le Tour de France 2008

One of the worlds greatest sporting events le Tour de France begins today July 5, 2008 in Brittany.

A total of ten Aussies are competing with two Cadel Evans (pictured) and Robbie McEwan, who named his son Ewan McEwan, don't you love that (will the boy) ... headline a Belgium team ... we can still cheer Aussie, Aussie, Aussie Oi, Oi, Oi,.

Cadel Evans rode to second place, only 23 seconds behind the winner, last year and is tipped to win this year 2008, the media pressure must be immense for him.

Read the complete list of teams and riders here.

I'm off to follow le Tour via SBS live coverage for the next three weeks at 10pm ... to marvel at the stamina of the cyclists, the gorgeous countryside and the enthusiasm of the spectators ... and right now to hear the occasional bagpiper of Brittany playing by the roadside. le Tour is in Brittany for three days ... oh to be there ... more late nights ahead ... vive le Tour.

Photo of Cadel Evans courtesy Sydney Morning Herald -read more.

Sunday Scribblings #70 Phenomenon

The word for the week brought to mind one of my favourite movies Phenomenon the story of an ordinary man who sees a light descend from the sky and discovers he has super-intelligence and telekinesis. As much as I adore the movie and soundtrack I figured it was time to create my own phenomenon by not writing, for the third week in a row, on something to do with entertainment.

Perplexed, I considered some of my personal phenomenons. Survival, inner peace, total happiness, growing up when I got to 50, turning my life around, but ... that's the basis of the book! Nup, I wanted a modern day phenomenon, an observable event.

Then in the wee small hours a phenomenon occured. An Aussie guy, Cadel Evans became the first Australian cyclist, in the one hundred and fours years of Le Tour de France, to place. At 2 am I watched from my living room, Cadel finish second, with a twenty three second margin between he and the first place winner. I witnessed a real phenomenon ... Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!!!