'09 Tour De France Final Stage To Paris

I've just finished watching live coverage of the '09 Tour De France's last and final stage race to Paris. Every year this grand tour concludes at the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, a grand and important strip of roadway in Paris marked at one end by the Arc de Triomphe.

The Arc de Triomphe at night. Image credit: Fromparis.com

But don't be fooled by my seemingly cultured writing about Paris because I've only been there by watching this race on cable TV.

The Champs-Elysees, somehow taking its roots from Greek Mythology, roughly translates to "the place of the blessed dead." Interesting isn't it? Well, there is one residential subdivision here within this mega-subdivision BF Paranaque where I live that is called, "The Elysium", also taking its inspiration from the same source. Even more interesting, who would want to live in "the place of the blessed dead"? I might want or could live there but much much later on, if you get what I mean. [ For more on this click here. ]

Anyhow, the TDF for this year is over. The grand tour winner: Alberto Contador of Team Astana. He won the '07 TDF as well but couldn't defend it in '08 as his team wasn't invited to the tour. Contador hails from Spain while Team Astana is owned by the Kazhakstan country/state.

Second place finisher of the tour is Andy Schleck from Luxembourg of Team Saxo Bank. Bjarne Riis is the team's DS.

Third place finisher is Lance Armstrong, the legend who has already won the Tour 7 consecutive times from 1999-2005. Also belonging to Team Astana under the direction of Johan Bruyneel, Lance has come back from after 3 years in retirement to promote his Livestrong Foundation's fight against cancer (and, of course, try to win it for the 8th time). He's big on this front as he is a cancer survivor even before his reign in the Tour De France. I suspect there might be a few more reasons for his comeback such as writing another book, win more endorsement contracts, and just generally make lots more money. Who could blame him. Johan also happens to be Lance's DS during his 7-year reign of the tour.

The North Sidewalk of the Champs-Elysees. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Biggest losers of the tour are Carlos Sastre and Cadel Evans. Carlos was the '08 winner with Cadel as 2nd place finisher in a race that didn't include Lance and Alberto. This year, they did not even figure in the top 10. They're big losers, imho, not just because of their poor performances but more because of their attitudes. Grumbling and taking out their bitterness on the media. Too bad for you guys.

To end with a positive note, the Cav, the Manx Missile from the Isle of Man, Mark Cavendish wins this elite sprinters' stage at the Champs-Elysees and takes 6 stage wins throughout the '09 TDF!