First Time "4" Everything!

Mark Cavendish "Cav" (of Team Sky) raises his hand with a four finger salute to congratulate himself, as he finishes 1st for the 4th straight time in Paris. The reigning world champion is the first but possibly not the last if the man to his right in lime green (Peter Sagan) has anything to say about it. Sagan is only 22 and blew the competition away to obtain the Green Jersey.

Another first, Bradley Wiggins (a teammate to Cav, with Team Sky) holds on to the LCL Yellow Jersey, and rides the lead out train for Cav to sprint to victory, and becomes England's first TDF winner! It was a great day for Team Sky, they finished 1 & 2 in the overall (General Classification), and won the final stage of the TDF. In all honesty however, if (yes if) Chris Froome had taken command in the mountains and not been ordered to wait for Wiggins, Froome could have been England's first TDF winner. Coulda, shoulda, woulda, and if, if's and buts, were candies and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas, but... Froome could have won this year.

Last year also produced a ton of possible firsts:

Frank and Andy Schleck would have been the first siblings (also teammates) to finish first and second, had they held on in the final time trial. As it turned out, it would be a first for Australia and Team BMC's Cadel Evans, as he took the final time trial and the TDF Yellow going into Paris. His celebration a bit more elaborate than that of Mr. Wiggins today, but nonetheless, he was victorious.

Not sure if a team has changed names, and won the team overall yellow, in consecutive years, but (there's that big 3 letter word again) I am thinking that is a first as well! So congratulations to Team Radioshack Nissan Trek (RSTN) for pulling off the team win again this year! 

With that said, it is time for me to venture out on my Madone and ride now, myself! It's hot, but the hot needs me! In honor of Team Sky, in my best Norf side accent, "Tootles..."

Historical Year at the Tour de France!

Picture courteousy of Steephill TV for review only

Andy and Frank Schleck become the first brothers to finish together in the same year (second and third) on the podium at the Tour de France. So the Schlecks and Trek make history again this year. Trek is also the record holder for consecutive Tour de France victories, and most consecutive victories from an individual rider.

Cadel Evans is the first ever Australian winner at this years Tour de France, and the first winner from the Southern hemisphere. He was also the first rider to give me the same (exact) expression that I had when hearing Mike Tyson talk for the first time! He sounds like a thirteen year old in a thirty plus year old body. But like Tyson (in the Cus D'Amato years), he knocked out the competition this year!

British rider Mark (The Mouth) Cavendish is the first Brit to win the Sprinters jersey, and is still on course to hold more stage wins than any other rider in the Tours history. It will not come in this historical year, but he was close to winning more stages in one Tour than any other rider again this year.  He is quite the talent, and I know his fans are pulling for him to turn in the complete ride, and win the Tour. He has the potential in my way of seeing things, if he will just put the complete ride together.

It is also the first year that the imperfect Christian has had an opportunity to watch each stage of the Tour. So a historical, and great year for cycling, and this imperfect cycling fan...