After appearing on US television with Oprah Winfrey, we are now supposed to be vilifying Lance Armstrong. He doped his way to glory, infusing his body with EPO, blood transfusions and doses of testosterone, but...!? And that's the problem, that
but. At the time, most of the top
cyclists were allegedly doping, all trying to achieve that fine edge with which to beat the rest of the field and win at all costs. Therefore, the playing field was level, with most of the top cyclists carrying more than their natural quota of erythrocytes in their bloodstream making the transport of a greater volume of oxygen around their bodies easier and, conversely, clearing their systems of carbon dioxide more quickly.
The comparison could be made with Formula 1, where the constructors all add modifications to their cars in order to make them go that little bit faster, hold the road that little bit better, cleave through the air that little more aerodynamically and all for getting to the finish line that fraction of a second before the rest of the competitors. And, if the modifications escape the notice of the stewards charged with checking that all is fair in the world of the millionaires' motor racing scene, then more fool them - or so it seems. Indeed, the fans of the various Formula 1 teams extol the virtues of each motorised chariot, comparing designs and lauding the cutting edge technological modifications that may enable their team to achieve success that season, even though the other teams' cars may be at a disadvantage due to inferior engineering.
So, despite the doping which allowed Lance Armstrong to have the edge on his peers when toiling along the roads of
Europe or triumphing at
Olympic Games, he won 7
Tour De France races in an era when the cycling culture was one of dope or be left behind. We shall probably never know the exact number nor identities of the top cyclists who were taking illegal substances during the '90s or early 21st century, but if they were all at it, then Lance Armstrong was the best amongst them. And, doped up or not, when you see the way these athletes seem to skip up a French Alp or two when your car would be coughing and wheezing for breath driving up the same incline, there should be an admiration of their strength and stamina...shouldn't there?
This year, unfettered by the absence of Wiggins due to illness and injury, Froome was allowed to show the world what he could do as Sky's Team Leader in the 100th Tour de France. Once in the Maillot Jaune, Froome never let it go and was helped by his own lieutenant in the form of Richie Porte who carried out the same sterling job of supporting his Team Leader up the mountains as Froome did for Wiggins a year earlier. Crossing the line arm in arm on the Champs-Élysées, the Sky Team were united, basking in Froome's glory and a third Sky triumph in 2014 cannot be ruled out.
However, what most cycling fans want to see is a Wiggins/Froome head to head, winner takes all Tour de France. The 2012 course was more suited to Wiggins' time trialling, whereas the 2013 one suited Froome's climbing skills. A more neutral course, designed to enhance both riders' specialities would be a contest most people in the cycling fraternity would love to see. Not since Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett's rivalry on the athletics tracks of the world in the 1980's, or Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank meeting in the boxing ring in the late 1980's/early 1990's, has British sport had two athletes at the pinnacle of their sport at the same time. Unfortunately, this may never happen, as long as both Wiggins and Froome are members of the same team. It may mean that one or other of them has to leave the Sky Pro Cycling setup and have another team build around them in order for this battle to commence, and for the spectacle to played out in the land of the Gauls next summer.
