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93rd Tour de France - presented by

Stage 20, Antony-Parc de Sceaux - Paris Champs-Elysées, 152K

23 July

Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
The God of Thunder Strikes Paris

Dust Devil's Daily Wrap, Dust Devil's Daily Wrap, Stage List, Stage Profile, Photos

Thor Hushovd finished his Tour with a nice bookend of victories in the prologue and final stage into Paris. He absolutely SMOKED Robbie McEwen by about three bike lengths to take the victory today. McEwen had to be feeling a little complacent having the green jersey in the bag, otherwise that wouldn't have happened.

I'm sad to see this Tour finish. It's been the most exciting for many years, and will probably stay the most exciting for many to come.

Floyd Landis walks away with probably the most well earned yellow jersey of the modern era. After giving it away once and losing it again by blowing, and then reclaiming it for the final stage into Paris has to be sweet. Making it 8 in a row for the U.S.

It was a strange Tour marked a lot by some would say inattentive or irresponsible riding by some teams. It's all 20/20 in hindsight though. Phonak letting Pereiro clear for a half an hour to take yellow, and then CSC and T Mobile letting Landis clear on the stage to Morzine for 8 minutes were but a few examples. Who would've thought Pereiro could hang on like he did, or that Landis could make his attack stick? When you're making real-time decisions on the road, these probably made a lot of sense. They are things that you just don't see too often in the big Tours.

Another anomaly was the incessant attacking! This was great! The stage to Alpe d' Huez saw everybody with all their cards on the table, sparing nothing. The next day, more of the same, with Landis looking like he was eliminated, and Sastre within sight of the yellow jersey. And of course Rasmussen's all-day escapade to take all the KOM points and pull on the polka-dot jersey. More brilliant attacks the next day followed with Landis going clear and proceeding to ride the entire peloton off his wheel en route to stage victory and eventual overall victory.

Cyril Dessel delivered the best performance, and most gutsy performance by a Frenchman for some time. He managed to hang on to a top 10 finish with Christophe Moreau right behind him. Still not a French winner of the overall in sight anywhere, but the french love a fighter more than a winner, so I think this year we have seen the birth of a star.

I'm sure CSC is disappointed with missing a podium spot. But considering that Basso got booted the day before the start, they should probably be feeling pretty good about their haul. A couple stage victories, one of them atop Alpe d' Huez, a final fourth place overall and most agressive team. That's a lot better than most of the teams managed.

Even Discovery Channel has something to feel good about. They are a team who is not used to losing. But, heck, they had a day in the yellow jersey and a stage win by Popovych. That's not too bad.

Now I have to find something else to occupy my time until the next big Grand Tour rolls around! As always it's been my pleasure sharing my thoughts on the greatest sport in the world: cycling. Au revoir.

~The Dust Devil