My wife left me for a bike race. I'm a Tour de France widower
And I should know. I am one of them.
Each year my wife travels to foreign lands via the television to spend time with elite athletes in colourful jerseys as they travel through fairyland locations for the Tour de France, the world's most prestigious bicycle race. She puts on her special yellow (or should I say 'jaune'? ) Tour de France socks and joins the 'couch peloton', blocking out three weeks to watch riders cycle through some of the most beautiful areas on Earth.
It's the only sport she truly adores and I fully support her enthusiasm. Indeed, I am in no way threatened by these dashing younger men with their perfect buns and seemingly endless stamina. 'Just think of them as racehorses,' she says.
She knows exactly what is going on in the Tour de France: the stakes, the terrain, why grimpeurs (climbers) are the ones to watch during the mountainous stages. She loves the castles, the chateaux, the churches and the villages, the cheering and sometimes chaotic crowds, the incredible helicopter shots, the history and the rivalry between the riders.
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Her love affair with 'Le Tour' is decades long. She cheered when Australia's Cadel Evans won the Tour – as well as the hearts of the nation – in 2011, becoming one of the few non-Europeans ever to do so. She was watching when Lance Armstrong won his too-good-to-be-true string of victories towards the end of his Tour career. She's seen it all: the highs, the lows, the drug scandals, the big accidents, the fans with flares, the tacks on the road.
Indeed, for a sports-obsessed nation such as ours, it's refreshing to celebrate a sport that doesn't involve tries, wickets or goals. She's almost at the point where she'll set up an exercise bike in the apartment and race along with the competitors as she watches it on TV, a glass of champagne in hand, perhaps only pausing as I hand her a water bottle.
As for me, the only thing I know about bikes and bike riding comes from riding BMXs in the 1980s (shout-out to Nicole Kidman for her breakthrough role in BMX Bandits). I just let all the facts and figures of the Tour de France wash over me in a blur. I have no idea what the 'maillot jaune' is or why the 'polka-dot jersey' is also kind of a big deal in the Tour. I am puzzled as to why being named the 'most combative rider' is a good thing.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Lions roar back in style against flat Magpies
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Darcy Fort and Smith battled manfully against star Collingwood ruck Darcy Cameron, helping the Lions comfortably win the clearance battle 50-36. After being towelled up by Suns stars Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson last week, premiership stars Lachie Neale (36 disposals) and Hugh McCluggage (34) were outstanding in the middle. "I expected the group to respond, I didn't know whether they would be able to respond well enough to win because we were playing a really good opponent," Lions coach Chris Fagan said. "It was really pleasing with a younger team to be able to come here and play in a big game in front of a big crowd and produce a really tough performance." Brisbane were dealt a major blow to their defensive structure when they lost premiership veteran Ryan Lester to concussion at the start of the second quarter. Trailing by 20 points at quarter-time, Collingwood powered ahead with five goals to two in the second term, including a long bomb to returning star Jordan De Goey. But after being sidelined for three months, the Magpies opted to take it easy with their dynamic ace, subbing him out during the third quarter. Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill, who has missed a month due to personal reasons, came into the game for De Goey. Hill flew for a trademark speccy in the last quarter after Lions star Will Ashcroft inexplicably kicked across goal. The Pies' second term was the only period when they looked close to their best, managing just three goals after halftime in a concerning form line so close to September. It was Collingwood's third defeat in four matches, meaning they will finish the round off the top of the ladder, replaced by surging Adelaide. "We've won one of our last two ... it's feedback, but I just have a positive lens," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said, dismissing concerns over the Magpies' form. "We were outplayed by a really good team, a hungry team. "Our second quarter was pretty dominant ... I want to dig into that and why that was the case and let's repeat that behaviour." The Daicos brothers, Nick and Josh, were typically dominant early, but their influence faded as the game went on. It was the Magpies' first loss to the Lions since round 23, 2023, having won their previous four games against Brisbane. The Brisbane Lions have responded after a QClash debacle to knock off Collingwood by 27 points in a potential grand final preview in front of 82,326 fans. After suffering a 66-point belting by Gold Coast last Saturday, the reigning premiers roared back to defeat the Magpies at the MCG for the first time since 2014. Leading by 19 points at three-quarter time, Brisbane had to overcome some nerves in the final term to win 14.8 (92) to 10.5 (65) in front of the biggest home-and-away crowd for a non-Victorian team. Emerging forward Logan Morris bagged a career-best six goals in a commanding display - the first Lions player to kick that many majors in a MCG game since Jonathan Brown in 2004. Morris had terrific support from young ruck-forward Henry Smith, who slotted three first-half goals in his first game for 2025. Smith came in to replace sore Oscar McInerney, who continues to struggle with a debilitating back injury. Darcy Fort and Smith battled manfully against star Collingwood ruck Darcy Cameron, helping the Lions comfortably win the clearance battle 50-36. After being towelled up by Suns stars Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson last week, premiership stars Lachie Neale (36 disposals) and Hugh McCluggage (34) were outstanding in the middle. "I expected the group to respond, I didn't know whether they would be able to respond well enough to win because we were playing a really good opponent," Lions coach Chris Fagan said. "It was really pleasing with a younger team to be able to come here and play in a big game in front of a big crowd and produce a really tough performance." Brisbane were dealt a major blow to their defensive structure when they lost premiership veteran Ryan Lester to concussion at the start of the second quarter. Trailing by 20 points at quarter-time, Collingwood powered ahead with five goals to two in the second term, including a long bomb to returning star Jordan De Goey. But after being sidelined for three months, the Magpies opted to take it easy with their dynamic ace, subbing him out during the third quarter. Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill, who has missed a month due to personal reasons, came into the game for De Goey. Hill flew for a trademark speccy in the last quarter after Lions star Will Ashcroft inexplicably kicked across goal. The Pies' second term was the only period when they looked close to their best, managing just three goals after halftime in a concerning form line so close to September. It was Collingwood's third defeat in four matches, meaning they will finish the round off the top of the ladder, replaced by surging Adelaide. "We've won one of our last two ... it's feedback, but I just have a positive lens," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said, dismissing concerns over the Magpies' form. "We were outplayed by a really good team, a hungry team. "Our second quarter was pretty dominant ... I want to dig into that and why that was the case and let's repeat that behaviour." The Daicos brothers, Nick and Josh, were typically dominant early, but their influence faded as the game went on. It was the Magpies' first loss to the Lions since round 23, 2023, having won their previous four games against Brisbane. The Brisbane Lions have responded after a QClash debacle to knock off Collingwood by 27 points in a potential grand final preview in front of 82,326 fans. After suffering a 66-point belting by Gold Coast last Saturday, the reigning premiers roared back to defeat the Magpies at the MCG for the first time since 2014. Leading by 19 points at three-quarter time, Brisbane had to overcome some nerves in the final term to win 14.8 (92) to 10.5 (65) in front of the biggest home-and-away crowd for a non-Victorian team. Emerging forward Logan Morris bagged a career-best six goals in a commanding display - the first Lions player to kick that many majors in a MCG game since Jonathan Brown in 2004. Morris had terrific support from young ruck-forward Henry Smith, who slotted three first-half goals in his first game for 2025. Smith came in to replace sore Oscar McInerney, who continues to struggle with a debilitating back injury. Darcy Fort and Smith battled manfully against star Collingwood ruck Darcy Cameron, helping the Lions comfortably win the clearance battle 50-36. After being towelled up by Suns stars Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson last week, premiership stars Lachie Neale (36 disposals) and Hugh McCluggage (34) were outstanding in the middle. "I expected the group to respond, I didn't know whether they would be able to respond well enough to win because we were playing a really good opponent," Lions coach Chris Fagan said. "It was really pleasing with a younger team to be able to come here and play in a big game in front of a big crowd and produce a really tough performance." Brisbane were dealt a major blow to their defensive structure when they lost premiership veteran Ryan Lester to concussion at the start of the second quarter. Trailing by 20 points at quarter-time, Collingwood powered ahead with five goals to two in the second term, including a long bomb to returning star Jordan De Goey. But after being sidelined for three months, the Magpies opted to take it easy with their dynamic ace, subbing him out during the third quarter. Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill, who has missed a month due to personal reasons, came into the game for De Goey. Hill flew for a trademark speccy in the last quarter after Lions star Will Ashcroft inexplicably kicked across goal. The Pies' second term was the only period when they looked close to their best, managing just three goals after halftime in a concerning form line so close to September. It was Collingwood's third defeat in four matches, meaning they will finish the round off the top of the ladder, replaced by surging Adelaide. "We've won one of our last two ... it's feedback, but I just have a positive lens," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said, dismissing concerns over the Magpies' form. "We were outplayed by a really good team, a hungry team. "Our second quarter was pretty dominant ... 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Perth Now
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SBS Australia
20 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Just like that, the battle intensifies
In the latest episode of the SBS Cycling Podcast, Christophe and Macka delve into the drama and emotion of the Tour de France stage in Chambéry. The highlight of the day was a stunning victory by French rider Maeva Squiban, whose performance on the steep climbs and technical descents marked her as a standout talent and a hopeful symbol for French cycling. The episode also dives into the intensifying general classification battle, with Kim Le Court currently in the yellow jersey but under mounting pressure from her rivals as the race heads into the weekend. The hosts offer sharp insights into team tactics, rider form, and the unpredictable dynamics of the Tour. Special guest Jeremy Ford discusses the growing impact of African cycling and how Le Court's visibility is inspiring a new generation of athletes.
