AU REVIOR TOUR 2009

Nothing says 'Tour de France' like sunflowers.

Armstrong and Contador in Italy.

Andy Schleck from Luxembourg takes 2nd in the Tour. His brother Frank took 5th.

Lance Armstrong (3rd place) and Alberto Contador (1st place). Their team, Astana, won the team race by more than 20 minutes.

Well, the 2009 Tour de France is history. What the heck am I going to do now? You really get invested in the three weeks of the race and when it's over you feel a little aimless. I guess I could go out and ride my bike. Hmm. I'll have to think about that.

I like baseball a lot, but for me, these really are the boys of summer. Cycling is a sport that has, like so many, had it's share of bad press and bad players, but at it's best I think it's one of the most beautiful and courageous things that you can watch. I got interested in the Tour in 1999 when Lance Armstrong won his first Tour after his cancer diagnosis and treatment. I watched him win all 7 of his Tours. By the time he retired in 2005, I was hooked on the race itself. None the less, I was thrilled when Armstrong decided to come back to the Tour. While he didn't win, I think he struck a victory for anyone who's ever been told that they're too old, past their prime or just washed up. He made me proud. He'll be back with a brand new team next year.

The race itself did not disappoint. It was a wonderful mixture suspenseful moments, strained emotions, impossible physical and mental strength, and amazingly beautiful scenery. The 97th Tour de France begins on July 3rd 2010. How many days til then?