Yesterday about 5,000 people on bikes rode with Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie and Robbie McEwen and other pros in Adelaide, Australia. The “ride” was announced a day or two in advance. Much like one in Ireland last year, the ride symbolized solidarity. A positive call to action. Say what you want about Lance, the man continues to promote cycling in way no one else can. This time last year, many pro cycling fans in the U.S. changed our sleeping patterns to focus on the Santos Tour Down Under stage race. This week, we’ll do the same again as the official start to the pro calendar kicks off.
Comeback 2.0, the Lance Armstrong book has been published, but chapters continue to be written. Whether an aging seven-time Tour de France winner can win the world’s greatest cycling race one more time doesn’t feel as critical in 2010. We’ll save that question for the longer and warmer days of July. What does feel right today is bring people together who share a passion for bikes in any form. Racers. Commuters. MTBers. Fixie fans. Recumbents. Women. Men. Children. Multiple nationalities and even beliefs. The pro peloton is analogous to our global society. When we figure out how to work together, we can accomplish so much more. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s something worth craving. Here’s wishing you a great weekend, wherever you live and wherever you’re turning the pedals.
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