After Tour de France, it’s Beijing Olympics

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

THE 2008 Tour de France (TDF) just ended last Sunday (July 27).

Spanish rider Carlos Sastre captured the crown, only 58 ticks ahead of Australia’s best cyclist Cadel Evans, also the first runner-up last year, which was won by Sastre’s compatriot Alberto Contador. Sastre’s victory was one of the closest finishes in the history of TDF.

It’s now three-in-a-row for Spain’s pedal pushers with Oscar Pereiro seizing the championship in 2006 after Floyd Landis was found positive for using an artificial stimulant.

Yes, for the last three years, TDF’s reputation was tarnished again due to doping scandals. You, cycling lovers like me read it in our national dailies, watched it on TV and heard it on the radio that the world’s most popular bicycle road race was blemished anew because of drugs. And I can’t blame UCI president Pat Mcquad uttering strong words against the violators saying “when will these idiots learn a lesson?”

In fact during the Lance Armstrong era, especially his fifth and sixth triumphs, there was a strong speculation that Lance used drugs and was thoroughly investigated by UCI and French police but this was not proven.

Well, that’s the essence of democracy. “You are innocent until proven guilty,” as the saying goes.

But what I observed in this year’s TDF was the big tide of spectators despite the controversies. We saw on channels 25, 26 and 51 (here in Pangasinan) every day how the people showed their enthusiasm to watch the race that included cycling loving tourists, among them my son Jazy and his four friends from Guam.

But as I’ve said before, Tour de France is Tour de France no matter how these agitators try to taint the annual affair.

It’s just like the Wimbledon Open in lawn tennis. In 1973, majority of the superstars of this sport boycotted the annual tourney due to some deep differences with the organizers. But still the die-hard followers of this most prestigious and oldest tennis tournament patronized the event and remained successful. I think it was Jan Kodes of Czechoslovakia who captured the diadem that year. That year was also my monumental and memorable year as a cyclist.

Now that that the TDF is over, we sport lovers can now focus our attention on the Beijing Olympics, which will start on August 8.

Hopefully our athletes, especially our lone entry in boxing Harry Tanamor as well as Taekwondo players Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero will win medals for our country. Remember we have yet to win a single gold since we started participating in this quadrennial meet seven decades ago.

Let’s pray that our athletes will bring home a piece of the bacon this time.

(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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