This review of the 2011 Tour de France will be not a hagiography. Over the last few days the crème de la crème of Australia’s sportswriters have tried to come up with superlatives to do St. Cadel’s historic feat justice.
I well and truly exceeded the limit on superlatives for Cadel in my daily tour reports. If you want to read them you are most welcome to revisit them.
What you will find in this review is an ode to the Tour de France.
Australian cycling fans over the better part of the last decade have been justifiably preoccupied with Cadel Evans and his quest for a yellow jersey.
This year, we again joined Cadel on his three week odyssey around France courtesy of the brilliant coverage provided by SBS.
In the end, we were rewarded. Three magical nights, two in the Alps and the decisive time trial, will now live forever in our collective sporting memories.
Cadel’s pulsating battle with the Schleck brothers, Contador’s defiance and Voeckler’s courage lit up the dark winter night.
But, you did not have to be an Australian to realise that this was a sporting event of grand spectacle, great courage and high emotion.
What we were witnessing was the universal magic of the Tour de France.
And as I discovered over a decade ago, once you’ve bitten on this apple you are well and truly hooked.
What Cadel’s success has done is relieve us of our sense of dread.
The growing Australian audience of Tour de France fans can now look forward to now is a stress-free 2012 Tour de France. We can enjoy it for what it is, the greatest yearly event in world sport.
We have our champion.
A list of other highlights of this year’s tour;
Tour de Carnage:
The tour had seen nothing like it as team leaders and strong riders went down like nine pins in the early stages.
Team Radioshack became Team Red Cross after they lost four of the nine riders who began the tour. Brajkovic, Horner and Kloden all succumbed to injury while Popovych didn’t have to hit the tarmac, he exited stage right with fever.
Other notable withdrawals included Great Britain’s big yellow jersey hope, Bradley Wiggin, Omega Pharma’s leader Jurgen Van Den Broek, Quick Step’s Tom Boonen and last but not least, Alexandre Vinokourov.
The 37 year old Kazakh kamikaze effectively ended his career with a broken femur after he careened deep into the woods of the Massif Central. It was either the ravine or a concrete column as he tried to avoid a rider who had slipped on a slippery descent.
Three riders were lucky to complete the tour after they almost became official road toll statistics.
Nicki Sorensen was knocked off his bike by a rogue motorcycle rider and watched haplessly as his crumpled bike was dragged 400 metres up the road.
However, nothing could match the incredulity of watching Juan Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland getting side swiped by a TV car.
Hoogerland was almost garrotted on a road side barbed wire fence. He bravely finished the stage and received 33 stitches to his lacerated legs for his troubles.
Tour de France authorities are now seriously questioning whether to extend the contract of Inspector Clouseau’s Advanced Driving School when it comes supplying tour drivers.
Tour de Norvège:
The small Scandinavian country celebrated an incredible four stage victories.
Their hulking cycling god of thunder, current world road race champion, Thor Hushovd, added to his legend with two stage wins, his most satisfying being the hilly sixteenth stage to Gap as he smote his lightweight rivals.
Norway also unearthed a spectacular new talent in dual stage winner Edvald Boassan Hagen. His bravura performances captured the hearts of his countrymen and made him rider to follow for all cycling fans.
Tour de Train Routier:
Britain’s Mark Cavendish made it 20 stage wins in four years and five wins in this year’s tour as his HTC Highroad train put on one final dominant display of team organization before being decommissioned.
The most dominant sprinter of his era is now in search of another team. He is joined at the hip with his lead out man, Aussie Mark Renshaw, who will surely be part of negotiations in cycling’s version of a two for one deal.
The incomparable Eddie Merckx compiled a record 34 stage wins in his five tour victories. Cavendish will never win the yellow but if he keeps up his current rate, he’ll eclipse Merckx in 2014. Can he do it?
Tour de la Renaissance Francais:
In 2010, only one French rider finished in the top 20 and that was 19th.
In 2011, Thomas Voeckler confounded all the experts by finishing fourth. Five French riders finished in the top 15. Three of the riders were born in 1986 including white jersey winner, Pierre Roland,
The last Frenchman to win his own tour was Bernard Hinault in 1985. He was also the last Frenchman to win on Alpe d’Huez that very same year.
Pierre Roland announced himself as a champion of the future with an exceptional stage win on Alp d’Huez.
Epilogue:
The 2012 Tour de France is already shaping up to be tone of the most exciting in its history.
Can Cadel Evans become the second oldest winner in tour history?
Can three-time runner up, Andy Schleck, finally shake off the bridesmaid tag?
Can a Frenchman break the drought and win his own tour for the first time in 27 years?
And, depending on the result of an imminent court hearing, can Contador regain his throne?
See you all at the start line next July.
Marcel Proust, I promised the Roar community a Tour review by Wednesday. However, I did not get a chance to review the piece properly on Tuesday night due to a family matter which required my urgent attention. I wish I had an extra hour on the piece but medical emergencies take priority. In future, I now know who to turn if I need a proof reader. Thanks,
Marcel Proust
Guest
In 1969, Eddy Merckx won all the jerseys you could win, There was no young rider jersey, but he got the other three. His first participation - he won the lot.
Marcel Proust
Guest
SORRY TO BANG ON ABOUT IT..... You write "La Renaissance francais...." No. Renaissance is feminine. Hence the 'la' instead of 'le'. The adjective must also be feminine. SO............................La renaissance francaise.
Marcel Proust
Guest
MATT RENSHAW ?!?!?!?!? Am I the only one to spot the deliberate mistake ? Should it take an Englishman ( moi ) to point out the error ? It's Mark Renshaw. Like Mark Cavendish. You may be mixing him up with Matt Goss, one of their co-equipiers. ( You will, no doubt, tell me that this is an easy mistake to make: there are, after all, many talented Aussies in European cycling ). I enjoyed the article nevertheless. Yours,
Harry
Guest
Although note that Contador wasn't as good after that incident on the climb - he definetely weakened. I thought it broke his concentration and energy flow, which must have been right at the max. I was relieved to see the barriers in the last few kilometres on the Alps climb and at aother stages. As noted above, I'm surprised there isn't more idiots crashing into the cyclists.
Midfielder
Guest
Big question is can he become the third rider to take the treble and get an Olympic medal..
jameswm
Guest
I wondered the same Decs bu no one answered me either!
Decs
Guest
Question for anyone out there. Has any rider who has won (or not even won) the Tour de France worn the Green, Pokla and Yellow jerseys in the one year. Correct me if I am wrong but Cadel wore Green for the TTT and then had Pokla when Gilbert got relegated from Yellow and took Green. And then to cap it off as we all know wore the Maillot Jaune on the last day. What a hero.
sheek
Guest
Art, Well done, & let me have a punt at a few of your questions..... 2012- Cadel again??? 2013 - Andy Schleck (although this won't be an ordinary year, being the actual 100th running of the Tour)??? 2014 - a Frenchman reclaims the Tour de France???
BA
Guest
On replay, that person dressed as a surgeon/dr was trying to put a stethascope to Contadors chest. Must have thought it would be funny, like he was checking on his heartrate. Thats why Contador used his arm to punch or push him away. Seemed like a normal defensive move by Contador, he didnt know why this guy was reaching for his chest. Nor should it matter, dont touch the riders! It is fun to watch how close they get and how excited. They encourage all the riders which is great sportsmanship.
Redb
Roar Guru
Marathoners often get street side encouragement & applause but nothing on the scale of the TDF. It is unique as is the 21st stage and the chance for some comaderie.
punter
Guest
That as so funny, the guy was dressed as a medical staff, doctor, chemist etc, so you could imagine what was being said yo get him so upset.
BigAl
Guest
Well not every rider, and not always a cheer ? - saw Contador give someone a good punch in the face - must have been a reason for that !
Midfielder
Guest
Art One aspect the Tour has that is quite unique, nay very unique to cycling is the crowds ... only world cups come close but not even then... Every rider is cheered by the crowd regardless of there position in the race, the nation they are from or the team they are riding for... So everyone was cheering on both Cadel & Andy and all the other riders on the hill climbs... so the riders coming last and trying to make up time are encourged by the crowd to climb up the hill... no other sport has this cheering for you just because you are good enough to get a start... Like yourself I came to the Tour about ten years or so ago, in 2007 or it could have been 2008 for very special reasons I got hooked [ will post the story next week] ... as you said Art take a taste of this apple and you are gone...
Redb
Roar Guru
Couldn't agree more about the lunatics on the road, you only need one nutter to ruin it for a rider at a crucial stage. As for the TDF in 2012 it will be like the America's Cup all over again. Expect the morning TV shows and half the radio stations to have a desk in France for the whole tour following Cadel's every move. That's not a bad thing but expectations will be over the top. Just finishing a TDF is an acheivement - they are incredible athletes.
NY
Guest
Good stuff Art. Cycling is a great sport and I am glad everybody got to see this through your writing. I just wonder how big the Tour de France can get? It is more than just about the cycling now. I just hope they control a lot of those lunatics standing on the road in future. Surely it is at the point where they are standing far too close to the cyclists now. I hope at least one of the Shlecks wins it as well in the future. Always thought they were a little arrogant, however they were gracious in defeat when Cadel won. Hopefully their time will come.