20070725 My July 25th, 2007 Tentacle column is on the Tour de France

My July 25^th, 2007 Tentacle column is on the Tour de France…

July 25, 2007

Viva la bicyclette!

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Today, as you are reading this, over in France and a small portion of Spain, the 94th Tour de France is in Stage 16.

By the end of the day about 165 seemingly bionic cyclists will have burned over 10,000 calories as they travel through the Pyrenees at altitudes as high as 5,600 feet, up and down incredible mountaintops with 7.5 to 10% slopes.

Although relatively unknown in the United States, the Tour de France is reported to be the largest sporting event in the world. This year approximately 15 million spectators will line the route to personally witness the race - at no charge. And what they will see will whirl past them in 30 to 40 seconds.

For those not familiar with the Tour, it is dangerous, complex, and highly choreographed - if not ritualized. It is an exotic annual cycling event that very well may be considered the high opera of world sports. Every year the intrigue, mystery, drama, and much debated inevitable controversy is almost as exciting as the actual race itself.

Perhaps it would help if it were mentioned that Lance Armstrong of the United States won the race seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005. A survivor of testicular cancer in 1996, he was not expected to live, much less win this race so frequently.

Read the rest here: Viva la bicyclette!