The Tour De France is one of those sporting spectacles that transcends a given sporting discipline. It’s got drama, suspense, heartbreak, elation and, always, exhaustion. Even if you are not a cycling fan, it will suck you in. And you can’t do any better than Outside Online’s dramatic, in-depth, coverage. You’ve got an interview with Lance (if you need to ask who that is, you really need to get out more), a daily blog from Lance’s coach, Chris Carmichael, and plenty of other good analysis. And don’t miss the inside account of last year’s race by superb writer Daniel Coyle, excerpted from his new book Lance Armstrong’s War: One Man’s Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France. Here’s Coyle tapping it out:
The Dead Elvis Grin refers to Armstrong’s facial expression when he’s pushed to the edge, on the verge of cracking, that tactically useful moment poker players call the tell. Armstrong’s tell began with the American changing positions on his bike—standing, sitting, standing again, rooting around for more power. Then he leaned forward on the handlebars, throwing his body weight into the pedals. His face went red, then ashen. The furrows in his forehead deepened, his eyes fixed, and his upper lip slowly rose over his front teeth, unveiling the signature half snarl, half smile.
Armstrong says this will be his last Tour. But if he wins, how can he resist coming back for another? I don’t think he will. But that’s a question for later. First, there’s a couple thousand miles of road to contest…
“I may look dead, but Ullrich is embalmed…”
The Earthist Chronicles 