Epic event equals late nights

Columnist Andrew Gale won't be getting much sleep in the next fortnight

PASSIVE PARTICIPATION: Andrew Gale can't see himself cycling in Le Tour but loves staying up late to watch the race. Picture: Contributed

I'VE never really been a morning person but it's that time of year when it's even more of a struggle to make early morning starts.

It's not the cold necessarily that stops me from bounding out of bed at 5am, or the shorter days.

No, it's one of the world's great sporting events - the Tour de France. Le Tour. The Grand Cycling "tour of tours”.

Three weeks (well 23 days to be exact) of pelotons, breakaways, sprints, climbs, descents, King of the Mountain and endless Skoda car ads.

Three weeks of watching countless picture-postcard villages turn on charm and displays that may only last for a minute or so as the caravan of bikes, riders and countless support vehicles (all Skodas too, according to the commercials) whiz through these communities.

Talking about whizzing... occasionally one or two riders, or even the entire peloton, stops for one on the side of the road.

They call it a "natural break”.

There's a bit of etiquette involved in this whole roadside comfort-stop thing.

Apparently, as well as getting to wear the spiffy yellow jersey, the race leader also has the right to call for a "natural” any time he wants to and everyone else stops. If any other rider needs to take a break, he's on his own and must take the chance he will catch up.

I don't watch it because I'm a particularly big fan of cycling. I watch it because it really is an epic event. One that gets you right in.

The picture-postcard villages and scenery are spectacular, the camera work and production work absolutely befitting the status of the event, and the commentary, not just in relation to the cycling, but also relating to the passing villages, churches and chateaus, is just superb.

One thing that is never dull is the antics of the spectators who line the route of Le Tour in their droves.

They cram every vantage point, sometimes to their peril, some seemingly with a death wish as the riders go past.

Others chase the riders on foot up hills yelling encouragement and waving flags while dressed in some very weird attire. Sometimes they get a bit close.

Last year, a maniac in a chicken suit copped a decent smack in the chops from British cyclist Chris Froome, who thankfully got over that encounter to go on to win the Tour for the second time in two years.

Of the Aussies competing, Richie Porte is probably the best chance for Australian victory this year.

In the past 20 years Australians have had considerable success in Le Tour with Aussies Brad McGee and Robbie McEwan paving the way with stage successes in the early 2000s. Cadel Evans was runner-up twice - in '07 and '08 - then finally broke through to win Le Tour in 2011.

Being a live spectator at this event is definitely on my bucket list. I won't be dressing up in any weird gear and chasing anyone up any mountains though.

A comfy chair parked in the shade of a sensibly parked roadside RV while munging on a bread stick and sipping a tall glass of Perrier will do me fine.

If you haven't watched it before, tune into SBS.

It kicks off about 8.30pm every night. It starts with well-known chef Gabriel Gate, with a bit of local food and culture, followed by a few interviews, a rundown of the day's course and then off they go. The starts must be a bit of a warm-up and a giggle because you hardly ever see the first few kilometres. It normally wraps up by about 2am. If you can't go the distance, there are highlights every evening before the news.

I rarely make it to the end. I tend to wake up with a start about 3am.

The race is all over, but the inevitable commercial is still trying to sell me a Skoda. By the way, did I mention that the Skoda Octavia is "awarded and perfect for every family”.

Originally published as Epic event equals late nights