Cycling: The Battle of Legs

Cycling, and the Tour as the highest competition, is not a tactical battle. We forget this when we design ponderous attack plans animated by the freshness of air conditioning. It is true that there is room for strategy, but it is small. Furthermore, the best military brain will be of no use if it is not accompanied by two vigorous legs. Napoleon would not have won the Tour, nor would McArthur. Alberto Contador will also not be able to win the Tour, at least in this edition. He knows where to place the artillery, where to direct the fire, and knows, ultimately, where the war is won; the problem is that he cannot find the legs.

Demanding Courage

Every cyclist must be asked for courage, aggressiveness, and a touch of madness. We do it from here, even with annoying insistence. However, there comes a moment when nothing more can be demanded. Contador attacked yesterday in the first climb of the stage and went alone followed by Valverde. It is obvious that he did it without considering his strength, inspired solely by his wounded champion's pride and stimulated by the sudden downpour that soaked the peloton. He didn't go very far, but that is almost beside the point. That image of bravery, including the Spanish champion in the photograph, provokes a surge of enthusiasm in cycling fans that compensates for a million siestaless afternoons. And let no one think that these are moves for show. With these delightfully irrational attacks, Contador explores remote possibilities that are the essence of this sport.

Valverde's Persistence

The fact that Valverde has been able to match all of Contador's bets, in addition to placing his own, confirms, albeit too late, that the Murcian had a Tour in his legs. Otherwise, he could not climb while doing crochet, attending to Nairo's needs, or setting the pace for Alberto. With only the last Alpine stage remaining, Valverde has been the most persistent enemy of Froome and the most active among his pursuers, both up and down. Everything indicates that what weighed on him before was not the Tour, but the responsibility. It's sad to discover it at 35 years old.

A Heroic Attack

On the ascent to the Croix de Fer, the Tour once again offered a hero voucher. Nibali bought it. Froome suffered a breakdown (mechanical or mental) a few kilometers from the top and the Italian attacked shouting "Gerónimo" (or Garibaldi). No other favorite could follow his wheel. It was an attack as rewarding and daring as Contador's, because we are talking about two very similar champions who share a sense of pride and spectacle. It was an attack with strength, rewarded with victory, and a fourth place overall (6:44). Something fits in the universe (West sector) when bravery is rewarded.

A Last Effort

Behind, Nairo waited until the final kilometers of La Toussuire to test Froome. His attack was what we had been waiting for for 19 days: tough, sustained, and Colombian. The leader could not follow him but resisted better than expected; at the finish, he conceded 30 seconds, plus an additional two in bonuses. Some may think it is little. However, it is enough for us to hang on to the Tour until the penultimate day, hopeful for Alpe d'Huez, and with a touch of nostalgia: this ends tomorrow.