Lanced from the winners list 100th Tour de France starts fresh era for troubled event

The 100th edition of the Tour de France kicks off a new era in an event with more troubles than celebrations in the past few decades.

David Culbert

3 min read

June 26, 2013 - 2:53PM

FoxSports

The 100th edition of the world’s most famous cycling race kicks off on Saturday, and with it a new era begins for an event with more troubles than celebrations in the past few decades.

That’s a pity, because the fraudsters, cheats and selfish charlatans led by the greatest fraud in all of sport, Lance Armstrong, have sullied what should be celebrated.

The Tour de France is the perfect combination of sporting test, conducted against possibly the most spectacular backdrop in all of sport.

JOIN US FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF LE TOUR, STARTING SATURDAY NIGHT

Sadly for many, the race stands only to remind of all that is wrong with sports in which cheats prosper at the expense of those who strive for victory based solely on heart and effort. Again, that’s a pity.

That said, millions stand on the side of the road to watch and many more tune in on television around the world.

We are intoxicated by the scenery and the words of veteran tour commentators Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen.

For us Aussies it's easy to start a stage with every intention of hitting the hay, only to be on the edge of the seat, willing a bunch of previously unknown escapologists to hold off their pursuers to score a famous stage win.

It's reality TV at its best and if an Australian is involved it elevates the heartbeat even higher.

The 100th edition will be an Armstrong-free zone. Unwelcome at the event, there will also be no Lance Armstrong on the list of winners, just a blank space in the winner’s column for the Tours of 1999 to 2005.

Of course the same applies to winners in 2005 and 2010, although the organisers at least were able to elevate Oscar Pereiro in the place of Floyd Landis and Andy Schleck in the place of Alberto Contador, who both tested positive during the respective Tours and were stripped of their titles.

No such winners have been declared for the Armstrong years.

Even in the post-Armstrong era, it’s impossible to be confident of a scandal-free century edition.

Three riders tested positive during the recent Giro d’Italia, and with a 198-rider field, few would discount at least one taking their chances with the testers for a drug-fuelled ride to a stage victory.

Enough of the bad stuff, because there’s plenty to look forward to in 2013, despite the non-appearance of defending champion Bradley Wiggins.

After winning the Tour and then the Olympic time trial in London, it’s hardly a surprise that the Brit won’t be on the start line in Corsica, however his absence does rob the race of some intrigue, mainly from within his own Sky team and his teammate Chris Froome.

Their racing last year was breathtaking and more then one observer felt Froome was capable of marching away from Wiggins to win the race himself. Certainly Froome’s girlfriend felt that way and a delicious Wag-Fight broke out between Michelle Cound and Wiggins’s wife Cath.

It added to the theatre of the Wiggins win and the sideshow will be missed in 2013.

So Froome gets his chance this year and on the strength of impeccable lead-up form, including wins in the tours of Oman and Romandie and the now traditional final lead up at the Criterium du Dauphine, he is the red-hot favourite.

He’ll have the full might of Team Sky behind him, including Aussie Ritchie Porte, who is capable of winning the Tour himself if Froome falters, gets sick or falls over.

Of course every great drama needs a hero and a villain and in Alberto Contador and Cadel Evans we have two characters straight from central casting

Contador has kept two Tour titles following wins in 2007 and 2009 and can climb like almost no other rider in the peloton. However, his recent time trialling has been a major concern and it will be fascinating to watch his progress in the first 10 days.

Evans will once again have all Australians on his side. His Tour win in 2011 will forever rank as one of the greatest achievements in Australian sport. He made the podium at the Giro d’Italia and lines up in the second Grand Tour of the year outside the podium picks of most pundits. A second win would be a major surprise.

Aside from the battle for yellow, we’ll marvel at the speed of Mark Cavendish and the precocious brilliance of Peter Sagan.

Australian cycling fans will hope Tasmania's Matt Goss can break through for Orica-GreenEdge’s first-ever stage win after leaving empty handed on debut last year. Or perhaps Simon Gerrans can sneak away one day, or outlast his rivals in one of the medium mountain days to create a little Australian cycling history.