more of a sport than cycling. :rolleyes:

Meanwhile, pass the Spanish beef.

No doping in NASCAR, just a little in golf ;)

[dd74]

No doping in NASCAR, just a little in golf ;)
NASCAR = Ron Hornaday Jr.

Golf = Tiger looks to be about the size of a free safety, maybe a small linebacker.