Velogal's Blog

Sunday, July 23, 2006


Tour de France - Stage 20 - The Grand Finale. Floyd makes it safely to the Finish Line, amongst the snorting, pawing, sprinter stallions. Thor Hushovd steals the stage sprint from Robbie McEwen, after Eki, George and Popo take off way too early, messing up Robbie’s plans.

It was so fine to see the honoring of Eki by the Peloton... He was allowed to ride ahead to honor him for riding his fifteenth Tour de France. This better not mean that my Iron Man is thinking of retiring.. I just know that he has one more Tour left in his body and legs, so he can equal the record. Come on, Iron Man, don’t stop now!

So all kinds of records were made this year, this crazy, unpredictable Tour. I think that Floyd may just have broken the record for the number of bottles, or bidons, that one rider has used in a single stage. He used 70 bottles during Stage 17...

It is really a huge bummer that OLN does not show the ceremonial Promenade of Honor for the teams after the awards. It is the most awesome sight to see all the teams - all the riders and team cars, slowly parading around the Champs Elysees, receiving applause, cheers and the acknowledgement of their incredible achievement. It is a slow and glorious salute to the courage and tenacity for everyone on the Tour teams and staff. Everyone, even the Lanterne Rouge, deserves the accolades of the crowds on the Champs Elysees, for finishing the Tour de France - for every kilometer that they worked and suffered for their team.

OLN is really missing the boat by now showing this grand finale to the Tour.... Podium proceedings are not the only “feel good” part of the Champs Elysees that fans here in America should have the chance to see. The best part of the ceremony - the pageantry and the real, genuine feelings and emotions of all the riders - is not available to us on OLN.

3 Comments:

  • According to Cathy Mehl's Stage 20 report at the Paceline - Eki IS retiring in September to become an assistant DS for Discovery. WAAAH!! Hate to see him go, but glad he'll still be around.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 1:47 PM  

  • Eki is the king! Vive Eki!!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 12:27 AM  

  • I'd love to see the ceremonial parade. Guess I'll have to go and watch in person. So sorry to see Eki go. If he didn't wreck last year and miss the 05 tour, he would have had the record. He still did great in the last time trial.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At 6:28 AM  

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