Its was only today i discovered that it has been a long time since i had a boyhood hero but over the course of the tour as a spectator i got to know some of the riders.
I didn't connect with many of the riders featured on the coverage, but with Cadel it was different. His interviews on stages 18 and 19 revealed a soft spoken quiet achiever who doesn't talk a "big ride", yet coverage of those stages showed he has a gritty determination, a iron will and the ability to handle the pressure at the pinnacle of his sport.
Favourite part of the coverage - the sight and sound of the peloton going past fast!
stage 20 was a a great show for Team discovery who found themselves with many highly placed riders in the GC and the current american champion parading down the "champs" like a victorious roman officers entering Rome.
Not to mention Lance in car on the radio (who would have been really stoked with the result)
Fingers crossed next time we see Cadel on the tour he may be sporting a similar entourage.
I wonder how seriously calls for a re-assessment of the stages are being taken? ideas such as only 1 unclassified climb* and maximum stage lengths of 175klm are being talked about.
I agree with this as shorter stages would make it more a spectators sport rather than a marathon for the viewer, and the riders can turn up the heat and we might see a bit more attacking action during the course of the race. The riders themselves will be happy as they can expend more energy in bursts of wild abandon instead of conservative riding.
*-edit - a maximum of 1 unclassified climb per stage in the mountains