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..."

The Intentions of Management (Cycling)

For those of us that have never been there it's easy to make assumptions, or point fingers, even give our point of view. However, I have to ask the question again, with what intention? Alain Gallopin the sporting director/team manager for cycling team Radioshack/Nissan/Trek (RSNT) former, but somewhat partially still Trek Leopard (because of funding and connection to Luxembourg) was questioned about his decision to add his nephew (Tony Gallopin) to this years Tour de France (TDF). What I question more, is the team using Nissan as a sponsor over working with Mercedes Benz. Although, I'm pretty certain that their reasoning is probably because Specialized (a main competitor) is in cahoots with McLaren (which is a division or closely related to Mercedes Benz). Gallopin the director, chose Gallopin the nephew and rider, because Tony Gallopin the rider, earned his spot, and also gave the injury plagued RSNT team a bit more variety. Tony has already had some impressive U23 victories, is a complete rider, climbs well, sprints well, and is also in second place for the Best Young Rider jersey in his first TDF. So well done director! The link below will take you to the Tours page, and you can click "Classifications" and then go to the "Best Young Rider" category and check Tony's progress. If I pull for anyone else in that category it would have to be BMC's Tejay Van Garderen, a young American rider. Van Garderen's getting plenty of education, one could only imagine, riding under the tutelage of seventeen time TDF contestant George Hincapie, and 2011 Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans. So again not to get off track, yes the Gallopin's are family, but I think it was a sound choice, even if they are family to give RSNT a shot at winning multiple jerseys in this years tour. RSNT is the top team in the field now, and now own yellow as a team. They have had a member in yellow, for all but one stage of the TDF this year, with their three top riders having the lowest time combined after today's Stage 8, they now have yellow again, this time as a team. Therefore, I applaud Alain Gallopin's choice. Tony looked very strong today, and is now less than fifty seconds away from the White - Best Young Rider's jersey, and his team a half a minute up on Britain's Team Sky, although, Sky's Wiggins took the individual (General Classifications) yellow from Trek's Fabian Cancellara in Stage 6. The intentions were to build a stronger team, now, and for the future, and that is being manifested with every stage in this tour. Well done Mr. Gallopin, well done RSNT!

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/classifications.html