Tour de Fiasco?

July is always eagerly aniticipated at our house. Sure there is the final arrival of summer with great weather, the birthdays, this for those you enjoy the crowds, rodeos, general drunkeness and people watching...but the real joy of July is this.
Charming Husband is a cyclist and his love for the sport is contagious, especially when it comes to this event. Friends and even extended family have become fans. Once you get past the crazy spandex and learn a little about the riders/teams/tactics, it's great fun.
For most of July, our day begins and ends with the stages of the Tour. We often celebrate with a little of this and some of this and just a bit (or jars) of this. When we are really lucky my sister makes this (gateau basque) YUM.
Vive le France!

After spending the past 5 years watching the drama of Lance unfold, I was prepared for a bit of a letdown this year. At the same time it would be exciting to see what would come next. Would a former rival finally win the tour, or a new champion? Sadly, I never expected this.

And yes the Tour has gone ahead anyway. It's probably a dream come true for some of the other riders eager for a chance to shine. The problem is, I can't seem to get into it. For a sporting event known for its drama, there is none. At least not in the race itself. At least not yet. I have not found anyone to get excited about. To cheer. To hope for. And there is still time. A lot can happen in the mountain stages yet to come. I am still cautiously optimistic....sigh....

The most I can say is that I am slightly warming up to this rider, although he's not likely to win overall. And after all the work he has done for Lance, this man deserves a good shot. We shall see.