Andy's looking forward to the Tour!

Good boy! *pets Andy*

Why this sudden demonstration of affection for Our Andy? It's due to the report out today with his response to the Tour 2013 parcours announcement, and the current doping scandal.

And they gave us a nice picture, he's actually smiling!

So, next year's Tour route has been announced: it's a lot lighter on the TTs, and has four good mountain top finishes, and generally speaking it suits Our Andy a great deal more than last year's one.

He's already in training, he says he still has pain from that broken pelvis, but says "I can ride my bike relatively well." Phew, I think if I had a cracked pelvis I would be taking it very, very gently for months and months.

You have to admire the dedication of these athletes, getting out there and getting on with it, don't you?

Andy has, as we know, already said that he's not giving up cycling, even though Papa Schleck has recommended it, and we are all glad to hear that - although not wishing any disrespect to his father, this is one time when I am glad Andy is making up his own mind.  I don't think it would be much fun writing a blog about a traffic cop in Luxembourg....

And when faced with the "inevitable" questioning about doping in cycling, he says:

“What has happened in the past has been really bad. We cannot just put it aside. But on the other hand: most of these things are from the past and we need to draw a line,” he said. “The young generation, and I count myself in that, has nothing to do with this past and we are the victims of it, in a way.

“So I'm saying: let's not forget about what has happened, but let's take lessons from it and move on."

 

 This is just what I want to hear: Cavendish was saying very much the same things on the BBC recently: I am not sure if that link will work, but he says that it's not fair to label all cyclists as cheats, and makes the same point about the younger generation of cyclists having a very different philosophy to that of ten years ago.

He also makes the point that only in cycling are we digging back over 10 years: in other sports they might catch a cheat (a doper, or just breaking a rule) and punish them now, but they don't back-date the punishment. 

 

I read a blog the other day from someone saying that these days, in football, we have the "instant reply" where they can pause the game, watch the footage and decide if a challenged decision is valid or not.

But they don't dig out instant replays from several years ago, decide that someone had broken a rule, and change the decision. Only in cycling!

So, moving on, next year we have the 100th Tour!!! Big celebrations!! Memo to self: get some yellow clothing.....  and, fingers crossed, next year might be the year that we see Andy on the top of the podium, having won it on the road, as he wants to.

Yay!