Tour de France dreams

By Jesus A. Garcia

I NEVER dreamt of joining the Tour de France (TDF) during my cycling heydays. If I did, it would have been a gigantic task. I would have had to go out of the country to join and win some big races in the world sanctioned by the world cycling body called Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to accumulate enough points to enter the annual 21-day race. That’s the main criteria. But I knew I could not pass the test, having no sponsor for my trips around the world, especially in Europe where cycling is abundant like football games. Suntok sa buwan ‘ika nga.

Even until now, records say no Asian cyclist ever participated in this bikathon considered as the world’s toughest, richest, longest and most prestigious. And this very popular event in Europe is being staged again this month. Even Asia’s best Hong Kong rider Wong Kam Po who captured the 1997 Marlboro Tour title and the gold medalist during the 1998 Asian Games with a ranking of 30th best in the universe in 1997 did not make it because no company from Europe reportedly hired him. I don’t know why. Was it a case of discrimination?

This year’s Tour de France started last July 5 and to last until July 27. Unfortunately, the Askana team where the defending champion Alberto Contador belongs, decided to skip this year’s TDF due to deep differences with the organizers. Contador also won the 21-day Giro d’ Italia last May. According to UCI, the Giro is the second most grueling and most prominent bikefest in the world.

Because of what happened last year when the American rider Flyod Landis was stripped and was not able to defend the crown he won in 2006 because he was found positive of doping after the race, the TDF this year is less glamorous.

But Tour de France is Tour de France. It’s just like Wimbledon, with or without the superstars the people and the sponsors will patronize it. Period.

After quitting the sport, one of my dreams now is to watch personally the TDF. It’s my sixth dream in life.

My first five: to see my father, to live in America, to win the country’s multi-stage bicycle race called the Tour of Luzon, a trip to Holy Land where Jesus Christ was born, crucified and the Mount Sinai where the Almighty God gave the Ten Commandments to prophet Moses, and to watch in person the quadrennial Olympic Games.

The first three were already fulfilled, but ironically my third dream came first before the first two. So that leaves me three more to accomplish.

My first and only cycling child Jazy is now in France, not to compete in the TDF but to watch the battle of world cycling celebrities. And for the first time in his life, Jazy said he will be spending his birthday outside Guam or Philippines on July 14.

The truth is I envy him. But I’m not losing hope that someday soon I could also watch it in person and fulfill the sixth dream of mine as well as the fourth and the fifth. Money talks ‘ika nga.

But where will I get that $6,000 to achieve this goal?

Save. Be thrifty. No more drinking of too much beer.

And once all these dreams have been fulfilled, then I can say I’m ready to say goodbye.

(Readers may reach columnist at biking.jess@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/
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