July has two meanings to me: Independence Day and the Tour de France. July has always brought fireworks and the running commentary of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen through the French countryside on OLN (or now Versus TV).
I have watched the Tour since before the days of Lance Armstrong. The Tour was on in our home when there was another American cyclist, Greg Lemond, leading in the yellow jersey. In 2002, I got to witness the start of the Tour as it rolled through Luxembourg and saw the yellow streak of Lance Armstrong rush past me in the time-trial through the streets of Luxembourg City.
My devotion to the tour is rather humorous as I do not cycle. Ok, I’ll peddle around with Chloe strapped on the back, but I’m not one to have peddle clips or squeeze into the bike shorts. Even though I don’t go out and crank out a 50-mile ride on a weekly basis (or on any basis for that matter) it doesn’t mean that I can’t be impressed with the Tour cyclists and sit back and watch the Tour.
When we brought Chloe home in May 2005, her first TV was the Tour. She quickly learned to shout, “Allez! Allez! Allez!” at the passing cyclists on TV and to pick out a favorite rider (he even sent her a picture) and last year we all cheered as Floyd Landis made an amazing (or not so amazing depending on which story you believe) recovery to take the Tour lead and eventual victory.
But, alas, this year the scenes from the French countryside have not been on our TV that often. It’s not that we don’t want to watch or let Chloe watch because all of the doping controversy. No, it’s simply because of Chloe. Every time I attempt to tune in to watch the stage happenings I get a finger pointed in my face and in a threatening tone I am told to turn on “Diego”. It’s a sad day in this house when Chloe wants to watch a Diego re-run over the Tour.
I guess Tour officials do have to worry about losing fans over the continuing scandals. They lost Chloe. She would rather watch Dora and Boots help their music teacher when her bicycle chain breaks than watch a man push himself to his physical limits in the Pyrenees Mountains. Hmmm, maybe if it doesn’t rain today I will take Chloe out on her pink Giant bike and see if I can’t bring her back into the fold. Otherwise, it’s the end of an era in our household because if Chloe isn’t watching, no one can watch.
****Lucky for us that we can catch some Tour news on a favorite show after the Chloester is in bed. If you are all a bit confused about the Tour controversies of this year and want a laugh, check it out here.****
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