Contador took home the yellow jersey and Andy Schleck managed quite well without his brother. Hope that he will be back next year with the same ambition and legs! Lance biked not his best Tour ever. The Texan went up a mountain but came down a hill, so to speak! Seemed it was one too much! In many interviews there were reasons given why Lance was not the racer he used to be.
But hey, after three days I did started to notice one name that made me feel a bit more excited: Jurgen van den Broeck! Not the most famous Belgian biker we have but still this hardworking athlete seemed to have the legs that it takes to go out there for a very long ride. A drive of a life time for many. But I doubt that most of them did notice the breathtaking landscapes they passed by! Because the 'Tour de France' you can only ride when you are focused and know where you are heading for.
Most of them are out there all by themselves when it comes down to biking the longest ride of all. Jurgen managed to keep up with the big names. I did think there were moments that I was a bit anxious. Especially when the mountains were looming. It is out there then the beasts are set free and go for the top and the ultimate climb. There they put their bodies to the test. Do they need to feel one with the two wheels they try to keep in balance. Do they try to keep focused on what really matters. And for sure do they need to read clearly the signs and not only those that are written on the road.
Creeping into the mind of a Tour biker is for sure very fascinating. While sitting in front of your screen it are the many cameras that are zooming into their very tensed faces and their bodies that seem to tell a very emotional story. Jurgen was for sure one of the most honest about what that bike tour did to his body and his emotional welfare.
'You know what I do think that Jurgen is out there racing very focused!', I did tell P. The Tour was only into the first week but it seemed like this 27 year old guy knew suddenly some facts about his sport he did not knew before. Facts that can make the difference! Like he was racing liberated and free of his personal ghosts of the past!
Jurgen was very outspoken once he made it up hill! In case you wonder what it feels like having to answer 'stupid' questions while catching your breath this bad boy made sure that you got a very outspoken answer. Finding the shortest way to the 'pee-control'. No problem! Even when President Sarkozy his toes were in the way! He ignored those in order to get there asap!
More then a month ago many biking experts hoped that this focused guy would get into Top 10 and that he would stay heading that way. Not loosing it where it matters the most. Don't crash and then burn! Because burned he got many times before. Like when he was out there in the Giro of 2007! For Jurgen out there his personal 'tipping point' took place! While he had to give up and let tons of others pass him by. Many who were on paper not even as good as him but were still overtaking him up hill!
"This is it! This the very last time that I will feel so redicilious! From now on I am not going to 95% for it but 200%! I had promised myself that I would not be 'average'. And that before turning 27 I would know what I was worth as a pro. Well, now I am 27. And I guess, that I am about to find out!', he stated in the interview given after the Tour de France.
When I read this kind of stuff then I do think that it seems that many of us need moments like this. The locomotive of Morkhove states very openly in that same interview that if you have a dream you have to go for it! Life is not something that 100% happens to you, you still have to respond to the signals or call it even signs! You can ignore them or decide to fight the battle and use all you have got to the fullest potential.
Becoming a pro Tour de France racer is bringing sacrifices also personal ones. Many had given him parental and professional advice. He had lost some precious time out there, like he was hesistating about this whole biking adventure. He needed to try harder, rent an apartment close to the mountains to feel, experience, sense, become one with that one extra push he needed to go after his personal dream! Facing the height and then experience it from very close by!
Jurgen embraced the last three years many things he had to put into the right perspective! He even got of his bike to have a good look at what was passing by! Jurgen is not Lance, Andy or Alberto! No, he is just a 27 year old man with a bike finding out where he belongs, what his right place is there up in the yellow league!
Number 5 is not bad at all! It is a very long time ago that we had a Belgian bringing home such a nice number from France! Still Jurgen wants more, feels that there is something more out there he can reach for. Next year he wants to be back finding out where he truely belongs! For sure on a bike! So make sure your feet are not in the way when he is passing by! Sarkozy did find out, the hard way!
P.S.: Once more Boston did come up with a very nice selection of pics:2010 Tour de France - part II - The Big Picture - Boston.com
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