At this time of the year there is much excitement (or massive disappointment) as riders receive confirmation that they’ve made their team’s Tour de France squads. But that’s only the first hurdle.

In Paris, only one rider will be crowned victor. Here at VeloVoices we salute all the finishers, no matter where they end up in the general classification. One guy will finish last. There’s no shame in that because he’ll probably have worked his socks off for his team leader. He might even have picked up an injury or illness. He didn’t plan to come last. Sheer bloody-mindedness alone ensured he reached Paris. Continue reading →