Le Grand Geste (or The Big Joke?)

Posted by Rich on Monday, February 25, 2008 to Pro Tour

Imagining ourselves in the position that the organizers of the Tour de France are in regarding the doping scandals and the validity of this great event, it is understandable that they want to DO SOMETHING!  According to ingrained French thought process, this means making "the grand gesture" - "le grande geste". Here is how that works in the world of  pro bike racing - French style:

Since pro cycling's continuous string of doping scandals has chased the organizers of the world's greatest bike race to the very brink of losing status as one of sport's greatest events, the enormity of this threat must be countered with symbolism and gesture - the French equivalent of strategically conceived, targeted action.  Therefore, ProTour Team Astana, with a new "boss", new tour GC riders, but with none of the riders who disgraced the team in '07, has been refused entry in the '08 TDF.  With what is arguably the strongest Grand Tour roster in pro cycling. including Johan Bruhneel and his entourage of expert directors, and two of the top three podium finishers from TDF '07, the stark fact that none (zip, nada, zero) of these guys has been convicted of any doping violation is of little consequence, since the real issue here isn't guilt or innocence, but the need to flex muxcle.  If the gesture can't be meaningful, then at least make it BIG!

A non-French-thinking adult might wonder whether this move is tantamount to pouring fresh fuel on the same fire that we are all praying will finally burn itself out.  Mon Dieu, does picking  zis scab make zee wound heal? If you and I were running their grand show and we were concerned that doping scandals were causing the legiticimacy of our event to be doubted, would we conclude that our event's legitimacy would be restored if we banned the best team in the sport from participating - after they fired their guilty parties and hired new people?  Incroyable, Monsieur!  One presumes that Spock isn't the only half-Vulcan who finds this highly illogical (?). OK, TDF folks, we get it loud and clear - it is your enterprise to run as you see fit!  But we mere cycling fans are left wondering that there are probably ten far better ways of legitimizing the TDFas the world's greatest sporting evet; all involve catching cheaters, but none involve banning champions who didn't cheat!

It could be worse.  We must suppose that when you rule over your domain as the great riders and staff of Team Astana have, and you must deal with the French, then any outcome where you can shake your head in dismay without it rolling to the floor could be deemed successful.  Living to fight another day is no mean feat in this case.  

The French: Surely they gesture!

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